Music

Kid Cudi will testify today at Diddy's federal sex trafficking trial ... and, it looks like he's taking a few nicotine hits to steady himself before he does.

We recorded the rapper getting out of his car and walking into the Manhattan courthouse Thursday ... a serious expression on his face. He didn't say anything to the gathered crowd -- using his mouth to puff on a cigarette instead.

Cudi quickly turns the corner out of view in the clip -- before resurfacing inside the courthouse, where he can be seen through a window ... taking off his jacket to go through a security checkpoint, speaking to a guard.

Megan Fox didn't anticipate her most recent pregnancy ... revealing she and Machine Gun Kelly weren't looking to have a kid together -- even though they're now so happy they did.

The actress took to Instagram to share a steamy video showing her posing in a low-cut crop top, skirt and high black stockings.

She's striking a series of scandalous positions in the clip ... touching her fingertip to her tongue, putting her hands in prayer position and making sultry moves toward the camera.

Universal Music Group is being sued by a man who claims he worked with huge acts like Johnny Cash, Twisted Sister and Shania Twain and is owed over $72 million for unpaid services.

In the lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, a man named Gary Douglas Peabody claims Johnny Cash called him up in 1970 and asked him to come to New York to get signed as a singer or backup singer and writer. He says Cash was working for UMG.

He claims Johnny called him up again in 1974 and told him UMG owed him $25 million ... asking him to come to NY to collect the funds.

Kanye West and Playboi Carti have been in a weird place for months over "I Am Music" album credits -- and things are about to get even WEIRDER over an NBA YoungBoy feature -- on both of their songs!!!

On Tuesday, Ye debuted a new adrenaline-fueled track titled "Alive" with him and YoungBoy rapping frenetically over an industrial rap-rock beat that also samples Carti's "Music" song, "Crank."

Ye used the track to simultaneously announce the upcoming arrival of his Yeezy SZN 10 fashion line ... only for Carti to swoop in and steal his thunder with a track of his own ... featuring the same beat and NBA YoungBoy verse!!!

Justin Bieber just can't catch a break these days ... because he got a parking ticket Tuesday in L.A., and it was all caught on video -- and so was his crotch grab!

TMZ obtained footage of the troubled singer walking out of a commercial bank in Bev Hills — only to have a surprise waiting for him on the windshield of his Mercedes G-Wagon parked out front ... an annoying parking ticket.

Our sources say earlier, Bieber had difficulties trying to park the sizable vehicle inside a garage because the G-Wagon exceeded the height limit.

Sharay Hayes, an exotic male dancer known as "The Punisher," tells us he's unsure why federal prosecutors called him as a witness in the Diddy trial ... because he says he never saw Diddy do anything that seemed illegal and thinks his testimony may have actually helped the defense.

"The Punisher" joined us on "TMZ Live" Wednesday and we asked him if prosecutors gave him any indication why they wanted to get him on the stand, because his testimony Tuesday left many people wondering how prosecutors thought it related to any of the charges against Diddy.

Hayes says he is still confused as to why his testimony was necessary ... telling us he let prosecutors know from the jump he didn't see anything that looked criminal during his sexual interactions with Diddy and Cassie.

3:53 AM PT -- Kneecap has slammed the UK government after band member Liam O'Hanna -- stage name Mo Chara -- was charged with a terrorism offense, calling the move "political policing."

The band as a whole says they vehemently deny any "offense" and question the Metropolitan Police's motives.

They claim the "carnival of distraction" takes away from the real story -- genocide -- and accuse the UK of abetting "slaughter and famine in Gaza."

The post wraps ... "We stand proudly with the people. You stand complicit with the war criminals. We are on the right side of history. You are not. We will fight you in your court. We will win. Free Palestine."

Liam O'Hanna -- a member of the Irish-language rap group Kneecap -- has been charged with a terrorism offense ... according to the Metropolitan Police in London.

The rapper -- who goes by his Irish name Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh online -- was charged with displaying a flag in support of the terrorist organization Hezbollah.

The incident in question appears to be related to a November 2024 concert, where Liam held out a bright yellow flag with green lettering ... which appears to be a flag of the terrorist group.

Prosecutors are calling an expert witness in the Diddy trial, a clinical and forensic psychologist who is telling the jury about why victims stay in abusive relationships, how they cope, the obstacles they face in leaving, and how their memories are affected by trauma.

Dawn Hughes took the stand Wednesday morning as the 11th witness called by the feds.  Prosecutors are presenting her as an expert witness who specializes in trauma and traumatic stress.

Hughes told jurors it's quite common for victims to remain in abusive relationships ... explaining there's all sorts of mechanisms that make victims feel trapped, and it's not just reserved to physical violence.

Chris Brown is out on bail, fresh out of jail, "Breezy Bowl XX" dreaming -- his recent legal drama won't affect his tour stops!!!

Shortly after the R&B megastar was granted a hefty $6.7 million bail in London court stemming from a 2023 assault charge in the UK, Breezy let his 144 million Instagram followers know he was heading from "the cage to the stage" -- beginning on June 8!!!

Chris was charged with grievous bodily harm for allegedly beating music producer Abraham Diaw upside the head with a tequila bottle, and the situation was jeopardizing his jam-packed itinerary.

Donald Trump ain't screaming "fore" to give Bruce Springsteen a heads-up about his drive ... sharing an edited clip on social media where it appears he's hitting the singer with a golf ball.

The President of the United States shared a clip to Truth Social and X Wednesday ... kicking off with him taking a hack at a golf ball.

The prez -- clad in a white shirt and red MAGA hat in the archive footage -- gets the ball flying ... and, the clip cuts to Springsteen walking up the steps at a concert when an edited golf ball comes into frame and smacks him in the back.

Federal prosecutors just dropped another document dump of evidence presented in court at Diddy's sex trafficking and racketeering trial -- and the pics give us a window into the music mogul's lavish and kinky lifestyle on Miami's Star Island.

As you know, Diddy lived in a huge mansion on the island -- and Homeland Security Investigations Agent Gerard Gannon testified Tuesday he was the head of the operation that conducted a raid on the property in March 2024. Gannon told the court the feds confiscated loaded assault rifles, sex toys and bottles of lubricant.

Now, the feds have publicly released a mountain of photos showing exactly what items the feds recovered from Diddy's sprawling estate -- which, by the way, is pretty darn high-end.

Meek Mill felt the need to go on "public record" about Diddy parties he's attended ... amid the spiraling allegations being flung around the Bad Boy mogul's federal sex trafficking case.

Speculation about Meek's involvement with Diddy has run rampant since he was linked in producer Lil Rodney's lawsuit last year ... which has since had several key complaints tossed out.

On Tuesday, Meek called all allegations an attack on his brand before flipping to his experience at Diddy parties ... he's claiming the craziest thing he's seen is "coke vibes."

SZA's Los Angeles stint for her "Grand National" tour is off to a depressing start ... the R&B star claims she persuaded a child to forfeit their fruity whippet at an In-N-Out parking lot!!!

The "Kill Bill" singer didn't specify how old she thought the young fan was, but says she convinced them to hand over a can of SuperWhip strawberry-banana-flavored nitrous oxide, in exchange for a photo/video for their IG ... where are the parents?!?

SZA says she'll do everything in her power to help change the scenario, but ripped America for making drugs so marketable and alluring to children.

Rihanna and A$AP Rocky ate this after-dinner photo shoot in Cannes ... with RiRi flaunting her baby bump alongside her better half.

The power couple posed for pics underneath a bridge in the French city ... with a mural dedicated to the movie "Pulp Fiction" serving as their backdrop.

Rihanna's embracing a chic "Mother Earth" aesthetic ... baby bump pouring out the bottom of her crop top -- while Rocky's got his arms wrapped around her, grinning wide for the photo.

Rapper Rod Wave was arrested in Fulton County, Georgia Tuesday on 14 charges -- including aggravated assault involving the use of a firearm at his Atlanta-area home ... which cops say broke his previously granted bond.

Here's what went down ... RW was visiting his place on April 21 with his realtors and other associates after it had been burglarized. Police say he and one of his associates got into a verbal argument as they were carrying out items from the residence ... which is when a Glock 20 10mm semiautomatic pistol was pulled and fired.

The "Street Runner" artist allegedly fired 14 rounds in total -- 11 hit his associate's 2025 Mercedes G Wagon, 1 round struck his 2022 Rolls-Royce, 1 round hit the wall of his residence, and the final round has not been located, according to law enforcement.

Chris Brown can breathe a sigh of relief because he was just granted bail after his arrest for assault in the United Kingdom, TMZ has confirmed.

The R&B singer did not appear for a hearing in London's Southwark Crown Court Wednesday ... but a judge signed off on releasing him from jail, paving the way for him to begin his world tour in a few weeks.

The judge ordered Chris — who has not yet entered a plea -- to pay 5 million in British pounds as a security fee to the court, which translates to roughly $6.7 million in American dollars. We don't know the details of his bail conditions, but we'll update you once we get word.