Music

11/5 2:46 PM PT -- A fellow passenger, Connor Gowland, tells TMZ ... he was seated near Ariana and says she was already on the plane and fully expecting to make the São Paulo premiere before the travel chaos hit.

Grande went incognito in a baseball cap, face mask and cozy slippers, sitting in business class with her team of six when the chaos hit. Instead of stressing about her own schedule, Ariana actually comforted Connor about potentially missing his cousin’s wedding.

Ariana Grande’s firing back at some seriously wicked hate ... pleading with fans to stop sending cruel threats toward her and her team after a flight mishap caused them to miss the "Wicked: For Good" premiere in Brazil.

In an IG post Tuesday, Ariana sounded shaken as she addressed the backlash ... apologizing profusely for missing the premiere, and imploring people to stop wishing danger on her and her team.

Ariana laid it all out ... saying there was literally nothing she or her team could’ve done to make it to Brazil in time -- adding she was more disappointed than anyone else.

Eddie Griffin has stories for days about running with both Tupac and Biggie when they were still alive -- and he recently told a couple ... including one which ended with him having to strongarm some of Diddy's merchandise!!!

The tenured comedian was signing autographs following a recent stand-up set in Atlanta when he was asked to travel down memory lane about hanging with the late great rap legends.

Eddie recalls rolling with Pac in the ATL area -- circa the time when the wild block party Freaknik was still a thing -- but it wasn't all fun and games ... Pac was hanging out the window double-fisted with both middle fingers out!!!

Diplomats rappers Hell Rell, JR Writer and DukeDaGod say their upcoming "Double Trouble" album will restore greatness in NYC hip hop ... and just maybe, get Cam'ron and Jim Jones on the same page again!!!

TMZ Hip Hop caught up with the founding Dipset members, and they've come to the realization they're now the OGs tasked to get rap music that sticks back on the map.

Rell and JR's project has been decades in the making, and Duke and Fred Money A&R-ing and executive-producing the project puts the stamp of authenticity for longtime fans.

Sydney Sweeney ain't telling any pretty little lies with her lips in these pics ... passionately kissing her man Scooter Braun during a romantic Central Park outing in NYC.

The actress and the music exec posted up on a rock sitting above a pond in the center of the Big Apple Tuesday, bundled up against the cold in thick clothes ... but, the heat between them certainly seemed to keep them warm.

The pair later strolled through the park together ... while a bodyguard followed behind them, in case anyone got any funny ideas of messing with the celebrity couple.

Jelly Roll’s Aussie shopping spree hit a major snag ... he says the Louis Vuitton crew in Sydney treated him less like a VIP and more like he was about to rob the place!

The singer vented on IG Tuesday, posting a clip of himself walking away from the store in question ... saying the LV staff looked at him and his buddy like they were straight-up criminals.

Jelly doubled down, saying he's never been more scrutinized like a criminal ... even joking the last time people stared at him like that, he actually was one.

Taylor Momsen’s opening up about the rough side of "Gossip Girl" ... saying people blurred the line between her and her character so much, she had no choice but to quit the show.

The Pretty Reckless rocker spilled on "Call Her Daddy" that playing Jenny Humphrey was straight-up killing her ... she just wanted to ditch the drama and make music, but trying to break that contract by S4 was a nightmare of its own.

Taylor says the execs branded her ungrateful for wanting to leave the very show that had made her so successful -- but she pushed back hard, and eventually the writers agreed to write her off.

Bethenny Frankel is in her "Skinny Girl" era, and to showcase the birthday babe, we've rounded up her sexiest shots for her 55th trip around the sun!

The entrepreneur first hit the spotlight back in '08 with "The Real Housewives of New York City" ... She may have hung up her apple, but she's still shining bright and sweet as can be seen in these rockin' bikini shots!

Frankel headed south and relocated to Miami earlier this year ... and her hot mom bod is translating superbly!

Master P was able to share the limelight with Young Bleed just days before he died ... and the No Limit Records boss is saluting his ex-collaborator with a futuristic sendoff that represents their classic material!!!

P mourned the loss of the No Limit legacy, through an A.I.-generated image of Bleed's "My Balls & My Word" album cover that he released back in 1998 ... "We lost another Soldier Gone too Soon @therealyoungbleed Rest in Paradise. Our Prayers go out to his Family."

The cover art originally shows Bleed heading up golden stairs to a mansion in the sky ... and P's A.I. effects show the recently departed rapper heading into the clouds for good.

The Golden Globes have announced they'll have a Best Podcast category next year ... but Adam22 told us at LAX yesterday to prepare to be disappointed.

Some considered the Globes move to include podcasts as the latest attempt to remain relevant ... the awards show made a similar move when they added diversity to its voting body in 2023 -- but Adam22 sees it differently.

He says it's "old media basically feeling like they can be the judge, jury and executioner for new media."

DDG landed Blueface's first post-prison interview on his live stream, and the "Thotiana" rapper apparently has a new lease on life ... no smoking or drinking, but YES to a Jake Paul fight!!!

Blueface was released this week after serving 21 months and relays to DDG that his noticeable chunkier appearance from his prison photos was actually intentional -- he binged on mashed potatoes and oatmeal with his own commissary money until he barfed!!!

Blueface says he had fights and fades to give out, and the extra weight helped him deliver KOs -- and not the other way around!!!

Orange you glad we're hittin' you with this thirst trap snap on a Tuesday?! Given the clues, see if you can score the sexy singer rockin' her stringy bikini ...

Her voice is too good to be concealed, but that doesn't mean she can't judge what's behind the mask ... When she's not in Los Angeles doin' her thang, she's most likely across the pond, where she grew up 😜!

Cardi B’s gearing up for baby number four -- her first with Stefon Diggs -- and it looks like he couldn’t keep the secret for long ... accidentally spilling the baby’s gender!

The New England Patriots wide receiver let it slip that their incoming bundle of joy is a boy ... and he’s already hyped to go full dad mode, talking push-ups, sit-ups, and running drills for his mini-me.

Stefon told PEOPLE that just getting to be a boy dad was more than enough for him ... and over on "Extra," he revealed the baby’s due any day now ... asking fans to send some good vibes their way.

Soulja Boy's participation in a seemingly harmless TikTok game ended in a complete meltdown ... the "Crank That" rapper threatened to shooooot the competition!!!

TMZ Hip Hop obtained video of Soulja Boy erupting like a volcano on content creators ExoticTV Ra, MCL and Mello Rell in a fiery rant as they played for TikTok tokens -- apparently Soulja wasn't doing so hot.

Soulja Boy dared the group to play "big bank take lil bank" before telling Ra he'd shoot him in the face.

Master P wasted no time switching job hats after his viral Verzuz appearance -- and nabbed his first win as the University of New Orleans basketball prez of operations!!!

The New Orleans Privateers men's basketball team are now 1-0 after beating the TCU Horned Frogs 78 - 74, but you'd think Luther Vandross was singing "One Shining Moment" the way they were giving Coach Stacy Holloway a Gatorade bath in the locker room!!!

Coach P was right in the middle of the rowdy celebration, screaming "Ugh" with the players.

Bianca Censori is hitting the town back home in Australia ... and wearing one of her most eye-popping outfits yet.

The Aussie bombshell stepped out for a high-end shopping spree in Melbourne with her mom, Alexandra, sister, Angelina, and other family members Monday.

Her outfit is a total head-turner ... rocking a pair of sheer tights with her underwear visibly showing -- paired with a pink tank top pulled down to reveal a pointed, purple, vintage-style bullet bra. She finished the look with silver heels.

President Donald Trump's on-again, off-again Taylor Swift fanboying seems to be currently on again, as the White House just used one of her songs in a TikTok video ... and Swifties are HATING it.

Check out the clip ... Over Taylor's lyric "Keep it one hundred on the land, the sea, the sky..." the White House shows pics of the different branches of the military. It also flashes shots of POTUS and Vice President J.D. Vance along with their wives, Melania Trump and Usha Vance, when the song gets to "Pledge allegiance to your hands, your team, your vibes."

It's unlikely Taylor gave permission. And the comments quickly got ugly.