Music

The nominees for the 2026 Grammy Awards are officially in ... and it's nothing short of a powerhouse lineup, featuring artists like Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, Kendrick Lamar -- and Bad Bunny leading the charge!

The Recording Academy revealed the nominations Friday morning ... with a group of past Grammy-winners helping make the big announcement -- including Lizzo, Sam Smith, Brandi Carlile, Doechii, KAROL G and more.

In the major categories ... Bad Bunny, Justin Bieber, Sabrina Carpenter, Tyler, the Creator, Lady Gaga, and Leon Thomas are just a few of the stars who scored nominations for Album of the Year -- while Bad Bunny, Sabrina Carpenter, Kendrick Lamar, Lady Gaga, Billie Eilish, Doechii, and Bruno Mars got the nod for Record of the Year.

The 2026 Grammy nominations just dropped ... and as it turns out, "Golden" is still going "up, up, up" -- 'cause the smash "KPop Demon Hunters" hit is a finalist for "Song of the Year!!"

The tune, written by EJAE (who voices Rumi in the song) and Mark Sonnenblick, has been sitting comfortably at the top of the Billboard charts for months ... so it's no surprise it's getting even more recognition.

"Golden" is joined by Rosé and Bruno Mars' "APT." as the first two songs in K-pop to ever be considered for "Song of the Year" at the Grammys ... or any of the big four categories for that matter.

The 2026 Grammy Awards noms are in, and the Best Rap Album category has proven to be an interesting scenario ... the hip hop stars are intertwined on each other's projects!!!

Kendrick Lamar's rookie-rapper promoting "GNX" album got spotlighted ... and the anti-Drake artist is also featured on Clipse's "Let God Sort Em Out" alongside Tyler, The Creator ... whose own "CHROMAKOPIA" album is nominated with a GloRilla feature!!!

Clipse are also featured on JID's "God Does Like Ugly" album, and GloRilla's breakout "Glorious" album stands as the only female-helmed project in the lineup.

Clipse and Kendrick's "Chain & Whips" collab is especially special ... it's also nominated for a Best Rap Performance. Kendrick and SZA are also up for both Song & Record of the Year with their supreme chart-topper, "Luther."

2025 is being touted as one of the best years for hip hop in recent memory -- just ask James Gunn -- but fans are piping hot mad with the omission of Freddie Gibbs and The Alchemist's "Alfredo 2" project -- especially considering the first one was nominated at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards.

Clipse, Kendrick and Tyler's projects are up for Album of the Year as well ... Gunn isn't capping!!!

Alex Cooper says Taylor Swift opened her eyes sexually as a teenage girl ... and it's all thanks to one album.

Alex hopped on the "In Your Dreams With Owen Thiele" podcast this week and explained how Taylor was her "sexual awakening for women."

The way Alex tells it ... she was growing up in Pennsylvania when Taylor's "Fearless" album came out in 2008, and the songs changed her life.

Another day, another fan who doesn’t know boundaries ... this time, one shameless concertgoer took things way too far by reaching up to grab Halsey’s butt -- mid-performance!

As you can see, Halsey was performing "Is There Somewhere" in Washington, D.C., earlier this week when the unidentified fan in the crowd reached dangerously close to her thigh ... then brazenly slid a hand under her leather skirt, copping a quick feel in front of everyone.

The disturbing up-close clip -- shot from right behind the creep -- shows a gloved hand, presumably security, finally stepping in to swat away the paw ... but TBH, it takes way too long to happen.

Mike Epps is headlining the "We Dem Ones" comedy tour for the first time after hosting it for several years -- and he's tasked with dividing stage time among all the comic stars!!!

TMZ Hip Hop caught up with Mike at Saks Fifth Avenue in Beverly Hills late Thursday afternoon ... Chico Bean, DC Young Fly, Karlous Miller, and T.K. Kirkland are just a handful of the heavy-hitters who will be clawing for the spotlight and bringing their own respective fanbases to the 35-city tour starting Feb. 2026.

Mike tells us the solution is simple -- he'll break up the time like a music fest -- tons of acts and plenty of opportunities for the comedians to get their jokes in.

Mod Sun’s opening up about his split from Avril Lavigne ... saying it was brutal to move on, especially when he had to replay the heartbreak every night on stage singing their song together.

The singer told Bunnie XO on the "Dumb Blonde" podcast it just so happens his biggest hit, "Flames," is the one with Avril ... but since it’s his song, he wasn’t about to rob himself (or fans) of performing it live on tour.

Mod went on to say it was tough to play -- and even harder to hear -- but he pushed through. Performing it night after night was difficult, yet getting emotionally wrecked on stage in front of people ended up being the thing that healed him.

Blueface just may have found his new GF after all ... in the arms of Hazel-E, judging from their steamy, intimate party encounter!

The two artists/reality stars were spotted at well-known celebrity hotspot MEMEHOUSE Productions -- the same place Justin Bieber plays basketball -- vibing to the music and clearly feeling each other's vibes too.

Blueface is leaning into Hazel here ... wrapping her up in hugs and whispering in her ear -- sans shirt, just BTW.

Comedian Deon Cole had the internet debating after he called out Kai Cenat for gleefully knowing Black celebrities when he was hired to stream at this year's BET Awards ... an inevitable part of the game, according to Consequence!!!

TMZ Hip Hop caught up with Consequence leaving Prada on Rodeo Drive, Wednesday afternoon, and the veteran rapper tells us he's experienced Kai and his BFF Rakai's cluelessness firsthand when they tried to write off his son, Caiden The Crownholder, as just the "rapping n***a" and not the artist who's burning up TikTok!!!

Deon's words resonated with many ... and Cons, being from the true school and all, gets the issue, but seeing that the wave has switched to streaming and clout-chasing, there's not much anyone can do about it. 🤷🏾‍♂️

Blueface is out of prison and calling out names ... Jaidyn Alexis, Chrisean Rock and Angela -- who barely made it 5 minutes with him -- for FAILING to hold him down while he was behind bars!!!

Drama has been sky high since Blueface was released this week ... Jaidyn threatened to beat up Chrisean for being too close to her kids, but in a shocking turn of events, Blueface says Chrisean was more of a ride-or-die than Jaidyn was!!!

Blueface says he wasn't hung up on them sleeping with other people while he was locked up for 21 months, but he criticized Jaidyn for blowing the $90K he gave her and being more focused on experimenting with women than his well-being!!!

Sean Kingston and his mother, Janice Turner, have multiple years in prison time looming ... but a handful of his famous friends are doing their part to ensure President Donald Trump swoops through with a golden pardon!!!

TMZ Hip Hop obtained a pardon application filed by Kingston's legal reps at Goldberg Segalla, in addition to letters written on behalf of Soulja Boy, Jack Doherty and Safaree from July sent to the White House, pleading for SK's freedom.

A legal rep for Sean confirms they filed the paperwork, which they're hopeful will spring into action once it graces the White House's offices.

Nicki Minaj added SZA to her ever-growing enemies list earlier this year ... but the "Kill Bill" singer told GQ she's at a loss as to what she did to deserve it.

SZA told the fashion outlet ... "I don’t know her. We have no connection to each other. There’s no backstory. Like, there was no through-line narrative."

Over the summer, Minaj bizarrely attacked SZA, accusing her of being a "hater" and a "fake girl's girls who talk s**t but will run u down for a photo."

Travis Kelce is enjoying a week off from football, which means he's free to hold with no penalties ... and he's taking full advantage ... holding on tight to Taylor Swift on their way in to a romantic dinner.

The "Wood" singer and her NFL star fiancé hit up The Polo Bar in New York City on Wednesday night for a dinner date, and they locked hands as they walked past a sea of paparazzi.

Travis' Kansas City Chiefs are on their bye week, so he's got free time to spend with his bride-to-be ... and they are spending some of those previous hours in the Big Apple.

Hurricane Melissa has left chunks of Jamaica ravaged -- and reggae titan Maxi Priest is supporting his bredren Sean Paul in rebuilding their country!!!

Maxi's team tells TMZ Hip Hop that he's in the process of launching a GoFundMe with his new label partner, Intercept Music, to assist in the humanitarian efforts.

In the meantime, Maxi is encouraging donations to Food For The Poor Jamaica, where Sean Paul has already pledged to match up to $100K.

The much-talked-about *NSYNC biopic never got off the ground ... 'cause TMZ has learned the guys just weren't sold on the pitch or the producer behind it.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... the project never even made it to the screenwriter stage. The idea was brought to the band by Justin Timberlake's manager after "Fast & Furious" producer Neal H. Moritz started shopping it around, but the band's collective teams were unified that Neal might not be the right fit for this project.

Our sources say the guys, along with their teams, had a group conversation about the potential film and agreed they should explore meetings with other producers in addition to Neal. We're told that would only happen if the band decided to embark on the much-wanted reunion tour ... something Justin wasn't ready to commit to.

Model and DJ Charly Jordan might've shocked fans with her recent viral clip of a guy sucking on a girl’s fingers mid-set ... but she tells TMZ that’s nothing compared to some of the wild stuff she’s seen in her crowds!

We caught up with Charly Tuesday at her first stop of her U.S. college tour and she told us the finger-sucking clip was tame compared to one night when she was DJing and she spotted a guy orally going to town on a girl through her leggings -- right there in a club booth.

Charly blushed a little, remembering the wild scene ... admitting booze def brings out people’s freaky side, but she’s never shy about calling them out on the mic.