Music

Top Dawg Entertainment's annual Christmas Concert was once again the talk of the city of Watts with plenty of gifts and cheers being distributed ... and performances from several of the biggest artists, EVER!!!

TMZ Hip Hop was live and direct inside the renowned Nickerson Gardens housing projects once again to take in the festivities, which included blockbuster performances.

Kendrick Lamar and SZA shut down the evening, Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg spread "California Love," and R&B sensation Mario performed "Let Me Love You."

Jelly Roll’s slate is officially clean ... Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee granted the country star a full pardon Thursday, scrubbing the country star's felon past!

The "Need a Favor" hitmaker has never tried to hide his troubled history ... he was in and out of jail for about a decade beginning at the age of 14 for convictions including aggravated robbery, drug possession, drug dealing and shoplifting. His felony convictions include a robbery when he was a teen -- for which he was tried as an adult -- and drug charges at 23.

Now, those felonies are removed from his record and he will have an easier time booking international tour dates, and carrying out Christian ministry-adjacent work without having to go through extra red tape.

Russell Brand is no fan of his ex-wife Katy Perry's budding relationship with former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ... and mainly Justin himself, calling him a "globalist stooge."

The British actor-comedian hit the stage at a Turning Point USA event in Phoenix, Arizona Thursday night and at one point, Russell offered his 2 cents about Katy and Justin's new romance.

He told the packed crowd ... “Look, Katy Perry, I was married to her. I love her still, and I’m glad that her mom’s in the room to hear me say this, but look. I was okay with Orlando Bloom, but Justin Trudeau? Come on, man! Don’t put me in a category with that guy! That globalist stooge."

It's unclear if Katy's mom was at the TPUSA event, BTW.

The "Ghost Adventures" episode featuring Weezer bassist Scott Shriner’s ex-wife, Jillian, is about to air ... and TMZ’s got the chilling first look, giving a pretty unsettling peek into her headspace before that wild run-in with cops earlier this year.

Have a look -- Zak Bagans says things took a seriously dark turn after Jillian gifted him serial killer Samuel Little's ashes, along with hand-drawn portraits of his victims that he’d left her in his will after she once wrote a book about him.

Riley Keough was snapped out and about for the first time since a bombshell lawsuit allegation claiming she's the biological mother to John Travolta's youngest son ... and TMZ has the shots.

Check out the pics ... Riley seemed to be in good spirits, doting on her kids among Christmas lawn decorations. A nanny helps Riley rally the two children while they admire the gingerbread man, miniature reindeer and tiny sleigh on a front lawn.

Riley shares two kids with husband Ben Smith-Petersen -- daughter Tupelo, 3, and a second child, whose name has not been publicly disclosed, who was born earlier this year.

Put down your bottles and pick up this genie posing with her Erewhon smoothie! Do you think you've got what it takes to sip up the sexy singer?!

This sultry swooner's been around since the '90s, and she's "ain't no other!" Catch her in Vegas for her live show ... or showin' off her stunning looks on socials!

Ebro Darden's morning show exile from Hot 97 last week blindsided the entire Tri-State area ... including DJ Drewski, who found out about his coworker getting canned like everyone else -- on the internet!!!

TMZ Hip Hop caught up with Drewski outside Johnny Donovan's 9th annual Celebrity Christmas Party this week, which benefits Little Flower Children Services.

Drewski is thankful to still have a job this holiday season and was aware his station was making changes. Still, he thinks Hot 97 skimmed out on the HR protocol, giving everyone the heads up "Ebro in the Morning" had been canceled.

Ella Mai is finally opening up about her son with Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum ... revealing in a new interview this week she feels the little man has both mommy and daddy's talents!!

The "Little Things" singer jumped on the British radio station KISSXTRA to discuss her upcoming album "Do You Still Love Me?" ... but the host also snuck in questions about her motherhood journey.

Mai lit up when she spoke about her son ... saying he's put his musical skills on display -- so who knows, maybe he's the next Troy Bolton?!

Mustard is on the beat and on his ex-wife Chanel Thierry's case, claiming she's been blasting him on social media ... and now he's asking a judge to give him full legal custody of their kids over it.

In court documents, obtained by TMZ, Mustard -- whose real name is Dijon McFarlane -- says he wants sole legal custody of his and Chanel's three children -- Kiylan, 13, Kauner, 10, and Kody, 6.

The ex-couple shared legal custody of the kids under the previous order. At the time, the judge also specifically prohibited both of them from speaking in a "negative, disrespectful, or derogatory manner to or about the other" in their children's presence or "within hearing distance of the child."

In new court papers filed by attorney Samantha Spector, Mustard alleges Chanel violated that order by making disparaging social media postings about him ... including Chanel posting to Threads on October 26, writing, "Dijon I know you are reading this, I'm so sick of your s***. You suck."

"The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants" became ground zero for panicked parents testing their cover-your-kids'-eyes reflexes ... 'cause Ice Spice rolled in to the family-friendly affair practically naked!

The rapper -- who has a role in the flick and contributed the original song "Big Guy" -- went shockingly bold at the NYC premiere for the PG-rated movie Wednesday, rocking a sheer lace getup that left little to the imagination, flashing her thong and plenty of bare cheek.

Ice was posing up a storm in front of that bright, bubbly SpongeBob backdrop ... a wild juxtaposition, considering this was a kids’ movie premiere with families everywhere.

Jack Black's fully in the holiday spirit ... rattling off a Christmas carol for us in his typical hard-rocking voice in New York City!

We caught up with the actor and singer outside "The Drew Barrymore Show" Tuesday ... and we asked him what his least favorite holiday tradition is.

Either Jack didn't hear us, or he chose to stay positive and give us one of his favorites instead ... because he launches into the song with his usual enthusiasm and projection.

Bianca jumped out of her 20s and into a bathtub -- completely nude -- for her 30th birthday.

The black-and-white video, taken by husband Kanye, came just before the two reportedly split for a brief couple of months.

Before officially confirming their romance, the pop star and former Canadian Prime Minister were seen dining together at swanky Montreal hotspot Le Violon.

Jane's Addiction is through ... with the band announcing they're done playing together after an onstage argument turned physical last year.

A statement was posted to the band's Instagram page Wednesday ... which seeks to further explain the immediate aftermath of the brawl between Perry Farrell and Dave Navarro in September 2024.

The band acknowledges members made "inaccurate statements" about Farrell's mental health at the time and apologizes to him ... before revealing the band recently reconvened in order to resolve their differences.

50 Cent is currently surveying the square footage of the building where Maino and his rap pack podcast at -- but the "Hustle Hard" artist is telling TMZ Hip Hop, break out the contracts!!!

We caught up with Maino out in Jersey on Wednesday, just a few hours removed from his viral dust-up with 50 Cent, where the G-Unit soldier threatened to have his operations shut down!!!

ICYMI, Maino, Jim Jones, Fabolous, and Dave East have a podcast named "Let's Rap About It" -- and they gave 50's documentary on Diddy at least 4 thumbs down, calling it more of a "mockumentary" for what they called an exploitation of Sean Combs.

Who's ready for their mid-week snack?! Can you guess which Hollywood hottie put her bod on full display in this jaw-dropping shot?!

Her sophomore album took years, but it was totes worth the wait! She's collabed with Kendrick Lamar, and her fan base proudly embraces being “a little unhinged.”

Blueface's mother, Karlissa Saffold Harvey, is praying that his new GF Nevaeh develops some common sense dealing with her son -- after spelling his name wrong in her brand new neck tattoo!!!

Nevaeh debuted the signature ink last night on IG during some NC-17 time with her boo ... only problem is that she forgot the "H" in Blueface's government name, Johnathan!!!

According to Karlissa, her son's name has a holy connotation ... fashioned after Bible verse John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

Karlissa says she gave her son life with an "H" attached to his name and clowned away in her IG comments with her followers.