Music

Jason Lee was accused of both abusing his power as Vice Mayor and misusing $50,000 from the City of Stockton’s risk fund for a "Wild 'n Out" event last year ... but a thorough investigation has cleared his name!!!

California's Stockton City Council posted legal docs at the top of the month that they -- and the law office of Hanson Bridgett LLC -- held two hearings in August and December 2025 to determine if Lee was guilty of any financial violations, or even should have recused himself in deciding to push the event forward.

The investigation noted the event announcement carried the connotation it was to tout Lee's celebrity ... but it was ruled that his interests aligned with the city's well-being.

Boosie Badazz started 2026 staring down a potential prison sentence ... but thankfully, the judge decided to offer him leniency with time served!!!

If you recall, the rap star was looking at least a couple of years in the bing after pleading guilty to possessing a firearm as a felon in a case out of San Diego ... but his legal team pushed for alternative solutions -- and got their wish.

Boosie Badazz's attorney, Meghan Blanco, tells TMZ Hip Hop ... "He was sentenced to time served, three years of supervision, and 300 hours of community service. I’m so relieved he can finally move forward, continue making music, and be an inspirational role model for his kids and his community."

Turning Point USA is pushing full steam ahead with plans for its own Super Bowl halftime show ... but the conservative org is keeping key details under wraps.

Aubrey Laitsch, public relations manager for TPUSA, tells TMZ ... "The All American Halftime Show" is 100 percent on -- though fans will have to tune in live on Sunday, Feb. 8 to find out who’s taking the stage.

Laitsch says multiple performers are already locked in, but she declined to reveal who they are ... or even what type of performers viewers can expect.

She was also tight-lipped about where the show will take place, and wouldn’t confirm whether it will actually air live.

Fetty Wap is free from prison early and he owes it all to buckling down and taking advantage of the programs presented to him!!!

TMZ Hip Hop caught up with the "Trap Queen" legend and his team, full smiles ahead as they were leaving iHeartRadio on Friday.

As we reported yesterday, Fetty was released 3 years early on his 6-year prison sentence for drug trafficking charges ... he credits the First Step Act bill, which was first signed by President Trump in 2018, and allows federal inmates to earn time credits to reduce their sentence.

Brianna "Chickenfry" LaPaglia just got torched by her ex Zach Bryan -- 'cause his new album is packed with scathing diss tracks ... and it’s painfully clear they’re aimed at one person and one person only!

On the track "Skin" from his sixth studio album released Friday, the Grammy winner got brutally graphic about taking a "blade to my old tattoos" to "drain the blood between me and you," even singing about dragging the blade across his own skin before declaring, "I ain’t ever touching yours again."

Back when they were still an item, Brianna inked her arm with the words, "How lucky are we?" which is the same lyric in a 2024 Bryan song "28." Bryan reportedly got a similar tattoo to match Brianna's.

On "Plastic Cigarette," Bryan croons about crossing paths with someone "evil" in Queens, New York -- and it’s worth noting he and Brianna first sparked their romance in 2023 after she attended his concert at Queens’ Forest Hills Stadium.

Freddie Gibbs and CM Punk didn't hold back on their stunts filming their vampire film "Night Patrol" -- the "Alfredo" rapper accidentally made the WWE legend spill blood!!!

TMZ Hip Hop obtained video of Freddie joined by actors Nicki Micheaux, RJ Cyler, Nick Gillie, and director Ryan Pros at the "Night Patrol" premiere in Los Angeles on Thursday.

Gibbs stars as neighborhood hero "Bornelius" while CM Punk stars as a menacing police sergeant, and during their fight scene, Freddie says he accidentally sliced him with a gun ... forcing him to cut for a moment and receive medical attention.

Britney Spears calls the shots -- and she's saying she will never perform in the United States again.

The Princess of Pop shared the shocking news on Instagram Thursday night, explaining to fans she never plans to step foot on stage in America "because of extremely sensitive reasons."

However, she's ready to perform overseas ... teasing shows in the UK and Australia "very soon" with her son. She gushed, "He’s a huge star and I’m so humbled to be in his presence!!!" She also said she's sending the piano in the photo she posted to her son ... seemingly willing to help her kiddo in any way she can.

Kelsea Ballerini is grieving a major loss -- saying goodbye to her "soul dog," Dibs -- and marking the moment with a gut-wrenching IG tribute filled with sweet, happy memories of the pup she adored.

The country singer shared the post Thursday, revealing Dibs died the day before -- adding she wouldn’t have survived the last decade of her life without him by her side, and that she truly believes they’ll find each other again in every lifetime.

Kelsea shared even more heartbreaking details ... saying Dibs, who was diagnosed with cancer in August '24, spent his final days soaking up the sunshine in his backyard, surrounded by and visited by his forever people.

She closed by saying she feels like the luckiest girl in the world to have been his dog mom, calling it "the greatest gift of my life."

Meghan Trainor's husband Daryl Sabara is denying there's any drama between his wife and Ashley Tisdale ... claiming there's no beef from his side and wishing the actress all the best.

We caught up with the former child star while he was leaving Alan Cumming's Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony Thursday afternoon ... and, we had to ask about Tisdale's recent essay that called out toxic members of a mom group she once belonged to.

Online sleuths have alleged Trainor, Hilary Duff and Mandy Moore were all part of this group ... though Tisdale's rep denied it to us -- and, Daryl's comments seem to back up the claim.

It’s sunny Down Under and Yungblud is absolutely taking advantage -- 'cause when the sun’s out, he's making it clear his buns are out too, and yes ... we’ve got the peachy pics!

NSFW alert -- the British rapper was caught getting way too comfortable at a rowdy yacht party cruising Sydney Harbour, ditching his clothes and barely committing to modesty with a half-hearted hand-and-towel combo doing the absolute least to cover his goods.

As you can see, YB was fully committed to having a good time -- flashing his bum to even out that tan, flexing some serious body confidence, and happily soaking up the attention.

Meghan Trainor's all about that bass -- no Tisdale Treble -- cracking a joke about the alleged drama surrounding her mom group in a new social media post.

The singer-songwriter took to TikTok Thursday to break her silence on the online fervor surrounding her and several of her fellow moms ... tapping away furiously on a glowing keyboard in the clip.

She wrote on the post, "me finding out about the apparent mom group drama" ... though anyone taking the post too seriously should turn their volume up ... because her track "Still Don't Care" plays over the whole dang thing. Trainor captioned the post with what look like tea emojis ... so, clearly she's drinking up all the hottest gossip.

It looks like Diddy's going to have to suck it up and serve out his prison sentence ... because President Trump says he's not considering a pardon.

Trump told The New York Times he received a letter from Diddy seeking a pardon ... but told the outlet he wasn't considering granting the request.

POTUS is certainly bursting Diddy's bubble here ... as we first reported, Diddy was telling inmates at FCI Fort Dix in New Jersey back in November that he would get a presidential pardon from Trump early in 2026.

The 83rd Golden Globes presenters have been unmasked, and it's quite the A-list ... Lisa, Snoop Dogg, Miley Cyrus, and Orlando Bloom are among the famous folks who are set to take the stage!

This year marks a big milestone for K-pop -- Lisa will be making history as the first idol to present at the Globes.

Seventeen's Joshua is another idol expected to walk the red carpet, according to Korean news outlet MyDaily.

Word on road is Drake is about to blow up the spot with his long-awaited "Iceman" album -- and Fat Joe is guaranteeing it'll be the hit-fueled project the people deserve!!!

Joe's just a spectator on the sidelines without direct involvement in the album ... but the proud "Joe & Jada" podcaster told TMZ Hip Hop when we caught him and Rich Player out in NYC greeting fans, he has no doubt Drake will deliver.

Platinum OVO card-carrying member DJ Akademiks got fans riled up this week, teasing that the album was coming ... no release date has been confirmed just yet.

Hilary Duff is getting dirty on her upcoming album ... teasing a new song in which she sings about giving oral sex!

Check out her post from Wednesday -- the former Disney darling posted a video of herself lip-syncing to an unreleased song in which she sings about the NSFW act. The lyrics read ... "I want the part where you say goddamn / Back of a dive bar giving you head / Then sneak home late, wake up your roommates.”

But that's not where the risqué story ends -- later in the song, she croons ... "I’m touching myself by the front door / But you don’t even look my way no more." The overall song has her nostalgic about a once hot and heavy relationship that has faded into a passionless reflection of the relationship they once shared.

Stacie Orrico -- a former Christian music singer -- has filed a lawsuit claiming her manager sexually abused her when she was a child, and members of her label did nothing to stop it.

The singer-songwriter filed the lawsuit against her former manager, Britt Ham, and Universal Music Group earlier this week ... alleging Ham began touching her inappropriately when she was just 14 years old.

Orrico says Ham got her alone away from her parents under the guise of daily Bible study ... and impressed upon her the importance of secrecy after he allegedly sexually assaulted her by claiming they needed to protect her Christian image.