Music

Memphis Bleek is in such disbelief that Coach K thinks Jeezy is a bigger artist than Jay-Z, that he thinks the label boss must have been talking about anything other than music.

We caught up with the Memph Man along with his Warehouse Music Group crew out in NYC and by his calculations, weight is the only way Jeezy is outsizing Jay in terms of their career.

Coach K, who managed Jeezy at one point, recently argued that the trap rap legend eclipsed Jay's popularity and relevancy at the time of his artistic peak, but Bleek still couldn't be convinced.

Don't get him wrong -- Bleek says he remembers when Jeezy first hit the scene and commanded his "Snowman" nickname but in terms of their current streaming numbers, there's really not much indicating that the teacher surpassed the master.

A changing of the guard Bleek does think is doable, however, is Usher besting Rihanna's Super Bowl viewership -- which currently ranks as the highest viewed of all-time!!!

The chances of that happening are likely higher than Bleek getting his Jay-Z collab album off the ground ... apparently Hov's been too frightened of Bleek's rap skills to hop in the booth with him!!!

1:57 PM PT -- After seeing the interview clip go viral, Tyler, The Creator is sending an olive branch to "Hot Ones" host Sean Evans for using the show as a scapegoat for hip hop's nonsense.

Tyler explained he's actually a fan of the show and simply used it as a loose example because it was at the top of his mind ... although "deep-throating" wings is clearly a bar!!!

No sorry for the sneakerheads, though. Joe La Puma, looks like you're on your own.

Tyler, The Creator is fed up with rappers and their lifestyle interviews ... mainly the ones found on Complex's channel involving scarfing down chicken wings and dropping thousands on new shoes!!! 😬

Midway through his sit down with Nardwuar, Tyler went on a bit of a tangent about the state of music ... explaining why he goes in-depth detailing his art.

He got a little ticked off as he criticized artists for feeding into the social media system and hopping on platforms to go "f***in' sneaker shopping" -- or even "deep-throating" hot wings for an hour!!!

Complex has been wooing audiences with their "Sneaker Shopping" and "Hot Ones" series for years featuring tons of celebrity guests -- but Tyler's letting it be known he's not that dude.

The way he sees it, artists are wasting precious time with chicken and sneakers when they should be discussing that 15-track album ... before it crashes and burns on Billboard.

We've seen plenty of artists complain about rap's quality these days ... ranging from current-gen artists such as Lil Yachty to veterans like Xzibit.

But, Tyler's beef is a little different -- regardless of the music quality, he's imploring rappers to up their game when it comes to promoting that music.

More focused interviews don't sound like a horrible idea.

50 Cent no está en peligro por tirar un micrófono hacia la multitud durante un show en Los Ángeles, o al menos, por ahora. El incidente ocurrido en agosto dejó a una espectadora con múltiples lesiones en la cabeza y en su cara.

La locutora de Power 106 Bryhana Monegain presentó un informe a la policía tras el incidente del 30 de agosto. Originalmente, la policía había presentado el caso a L.A. County D.A. como un delito grave, pero la Oficina del Fiscal más tarde lo pateó a la Oficina del Fiscal de la Ciudad de Los Ángeles.

Ahora, la oficina del Fiscal de la Ciudad le dice a TMZ que no se han presentado cargos criminales contra el rapero de 48 años y no se presentarán, siempre y cuando él mantenga su nariz limpia.

Nos dicen que el caso permanecerá abierto durante 1 año a partir de la fecha del incidente y podría ser reevaluado si hay más incidentes entre 50 y Bryhana.

Todo comenzó cuando 50 Cent actuó en el Crypto.com Arena de Los Ángeles. Un video lo mostraba muy enojado lanzando su micrófono a la multitud y golpeando a Bryhana en la frente tan fuerte que necesitó asistencia médica.

50 Cent is in the clear, for now, for chucking a microphone into the crowd during his L.A. show back in August ... an incident that left a spectator with multiple lacerations to her head and face.

Power 106 radio host Bryhana Monegain filed a police report following the incident on August 30 ... and cops originally presented the case to the L.A. County D.A. as a felony -- but the D.A.'s Office later kicked it to the L.A. City Attorney's office.

Now, the City Attorney's office tells TMZ no criminal charges have been filed against the 48-year-old rapper, and won't be filed as long as he keeps his nose clean.

We're told the case will remain open for 1 year from the date of the incident ... and it could be re-evaluated for possible criminal charges should there be any further incidents between 50 and Bryhana.

This all started when 50 Cent performed at L.A.'s Crypto.com Arena, and video showed him angrily throwing his mic into the crowd ... and it smashed Bryhana in the forehead so badly, she needed medical assistance.

Drake has a few jabs left to throw Pusha T's way, and didn't hesitate to unleash 'em on his new "Scary Hours" drop ... the deluxe edition of "For All The Dogs."

On "Wick Man," produced by The Alchemist, Drake avenges his longtime friend/producer Noah "OVO 40" Shebib. Remember, back in 2018, Pusha released "The Story of Adidon" on which he dissed 40's multiple sclerosis disorder with no remorse.

Drake ripped into Pusha using the same cadence the Clipse rapper once used to diss him, and added some slander of his bank account -- “Man, I remember n****s was joking ’bout some tick, tick/ And now that rapper broke as f***, that boy a statistic ... empty clips.”

Pusha rapped "tick, tick" to describe the clock that was supposed to spell out 40's demise on 'Adidon' ... his venomous diss that also spilled the beans on Drake having a son.

"Wick Man" marks Drake's 2nd Pusha snipe this year -- he also called him out on Travis Scott's hit "Utopia" album, and invited him to pull up on his 'Blur' Tour ... but Pusha's been noticeably quiet, even when Jim Jones got at him.

Kanye West seems to think that him hooking up with a Jewish woman absolves him on his antisemitic past -- at least that's what we can glean from this new song snippet that leaked.

There's a clip floating around online right now that appears to show a guy listening to Ye playing a track super loudly in the distance -- this as he continues to work on his new Ty Dolla $ign album out in the Middle East ... where this footage was recorded.

The video and audio were recorded by a content creator who goes by @mansorash on IG -- in a couple different recordings, you can hear a song that features Ye rapping ... "I just f***** a Jewish bitch," which comes right after something to the effect of "How can I be antisemitic?"

So, basically ... Ye's rhetorically asking in this new track of his -- how can I be antisemitic if I just banged this Jewish chick ... which is problematic, and doesn't wash anything away.

Based on what's filmed here ... it appears Ye and co. have rented a giant tent out there in Alula, Saudi Arabia -- where this influencer snapped KW and his not-so-secret campground.

On the face of it, Kanye's working on music for this delayed album, but the fact he's blasting his stuff in the desert is clearly pissing off the locals and others that are visiting the area -- evidenced in this guy playfully telling Ye to pipe down and that they're trying to sleep.

Kanye West parece pensar que involucrarse con una mujer judía lo absuelve de su pasado antisemita, al menos eso podemos deducir de este fragmento de canción que se filtró.

Hay un clip circulando en línea en estos momentos que parece mostrar a un tipo escuchando a Ye tocar una pista súper fuerte a la distancia. Esto, mientras sigue trabajando en su nuevo álbum de Ty Dolla $ign en el Medio Oriente, donde se grabó este material.

El fragmento fue capturado por un creador de contenido que va con el nombre de @mansorash en Instagram. En un par de diferentes grabaciones, se puede escuchar una canción que tiene a Ye rapeando: "Acabo de f***** una puta judía", que viene justo después de algo en el sentido de "¿Cómo puedo ser antisemita?"

Así que básicamente Ye se está preguntando retóricamente en esta pista cómo puede ser antisemita si acaba de estar con esta chica judía, que es problemático y no blanquea nada.

Basándonos en lo que está filmado aquí, parece que Ye y compañía han alquilado una tienda de campaña gigante por ahí en Alula, Arabia Saudita, donde este influencer capturó este fragmento de Kanye West y su no tan secreto camping.

Kanye está trabajando en música para este retrasado álbum, pero el hecho de que esté causando revuelo en el desierto está claramente cabreando a los lugareños y otras personas que visitan la zona. Un tipo particularmente le dijo juguetonamente a Ye que deje de hablar tan fuerte porque están tratando de dormir.

Drake didn't hesitate to voice his frustrations towards his friend-turned-foe Kanye West on his new project -- and voice them he did with charged-up aggression.

As you know ... Drizzy dropped yet another album Friday -- and on his new song "Red Button," Drake roasts Ye for constantly backsliding on their friendship over the years ... most recently being the 2021 Larry Hoover Benefit concert that did little to end their beef.

"Every time you need me for a boost, I never hesitated/Every time that Yeezy called a truce, he had my head inflated/Thinkin’ we gon’ finally peace it up and get to levitatin’/Realize that everything premeditated!!!"

If you recall, J. Prince organized the event and told TMZ he convinced Drake and Ye they were doing their part in helping criminal justice reform ... as well as mending their beef, which it clearly did not!!!

Drake later stated his only competition in the music game is Taylor Swift ... she can make him move a release date but not the rest of you bums!!!

He goes on to praise her success on the charts -- "Taylor Swift the only n**** that I ever rated/ Only one could make me drop the album just a little later/ Rest of y’all I treat you like you never made it/ Leave your label devastated/ Even when your pad the stats, period, I never hated."

George "Funky" Brown -- the key drummer and one of the founding members of Kool & The Gang -- has died ... TMZ has learned.

Sources with direct knowledge tell us the legendary musician died from cancer at his home in Los Angeles Thursday night, ending his amazing 59-year career as a songwriter and drummer for the legendary funk band. He'd been battling stage-4 cancer.

A rep for the group tells TMZ, "George Brown died November 16, 2023 in Los Angeles after a battle with cancer. Brown has co-written many of the band's iconic songs, including "Ladies Night," "Too Hot," "Jungle Boogie," "Celebration," and "Cherish." When asked to describe his music, Brown always replied, 'The sound of happiness.'"

GB had been diagnosed with lung cancer, and actually recovered for a while before hitting the road again to tour and perform -- but he suffered another setback this year when the cancer returned. George chronicled his health struggles last month with KCAL News.

George and the rest of the group came together in 1964 to create the supergroup in Jersey City, NJ. The other founding members included brothers Robert Bell (bass) and Ronald Bell (keyboards), Dennis Thomas (saxophone), Robert Mickens (Trumpet), Ricky West (keyboards) and Charles Smith (guitarist).

The band landed their first recording deal with De-Lite Records, cranking out their debut album titled, "Kool & The Gang," in 1969.

But they didn't reach stardom until 1973 when they released their fourth record called "Wild And Peaceful," featuring some of their biggest songs like "Jungle Boogie" and "Hollywood Swinging."

They followed up with a string of super successful records named "Ladies Night" (1979), "Celebrate!" (1980) and "Emergency" (1984), which sold a whopping 2 million albums in the U.S. alone. All three records produced a slew of very popular tunes, including "Celebration," which rocketed to number one on the charts.

Over the years, Kool & The Gang has been widely recognized in the music industry, snagging 2 Grammy Awards, 7 American Music Awards, a Music Business Association Chairman's Award and a Soul Train Legend Award. They were also given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Robert "Kool" Bell is the only surviving original member of the band.

A spokesperson says donations can be made in his honor to the Lung Cancer Society of America.

Brown is survived by his wife, Hanh Brown and his 5 children.

George "Funky" Brown, el baterista y uno de los miembros fundadores de Kool And The Gang, ha fallecido, según ha indagado TMZ.

Fuentes con conocimiento directo nos dicen que el legendario músico murió de cáncer en su casa de Los Ángeles el jueves por la noche, poniendo fin a su increíble carrera de 59 años como compositor y baterista de la legendaria banda de funk. El músico había estado luchando contra un cáncer en fase 4.

Un representante del grupo le dice a TMZ: "George Brown murió el 16 de noviembre de 2023 en Los Ángeles después de una batalla contra el cáncer. Brown coescribió muchas de las canciones icónicas de la banda, incluyendo "Ladies Night", "Too Hot", "Jungle Boogie", "Celebration" y "Cherish". Cuando le pedían que describiera su música, Brown siempre respondía: 'El sonido de la felicidad'".

A George Brown había sido diagnosticado con un cáncer de pulmón, y de hecho se recuperó durante un tiempo antes de salir de nuevo al ruedo para hacer giras y actuaciones, pero este año sufrió otro revés cuando su cáncer reapareció. George hizo una crónica de sus problemas de salud el mes pasado con KCAL News.

George y el resto de la banda se reunieron en 1964 en Jersey City, donde crearon el supergrupo. Entre los otros miembros fundadores estaban los hermanos Robert Bell (bajo) y Ronald Bell (teclados), Dennis Thomas (saxofón), Robert Mickens (trompeta), Ricky West (teclados) y Charles Smith (guitarrista).

El grupo consiguió su primer contrato discográfico con De-Lite Records y en 1969 publicó su álbum debut, titulado "Kool And The Gang".

Pero no alcanzaron el estrellato, sino hasta 1973, cuando publicaron su cuarto disco "Wild And Peaceful", con algunas de sus canciones más importantes: "Jungle Boogie" y "Hollywood Swinging".

Siguieron con una serie de discos de super éxitos, como "Ladies Night" (1979), "Celebrate!" (1980) y "Emergency" (1984). Vendieron dos millones de álbumes solo en Estados Unidos. Los tres discos produjeron un montón de canciones muy populares, entre ellas "Celebration", que se disparó hasta el número uno de las listas de éxitos.

A lo largo de los años, Kool And The Gang ha sido ampliamente reconocida en la industria musical, con dos premios Grammy, siete American Music Awards, un Music Business Association Chairman's Award y un Soul Train Legend Award. También recibieron una estrella en el Paseo de la Fama de Hollywood.

Robert 'Kool' Bell es el único miembro de la banda que sigue vivo.

De acuerdo a un portavoz, se pueden hacer donaciones en su honor a la organización Lung Cancer Society of America.

A Brown le sobreviven su esposa, Hanh Brown y sus cinco hijos.

Aubrey O'Day is taking a victory lap over her thorny Diddy stance after Cassie accused him of multiple crimes ... something AOD backs 100%.

The former Danity Kane singer -- who used to be signed to Bad Boy and worked extensively with Diddy in the 2000s -- shouted out Cassie on social media after her bombshell lawsuit against her ex went public, writing ... "Been Trynna Tell Y'all For Years."

She also told Page Six she's in "complete support" of Cassie ... and that what Cassie describes in her complaint probably echoes some of what Aubrey herself has said about Diddy.

If you're unaware, Aubrey's been doing multiple interviews over the past year or so ... in which she made allegations of her own against Puff -- but not quite to the level Cassie did. AOD's concerns mostly stemmed from what she claimed were shady biz practices ... and unwanted sexual advances from Diddy that she claims she had to rebuff over the years.

Aubrey also recently slammed Diddy finally signing off on his former artists getting their publishing rights back ... claiming that he had them sign NDAs as part of the deal.

She says she was offered her own publishing rights back as well, but refused to sign the alleged NDA she says came attached to it -- something else Aubrey's feeling vindication over.

¡Chrisean Rock le cuenta a TMZ Hip Hop que ha estado prosperando en la maternidad y que las cosas van bien a pesar de las mentiras que andan diciendo por ahí!

¡Nos pusimos al día con Chrisean y Chrisean Jr. en LAX el jueves y la asediada estrella de reality nos dice que ha estado recibiendo un montón de amor y dinero en estos últimos meses!

Mostró a nuestras cámaras el chupete de su recién nacido con diamantes incrustados en el que supuestamente gastó $40K para hacernos saber que ¡no está hablando por hablar!

Mucho alboroto se hizo sobre las habilidades de crianza de Chrisean cuando nació el bebé, Blueface la acusó de descuidar la necesidad del hijo de ser operado de una hernia y también fue filmada tratando al niño de una manera algo brusca dentro de un Walmart.

Chrisean no parecía tener ningún problema con Jr. mientras hablaba con nosotros y dijo con orgullo que la cirugía fue un éxito y que su pequeño soldado se curaba rápido.

Le encanta derrochar en él su nuevo dinero ganado gracias al rap. Chrisean, de hecho, es ahora una artista exitosa, su colaboración con Lil Mabu, "Mr. Take Your B*tch", debutó en el Billboard 100 en el Nº 96.

Chrisean Rock says don't believe everything you read about her -- she tells TMZ Hip Hop she's thriving in motherhood, her son with Blueface is doing much better and the little guy even has some celebratory bling!!!

We caught up with Chrisean and Chrisean Jr. Thursday at LAX, and the embattled reality star tells us she's been getting a lot of love from supporters, and earning lots of money these past few months.

She has a pretty flashy receipt to illustrate that point -- her baby boy's diamond-encrusted pacifier, which she reportedly dropped $40K to get.

Chrisean says she wanted to celebrate 3 months of motherhood, and added, "I fell in love with my son so bad, I can't help it."

Much fuss was made about Chrisean's untapped parenting skills when the baby was born ... Blueface accused her of neglecting Jr.'s need for hernia surgery, and she was also recorded nearly dangling the child inside a Walmart.

Chrisean didn't seem to have any issues handling her son while speaking with us and said his hernia surgery was successful.

Motherhood aside, Chrisean is, in fact, now a hitmaking artist -- her collab with Lil Mabu, "Mr. Take Ya B*tch," debuted on the Billboard Hot 100. Ok, it was only at No. 96, but hey, it's a start.

Before this young kiddo sittin' at her piano turned into a singer and Internet personality, she was growing up on a farm in the Philippines before her family uprooted to the U.S. and settled down in Texas.

Most known for her TikTok vids, she went viral in 2020 ... and lip-syncing to Millie B's "Soph Aspin Send" became TikTok's most liked video. She later launched her YouTube channel and has amassed nearly 7 million subscribers. Perhaps her most popular song is "Build A Bitch."

Need one more clue ... She served in the U.S. Navy for 3 years.

Diddy está siendo acusado de violación y una plétora de otros delitos por su exnovia, Cassie, en una explosiva demanda que detalla perturbadoras afirmaciones que, según ella, se prolongaron durante años.

La cantante nombró a la cabeza de Bad Boy en una demanda federal que presentó el jueves afuera de Nueva York. En ella, hace una serie de acusaciones contra Diddy, incluyendo afirmaciones de trata de personas y una impactante declaración de que este irrumpió en su casa en 2018 y la forzó a tener relaciones sexuales con ella.

La supuesta violación se habría producido hacia el final de su relación en 2018, cuando ella ya había decidido dejar a Diddy para siempre. En su demanda, dice que fueron a comer y ella pensó que podría ser una buena oportunidad para discutir sobre cómo seguir adelante.

Después dice que fueron a su casa, pero que Diddy la obligó a entrar a su departamento, a pesar de sus protestas. Cassie afirma que luego la besó a la fuerza y empezó a quitarle la ropa, instante en que alega que la violó mientras le decía "no".

A raíz de este presunto incidente, dice que trató de separarse por completo de Diddy, alejarse y cortar todos los lazos con Bad Boy, mientras estaba bajo mucho estrés.

Si bien esta afirmación es, sin duda, la más impactante es solo la punta del iceberg de su demanda. Esta incluye años de abusos físicos y emocionales a manos de Diddy, como golpes y pisotones que ella alega le infligía con regularidad en el transcurso de su relación, que Cassie dice que comenzó en 2005.

Mientras estuvieron juntos, Cassie dice que Diddy le suministraba regularmente drogas y alcohol, la obligaba a llevar armas de fuego en el bolso cuando salía en público. Lo que es peor, alega que la obligó a mantener relaciones sexuales con varios prostitutos a lo largo de los años, en múltiples jurisdicciones diferentes.

Cassie afirma que Diddy grababa estas relaciones coordinadas con ella y las prostitutas (que, según ella, habrían sido contratadas por Diddy) y se daba placer a sí mismo mientras las observaba.

Otra asombrosa afirmación es que Diddy una vez dijo que iba a volar el carro de Kid Cudi mientras estaba en casa. Esto, después de que se enterara de una breve relación que este tuvo con Cassie alrededor de 2011, y pasa a afirmar que en 2012 el carro de Kid Cudi, de hecho, explotó en su entrada. Ella no dice explícitamente que Diddy lo orquestó, pero sí que el hecho de que haya ocurrido, la hizo temer por su seguridad.

No hace falta decir que estas acusaciones son absolutamente asombrosas, pero Cassie insiste en que ocurrieron: "Después de años de silencio y oscuridad, por fin estoy preparada para contar mi historia y hablar en mi nombre y en el de otras mujeres que sufren violencia y abusos en sus relaciones". Cassie dice que sufrió mucho por todo lo que soportó de Diddy y que todavía está lidiando con las repercusiones de ello.

Diddy, por su parte, ha salido con una defensa acérrima, llamando las afirmaciones de Cassie como un chantaje financiero directamente, a través de su abogado: "El Sr. Combs niega vehementemente estas ofensivas y escandalosas acusaciones. Durante los últimos seis meses, el Sr. Combs ha estado sometido a la persistente demanda de la Sra. Ventura de 30 millones de dólares, bajo la amenaza de escribir un libro perjudicial sobre su relación, que fue rechazada inequívocamente como un chantaje flagrante. A pesar de retirar su amenaza inicial, la Sra. Ventura ha recurrido ahora a presentar una demanda plagada de mentiras infundadas y escandalosas, con el objetivo de manchar la reputación del Sr. Combs y buscar un pago".

Diddy has been accused of rape and a plethora of other crimes by his ex-girlfriend, Cassie, in a bombshell lawsuit that details the disturbing claims.

The singer named the Bad Boy honcho in a federal suit she filed Thursday in New York -- in which she makes a number of allegations against Diddy ... including claims of human trafficking -- and a shocking claim that he broke into her home in 2018 and forced sex on her.

The alleged rape, Cassie says, came toward the end of their relationship in 2018 ... when she'd decided to leave Diddy for good. In her suit, she says they went to dinner one night that year, which Cassie thought would be a discussion on how they could each move on.

Afterward, she says they went to her place ... but claims Diddy forced himself into her apartment, despite Cassie's protests. Cassie claims Diddy then forcibly kissed her and began ripping off her clothes ... at which point she alleges he raped her, all while she said "no."

In the aftermath of this alleged incident, Cassie says she tried separating herself completely from Diddy ... moving away, and cutting all ties with Bad Boy -- while under a lot of stress.

While this claim is, for sure, the most shocking ... it's just the tip of the iceberg of what else is alleged in her lawsuit -- including years of what Cassie claims were physical and emotional abuse at the hands of Diddy, such as beatings and stompings she alleges he dished out regularly over the course of their long relationship -- which Cassie says started in '05.

Through their time together, Cassie claims Diddy would regularly ply her with drugs and alcohol, make her carry firearms around in her purse while out in public ... and worse yet, she alleges he forced her to have sex with several different male prostitutes over the years, across multiple different jurisdictions.

Cassie claims Diddy would film these coordinated liaisons with her and the prostitutes (whom she claims were hired by Diddy) ... and pleasure himself while watching the intercourse.

One other stunner of a claim here ... Cassie alleges that Diddy once said he was going to blow up Kid Cudi's car while he was home -- this after learning of a brief relationship he and Cassie shared around 2011 or so -- and goes on to claim that in 2012 ... Kid Cudi's car did, in fact, blow up in his driveway. She doesn't say, explicitly, that Diddy orchestrated it ... but she does say that the fact it happened like he threatened terrified her and made her fear for her safety.

It goes without saying ... these accusations are absolutely jaw-dropping, but Cassie is insistent they happened -- saying, "After years in silence and darkness, I am finally ready to tell my story, and to speak up on behalf of myself and for the benefit of other women who face violence and abuse in their relationships." Cassie claims to have suffered greatly from what she allegedly endured with Diddy ... and says she still deals with repercussions today.

Diddy, meanwhile, has come out with a staunch defense ... calling Cassie's claims a straight-up financial shakedown through his attorney, "Mr. Combs vehemently denies these offensive and outrageous allegations. For the past 6 months, Mr. Combs, has been subjected to Ms. Ventura's persistent demand of $30 million, under the threat of writing a damaging book about their relationship, which was unequivocally rejected as blatant blackmail. Despite withdrawing her initial threat, Ms. Ventura has now resorted to filing a lawsuit riddled with baseless and outrageous lies, aiming to tarnish Mr. Combs' reputation and seeking a pay day."