Jonah Hill Kanye's Flip on Jews??? Noooope, Not Tackling That One

MUM'S THE WORD
BACKGRID

Jonah Hill was in no chatty mood Tuesday night -- beelining it to his car after dinner ... and ignoring questions about Kanye West.

The actor was in the middle of a brisk walk as he left dinner at Giorgio Baldi in Santa Monica, exiting by himself ... and getting ready to drive away by himself, but photogs were waiting for him outside and ready to flash and talk.

Check it out .... Jonah wasn't having any of it. The dude tells one of the paps to clear the way so he can get to his ride, and then he was asked about Ye.

The photog asked the obvious ... how do you feel about changing KW's POV on Jews -- something the controversial artist said this past weekend on social media. Remember, he insultingly attributed JH's performance in '21 Jump Street' for making him Jew-friendly again.

It would appear Jonah might agree with just about everyone else on the issue ... namely, it's utterly ridiculous -- and not even worthy of a discussion. That's what we can glean, anyway.

We will say this ... Jonah seemed to be somewhat in a good mood -- flashing a big smile as he left Giorgio, which is encouraging. As you may have heard ... the guy's been going through some mental health stuff lately.

He's off social media and was open about anxiety he says he deals with on the regular -- something covered at length in a new doc of his, 'Stutz.' Good to see him out and about.

Ed Sheeran Jay-Z Passed On 'Shape of You' ... Says it Didn't Need Rap to Go Pop!!!

Ed Sheeran is admitting Jay-Z was in the right to decline a guest verse on his 2017 monster hit “Shape of You.”

The bubbly record went Diamond in the United States alone and topped the Billboard Hot 100 for 12 weeks throughout the year ... and Ed says Jay had the foresight to leave the record as it was when he was approached for the feature.

"We were in touch,” Ed explained in an interview with "Rolling Stone." “I sent him the song, and he said, ‘I don’t think the song needs a rap verse.’ He was probably right. He’s got a very, very good ear. He usually gets things right. It was a very natural, respectful pass.”

Ed still found assistance on the "Shape of You" remixes ... he recruited Stormzy for the official remix and Zion and Lennox for a Latin version.

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He's looking toward his anticipated 5th album, "Subtract," which he played in full for the first time earlier this week at Hammersmith Apollo.

Maybe there's a remix with Jay's name on it this time around?!?

Bhad Bhabie Twerkin' For My 20th B-Day!!! Lap Dancing ... for Mom

Bhad Bhabie and her mom have come a long way since Dr. Phil, but not that far -- on her 20th birthday she's still living up to her moniker by shaking what her momma gave her ... for her momma!!!

A source close to the family tells TMZ ... Bhad Bhabie, aka Danielle Bregoli, turned 20 on March 26, and to celebrate she flew private to her home in Florida ... where she was surrounded by close friends and family, and ready to really cut loose.

BIRTHDAY, TWERK DAY

We're told the birthday shindig was an intimate gathering at her home ... which, included her mom Barbara, her mom’s friend and BB's friends. As you can see, the birthday girl was rocking a pink bikini and was NOT shy about showing off her dance moves for mom.

Up close and, seemingly, too personal for Barbara!

Guess you could say we caught Bhad Bhabie outside, putting on a show by the pool ... bending over in her swimsuit and putting her butt cells in motion.

At one point, she puts her leg across the chair where Barbara is seated and continues twerking. How 'bout dat?!?

While her mom doesn't seem to be moved by the show, she says ... "She didn't learn this from me because I don't know how to do it."

Screw birthday cake candles -- nearly seven years post-Dr. Phil, Bhad Bhabie's still doing it her way!!!

'A Milli' Producer Bangladesh Hit-Boy & Hitmaka's Beats Are 😴 ... Samples Way Too Obvious!!!

CHEAT CODE
Instagram / @bangladeshproductions

Producer Bangladesh is entering the chat started by Hit-Boy and Hitmaka's beat-making feud ... and is accusing both of those guys of mailing it in.

The "A Milli" creator took to IG Tuesday to deliver a PSA about original compositions -- and how both Hit-Boy and Hitmaka were lacking in that department.

Here's how Bangladesh views sampling ... he says it's “cool, but it’s not as impressive as creating your own beats from scratch."

Then he really went in, adding, "Sampling is cheat codes. I ain’t talking about crate-digging sampling. I’m talking about sampling s**t that was just out 10 to 5 years ago, or even just like obvious samples that was already a hit. Of course, it was gonna be a hit again!!!”

ORIGINAL THOUGHTS
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Grammy-winning musician Larrance Dopson of 1500 or Nothin' recently told TMZ Hip Hop ... lazy samples have become a problem as rappers now repeatedly release tracks that are mid.

Bangladesh, who's earned Grammy noms with both Lil Wayne and Beyonce, is definitely with the smoke and is building his "BMG" empire as we speak.

NIGHT OF NAS
TMZ.com

For what it's worth, Hit-Boy just released his new album "Surf Or Drown" on Friday, which doesn't use familiar samples, but sticks to an oceanic vibe in its entirety -- and it's approved by both Nas and The Alchemist.

Brad Pitt Sells Incredible Hollywood Hills Compound for $39 Million

Brad Pitt has just sold an estate he's owned for almost 3 decades ... an estate he used to sharpen his pretty amazing architectural skills.

Real estate sources tell TMZ ... Brad sold the property for $39 million ... pretty impressive since he bought it from Elvira (aka Cassandra Peterson) back in 1994 for $1.7M.

The California craftsman estate was built in 1910 by an oil baron. It has a lot of history ... it's also the place where Jimi Hendrix wrote "May This Be Love."

Brad lived in the house for many years ... he and Angelina Jolie, along with their 6 kids, called the place home until they split in 2016.

Brad scooped up several lots adjacent to the estate over the years and was heavily involved in designing and building new structures and remodeling old ones.

The main house is 6,700 square feet. There's also a skate park, a ballroom, a movie theatre, a motorcycle garage, a stone house and a huge Koi pond. The property is surrounded by lush landscaping, making it entirely private. It's also in a gated, Hollywood Hills community.

HITTING THE ROAD

Brad listed the house in back January for $45 million. We've learned he sold the estate because he's moving to Carmel in Northern Cali.

Flying Lotus 'Untraditional' Score for 'Ash' Film ... Eiza González, Aaron Paul Costarring

Flying Lotus is moving full steam ahead with the feature film, "Ash" -- his second time directing -- and he's got new cast members Eiza González and Aaron Paul on board for the space thriller.

Sources connected to production tell TMZ Hip Hop ... Fly Lo is going the "untraditional" route when it comes to scoring this particular sci-fi film, which begins filming in New Zealand this May.

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On Tuesday, it was revealed Tessa Thompson and Joseph Gordon-Levitt were no longer attached to the project ... after they were previously announced as leads.

We're told the switch was just a matter of scheduling conflicts, but the studio is extremely happy moving forward with the new leads.

Fly Lo has been letting his production prowess soar in movies for years now. His first film "Kuso" dropped back in 2017, and his last released project was the soundtrack to "Ozzy's Dungeon," the segment he directed in the 2022 film "V/H/S/99."

The "Ash" plotline follows González and Paul on a distant planet with mysterious deaths ... so, the possibilities for suspenseful music from Fly Lo are endless!!!

Magic Johnson Group Submits $6 Billion Bid ... To Buy Commanders

Magic Johnson may soon be adding the title of NFL owner to his legacy ... the NBA icon is part of a group that just submitted an offer to buy the Washington Commanders that meets Dan Snyder's asking price.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported the Lakers Hall of Famer, alongside 76ers owner Josh Harris and billionaire Mitchell Rales, officially submitted a $6 billion bid to buy the franchise on Tuesday.

The development is substantial ... because Snyder -- who revealed in late 2022 that he was exploring selling the Commanders -- had been reportedly seeking $6 billion for his club ... which could mean a sale to the Johnson/Harris/Rales group is now imminent.

The move would spell bad news for Jeff Bezos and Jay-Z ... as the two titans had big interest in buying the Commanders, even grabbing dinner in L.A. back in November to formulate a potential purchase plan.

Others with interest in buying the Washington franchise reportedly included Canadian billionaire Steve Apostolopoulos and Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta.

If the Commanders do sell ... the $6 billion deal would break the previous record sale for an NFL franchise set last summer, when billionaire Rob Walton purchased the Denver Broncos for $4.65 bil.

As for Johnson, it would add to a seriously impressive business resume that already features ownership stakes in the L.A. Dodgers, the L.A. Sparks and the Los Angeles Football Club.

Tom Sandoval I Regret Cheating on Ariana ... But Hey, Hindsight's 20/20

3/28/23
HINDSIGHT IS 20/20
BACKGRID

Tom Sandoval has opened up publicly, at least kinda sorta, saying he couldn't handle the whole cheating thing better, but at the same time, he gives himself some wiggle room by talking about the clarity of hindsight.

Tom was outside Pop Music Studios in the San Fernando Valley Monday night when a photog asked if he had regrets about cheating on Ariana with Raquel. He says he does, but also says, "Hindsight's always 20/20, man."

As for why he's taking so much heat, given it's not the first-ever cheating scandal on "Vanderpump Rules," Tom passes it off this way ... "I just think it was really unexpected."

He says he regrets cheating, but the fact is ... he's still with Raquel. We got photos of Tom and Raquel out after the explosive reunion show. They were chowing down at Musso and Frank in Hollywood and looked very much like a couple.

TOM TALKS
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TMZ broke the story of details from the yet-to-be-aired reunion show, in which things got so heated Andy Cohen had to step in between 2 cast members to avert a physical fight.

There has been financial fallout. Tom acknowledges, his restaurants have taken a hit since the scandal broke.

Lil Uzi Vert Fully Supports JT Going to Therapy ... Everyone Should Embrace Themselves!!!

TALK IT OUT
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Lil Uzi Vert is fully supportive of his girlfriend JT's decision to start going to therapy ... and he's urging anyone on the fence to take control of their mental health.

We got the Pink Tape lyricist Monday in NYC, fresh off his energetic performance of “Just Wanna Rock” on 'The Tonight Show' ... fully engaging the fans outside 30 Rock while openly lending his support to JT.

Last weekend, the City Girls rapper announced she was excited to begin therapy sessions, and said she wanted to encourage all of her fans to do the same.

Uzi's definitely on board with that message -- he told us JT's move is entirely positive and he echoed her sentiment, saying he wants fans to love and embrace themselves.

He seems to be operating with a new lease on life as of late, thanks to his newfound sobriety, which completely inspired his next album!!!

Taylor Swift Gets Deep from Under the Hood At iHeartRadio Award Show

Taylor Swift took home top honors during iHeartRadio's big award show -- and while her acceptance speeches were touching ... it was her wardrobe that really drew eyes.

The pop star won Song of the Year and the Innovator Award Monday night, and in both instances ... she delivered some powerful remarks about what it takes to stand out and succeed in the music biz -- noting that the formula of a hit song isn't cut and dry.

Of course, she was talking about her fan fave track "Anti-Hero" -- picking out certain lyrics, words like "narcissism" and "altruism," as examples that not everything has to be so catchy and cookie-cuter ... arguing that artists can be real with their art.

Her Innovator Award speech was similar ... TayTay said she'd made a lot of bad choices in her life, but those had led her to make good ones ... including some that have spurred her to activism in the LGBT community and elsewhere, which was highlighted in the lead-up.

Now, we're sorta burying the lead here ... namely, TS was rocking an interesting getup for Monday's ceremony. It was a sparkly jumpsuit that was complete with a hood over her head that kinda made her look like a hip teen stuck in their backpack hip-hop phase.

Okay, maybe the fashion isn't the lead, but she looked cool in the hood. Hell, Lenny Kravitz was impressed.

Yeah, all that AND her Eras tour in full swing -- Taylor's on top of the world.

Jewish Orgs To Kanye West Jonah Hill IG Post Doesn't Erase Hate

Kanye West watching an old Jonah Hill movie and saying it made him like Jewish people again does not erase his antisemitism ... not in the eyes of some prominent Jewish orgs.

Watchdog group StopAntisemitism and the American Jewish Committee both tell us they need to see much more than a simple social media post from Kanye to believe he's sincere in his new feelings towards Jewish people ... and they're willing to meet with him to discuss further steps while calling on him to do way more to prove he's a changed man.

Liora Rez, SA's Executive Director, tells TMZ, "Joking about a movie with Jonah Hill is not the apology that the Jewish people deserve from Kanye, particularly when his antisemitic tirades continue to have a dangerous trickle-down effect of hatred against Jews."

DECEMBER 2022
FROM THE MOUTH OF KANYE
InfoWars

Remember ... it was only a few months ago when Kanye professed love for Hitler, and he also hung out with white nationalist Nick Fuentes ... and tweeted about going "death con 3 On JEWISH PEOPLE." To think a Jonah Hill movie changed his thinking is insulting.

Liora Rez, whose watchdog group named Kanye the "Antisemite of the Year" for 2022, says forgiveness is a major Jewish value and Ye can still be forgiven, starting by publicly denouncing Fuentes.

The AJC isn't rushing to forgive Kanye just yet either, with spokesperson Richard Hirschhaut telling TMZ ... "It is a little odd that all it might take for Kanye to renounce his vile antisemitism is to watch and 11-year-old Jonah hill movie. Whether Kanye is sincere, only he knows."

The AJC says Kanye's still got a lot of explaining and apologizing to do, but they're willing to meet with him in his effort to turn the page, do the right thing, and become better a better person ... if he's being authentic

10/19/22
NOT SORRY, NO REGRETS
TalkTV

The Jewish org is also issuing a call to action for Kanye ... telling us they want him "to take a serious and detailed look at his constant doubling down on antisemitism over these past several months and renounce each of these repeated, threatening and vile expressions of antisemitism. Then and only then could we contemplate a fresh conversation."

We covered it all in the latest episode of The TMZ Podcast.

Suge Knight Plotting Biopic TV Series ... Like 'BMF,' Welcome to Death Row!!!

Incarcerated Death Row Records co-founder Marion "Suge" Knight is aiming to turn his drama-filled life story into a TV series that goes even deeper into his infamous timeline than anything the public already knows.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ Hip Hop ... Suge and his brother, Brian Brown, are collaborating on a TV project that begins filming this summer.

We're told the series will have a similar feel to 50 Cent's hit show "BMF" ... with plenty of plot time allotted to tell Suge's pre-music industry backstory as a kid growing up in Compton who aspired to be a football coach.

Suge, who's serving a 28-year sentence for the 2015 killing of Terry Carter, has plenty of time to oversee the project behind bars and we're told he's very hands-on in the process of selecting a director and actors ... especially when it comes to the Tupac Shakur role.

Our sources say Suge's putting acting chops above on-screen resemblance for whoever plays 'Pac, and they've gotta capture the icon's mannerisms and style too.

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Times have changed tenfold since Suge went away ... Snoop Dogg has since acquired the rights to Death Row's catalog and distributed the music in a $1 billion initiative with Larry Jackson -- and Dr. Dre threw a party to celebrate 30 years of his "Chronic" classic's release.

We reached out to Suge's team for further details. We'll let you know when we hear back!!!

Trae Tha Truth Delivers Full Home Makeover ... For 82-Yr-Old Woman Busted for $77 Trash Bill

MOVIN' IN
traeabn

Trae Tha Truth fell out of the sky with angel wings ... at least, that's how Alabama resident Martha Menefield sees things.

You might recall, Martha's the 82-year-old who was hauled off to jail right before Christmas for failing to pay a $77 trash bill ... but Trae just poured thousands of dollars in upgrades into the very spot where she was arrested, turning it into her dream home!

PLACED IN CUFFS
Law&Crime Network

Trae tells TMZ Hip Hop the absurdity of the "crime" sparked a friendship with Martha, and after spending time at her Alabama home, he realized she needed assistance.

He then teamed up with BEL Furniture in Valley, Alabama for $15k worth of items ... including a full couch with multiple recliners, a queen bed and new dressers.

They also fully refurnished her living room, dining room and bedroom, but still have to solve the problem of her lack of central heat and AC.

TRAE'S AN ANGEL
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Trae tells us the work is far from done ... he's currently looking for a team to fix the foundation in Martha's home to prevent flooding, and working to secure her a car, as she doesn't have any transportation at the moment.

She says she still doesn't truly understand how she got on Trae's radar of generosity, but is more than grateful she did.

Robert Kraft Lamar Jackson Wants To Be A Pat ... Meek Mill Told Me So!!!

Hold up wait a minute ... Lamar Jackson wants to be a New England Patriot?!?

According to Meek Mill, yes!!!

At least, that's what Robert Kraft is saying ... 'cause the New England Patriots owner said Monday the rapper texted him recently, telling him the Ravens QB now wants to be under center for Bill Belichick in 2023.

Kraft dropped the eyebrow-raising update while at the NFL's Annual League Meeting in Phoenix ... telling reporters in the desert he got the texts from his good buddy (they've worked constantly on social justice issues for the past several years now) three or four days ago.

But, Kraft said no move will be made unless Belichick gives the OK -- saying the Pats head coach will ultimately make the final decision.

The news came just a couple hours after Jackson -- a 2-time Pro Bowler -- revealed he requested a trade from the Ravens earlier this month ... claiming the team won't give him what he deserves, money-wise.

"You all are great but I had to make a business decision that was best for my family and I," the 26-year-old signal-caller said.

"No matter how far I go or where my career takes me, I’ll continue to be close to my fans of Baltimore Flock nation and the entire State of Maryland. You’ll See me again."

The Pats have a bit of a crowded QB room -- Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe both logged starts for the team last year -- but Lamar is a former MVP who could change the complexion of New England's offense.

Talk about dreams & nightmares for the AFC East if it all goes down!!

Maino Claims Troy Ave Spun 'Manslaughter' Narrative ... Taxstone Got Raw Deal!!!

Maino is rejecting any notion Troy Ave's hands are clean following Taxstone's guilty verdict for manslaughter.

In fact, he's in total defense of the podcaster and says Troy is simply moonlighting as the victim!!!

The "Hi Hater" rapper made his return to "Way Up With Angela Yee" on Monday ... painting Troy Ave and his crew as the aggressors during the deadly night of May 26, 2016.

Maino says he and Uncle Murda were inside Irving Plaza and scheduled to perform when he witnessed the scene unfold.

According to Maino, Tax was simply chilling inside the venue and enjoying the T.I. concert when trouble confronted him, and the tables were turned.

THE SHOOTING
Twitter

Following the trial, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr. slammed Tax for "killing a man and shooting 3 others" ... with the deceased being Troy's bodyguard Ronald “Banga” McPhatter.

Troy's been going on the rampage with multiple diss tracks, and even took the stand in the case -- but Maino's calling BS and says Troy finagled a deal with prosecutors to erase his own gun possession charge from the altercation.

Maino says Troy thought he was going to get a "WorldStar moment" by messing with Tax, and doesn't think Troy should be dropping diss tracks bragging about his enemy's conviction.

Of course, Maino's take never came into play during the trial ... as he was not called as a witness.

Akademiks Calls Out Drake, Cole & Kendrick ... Too Chicken to Do Real Rap Interviews!!!

Akademiks thinks big-name rappers Drake, J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar have gotten big heads and are now too afraid to sit and talk to the very hip hop outlets they once used to build industry clout.

Cole recently conducted his first on-camera interview in years with ESPN's Bob Myers, with the biggest headline being the North Carolina-bred rapper smoking cigarettes at age 6 ... and Ak says the entire set-up screams "weirdo."

Ak is adamant he's not bitter for not personally getting face time with the hip hop heavyweights -- but, instead, says he's speaking for the loads of scaredy-cat journalists who don't want to rock the boat.

Translation: They're all playing the PR game, but Adademiks is refusing to join 'em.

He recalled a time he criticized SZA -- a Top Dawg Entertainment artist -- while working for Complex, and claims the mag's staff was frantically trying to patch things up in hopes of scoring an interview with Kendrick, TDE's flagship rapper.

Kendrick jetted off to Ghana following the release of his long-awaited album "Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers" and later conducted a softball interview with "W" magazine -- a complete distancing from traditional rap culture outlets, Complex included.

Drake spoke to Lil Yachty during a seaside chat for the release of his last project "Her Loss" .... but Ak says the Canadian megastar is overdue to return the favor to publications that first threw him street cred.

Ak scolded the rap stars for falling into "white boy conversations" ... but added, in his eyes, there are still some real ones out there.

He gave Lil Durk props for still doing interviews with real rap hubs like "Million Dollaz Worth of Game."

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