TMZ Hip Hop - Page 17

Friends who partied with and knew singer D4vd were under the impression Celeste Rivas was his girlfriend, and were shocked when news came out Celeste was only 14.

Sources who party in the L.A. music scene tell TMZ ... they saw D4vd and Celeste at parties and hangouts ... and it appeared to them they were a couple.

We're told some of them were under the impression she was a student at USC. The friends believed Celeste was around 19 years old and presented herself as such.

Metro Boomin has been found not liable in his civil sexual assault case, brought by a woman named Vanessa LeMaistre, who claimed the superproducer drugged and raped her during a studio session back in 2016. The jury trial concluded on Thursday after 3 days of deliberation ... both Metro and Vanessa testified in the case.

Vanessa alleged she sought comfort through a platonic friendship after losing a child, but claimed back in September 2016, she blacked out after consuming Xanax and alcohol and woke up to find Metro raping her.

She told the jury she realized she had been raped after ingesting Ayahuasca during a 2024 ceremony in Peru and wrote a note about it ... Metro's defense argued the case was nothing more than a shakedown for money.

Diddy's freedom is still up in the air ... but, he left his family with an encouraging message after his acquittal hearing today -- showering them with love and praise.

After the rapper's hearing to get his two Mann Act convictions thrown out ended, we're told he turned to the pews behind him -- full of his family including his mother, six of his children and more -- and told them he loves them, and they all make him super proud.

He specifically turned to his mom, Janice, blew her a kiss and told her she's beautiful ... before thanking everyone once again for showing up to support him.

Diddy's hearing on his motion to get the Mann Act charges thrown out started just a short time ago ... and, his lawyers are taking their argument from legal motions to real life -- firing off in a New York City courtroom.

The rapper's legal team -- led by Marc Agnifilo -- kicked off their argument by repeating to the judge what they previously stated in legal papers ... prostitution means one person paying to have sex with another person. They insist it doesn't refer to someone who pays to watch two people have sex, like Diddy did.

However, prosecutors responded by pointing out Diddy wasn't just going somewhere and sitting in a booth to watch two people get it on ... they say he reimbursed his ex-girlfriends for arranging the sexual encounters and derived sexual gratification himself from watching.

Rihanna and A$AP Rocky's baby girl Rocki was born just after midnight on Sept. 13 in Los Angeles ... TMZ has learned.

We got our hands on the new birth certificate, and it shows the parents of three welcomed their little one at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

TMZ broke the exciting news Wednesday afternoon that the happy couple had welcomed their third child ... shortly after which they posted on social media their new bundle of joy's name is Rocki.

11:00 AM PT -- TMZ contacted local authorities and the FBI in San Juan about the death threat, they had no comment ... however, an FBI official referred us to the United States Attorney's office in Puerto Rico.

So far, no word back from the United States Attorney.

Bad Bunny has been targeted by someone who has made a "credible death threat," according to a well-connected Puerto Rican journalist.

The death threat was made online, according to independent journalist and former Telemundo reporter Jay Fonseca.

The person who was allegedly making the threat was identified and he was reportedly armed. According to Fonseca, the FBI and other federal officials were present during the residency. It's unclear if authorities were present for the entire run.

Faith Evans has a PSA for parents of kids with autism ... don't get up in arms over Donald Trump’s "expert" take ... 'cause the Tylenol-to-autism link is fear-mongering sending parents into a tizzy!

TMZ caught up with Faith in NYC Wednesday, and speaking from raising her own teen son with autism, she says parents need to push past unproven claims and keep fighting the good fight for their kids.

Catch the full clip -- Faith also reminds us that Trump ain’t a doctor, and spreading misinformation only fuels fear and doubt for parents.

Diddy's lawyers showed up looking confident at his acquittal hearing Thursday ... while his family appeared hopeful as they made their way into the courtroom.

The music mogul's legal team -- led by Marc Agnifilo and Alexandra Shapiro -- arrived in full force ... armored in their sleek suits, bags full of legal briefs at a federal courthouse in NYC. Agnifilo told the assembled press he's missed them since Diddy was found guilty on two of five federal charges in July ... while another attorney, Jason Driscoll, just smiled when asked questions about how he's feeling about today.

Diddy's family showed up a short time later ... including Chance Combs and her mother, Sarah Chapman, Diddy's twins Jessie and D'Lila and Diddy's mom Janice -- all dressed to the nines in various black outfits. Christian Combs, Quincy Brown, Justin Combs and Raven Tracy arrived shortly after.

Miguel recently revealed he was the proud papa of a 1-year-old son ... and he tells TMZ Hip Hop he's gonna continue to block the little tyke's face, because this world is crazy!!!

We caught up with the Grammy Award-winning, platinum-selling singer at LAX on Wednesday afternoon ... he's been on a lengthy hiatus -- 8 years since a studio album and even a couple years since his skin-hanging stunt -- but he's been enjoying family life.

Miguel and accomplished fashion and creative director Margaret Zhang debuted little Angelito to the world while blurring out his face, and he tells us it was completely intentional for the kid's protection.

Sean "Diddy" Combs is getting another bite at the apple ... his attorneys will be in court today arguing to overturn his conviction on 2 federal counts of the Mann Act.

Diddy's legal team is asking Judge Arun Subramanian to change Diddy's Mann Act conviction to an acquittal or give him a new trial. Federal prosecutors are opposed to both.

As you know, the Mann Act prohibits the transportation of individuals across state lines for the purposes of prostitution.

D4vd was making lots of money by the time he was finishing up high school ... because he was just 17 years old when he signed a record deal that started to line his pockets with a multi-million dollar advance.

TMZ did some digging and found D4vd's minors contract he signed with Darkroom and Interscope Records ... which was filed in court.

D4vd put pen to paper in September 2022, when he was 17, and the deal called for him to be paid at least a $3 million advance for an EP, an album, and various other deliverables.

World champion figure skater Alysa Liu is distancing herself from D4vd amid an investigation into Celeste Rivas' death ... announcing she's scrapping her recently debuted short program due to the singer's song being featured in the routine.

The 2022 Olympian shared the update with her fans on Wednesday ... saying what she had prepared for the 2025-26 season is getting shelved "in light of recent news."

Footage shows Liu going through the short program at the 2025 Lombardia Trophy in Italy earlier this month ... which was choreographed to D4vd and Laufey's "This Is How It Feels."

Chrisean and her rapper boyfriend HoodTrophy Bino partied so hard during their recent stay in a Vegas hotel that cops had to be called -- but it was their room that was left in civil unrest!!!

TMZ Hip Hop obtained photos of the hurricane aftermath the reality TV couple left after staying in the MGM Grand Hotel from September 19 to September 23.

As you can see from the exclusive photos, there are several empty Don Julio bottles, clothes, and even an empty canister of Monster N2P Nitrous Oxide ... which is legally sold at several dispensaries in Vegas.

Chris Brown's No. 1 trusted writer, Eric Bellinger, knows his bud very well ... and luckily for Breezy's massive female fanbase, can't foresee a near future with him walking down the aisle!!!

TMZ Hip Hop caught up with Eric out in NYC on the promo run for his album dropping Friday, "It All Makes Sense."

While most artists are going the country music route, Eric opted for Afrobeats and solidified his authenticity, grabbing Tiwa Savage for the first single.

Rihanna has welcomed Baby No. 3 with A$AP Rocky ... TMZ has learned.

Sources with direct knowledge tell us RiRi gave birth to a baby girl on September 13 in a Los Angeles hospital.

DJ Whoo Kid isn't scared of A.I. stealing any of his live festival gigs soon ... but he says artists like Mariah Carey and sucka DJs who are too busy doing TikToks have another thing coming!!!

TMZ Hip Hop got with the veteran Shade45 host outside the Louis Vuitton store in Bev Hills yesterday to talk on the growing concern within the music industry that A.I. is destined to replace creatives ... Whoo Kid says there is no concern -- UNLESS YOU SUCK.

Whoo Kid chose to use Mariah Carey as a shining example of an artist who could benefit from A.I., suggesting tech will restore her singing abilities -- but he'd still smash!!! His words, not ours, people.