Macklemore Booted from Ed Sheeran Tour ... After 'Free Palestine' Comments
Update
9:21 AM PT -- Macklemore has broken his silence after being dropped.
Macklemore is being sent home from Ed Sheeran's tour after catching major heat over his pro-Palestine onstage remarks ... and the show will go on without him.
Rolling Stone reports Macklemore has been dropped from the remaining tour dates ... after several venues allegedly told the tour they would not allow him to perform.
As TMZ previously reported, Macklemore caused a stir during Ed's MetLife Stadium stop earlier this month ... telling the crowd "Free Palestine" before performing his protest song "Hind's Hall."
Tupac Killer Duane 'Keffe D' Davis Multiple Jail Violations ... Before Murder Conviction
Tupac Shakur's convicted killer Duane "Keffe D" Davis was apparently troublesome behind bars, collecting a slew of serious alleged violations before the murder trial ... and some of them involve violence.
TMZ obtained records detailing all of Davis' alleged bad behavior while incarcerated at the Clark County Detention Center in Las Vegas from the time he was first arrested and booked on September 29, 2023 all the way through the start of the trial.
According to the documents ... in December 2025, Davis was being escorted back to his cell by a corrections officer after visiting with a loved one when he got into a brawl with another inmate in the dayroom. The docs say Davis and the other inmate engaged in mutual combat, grappling with each other and throwing punches.
'Pretty Ricky' Spectacular Smith You Sexually Assaulted Me ... And Filmed It Too!!!
Pretty Ricky member Spectacular Smith is being sued by an Arizona woman who claims he messaged her on Instagram to meet up before sexually assaulting her.
According to a new lawsuit obtained TMZ, a woman named Alexis Dieng filed a complaint against the rapper in August, alleging he contacted her in October of last year requesting recommendations for restaurants. Dieng claims Smith then cultivated her trust and arranged to meet her in person.
According to the suit, Smith provided Dieng with an initial meeting location but then changed the meet-up place to a residence in Maricopa County ... where she says she eventually arrived by herself around 10:30 PM the next day.
Dieng claims Smith initiated physical contact with her and then engaged in sexual intercourse with her without her consent.
Lil Durk's Dad We're Planning a Big Celebration After His Victory!!!
Lil Durk's father, Big Durk, is celebrating his son's courtroom victory ... telling TMZ it's an incredible moment for the entire family.
Big Durk spoke with our cameras outside court Friday in downtown Los Angeles just minutes after a jury found Lil Durk not guilty on all five charges in his federal murder-for-hire case.
He tells TMZ he's "bursting with joy" and can barely contain his happiness ... adding the entire family is on a "high" following the verdict.
Lil Durk Not Guilty in Murder-for-Hire Case
Lil Durk has been exonerated in his murder-for-hire case ... because a jury found him not guilty on all five charges.
After 3 days of deliberation, the jury returned a not guilty verdict regarding his alleged involvement in a fatal 2022 shooting in L.A.
As you know, prosecutors argued that Lil Durk had hired a hit team to kill rival rapper Quando Rondo ... but shot his cousin instead.
Diddy & Cassie Ex Male Escort Says Photos Show Freak-Off Prep
The former male escort suing Diddy and Cassie over alleged trauma from their freak-offs says he's got photos that will help prove his case ... claiming the images show him being flown out and put up in hotels for marathon sex sessions.
TMZ obtained new legal docs filed by Clayton Howard, the former sex worker turned law student who testified in the Diddy criminal trial, as he tries to save his lawsuit against the former couple.
Clayton submitted an amended lawsuit with photos attached. He says the first photo was taken on December 16, 2016, and shows the view from a seat on a plane. During the trial, prosecutors revealed how Diddy would hire male escorts and fly them across the country to have sex with Cassie while he watched and gave instructions, so this seems to be what Clayton's getting at.
Kodak Black 2nd Criminal Case Dropped This Week ... Rapper's On a Heater!!!
Kodak Black has beaten the rap again ... this time, prosecutors decided NOT to charge him in a drug trafficking case ... one day after another criminal case was also dismissed in the Florida.
On Friday, prosecutors filed docs saying there was insufficient evidence to prove the rapper possessed contraband during a November 2025 police encounter in Orlando. According to an arrest warrant, police say they found a pink bag with MDMA and $37K, as well as "numerous documents" with the name Bill Kapri -- Kodak's legal name.
Cops say the bag looked like the same one that appeared in one of Kodak's Instagram posts. At the time, Kodak was not arrested, but, after further investigation, police busted him this past May and booked him for drug trafficking. Police say the MDMA they found in the bag weighed 25.34 grams -- well over the trafficking weight of 14 grams.
But now prosecutors say they will not be filing charges in the matter.
Former 'No Jumper' Host 4xtra Busted for Attempted Murder
Former "No Jumper" host 4xtra has been arrested for attempted murder ... TMZ has learned.
Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... LAPD booked the rapper -- real name Resan Bingham -- Wednesday morning on the attempted murder charge.
Police records show 4xtra's bail has been set at $1 million.
As of now, it doesn't appear any court date has been scheduled. He's currently being held at LA's 77th Street police station.
NBA Ben10 and OG 3Three Busted by FBI in Connection with Houston Shooting
Rappers NBA Ben10 and OG3 Three were arrested Thursday morning in connection with a Texas shooting earlier this year, TMZ has learned.
FBI Houston Spokesperson Connor Hagen tells TMZ ... 6 people were arrested by the FBI and their partner agencies this morning in Louisiana and Texas ... including the rappers.
Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... the arrests are related to a shooting at Confessions restaurant in Houston from back in April.
Rapper Sexyy Red Risks $5M Default Judgment ... Allegedly Asked Fans to Beat Up Child's Grandma
Update
5:31 PM PT -- Sexyy Red's lawyer Jason Lampert tells TMZ … “The claims asserted in this case are baseless and completely without merit. Red categorically denies these allegations and looks forward to defending herself in court.”
St. Louis rapper Sexyy Red could be on the hook for a $5 million default judgment in a case filed against her by her child's grandmother ... who claims the artist goaded fans on social media to beat her up!
Nicole Barnes claims that, in addition to sharing her address, Sexyy asked her large social media presence to "kick the door in" and conduct acts of violence at Nicole's home ... according to legal docs obtained by TMZ.
Nicole says she had to leave her home ... and that Sexyy's actions put her in immediate danger.
Cassie & Alex Fine Must Be Love Across the Pond ... Rare Appearance in London
Cassie's mostly kept to herself since testifying against Diddy during his sex trafficking trial ... but she did make a rare public appearance recently -- showing up to a classy London premiere.
The singer-songwriter attended the "Mobland" showing Thursday -- about a week before the wide release of the show's much-anticipated second season.
Cassie stunned in a low-cut gray dress while posing arm in arm with Alex Fine, who donned an all-black ensemble. The pair flashed small smiles for the camera.
Kodak Black Runs Away With Legal Victory ... After Being Charged With Fleeing, Resisting Arrest
Kodak Black is off the hook in one of his criminal cases after prosecutors charged him with fleeing and resisting arrest during a traffic stop in Florida.
On Tuesday, a Broward County judge granted Kodak's motion to dismiss the case, saying prosecutors produced no evidence supporting the charge that the rapper tried to elude police officers. As a result, the judge dismissed all charges against Kodak and closed the case.
Kodak's powerhouse attorney, Bradford Cohen, tells TMZ ... "We are glad the court signed the order granting the motion to dismiss. This case was not a fleeing and alluding and we demonstrated that fact through the video and deposition of the deputy."
Diddy Notches Legal Win ... In Defamation Case Against Accuser's Lawyer
Diddy scored a major win in his defamation case against lawyer Ariel Mitchell and her client Courtney Burgess, the man who claims he has video of Diddy sexually assaulting minors and celebs.
Mitchell tried to get Diddy's lawsuit tossed out, but the judge said not so fast ... and ruled that her arguments just weren't convincing enough to stop the case from moving forward.
In the order, dated Sept. 4, the judge specifically noted that Mitchell's allegations were not mere opinion or hyperbole, finding the statements that Diddy sexually assaulted people and secretly recorded sexual partners have "precise meanings that are readily understood."
Trey Parker, Matt Stone, Kendrick Slave Reparations Comedy On Ice
"South Park" creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone are apologizing for their $100 million big-budget musical being shelved.
The Ankler first reported that Trey and Matt's untitled musical comedy film, known internally at Paramount as "Whitney Springs," has been placed on the back burner for now.
"South Park" writer Vernon Chatman penned the script ... the movie is said to be a musical comedy about slavery reparations. Kendrick Lamar helped produce, and he recorded original music for the flick.
Rapper N.O.R.E. Sued for Sexual Assault
Carmen Bryan has accused N.O.R.E. of sexually assaulting her at an NYC club in the '90s.
She alleges N.O.R.E. -- whose real name is Victor Santiago -- came up to her "visibly intoxicated" and, in front of her friends, "committed an act of nonconsensual digital penetration," according to the complaint obtained by TMZ.
Bryan claims she begged N.O.R.E. to stop, but "physically overpowered" her to the point that other clubgoers had to pull him off her.
Megan Thee Stallion on Ex Klay Relationship Was No Slam Dunk ... I Was Losing Myself!!!
Megan Thee Stallion says she never really felt good about dating NBA star Klay Thompson ... claiming she tried to make pieces fit that didn't belong together.
The rapper reflected on her short-lived relationship with Klay in an exclusive interview with InStyle ... saying she felt "on edge all the time."
Megan explains ... "I think I just kept trying to make pieces fit that didn't belong, trying to fit myself into someone else's life. I was losing myself a little bit. I am now in the space of finding me again.”