TMZ Hip Hop - Page 4

Rick Ross may have a tough-guy reputation, but Phaedra Parks says the rapper is really a big ol' teddy bear ... just don't get her started on his love for marinara sauce.

We got the 'Real Housewives of Atlanta' star at LAX this week, and she came to Ricky Rozay's defense following his recent battery arrest ... telling us the man behind the bravado is actually a sweetheart.

Phaedra, who worked with Ross before he became a superstar, says he's a true gentleman with a big heart ... pointing to his charitable work and contributions to affordable housing.

Lil Jon has spent decades rocking his signature sunglasses ... but it turns out the look has a pretty painful backstory involving a needle to the eyeball.

The "Turn Down for What" rapper reveals in his upcoming memoir, "I Only Shout So You Can Hear Me," that he accidentally stabbed himself in the eye with one of his mother's insulin syringes when he was just 6 years old.

According to People, Jon had watched his diabetic mother give herself insulin shots ... and one day, curiosity got the best of him when he grabbed a syringe to see what the air would feel like against his eye.

Homecoming at Tuskegee University is gonna be extra lit this year ... 'cause T.I.'s been tapped as not only Grand Marshal for the upcoming event, but also the halftime performer!

TMZ Sports has learned the Atlanta rap legend will lead the Homecoming Parade and then hit the field with the Marching Crimson Pipers during the November 7 football game against Miles College.

Making it even more special for Tip ... his youngest daughter, Heiress Harris, will belt out the National Anthem.

Can you score the sexy rapper showin' off her curves in these pole dancing shots?! Here are your hints:

Before her rapping days, she rose to fame from a viral TV moment with Dr. Phil.

"These Heaux" is her breakout song, but when she's not in the studio ... you can catch her outside inside riding a pole in a thong ... how 'bout that?!

Diddy busted his head during a fight with another famous, or infamous, inmate ... a Jamaican drug lord known as "Dudus," and TMZ has learned the fight was over Diddy getting all the inmates in trouble.

Multiple sources inside Fort Dix FCI tell us ... Diddy and "Dudus" -- real name Christopher Coke -- came to blows last Friday, and Diddy got the worst of it ... suffering a head injury so severe, prison officials rushed him to an outside facility for treatment.

We're told the two men were fighting because Dudus, and many other inmates, are pissed at Diddy for getting exposed in that NBC News report about his luxurious life behind bars. As a result, prison officials have conducted at least 2 raids and confiscated cell phones from inmates ... including Dudus.

Diddy is taking some serious hits behind bars ... the mogul suffered a nasty head injury after getting into a prison fight with a notorious Jamaican drug lord ... and TMZ has learned what sparked the showdown.

Check out the new YouTube collab between TMZ and the New York Post, "The Low Down," where we bring you stories that are gripping, outrageous, and sometimes scandalous.

Kelly Clarkson's feud with a Brooklyn shop over a $15,000 singing bird has taken another turn ... with new surveillance video showing her fateful visit to the store.

Huge break in the shooting death of reality TV star Kash ... her sister is now facing an involuntary manslaughter charge in California ... and it sounds like she fired the fatal shot during a huge brawl.

The Alameda County District Attorney filed the felony charge against 38-year-old Vernika Dunbar after Kash was shot dead Sunday morning in Oakland.

The Oakland Police Department says Dunbar initially came to the defense of her sister by attempting to pistol-whip a woman who was brawling with Kash.

But then, police say, Dunbar ended up firing a bullet that struck her sister, who was transported to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Drakeo the Ruler's estate says it has settled its wrongful death lawsuit against Live Nation ... nearly 5 years after he was fatally stabbed at a concert in Los Angeles.

According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Drakeo's estate reached an agreement with Live Nation, Hollywood Elite Security, Inc., Black Tide Events, LLC, and other companies.

The terms of the settlement are unclear ... though the filing states the settlement is conditioned upon the completion of certain terms within 45 days of signing the settlement docs.

Duane "Keffe D" Davis posed for a never-before-seen mug shot behind bars ... and the image captures what the Tupac Shakur murder mastermind must have also felt like moments after he was sentenced Tuesday to 40 years behind bars for the iconic rapper's death. 

The booking photo, shot by the Nevada Department of Corrections, captures Keffe with his eyes closed, holding up a slip of paper emblazoned with his name, Offender ID number and parole date: "6/10/2026."

According to DOC online records, Keffe's never-before-seen mug shot was snapped while he served 16 to 40 months for battery by a prisoner during his incarceration as he awaited trial for the 1996 Tupac murder in Las Vegas. Police first arrested Keffe in September 2023 and he's been in jail ever since.

Duane "Keffe D" Davis -- the man recently convicted of orchestrating Tupac's 1996 murder -- has been sentenced for the heinous act.

The judge sentenced Keffe D to 40 years to life during his appearance in a Las Vegas courthouse Tuesday.

The hearing started off on a tense note ... when Keffe D engaged in a back-and-forth with the judge ... at one point even seemingly rolling his eyes at her.

Diddy has been getting into some serious trouble behind bars ... and his disciplinary record shows he's already paid a hefty price.

Jose Rojas, a union secretary representing Bureau of Prisons employees, tells TMZ ... he's obtained Diddy's full disciplinary history ... and it includes multiple fights and phone violations.

According to Rojas, Diddy was written up for fighting on July 31 and September 30, with another major violation recorded October 1. He says the records also show two minor phone violations, one on July 7 and another on September 19, 2025.

10/14/2026 8 AM PT -- TMZ has learned Diddy busted his head during a fight with another famous inmate.

Diddy was transported out of federal prison early Saturday morning for a medical emergency ... TMZ has learned.

Sources at FCI Fort Dix in New Jersey tell us ... Diddy left the prison grounds early Saturday morning to get treatment for a head injury. Presumably, he was taken to a nearby hospital, but we haven't confirmed that.

We're told the ambulance pulled out of Fort Dix around 1 AM ... but, apparently, the injury was not life-threatening, because our sources say he was conscious and speaking when he was taken back to the prison before sunrise Saturday.

It's still unclear how Diddy hurt his head.

Blueface and Chrisean Rock's rocky relationship just took a huge turn ... because they are now engaged!

That's right ... Blueface got down on one knee in front of Chrisean and popped the question in front of a crowd at Problem Lounge in Scottsdale, Arizona ... and the super sweet moment was captured on video.

Here's how the proposal went down ... the rapper is standing with Chrisean at the club when two bottle service gals march out holding up illuminated signs, with one of them reading, "Will You Marry Me?"

Happy Sunday!!! Let's kick off the new week the only way we know how ... with a little "Pink Blush" lingerie guess who.

This rapper's got us "HISSING" for her "Big Booty."

Soulja Boy is looking to crank things up in D.C. ... 'cause the rapper is teasing a run for president in 2028 ... yes, seriously.

The "Crank That" hitmaker dropped a surprise announcement on Instagram Saturday, posting "SOULJA BOY 2028" alongside a message about his plans to potentially trade the recording studio for the Oval Office.

Soulja says he's focused on four major issues -- economic opportunity, criminal justice reform, education and the future of technology and artificial intelligence.

The leaves are falling, the looks n' lewks are populating on social media, and Cardi B is bustin' out hot shots that'll have you saying, "BOO-tiful" -- all while celebrating her 34th birthday!

Glowing and showing in bright-colored swimwear, short hair ... long hair, we don't care ... Cardi is NEON point!

The hot mama's been in the spotlight since her early 20's, and more than a decade later she's hotter n' badder than ever 🔥 ... and still turnin' it UP!

"If it's up, then it's up, then it's up, then it's stuck!"