TMZ.com

Mariah Carey's looking to downsize and try something new -- that's the real reason she's parted ways with Jay-Z's Roc Nation, not any personal feud ... TMZ has learned.

Sources close to the situation tell us ... Mariah prefers to work with a smaller team where she has more personal time with managers, and Jay's powerhouse agency has a more wide-ranging business model.

We're told at Roc, artists like Mariah could have 20 or more people working on her team in various departments -- marketing, social media, music, merchandise, etc. -- and she simply felt it was time to pare down to a more intimate team.

Our sources say there was no "explosive argument" between the 2 music legends as reported by some outlets -- something Mariah shot down on Twitter. We're told they actually decided a couple months ago to amicably end the business relationship that started in 2017.

Carey's joining Range Media Partners, a move we're told also coincides with her manager Melissa Ruderman doing the same thing. Ruderman left Roc in early 2021 to become a partner in the music division at Range, and we're told she's still going to be working with Mariah.

Range is no small agency, but our sources say it uses smaller teams of skilled managers for clients ... which is exactly what Mariah wants these days.

Polo G's set to have a big June -- his new album drops this week, and he just dropped nearly $5 mil on a huge mansion near L.A.

The rapper's the new owner of a massive 7-bed, 8-bath home in the San Fernando Valley, which is described as a car collector's dream estate. It's unclear how many rides Polo's working with, but the nearly 1-acre lot features a whopping 36 parking spaces, including a 14-car garage!!!

So, parking ✅

As for the Mediterranean-style house itself ... it's almost 11,000 sq. ft. with a rotunda entry that leads to a vintage-looking staircase. There's a custom wine closet and bar, formal dining room and a billiard room all on the main level.

The kitchen and bedrooms are enormous and boast all the expected luxuries, and of course ... the outside's incredible too. The pool, spa, BBQ area and lighted tennis court are all surrounded by stone terraces and patios.

We're told Polo G bought the place for $4.885 million. Emil Hartoonian, Bryan Castaneda and Andrew Mortaza of The Agency held the listing ... and Daniel Dill of WEA repped the "Pop Out" rapper.

G's new album, "Hall of Fame," comes out Friday and includes his highly-anticipated collab with Nicki Minaj on "For the Love of New York."

Liam Payne says he was going through an addiction hell while he was a member of One Direction, and he's also opening up about suicidal thoughts.

The singer was on Steven Bartlett's "Diary of a CEO" podcast when he said there was a time while the band was on tour that he was heavy into alcohol and prescription drugs.

He points to pictures of himself on a boat where he looks bloated ... calling it his "pills and booze phase." Liam added, "My face was 10 times bigger than it is now. The problem was, the best way to secure us was to lock us in a room, and what is in the room? A minibar."

Liam said that environment quickly lent itself to throwing a huge party for 1 "that seemed to carry on for years." When asked if the drinking and drugging led to suicidal ideation, Liam admitted ... "Yeah. There is definitely some stuff I have never spoken about to do with it. It was really, really severe."

Liam was 16 when he joined One Direction ... which became the biggest boyband in the world after their 2010 launch on "The X Factor." They split up in 2015.

Kid Rock dropped a homophobic slur like it was nothing while rocking the mic at a bar in Tennessee, and ranting about people recording him with their phones.

Seems the singer wasn't feeling the fact audience members had whipped out their iPhone cameras Saturday night when he took the stage at FishLipz Bar & Grill in Smithville, TN. He looked directly into one phone and barked, "F**k your iPhone, yeah!"

Kid then hurled the slur as he screamed, "You f**king f*****s with your iPhones out!!!" He also mocked fans recording him by pointing directly at his crotch, and telling them to post his junk.

We're told security at the joint was going around telling people to put down their phones ... but Kid Rock decided to take matters into his own hands.

Apparently, he hasn't been paying attention to concert crowds for the last 10 years or so -- 'cause it ain't like smartphones just came out. Of course, Kid's got a habit of blurting out whatever he's feeling while onstage.

T.I. and Tiny are expanding their real estate portfolio by snapping up a massive home in the ATL -- a move they actually made before they faced multiple sexual assault accusations.

According to our sources ... T.I. purchased the 7-bed, 10-bath, 14,000-square-foot Atlanta home at the end of 2020, and it's an absolute palace.

The mansion, which sits on a private gated estate on the Chattahoochee River, features a massive pool, a spa and an outdoor fireplace ... so, it's built for entertaining.

The expansive interior is built for luxury too, with a massage room, sauna, gym and home theater -- plus there's a wine cellar (nothing but vintage, baby) and a guest house.

According to property records ... the home was sold for $3,265,000. The listing was held by Bonneau Ansley III, agent and owner of Ansley Real Estate.

As you know ... not long after T.I. and Tiny's home purchase, they came under scrutiny as several women across the country accused the couple of sexual abuse.

Here's Travis Scott driving like a bat out of hell ... running a red light and blowing through a stop sign in Beverly Hills to get to his daughter ... and it's all on video.

The rapper was behind the wheel of his Mercedes-Benz G Wagon Cabriolet Thursday when he drove right through a stop sign and then went around a car stopped at a red light, cruising through the intersection before he got a green.

Travis was apparently in a big rush because of Stormi ... he ended up at Coldwater Canyon Park, where his daughter was with his security team.

As you can see, Travis double-parked outside the playground ... and we're told he spoke to the security guards and then bounced in his luxury SUV.

The photog who shot the video says Travis drove away erratically, so it's unclear if his driving had anything to do with Stormi.

We reached out to Travis' rep, who had no comment.

Swizz Beatz's son, Nasir Dean, is ready to make a name for himself in Hollywood ... and he's taken his first big step after landing a role in a feature film.

We've learned Nasir will star in the new film, "Charge It To The Game" ... a coming-of-age story about 4 best friends who are finding their way through adolescence while navigating the obstacles that come with growing up.

Nasir will play the role of Preach ... one of the four best friends.

We're told this is a huge step for Nasir ... who's wanted to break into the acting biz for a long time. Just a couple of years ago ... Nasir was featured in a music video for Common's track "Hercules" featuring Swizz Beatz. After that performance ... he got several offers from producers and filmmakers but, at the time, Nasir wanted to stay focused on his music career.

Under his stage name, Note Marcato, he released an EP "BeachBum Limbo" last year with Epic Records and he's got a new music project slated to be released later this year dubbed "Mr. Cardinal."

But, the itch to act has always been there, according to his manager and attorney, Nichole Levy. We're told he auditioned for a role in season 2 of HBO's hit show "Euphoria." He didn't land it but then "Charge It To The Game" came a-knockin'.

We're told Swizz is psyched about his son landing the role ... and while he's got a ton of pull in Hollywood and beyond, we're told he's been hands-off about Nasir's career ... given Nasir's desire to develop his own brand.

Mike Posner really knows how to soak in a sunrise ... he's now enjoyed one from the top of Mount Everest!!!

The EDM star just completed another amazing trek, summiting our planet's highest mountain, and ya gotta see the view from 29,000 feet above sea level. Even Mike would have to say this beats a pill in Ibiza ... hands down.

Mike says his climb up Mount Everest was extremely hard and more exhausting than his 6-month walk from New Jersey to California back in 2019 ... but it looks like the juice was definitely worth the squeeze.

Now, Mike's descending back to base camp after raising $229,000 and counting for the Detroit Justice Center with his climb. He says he's excited to get back to his home state of Michigan after spending about 2 months in the Himalayas prepping for the trek of a lifetime.

Remember, Mike walked across America 2 years ago and he says when he was crossing the Rocky Mountains he decided what he wanted to accomplish next ... climbing Everest.

PETA wants Ariana Grande to take a ride ... on them -- hence the sweet vegan tandem bicycle (yeah, that's a thing) she just got as a wedding gift and token of appreciation.

The animal rights org is sending Ariana and her new hubby, Dalton Gomez, a cool tandem bike, which features a faux leather seat ... and is built from parts and paint that didn't use any animal products, of course.

We're told PETA has long been a fan of Grande's advocacy for animal rights, and more recently was impressed by her launching of Orange Twins Rescue ... a shelter in L.A. focused on saving and rehabilitating animals and finding them loving homes.

So, Grande's wedding last month presented PETA the perfect opportunity to show its love and respect, and a Northwoods Dual Drive Tandem Bike is en route. For those curious -- it retails around $700.

As we reported ... the singer got hitched at her Montecito home on May 15 in a very intimate ceremony with just 20 guests, including her 2 adopted dogs.

Lil Loaded's mother is the person who called police after finding him dead from a gunshot to the head, and we've learned she instantly knew what had upset her son.

According to the police report, obtained by TMZ, cops in Cedar Hill, Texas responded Monday morning to a call for an attempted suicide and when they arrived at the home, Lil Loaded's mom was crying on the front porch and the rapper was dead inside with a gun nearby.

Police say LL's mom told them she had returned home to find her son in the second-floor hallway. Cops also say she told them he was emotional Sunday night, crying and upset over how much he loved his ex-girlfriend.

As we reported, the up-and-coming rapper died over the holiday weekend and his attorney, Ashkan Mehryari, seemed to believe Lil Loaded killed himself. The 20-year-old MC also posted an ominous message before his death.

Lil Loaded's post read in part, "Dear most high, please forgive me for my shortcomings and all of the times I’ve fell short of making you proud."

He added, "I ask for entrance into your kingdom thru all of my mistakes. I know you love all your children, and I’m ready for my heart and soul to join you."

Paul Anka's gained a new generation of fans thanks to one of his classic songs being used for TikTok's "Silhouette Challenge" ... and he's capitalizing by re-releasing it, with the help of Olivia Newton-John.

TMZ's got the first look at the music video for Anka's "Put Your Head on My Shoulder," featuring the "Grease" star and fellow legendary singer.

Paul and Olivia released the re-recorded track in May as a duet, and it debuted at #1 on Amazon's Adult Contemporary chart ... but they're keeping the momentum going with this fun little animated music vid.

It's all part of an upcoming new album from Anka -- "Making Memories" -- that we're told will also include a cover of Frank Sinatra's "My Way" ... featuring Michael Buble and Andrea Bocelli.

If ya don't know ... Anka's 1959 song experienced a modern revival of sorts in early 2021 thanks to a Doja Cat remix used in the #SilhouetteChallenge. The challenge involves TikTokers dancing in normal lighting, and then ... the beat drops, the light goes red and things get sexier.

Several celebs got in on the action -- including Lizzo, Jason Derulo and Tiffany Haddish and Common did the challenge together -- and it gave Cardi B a reason to bring back her stripper skills.

DMX's music is still living on through his daughter ... she took the stage at a show in his honor, and she put her own twist on her father's famous songs.

X's 8-year-old daughter, Sonovah Hillman Jr., grabbed the mic and did her thing Saturday at the Wildcatter Saloon in Katy, TX ... remixing a few classic DMX songs like "Slippin'" and "Ruff Ryders' Anthem."

Check out the video ... Sonovah can flow just like X.

TMZ broke the story ... the late rapper was set to play at the venue in late May, but after X's death, the bar decided to throw a tribute concert instead.

The tribute show developed into a family affair, with DMX's fiancée, Desiree, and their son, Exodus, in attendance ... thanking fans for all their prayers. Sonovah's mother was also there.

Up-and-coming Texas rapper Lil Loaded died this weekend ... TMZ has confirmed.

The Dallas Medical Examiner's Officer tells us Loaded -- whose real name is Dashawn Robertson -- died Sunday in Dallas County. An official cause of death hasn't been released, but we're told Cedar Hill Police is investigating.

Loaded's attorney, Ashkan Mehryari, seems to believe his client killed himself ... saying, "Sadly, Mr. Robertson passed away earlier today as a result of a reported suicide."

The young MC reportedly posted an ominous message sometime before his death, which read in part, "Dear most high, please forgive me for my shortcomings and all of the times I’ve fell short of making you proud."

He added, "I ask for entrance into your kingdom thru all of my mistakes. I know you love all your children, and I’m ready for my heart and soul to join you."

LL had recently been charged with manslaughter for the 2020 shooting death of his friend, Khalil Walker, and was supposed to be in court this week over the case ... according to the NY Post. He had been arrested in connection to the killing but was out on bond.

Loaded was signed to Epic Records in 2019 after his song "6locc 6aby" went viral online.

He was only 20 years old.

Timbaland and Swizz Beatz went head-to-head again Sunday night for a Verzuz rematch, and it did not disappoint!!!

The 2 founders of the super popular music competition squared off at Miami's Club LIV, and they dedicated the evening to the late DMX.

DaBaby, Nas, Rick Ross, Fabolous, Busta Rhymes and many more were on hand watching the 2 rap icons do their thing. And, Missy Elliott paid her respects to Swizz and Timbaland on video. Missy was effusive ... "First I want to say congratulations to you (Timbaland) and Swizz. And, thank y'all for creating Verzuz for us to relive some of the best moments in music." She then took sides, rooting for her fellow Virginia native, Timbaland.

The music was awesome ... songs that included collabs with Aaliyah, DMX, Missy, Jay-Z, Beyonce, Justin Timberlake, Nicki Minaj, J. Cole, Drake, Lil Wayne, and on and on. 20 rounds in all.

BTW ... Timbaland and Swizz sold "Verzuz" to Triller earlier this year ... so that had to be a nice chunk of change.

Lil Yachty's so pumped for live music festivals to make their return this summer ... he's ready to dive backflip right in.

The rapper says the absence of in-person concerts over the past year has been really tough, so just the thought of taking the stage with a packed crowd gets his blood pumping.

Yachty -- who's set to perform at Portugal's Rolling Loud festival in July and at Chicago's Summer Smash in August -- tells us the connection he gets with his fans at a live show is unique ... and he expects the energy to be 50 times as intense after the long COVID break.

The hip-hop star also weighed in on one of hip-hop's biggest feuds over the past few years -- one in which he landed smack dab in the middle of ... and is still trying to do damage control.

LY reminds us why he sided with Cardi B over Nicki Minaj back in 2018, but explains why it's not nearly as controversial as it's been made out to be ... or at least that's how he sees it.

Watch the video though ... sounds like Nicki's still not over it.

Metro Marrs vows to pull off the same stunt next year and make it rain at his brother's HS graduation ... but the forecast will call for twice as much rain.

The budding rapper tells TMZ ... he plans to throw $20k in the air next year when he hits up his bro's ceremony at Langston Hughes High in nearby Atlanta. But, now that the cat's out of the bag, how does he plan on pulling off the stunt if he's giving school officials a heads up?

Don't fret ... Marrs says the school's cool with him and, even though he was detained by police for the stunt, he says it's totally worth it because in his eyes he's giving back.

And, to show the school's got no hard feelings ... Marrs tells us he actually visited his principal's office the day after graduation, and they pretty much dapped it up.

As we reported ... the "Bye Felicia" rapper was busted for throwing $10k after crossing stage at his own HS graduation. The crowd went nuts ... but the stunt ultimately led to him being detained for inciting a riot and disorderly conduct. He also got ticketed. 😑