TMZ Hip Hop - Page 20

Gangster Disciples founder Larry Hoover found himself among the lucky inmates who got good news on Wednesday ... President Donald Trump commuted the prison sentence of the reformed Chicago gang leader on the same day he granted Julie and Todd Chrisley their freedom!!!

Hoover's name should ring bells in your memory ... Kanye West and Drake famously squashed their brewing beef back in 2021 in a livestreamed event at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum billed as a "Free Larry Hoover" fundraising benefit concert.

Ye sent all praises due to President Trump for the pardon after hearing the news and Hoover's family is also in the midst of a celebration.

Rick Ross also immortalized Hoover on his now classic 2011 track "B.M.F. (Blowin' Money Fast)" ... a track that also championed the life and crimes of another recently pardoned former drug dealer ... Demetrius "Big Meech" Flenory Sr.

Federal prosecutors just released shocking new photos they say show the aftermath of the Molotov cocktail incident with Kid Cudi's Porsche -- an incident Cudi thinks Diddy was involved in -- and now we're seeing some of what jurors were shown in court.

Prosecutors just entered photos of Kid Cudi's car fire aftermath as exhibits in the case ... and they appear to show what Kid Cudi and LAFD arson investigator Lance Jimenez testified about in terms of fire damage from a Molotov cocktail.

Jimenez testified Wednesday an Olde English 800 malt liquor bottle was used in the incident and that when he arrived at the scene, he saw the bottle in the front seat ... and that appears to be what the photos show.

Drake and Kendrick Lamar both achieved music industry milestones on Wednesday ... which ironically both work in Drake's favor!!!

The Recording Industry Association of America announced Drake's classic hits "Best I Ever Had" and "Hold On, We're Going Home" allowed him to break the record for most Diamond-certified releases in history, with 10 ... surpassing both Garth Brooks and Post Malone, who previously tied him with nine apiece.

Podcast talks about fans rebelling from Drake's music appear to be nothing but hot air ... his plays are still going up!!!

Stefon Diggs' weekend boat trip with Cardi B has made it to his boss' desk -- New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel was asked all about the video making rounds during media availability on Wednesday ... and he said the team is well aware of the matter.

The 31-year-old wide receiver raised eyebrows after a short clip was published all over the internet on Tuesday ... showing him chatting it up with three women in bikinis before opening a container to expose a mystery pink substance.

In the video, he appears to tell the women to not take all of it ... but instructs them to go have fun and come back to him.

Sharay Hayes, an exotic male dancer known as "The Punisher," is apologizing to Cassie Ventura for his role in some sexual encounters with Diddy.

"The Punisher" went on CNN and said he's sorry to Cassie for any suffering he may have caused her ... explaining that at the time, he had no idea or indication that she was having a bad experience.

Hayes testified in the Diddy criminal trial about his role in "freak-offs" with Diddy and Cassie -- and he told us he didn't see Diddy do anything that seemed illegal -- but after learning Cassie told jurors she was being blackmailed and threatened to participate in freak-offs, he's offered up his apology.

Kendrick Lamar brought his "Peekaboo" costar AZ Chike onstage during his "GNX" tour run -- a cameo that came with a ton of elbow grease ... and even a bit of badgering!!!

The blockbuster "GNX" album gave several upstart L.A. rappers their first big breaks, and AZ Chike explained in a nearly 20-minute spill how his big moment inside SoFi Stadium last Friday happened.

If you remember, TMZ Hip Hop spoke to AZ Chike a few weeks ago, where he told us he'd make a play for the "GNX" stage at all costs -- and that's exactly what he did when he sent Kendrick a voice memo early last week "joking" he was ready to crash out.

Diddy's defense lawyer cried out for a mistrial Wednesday ... after a witness revealed fingerprints connected to the alleged break-in at Kid Cudi's Hollywood Hills house had been destroyed.

An arson investigator was testifying about the Molotov cocktail thrown into Kid Cudi's car back in January 2012 ... prosecutors believe the device was thrown at the behest of Diddy in a jealous rage over Cassie.

The arson investigator testified his unit had recovered DNA on the bottle used for the firebomb ... the partial DNA was from an unknown woman.

YFN Lucci came home from prison in January after serving nearly 4 years and now has even more freedom to his name ... his longtime label Think It’s A Game Records bought out his Warner partnership -- and he can release music as he pleases!!!

Fly, the CEO and founder of Think It’s A Game, tells TMZ Hip Hop ... "Most labels out here today are really just production companies. We’re not just signing artists. We’re distributing them, we’re publishing them, we’re breaking records, and we’re building legacies. We do it all!”

Testimony continued for the third week in Sean "Diddy" Combs' federal sex trafficking and racketeering trial in Manhattan Wednesday morning ... with two victims, an L.A. cop and an arson investigator all slated to take the stand today, one day after Capricorn Clark's bombshell testimony.

The prosecution calls LAPD Officer Christopher Ignacio as the first witness of the day. Ignacio is asked about a 911 call on December 11, 2011, at about 8 AM, which he describes as "Code 3, with lights and sirens" to a Hollywood Hills address -- the address is Scott "Kid Cudi" Mescudi's house, the location of an alleged break-in by Diddy and associates, and where Cudi's car was later destroyed by a Molotov cocktail. Ignacio says a Cadillac Escalade was present when officers arrived.

Ignacio says he memorized the license plate of the Escalade ... he became suspicious by "the way it left as soon as we got there." He said they found the front door of the residence unlocked ... inside, officers found expensive watches, purses, some of which were gift-wrapped. He said two detectives arrived, and he said he saw the same black Escalade driving down the hill. Then Cudi arrived in his Porsche.

The tenth day of witness testimony in the Diddy criminal trial was all about former Bad Boy employee Capricorn Clark ... and prosecutors tried to use her testimony to make the racketeering charge against Diddy stick.

Capricorn was the only witness Tuesday and she told the jury all about her time working under Diddy at Bad Boy ... and there were some noteworthy moments.

While Capricorn was testifying under oath, a pregnant Cassie was being rushed to a hospital ... our sources tell us she's in the labor and delivery unit, but it's not clear if she's given birth yet, as we're also told there may have been some complications.

Fivio Foreign's year has been a total wash, seeing he's been jailed since January on a weapons charge ... there could be a light at the end of the tunnel for the "City of Gods" rapper!!!

The New Jersey PIO tells TMZ Hip Hop that Fivio pled guilty to terroristic threats -- threat to commit a crime of violence in the 3rd degree.

Fivio had been facing 4 other charges, including unlawful possession of a weapon and aggravated assault, but Fivio's attorney Adam Lustberg tells us those counts are expected to be dismissed in exchange for his guilty plea.

Kendrick Lamar's ex-labelmate Ab-Soul is currently rapping lyrical miracles about slapping DJ Akademiks ... a strike that would result in an automatic death sentence, a promise made by the popular streamer!!! 🫣

The longtime Top Dawg Entertainment rapper declared, "I'ma slap Akademiks when I see him" ... causing Ak to turn full-scale 2Pac while dropping a New Jersey address to letting Soul know he ain't hard to find!!!

Ak vows if Ab ever lifts a hand against him, he'll be trading bars with Nipsey Hussle, King Von, Pop Smoke and yes, even 2Pac, in "dead rapper heaven" ... but says there won't be a worldwide mourning session like the others.

Cassie is getting trashed by a witness in the Diddy criminal trial ... all while Cassie is in the hospital because of her pregnancy.

Capricorn Clark, a former Diddy employee, is being cross-examined by Diddy defense attorney Marc Agnifilo ... and she's telling the jury how their relationship changed over time.

Clark previously said she used to manage Cassie, and Agnifilo asked her why they sometimes did not get along. Clark said in 2008, Cassie went from being a sweet model to a feisty girlfriend, getting more "bravado" as her relationship with Diddy progressed.

Suge Knight says he talked to Capricorn Clark after Diddy allegedly threatened to kill her over her ties to Death Row Records ... and he tells us Capricorn absolutely thought Diddy would follow through.

The former Death Row Records owner joined us on "TMZ Live" Tuesday and we asked him about some of Clark's explosive testimony in the Diddy criminal trial.

Clark -- who worked for Diddy as an assistant and in other roles -- told the jury Diddy took her to Central Park on her first day of work and threatened to kill her because she used to work for his rival, Suge.

Cassie Ventura is trading the courtroom for the hospital ... and it sounds like she may be about to go into labor.

Our sources tell us Cassie was rushed to a New York hospital Tuesday, and she is in the labor and delivery unit.

Another source tells us Cassie may be having complications.

6:57 PM PT -- The adminstrators of DMX's estate tell TMZ ... "We were surprised and disappointed to learn of this auction, which is not authorized and was not cleared by the Estate of Earl “DMX” Simmons."

They continue ... "The Estate holds rights in the recordings and written materials being offered for sale — including significant intellectual property rights — all of which we will fiercely protect. We consider this a violation of the Estate’s rights and will be pursuing appropriate action."

DMX's memory will live on thanks to an upcoming auction ... GottaHaveRockandRoll is unleashing a one-stop shut'em down, open-up shop full of the late Ruff Ryders rapper's earliest moments en route to becoming a hip-hop legend!!!

The treasure trove of DMX goodies features over 30 mind-blowing lots of rap relics and focuses on his rise to fame between 1992-1994 ... and is expected to fetch $20,000-$40,000!!!

GottaHaveRockandRoll President Dylan Kosinski tells TMZ Hip Hop that one of DMX's earliest close music industry pals provided the artifacts to the auction house ... there's even a poster when he opened for Wu-Tang Clan in 1994!!!