Posted Feb 10th 2010 12:03AM by TMZ Staff
Chico Bouchikhi -- a co-founder of The Gipsy Kings -- just scheduled a showdown against the guy who's allegedly been impersonating him around the country ... and it involves a whole lot of resentment and flamenco music.
Here's the deal: The real Bouchikhi (left) scheduled a performance for Thursday in Miami -- the very same night his alleged imposter Chico Castillo (right) is slated to perform just 9 miles away.
The super feud has been escalating since December when Bouchikhi filed a lawsuit against Castillo for trademark infringement and fraud -- after Castillo allegedly traveled around the world impersonating him on stage and in television interviews.
TMZ spoke to Chico B.'s rep, who told us Bouchikhi purposely wanted to perform a concert close to Castillo's show, "So that the public knows the real founding member of The Gipsy Kings."
Awww snap.
Filed under: Music, Exclusives
Tags: chico bouchikhi, chico castillo, ChicoBouchikhi, ChicoCastillo, fraud, the gipsy kings, TheGipsyKings, trademark infringement, TrademarkInfringement
Posted Feb 10th 2010 12:01AM by TMZ Staff
In the '80s, Keren Woodward (left), Sara Dallin (center) and Siobhan Fahey (right) became famous as Bananarama with hits like "Cruel Summer," "Venus" and "I Heard a Rumour." Guess what some of them look like now!
Filed under: Music, Beauty, 'Memba Them?!
Tags: Bananarama
Posted Feb 9th 2010 12:03AM by TMZ Staff
In 1984, English pop star Paul Young became famous for hits like "Everytime You Go Away," "Come Back and Stay" and for singing the first line of the Band-Aid charity single "Do They Know It's Christmas?" Guess what he looks like now!
Filed under: Music, Beauty, 'Memba Them?!
Tags: Paul Young, PaulYoung
Posted Feb 7th 2010 1:04AM by TMZ Staff
Matthew Wilder is a one hit wonder famous for the 1983 song "Break My Stride." Guess what he looks like now!
Filed under: Music, Beauty, 'Memba Them?!
Tags: Break My Stride, BreakMyStride, Matthew Wilder, MatthewWilder
Posted Feb 7th 2010 1:00AM by TMZ Staff
What's love got to got to do with Tina Turner looking so flawless?
Here's the 35-year-old legendary singer back in 1975 (left) -- and 35 years later, the 70-year-old version at an event in Paris last month (right).
Proud Mary!
Filed under: Music, Beauty
Tags: docs, gene, Tina Turner, TinaTurner
Posted Feb 5th 2010 9:15AM by TMZ Staff
Looking amazing despite her arm in a sling, Natalie Cole could barely contain herself at her 60th birthday party in NYC last night.
The Grammy award winner looks fabulous for any age, let alone someone who underwent a kidney transplant last year.
Unbelievable.
Filed under: Music, Beauty
Tags: 60, birthday, Natalie Cole, NatalieCole
Posted Feb 5th 2010 6:09AM by TMZ Staff
Jared Leto and his band just came face to face with an explosive threat: A man who panicked a crowd with a mysterious box.
Fans at a West Hollywood appearance by Jared's band, 30 Seconds to Mars, tell TMZ the man rushed the door of the building with a package in his hands.
Witnesses say the man called out Jared by name, and then said something about having explosives.
We're told a member of the band and security tackled the man until police came and arrested him.
LAPD cleared Melrose Avenue to check the box and the suspect's car -- which he had parked in the middle of the street. Cops say there was no bomb in the box -- just candy and a blender.
The man is in custody and police tell us they suspect he is mentally unstable.
UPDATE: Jared addressed the crowd outside after the place was evacuated, telling them the man told him "some explosives" were in the box -- and "it's official, we have the craziest fans in the world."
The event was rescheduled until tonight.
Filed under: Music
Tags: 30 seconds to mars, 30SecondsToMars, bomb scare, BombScare, box, explosives, jared leto, JaredLeto, LAPD, melrose avenue, MelroseAvenue, package, threat, west hollywood, WestHollywood
Posted Feb 5th 2010 12:02AM by TMZ Staff
TMZ has obtained a copy of the gospel song Tyler Perry allegedly stole for his show "Meet the Browns" -- and let's just say Tyler's in for a hell of a fight.
Here's the song as it appeared on the TV show in 2009 (left) and here's the version Johnny Tyrone Stringfield copyrighted in 2008 (right).
TMZ spoke to Stringfield who tells us, "My family and I have always loved Tyler Perry -- and now we're going to love him a whole lot more."
So far, no comment from Perry's camp.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, TV, Music
Tags: johnny tyrone stringfield, JohnnyTyroneStringfield, lawsuit, meet t he browns, MeetTHeBrowns, tyler perry, TylerPerry
Posted Feb 4th 2010 9:00AM by TMZ Staff
Tyler Perry is facing one hell of a lawsuit -- dude's accused of using a Gospel song on his show "Meet the Browns" without forking over any green to the guy behind the music.
It's all over a 2009 episode of the show, in which several characters sang the words, "The Devil thought he had me ... but I got away."
According to a new lawsuit filed Wednesday in federal court in Los Angeles, a songwriter named Johnny Tyrone Stringfield claims those lyrics came from his song, "I Got Away" -- a song which he copyrighted back in 2008.
Now, Stringfield claims Perry -- and the companies behind the show -- owe him more than $100,000 to make things right.
Calls to Perry's people have not been returned.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, TV, Music, Exclusives
Tags: johnny tyrone stringfield, JohnnyTyroneStringfield, lawsuit, meet the browns, MeetTheBrowns, tyler perry, TylerPerry
Posted Feb 4th 2010 4:30AM by TMZ Staff
This is going to blow your mind -- but the people who wrote "Down Under" ripped off the melody in their 80s hit from the classic campfire song, "Kookaburra" ... this according to a new court ruling.
An Australian judge just ruled that "Men at Work" owe a Fosters-size can of royalties to the music company who owns the rights to the 70-year-old song.
If you've ever been to summer camp -- it's all starting to come together now.
So far the band isn't talking.
"You better run ... you better take cover."
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Music
Tags: down under, DownUnder, kookaburra, lawsuit, men at work, MenAtWork
Posted Feb 3rd 2010 5:30PM by TMZ Staff
She sings like a diva, but 3x Grammy-winner Jill Scott is now being accused of acting like one too -- after the producer who claims to have made her a "superstar" says she walked out on a contract 3 albums too soon.
Scott is being sued by Hidden Beach Records -- the company who claims to have discovered Scott in 1998.
In the lawsuit, filed in L.A. County Superior Court, Hidden Beach claims they signed Scott to a six album deal in 1999. But in 2009, she told the company through a letter that she was "moving on" after only completing 3 of the 6 albums.
In the lawsuit, Hidden Beach comes off like a scorned lover who claims they were "rolling the dice and betting everything it had on an unknown talent" when they first signed Scott ... and are "deeply saddened" by her recent actions.
Hidden Beach is suing for an unspecified amount.
Calls to Scott's rep were not returned.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Music
Tags: jill scott, JillScott, lawsuit
Posted Feb 2nd 2010 5:10AM by TMZ Staff
Anyone who's ever put out a record in the past 5 years got together yesterday at Jim Henson studios in Los Angeles to sing a new version of Michael Jackson & Lionel Richie's "We Are the World" to benefit Haiti.
The Jonas Brothers, Wyclef Jean, Harry Connick Jr., Sugarland, Justin Bieber, "Best Singer in the World" Celine Dion and a ton of other performers were seen recording the song yesterday afternoon.
The final video will air during during the opening ceremony for the Olympics February 12.
Filed under: Music, Michael Jackson
Tags: celine dion, CelineDion, joe jonas, JoeJonas, jonas brothers, JonasBrothers, justin bieber, JustinBieber, lionel richie, LionelRichie, michael jackson, MichaelJackson, we are the world, WeAreTheWorld
Posted Feb 1st 2010 12:10PM by TMZ Staff
Good news for Gen. Larry Platt -- "Pants on the Ground" has finally been recorded in a studio. The bad news -- the General has no idea it's been released ... and a conflict is brewing.
Larry's former manager Jason Mills -- who's releasing the song to radio stations -- tells us he doesn't need Larry's approval because Mills says it's "promotional" and not for profit ... at least for now.
Mills says he now represents the producer, Carlos Thornton (aka Los Vegas) and Mills claims the producer has the right to release the tune, without the General's approval.
We're thinkin' .... the General might have issues with this.
Filed under: Music, American Idol, Exclusives
Tags: carlos thornton, CarlosThornton, general larry platt, GeneralLarryPlatt, jason mills, JasonMills, los vegas, LosVegas, pants on the ground, PantsOnTheGround
