Britney Spears will be checking herself out of the mental health facility where she's been for 30 days -- as early as today -- but we've learned she's still dealing with a big, unresolved issue ... her meds.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ, Britney's mental state is much better than it was when she checked in. As we reported, the singer was distraught over an illness her dad was battling ... made exponentially worse by the fact the meds she'd been taking for her mental illness stopped working. 

Doctors were trying to find a new combo of meds, but they couldn't get the mixture right and it was doing Britney more harm than good ... to the point she stopped taking them.

Our sources say doctors still haven't figured out the right formula and call it, "a work in progress." 

The sources are quick to say, Britney did NOT check into the facility to get her meds right ... it was to get her head straight. We're told she's doing "a lot better" in that department, but the doctors continue to work on the cocktail of meds.

A lot of people commented on the pic of Britney with her boyfriend, Sam Asghari, on Easter Sunday, where she looked a little off. Our sources acknowledge, she's still having difficulty, but nonetheless is in a better head space. 

We're told she could leave the mental health facility as early as today but definitely by week's end ... and she's almost certainly going home. Doctors will continue to work with her on getting the medicines right.

Short story ... mental illness is difficult, but she's doing okay. 

Blac Chyna is now part of the Harvard University community, and she didn't have to pull an Olivia Jade to get there.

Chyna has been accepted to take a course at the Harvard Business School -- well, the online version ... but hey, it's still Harvard. 

The reality star/former stripper got her admissions letter Monday, inviting her to take a course called Business Analytics ... teaching students how to interpret data and make savvy business decisions. The course is a substantial time investment -- 40 hours over 8 weeks.

Chyna posted a lengthy reflection on her life earlier this week, saying, "I am working to be the best me."  

Chyna tells us, "Where I'm at now is a stage of realization and growth! I want to be great for myself and my kids. School is going to help me take things up a couple of notches. People are always talking about me, might as well talk about the good. I'm excited for the next chapter."

As for the class -- the material seems daunting. Chyna will learn how to ...

-Recognize trends, detect outliers, and summarize data sets.

-Analyze relationships between variables. Develop and test hypotheses. 

-Craft sound survey questions and draw conclusions from population samples. 

-Implement regression analysis and other analytical techniques in Excel. 

As we reported ... Rob Kardashian and Chyna recently settled their nasty custody war over their 2-year-old daughter, Dream. Rob was paying $20K per month in support, but now he doesn't have to pay a dime ... and the couple splits medical and school expenses -- but not Chyna's school expenses.

So, in a few years, you can hire Kim to defend you, and Chyna to line your pockets.  

The reputed gang leader connected to Tupac's murder case is finally gonna do hard time -- but for a completely separate case ... TMZ has learned.

Darnell Brim is getting 10 years in federal prison after ATF agents caught him trying to sell crack cocaine. Brim is believed to be one of 4 men who were riding in the white Cadillac that pulled up to Suge Knight's car in 1996 in Las Vegas. Someone in that car opened fire, killing Tupac.

Brim was busted during a 2013 sting operation. He pled guilty to 2 felonies -- conspiracy to distribute crack and distribution of crack.

As you well know by now, Tupac's murder has never been solved, but according to 1996 LAPD records, investigators believed Brim -- a notorious South Side Compton Crips leader -- was in the white Caddy that was "used by the suspect(s) who shot Tupac Shakur."

Although he was never charged in the case, Brim was hit in a Compton drive-by shooting just 2 days after Tupac's murder -- and cops believe it was retaliation for Pac.

Something about "Purple Rain" speaks to Nicolas Cage's soul, because he hit up the same karaoke bar twice in 3 nights for 2 emotional renditions of Prince's hit ... which is now Nic's anthem.

We got this new vid of him pouring it all out on stage at what's clearly his favorite joint in L.A.'s Koreatown, and this time around it's way more over-the-top, angry and demonstrative than the first clip we got earlier this week. 

This performance went down last Friday, and you see Nic pacing around the room during what we'll graciously call ... his impassioned delivery of Prince's classic. We gotta say, he really went ALL out this time -- especially compared to his Sunday night gig.

Seems he toned it down a bit for the encore, but ya can't blame the guy for pouring his heart into the microphone ... he's going through some stuff. As we told you, Nicolas is trying to annul his recent quickie marriage of 4 days.

Some people pay $200/hr for a psychologist -- Nic prefers free karaoke therapy. Well, plus the cost of drinks, we're presuming.

Nic quickly soured on his new wife, Erika Koike, and filed for an annulment. He says they were bombed when they got hitched in Vegas and it was just the spur of the moment. There were signs the union was doomed ... Nic and Erika were fighting before AND after they tied the knot. 

Erika sees it another way ... she claims their marriage still counts and she wants his spousal support.

Nic and Erika didn't dance to "Purple Rain" on their wedding night -- as far as we know -- but he's sure singing the hell out of it now.

Before this rapper made headlines for beefing with one of hip-hop's biggest legends -- and before he had starring roles on the big screen -- he moved all around the globe with his missionary parents during an incredibly trying upbringing. 

He started listening to rap music in the 6th grade and credits Ludacris, Eminem and DMX with making him fall in love with the genre. He released his first mixtape when he was in high school, and started gaining national exposure when he was featured on MTV2's "Sucker Free Freestyle."

He eventually scored a recording contract with Bad Boy Records, after being approached by Diddy following his first performance at SXSW.

Can you guess who he is?

A tour bus parked outside Kodak Black's Washington D.C. concert just got raided by the FBI and local police while the rapper inside the venue performing.

You can see in the photos -- obtained by TMZ --several FBI agents standing outside the bus ... we're told those who were inside the bus were placed in handcuffs and brought outside the vehicle. It's currently unclear if the bus was Kodak's, belonged to crew or other members of the tour.

The agents searched the luggage underneath the bus, everything inside, and the area surrounding the bus is completely roped off. 

Sources on scene tell us the feds attempted to enter the venue -- The Anthem -- where Kodak was performing, but promoters did not allow them inside. 

It's another possible black eye for Kodak's tour ... as we first told you, Kodak was arrested just last week on weapons and gun charges at the Canada-U.S. border on his way from Detroit to Boston between shows. Cops say they found weed and a gun in the car he was driving.

We reached out to the FBI and local authorities ... so far, no word back.

Story developing ...

Lisa Vanderpump is absolutely disgusted by the Coachella woman caught dumping puppies in a dumpster ... she says it's disgusting, barbaric and completely irresponsible.

We got Lisa out in Los Angeles Wednesday and our photog asked for her reaction on the woman who was seen tossing a bag of seven 3-day old pups into the garbage ... and the 'Real Housewives of Beverly Hills' star didn't hold back her disgust. 

As we've reported ... Deborah Sue Culwell, a 54-year old resident of Coachella, is facing 7 felony counts of cruelty to animals after cops say she was caught on camera throwing the dogs in the trash. 

The woman is staring down 7 years in prison if convicted, and Lisa says she deserves jail time. Lisa's kinda got a dog in the fight ... she runs a dog rescue biz, Vanderpump Dogs. 

Check out the clip ... Lisa also has some strong comments on the uptick in huskies being dropped off at shelters, which some experts say is being caused by the popularity of dire wolves in "Game of Thrones."

Jussie Smollett's last episode ever of "Empire" could be running Wednesday night ... and a few hours before it aired, he told us he only has one word on his mind. 

We got the embattled actor leaving Lafayette restaurant in NYC, and the paps asked him how he feels about his final episode of this season. There are 2 more to go, but we already know Jussie won't be in them. 

Make no mistake ... Jussie's future with the show is completely up in the air. On Tuesday, creator and executive producer Lee Daniels made it clear they're still debating whether to bring him back next season. Jussie seemed totally unshaken when we asked him about it.

As we first reported ... Jussie was written off the final 2 episodes on the heels of his arrest and felony charges of disorderly conduct for lying to cops. As it stands now,  "Empire" hasn't been officially green lit for season 6, but assuming it will be ... there's no guarantee he'll be part of it.

As it turns out, Jussie's co-stars, Taraji P. Henson and Terrence Howard, came out swinging for him ... firing off a letter to the show's honchos ... demanding he remain on the show. The letter, posted by Deadline, read, "Together, as a united front, we stand with Jussie Smollett and ask that our co-star, brother and friend be brought back for our sixth season of Empire."

It goes on to say, "He is also innocent and no longer subject to legal uncertainty with the criminal charges against him having been dropped. We are confident in his lawyer’s assurance that the case was dismissed because it would not have prevailed.”

Chicago is not so sure -- and, the fact is, Jussie's still facing a civil trial where the city will try to show he did lie. 

A lot of balls up in the air. 

Dan Bilzerian is catching major heat for feeding a Kodiak bear at a house party ... and because PETA would never literally feed Dan to the wolves, they're going after him with a team of lawyers. 

If you were too high on Saturday to notice all the videos coming out of Dan's 4/20 bash in Los Angeles, he posted clips of himself hand-feeding munchies to an enormous bear. 

PETA is livid at Dan's stunt and now the organization is ratting him and Steve Martin's Working Wildlife -- which allegedly provided the bear -- out to California authorities. PETA fired off letters Wednesday to the CA Department of Fish and Wildlife and L.A. Department of Animal Services.

In the complaints, obtained by TMZ, PETA claims Dan and Martin did not have the required permit for this type of display, because city regulations expressly prohibit keeping bears in a place where they pose a risk to the public.

PETA also claims that because the bear was not contained in an escape-proof enclosure and because Martin did not maintain a safe distance between the bear and the party-goers, Martin should be stripped of his permits and fined.

Dan tells us PETA has him all wrong because he loves animals, and, while he appreciates people trying to stand up for animals, he says PETA just wants "to do the typical internet bandwagon on whatever is popular and come after me for feeding what seemed to be a very healthy happy bear, that was rescued at a young age."

Dan ended with a final thought for PETA, "They can suck my d**k.”  

Michael Madsen's looking at the possibility of doing time now that he's been charged with DUI for his March arrest in Malibu.

The L.A. County District Attorney's Office has just charged Madsen with 2 misdemeanors for DUI -- but the complication for him is this is his second DUI within 10 years. That fact means Madsen could face anywhere from 4 days to 364 days in county jail ... IF he's convicted and the judge opts to throw the book at him.

Practically speaking ... he'll likely strike a plea deal, but even so he'd be sentenced to at least the 4 days. His best hope is the judge letting him off with time served.

TMZ broke the story ... the veteran actor of Quentin Tarantino flicks like 'Kill Bill,' 'Hateful Eight' and "Reservoir Dogs" smashed his Land Rover in Malibu last month. It was a single-car crash in which he hit a pole. His BAC was .10.

Madsen's first DUI bust came back in 2012. 

He has a hearing set for next month.