Jeezy Verzuz Success is Great, But ... It's Time for a Culture Shock

TAKING THE HIGH ROAD
TMZ.com

Jeezy's had enough of his culture being linked to guns, feuds, violence and death -- and he says his highly-viewed Verzuz episode was a chance to address those issues.

The rapper told us what the real takeaway should be from Thursday night's showdown with Gucci Mane ... which set a Verzuz record with nearly 2 million viewers. Jeezy tells us more than anything ... the unprecedented event presented an opportunity to reflect on what's been going on in Black culture.

Sadly, some of what's been going on has been shooting deaths of young artists, like King Von, Mo3, Pop Smoke and so many more ... not to mention Nipsey Hussle's murder last year.

THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM
Verzuz/Apple Music

Jeezy says THIS is the issue his people should be focusing on, and it's so much bigger and more important than his beef with Gucci. However, he's happy their battle allowed them to set an example.

As we reported ... this led to a peaceful resolution between Jeezy and Gucci over a 15-year beef sparked by the killing of Jeezy's friend Pookie Loc. It's pretty clear ... Jeezy wants what happened Thursday night to become the norm for young people -- in and out of the music industry.

Jeezy says the messaging on his new album, "The Recession 2," goes hand in hand with his powerful speech during Verzuz -- evolving and getting better.

He also hopes his album helps remind everyone what people have been fighting for in recent months following the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and others.

There's also a more literal meaning to the album's title, and Jeezy talked to Big Boy about how business partners taught him what a recession is ... and why he was inspired to share that knowledge with his fans.

Believe it or not ... there's a Barack Obama twist!

Charli and Dixie D'Amelio No More Snail Fails ... Free Dino Nuggets To The Rescue!!!

Forget fancy dinners with escargot ... there's a ton of free chicken nuggets waiting to be scarfed down by Charli and Dixie D'Amelio!!!

Here's the deal ... the TikTok stars almost got canceled after a million followers jumped ship following a family dinner that saw the sisters being bratty about the menu, specifically the snails. So, now they're getting what they really want ... dino nuggets!!!

The fine folks behind Charli and Dixie's preferred grub, Yummy Dino Buddies, tell TMZ ... they've seen the infamous clip of Dixie throwing up her escargot and Charli asking for dino nuggets instead, so they're hooking up the girls with coupons for the dinosaur-shaped nuggets!!!

SNAILY SITUATION
Youtube / The D'Amelio Family

The free nuggets are nice, but that's not all Charli and Dixie have coming -- we're told they're also getting Yummy Dino Buddies swag.

See kids ... if you complain about your private chef's food and act like a brat at the dinner table for the whole world to see, you get free stuff!!!

JK. Don't try these antics at home -- unless you're TikTok's most-followed star.

Will Smith, OG Aunt Viv Showed Growth During Reunion ... Says Aunt Viv #2!!!

REUNITED AT LAST
TMZ.com

When Will Smith and Janet Hubert, the OG Aunt Viv, squashed their beef on the "Fresh Prince" reunion ... it showed exactly how far they've evolved as individuals.

That's the deep analytical response from Daphne Maxwell Reid, who played v.2 Aunt Viv, and she tells TMZ ... her heart all but melted when Will and Janet buried the hatchet after not talking for nearly 27 years. Will and Janet came face-to-face during the "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" reunion that aired earlier this week ... and finally talked it all out.

Daphne clearly couldn't be more proud of Will, whom she says showed growth of spirit to essentially tell Janet ... he didn't know any better. Daphne, who had never met Janet until the reunion, commended Janet for apologizing and admitting she trash-talked him for years.

Remember ... Janet, who played Aunt Viv for the first 3 seasons of the hit sitcom, was open about her hatred toward Will and blamed him for getting fired. She said back in 2011 "there will never be a reunion ... as I will never do anything with an a**hole like Will Smith." Ouch.

But all of that's now water under the bridge ... not that Daphne had ANY clue about Will and Janet beefing during or even after the show ended in 1996 after 6 successful seasons. Daphne had other things to focus on ... specifically being thankful about having a job.

Stars and Scars You Be the Judge

Donald Trump isn't doing much, if any work in the Oval Office, because he's obsessed with trying to overturn an election and that's not gonna happen. And, Barack Obama said flatly ... he's scared of Sasha, especially when she teams up with Michelle. So we gotta ask ...

Trump Will Leave W.H. For Good On Xmas ...

Top Dog At Home?

Trump Will Run In 2024

Whose Side You On?

Verzuz Winner ...

Megan Thee Stallion Will Testify Against Tory ...

If I Have To Buy One Cardio Machine ...

I Feel Good About Taking COVID Vaccine

LeBron James Fan Pulls Ultra-Rare Jersey Card ... Massive Offers Rollin' In

THE KING OF CARDS
Jaspys Case Breaks

Another sports card collector just hit the JACKPOT -- pulling a rare 1-of-1 LeBron James jersey card ... and he's already getting some huge offers to sell!

It all went down Thursday night at Jaspy's Case Breaks card shop in Hermosa Beach, CA -- which was hosting a "live break" of a box of 2019-20 Panini Immaculate Premium Edition cards.

Each individual box runs about $2,500 -- and contains ONE pack with SIX cards. High stakes card collecting!!!

Jaspy's was hosting an event where collectors could buy rights to cards based on an NBA team -- for example, you could buy the Houston Rockets for $100 and any card pulled featuring a player on the Rockets would belong to you.

Huge upside, but if the pack contains no Rockets players, you get nothing. Get it? Great.

In this case, a collector purchased the rights to the Lakers cards for $70 -- and man, BEST $70 INVESTMENT EVER!!

During Thursday's live break, Jaspy's staffer Joe pulled the holy grail from the set ... a LeBron game-used jersey card from LBJ's championship run with the Lake Show!!!

The guys at the shop went crazy -- and the collector who was watching virtually quickly realized they had something special!

We spoke with Erick Mitchell -- high-end card expert and card broker -- who tells us he was getting hit up by clients making big offers (from $50k to $75k) in the hours after the pull!

We're told the lucky fan hasn't sold the card yet -- instead, he wants to put it up for auction, where experts believe it could fetch more than $100,000!!!

So, who buys these kinds of cards?

Mitchell told us there are a handful of high-end LeBron "super-collectors" who pounce on anything they can ... price is no object.

As we previously reported, there's been a surge of interest in high-end cards lately ... even Rob Kardashian is getting in on the craze.

In fact, Rob pulled an ultra-rare 1-of-1 Tom Brady card during a recent box break ... and some experts think that card could fetch $250k, if Rob decides he wants to sell.

What's The Big Frigin' Difference?

Don't let these two almost identical images of Kendall Jenner have you feeling overwhelmed ... Take a moment to really look at the photos here, and try your best to see if you can spot any sneaky switches that have been made to this tricky pic!

The model was recently seen out and about with some friends in Los Angeles, CA ... And we have made a few changes to the photo! It's up to you to try and find what differences have been made between these two super similar snaps!

**HINT -- There are THREE differences in the above photographs!**

'Selling Sunset' Stars Brett & Davina Back Despite Exiting Firm ... Netflix Green Lit Seasons 4 & 5!!!

The "thirsty bitches" are back!!! Netflix has given "Selling Sunset" the green light for seasons 4-5 ... and even though stars Brett Oppenheim and Davina Potratz left the brokerage firm for greener pastures, cameras will still be rolling on their pretty mugs.

Production sources tell TMZ ... Brett and Davina will be part of the hit series when season 4 filming gets underway in Spring 2021 despite Brett leaving the family biz to start his own shop and Davina bolting last month to rival Douglas Elliman in Beverly Hills.

It's unclear if cameras will be following them inside their new joints but one thing's for sure ... our sources say cameras will continue to follow their storylines, which is mostly tame when it comes to Brett but definitely fiery -- and even catty -- as it relates to Davina. For the newbies ... she's usually the center of the drama revolving the gorgeous real estate agents, but the drama -- and the fake drama alike -- is definitely NOT exclusive to Davina.

Speaking of the ladies ... Christine Quinn -- who back in September referred to the cast as "thirsty bitches" -- and the rest of the gang are all back. We're told Christine, Chrishell Stause, Mary Fitzgerald, Maya Vander, Heather Rae Young and Amanza Smith ... along with Jason Oppenheim and Mary's beau, Romain Bonnet, all finalized their deals last week.

Our sources say Netflix ordered a good chunk of episodes for the next 2 seasons ... though at this point filming will begin only once logistics can be figured out on how to safely film such a large cast/crew amid the coronavirus pandemic.

UFC's Valentina Shevchenko 3rd Fight w/ Amanda Nunes Is Inevitable ... Avenge 2 Losses

NEVER SAY NEVER...
TMZSports.com

Amanda Nunes is the ONLY woman to beat Valentina Shevchenko in the last 10 years ... and now the UFC flyweight champ tells TMZ Sports a 3rd fight with the Lioness is 100% goin' down!!

We talked to the 32-year-old Shevchenko -- who's defending her belt at UFC 255 against Jennifer Maia Saturday night in Vegas -- about the possibility of the highly coveted match-up with Nunes, the 32-year-old bantamweight and featherweight champ.

"You know right now I'm not thinking about [Amanda] cause my goal is to defend my belt," Shevchenko says ... "One day it’s gonna come to the point when it's gonna [make] much more sense, and it's not gonna be other than to make this 3rd fight."

Valentina continued ... "And when this day comes, it comes. But, now I'm not rushing it. I'm not trying to delay it. So I'm just living my life and waiting for when it comes, and I know for sure it comes."

Of course, the women fought 2 super competitive bouts in 2016 (UFC 196) and 2017 (UFC 215). Nunes won both fights ... but some people believe Shevchenko -- who's 19-3 as a pro -- was robbed in the 2nd fight.

Bottom line, Shevchenko is undoubtedly the toughest opponent Amanda -- the greatest female MMA fighter of all-time -- has ever faced ... and if Valentina's right, a 3rd scrap is on the horizon.

Stars Fallin' For Foliage Rake 'Em In!

You better beleaf it's Fall and these fair-weather famous people are ready to cover as much ground outdoors as mother nature herself!

Stars like Emily Ratajkowski, Taylor Hill, Billy Magnussen, Marc Jacobs and piles more celebs have leaved their homes and shared some epic photos of their outdoor adventures on social media for you to rake up.

Get in the spirit by taking a nice stroll through our gallery of stars fallin' for foliage to see all the other celebrities that are relishing this time of year in the great outdoors!

It'll really get ya in the mood!

John Lennon Auction Album Signed for His Murderer Could Fetch $2 Million!!!

The "Double Fantasy" album John Lennon signed for Mark David Chapman hours before Chapman assassinated him is hitting the auction block ... and is expected to haul in up to 2 million bucks.

The macabre piece of rock 'n' roll history features Lennon's signature in blue ink on the album cover art ... a photo of Lennon and Yoko Ono. He signed his name on Yoko's neck along with his "1980" inscription.

"Double Fantasy" was the fifth album released by John and Yoko, and was released the month before he was shot and killed on December 8, 1980, as he was walking into his home at The Dakota in NYC.

Chapman had waited outside the building with a copy of the album to score Lennon's autograph around 5:50 PM as he and Yoko were on their way to a studio. Chapman was still waiting at 10:50 PM when the couple returned ... and shot Lennon four times in the back.

As you can see ... there are other markings on the front and back of the album. Those were made by law enforcement, as it was a key piece of police evidence from the scene of the crime. Chapman had put the album in one of the planters outside The Dakota after Lennon signed it.

When cops arrived, Chapman was found casually reading a copy of "The Catcher in the Rye," and told police he killed Lennon because he was so famous. The murderer was recently denied parole for the 11th time.

This "Double Fantasy" album has already been sold twice in the past -- for $150k in 1999, and between $600-800k in 2010. It will go live for auction on Monday at Goldin Auctions ... which expects it to haul in as much as $2 MILLION.

Donald Trump Jr. Gets COVID-19 Currently in Quarantine

Well, this seemed inevitable ... Donald Trump Jr. has contracted the coronavirus.

President Trump's son reportedly tested positive for the potentially deadly virus earlier this week and has been quarantining at a private location. According to Bloomberg, which first reported the news, DTJ is following all medically recommended COVID-19 guidelines.

The news comes just weeks after Jr. was seen without a mask at a Trump rally in Georgia. The vast majority of people who attended that rally were also not wearing masks. He's the latest in a long line of Trump family members to get infected with the 'rona. As you very well know by now ... POTUS also was infected as was the First Lady Melania Trump and her son, Barron. DTJ's girlfriend, Kimberly Guilfoyle, also tested positive last month.

Also on Friday ... Rudy Giuliani's son, Andrew, a special assistant to POTUS, also announced he contracted the virus. Earlier this month ... VP Mike Pence's aide, Hannah MacInnis, also tested positive. That positive test comes after the Veep's press secretary and chief of staff contracted the virus.

In-N-Out Burger Traffic, Fights & Long Waits ... That's What Colorado Opening's All About!!!

In-N-Out Burger has made its way to Colorado, but instead of enjoying double-doubles and milkshakes ... many Aurora residents are dealing with chaos and a 12-hour wait!!!

A brand new location for the fast-food chain -- which is a favorite on the west coast -- opened Friday in the Denver suburb, and it seems demand is way too high to satisfy everyone's appetite.

The Aurora Police Dept. alerted everyone midday that the wait to get grub is 12 HOURS ... and traffic is severely bogged down in the area. The police are warning folks the restaurant will likely close before they make it to the window, and strongly encouraging them to eat elsewhere.

What's worse -- the long line of cars is apparently making hangry people get out and go "animal style" ... as a major brawl broke out in which it appears one dude loses his pants.

So, if you're currently waiting in this In-N-Out line, take it from us here in California -- the food's worth the wait ... but it CAN wait 'til tomorrow.

Disabled Man Dumped From Own Wheelchair by Cop ... Suspended After Outrage

IMMOBILIZED

Two cops in South Africa are under fire after they were recorded on video practically assaulting a disabled man ... with one cop shown throwing the man out of his wheelchair.

The disturbing incident played out Thursday in Cape Town where the man in the wheelchair, Zwelenkosi Ngidi, found himself in a tense confrontation with 2 cops at the Central Police Station.

You can see tensions reached a tipping point after one of the cops appears to stop Ngidi from moving by putting his foot on the wheelchair. Then all hell breaks loose... with the second cop coming from behind and violently tipping the wheelchair over ... causing Ngidi to fall out of his wheelchair. The cop pushes the wheelchair away ... leaving Ngidi on the ground confused as hell before someone else picks him up and puts him back in the wheelchair.

You hear someone in the crowd yell, "Why are you doing this to the old man?" It's unclear what triggered the standoff between Ngidi and the cops or why he was there.

Either way ... Cape Town Mayor Dan Plato wasn't having it, announcing the cops would be suspended pending an investigation. Plato said, "I want to apologize unreservedly to the member of the public for what he experienced." The mayor added, "The manner in which this situation was handled is not what we expect from our staff."

'Wipeout' Contestant Dies After Completing Course

A "Wipeout" contestant is dead after being hospitalized following a go at the obstacle course ... TMZ has learned.

Production sources tell TMZ ... a male contestant needed medical attention Wednesday after completing the course, and he was tended to by on-site emergency personnel who then called paramedics.

We're told the contestant was taken to a hospital, where he later died.

Our law enforcement sources tell us they got a cardiac arrest call just before noon Wednesday, and medics on set had already started using a defibrillator on the contestant, who was experiencing chest pains after completing the course.

We're told there are precautions and safeguards in place on set. For example, every 'Wipeout' contestant undergoes medical exams before participating. There are also 2 paramedics on-site, plus a safety producer and paramedic coordinator.

'Wipeout' is getting an upcoming reboot on TBS after originally airing on ABC from 2008 to 2014, and TBS tells us ... "We are devastated to have learned of his passing and our deepest sympathy goes out to the family."

The production company, Endemol Shine North America, says ... "We offer our heartfelt condolences to the family and our thoughts are with them at this time."

RIP

Russell Westbrook COVID-Safe Thanksgiving Food Giveaway ... Great Video!

Think COVID could stop Russell Westbrook from helping out some families in need during the holiday? HELL NO!!

The NBA superstar grabbed some masks, gloves and sanitizer and hit the streets of L.A. on Thursday for his annual Thanksgiving dinner giveaway ... with some minor adjustments to keep everyone safe!

Westbrook's Why Not? Foundation teamed up with the L.A. Regional Food Bank and others to host a drive-thru event at Jesse Owens Park ... where all volunteers were decked out in PPE to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

It's the 9th year of Westbrook's food event -- but due to the pandemic, he had to make some changes this time around -- a challenge he happily met.

"This year is a little different with COVID and everything going on in our society," Russell said ... "But I'm thankful to be here to be able to give back to so many families."

He later added on Twitter, "Things are challenging right now & people are struggling. This is why it is more important than ever for me to support my community any way I can while keeping everyone safe."

#Respect

Ex-RNC Chair Michael Steele Trump's Got His Claws in the GOP ... No One to Declaw Him!!!

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?
TMZ.com

Michael Steele's ready to get the Republican Party he knew and loved back from the President, but he thinks it's going to be a major challenge because so far ... nobody's stepping up to dump Trump.

The former head of the Republican National Committee tells us the battle between the GOP's "fair-minded patriots" -- his words -- and staunch Trumpers isn't dying down ... because there's no chance Donald goes away.

Steele says it's not complicated -- Trump will continue to assert his influence on the party and rally his base to maintain power. So the question ... who's gonna run against him in 2024???

Based on Steele's answer, he has zero confidence any current prominent Republicans are up to the task. He says whoever it is can't give a damn about pissing off Trump ... and, as he sees it, they're all too afraid.

As for how 45's current term in office is going to end, there are plenty of wild predictions ... though, they seem more plausible each. day. However, Steele says you can bank on a couple things Trump absolutely won't do.

Old news is old news!
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