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James Brown might have been murdered ... so claims a woman who knew Brown, and just handed prosecutors stacks of what she believes is possible evidence of foul play.

A Fulton County D.A. spokesperson confirms Jacque Hollander met with Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard on Wednesday and gave him a bin full of items. Howard now says he's directing his investigators to interview Hollander ... and if evidence she presented to the D.A.'s Office holds up, Howard says he's open to launching a full-scale death investigation.

We're told Hollander -- who unsuccessfully first tried to meet with the D.A. in 2019 -- reportedly gave a list of possible witnesses and handed over a stack of printed text messages. She also reportedly explained how she came into possession of the bin.

James, of course, died on Christmas Day 2006 at an Atlanta hospital. His death certificate cites a heart attack and fluid in his lungs as the cause of death.

Jessica Simpson's sending a message to the angry anti-fur protesters who've been crashing events on her book tour -- faux fur's just fine with her.

In a possible attempt to get in the good graces of the animal rights activists who've been calling her out for wearing fur, the "Open Book" author shared a series of pics of herself rocking a Stella McCartney belted, vegetarian leather and faux fur coat.

Of course, it's also possible the protesters had an impact on Jessica. The faux-fur move comes after we broke news extra security measures are being put in place at upcoming stops on her book tour to keep protesters at bay.

As we reported, Simpson was accosted at a book signing and outside a restaurant in NYC last week, and earlier this week at an L.A. book signing.

Jessica doesn't address wearing fake fur explicitly in her posts, but says ... "I pray every day that I can use my platform for good. I promise to continue to be open and to lead with my mistakes."

Sounds like she's suggesting she's heard the animal abuse accusations from the protesters about her history of wearing fur, and instead of laughing it off ... she's learning from her mistakes. Or, maybe she just likes Stella's design.

Genea Sky -- the exotic dancer who came crashing down from a 15-foot pole but kept twerking afterward -- is taking a page out of the great George Michael's song, "Careless Whisper," 'cause she never wants to dance again.

Sources close to Genea tell TMZ ... she's telling friends she's done being a stripper and doesn't want to dance anymore, because her fall and the injuries she suffered have scared her to death.

We're told she's grateful for all her fellow strippers who've reached out with comforting messages and shared their own injury stories ... it's made Genea feel like she's not alone.

Our sources say the painful experience has also inspired Sky to try to change the industry and improve exotic dancers' lives ... but she's not sure how yet.

The interesting thing is ... we're told Genea's received a ton of offers from strip clubs and been asked to appear in music vids ever since she unintentionally went viral, but she wants none of it.

Our sources say Genea's focused on healing up right now after having surgery for a broken jaw ... along with her other injuries.

Rebecca Black poured her heart out for the anniversary of her song, "Friday," and says the honesty paid off ... and might even unlock some doors in the near future.

We spoke to the singer Wednesday in L.A. after she posted an emotional reflection on her viral hit 9 years to the day that it went up on YouTube ... which she tells us has been reciprocated with folks opening up to her right back, and being just as vulnerable.

ICYMI, Rebecca said she wishes she could go back in time and talk to younger versions of herself, whom she says were going through it in the wake of the earworm ... and all the hate that followed. RB says she went through depression, rejection and food feathering.

She found the light at the end of the tunnel though ... adding that despite all that, she now knows no one thing has to define a person -- and each day is an opportunity to start fresh.

As it turns out, the message resonated with a ton of people, who've been blowing Rebecca up with support and stories of their own. Check it out ... she tells us she'd never been quite that honest about her experience, and it clearly struck a chord in a good way.

When it comes to regrets ... Rebecca says she doesn't have any and actually doesn't think she would have stopped herself from doing the song/video if she knew what was to come.

We'll let her explain why for herself. But, get this ... a super-famous music producer has apparently been in touch with Rebecca. For new tunes??? Maybe ... a "Friday" remix might be in the cards, folks.

Brandon Casey doesn't want to dignify the allegations of harassment Mathew Knowles directed at his R&B group with a response ... other than to say those involved already know the truth.

If you don't know ... Beyonce's dad claimed recently that Bey and Kelly Rowland were "constantly being harassed" by members of Jagged Edge back when they were touring together in the late '90s, though it was initially misreported as sexual harassment.

Mathew said the harassment caused a rift in Destiny's Child that led to the original members, LeToya Luckett and LaTavia Roberson, leaving the group.

So, we asked Brandon about Knowles' accusations as he was leaving Zari in Atlanta Wednesday night ... he tells us he has too much respect for Beyonce, Kelly and all the other women involved to dish out dirt on Mathew.

He adds that the truth speaks for itself, and makes it clear he thinks any talk of harassment or sexual misconduct -- which again, was never alleged by Knowles in the first place -- is ludicrous.

Now ... where the party at?

Current Houston Astros players are FINALLY saying they're sorry for cheating in 2017 ... with Alex Bregman and Jose Altuve issuing apology statements Thursday.

The team was found to have illegally stolen signs from opposing catchers and pitchers in the '17 season ... but 'Stros players were BLASTED this offseason for never officially apologizing.

But, Bregman and Altuve just changed that with brief statements out at Houston's spring training camp ... with the two megastars admitting they screwed up.

"I'm really sorry about the choices that were made by my team, by the organization and by me," Bregman said, "I've learned from this and I hope to regain the trust of baseball fans."

Altuve added, "I want to say that the whole Astros organization and the team feel bad about what happened in 2017. We especially feel remorse for the impact on our fans and the game of baseball."

Houston owner Jim Crane reiterated his players will NOT be punished for their roles in the sign-stealing scheme ... placing the blame squarely on team officials -- a la Alex Cora and A.J. Hinch -- instead.

For his part, new manager Dusty Baker said he hopes MLB fans will accept his players' apologies and "forgive them."

Miley Cyrus damn near brought New York Fashion Week to a halt with a surprise runway appearance ... thanks to a super-hot ensemble.

Miley closed out Marc Jacobs' fall/winter 2020 runway show Wednesday night in NYC ... much to everyone's delight. The crowd had no idea she'd be making an appearance ... strutting her stuff in a black bra-top and pants. She also wore long, black leather gloves ... not that anyone needed reminding who's in charge.

Naomi Campbell thought the performance was fire based on the comment she left on Miley's Instagram post. Hailey Baldwin summed it up with three words .. "YUP. STOMP QUEEN."

That Miley got the honor to close out the show should come as no surprise. She's known Marc Jacobs since she was 16, starred in his 2014 spring/summer show and collaborated with him last year for a special hoodie.

Taking New York by storm's one helluva way to countdown the days before she's officially single. As we first reported ... Miley and Liam Hemsworth's divorce becomes official on February 22.

Colin Kaepernick's national anthem protest is hitting the bookshelves -- the NFL quarterback turned social activist announced he's writing a book breaking down his decision to kneel.

Kap sparked worldwide conversation when he started his demonstration in 2016 ... saying he was bringing attention to police brutality and racial inequality.

Kap's book is the first project in his new endeavor, Kaepernick Publishing, and he's planning to detail the process in his words..

"My protest was the culmination of years of thought and experiences, of learning and unlearning," Kap says.

"I want to tell the story of my evolution, and the events that led me to protest systemic oppression, in hopes that it will inspire others to rise in action."

Kap is teaming up with Audible to release an audio version of the memoir as well.

"I am excited that through this groundbreaking partnership between Kaepernick Publishing and Audible, we can elevate black and brown voices who can empower future generations."

It may sound like Kap is officially moving on from football with the new career path ... but that's not the case -- the QB told USA Today he's still staying in shape in case an NFL team comes calling.

Madison Beer splurged for her personal assistant's 30th birthday gift ... and we ain't talking expensive booze or jewelry, more like luxury wheels.

The surprise reveal went down Monday night in L.A. after the singer and some friends celebrated her assistant's birthday. When dinner ended, Madison handed her assistant a bag, but it turned out to be empty. It was also a ruse.

Check out the vid ... you can see Madison pull out a key fob to a brand new Mercedes-Benz C300. Suffice it to say ... Madison's assistant was stunned and damn near speechless.

Helluva gesture, especially 'cause Madison knew about her assistant's car trouble for a while. We're told her assistant's 12-year-old whip kept breaking down. It's a car she used a lot to run Madison's errands and whatnot. Madison also knew her assistant's dream was to one day own a white Benz. Madison delivered, and then some ... a white-on-white model that tends to run upwards of $50k.

Goes without saying, Madison is super close with her assistant, and knew this would blow her mind. She was dead-on, as you can see in the video -- which also reveals a sweet new nickname for boss Beer.

A one-of-a-kind basketball card with an NBA logo patch from Michael Jordan and LeBron James' jerseys just sold for $900,000!!

Yes ... that's no typo. This is legitimately the most expensive basketball card, EVER.

TMZ Sports has learned Ken Goldin from Goldin Auctions sold the card at a private sale this week ... and he tells us it was a historic purchase.

The 2003-2004 Upper Deck "Exquisite Collection" card is awesome ... and features actual NBA patches from game-worn Bron and Jordan jerseys.

Only one of these exists in the world.

The $900K sales price blows the previous record out of the water ... a 1969-1970 Topps Lew Alcindor card that went for just over $500K in 2016.

Akon's plan to bring a futuristic city to his childhood country of Senegal is getting closer to coming to fruition, and he's going to show it off soon ... a 3D rendering anyway.

The singer was at LAX Wednesday when he gave us an update on "Akon City" ... which he says is 7 years in the making so far, and he's still cutting through the red tape.

Akon confirms what he announced last month -- he's finalized an agreement for the city and secured the land ... but adds he's now working on a partnership with the government to implement tax-free policies and incentives he wants to attract business.

He says he's dead serious about his city resembling Wakanda from "Black Panther" -- with all the latest and most progressive technology -- and believes it's in the perfect geographical location to make it happen.

Akon drops some more facts about West Africa to paint a picture of what Akon City's going to look like ... and says he'll drop a YouTube video soon to share his vision.

Kansas City Chiefs starting corner Bashaud Breeland says he's ALL-IN on a Super Bowl celebration at the White House ... telling TMZ Sports he can't wait to make the trip!!

"Why would I not [go], man?!" Breeland says. "It's an experience that everybody, every kid would want to go to."

Of course, White House visits have become VERY polarizing for players ever since Donald Trump took over 1600 Penn. Ave. ... with star players from various championship teams the past few years choosing not to go.

But, when we got Breeland out in NYC on Wednesday ... he told us he's pumped about the prospects of a White House field trip!!!

"I want to go see what the White House is like!" he said.

Breeland's coach with the Chiefs, Andy Reid, echoed the DB's sentiments after KC won the Super Bowl earlier this month ... telling reporters at the time, "It's quite an honor."

Memphis-born William Sanderson is best known for his role as the chess-playing replicant designer, J.F. Sebastian -- who double-crosses his mentor, Dr. Eldon Tyrell, and brings a fast-aging and desperate replicant to his penthouse -- in the classic 1982 version of the futuristic film, "Blade Runner."

Sanderson scared the big screen with an awesome cast of actors including Joe Turkel as Dr. Tyrell, Rutger Hauer as the killer, Roy Batty, Sean Young as the engineered love interest, Rachael ... and of course, Harrison Ford as the humanoid-hunting blade runner, Rick Deckard.

William Sanderson has also taken on other notable roles including E.B. Farnum in "Deadwood" and Sheriff Bud Dearborne in "True Blood."

Lil Nas X is applauding Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union for supporting their 12-year-old kid who is now identifying as female ... and he's also got some advice for Zaya.

The "Old Town Road" singer, who came out last year, weighed in on Zaya's big announcement Wednesday at LAX ... explaining why it's important for kids to have parents in their corner when they reveal their truth.

As you know ... the NBA legend appeared on 'The Ellen Show' Tuesday and told the world his kid identifies as a female after being born male.

Dwyane and Gabrielle are being super supportive of Zaya coming out as transgender, and their oldest son, Zaire, also says he'll always have his sibling's back ... and Lil Nas X says the family backing is super important for anyone in Zaya's shoes.

Zaya's also spoken out against folks who may disagree with her announcement ... saying, "What's the point of being on this earth if you're gonna try to be someone you're not? It's like you're not even living as yourself, which is like the dumbest concept to me."

Jeff Bezos is the new king of Hollywood real estate after scooping up David Geffen's Beverly Hills estate for a drop in the bucket -- to him, anyway -- $165 million.

The Amazon honcho reportedly purchased the famous 9-acre property this week. It was one of the most coveted in the L.A.-area because it used to belong to the Warner Bros. founder and president, Jack L. Warner, in the 1930s.

The purchase amount -- first reported by the Wall Street Journal -- is history-making in the City of Angels. The previous most expensive property sale was last year's $150 million purchase of the Bel-Air Chartwell estate, made famous by "The Beverly Hillbillies."

So, what did JB get for all that cash? Oh, just a 13,600-square-foot mansion with massive terraces and gardens. Of course, there are multiple guest houses, a nursery, greenhouses, a tennis court, a swimming pool, a 9-hole golf course and its own car emporium (fancy for HUGE garage) ... with gas pumps!!!

Geffen's owned it since 1990, and he only spent $47.5 million at the time. Yes, that was a record way back then. Bezos' real estate team has been busy -- he also dropped $90 million for an undeveloped plot of land in L.A., and another $80 mil for 3 apartments in NYC, which total more than 17,000 sq. feet.

For a little perspective on Bezos' massive spending spree, consider this: the $335 million he's dropping is less than 3 percent of the $13 BILLION he made in a matter of minutes last month.

In more depressing terms -- if you earn $100k per year, this is like you dropping less than $3,000 for a new house!!!

BTW, there are realtors crying all over L.A., because we're told Bezos didn't use an agent for the Geffen deal. That would've been more than $8.25 mil in someone's pocket.

As always ... it's really good to be the richest man in the world.

Snoop Dogg is issuing a public apology to CBS anchor Gayle King after ripping her for the Kobe Bryant interview ... and he wants to hash things out in private.

Snoop just issued his mea culpa to Gayle, saying the way he came at her with a profanity-laced social media rant was out of line.

As you know ... Snoop went nuclear on Gayle last week, heavily criticizing her for an interview she did with WNBA legend Lisa Leslie, which included a question and follow up about Kobe's 2003 sexual assault case.

Now, Snoop admits he was wrong for lashing out at Gayle -- who says she's getting death threats for the Kobe question -- and he says he overreacted because he was rife with emotions and angry at her line of questioning.

Snoop says he was just trying to defend Kobe because Mamba can't defend himself, but he regrets the way he expressed his feelings.

As for why the change of heart ... Snoop says his mom gave him some sage advice. He added ... "2 wrongs don't make it right."

In his initial rant, Snoop called Gayle a "funky dog head bitch" and asked her, "How dare you try to tarnish my motherf***in' home boy's reputation, punk motherf***er? Respect the family and back off, bitch. Before we come get you."