Celebrity Death

Nipsey Hussle's funeral is underway in Los Angeles ... and his family and Lauren London just arrived to lay the slain rapper to rest.

Lauren and Nipsey's fam pulled up to Friday's funeral service at Forest Lawn Cemetery in the Hollywood Hills ... wearing all black as they say goodbye to their son, brother, father, relative, lover and friend.

Lauren's flanked by her and Nipsey's son, Kross Asghedom ... and her child with Lil Wayne, Kameron Carter, who shared a dream he had about Nipsey rising out of the ocean during Thursday's celebration of life at Staples Center.

Nipsey's funeral is a private affair ... but you can tell just how much he meant to the people in his inner circle because there's a fairly large gathering in front of his casket.

Friday's funeral service culminates two extremely difficult weeks for Nipsey's loved ones ... and putting him six feet deep is sure to stir up profound emotions. It's a sobering scene for sure.

Nipsey's gone forever, but he'll never be forgotten in L.A.

Awesome gesture from Reggie Bush ... the ex-NFL star is making sure Nipsey Hussle's kids will be taken care of -- donating $10,000 to them and hoping to raise over $90k more.

Unclear how close Bush was to the late rapper ... but as a San Diego native and a former USC superstar -- it's clear the SoCal legend was able to touch Reggie in some way during his life.

So, Bush is giving back to Hussle in the wake of his tragic death last month ... by donating $10,000 to Nipsey's two children and encouraging his followers to chip in as well.

"[Nipsey] touched a lot of lives in a positive way. He wanted to make a difference in his community, and communities like it all around the world," Bush said.

"As a tribute to Nipsey, I would like to offer support to his children, and all funds from this GoFundMe will be transferred directly into a trust that was created solely for his legacy, his two children, Kross & Emani."

Reggie added, "I'm making a donation to start this off. Please join me in honoring him in this way."

One NFL player has already contributed -- Patriots wideout Phillip Dorsett donated $1,000 to the campaign just an hour after Bush made the announcement.

Bush says his fundraising campaign will end on April 19.

Clark Gable's grandson, Clark Gable III, died from an accidental overdose on the same drug that killed Prince ... and several others.

According to the autopsy report from Dallas County, the medical examiner determined Gable's overdose was the combined effects of fentanyl, oxycodone and alprazolam ... generic Xanax.

His time of death is listed as 9:11 AM on February 22. The medical examiner also found Gable had a history of abusing weed, alcohol and Xanax. As we reported ... the legendary actor's grandson was found unresponsive in his bed by his fiance.

Gable -- best known as the host of the reality show, "Cheaters," in seasons 13 and 14 -- was filming in Dallas when he died and the family said he had no prior health conditions.

Sources on the set tell TMZ ... crew members worried about his drug use and brought it up to the creator of "Cheaters", Bobby Goldstein, who tells TMZ he never saw Clark use drugs.

What's more ... Goldstein tells us he confronted Gable about the concerns and Goldstein says Gable told him there was nothing to worry about.

8:55 AM PT -- EBay is cracking down. A spokesperson tells TMZ, "These booklets are prohibited under eBay's policies. Any items that attempt to profit from human tragedy or suffering are not allowed to be sold on eBay."

Sources at eBay assure us that all the programs will be removed and they will educate the sellers who have listed them.

Some of Nipsey Hussle's fans who packed into Staples Center at his celebration of life -- are turning a quick profit off the service by hawking their FREE programs for HUNDREDS of dollars.

Tons of programs from Nipsey's memorial started flooding eBay hours after the service ended, and we've seen some sellers asking for more than $1,000.

One auction ending Friday morning closed at $500 for the piece of history.

Remember, tickets to the Celebration of Life were distributed at no cost, and the booklets passed out at the service were also free -- because Nipsey's family wanted it that way -- so these sellers are turning huge profits off the slain Crenshaw rapper.

It's at least the second time we've seen folks try to use Nipsey's memorial to cash in ... scalpers tried to sell the free tickets for astronomical prices before getting shut down.

Nipsey was remembered as a great man, talented rapper and savvy businessman during his memorial -- so, you could argue he'd see the unabashed profiteering as a smart move.

On the other hand ... his estate and family absorbed all the cost of that amazing memorial service for his fans. So, maybe it's just a bad look.

The capitalism continues.

Meek Mill and The Game are just a few of the celebs who went on a MASSIVE shopping spree at Nipsey Hussle's Marathon store ... just their small way to help out the fam.

We're told in the last few days, and in the lead up to the late rapper's celebration of life at Staples Center ... items have been flying off the shelves after Meek, Game and others made it their mission to stop by the famous store on Slauson Ave. to drop tons of cash.

T.I., 2 Chainz and NBA stars, J.R. Smith, DeMar DeRozan and Al Harrington are just some of the other celebs who did their part. We're told they refused to accept any free items and would only pay for the items they selected.

You can see in the video posted on Instagram by Meek ... the store's been nearly wiped out. That particular corner's been incredibly busy as of late. Hundreds of fans have stopped by leaving candles, flowers and notes for the legendary rapper who was tragically murdered earlier this month.

5:40 PM PT -- The procession is finally approaching Marathon Clothing -- at the intersection of Slauson and Crenshaw -- and the crowd is THICK. Thousands of fans are lining the streets leading up to the store ... where even more people have gathered.

Several Nation of Islam security guards are surrounding the hearse as it slowly rolls through the crowds. The Eritrean flag is draped on the roof, repping for Nip's heritage -- his father emigrated from the east African nation.

2:10 PM PT -- The memorial just wrapped after some rousing tributes from Snoop Dogg and YG ... followed by Stevie Wonder -- who performed "Rocket Love" and "Tears in Heaven."

The funeral procession is about to begin ... with the route looping through South L.A., and ending at the Angelus Funeral Home.

12:45 PM PT -- Lauren started her tribute to Nipsey by reading a text message she sent to him back in January, while she watched him sleep. In part, she said, "I want you to know I feel real joy in my heart when I'm around you. I feel safe around you. Protected. Like a shield over me when you're around."

She ended the text with ... "My truth is this. I'm never going to give up on you. My love and devotion is to you."

Lauren also talked about how Nipsey cared for his children and made sure his family left home each day with the right energy. She said, "My pain is for my 2-year-old who probably won't remember how much his dad loved him."

She shared something Nipsey always said to her ... "You can't possess people, that you experience them. I'm so honored and blessed that I got to experience him."

Then she closed her tribute with an incredibly moving message for all of Los Angeles you MUST see -- and a personal note to her love ... "Until we meet again ... the Marathon continues!"

Minutes after the funeral ended, Lauren showed off her new tattoo -- a tribute to Nip, with a caption, "Real Love Never Dies."

12:35 PM PT -- Nipsey's mom and dad just got onstage ... where his mom shared one of the final text message exchanges she had with her son. She also spoke of what a great man he was and how he was such a light in his community.

11:54 AM -- Lauren was onstage just moments ago with her and Nipsey's kids. Lauren's son, Kameron, shared a dream he had about Nipsey rising out of the ocean before leading the crowd to chant "respect." The family then gave way for Jhene Aiko to come onstage and sing.

11:07 AM PT -- The Celebration is now underway.

Nipsey Hussle's Celebration of Life is about to begin at Staples Center, and TMZ is live streaming what's expected to be a very emotional memorial service.

The slain Crenshaw rapper is being honored with a spectacular service in downtown L.A., where 21,000 people will turn out to pay their respects. So far Jay Z, Beyonce, G-Eazy, Big Sean, Big Boy, James Harden, DeMar DeRozan, Russell Westbrook and Meek Mill have arrived for the event.

The silver hearse carrying Nipsey's body arrived outside the arena early Thursday ahead of the ceremony.

As you know, the free tickets to his memorial were hard to come by this week, as they were gobbled up within minutes after they were made available to Cali residents. It's also a heavily guarded affair, with a mix of muscle from LAPD and Nation of Islam, as well as Staples Center personnel.

Montrezl Harrell will be reppin' the late Nipsey Hussle when the L.A. Clippers take the court in the NBA playoffs ... honoring the L.A. artist with a pair of one-of-a-kind kicks!!!

TMZ Sports has learned ... Trezz wanted to pay homage to Hussle in the Clips' first playoff game this weekend ... so he hit up Marcus Rivero AKA Soles By Sir to whip up the special Js.

Rivero tells us the shoes are extra special ... and feature the names of people close to Nipsey -- his longtime GF Lauren London, his children ... as well as lyrics from some of Hussle's songs.

Trezz has been honoring Hussle since his tragic death late last month ... and even wore a custom Clippers jersey with Nipsey's name on the back.

Of course, other NBA stars like LeBron James and Russell Westbrook -- who dedicated his 20-20-20 game -- have honored Hussle.

We're told Trezz will wear them when L.A. takes on the Warriors.

#RIP

T.I. has a new warning for Kodak Black in the wake of his way-outta-line remarks about Lauren London -- karma's a bitch, young man ... but in a slightly more threatening tone.

We got T.I. at LAX and he immediately put Kodak on blast ... saying he wishes no harm on him, but ultimately "the laws of reciprocity are in order at all times." You really have to see how Tip said it, though.

Rough translation: keep talking s**t, and the universe (or someone in it) will fix your ass.

As you know ... Kodak's the rapper that's got everyone shaking their damn head after his disgusting comments about Lauren London less than a week after Nipsey Hussle was brutally murdered.

Kodak -- whose mouth knows no bounds -- apologized but the damage was done. It's pretty clear T.I. at this point doesn't care what else Kodak says because, as he puts it, the respect of a non-respectable person has no value to him.

Nipsey Hussle's family and friends mourned the late rapper during a private viewing ... one day ahead of the Staples Center celebration of his life with tens of thousands of fans.

Close loved ones packed the Angelus Funeral Home Wednesday afternoon on Crenshaw Blvd. Nipsey's brother, Samiel Asghedom, was among the attendees at the super secret service. We're told security was tight ... several men had a checklist to make sure only invited guests -- Nipsey's inner circle -- were allowed entry.

There were also armed guards standing outside the building where Thursday's procession will end.

That procession will be preceded by Nipsey's Celebration of Life, hosted at Staples Center for 21,000 fans, family and friends. As we reported ... the free tickets were gobbled up within minutes and AXS, which handled ticket distribution, says it's cracking down on scalpers.

The event will be heavily guarded ... with help from LAPD, members of the Nation of Islam as well as Staples Center personnel.

Meanwhile, tons of fans have continued paying tribute outside Nipsey's Marathon Clothing store ... leaving candles, flowers and messages in the parking lot.

The Game is still reeling over the tragic murder of Nipsey Hussle ... and he's calling for peace, respect and love as Nipsey's family, friends and fans say goodbye to the slain rapper.

Game was out in Los Angeles Wednesday afternoon, and he was super emotional while talking about his fallen friend. Game makes it clear, everyone needs to be respectful and peaceful during Thursday's memorial service and the ensuing funeral procession through Los Angeles.

We broke the story ... Nipsey's celebration of life at Staples Center will be a heavily guarded affair -- with muscle from the LAPD and the Nation of Islam -- and it's got a lot to do with the chaos that broke out at Nipsey's vigil outside his Marathon Clothing store last week, which police now say left 2 people shot.

Avicii wanted Aloe Blacc for his next big single, but Aloe didn't know that until AFTER the late superstar DJ died.

Aloe tells TMZ ... he got involved with collaborating for Avicii's "SOS" track, which dropped Wednesday as the new single in Avicii's posthumous album, "TIM." But, get this ... the Grammy-nominated singer tells us Avicii's team found out about the DJ wanting Aloe after reading notes the DJ had left behind.

As we reported ... Avicii was close to completing the new album before his tragic death a year ago this month. He left behind a collection of nearly-finished songs, along with notes, email conversations and text messages about the music.

And that's how Avicii's team learned the DJ wanted Aloe Blacc for "SOS."

Check out the vid ... Aloe -- who had previously collaborated with Avicii for the 2013 hit, "Wake Me Up" -- talks about the song's importance on asking for help when dealing with mental health issues.

Master P says the outpouring of love for Nipsey Hussle proves he was approaching the level of respect and adoration Michael Jackson fans had for him -- and he says you'll see that on display at Staples Center.

We got the hip-hop mogul outside Nipsey's Marathon Clothing store in South L.A. where he paid his respects and had glowing things to say about the slain MC. Master P says Nipsey might be gone, but his impact on the community will not be forgotten.

When he brought up Nipsey's Celebration of Life -- set for Thursday morning at Staples -- MP said that event is a testament to how many lives Nip touched. He added ... people who didn't realize Nipsey's importance when he was alive are getting the picture now.

We also got Teyana Taylor at LAX Wednesday and asked her thoughts on Thursday's memorial service ... which scalpers have tried to exploit by charging big money for the free tickets.

You can tell she's still disillusioned by Nipsey's murder, saying it still doesn't feel real. Check out her message to the scumbag scalpers too. She has some choice words for 'em.

Nipsey Hussle's Downtown L.A. memorial service will be a heavily guarded affair -- and it's got a lot to do with the chaos that broke out at a vigil a week before ... TMZ has learned.

Sources familiar with Nipsey's Celebration of Life at the Staples Center arena this Thursday tell us there will be an abundance of security from multiple agencies and organizations -- all with the intention of keeping the memorial peaceful and drama-free.

We're told security on hand Thursday will feature a mix of muscle -- from members of the LAPD, members of the Nation of Islam, as well as Staples Center personnel. Our sources say the LAPD is only on hand to offer assistance ... helping to move traffic, keep the peace and to step in if needed.

The reason for such a strong presence ... our sources say a big part of it has to do with Nipsey's family's wishes in wanting to prevent further violence -- especially in the wake of the chaos that broke out at Nipsey's L.A. vigil last week ... which cops now say left 2 people shot.

According to a search warrant -- obtained by TMZ -- cops are still on the hunt for the person who allegedly pulled the trigger with the intent of killing others. A possible added danger to Thursday's ceremony.

As we first reported ... Staples Center honchos and officials with the LAPD were heavily involved with the planning early on, and it appears they're gonna keep a close watch on how people come in and out.

The logistics for Thursday's event were released Monday, and tickets were gone within a couple minutes after they were released on Tuesday. The tickets became such a hot item, second-hand websites shut down pages trying to sell them for hundreds of dollars.

Charles Van Doren, perhaps the most infamous TV game show contestant ever -- and the subject of an Oscar-nominated movie -- died Tuesday at his Connecticut retirement home ... according to his family.

Charles famously admitted cheating on the NBC game show, "Twenty-One," back in the 1950s. He actually testified before Congressional investigators and said the games were rigged. It was a huge scandal because prime time game shows were enormously popular back then ... drawing up to 50 million viewers.

Robert Redford directed the 1994 movie, "Quiz Show" -- with Ralph Fiennes playing Van Doren -- about the cheating scandal. The movie earned 4 Oscar nominations and 4 Golden Globes nominations.

Van Doren won $129,000 -- which would be more than $1 million today -- but later told Congress he had been given the questions and answers in advance. He also said he was coached up on how to create more drama as he pondered his answers on the show.

Although he was from a very prominent and wealthy Manhattan family ... Van Doren was disgraced after the cheating scandal. He went on to become an editor for Encyclopedia Britannica and wrote a few books.

He'd been living in the retirement community for several years before his death.

Free tickets to Nipsey Hussle's public memorial service were gobbled up within minutes, and now the scalpers trying to profit from the slain rapper's death are being shut down.

Tickets for Thursday's service at Staples Center were being hawked for as much as $500 a pop on the secondary market ... but Craigslist is flagging the sales ads and yanking them from its website.

AXS, which handled ticket distribution, tells TMZ ... the memorial service's entire ticket inventory was completely cleaned out Tuesday morning within minutes after being made available to the public.

But, anyone trying to make a quick buck off the memorial is out of luck ... AXS tells us it's cracking down on scalpers and ticket fraud because tickets are being distributed through the company's mobile app and are non-transferable.

Nipsey's memorial starts Thursday morning at 10 AM sharp, and anyone traveling in a group must enter together. Tickets were distributed to California residents only, with a max of 4 per group.

The rules didn't stop scalpers from trying to take advantage of people who missed the boat ... but Craigslist ads have been removed or flagged for removal throughout the day.

TMZ broke the story ... Nipsey's family and Staples Center honchos met Wednesday to plan logistics for how to honor the Crenshaw rapper at the 21,000-seat venue. LAPD officials were also there, helping plan for security and safety.

Nipsey was gunned down March 31 outside his Marathon Clothing store and his alleged killer, Eric Holder, was charged with murder.

After the memorial service, Nipsey's funeral procession will embark on a final victory lap around the city.

Nipsey Hussle's death certificate has been released -- his cause of death is listed as gunshot wounds to the head and torso -- and the rapper was pronounced 35 minutes after the shooting outside his store.

We broke the story ... the Crenshaw rapper was gunned down last week in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Los Angeles. Nipsey was rushed to the hospital, and his family and celeb friends showed up shortly after he arrived.

Nipsey's death certificate -- obtained by TMZ -- lists his occupation as an artist and entrepreneur. It says he was never married at the time of his death and worked in the entertainment and real estate industries. Nipsey was pronounced dead at 3:55 PM on March 31 ... 35 minutes after he was shot.

Nipsey was shot in plain view of a surveillance camera, and footage shows the shooter -- who cops believe to be Eric Holder -- opening fire 3 different times on Nipsey before kicking his body and fleeing the scene. Two other people were shot, but survived.

Nipsey's brutal murder has sent shock waves throughout Los Angeles and beyond, with celebs and sports stars paying tribute to the slain rapper in many different ways. Candlelight vigils are being held across the globe and a massive memorial service will be held at Staples Center Thursday.

Nipsey will be buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park.

As we first reported ... the family of the slain rapper wants to do something spectacular so as many of his fans can pay their respects ... a procession will follow Thursday's ceremony through the streets of L.A.

Nipsey was just 33.