Celebrity Death

Aaron Carter's fiancée Melanie Martin just had her first holiday without him ... and she and her family found a way to honor the late singer.

Carter family sources tell TMZ … Melanie and Prince -- the son she shared with Aaron -- spent Turkey Day with her family. Prince just had his first birthday.

We're told Aaron used to be in charge of cooking the turkey, so this time Melanie and her fam tackled the chore in Aaron's honor ... doing their best to match his skills in the kitchen.

Melanie also kept up another of Aaron's Thanksgiving traditions ... he always liked watching 2 movies on Turkey Day -- "Home Alone" and "Iron Man" -- so Melanie and the brood watched both.

Obviously, the first holiday after the death of a loved one is super tough ... Melanie's sister, Jennifer, brought a four-legged friend to the family get-together ... Aaron's dog Zelda.

TMZ broke the story ... Jennifer and her fiancé Max took in Zelda, the 3-and-a-half-year-old German shepherd, the day after Aaron passed. Melanie was excited to see the pooch.

Melanie made it through a tough Thanksgiving, and she's dreading December, which is filled with holidays and milestones. December was Aaron's birthday month and their anniversary.

Jason David Frank's martial arts legacy will live on through his students — who'll continue to train at his academy … TMZ has learned.

Sources with direct knowledge tell us .... Jason's Rising Sun Karate school will continue operating, with no plans for a shutdown in the wake of his death. We're told Sam Sprague -- who co-founded Rising Sun with Jason in the 2000s, and who's also a senior instructor -- will carry on the torch.

Our sources tell us everyone from students to staff at RS is devastated over the loss of Jason … but insist they’ll stay open and honor Jason's memory by passing on his teachings.

Rising Sun has three locations between California and Texas -- 2 in the former, and 1 in the latter. The school teaches a technique called Toso Kune Do ... which is a mash-up of several fighting styles, and one that Jason crafted himself.

We're told the Rising Sun community plans to honor Jason in some capacity company-wide, but there aren't many details at this point.

When word of Jason's passing surfaced, Rising Sun posted a tribute to him — saying they'd lost a master instructor, a student and a friend … adding he'd be sorely missed.

TMZ broke the story … the "Power Rangers" star died by suicide this weekend, news that rocked his former costars and the internet alike.

The entire 'Power Rangers' fandom is reeling over the death of star Jason David Frank, and we've learned about the sequence of events in the hours leading up to his suicide.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ Jason and his wife, Tammie, checked into a Texas hotel Friday. We're told the two -- who are in the middle of a divorce -- got separate rooms, but at some point the estranged couple got into an argument in Tammie's room. We're told staffers were called to calm things down, and peace was restored.

Our law enforcement sources say at some point either late Friday night or early Saturday morning, the two got into another argument and Jason locked Tammie out of his room.

Our sources say Tammie was apparently concerned for his safety and called the cops around 5 AM Saturday morning. When officers couldn't make contact with Jason, we're told hotel management let them in and they discovered the actor hanged himself in the bathroom.

TMZ broke the story of the 49-year-old's death ... we're told Jason died by suicide.

Jason is survived by his 4 kids. His rep told us, "He loved his family, friends and fans very much. He will truly be missed."

James Winburn, the stunt double for the Michael Myers character in the original "Halloween" film, has died.

James' manager, Peter DeLorme, tells TMZ ... James died Saturday in a Los Angeles hospital after a short illness.

It sounds like a sudden health issue because we're told just about 3 weeks ago James traveled all the way to the United Kingdom for a convention.

James was in Manchester, England during the "For The Love of Horror" convention last month, and the company that put on the event says he "was an absolute pleasure to work with and shared some amazing stories with everyone over the weekend."

A veteran stunt performer, James doubled for Nick Castle's version of Michael Myers in 1978's "Halloween" ... including the famous scene at the end of the horror movie, where Dr. Loomis shoots Michael 6 times, sending Myers falling backwards over a balcony.

James also did stunt work on "The Fog" and "Escape from New York" among other films ... and even wrote and directed a handful of movies.

He was 85.

Jason David Frank -- one of the original "Power Rangers" -- has died ... TMZ has learned.

The actor and mixed martial artist died in Texas, according to his rep Justine Hunt. Sources with direct knowledge tell us his death was the result of suicide.

JDF is best known as Tommy Oliver from the original run of the "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers" franchise, dating back to the kids series' debut in 1993 ... when he was introduced as one of six crime/monster-fighting superheroes, masked head to toe with kung-fu skills.

Fans will remember ... he started out as the Green Ranger in Season 1, introduced at first as an enemy of the Power Rangers -- only to do a 180 and become good. After his powers start to deteriorate, however, he's turned into the White Ranger ... and tapped as the new leader of the group. Frank starred as one of the leads for 3 seasons, totaling 123 episodes.

Frank went on to reprise his role as Tommy in several adaptions of 'Power Rangers' -- including 'Wild Force,' 'Turbo,' 'Zeo,' 'Dino Thunder,' 'Megaforce,' 'Ninja Steel,' 'HyperForce,' and more. He's been a Red Ranger, a Black Ranger and a Green Ranger anew. JDF is a fan favorite Power Ranger ... which is why he's returned to the franchise time and again.

His onscreen fighting abilities translated into the real world ... Frank was a professionally trained MMA brawler, who was well-versed in everything from Taekwondo, Muay Thai, Judo, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and others. He fought professionally for a time from 2008 to 2010.

He's survived by his four children.

Jason's rep Justine tells TMZ  ... "Please respect the privacy of his family and friends during this horrible time as we come to terms with the loss of such a wonderful human being. He loved his family, friends and fans very much. He will truly be missed."

Frank was 49.

RIP

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Aaron Carter's dog has made it safe and sound to a new home ... and we're told she's staying somewhat within the fam -- going to a relative of his fiancée.

Jennifer Martin, Melanie's sister, and her fiancé Max tell TMZ ... they took in Zelda, the 3-and-a-half-year-old German shepherd, the day after Aaron passed.

Zelda was in the room with Aaron when he passed ... and seemed to be in shock when she was found ... acting nervous and scared.

Jennifer and Max tell us ... Melanie was going through a lot after Aaron's death, so it just felt right to take Zelda in, adding the dog's been doing a lot better since the traumatic incident. The couple has started a TikTok for Zelda's journey.

Zelda isn't going to get fixed, but they don't want more pups ... Zelda's already had 2 litters. They're worried about the surgery changing her temperament -- she's already been through a lot.

R&B singer B. Smyth is dead ... at a very young age, and after a long battle with pulmonary fibrosis.

The singer's brother, Denzil, broke the news to fans ... saying Smyth died Thursday from respiratory failure and had been hospitalized for a while, struggling with his lung disease.

Denzil says his little brother was in the ICU when he dropped his latest single, "Twerkaholic Part 2," just a few weeks ago, but the excitement around the release brought "a big smile to his face."

He says B. asked him to make the video for him before passing, so his fans would know he always appreciated them.

B. Smyth -- whose real name was Brandon Smith -- first jumped on the scene after covering hits like "Quickie" by Miguel or "Stay" by Rihanna in the early 2010s on YouTube ... before signing with Motown Records in 2012.

He dropped his first single soon after -- "Leggo" featuring 2 Chainz, and then released his first EP "The Florida Files" in 2013.

His big break came in 2014, when his song "Twerkoholic" blew up, gaining millions of views ... B. would go on to drop a studio album, "Thr3" in 2017, as well as a slew of singles over the years.

He was just 30.

Young Dolph's Paper Route Empire is keeping his movement strong -- on the first anniversary of his death his estate is releasing new music, including tracks with Key Glock, and he's getting a day in his honor.

November 17 will now be recognized as Adolph "Young Dolph" Thornton Jr. Day of Service in Tennessee and Georgia. More on that in a moment, but the other big news is the release of "Get Away" ... the Dolph estate and EMPIRE Distribution unveiled the song to start the rollout for his upcoming "Paper Route Frank" LP.

The track finds Dolph longing to be with his deceased grandmother among other heapings of rich rapper flexing ... and Mia Jaye, his partner and mother of their two kids, wants the new tunes to inspire all his fans in spite of her sadness.

She says, “It is truly therapy and healing in helping others while you hurt," and adds ... "In your season of suffering, take on the spirit of Dolph, pay it forward, and watch a blessing or two come your way.”

Dolph's top lyrical gunner, Key Glock, is blessing fans, and boosting the PRE inventory, with the release of his "PRE5L" EP -- and its accompanying horrorcore video for the single "Jigsaw."

We're told Dolph’s special 11/17 Day will offer plenty of meritorious service examples throughout the country.

Makeda's Cookies -- the site of Dolph's murder -- is also marking the anniversary, telling TMZ Hip Hop it's preparing for a big crowd in remembrance of the Memphis rapper.

Young Dolph is being honored by the place where he died on the 1-year anniversary of his tragic murder.

Pamela Hill, owner of Makeda's Homemade Cookies tells TMZ ... they're paying homage to the late rapper Thursday, who was also one of their favorite customers, by pumping out a bunch of dolphin-shaped cookies -- and the kitchen's been cooking like crazy to get the job done.

The shop's got pics of Dolph hanging on the walls, alongside photos of the boarded-up shop following the fatal shooting. Pamela tells us they'll also have a DJ playing some of the rapper's tunes for customers.

Staffers are wearing shirts with Dolph's face on it, too -- with some reading "black men deserve to grow old."

As we reported, Dolph was gunned down a year ago at Pamela's shop in Memphis, the men who killed him were caught on a surveillance camera and were eventually arrested.

Pamela tells us her place had to shut down for 10 months after the shooting, and reopened this past September. The shop spent thousands of dollars fixing windows, framing doors, repairing the floor and more.

"Survivor: Nicaragua" contestant Dan Lembo has died from a rare brain disease ... TMZ has learned.

Emily Lembo, Dan's daughter-in-law tells TMZ Dan died Sept 3 from an incurable brain disorder called progressive supranuclear palsy. We're told he battled the disease for 6 years, and over time, it took a huge toll on his memory, speech and motor skills.

Emily says Dan died peacefully at his home in New York, where he was surrounded by loved ones.

'Survivor' fans will remember Dan from season 21, which filmed in 2010. Dan made it all the way to the final five and was voted out on Day 37. Dan was a successful businessman and wore expensive alligator shoes during the competition.

Emily says he loved being on the show and getting recognized on the street -- he was very outgoing and will be remembered for his larger-than-life personality.

He was 75.

Aaron Carter's final resting place has yet to be determined, but the singer's death certificate reveals his family made the decision to have him cremated.

The legal doc, obtained by TMZ, says Aaron's ashes will be held by his sister Angel. We're told from there, the family will decide what to do with them to honor Aaron.

The document doesn't reveal much else as far as new info into the cause of Aaron's death. He's listed as a musician who worked in entertainment, never married. His mother, Jane, is mentioned as the informant.

An official cause of death is still categorized as deferred -- more tests are needed to determine what exactly killed him.

TMZ broke the story ... Aaron was found dead in the bathtub at his Lancaster, CA home two weeks ago. Law enforcement also discovered canisters of compressed air scattered about -- AC publicly struggled with substance abuse issues throughout much of his adult life.

Gucci Mane no longer disses the dead in his raps -- he lyrically eulogizes them -- recently taking the time in the booth to memorialize Takeoff.

On Tuesday, Gucci dropped off his mournful new single/video combo "Letter to Takeoff" ... as director Joe Yung Spike showcases the 1017 Records boss solemnly trekking through a cemetery and its accompanying mausoleum to hammer home the effect.

Gucci bleeds his emotions on the track's lyrics ... rapping "Just left another funeral, I shed a tear / I'm still in disbelief, I can't believe it's real ... like how the f*** we gon' lose Takeoff, damn he didn't deserve it / We don't supposed to question God, but damn, Takeoff was perfect."

Gucci's tribute also pays homage to other deceased rappers such as XXXTentacion, PnB Rock, Shawty Lo and even Atlanta rapper Slim Dunkin, who infamously was killed back in 2011 after an argument over a piece of candy in the studio went too far.

Sadly, Gucci walked down this road just 11 months ago when he mourned the late Young Dolph in a similar fashion ... via a heartfelt track.

Earlier this summer, Gucci released a song "Dissin the Dead" in hopes to curve the hip hop trend of rappers ripping those who already RIP.

The trend appears to work for some ... Lil Durk recently conducted an interview where he stated he was focused on chasing a billion dollars -- opposed to chasing death in his music.

Offset is breaking his silence on the death of Takeoff ... saying the pain he's left with after his cousin and groupmate's murder is "unbearable."

Offset took to Instagram Tuesday saying it "doesn't feel real" to be talking about his family member under such tragic circumstances, writing, "My heart is shattered and I have so many things to say, but I can't find the words" ... adding he's been waking up from his sleep recently, hoping it's just a dream -- but adds "it's reality, and reality feels like a nightmare."

He recalls all the times they'd see each other, wishing they could do so many things together just one more time ... writing, "You have left a hole in my heart that will never be filled."

He ends by asking for strength from Takeoff, hoping to get "a lil sign or a beautiful dream" from him soon -- tagging the post with, "I love you forever, 4L and after."

A new Nipsey Hussle docuseries is on its way ... and none other than LeBron James is going to have his fingerprints all over the project.

The Lakers superstar revealed the news on Tuesday morning ... announcing he and Maverick Carter's SpringHill Company has teamed up with Hussle's Marathon Films to bring Nipsey fans some new, inside looks into the life of the late rapper.

The work promises to, among other things, feature exclusive footage and tons of interviews with rap legends like Diddy and Snoop Dogg -- and Bron said Tuesday he was pumped for it all.

"It's an incredible honor for SpringHill to have a part in sharing Nipsey's story and legacy with the world," James said. "He used his gift to give back to his community and lived what it means to inspire, empower, and uplift others along the way."

LBJ added, "His words, his ambition, and his actions stick with me to this day as he continues to inspire myself, our company, and people everywhere."

The series does not yet have a title or a release date.

According to Deadline, James and Carter will receive credit as executive producers.

"It's an incredible responsibility to tell Nipsey Hussle’s story alongside his family and Marathon Films in a way that captures every facet of life from his childhood to his impact on community and culture," Carter said.

Rich the Kid is one of the freshest rappers around … and not even a lil thing like a TMZ Hip Hop camera will disrupt his dental hygiene!!!

We got Rich in NYC, outside of the Sirius XM office, as he was brushing his pearly whites in between appointments. RTK was on the move, but still made time to talk about the good times with his good friend, the late Takeoff.

The slain Migos star was laid to rest last Friday and as fans reminisced on social media, a clip of him teaching Rich how to make it rain inside the club resurfaced … much to the amusement of the "Plug Walk" rapper.

Rich tells us Takeoff was telling him "to chill the f**k out" in money-throwing footage because as you can see, the cash wasn't traveling too far!!!

He says Takeoff taught him a lot of things but he didn't want to get into specifics ... with emotions still so raw after his death.

Rich did, however, open up about his newly inked deal with RCA Records, which he claims made him $40 million richer. Huge number, for sure, but Rich tells us it's not about money ... it's more about having the right team behind him and inspiring him these days.

The 8-figures can't hurt, though.

DMX's 1998 debut album single "How's It Goin' Down" is a track still near and dear to fans' hearts, because they're currently giving Yung Bleu hell for remaking it.

On Monday, Yung Bleu dropped off the music video for his new single "What Type of Games" ... a clear homage to the late Ruff Ryder with its imagery set in NYC's concrete jungle.

The song, produced by Murda Beatz, also features an interpolation of X's time-tested chorus -- but Bleu's had to defend his artistic decision against a wave of backlash, accusing him of using too much auto-tune ... and therefore RUINING a classic.

Bleu says he received the blessing of DMX's estate to revamp the song a couple of weeks ago, and assured fans his family is being compensated for the cover.

The song is featured on Bleu's most recent album "Tantra" ... a project the Alabama-born artist recently told TMZ Hip Hop he's proud of, regardless of first-week sales numbers.

Even if fans hate the X tribute, there are still plenty of other options on the album ... which sports guest appearances from ZAYN, Fivio Foreign, Nicki Minaj and Ne-Yo.