Celebrity Death

Chi Modu -- one of the most famous photographers in hip-hop history, documenting iconic shots from the 1990s -- has died.

An Instagram post announcing the sad news went up Saturday, with a caption that read ... "Our hearts are broken... We continue the fight ©💪🏾 The family request privacy at this time 📷." It was accompanied by a photo of him and his lifespan in years, 1966-2021.

The details surrounding his death weren't released.

Chi had snapped one of the most memorable batches of photos as it pertains to music -- shooting a variety of rappers in the '90s, which went on to grace the covers of memorable albums, as well as T-shirts and stills for years to come.

He's perhaps best known for photographing Prodigy and Havoc of Mobb Deep for the cover of their 1995 album, 'The Infamous' ... but he might be just as known for his black and white photo of a shirtless Tupac, with his hands up near his head and cigarette smoke blowing.

There are countless other legendary artists in his repertoire, including The Notorious B.I.G., Snoop Dogg, Nas, Diddy, LL Cool J, Wu-Tang Clan, Eazy-E, Ice Cube, Mary J. Blige, Busta Rhymes, Dr. Dre, Ice-T, Run-DMC, Q-Tip, Gang Starr, Geto Boyz, Redman, Dead Prez, Eminem, Fat Joe, Kris Kross, Mac Miller, Ty Dolla $ign, Common and Flavor Flav.

The list can go on forever -- but bottom line ... your favorite rapper has probably been shot at one point or another by Chi ... whose work is well-documented and seriously unmatched.

The guy started at The Source and was pretty much tasked with getting in with these acts that were bubbling at the time ... and sure enough, they gave him unprecedented access to document their work, lifestyles and their most intimate moments. All the photos made for sick shots, which goes without saying.

His photojournalism went beyond just hip-hop, BTW -- Chi traveled the world and snapped a wealth of pics in countries all over Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Chi's contribution to photography and music culture is unparalleled ... and his death is, frankly, shocking.

He was only 54.

RIP

Terrible news out of China ... where 21 elite athletes died during a 62-mile, ultra-marathon race when the group got caught in a freezing storm that appeared out of nowhere.

The event -- known as the Huanghe Shilin Mountain Marathon -- began Saturday morning when the weather was sunny and nice.

Most of the 172 runners had anticipated normal weather conditions and showed up to the race in shorts and t-shirts, typical running garb.

But, things took a sudden turn just after noon around the Yellow River Stone Forest -- when a freezing cold storm moved in, punishing the runners with a barrage of hailstones, rain and icy winds.

Some of the athletes reportedly recognized the deadly conditions and tried to seek shelter ... others apparently tried to push through it (remember, these athletes are some of the toughest people in the world).

According to reports, some of the runners began experiencing hypothermia -- and eventually, the organizers pulled the plug on the race.

Realizing the situation was turning deadly, a 1,200 person search party was dispatched to locate and rescue all of the athletes. Officials also used thermal-imaging drones to find the participants ... but it proved to be too late.

In total, 21 runners died from the weather. At least 8 more were hospitalized.

One of the dead has been identified as 31-year-old Liang Jing -- one of the top ultra-marathon runners in the world. He's survived by his wife and newborn baby.

Another victim is Huang Guanjun -- who won the marathon for hearing-impaired athletes at the 2019 National Paralympic Games in China.

Tragedy out of Ohio ... where the University of Cincinnati has confirmed soccer player Ally Sidloski died in a drowning incident over the weekend.

She was only 21.

Sidloski -- a high school star with tons of potential -- had been hanging out at East Fork Lake in Ohio on Saturday when something went terribly wrong.

According to FOX19, Sidloski had been spotted hanging onto a swim platform of a boat -- but ultimately couldn't safely get out of the water.

Her body was found early Sunday morning. Officials say she was not wearing a life jacket.

UC officials confirmed her passing -- and head coach Neil Stafford remembered her as a great player, student and person.

"I am absolutely crushed for the Sidloski Family, our soccer team and the University," Stafford said.

"There's no words for dealing with a tragedy on this scale. Ally was such a pillar of everything that's right about our program. A great student, gritty and resilient player and a phenomenal human being – this is an immeasurable and unspeakable loss."

"Our hearts go out to her family and friends and we will lift them up with our fond memories of Ally."

During her high school career at Strongsville HS, Sidloski was a 3-time All-Greater Cleveland Conference selection.

She made her debut for the UC Bearcats in 2019 -- though she missed the 2020 season due to injury.

In the classroom, the University says Sidloski had earned a 4.0 GPA during multiple semesters -- and received Academic All-AAC honors following the 2019 season.

Paul Mooney made the Laugh Factory in Hollywood practically his second home ... so it's only fitting to have a tribute there ... and comedy royalty's expected to attend.

Jamie Masada, the owner and founder of the iconic comedy club, tells TMZ ... a special show will go down in honor of Paul Thursday at 3 PM. Eddie Murphy and Kevin Hart are among the many who have been contacted to attend. We're told Tiffany Haddish is not able to attend because of work but will send in a special video tribute to be played during the event.

Paul's twin sons -- comedians Dwayne and Daryl -- will also be there ... with the list of special guests expected only to grow.

Jamie says he envisions guests doing a little stand-up (duh), sharing their best Paul Mooney stories and more.

Paul was a regular at the famed Hollywood location. In fact ... Jamie tells us he still remembers Paul being one of the very first comedians on opening night in 1979.

Paul, of course, was vocal about the Black Lives Matter movement ... and he always found hilarious, yet enlightening, ways to weave the movement into his set. After all ... he had been advocating on behalf of his community over the course of his 40-plus years on stage.

We're told there were instances back in the day when other clubs wouldn't let Paul perform his material because of his race. But, the Laugh Factory always gave him a platform.

Martin Bashir -- the journalist who infamously interviewed Princess Diana and just got trashed for it -- says he didn't do anything wrong or deceitful in nabbing the sit-down ... despite what an independent report has concluded.

Bashir made his first public comments about the scandal to the Sunday Times ... denying any nefarious behavior he and the BBC are alleged to have engaged in back in '95, when Diana agreed to talk to him on camera about her relationship with Prince Charles.

It almost sounds like an apology, but it ain't ... because Bashir straight up says he played no part coming up with alleged fake docs and/or bogus phone calls placed to Diana. He says, "Even in the early 1990s, there were stories and secretly recorded phone calls. I wasn’t the source of any of that."

He goes on to say the idea the interview was somehow something Diana didn't want, or that it was framed in a way that harmed her afterward is simply not true ... regardless of what her boys, Prince William and Prince Harry, might be saying now ... nearly 30 years later.

Bashir says, "Everything we did in terms of the interview was as she wanted, from when she wanted to alert the palace, to when it was broadcast, to its contents," while going on to say he and his family loved the Princess, and they remained close even after the interview aired.

MB goes on to say this, "I don’t feel I can be held responsible for many of the other things that were going on in her life, and the complex issues surrounding those decisions." He went on to say Diana's brother, Charles Spencer, squarely putting the blame of Diana's death on his shoulders was "unreasonable and unfair" -- while also explaining he gets the grief.

After the report came out affirming the BBC had, in fact, undertaken deceptive methods -- including made-up bank statements purportedly showing Palace staffers accepting payment for stories about her -- PC and PH both slammed the outlet, and Bashir by extension.

Prince Harry's still dealing with the trauma of his mother, Princess Diana's fatal car crash when he was 12 -- but says therapy's brought him a long way since his days of partying hard to mask his pain.

The Duke of Sussex opens up about his own mental health battle in the series he co-created with Oprah -- "The Me You Can't See -- and he takes viewers back to 1997 when he and his brother, Prince William, were in shock after their mother's death.

Prince Harry says he felt "outside of my body" and struggled processing what happened, but his feelings turned to anger over Di getting no justice. He says, "Nothing came from that. The same people who chased her into the tunnel, photographed her dying on the backseat of that car."

Though he was having a very hard time, Harry claims his calls for help within the Royal Family were met with "total silence" ... and he was expected to carry on. Eventually, he says he just stopped thinking about it because it only made him sad.

Remember, Harry's already said Prince Charles' parenting caused him serious trauma -- and, as a result, royal aides have reportedly suggested Harry should be stripped of all his titles.

This all led to a period of hard-partying from the ages of 28 to 32, which Harry calls "a nightmare time in my life." He tells Oprah he was drinking a week's worth of alcohol on some nights to mask his pain, and was willing to take drugs to make him feel less like he was feeling.

Harry also talks about his relationship with Meghan Markle, who he says first encouraged him to seek therapy about 4 years ago. He says, "I knew that if I didn't do therapy and fix myself, that I was going to lose this woman who I could see spending the rest of my life with."

Meghan, of course, has detailed her own mental health struggles, and Harry talks about the scary night she expressed suicidal thoughts to him while pregnant with Archie ... something they first revealed during their CBS interview with Oprah.

Prince William and his brother Prince Harry are finally on the same page about something -- condemning the BBC for the way it treated their mother ... specifically regarding her now infamous 1995 TV interview.

The Royal bros both made strong comments Thursday after an independent investigation into Princess Diana's explosive sit-down with BBC journalist Martin Bashir nearly 3 decades ago determined he and the network engaged in "deceitful behavior" and dishonest tactics to persuade her to do it.

William blasted the BBC, saying ... "the deceitful way the interview was obtained substantially influenced what my mother said," and he blames it for his parents' relationship falling apart.

He also added, "BBC’s failures contributed significantly to her fear, paranoia and isolation that I remember from those final years with her."

During the interview -- a huge get for Bashir and the BBC -- Diana notoriously stated that "there were three of us in this marriage" ... referring to Prince Charles’ relationship with Camilla Parker-Bowles, and her account of the marriage failing was watched by millions.

Prince Harry went further than his big bro, ripping not just the BBC, but British media in general and laying her death at their feet -- "The ripple effect of a culture of exploitation and unethical practices ultimately took her life."

He adds that he's deeply concerned that the practices used in 1995 are even worse, and more widespread, today.

As for what sparked the BBC inquiry -- Diana’s brother, Charles Spencer, recently accused Bashir of using false documents and trickery to gain access to the princess, and the retired judge who was appointed to handle the investigation confirmed those allegations were true.

Paul Mooney's death has created some urgency on the part of the Oakland City Council to figure out how to honor the comedic legend ... but TMZ's learned the idea for a tribute was hatched even before he passed away.

Several officials in Oakland -- where Mooney was raised and sadly died -- tell us the topic is already on the agenda for the June 1 City Council meeting.

The councilmembers we spoke with say some of the ideas for honoring Paul's life include an annual or regularly scheduled comedy event that puts the spotlight on Oaktown's best up-and-coming comedians ... following the path Mooney trailblazed.

There are also talks of creating a plaque with his face on it to be displayed somewhere in the Black Arts District ... or developing a college scholarship fund in his name.

The city officials tell us they also want to hear from Oakland citizens about what they want for a Mooney tribute ... something Councilmember Loren Taylor says has been discussed in his district well before the comedic legend died.

That's because they all believe Mooney's legacy is more than comedy -- he also provided insight into social issues and politics.

As we reported ... Paul died at his Oakland home Wednesday morning after suffering a heart attack.

Bombshell news out of Argentina where SEVEN people have been charged with homicide in the death of soccer legend Diego Maradona.

Maradona passed away back in November from heart failure -- just 2 weeks after undergoing brain surgery. He was only 60.

The Maradona family had suspected there was something fishy behind his death -- which led to a special investigation into the situation.

Police in Argentina raided the house and private clinic of Dr. Leopoldo Luque (the surgeon who performed the brain operation) in the days following Maradona's death -- and clearly, they believe they found enough evidence to prove criminal wrongdoing.

Now, prosecutors in San Isidro, Argentino have announced 7 people -- including Dr. Luque -- have been charged with "simple homicide with eventual intent," according to ESPN.

The other 6 people facing charges include Maradona's psychiatrist Agustina Cosachov -- along with 2 nurses and other medical professionals.

If convicted, they each face up to 25 years in prison.

According to reports, prosecutors believe there is evidence showing Maradona received insufficient medical care following the brain surgery.

In other words, they believe Maradona's death could have been prevented had the medical team performed their jobs correctly.

It's unclear WHY prosecutors believe the medical team, failed to perform their duties -- some have suggested a nefarious motive.

Los Angeles County is calling out Vanessa Bryant ... claiming she's subjecting Sheriff's deputies to harassment by revealing their names in the lawsuit she filed over photos taken at the Kobe helicopter crash site.

According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, attorneys for L.A. County say Kobe Bryant's widow is aggressively conducting a "fishing expedition that is taking first responders away from their jobs." The County is referring to the fact Vanessa posted the names of 4 deputies who allegedly took pics of remains.

As we reported ... she won a legal battle in March to obtain the names of the deputies and promptly put 'em on blast on her IG.

In the docs, L.A. County attorneys say Vanessa is going too far with a "straightforward case" ... and her social media posts are exposing the deputies to threats.

Dave Chappelle says Paul Mooney's legacy as one of the best comedians to ever do it will live forever ... and he's going to make sure it happens

We got Dave at the Soho Grand Hotel in New York City Wednesday and asked him about Paul's passing. The two were very tight, working closely together on "Chappelle's Show."

Dave says Paul's death is a tough one, and he's remembering him as one of the G.O.A.T.s of comedy ... rattling off Mooney's list of accomplishments with Richard Pryor and others.

As we reported ... Paul suffered a heart attack and died Wednesday morning at his home in Oakland after paramedics tried unsuccessfully to revive him.

Paul Mooney -- the longtime comedian, writer and actor known best for his work with Richard Pryor -- has died from a heart attack ... TMZ has learned.

According to his family ... Mooney died Wednesday morning at his home in Oakland. We're told the paramedics tried unsuccessfully to revive him after he suffered a heart attack.

Paul, who's been out of the public eye for a few years, had also reportedly been suffering from dementia for some time and was staying with a family member.

Though born in Louisiana, Mooney moved to Oakland and grew up there, and got his start in entertainment as a circus ringmaster ... which led to a passion for telling and writing jokes.

This led to his first professional gig in show business as a writer for Pryor, and the 2 would maintain a working relationship for years to come ... with Paul contributing to Richard's legendary stand-up performances such as 'Live on the Sunset Strip.'

Mooney was also the head writer on "The Richard Pryor Show" and wrote a few episodes of "Pryor's Place." His other notable writing credits include "Sanford and Son," "In Living Color" and "Chappelle's Show."

As an actor, Paul's best known for playing Sam Cooke in the 1978 film, "The Buddy Holly Story," and for his role as Junebug in Spike Lee's "Bamboozled" ... along with regular appearances on "Chappelle's Show."

Paul was 79.

Charles Grodin -- best known as the dad in "Beethoven" and Broadway shows like "Same Time, Next Year" -- has died following a battle with bone marrow cancer ... TMZ has confirmed.

The actor's son, Nicholas, tells TMZ ... Charles died peacefully Tuesday at his home in Wilton, Conn. where he was surrounded by family, including his wife, Elissa. It's unclear when Charles was diagnosed with cancer but we're told Charles' health had recently deteriorated.

At this point ... we're told the family has no plans for a funeral. The family asks that donations be made to the charity of your choice in Charles' memory.

Charles' career in showbiz spanned decades. He earned his first big break in 1962 after landing a part in the Broadway comedy "Tchin-Tchin." Just a couple of years later he appeared in the Broadway show "Absence of a Cello."

Charles, who also directed 2 Broadway shows, had his first breakout performance on Broadway in 1975 with "Same Time, Next Year" ... starring opposite Ellen Burstyn.

His other signature role came in 1988 when he played an accountant in "Midnight Run." He had been on the run after embezzling a ton of dough from the mob. The bounty hunter tasked with going after him was one, Robert De Niro.

Mainstream audiences learned to love his affable characters ... such as in the 1972 rom-com "The Heartbreak Kid" ... yup, the original film Ben Stiller remade in 2007.

Charles, who dropped out of the University of Miami to pursue acting, ingratiated himself with millennials with the 1992 comedy, "Beethoven" ... which had an $18 million budget but made nearly $150 million at the box office. Despite so many stage, big and small screen roles ... Charles never won any prestigious acting awards.

His only Emmy win was for writing a 1977 Paul Simon TV special. He shared the award with 7 others, including Simon.

Charles was 86.

New Jack a.k.a. Jerome Young -- former ECW pro wrestling star -- died at the age of 58 on Friday after suffering a heart attack, his family announced.

Young was multiple-time tag team champion during his days with Extreme Championship Wrestling in the mid-'90s... and was often celebrated for his reckless abandon inside the ring (and well, from the balcony).

As a result of his wild style -- getting hit with chairs, busting through tables, using weapons in the ring -- NJ dealt with a litany of injuries throughout his career.

While wrestling in ECW, "Natural Born Killaz" by Ice Cube and Dr. Dre famously played during his matches.

New Jack split from ECW when the promotion closed up shop in 2001 ... but the controversial wrestling star continued to occasionally wrestle over the years.

The pro wrestling world is weighing in on the loss ... with X-Pac sharing a photo with New Jack, and writing, "I couldn't help but love New Jack. #RIPNewJack"

New Jack is survived by his wife Jennifer ... with whom he lived in North Carolina.

A special moment for Kobe Bryant's family ... when Vanessa and their children visited the NBA legend's exhibit at the Basketball Hall of Fame on Friday ... and it's a pretty emotional sight.

Bryant -- who is being inducted into the Hoops Hall on Saturday -- got his very own stand-alone tribute called "Kobe: A Basketball Life" in Springfield ... the first since Michael Jordan's exhibit in 2009.

The 600-ft. display -- co-designed by Vanessa -- features incredible memorabilia from Bryant's career ... including a piece of the Lower Merion H.S. basketball court, the shoes from his 81-point game, game-worn jerseys, and a video screen showing his Oscar-winning short film, "Dear Basketball."

The Bryant family got a personal tour of the exhibit minutes ago ... and Vanessa captured pics of 1-year-old Capri and 4-year-old Bianka smiling from ear to ear as they get to see their dad's accomplishments up close.

Vanessa also posted a snap alongside Kobe ... saying, "Love you always."

Of course, this year's induction is going to be incredibly tough following Bryant's death in January 2020 ... as fellow inductee Kevin Garnett told reporters earlier today, "I don't think I'm the only one in here that thinks that Kobe Bryant is fairly missed."

"Miss him everyday and what he brought not just to the game of basketball but to sports period."

The ceremony is set to kick off on Saturday at 2:30 PM PT ... with Kobe, Garnett and Tim Duncan receiving the honors.

Michael Jordan is slated to do the presentation honors for Kobe ... with Vanessa giving a speech.

Before Kobe Bryant's 33,643 points, 18 All-Star games and 5 NBA titles, he was a star high school hooper at Lower Merrion HS in Philly ... and now the jersey Mamba rocked just hit the block.

... and the auction house selling the threads believes it could sell for over $200K!!

Kobe was an absolute stud in high school in the mid-'90s ... playing varsity as a freshman, and winning just about every award for a high schooler as a senior -- including the Naismith and Gatorade player of the year awards, as well as earning a spot on the coveted McDonald's All-American team.

It's unclear which games Bryant actually wore the white and maroon, size 44 jersey.

Of course, Bryant -- who had offers from Duke and a bunch of other top schools -- followed Kevin Garnett's lead and made the jump from HS to the NBA.

Kobe was selected by the Charlotte Hornets with the 13th pick in the 1996 NBA Draft ... before being traded to the Lakers.

So, who's selling this piece of basketball treasure?? Leland Auctions -- the auction house behind the sale -- says the consignor is actually a former NBA player who got the jersey from Kobe's former sports agent.

We're told the player wishes to remain anonymous.

The jersey is currently on the auction block ... and the minimum bid is $50K.

The auction ends at the beginning of June.