Controversial S#!T

Taylor Swift is going full throttle supporting Ice Spice ... bringing her onstage Friday in the middle of her Eras Tour in New Jersey.

TS and IS performed the "Karma" remix at MetLife Stadium which was, of course, packed to the gills.

Taylor clued the crowd in on how the collab went down ... "She [Ice Spice] reached out and said, ‘If you’d ever like to do a collab, I would love to.' And what she didn’t know at the time is that when I was training for the tour, I was listening to pretty much exclusively just her music every single day. All day … So I said, ‘Absolutely, when can we do it?’"

She went on, gushing about Ice Spice ... "So we immediately went into the studio and I just not only fell in love with her, but just decided she’s the entire future. … I’ve been around so many artists and so many artists just starting out, but I’ve never been around an artist who’s so prepared and curious and focused on what she wants.”

There was no reference to Taylor's BF, Matty Healy, and the racist comments he made back in February. Healy has apologized, but lots of her fans still aren't buying it.

One of the brands who created some of Target's Pride collection says their items have been yanked from brick-and-mortar stores ... and they're blaming "threats from domestic terrorists."

The brand, Ash+Chess, says the majority of their products have been removed from Target stores following backlash.

The New York-based brand, which says it is "queer + trans owned," says it's saddened by what's going down at some Target stores ... where folks are destroying Pride displays.

Ash+Chess says ... "Emotionally, we do not currently have the bandwidth to comment further on this. We appreciate your support and love. Queer and trans people exist in the past, present, and future, and we are stronger together. We love you all."

While Target apparently yanked the brand's products from storefronts, the collection is still available online as of this post.

Some of the Pride items from Ash+Chess include beanies, cards, shirts, shorts, sweatshirts, hoodies, posters and calendars ... and they mostly celebrate being queer and trans.

As you know, there's a boycott targeting the nationwide chain over its decision to feature LGBTQ apparel and other items, a boycott that's cost Target $9 billion and counting.

Raquel Leviss and her family are so terrified after a wave of death threats stemming from her affair with Tom Sandoval, they've contacted the country's top law enforcement source for help ... TMZ has learned.

The "Vanderpump Rules" star's rep tells TMZ ... Raquel and her family have been on the receiving end of violent and graphic death threats both online and over the phone that has gotten so bad they've had to contact the FBI.

We're told some of the alleged threats include messages sent to Raquel through social media, saying ... "Tear you limb from limb" and "Un-alive and dump the body."

A source close to Raquel tells TMZ ... it's understandable why people hate her for the Scandoval, but to elevate that hate to the point of threatening Raquel and her family takes things too far and is disturbing.

A spokesperson for the FBI tells TMZ ... "FBI neither confirms nor denies investigations. Obviously, we review all allegations reported to us and encourage anyone who believes their life is in imminent danger to call 911."

As we reported, Raquel's getting mental health treatment in the wake of the cheating scandal, and we haven't seen her out in public in weeks ... so she's clearly in a bad spot, and the alleged threats aren't helping.

As we reported ... Tom and Raquel were raked over the coals during part one of the "VPR" reunion, with some of their fellow costars threatening Tom with violence.

But death threats are on a whole other level.

Here's how insane the culture wars have gotten ... people are now vandalizing Target stores and destroying Pride signs, and that's not all.

A guy named Ethan Schmidt, a radically right-wing internet personality, paid a visit to a Target store and ripped down a "#TakePride" sign around an LGBTQ clothes rack.

His anger and hatred are palpable in the video.

Target has been just that -- a target for featuring LGBTQ apparel and other items. In addition to the boycott which has already cost the chain $9 billion, employees have been harassed. That led to a decision to move some of the LGBTQ items, which infuriated people from the community. It's the proverbial rock-and-a-hard place.

There have been other, more subtle gestures, like someone who left a case of Bud Light next to an LGBTQ display.

Now there are folks attacking the store for not having a display honoring the military on Memorial Day. One of the protesters proclaimed, "You're going to go down like Budweiser."

Shakur Stevenson vs. Devin Haney is a fight virtually everyone in boxing wants, but it's still not the biggest scrap out there for the star boxer from Jersey, who tells us a matchup with Gervonta "Tank" Davis is actually number one!

"I think both [Davis and Haney] fights is great fights for me," the 25-year-old undefeated lightweight told Babcock when he joined the "TMZ Sports" TV show this week (airs weekdays on FS1).

"Obviously, I think me and Tank is a bigger fight, but me and Dev is a fight where I could establish who I am as a fighter."

Stevenson (20-0, 10 KOs) has made it clear ... he wants smoke with all the top 135 lb. fighters, including the champ, Haney (30-0), Davis (29-0), and Vasiliy Lomachenko (17-3), who many believe actually beat Devin last Saturday night in Vegas.

Now, there's talk Devin, who has to cut a lot of weight to make 135, could go up in weight class ... and if he does move to junior welterweight, Shakur says he'll understand, because cutting weight sucks. But, it's not the move he'd make with so many doubting whether he truly won his last fight.

"If [Devin] can't make the weight and he don't feel the same, then just go up, but if it was me, if I was in his shoes, I would have the [Loma] rematch," Shakur told us, adding, "I would have to show the world that that dude can't f*** with me. That's how I would do it."

Regardless of what the other top fighters do, Shakur has a plan mapped out.

"It's definitely some great fights to make," Shakur told us, adding, "If [Devin] stays, I think me and Dev should fight next. If he doesn't stay and he decides to go to 140, I think me and Lomachenko should bang it out. I think that's the big fight and the world get to see who I truly am, how special I am."

Stevenson clearly has a lot of respect for Lomachenko ... and believes the 35-year-old future Hall of Famer proved he's not done with his performance against the younger and bigger Haney.

"I feel like Lomachenko just showed the world that he's not washed. He's not washed up. Now that we know that, I think it's only right, throw me in there with him, and let's see if I'm the truth. I'll keep saying I'm the truth."

There's much more ... we talked to Stevenson about his take on the Haney-Loma fight (which has changed a bit now that he's rewatched it on TV), what he and Devin said to each other in the ring after the Loma fight, and whether there's truly a chance boxing fans get these super fights.

Antonio Brown's ownership "partners" with the Albany Empire say they've been frozen out by the former NFL star, and they have a message for AB ... buy us out, or we're prepared to go to court!

TMZ Sports talked to Charlotte von Schiller and her husband Steve ... who purchased a 5% stake in the organization last year before Brown came on board. Antonio now owns 95% of the franchise.

Unfortunately for the von Schillers, they say things have been absolutely awful since Antonio took over ... and he has even failed to acknowledge they own even the smallest piece of the Empire.

"If he wants to actually own 100% then he needs to buy us out. Otherwise, he only owns 95%, and that's just the facts," Charlotte told us.

The von Schillers tell us they've repeatedly attempted to have civilized conversations with AB about a buyout of their portion of the franchise, but instead, he's essentially told them to get lost, and at times has allegedly berated them on the phone.

"The disregard and disrespect from AB and his group has been incredulous."

In fact, it's gotten so bad, the von Schillers have consulted with an attorney ... and tell us they're ready to go to court if necessary.

But, they hope it doesn't turn into a legal battle ... and would instead like to reach an agreement amicably.

Brown's tenure in Albany, depending on who you ask, has been an unmitigated disaster, with players and coaches quitting midseason over AB's alleged erratic behavior.

Several former players and a coach previously told us Antonio ordered them locked out of their team hotel rooms after complaining about missing paychecks.

Nike might not be distancing itself from Ja Morant over his recent gun-flashing incident after all -- the shoe giant just released his latest signature sneaker on Thursday ... and it sold out in minutes.

The scheduled Ja 1 "Hunger" colorway drop was seemingly up in the air after Nike erased all his shoes off its site last week ... which led to speculation about whether the brand was potentially going to suspend the sale -- or even its relationship with the All-Star guard altogether -- due to his off-court issues.

Luckily for sneakerheads, the kicks still dropped on Nike's SNKRS app ... and quick-acting fans were able to purchase them for $110 before they sold out, as reports claim there was an incredibly small supply.

Despite all the controversy, the shoes were clearly a hot commodity ... with a ton of people going to Twitter to express their frustrations over missing out on the drop.

In fact, one fan tweeted a photo claiming their size was sold out within three seconds of launching on the app.

Of course, hopeful buyers can always go to reseller sites like GOAT and StockX ... but they'll end up paying a bit more than the retail price. Right now, the shoes are selling for around $200.

Nike has been radio silent following Ja's second video ... which is a stark contrast from the Swoosh's statement in support of its athlete following his initial incident in March.

Ja signed a multi-year deal with Nike in 2019 ... and was introduced as its first Gen Z signature athlete.

Patrick Mahomes is breaking his silence on his little brother's arrest ... saying Wednesday, "It's kind of a personal thing that I'm going to keep to myself."

The Kansas City Chiefs star met with media members for the first time since Jackson Mahomes was hit with three aggravated sexual battery charges stemming from an alleged February encounter with a woman ... and it wasn't hard to see the quarterback did not feel comfortable speaking about it all publicly.

He told a reporter twice that he wanted to keep his feelings on the matter private ... saying he's going to do his best going forward to separate his family matters from his football career.

"At the end of the day," the QB told the media member, "I come here to play football and try to take care of my family, at the same time."

"So," he continued, "just kind of keep it to myself and just go out there and play football when I'm in the building."

The 27-year-old was then asked a broader question about how he'd balance it all going forward.

"It's your family," he said, "but you have to come in here and do a job. And that's what I try to do every day."

As we reported, Jackson was arrested on May 3 ... after a restaurant owner alleged he grabbed her and forcibly kissed her multiple times at her Kansas establishment three months ago. The younger Mahomes was also accused of shoving a male member of her wait staff earlier in the evening.

Jackson appeared in court for a hearing on the matter on May 16 ... but he's yet to issue a plea on the charges.

The social media star's attorney, though, did say at the time of the initial allegations back in February that Jackson had done nothing wrong.

"Our investigation has revealed substantial evidence refuting the claims of Jackson's accuser including the statements of several witnesses," Brandan Davies said. "We have reached out to law enforcement to provide the fruit of our investigation so that they may have a complete picture of the matter."

Governor Ron DeSantis just announced his run for President on Twitter ... but not without massive technical failure as Elon Musk says the company's servers are to blame.

DeSantis made the big announcement Wednesday on the bird app ... dropping a campaign video that takes jabs at President Biden, blaming him for crime-filled streets and conflict at the border. He goes on to say he's the guy to lead the "great American comeback."

Of course, DeSantis was slated to drop the big news in a Twitter Spaces chat with Elon ... but apparent technical issues forced hundreds of thousands of listeners to listen as moderator David Sacks' audio kept cutting in and out.

Elon can be heard saying Twitter's servers are struggling to keep up -- and folks on the very same app are dragging him and the whole thing for the big mess ... with one calling it a "car crash," while another calling DeSantis' failed attempt "a perfect metaphor."

Even Biden took a jab at the whole thing -- with a tweet to his donation page that reads, "This link works."

You'll recall, TMZ confirmed Elon was set to join DeSantis for the declaration -- something that appears to be a push to make the app feel more like regular TV. Elon also called on ex-CNN anchor Don Lemon to start a show on his platform after Tucker Carlson said he'd be doing the same. Obviously, this mess might make Elon reconsider.

As for DeSantis, he's been seen as one of the only candidates that stands a chance at knocking down former President Donald Trump -- who announced his bid for the 2024 seat back in November.

DeSantis picking Twitter for his announcement spot doesn't just set him apart from the rest of his competition, but it appears to be a big "F-U" to Trump ... who infamously was taken off the platform after the Jan. 6 insurrection.

Taylor Swift is teaming up with Ice Spice for an all-new collab ... but the new project just so happens to come on the heels of her boyfriend, Matty Healy's insults aimed at the rapper.

T-Swift made the announcement via Twitter, Wednesday ... saying, "Um. SO much to tell you. I’m a massive fan of this brilliant artist and after getting to know her I can confirm: she is THE ONE to watch."

"So delighted to say that 'Karma' Featuring the incredible @icespicee_ will be out TOMORROW night at MIDNIGHT ET as a part of the new Midnights (Til Dawn Edition) deluxe album that you can pre-order now" ... she also told fans about a few other projects she has up her sleeves.

However, the Ice Spice project couldn't be more awkwardly -- or, perhaps purposely -- timed ... considering her boo Matty recently came under fire for dissing the "Munch" rapper.

ICYMI, in Feb, The 1975 frontman went on the "The Adam Friedland Show," where Nick Mullen, Friedland and Matty made derogatory comments about the rapper while also mocking Chinese and Hawaiian accents. That clip recently resurfaced online ... along with a clip of Ice expressing her love for The 1975 band, in a separate interview.

Matty wound up apologizing, last month, for offending her but some fans felt the apology was lackluster. The episode was also scrubbed on several platforms.

As you know, Taylor and Matty have been inseparable ... after news got out she broke up with her longtime boyfriend Joe Alwyn.

We know Tay and Ice had at least one special moment together... with IS introducing her "Song of the Year" win for "Anti-Hero" at the iHeart Awards back in March and the two posing for photos together.

A school in Florida has put the kibosh on its younger students reading Amanda Gorman's powerful poem -- the one she read at President Joe Biden's inauguration -- after one parent claimed it was riddled with hate ... also claiming it was penned by Oprah.

The Bob Graham Education Center in Miami Lakes imposed the prohibition on Gorman's "The Hill We Climb," making it available only to middle schoolers at the K-8 school.

Daily Salinas, the complaining parent, filed a complaint in March, claiming the poem could cause "confusion and indoctrinate students" with "hate messages" ... adding a specious claim Oprah was the writer and not Gorman.

After learning about the ban, the 25-year-old poet took to social media to call out Salinas ... saying, “So they ban my book from young readers… fail to specify what parts of my poetry they object to, refuse to read any reviews, and offer no alternatives." She says she's "gutted" that it takes only 1 complaint to get works of art removed.

Gorman now says publisher Penguin Random House is teaming up with PEN America -- an org that defends free expression through literature -- to fight back against book bans with a lawsuit.

Jay-Z and Beyoncé can do whatever they please with their money, and anyone who has an issue with their new $200 million pad should try taking notes, instead of shots ... so says, Deon Cole.

We got the comedian out in NYC, where he had a message for all the naysayers calling their massive new Malibu mansion a gross exhibition of wealth.

As we first reported, the power couple dropped $200M in cash for the spectacular home -- and Deon's suggesting their haters quit critiquing, and get out into the world and achieve their own version of success.

He's realistic -- we can't all spend like the Carters, after all -- but the bigger point is, find your own level of success.

TMZ broke the story ... the couple purchased the 30,000-sq-ft estate from renowned art collector William Bell and set the record for the most expensive home ever sold in California. It sits on 8 acres overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Malibu's Paradise Cove neighborhood, aka Billionaires' Row.

As you know, they are still hanging on to their mansion in Bel-Air, which they snagged for $88M in 2017.

Deon's take on Jay and Bey's eye-popping real estate portfolio is ... they've worked hard to earn their coins, and can spend it however they'd like. He also notes, $200M is still a relative drop in the bucket, considering their collective wealth.

Forbes says Jay-Z is worth $2.5 billion, and Beyoncé's was estimated around $500 million. Of course, she also just kicked off her "Renaissance" tour, which is expected to gross over $1 billion.

So, while they can more than afford the new crib, DC does say for $200 mil, it better come with some amazing technology. Automated TP service, anyone?

The White House almost got an unwanted visitor Monday night ... a U-Haul driver carrying a Nazi flag careened into security barriers right across the street from where President Joe Biden sleeps.

Secret Service rep Anthony Guglielmi tweeted ... the truck driver crashed into a barricade in Lafayette Square around 10 PM ... but, according to a witness who spoke to CBS, the suspect was actually aiming for the White House a stone's throw away.

Guglielmi said no one was injured and the cause of the accident was under investigation, but he suggested the driver might have intentionally rammed the barriers.

Police rapidly descended on the scene and arrested the driver, who had the Nazi flag on him. Law enforcement sources told CBS the man is an American citizen who made threats against President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. The suspect -- whose name was not disclosed -- had no guns, knives or explosives.

Police sources also told CBS ... the man was not on any FBI watch lists and did not appear to have a significant rap sheet.

Federal authorities charged the man with assault with a dangerous weapon (the truck), reckless operation of a motor vehicle, a threaten to kill, kidnap or inflict harm on a president, vice president or family member and destruction of federal property and trespassing.

Glen Kuiper has been fired from his role as Oakland A's broadcaster ... after he used the n-word while on-air earlier this month.

NBC Sports California said in a statement Monday it came to the decision to part ways with the longtime play-by-play man following a weekslong investigation into the incident.

"We thank Glen for his dedication to Bay Area baseball over the years," the network said in announcing the news.

Kuiper had initially been suspended on May 6 for using the racial slur while talking with Dallas Braden just before the A's vs. Royals game on May 5.

During their conversation, Kuiper had been trying to explain to viewers what they did during the leadup to Oakland's contest in Kansas City ... but in an attempt to say they had gone to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, he muttered the n-word instead.

Later in the game, the 60-year-old apologized for it all ... saying he had said something that didn't come out the way he intended.

"I could not be more sorry and horrified by what I said," he added in another apology later in the week. "I hope you will accept my sincerest apologies."

An AI-generated image of a fake explosion outside the Pentagon stoked panic and sent stocks tumbling as the hoax spread on social media.

The fake image behind Monday's chaos shows smoke billowing from the grounds outside the Pentagon ... with the image spreading like wildfire online after being shared by tons of accounts, including a Russian state media outlet.

The AI-generated work was often posted with false accounts of an explosion happening at the Pentagon ... causing a panic and a stock selloff that saw the S&P 500 drop by 30 points.

The Arlington County Fire Department put out the fire by debunking the image as a hoax.

While some were fooled by the fake Pentagon photo, some weren't so easily duped ... with eagle-eyed accounts pointing out obvious flaws with the AI-generated image, mainly focusing on warped sections of the Pentagon fence.

Calls for more guard rails on AI are now getting stronger ... as debate about the future of AI rages on Capitol Hill.

Nelly is so pissed judges awarded Devin Haney the win over Vasiliy Lomachenko, he says he's done watching the sport -- he's finished with boxing!

And, the 3x Grammy award winner isn't alone ... lots of fans are pissed off at yet another controversial decision.

"I'm just letting y'all know I am done with boxing," the 48-year-old rapper said. "They will never get another motherf***ing dime out of me."

"This is a travesty! I am done with boxing!"

The highly contested fight went down Saturday night in Las Vegas ... and went the full 12-rounds. Two judges scored the fight 115-113 (7 rounds to 5), and the third judge had it 16-112 (8 rounds to 4).

Boxing star Shakur Stevenson is also of the belief that Loma was screwed, saying he scored it 8 rounds to 4 rounds.

"Lomachenko won," Stevenson said after the fight. "I thought it was robbery. Lomachenko won."

Of course, Team Loma also believes they were screwed ... and say they plan to appeal the decision to the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

"Somebody needs to end this injustice," Lomachenko’s manager Egis Klimas said during the post-fight press conference.

"Those judges’ scoring is completely insane, and they do not understand how those fighters are working hard to get into a place and to be robbed like that, it's not acceptable."

It's yet another controversy in the sport of boxing ... and it comes a week after a highly controversial stoppage in Rolly Romero and Ismael Barroso match.