Controversial S#!T

Mohamed Al-Fayed -- who verbally attacked the Royal Family after his son Dodi was famously killed with Princess Diana in a 1997 car crash -- has died.

The billionaire business magnate passed away Wednesday -- exactly one day before the 26th Anniversary of the fatal accident in London on August 31, 1997. Dodi and Diana were in a Mercedes and being pursued at high speeds by paparazzi when the tragedy occurred. Their bodyguard survived though their driver was also killed.

Al-Fayed's family issued a statement Friday, confirming his death due to old age.

In 2021, Forbes listed his net worth at $1.8 billion, which he amassed from his lucrative businesses, such as Harrods Department Store, Punch Magazine and Kurt Geiger shoes and accessories. He also owned major real estate properties at 75 Rockefeller Plaza in Manhattan and the Hyde Park Residence apartments in London.

But Al-Fayed was perhaps better known for hurling vitriol at the Royal Family after his son's deadly car wreck. For example, Al-Fayed called the royals a "Dracula family" while attending the 2008 inquest into Diana’s death.

In court, Al-Fayed vowed to find evidence contradicting the official police narrative that Dodi and Diana were killed in a tragic accident, instead of being murdered as some people believed. He also promised to stay the course "until I die," even if it meant losing “everything to find the truth.”

As a result, the British royals dropped Al-Fayed like a bad habit. Their strained relationship was showcased last year in the fifth season of “The Crown."

Al-Fayed was 94.

Artificial intelligence relies on ethnic stereotypes and is completely racist ... that's the majority view on social media after computers imagined what someone from each state looks like.

Here's the deal ... one advanced AI model cranked out 50 images of what it imagined folks from all 50 states would look like, and real people are saying the results reek of racism.

Folks on Elon Musk's app are saying AI is playing into racist tropes when it comes up with images of minorities, and they're ripping the computer model for basically ignoring Black couples in favor of white or mixed couples.

One example getting a lot of attention is Mississippi ... the AI-generated image is a Black man dressed like he's been working in the fields, with tons of dirt covering his clothes.

The AI model had some fun with Florida though ... the person the computer thinks best resembles the Sunshine State has some oddly reptilian features.

So, yeah, this is what these computers are coming up with. Bizarre, right?!?

Lots of folks also have issues with the Alaska image being a "delicate looking white girl" ... and they point out all the white couples seem to be men with much younger-looking wives.

Bad sign for when AI takes over the world?!? 😅

Shawn Stockman is doubling down on his comments about Britney Spears -- this after catching flak from fans -- 'cause he says not all conservatorships are created equal.

We got the Boyz II Men singer at LAX again Monday, and it sounds like there was some backlash from #FreeBritney folks over what he said last week regarding her situation ... namely, he felt getting her back into a conservatorship might be a good idea.

Check out what he has to say about it now ... it's pretty insightful.

Essentially, Shawn explains the apparatus of a conservatorship in and of itself isn't necessarily a bad thing -- despite what some have apparently tried preaching to him.

The reason SS knows that --he has personal experience in this department -- and considering his understanding of how conservatorships work ... the haters might wanna reconsider how they're discussing this issue.

Now, Shawn does say that *if* people in Britney's life were abusing the conservatorship -- which she alleges was the case as it pertains to her father, Jamie -- that's obviously no bueno ... and he condemns that. But on the issue of conservatorships in general -- which have been demonized -- Shawn says they can actually be quite helpful for certain folks.

Shawn also makes the point that even diehard Britney fans truly don't know her or what she needs -- and he suspects, based on behavior she's displaying, that she could use some people in her corner to better guide her through this precarious time.

Maitland Ward is slamming Trace Cyrus for taking swipes at OnlyFans models ... and she's calling on Miley Cyrus to set her brother straight.

We got the former "Boy Meets World" actress-turned-porn star in Los Angeles and our photog asked her about all the flak Trace is catching for dissing women who have OF accounts.

Maitland says Trace is displaying a serious case of toxic masculinity ... and she thinks the musician's just looking for a "trace of fame" while living in his sister's shadow.

As we reported ... Trace says women are destroying their chances of finding the right man by starting an OF page, and he's since doubled down on his stance despite tons of heat coming his way.

Maitland says Trace is sorely mistaken ... pointing out she's been happily married for 16 years while enjoying a career in porn.

While dissing Trace, Maitland's calling on Miley to speak out against her brother ... she says Miley's voice will carry extra weight here because she's a beacon for sexual liberation.

DJ Envy says 50 Cent meant no harm when he threw a microphone at a concert and hit a radio host in the head ... he says it's just another one of 50's wild throws.

We got the "The Breakfast Club" cohost Friday in NYC and he told our photog the microphone-hurling fiasco was an accident, explaining why he doesn't think 50 Cent tried to hit Power 106 host Bryhana Monegain on purpose.

While DJ Envy says the incident is a "terrible situation," he says it's further proof 50 Cent can't throw worth a darn ... referencing the rapper's infamously lousy first pitch at a Mets game.

TMZ broke the story ... 50 is now a suspect in a criminal battery case after the victim filed a police report Wednesday after being hit with the mic at his Los Angeles concert.

DJ Envy sounds convinced 50 Cent will ease the woman's pain, at least financially, and work something out ... and he doesn't agree with folks who are saying the victim is overreacting by pressing charges.

Daniil Medvedev could use a refresher course in tennis etiquette after twice flying off the handle at the US Open Thursday night.

The tennis star first lost his cool after he blew several match points — one by double-faulting —  in the third set of his second-round match against Christopher O’Connell in Louis Armstrong Stadium.

O’Connell went on to win the set, prompting an angry Medvedev to lash out at a camera person filming him during a break.

In the fourth set, Medvedev acted up again, yelling at crowd members chatting and walking back to their seats as he was about to serve. He screamed, “Can you shut up guys? Are you stupid or what?”

The audience booed Medvedev, but he still went on to victory, beating O’Connell 6-2, 6-2, 6-7 6-2.

"Foodgod" Jonathan Cheban's $20 million lawsuit against a Korean BBQ sauce company isn't about getting cash -- according to him, it's about keeping others from ending up in the same scary situation.

We got Jonathan in Beverly Hills, and he detailed the frightening incident that went down nearly 3 years ago ... a glass bottle he'd purchased just a few hours earlier shattered in his hand, leaving with a very serious cut.

Jonathan echoes a big point from his lawsuit, telling us the slice was incredibly close to a major artery in his wrist, which could've killed him.

He says he's still dealing with physical problems to this day, and fills us in on why the suit is so important.

BTW, we ask him his thoughts about folks saying the $20M for which he's suing is a super steep number for a rich dude like him -- but Jonathan tells us why money isn't his goal here.

Trinidad James is sticking to his guns that Gunna is the hottest thing out ... at least as far as male rappers go!!!

We caught Mr. All Gold Everything in Bev Hills this week, and he doubled down on his recent comments that Gunna's the hip hop king of the summer.

Plenty of people accuse Gunna of leaving Young Thug high and dry amid the YSL RICO case ... but not Trinidad, and he's not letting emotion cloud his judgment.

Trinidad says Gunna's recent album, "A Gift & a Curse" displays all the top qualities you'd want in a rapper, and has the numbers to prove it.

He's also frowning on the street politics that have Gunna on the outs with his peers ... and thinks some of Gunna's success is owed to his public haters streaming his music in private.

Gunna’s single "Fukumean" is now his biggest solo hit ... earning him his first No. 1 on Billboard's Hip Hop Songs Chart and going Platinum earlier this month.

Rapper Hi-Rez, who created the now-viral Donald Trump AI rap track, says he had no political agenda while making the former prez's out-of-prison song ... he just wants to put a smile on people's faces.

Hi-Rez joined us on "TMZ Live" Thursday, taking us through the process of making "Donald Trump - First Day Out" -- something he put up online for fun after Trump's mug shot made the news. The song has become a hit, charting #2 on iTunes with north of 3 million views.

In case you didn't know, rappers who get out of jail often put out a "first day out" song, talking about where they're at after becoming free once again ... and when his buddy suggested Trump would be a perfect subject, Rez jumped right to the AI tools to start cookin'.

He tells us he wrote the song in half an hour with no political bend -- his mission was actually bringing the warring sides of America together for a laugh.

50 Cent went all Cardi B during his concert in Los Angeles, throwing his broken microphone in frustration into the crowd ... hitting a fan smack dab on the head.

The rapper hit the stage at Crypto.com Arena Wednesday night as part of his "Final Lap" tour 2023 ... and, during the performance, he was handed several mics that didn't work, which was clearly triggering.

Check out the video ... Fitty struts out onstage with a mic in hand to join YG, who is belting out a song. Suddenly, Fitty turns to one side of the stage and hurls the mic, striking a woman in the head.

Sources who were present tell TMZ ... Fitty wasn't targeting the woman, but still, he beaned her good. A source connected to 50 says the woman wasn't supposed to be in the restricted area ... but unlike the mic, that argument doesn't fly.

Photos of the victim surfaced on Instagram, showing a gash in her forehead and bloody towels wrapped around her neck.

We've reached out to Fitty's camp ... so far, no word back.

You may recall ... Cardi B was involved in a similar incident in which she angrily tossed her mic at a fan, who threw a drink at her during a Las Vegas show. The mic ricocheted off something and hit another person standing nearby. That person filed a police report, but Cardi was cleared.

Originally Published -- 6:18 AM PT

Miley Cyrus' brother, Trace, is getting destroyed for harsh comments about women working on OnlyFans -- he thinks they're killing their chances of ending up with a good guy.

The Metro Station guitarist and vocalist launched his anti-OnlyFans rant Wednesday, saying the women who earn cash on the site "have lost their chance of ever settling down with a good guy with morals."

Trace thinks OnlyFans models will call guys with standards "insecure," but will get attention from other men online, "so they think they have options."

It's a long, bizarre and rambling attack ... Trace even calls guys who pay for content on the platform "desperate" losers. Plenty of people in the comments lit him up, though, calling his rant "so embarrassing."

Farrah Abraham even called him out, saying "Balance & Brand is real... forget limited Insecure mindsets."

Trace responded to Farrah with a heavy dose of sarcasm ... "I've been defeated. The most intelligent woman of this generation has put me in check."

BTW, some are pointing out a bit of irony in his discography -- Metro Station's 2007 hit, "Shake It" is all about getting women to do as the title suggests, and having sex with them ...  as long as they're not OnlyFans models, apparently.

For more viral news, tune in to the TMZ Verified Podcast. Dropping every Thursday on all podcast platforms.

Originally Published -- 8:47 AM PT

Jay-Z and his legal eagles are jumping to the defense of a Wisconsin man wrongfully, and violently, arrested -- and although cops know they nabbed the wrong guy ... he's still facing charges.

TMZ Hip Hop has learned Jay-Z's Team ROC org has enlisted powerhouse lawyer Alex Spiro to rep Jermelle English Jr. and his family ... in hopes of getting all charges dropped, and possibly to sue the Kenosha PD.

English was charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest back in July, after Kenosha cops investigating a hit-and-run burst into the Applebee's, slammed him onto the ground and deployed pepper spray in the presence of his 1-year-old child.

Applebee's employees recorded video of the whole violent encounter.

The video shows officers repeatedly pummeling English as he lay on the ground ... prompting several protests in the local area, especially once the full details -- that cops grabbed a completely innocent man -- were uncovered.

The true hit-and-run suspects were actually found later hiding inside the restaurant’s bathroom.

Team ROC Managing Director Dania Diaz tells TMZ Hip Hop, “The reckless arrest of Jermelle English Jr. and the careless endangerment of his infant child by the Kenosha Police Department is an absolute travesty ... the Team ROC team is here to support Jermelle and his family through this traumatic experience, demand justice and hold the Kenosha police officers accountable."

Kenosha PD's Leo Viola tells us the department is still undergoing an internal investigation, and plans to be extremely transparent with the public once it's completed. He adds, the Dept. initiated its probe without any outside pressure.

Popular TikToker Pinkydoll is brushing off accusations she's lightening her skin online, but Vic Mensa thinks the issue is much bigger than just a simple camera filter.

TMZ Hip Hop got the Chicago rapper Tuesday outside Dash Radio, and he shared his insight on the subject -- as it turns out, his new song tackles the very same topic!!!

On "Blue Eyes," Vic lyrically details the internal struggle he had as a kid yearning to be a lighter complexion ... even admitting he yearned to be white, at one point.

Vic doesn't know Pinkydoll, but says he knows her scenario all too well, telling us the dark vs. light skin debate precedes everyone's lifetime ... and Pinkydoll was programmed to follow European beauty standards since birth, whether she's aware of it or not.

Pinkydoll's explanations for her skin color looking so different on TikToK vs. real life have been an all over the place. She blamed it on being in and out of the sun when we spoke to her at LAX -- but on Wednesday's "TMZ Live," she said it was lighting and a filter to make her "look more Japanese."

Vic says he won't cast judgment on Pinkydoll or anyone like her, but thinks it's best for everyone's mental health to learn to love themselves as they are.

Josh Seiter says he didn't correct the fake death post about him for a full 18 hours because his priority was figuring out who hacked into his Instagram account ... it's all very puzzling.

The ex-'Bachelorette' star appeared on "TMZ Live" Wednesday and we peppered him with questions about the long, long period of radio silence ... both from him and his family.

Josh says he was trying to manage a ton of texts and calls from concerned friends/family, which raises the question ... why didn't someone he called tell media outlets -- including TMZ -- the death post was a hoax?

Fact is ... we called Josh just after the death announcement was posted, but didn't get a call back until the next day. We also called family members, and they either hung up or said "no comment."

He recognizes he's going to get scrutinized, but he says he handled it the best way he knew how and is standing firm -- he was hacked.

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The mom of Spain's embattled soccer president, Luis Rubiales, has reportedly been hospitalized after refusing to eat for a third straight day ... all in support of her son as he fights to save his job.

Angeles Bejar, Rubiales' mother, was admitted to Santa Ana hospital in the Motril area of Spain, according to the local parish priest, who told local outlets Luis' mom was feeling tired and stressed as a result of the hunger strike and the controversy involving her son.

Bejar locked herself in a nearby church days ago as a way to protest what she believes is the unfair treatment of Luis.

Of course, Rubiales is under fire for his actions in what should've been the happiest of moments ... when Spain won the Women's World Cup against England. Luis was seen kissing Jenni Hermoso, a soccer star on Spain's team, on the lips.

Despite an immediate backlash, Luis has refused to resign his position, despite Spain's entire soccer club vowing not to play if he remains president.

On Saturday, FIFA suspended Rubiales for 90 days ... but he could still lose his job.

A Black surfer in Florida says several of his white counterparts stole his board and nailed it to a tree in a racist act ... and the allegations are so disturbing, cops tell TMZ Sports they're now investigating the matter.

The surfer's name is Andrew Sherlock Mills ... and on Tuesday, he explained in a social media post that the incident went down last weekend in Jupiter.

He claimed that when he turned his back after riding in the ocean waters, his board was nabbed and then pinned high up on a nearby palm tree.

"This is how real the racism and hate is in Jupiter, Florida," Mills wrote in an Instagram post. "They can't stand to see a Black man in their waters. I was told I'm not welcome. Stole my board when I turned my back and they did this. Said it was a message. They nailed it to the tree like a lynching."

Mills said he did not call cops ... and instead, "took the board down, stayed and surfed the whole day with a small board to show face."

"A few locals that were there were apologizing and agreed it was wrong," Mills added. "They did said, after what happened, I'm welcome to surf their waters freely and no one will bother me. I'm just going to leave it in God's hands."

We reached out to the Jupiter Police Dept. for comment on the situation ... and a spokesperson told us officers were made aware of the claims through social media and have since launched a probe.