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Matt Riddle claimed an NYC airport cop sexually assaulted him during a confrontation -- and while he seems to have taken it back, an investigation is now underway ... TMZ has learned.

The WWE wrestling star posted a shocking allegation Sunday, taking to IG to throw up a photo of a Port Authority police officer at JFK ... and attaching a scathing caption. He claims to have been touched inappropriately by this cop but doesn't go into too much detail.

What he does say is that he told this officer "no," but alleges the man proceeded to do something out of bounds to him anyway. FWIW, Riddle has since deleted the IG post.

Now, as far as what led up to this and what exactly went down ... we have some answers. Law enforcement sources tell us Port Authority officers got a call for a disorderly person who was deplaning, and they met him in the terminal. As it turns out, that was Riddle.

We're told the cops talked to MR -- as well as other witnesses -- and he seemed apologetic in the moment. No police report was filed, and everyone was free to go without incident.

It's because of this that our sources say the Port Authority was shocked by Riddle's claim ... as, from their view, nothing went down to warrant such an accusation. Still, we're told the department is taking his claim seriously ... and an internal probe has been launched.

Polo G's September 15 release date for his upcoming "Hood Poet" album is no longer a thing ... having endured not one, but two eye-popping arrests in the last few months that have prevented him from promoting the music.

The Chicago rap star made the somber announcement Friday, calling it a minor setback.

Sources close to Polo tell TMZ Hip Hop ... as of now, the album delay won't affect his current touring schedule.

He's scheduled to perform in New Mexico in October, blitz through Europe for much of November and also has a concert in Canada in December.

Polo's wild chain of events last month got us to this point. We broke the story ... Polo and his brother Trench Baby were arrested twice in a 24-hour span around August 23, resulting in a gun possession charge for Polo and a robbery charge for his brother.

Cops claim they found tons of guns and even a small bag of drugs following their raid of Polo's home.

CEO Jizzle, the Memphis-based rapper in Young Dolph's Paper Route Empire camp who was shot during Lil Baby's concert Thursday night, appears to be OK ... and cops are still trying to find the suspect.

Memphis Police sources tell TMZ Hip Hop they're actively investigating how someone was able to get a firearm past security at the FedEx Forum in Memphis. We're told there were no other injuries reported, indicating Jizzle might have been targeted.

For now, cops are gathering video and asking the public to call CrimeStoppers at 901-528-2274 with any additional info that might lead to an arrest.

After arriving on the scene, officers discovered Jizzle with a gunshot wound ... he was taken out of the arena on a stretcher and rushed to a hospital.

Jizzle was listed in critical condition but appeared to be feeling much better Friday when he posted on IG ... lashing out at rumors of his death which were floating online.

Kanye West is launching a legal offensive against an IG page that he claims has been leaking his music ... a tactic that may eventually lead to learning the identity of the person behind alleged leaks.

According to new court docs, Kanye is suing the unknown individuals behind the Instagram account for @DaUnreleasedGod claiming they misappropriated his trade secrets ... in this case, by posting a bunch of Ye's unreleased music!!!

The complaint specifies Ye has no clue who's behind the IG page but believes whoever is behind the account worked with him in the past and signed a confidentiality agreement before being given access to the tracks ... and he believes the leaks violated those agreements.

He plans to amend the filing with the names of the people behind the account once he learns their identity.

Since March 2023, Ye claims he's seen 21 leaks of his music on @DaUnreleasedGod's IG and another 11 via the same Twitter handle ... with songs ranging from potential blockbusters with DJ Khaled and DaBaby to unreleased tracks from the "Donda" and "Jesus Is King" albums to reference tracks for Rihanna and will.I.am.

Last week, Ye was out in Ireland when he played Steve Lacy some new tunes but that was clearly on his own terms.

Jim Tom Hedrick of "Moonshiners" has died ... TMZ has confirmed.

A family member of JT's tells us he passed away Wednesday morning in Robbinsville, NC -- although the exact circumstances are unclear. What we do know, per the relative, is that JT had kidney cancer and was receiving dialysis for a long time.

We're told Jim was in a nursing home for the last year, and photos of him in a hospital bed had been posted in recent months.

A statement from Sugarlands Distilling Co reads, "Jim Tom dedicated much of his life to the art of moonshining, becoming a legend in Appalachia along the way. Jim Tom’s well-earned reputation as one of the most skilled moonshiners in the South earned him a role on the hit television program Moonshiners, where his colorful personality endeared Jim Tom to the hearts of millions."

SDC goes on to say Jim Tom was one of the veteran moonshiners in the area who embraced them when they opened their doors ... and his stamp of approval went a long way.

Jim Tom appeared on several seasons of the long-running Discovery reality series -- which chronicles moonshiners running their illegal booze biz all throughout the Appalachian mountains. He joined during Season 2 in 2012 and stuck around through 2017.

He was known for his unique personality and manners of speaking -- not to mention his storytelling and, of course, his pristine skill at making homemade alcohol out in nature.

He was 82.

Cash Money Records legend B.G. is out of prison -- and his day one CEO Birdman was front and center Tuesday to greet him the moment he got out!!!

The Federal Bureau of Prisons' office tells TMZ Hip Hop the 42-year-old rapper (real name Christopher Dorsey) was successfully transferred to community confinement -- essentially a halfway house -- and is projected to be fully released from custody on July 11, 2024.

The veteran rapper was captured on Birdman's IG live as he embraced him and other friends outside the federal prison in Herlong, California ... where he'd been for the past 11 years.

B.G. was sentenced to 14 years in prison for firearm possession and obstruction of justice back in 2012, and while he's spent many birthdays behind bars ... including his 42nd this past Sunday, he vowed that will be his last in prison.

As a member of the original Hot Boys rap crew with Juvenile, Lil Wayne and Turk, B.G. released several projects with Cash Money, most notably 1999's "Chopper City In The Ghetto" ... which coined the timeless jewelry term "Bling Bling" on the lead single.

Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner are headed to divorce court, because TMZ has learned Joe has filed legal docs to end his marriage.

Joe is asking for joint custody of their 2 daughters, 3-year-old Willa and their 1-year-old.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Joe and Sophie have a prenup -- something Joe also addresses in his divorce docs, obtained by TMZ. There's more in here as it pertains to their kids -- including the fact that Joe wants a judge to establish a parenting plan between him and Sophie that allows for "frequent and continuing contact with both parties."

Another interesting tidbit in his petition ... Joe confirms what we've known since this weekend -- namely, that the two children have been residing with him of late. Here in the docs, though, he makes sure to note where ... Miami, as well as "other locations throughout the United States." In other words, he's been taking them with him on the road as he's toured.

The issue of child support is also addressed in Joe's docs ... he says both parents can pay to support their children and that they should both be required to do so. With that said, JJ wants a Florida court to establish what's fair ... and to take health insurance for the kids into consideration in determining that.

TMZ broke the story ... the couple has been having problems for around 6 months. Joe has been shopping for divorce lawyers for at least a week. He filed in Florida. He's repped by Tom Sasser, who handled Tiger Woods' divorce.

As for why Joe filed for divorce ... a source with direct knowledge tells us this ... "She likes to party, he likes to stay at home. They have very different lifestyles."

As we reported, Joe has been taking care of the children pretty much all of the time over the last 3 months. When it comes time to hash out a custody arrangement, he could ask for significantly more than 50% physical custody, and our sources say that's likely.

Joe and Sophie started dating in 2016, got engaged the following year and tied the knot in a Vegas ceremony in 2019.

It's the first marriage for both 34-year-old Joe and 27-year-old Sophie.

Joe Jonas y Sophie Turner se dirigen a la corte de divorcio. TMZ se enteró que Joe ha presentado documentos legales para poner fin a su matrimonio.

Joe está pidiendo la custodia compartida de sus dos hijas, la de tres años de edad, Willa, y la otra de tan solo un año.

Fuentes directas nos informan que Joe y Sophie tienen un acuerdo prenupcial.

TMZ publicó la historia, la pareja ha tenido problemas durante unos seis meses. Joe ha buscado abogados de divorcio durante al menos una semana. Él presentó la petición en Florida y su representante legal es Tom Sasser, el abogado que manejó el divorcio de Tiger Woods.

En cuanto a por qué Joe pidió el divorcio, una fuente directa nos dijo: "A ella le gusta la fiesta; a él le gusta quedarse en casa. Tienen estilos de vida muy diferentes".

Como informamos, Joe ha cuidado a los niños casi todo el tiempo durante los últimos tres meses, incluso mientras la banda estaba de gira por los Estados Unidos. Cuando llegue el momento de negociar un acuerdo de custodia, podría pedir mucho más del 50 % de la custodia física y nuestas fuentes dicen que es probable.

Joe y Sophie empezaron a salir el 2016, se comprometieron al año siguiente y se casaron en una ceremonia en Las Vegas en 2019.

Es el primer matrimonio tanto para Joe, de 34, como para Sophie, de 27.

Smash Mouth's lead singer, Steve Harwell, has died ... TMZ has learned.

The rock band's longtime frontman -- who was one of the original founding members dating back to 1994 -- passed away Monday morning at his home in Boise, Idaho as a result of liver failure -- this according to his manager.

We're told he was surrounded by family and friends and passed peacefully and comfortably.

TMZ broke the story ... Steve had been in hospice and was given only days to live this past weekend. As such, he was receiving end-of-life care at home with friends/family. We'd been told he succumbed to his health battles over alcohol abuse, among other ailments.

Remember, SH announced he was retiring from performing a couple years ago following a show in which he was found to have been slurring his words and acting erratic onstage.

His passing marks a tragic day for Smash Mouth fans -- of which there are many. His band skyrocketed to fame in the late '90s and early 2000s, on account of their album "Astro Lounge" ... which featured some of their most famous songs, like "All Star."

Of course, their involvement in the "Shrek" film put them on another level of fame -- as did their cover of The Monkees' hit song "I'm a Believer." Around this time, they were huge. Other notable tracks that Steve contributed to ... "Walkin' On the Sun," "Then the Morning Comes," "Can't Get Enough of You Baby," "Pacific Coast Party" and "Why Can't We Be Friends."

Steve dealt with hardships through much of his life -- his infant son died at only 6 months due to leukemia -- and he himself had been diagnosed with illnesses over the years too.

Despite this, he carried on with a smile and did what he loved in music and performing ... bringing joy to many, many listeners throughout his career. Steve was only 56.

James Cromwell was back on the frontlines for animal rights this weekend -- taking the fight to Louis Vuitton in the Big Apple ... and showing them they had blood on their hands.

The actor/activist was one of the notable faces among a massive group of protests Saturday who descended upon the Louis V flagship store in SoHo ... where barricades had been set up, and where folks were loudly chanting through megaphones -- complete with signage.

Check out this video we obtained ... you can see that James went past the barricade and was right up on the sidewalk, facing off with what one can presume would be management.

Somewhat dramatically ... he pours some red liquid onto the sidewalk and points it out to Louis Vuitton -- echoing what the protesters behind are shouting. Earlier, he made an impassioned speech in support of veganism -- and laying out what they were there for.

Of course, this has to do with the use of real fur -- something LVMH has been accused of using to this day. As for James ... he's been in this animal rights world for a long time.

Pour out a margarita for Jimmy Buffett, the legendary musician is dead.

The "Margaritaville" singer died Saturday surrounded by his friends, family, music and dogs, according to an announcement posted on his website.

The statement read ... "He lived his life like a song till the very last breath and will be missed beyond measure by so many."

We're told Jimmy had been sick for a while, and he was recently receiving hospice care.

As we reported ... Jimmy was forced to cancel a May show in South Carolina after being hospitalized at the last minute for an issue requiring "immediate attention."

The idol of all parrot heads everywhere, Jimmy was also forced to cancel a ton of gigs in 2022 because of health issues and a different hospital stay. He played Jazz Fest in New Orleans in May 2022 but had not been on stage a lot since.

In addition to "Margaritaville," Jimmy's been cranking out hits since the 1970s with classic tunes like "Come Monday," "Cheeseburger in Paradise," "Volcano," "A Pirate Looks at Forty," "Fins," "Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes" and "Why Don't We Get Drunk" ... just to name a few.

JB also collaborated with Alan Jackson for another huge hit folks love listening to when they pour a drink ... "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere."

Jimmy's brand reached way beyond music and his huge concert following ... he was also the face of the hotel and restaurant chain Margaritaville, and he even turned the experience into a cruise line.

Jimmy was 76.

RIP

It's pouring rain in the Nevada desert right now, which means Burning Man participants are stuck in a whole lot of mud ... and that the whole thing is kinda on pause.

The annual festival -- where folks make a pilgrimage to the middle of nowhere for music, activities and fun in the sun -- was met with a downpour heading into the weekend ... the last few days to enjoy Burning Man, which now looks to be all but ruined.

Check out these pics -- obtained by TMZ -- showing off the aftermath of a monsoon that came down in Black Rock Desert (where BM is being hosted this year). It's a sloppy mess.

As you can see, there are campers and vehicles parked all around ... but they all seem to be somewhat sunken into the ground on account of the mud that's formed after the rainfall, which had gotten started the night before and trickled into Saturday itself.

The rest of the landscape certainly doesn't look Burning Man-friendly -- and there isn't really a soul in sight either ... normally, everyone would be out and about enjoying themselves.

No word on how long this rain-out sitch will carry on, but people on the ground tell us attendees feel quite trapped right now ... as the rain and mud have made moving around virtually impossible. and folks have been instructed to stay put until the conditions subside.

The worst part - this might be the reality for another day or 2, as it's expected to continue raining -- at least according to some forecasts. TBH, this sounds like an utter nightmare.

Here's hoping the Sun God comes to these free spirits' rescue ... Burning Man's almost over.

Kenneth Gainwell's feet are going to be looking out of this (Astro)world when the Eagles take the field next week ... 'cause the tailback just copped some awesome Travis Scott-inspired cleats for Philadelphia's opener!!

TMZ Sports has learned the footballer reached out to cleat master Rodney Jackson to get some heat for the Birds' Week 1 game against the Patriots ... asking for some spikes that resembled the exclusive Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1 Low OG Olive F&F pair that pays homage to Scott's new album, "Utopia."

Of course, Jackson -- who's been in the custom cleats business since 2015 -- didn't take long to deliver the goods ... whipping up an amazing pair in about three and a half weeks.

You can see the spikes look exactly like the AJ1 x Travis Scotts ... all the way down to the "Utopia" branding on the back -- and Jackson said he was super happy with how they came out.

"I wanted to capture every detail of the shoe and the right leather texture," Jackson tells us.

Gainwell -- a former fifth-round pick out of Memphis -- will have a big opportunity to show them off against New England ... he's expected to be a workhorse for Philly following the departure of last year's starter, Miles Sanders.

Mobb Deep's hit "Shook Ones Pt. II" has stood the test of time for nearly 30 years but the iconic record could've had a tragic legacy ... according to Havoc, who's revealing he survived a near-fatal fight when they shot the music video.

The Surviving Mobb Deep member recalled the wild moment for Vevo's "Footnotes" channel -- he says he got into a fight with a guy from the neighborhood who felt like he wasn't getting enough screen time in the video.

Hav says they started fighting and fell into a puddle, only for one of the camera crew's lights to fall into the water and drastically increase chances they'd be electrocuted.

Mobb Deep hail from the Queensbridge projects in Queens, N.Y. -- an historically rough place, which they detail in much of their catalog, but thankfully cooler heads prevailed.

Havoc tells TMZ Hip Hop ... he settled things up with the guy he was squabbling with, and they still remain friends to this day!!!

The song went on to be dubbed an all-time classic, earning placements in multiple video games and most infamously, the closing scene from Eminem's "8 Mile" film.

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.

Jalen Ramsey might be down after suffering a serious knee injury this offseason, but his faith clearly hasn't waned ... 'cause the Dolphins star just got a huge, new torso tattoo to honor his belief in his religion.

Andres Ortega and his Onder Ink team -- Abrianna, Allan, Sarahi and Gerardo -- flew down to Miami this week to put the tats on the cornerback ... while he continues to recover from meniscus surgery.

The new ink features several religious components -- including a bible with a sword, fruit, and a lamb.

There's also a lion, a warrior and a toy soldier -- items Ortega says Ramsey wanted to represent his role as a protector.

In total, the artwork took about eight hours to complete ... and Ortega tells TMZ Sports the football player ended up super happy with the finished product.

In fact, Ortega says Ramsey's looking for him to come back soon to tattoo a couple other things on the final bit of open space on his stomach.