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Forget jewelry, cars and fancy booze ... top NFL draft prospect Ikem Ekwonu tells TMZ Sports he's gunnin' to buy a dope new pad as the first big purchase with his rookie money!!

The former N.C. State offensive lineman -- who's projected to be a top-five pick on Thursday night in Las Vegas -- says once the cash hits his bank account following the draft, he'll be looking to spend some of it on a new place.

"I'll find a nice place to stay," "Ickey" told us out in Vegas on Wednesday night. "Apartment, condo -- something."

Ekwonu will certainly have a lot of grandiose homes to choose from when the shopping begins ... because, after all, top-five picks in the draft make around $30 million on their initial deals.

As for where Ekwonu will be buying the land -- no one's sure yet ... some experts have him going to the Jacksonville Jaguars at #1 overall, and some have him going to the Houston Texans at #3.

Tokyo Toni is putting a hard stop to folks who say Blac Chyna is violent ... insisting she's not and never has been.

We caught up with Tokyo Toni, Wednesday at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse and she told us, her daughter isn't a threat to anyone. Toni says Blac Chyna is not that kinda girl. She was quick to add, the Kardashians are the violent ones, saying their show, 'KUWTK,' proves it.

TT tells us ... they're all trying to paint her and her daughter as crazy people, but in reality, they are just standing up for their rights.

Toni might have a hard time convincing some folks because she's had issues of her own.

Remember ... Tokyo was actually banned from the courtroom after firing shots at the Kardashians on Instagram live. She dug herself into a deeper hole after threatening the judge for kicking her out, saying ... "I'm gonna get that judge".

We should note, TT later backtracked and said she was referring to Kris Jenner when she used the word "judge" -- not the actual one in court ... though in context, that makes no sense.

As we reported, Black Chyna is suing the Kardashians for $100 mil ... for allegedly getting her 2017 reality show, with Rob Kardashian, canceled.

Deebo Samuel should backpedal on trade requests and stay in San Francisco ... so says Dez Bryant -- who's advising the wideout to reconsider his future with the 49ers.

Dez explained his thoughts on the situation to TMZ Sports at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas on Wednesday night ... saying he believes Samuel might regret it if he is ultimately traded this offseason.

Bryant tells us he's concerned Samuel won't be used well in a system outside of San Francisco's -- and he's hopeful Deebo will see that and mend the fences with the Niners before they jettison him.

"If we strictly talking about football," Dez said, "I think the 49ers is a great place for him. Kyle Shanahan, he is a genius. He knows how to get you the ball. And, a lot of organizations don't know how to do that."

Don't get it twisted ... Dez says Deebo still deserves a massive contract -- and he tells us if he were runnin' the Niners, he'd have no problem cutting that fat check for the superstar receiver.

"Pay him what he wants," Bryant said. "Go ahead and pay him, because he deserves it."

Deebo, though, seems to be firm in his demands to leave the Bay Area -- in fact, over the weekend, he was seen making an "it's over" gesture regarding his Niners career while partying at a nightclub.

Transportation Secretary, Pete Buttigieg, is here to clear up why the federal government seems to be pushing back on mask mandates that were set to expire.

The cabinet member formerly known as Mayor Pete came on "TMZ Live" and offered some much-needed clarity on the whole mask mandate confusion, particularly on planes -- namely, whether people still have to wear them.

As you know, a federal judge struck down the Biden administration's mask mandate rule for air travel earlier this month -- giving people the right to go maskless if they want -- but since then the DOJ has appealed the decision, and wants to make its case in court.

Of course, the reason people are scratching their heads ... if the federal mask mandate was going to end on May 3 anyway, why are Biden and co. trying to reinstate it?

As PB explains here ... it's not so much that President Biden wants to force people to mask up again, but more so -- trying to define and establish the federal government's legal authority on this sort of issue, which the judge kinda flouted with their ruling.

With that said, Pete says at this moment ... people do NOT have to mask up while flying, as long as the airline doesn't require it -- and none of them do, currently. As for ground-level public transit -- that's up to local, city or county policy.

Check out the full interview on Thursday's "TMZ Live," because we also grilled the Secretary on that infuriating issue affecting all of us ... gas prices!!!

After talking shop ... we kinda nerded out with Pete on his 2 babies, whom he welcomed to the world with his husband, Chasten, last year. We get into the nitty-gritty (and poopy) ... and it sounds like Pete's enjoying parenthood to no end.

Melissa Gorga says she's on good terms with Teresa Giudice despite all the bad blood between her husband and her sister-in-law on the upcoming 'RHONJ' reunion show.

We got the 'Real Housewives' star leaving 1 Hotel West Hollywood and asked her about the state of her relationship with Teresa, who was seen arguing with Joe Gorga backstage in a preview for the reunion.

Melissa says all the fighting on camera doesn't change the fact she, Joe and Teresa are all family ... which to her means they're always on good terms. Seems blood is thicker than water for Melissa.

It's a pretty interesting response from Melissa ... considering she was on 'Watch What Happens Live' just last week, telling Andy Cohen she and Teresa haven't spoken since the reunion.

Still, it's clear there are lingering issues between Melissa and Teresa, which appear to come to a head during the reunion ... she tells us they don't speak to each other unless cameras are rolling.

The preview even shows Joe storming off the set after telling his fellow cast members, "I'm done, f*** you people" ... Melissa says it's a sign of how crazy the reunion show has become 'cause the men are now the ones walking off in a huff.

A sex worker in Nevada tells TMZ Sports she's so grateful for the revenue that the NFL Draft has brought her this month ... she wants to give Thursday's #1 overall pick a free "sex romp."

Roxanne Price -- a 27-year-old licensed sex worker -- tells us that Las Vegas escorts have taken a hit during the COVID pandemic ... but with the NFL draft coming to town this week, big money is finally starting to come back to the industry.

And, Price wants to thank the NFL for it all ... specifically by giving the draft's #1 overall pick this week top-notch service at the Chicken Ranch Brothel just outside of Las Vegas -- 100% free!

"The least I can do is offer the top draft pick the most valuable thing I possess, my premium erotic services at no charge," Price tells us. "It's my way of saying, 'Thank you' to the athletes that inspire us all."

Roxanne -- the 2017 Lover of the Year winner -- tells us her offer comes with a complimentary limo service and a promise to "cater to his fantasies."

And, if the #1 pick doesn't have time this weekend, Roxanne tells us he can schedule it for a future date.

FYI ... according to most mock drafts, the Jaguars will likely pick either Georgia pass rusher Travon Walker or Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson with the top pick.

This season of "The Masked Singer" has been plagued with security issues ... and with the season finale approaching, the team is doing everything it can to keep a lid on the show's best-kept secrets.

Our sources say fans and paparazzi have been outside the studio, trying to snap pics through cracks in the fence -- some have even climbed on top of cars to get shots over the barricade.

We're told the studio has seen an increased swarm of people at the entry gate, and it's creating headaches for producers as they try to deal with everyone trying to sneak a peek.

To avoid leaks, the set designers stepped up in a big way ... they worked closely with the 'MS' security team and used set pieces from past performances to build a makeshift barricade outside the studio!

Sounds like lugging giant sets outside and repurposing them as a blockade was an exhausting ordeal, but ended up being worth the effort. Producers were worried that one open sliver would give photogs the shots they were after ... but luckily no pics made it to the light of day.

Howie Mandel's happy to be out of his quarantine after getting COVID ... but says his time locked away drove him insane, and thinks being vulnerable about your mental health is important now more than ever.

Howie was on "TMZ Live" Wednesday to talk about his new show "Bullsh*t the Game Show" ... but before pitching his show, he opened up about his intense struggle with the virus ... which he contracted during his first public outing -- the Kids' Choice Awards.

He makes it clear ... the physical symptoms weren't bad, but the collateral damage to his mental health was real. Howie's a big proponent of talking about these struggles ... it definitely has helped him navigate troubled waters.

As for his new Netflix game show, Howie says he's been offered a bunch of game show hosting gigs, but this one checks all the boxes. It's not only fun, contestants can win a million bucks!

Blac Chyna is getting some serious law enforcement protection as she battles the Kardashian family in court ... getting a personal escort from Sheriff's Deputies as she navigates the courthouse.

Check out the video, you see Chyna and her team surrounded by at least 3 deputies during a courtroom break Wednesday. Our law enforcement sources tell us it's standard for all parties involved in high-profile cases to be provided security during their trials.

This means the Kardashians have the same protections as Chyna -- including a private room they are taken to during breaks -- and armed security that stand outside the door. There were reports only the family had protections, which clearly isn't the case.

Wednesday's testimony hasn't been as explosive as other days, Corey Gamble and Chyna's former attorney, Walter Mosley, have taken the stand so far.

"Selling Sunset" has been hit with another COVID setback, star Maya Vander tells us she's tested positive and has given her castmates a heads-up that it's possible they could've been exposed during the show's reunion.

Maya says she tested negative on Friday for the show's reunion taping on Sunday. She tells us she began to feel ill on Tuesday, and has now tested positive. Out of a precaution, Maya says she let her castmates who were filming with her Sunday that she has COVID, just in case there was a chance of exposure.

However, Vander traveled from L.A. back to Florida Sunday after the filming, so she believes there's a chance she got it on the plane ... as she never had any symptoms prior to Tuesday.

Luckily, Maya says she's feeling ok and just has some body aches. She says everyone else on the cast is feeling fine.

Of course, Maya's positive test comes on the heels of COVID controversy with "Selling Sunset" villain Christine Quinn. Quinn skipped out on the show reunion after her rep told us she tested positive for COVID on Saturday.

That positive test became much more interesting when TMZ obtained photos of Quinn at a photoshoot from Tuesday -- just 3 days after her alleged positive COVID result -- and leading many to believe she faked having COVID to avoid confrontation at the reunion.

The CDC recommends someone who tests positive should remain in isolation for at least 5 days following a positive test.

There's new buzz President Biden is seriously mulling a move with huge consequences for college grads -- canceling student debt ... something Rep. Rashida Tlaib is totally behind.

The Michigan congresswoman gave us her 2 cents Wednesday on Capitol Hill -- this amid new reports suggesting Biden has signaled to different caucus leaders this week he might, in fact, be ready to nix a significant amount of Dept. of Education loans for millions of Americans ... and as you can see, she's more than ready to see that happen.

Rep. Tlaib says she appreciates the Biden administration having pushed back the repayment start date for folks time and again throughout the pandemic -- the goal post was moved yet again earlier this year for payments to begin in August -- but she says that's not good enough.

She describes how scores of young people who are bogged down with thousands upon thousands in loans feel like they can't even begin to climb out of that hole ... and that if the prez helps 'em out, it will be a major relief that'll allow them to get ahead in life.

In the same breath, she takes some shots at billionaires like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos -- who've reportedly made even more money these past 2 years -- by claiming they don't do enough for society ... but rather, are more interested in building their own wealth.

That, of course, is up for debate ... but the Representative thinks erasing these loans is a great first step for ordinary citizens. Sen. Bernie Sanders agrees -- he, too, was out championing the push to cancel student debt ... and has some youthful backing behind him.

DaBaby's legal team says folks are wrong for jumping to conclusions over a recently surfaced video of the rapper shooting and killing a man at a Walmart ... they say it actually supports the rapper's defense.

Here's the deal ... Rolling Stone published surveillance footage Sunday from the 2018 fatal shooting in North Carolina, and the article appeared to question DaBaby's self-defense narrative.

DaBaby's lawyers, Drew Findling and Marissa Goldberg, tell TMZ ... the video was reviewed by prosecutors back in 2018  ... and they concluded DaBaby acted in self-defense and therefore was not prosecuted for homicide.

We're told the video was even viewed by a Mecklenburg County judge in connection with a misdemeanor charge for not having the proper permits for his gun.

As for the self-defense part, DaBaby told cops the victim and another accomplice were following him around the Walmart store, and allegedly threatened him and flashed a gun ... causing him to feel the need to protect himself.

Kylie Jenner is making a move to expand her makeup empire ... it looks like she now wants her cosmetics line to cover magic potions for eyes.

Kylie's company filed trademark docs to lock up the rights to a name for her potential new revenue stream ... "KYLASH."

According to the docs, obtained by TMZ, Kylie is looking to use "KYLASH" in her growing makeup line to include more products ... including extension fibers, cosmetic preparations, tints and serums for eyelashes.

The docs make it look like Kylie also wants to slap the name on eye makeup remover and mascara. So, she's covering all her bases.

"Selling Sunset" star Christine Quinn missed the reunion show Sunday because she says she had COVID, which makes this photo of her on a film set Tuesday very interesting.

We've obtained a photo of Quinn on her phone, while crew members stand around her to prepare for a shot. What's interesting ... it's 'RHONJ' star Melissa Gorga seated next to her.

Unclear what this gig entails, but her rep told us Monday Christine had to miss the "Selling Sunset" reunion over the weekend after testing positive for COVID on Saturday.

Of course, the CDC recommends ... someone who has tested positive for COVID should isolate for at least 5 days. Quinn's obviously not doing that, and while one of the crew members is masked up, Christine isn't.

If you've followed the most recent season of "Selling Sunset," you know Christine is the show's villain -- so when TMZ broke the story she'd have to miss the reunion because her rep said she had COVID, a ton of the show's fans thought she might've been faking it to avoid confrontation with the other cast members.

At this point, we're hoping she was faking COVID, cuz showing up to work just a few days after a positive test doesn't seem to be a very safe way of doing business.

Caroline Schwitzky, famous for appearing on ''90 Day Fiancé," survived an alleged murder attempt by her boyfriend after witnesses say he tried to strangle and drown her ... this according to law enforcement.

Officers for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission say the alleged murder attempt went down Sunday in West Palm Beach, FL ... where witnesses told police Caroline and Cole Goldberg, whom she says is her boyfriend of 1 year, got into a heated argument on a boat.

According to the report, obtained by TMZ, witnesses told cops Caroline tried to get away from Cole, but he was holding and aggressively grabbing her to keep her onboard. The struggle went on for around 20 minutes, and then Caroline began punching Cole's arms to free herself.

Officers say they were told Caroline eventually managed to break free and jump off the boat, swimming toward a nearby boat. Cole apparently jumped in after her, caught up to her in the water and allegedly tried to push her under.

Witnesses also claimed Cole grabbed Caroline by the throat with both hands, attempting to strangle her while holding her under the water in a rage.

The people who claim they saw it all go down told officers ... they screamed at Cole to stop, to no avail ... he kept holding Caroline underwater.

According to the report, several people from a nearby boat jumped in the water to rescue her. They managed to pull Caroline up and away from Cole, and even used a stick to keep him at bay.

Officers arrested Cole for attempted first-degree murder. He was also hit with a battery charge.

The report says Caroline, a CEO of a Miami talent agency who appeared on "90 Day Fiance: Happily Ever After?" back in 2016, also had bruises on her arm.

According to jail records, 23-year-old Cole was booked just after midnight Monday and was released a few hours later after posting a $60,000 bond.

A vacant lot just steps away from Beyoncé's childhood home now has a new buyer ... and no, it won't be used as a shrine for the singer!!!

Real estate investor, Kevin Wright, tells TMZ … the land located on Rosedale Street in Houston is now spoken for ...  the 8,640 sq. ft. lot is selling for $310k.

The lot abuts the house where Beyoncé spent her early years. The Knowles family actually bought the home back in 1981 for $64k. They ended up moving out before Solange was born in 1986.

Kevin originally listed the property with a sign that said "Build On Beyonce's Old Block" ... and we're told that's exactly what the next buyer wants to do ... build a new home.

The buyer's real estate agent, Yvonne Bonner-Holley, says it's no surprise ... the buyer is a Bey fan like most people in the Houston area, but that's not what drove the sale ... it happens to be a beautiful, historic neighborhood.