Killer Mike's Son Kidney Transplant Complete ... He 'Did Really Well'
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Killer Mike and his family are breathing a collective sigh of relief ... the surgery to give his son a new kidney went successfully.
Mike tells us his 21-year-old son Mikael "Pony Boy" Render came through the transplant, and "did really well." He says Pony will be in recovery for a few hours before he's moved back to his hospital room, but they're already seeing some positive signs -- Mike says it "looks like the kidney is already working."
TMZ broke the story ... Pony went into surgery Monday morning, after waiting 3 years for a matching organ. It's been an ongoing health issue that Mike has been very open about.
His son's lifesaving surgery comes on the heels of one of Mike's most memorable days, professionally, for good and bad reasons.
As we reported, Killer Mike cleaned up at the Grammys on Sunday ... winning 3 awards for Best Rap Song, Best Rap Album and Best Rap Performance -- however, moments later he was in handcuffs for allegedly getting physical with a security guard at the Grammys venue, Crypto.com Arena.
Mike was booked for misdemeanor battery, and released on his own recognizance -- in fact, he was still able to step out Sunday night and celebrate his Grammy wins.
All of that was firmly in his rearview, though, when the family got word Pony was cleared for surgery.
While he technically still has a criminal case on his hands, you gotta imagine he's breathing easier now knowing his own flesh and blood came out the other side ... and is doing okay.
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Kim Zolciak Kroy's Leaking to Press ... Put Our Case Behind The Curtain!!!
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Kim Zolciak is apparently sick of reading about herself in the press -- something she believes Kroy Biermann may be behind ... and now she wants a judge to step in and rectify.
The reality TV star just filed new court docs, obtained by TMZ, in which she's asking the court to issue a protective order in their ongoing divorce case ... so she can redact sensitive info like certain names and financial records in the docs she's handing over as she and Kroy continue to hash out their issues.
Long story short ... Kim says there's a lot of interest in this case -- and sure, there is -- and notes that there's been press coverage at every juncture as their divorce continues to play out.
Along the way, however, Kim says some embarrassing info about herself and Kroy has surfaced amid these proceedings ... stuff that she claims she most definitely doesn't want out for the masses to read, but which she says is getting out anyway.
Thing is ... Kim here in her new docs claims she's attempted try and get on the same page with Kroy over a confidentiality order that she says she's attempted to get Kroy to agree to.
According to her ... KB flatly rejected her proposed confidentiality order ... and she says that led her to believe Kroy is actually the one leaking things to the media.
As a result, she's now begging a judge to step in with some court-ordered discretion that would help ensure sensitive info doesn't make its way into the public record.
A judge has yet to rule.
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Lil Jon Releasing Guided Meditation Album ... WHAAAT??!!
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Lil Jon's finally answering his own age-old question ... turn down for what? Try meditation, because -- strange as it sounds -- he's got a new album on the way that's way more relaxing than his crunk sound.
Music industry sources tell TMZ ... Lil Jon's recorded a guided meditation album, and while that doesn't seem in line with his trademark yelling of words like, "Yeah!" or "Whaaat?" -- it's in line with his personal life.
We're told Jon's been making fitness and wellness a big priority in his life for a while now, focusing especially on his health ... and his decision to record a meditation album is a direct byproduct.
While this will catch a lot of folks off guard -- especially those who still vibe to crunk classics like "Turn Down For What" and "Get Low" -- our sources say the album is "truthful" to who Jon's become these days, and it makes sense for him.
Basically, it sounds like he's combining his 2 passions ... wellness and music.
We're told Lil Jon's 10-track project is scheduled to drop Feb. 16, and that date doesn't sound coincidental.
As you know, Usher's performing the Super Bowl Halftime Show on Feb. 11 -- and Jon's widely rumored, if not flat out expected, to join him onstage for their smash hit, "Yeah!"
While no one's confirming his halftime cameo ... the fact Lil Jon's releasing his meditation album that same week, seems like a big clue.
Namaste tuned!
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Porn Star Emily Willis Hospitalized After Apparent OD ... In Critical Condition
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Emily Willis -- a famous porn star -- was hospitalized after an apparent overdose, and she's in bad shape as doctors work on nursing her back to health ... TMZ has learned.
Law enforcement sources tell us the adult film actress was transported to a medical facility in Thousand Oaks, CA Sunday -- this after a call for service reporting a possible OD. We're told the report came in for an unresponsive 25-year-old ... whom we've confirmed is Emily.
Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.
Our sources tell us she's currently in the critical care unit at the hospital -- although her exact condition is unknown.
One other notable tidbit -- Emily was actually transported from a well-known celeb rehab location in Malibu ... where she appears to have been receiving treatment for addiction.
Emily has been working in the porn biz since at least 2017 -- and she's been a rising star since then ... having appeared in countless videos and productions since then, and collaborating with a ton of recognizable brands like Reality Kings, Evil Angel and more.
She's also done work for Penthouse Magazine -- and actually won Pet of the Month in 2019. Emily has also made waves at AVN Awards in recent years ... so she's a known name.
Emily has even rubbed shoulders with big-time social media stars -- including David Dobrik. She was embroiled in a bit of controversy in 2021, when she filed a defamation suit against a bunch of other porn stars ... alleging they were trashing her on social media apps.
Since then, Emily has kept busy with a lot of different kinds of projects, including a handful outside of porn -- she's appeared in music videos and other promotional modeling campaigns.
Like we said ... she's incredibly popular -- with over 2 million followers on Instagram alone.
We've reached out to her camp for comment ... so far, no word back.
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Mathew Knowles dice que la discográfica de Beyoncé También es culpable del desaire de los Grammy
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Jay-Z dice que la Academia tiene la culpa de que Beyoncé nunca ganara el premio mayor en los Grammys, pero el padre de Bey dice que su propio sello discográfico también está contribuyendo al desaire.
Mathew Knowles se unió a nosotros en "TMZ Live" el lunes, y le preguntamos sobre el discurso picante de Jay en los Grammy, y lo que es la celebración de Beyoncé de nuevo de ganar el Álbum del Año.
Mientras que Jay señaló con el dedo a los votantes, Mathew afirma que el sello discográfico de Beyoncé -Columbia Records- tampoco está poniendo de su parte tras bambalinas.
Como explica Mathew, los sellos discográficos solo pueden apoyar a un artista por categoría, lo que se convierte en un problema cuando artistas del mismo sello están nominados para el mismo premio, como ha sido el caso de Beyoncé al menos dos veces.
Mathew dice que este escenario se repitió en 2017 - entre Beyoncé y Adele, que también está firmado con Columbia, ambos fueron nominados para AOTY (Álbum of the year). El padre de Bey afirma que Columbia Records lanzó su apoyo detrás de Adele y ella terminó superando a Bey para el Grammy.
Harry Styles también está en Columbia... y el año pasado venció a Beyoncé en la misma categoría.
Mathew dice que hay todo tipo de razones por las que un sello discográfico apoyaría a un artista por encima de otro. Desglosó algunos para nosotros, mientras que también señaló que no siempre se trata de la música en sí.
Jay-Z admitió en su discurso que todo este proceso es subjetivo y Mathew no niega que el dinero es un gran motivador también.
El padre de la diva parece indicar que el poder simplemente no está en su esquina para darle el premio mayor.
Por supuesto, la solución de Jay era "seguir apareciendo", hasta el punto en que ya no se pueda negar, pero Mathew está diciendo que la etiqueta de Beyonce tiene que aparecer para ella.
Es una conversación interesante y Mathew nos lleva detrás de la cortina de la nominación y el proceso de votación.
Mathew Knowles Beyoncé's Record Label Also to Blame For Grammys AOTY Snub
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Jay-Z says the Recording Academy is at fault for Beyoncé never winning the top prize at the Grammys ... but Bey's pops says her own record label is also contributing to the snub.
Mathew Knowles joined us on "TMZ Live" Monday, and we asked him about Jay's spicy speech at the Grammys, and what's holding Beyoncé back from winning Album of the Year.
While HOV pointed the finger at the voters, Mathew claims Beyonce's record label, Columbia Records, isn't doing its part behind the scenes ... suggesting it's not going to bat for her when it comes to the voting process or the lobbying involved for award shows.
As Mathew explains, record labels can only support one artist per category, which becomes an issue when artists from the same label are nominated for the same award ... as has been the case with Beyoncé at least twice.
Mathew says this exact scenario played out back in 2017 ... when Beyoncé and Adele, who is also signed to Columbia, were both nominated for AOTY. Bey's dad claims Columbia Records threw its support behind Adele, and she ended up trumping Bey for the Grammy.
Harry Styles is also on Columbia, BTW ... and last year, he beat out Beyoncé for AOTY.
Mathew says there are all sorts of reasons a record label would support one artist over another -- he broke down a few for us, while also pointing out it's not always about the music itself.
Jay-Z admitted in his speech this whole process is subjective, and Mathew's not denying that ... but he says money is a big motivator here too.
Beyoncé may very well win AOTY somewhere down the line ... but at the moment, her father seems to be implying the powers that be just aren't in her corner for the top prize.
Of course, Jay's solution was to "keep showing up," to the point where she can no longer be denied ... but Mathew's saying Beyonce's label has to show up for her.
It's an interesting conversation ... and Mathew takes us behind the curtain in the nomination and voting process.
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STEVE HARWELL, C-KNIGHT GRAMMYS MEMORIAM SNUB DISRESPECTUL ... Say Outraged Families
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Steve Harwell and C-Knight's omissions from the Grammys' "In Memoriam" segment Sunday was rude and disrespectful ... according to their nearest and dearest.
Robert Hayes, a rep for Smash Mouth's late lead singer, is hurt over the snub ... though he tells TMZ it didn't surprise him because the Recording Academy never acknowledged Steve when he was alive ... so why would they honor him when he passed?
Smash Mouth was nominated for a Grammy once, in 2000, but didn't win.
His remarks were cutting ... asking who even bothered to watch the Grammys anymore -- and expressing his belief the award ceremony hadn't been good in more than 20 years.
Steve left a lasting influence in the music industry before he passed away in Sept 2023 ... and only 2 months later, fellow artist C-Knight also died, having been taken off life support following complications from diabetes.
C-Knight's brother George Lee Blount echoed similar feelings of hurt and outrage over the "In Memoriam" exclusion.
George tells TMZ ... while C-Knight and his band The Dove Shack never scooped a Grammy, their impact on G-funk and hip hop is undeniable -- adding he was a hip hop legend, and the least they could've done was give him a mention.
George is hoping the same mistake doesn't happen again, urging the Grammys to do more research into artists to understand the hard work and sacrifice they put into their music careers.
For a fair system, he urges Grammys to be more like the BET Awards ... noting they have a better understanding of Black artists and, therefore, can appropriately award artists who've made an impact in music.
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Killer Mike Son Getting Kidney Transplant ... After Mike's Grammys Arrest
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Killer Mike's officially putting his arrest at the Grammys on the back burner, because after a long wait, his oldest son is finally getting a kidney transplant ... TMZ Hip Hop has learned.
Sources connected to the Grammy-winning rapper tell us Mike is with his son Mikael "Pony Boy" Render Monday as he undergoes the transplant surgery. The 21-year-old has been waiting for a kidney match for 3 years.
Back in November, Mikael got bumped up on the transplant waitlist, and his proud dad talked about it during an interview with Graham Bensinger.
Mike has said Mikael -- who's a musician and rapper, just like Dad -- never had a chance to fully experience his teenage years, because of his battle with kidney disease.
The fact Pony Boy's number got called for the transplant today, of all days, seems like a strange twist of fate ... considering his dad's weekend of some major ups and downs.
TMZ broke the story ... Killer Mike was awarded 3 Grammys Sunday at L.A.'s Crytpo.com Arena -- but he also got arrested.
He was booked for misdemeanor battery after allegedly knocking over a security guard at the venue, but was quickly released on his own recognizance. After getting released ... Mike was in relatively good spirits, even though he'd gone through a fairly dramatic situation.
Paps tried talking to him about it in the aftermath -- but he wasn't really trying to talk much about it ... keeping his attention on the music. In light of this news about his son ... his mind was clearly elsewhere, as he had more important matters to attend to.
Mike won Grammys for Best Rap Album, Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance -- but today his focus is purely on Mikael's surgery.
Here's hoping all goes well on that front.
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Bill Maher on Kanye West He's 'Charming Antisemite' ... But I'm Not Giving Him Air Time
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Bill Maher says Kanye West's antisemitism and appeal to young people is a dangerous mix ... which is why Kanye's appearance on Bill's podcast won't ever see the light of day.
We talked to Bill for a new "TMZ Investigates" airing Monday at 9 PM ET/8 Central on FOX -- examining how Kanye's legacy as one of the most influential hip hop artists of all time is impacted by his public outbursts and hateful remarks -- and Bill says Kanye's views are way too problematic for him.
Bill tells us the biggest problem with Kanye is how he uses his massive platform to spread antisemitic propaganda ... as BM puts it, Ye's spreading the fertilizer for antisemitism to grow.
While Bill tried to have a meaningful dialogue with Kanye, bringing him in for a two-hour conversation on the "Club Random With Bill Maher" podcast, Bill says he ultimately decided against airing the episode because he didn't want to amplify Kanye's nasty rhetoric.
DECEMBER 2022
Bill sums up his experience with Kanye this way ... Ye's a "charming antisemite."
The Kanye doc airs Monday evening on FOX at 9/8c ... as part of our "TMZ Investigates" series on Fox Monday nights ... and you won't wanna miss this.
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RAE SREMMURD's SLIM JXMMI Baby Mama Arrested ... Allegedly Punched Him!!!
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Rae Sremmurd's Slim Jxmmi told cops the mother of his child socked him in the face during a heated argument ... and she ended up getting popped for domestic violence.
According to the police report, obtained by TMZ, cops were called to the "Black Beatles" rapper's Doral, FL home on January 22 for a domestic disturbance ... and that's when Slim told them Kiara Danielson hit him.
Officers say Slim told them the dispute started with an argument over social media, with Slim trying to get Kiara to leave his place ... but things allegedly spiraled from there.
Slim told cops he threw Kiara's belongings into the yard, and that's when she got aggressive ... punching him in the face 3 times.
Kiara's telling a different story, though -- police say she claimed she whipped out her phone to record Slim during the dispute and he reached for it ... they struggled and she scratched his eye.
Cops also say she told them Slim grabbed her at one point during the fight.
The officers say Slim had a scratch on his eye, and Kiara had no visible injuries ... so they deemed her the primary aggressor, and arrested her for domestic violence.
She was hauled off to jail and booked for misdemeanor battery.
The incident went down the day after the couple had another explosive fight ... this one while at her Miami apartment.
We obtained video of that argument, showing Slim taking his belongings from her place -- so, maybe not all that shocking things boiled over 24 hours later.
It's interesting, the domestic violence arrest comes about 2 years after Slim was arrested for battery ... when he allegedly attacked Kiara during a fight that started over ... once again, social media.
That case went away when Kiara recanted her story -- but there's a disturbing pattern here.
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YG My Rams Will Be In SB Next Year ... I Guarantee It!!!
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It might be the 49ers' and the Chiefs' year this season ... but in 2025, you can bet it'll be the Rams'!!!
... at least, that's according to YG, who tells TMZ Sports he's sure L.A. will be in the Super Bowl next season.
In fact, when we got the Compton rapper out at LAX this week -- he downright guaranteed it!!
"We'll be back in the Super Bowl next year, you know what I'm saying?" he said. "That's all I'm going to say!"
Of course, YG is biased ... he's been a huge Rams fan for years -- even joining in on in-game celebrations with Robert Woods and others in the past.
But, it might very well be possible ... after all, with a depleted roster this year, LA still nearly won a road playoff game against Detroit.
There's more ... YG also gave us his prediction for the outcome of Sunday's Super Bowl -- and he even doled out some advice to Travis Kelce for how the tight end should handle his love life heading into the matchup in Las Vegas.
We also asked the "Toot It & Boot It" crooner about Shannon Sharpe's claims that Taylor Swift "moves the needle" more than Beyonce ... and ya gotta hear his F-bomb response to the eyebrow-raising remarks!
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Luann de Lesseps Great Chemistry With Joe Bradley ... But We're Not Hooking Up
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FEBRUARY 2024
Luann de Lesseps says she hit it off with Joe Bradley, but they're not banging ... at least not yet.
We got "The Real Housewives of New York" star at ABC Studios in NYC and our photog asked her about rumors Joe slept over at her house after they got super flirty on Andy Cohen's show.
Luann says they went out to have drinks after the taping and there was great chemistry between them ... but he didn't spend the night and they're not hooking up.
It's not that Luann doesn't want to sink her cougar claws into Joe ... she says the "Southern Hospitality" hunk has a girlfriend, "Summer House" star Danielle Olivera.
Luann's respecting whatever Joe and Danielle have going on ... though he's recently said they aren't official. Danielle was in the audience at Andy's show while Luann and Joe were getting flirty on camera.
But, if Joe comes back to Luann as a very single man ... she's going to pounce at the opportunity.
After all, Luann tells us she considers herself a bit of a cougar.
Your move, Joe!!!
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Kyle Richards en el concierto de Morgan Wade
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Kyle Richards estuvo presente en el concierto de Morgan Wade el sábado en Tennessee, grabando casi cada momento de la cantante country en el escenario.
La estrella de "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" se presentó en el pequeño auditorio en el County Music Hall of Fame en Nashville y se estacionó en un asiento de segunda fila entre otros 100 asistentes. Su marido, Mauricio Umansky, no estaba a la vista.
Unos minutos después de que Kyle llegara al local, Morgan subió al escenario con su compañero de banda, Clint Wells y ofrecieron una actuación de una hora.
TMZ obtuvo un video de la actuación que capturó a Kyle usando un teléfono celular para acercarse y grabar a Morgan cantando sus canciones. Nuestras fuentes dicen que Kyle parecía disfrutar de la música, moviendo la cabeza al ritmo de los sonidos.
Nos informan que Morgan reconoció a su familia en medio de la multitud. Kyle no lo hizo, pero de todas formas no se entiende como un desprecio.
Podemos decir que las cosas van de maravilla para las dos mejores amigas, pero no tanto para Kyle y Mauricio.
Todo el drama que rodea a sus problemas matrimoniales ha estado jugando en los últimos episodios de RHOBH. Kyle incluso ha aludido a terminar su matrimonio de 27 años con Mauricio si él no le presta más atención a ella en lugar de trabajar.
Kyle Richards Shows Up For Morgan Wade Concert ... Records Her Performance
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Kyle Richards was sitting front and center at Morgan Wade's concert Saturday in Tennessee ... recording almost every moment of the country singer on stage.
"The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star showed up to the small auditorium at the County Music Hall of Fame in Nashville and parked herself in a second-row seat among 100 other attendees. Of course, her estranged husband, Mauricio Umansky, was nowhere in sight.
A few minutes after Kyle arrived solo to the venue, Morgan stepped on stage with her bandmate, Clint Wells, and they put on an hour-long performance.
TMZ obtained video of the gig, which captured Kyle using a cell phone to zoom in and record Morgan belting out her tunes. Our sources say Kyle seemed to enjoy the music, bopping her head to the sounds.
We're told Morgan in between tracks acknowledged her family who was also in the crowd, but not Kyle, although it was not meant as a diss.
Safe to say things are going just swimmingly for the two BFFs ... but not so much for Kyle and Mauricio.
All the drama surrounding their marital issues has been playing out in the latest episodes of RHOBH. Kyle has even alluded to ending her 27-year marriage to Mauricio if he doesn't pay more attention to her rather than work.
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Madre de Blueface Mi hijo necesita a Stallion!!! Que se empareje con Megan
La mamá de Blueface, como la mayoría de las madres, sabe exactamente lo que su hijo necesita en una pareja, ¡¡¡y ha puesto sus ojos en Megan Thee Stallion!!!
Conversamos con Karlissa Saffold afuera de la Cárcel Central de Hombres en Los Ángeles, donde su hijo está en custodia, y le dijo a nuestro fotógrafo que está manifestando a una nueva mujer en la vida de Blue para cuando sea liberado.
Blueface tiene un par de baby mamas y un montón de chicos malos en su vida, pero Karlissa quiere que eso cambie y explica por qué las mujeres que han estado con él lo están agobiando, claramente refiriéndose a Chrisean Rock.
Karlissa dice que Megan está más al nivel de Blueface, y se los imagina galanteando juntos por Europa.
Como hemos informado, Blueface estará entre rejas hasta el verano por violar su libertad condicional debido a una agresión en 2021, por lo que Karlissa se está adelantando un poco a los hechos, pero una madre puede soñar.
El verano es el momento perfecto para visitar Europa. Por si acaso ...
De todos modos, Karlissa está enviando estas vibraciones al universo, pues piensa que los signos astrológicos de Megan y Blueface son un buen partido.
No está claro si Megan se siente de la misma manera, no es que ella tenga un gran historial con los raperos.
Por supuesto, si Megan está interesada, Karlissa seguramente tiene espacio para ella en su reality show familiar, "CixoT: LA Real Family Blues".
Blueface's Mom My Son Needs a Stallion!!! Matchmakin' with Megan
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Blueface's mom, like most moms, knows exactly what her son needs in a mate ... and she's set her sights on Megan Thee Stallion!!!
We got Karlissa Saffold outside Men's Central Jail in L.A., where her son is in custody, and she told our photog she's manifesting a new woman in Blue's life ... for when he's released, of course.
Blueface has a couple baby mamas and a bunch of baddies in his life, but Karlissa wants him to trade up ... explaining why the women he's been with are weighing him down, and clearly referring to Chrisean Rock.
Karlissa says Megan's more on Blueface's level, and she's envisioning them gallivanting across Europe together.
As we've reported, Blueface is stuck behind bars until the summer at least -- the result of violating his probation for a 2021 assault -- so, Karlissa's getting a little ahead of herself, but a mother can dream!
Summer is the perfect time to visit, Europe. Just sayin' ...
Anyways, Karlissa is sending the vibes out into the universe, and she thinks Blueface and Megan's astrological signs are a good match, too.
Unclear if Megan feels the same way -- it's not like she has a great track record with rappers.
Of course, if Megan's interested ... Karlissa's surely got room for her on their family reality show, "CixoT: LA Real Family Blues."