Family

Real talk last week after a Dru Hill show in DC -- the 90s R&B group said they're still kickin' for one reason and one reason only ... to put food on the table for their families.

The singers were sitting for an interview Wednesday with AOSTL media group reporter Donna Jones -- she tried to ask how the guys deal with the ups and downs of a music career ... and Sisqo tried to give a thoughtful response ... but his pal Nokio cut him off.

We won't ruin it ... but Nokio doesn't mince words.

Simon Cowell's two dogs are puppies non grata on the beach in Miami -- the TV mogul was just warned by cops to get them off the sand ... or else.

Simon's been chilling in the sun all day with GF Lauren Silverman and their newborn son Eric -- but despite the beach's explicit NO DOGS ALLOWED rule, he brought along his two Yorkshire Terriers Squiddly and Diddly.

We're told a police officer gave Simon an official warning ... and Simon and Lauren took off soon after.

We almost felt bad for the dogs ... almost.

Eddie Murphy does NOT own the name Murphy ... and an indignant comedian -- Brando Murphy -- is determined to prove that point with a new $50 MILLION defamation lawsuit.

Brando claims Eddie is hell-bent on destroying his career, which Brando thinks is rooted in absurd vanity.

It looks like Brando is trying out new material in his lawsuit, saying, "The name Murphy is of Irish decent ... and not exclusive to Eddie Murphy, a 'Black Man' of African Ancestry and a purported African American."

As for Eddie's grumblings that Brando tries to look and act like him, Brando fires back, "[i] did not create [myself] and that the way [I] looks is an act of GOD."

Brando says he never tried to pass himself as Eddie's son. He does not address the fact that he appeared in the stage act, Sons of Comedy, which also featured Richard Pryor's son.

BTW ... Brando also claims one of Eddie's people threatened to have him killed.

For his troubles ... Brando wants a modest $50 mil.

Robin Thicke is one sick dad.

Robin cancelled his concert Saturday at Orlando's Universal Studios because of voice problems ... but still pulled himself together to hit up Disneyland with his son.

Robin also canceled his Friday show in Atlanta. It's unclear specifically what ails him but whatever it is ... it must not be contagious because he spent most of the day Sunday waiting in long lines.

Disneyland ... where the lines are 95% of the fun.

Joe Jackson has a mysterious benefactor ... who just bailed him out of tax debt ... and we think we know who that person is.

Joe owed just over $70,000 in back California taxes ... way back, as in 1996.

Joe just didn't pay ... but suddenly -- 4 days ago -- the debt was cleared.

Joe doesn't have a lot of spare cash lying around these days, so who paid the dough? It's highly unlikely/out of the question that the Michael Jackson Estate anted up for Joe.

So the logical person is the one we're going with -- Katherine Jackson, who gets around $100K a month from the Estate. And even though Katherine and Joe don't live together, he has a lot of influence over her. And there's this ... his last known address is Katherine's house.

Educated guess, but we'd put money on it.

Simon Cowell is not a slave to convention ... because his baby did what most don't -- and what some doctors say is dangerous for newborns ... his kid jetted to Miami for some fun in the sun.

As for flying ... there's a risk for mere mortals because of germs --- newborns are fragile because of their developing immune system ... but Simon flies private so it clearly minimizes the risk.

But some docs do advise against any flying because of pressure during the ascent and descent.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s daughter says she's being forced to hand over two of her father's prized possessions ... all because her brothers just want to make a quick buck.

Bernice King reacted to a Georgia judge's ruling last week that she must hand over MLK's Nobel Peace Prize and his Bible while she continues a legal war with her brothers Dexter King and MLK III ... who control the King Estate.

Lawyers for the brothers have said they have a lucrative offer to sell both items -- but Bernice made it clear she's against pawning off the items -- "They're very sacred, not just to me, but to a lot of people. I just don't believe, morally, that you sell it."

Brandi Glanville will not go down without a fight, now claiming ex-hubby Eddie Cibrian is making a play for money that could send her and her kids to the poor house.

Sources connected with Eddie tell TMZ ... Brandi's lawyer, Ron Rale, fired off a letter to Eddie in response to his claim that he overpaid her support money to the tune of $114,738 ... and he wants that deducted from her share of their financial settlement.

We're told the letter Eddie just got is blistering ... accusing him of trying to sandbag Brandi with a bill she simply can't afford to pay.

Screw Geico, Terrell Owens can save a whole bunch of money on child support ... just by visiting his kid -- this according court docs obtained by TMZ Sports.

T.O. -- who's had some serious money issues in his life -- just cut a huge deal with one of his baby mama's who thinks the best way to get the ex-NFL star to visit his kid is by luring him with cash.

Here's the deal ... according to court docs, obtained by TMZ Sports, Terrell has to shell out $2,250-per-month to Melanie Smith, one of T.O.'s 4 baby mamas.

But the catch ... if T.O. flies to Georgia and spends at least 6 hours with his daughter, he may deduct the cost of the flight, up to $250, from the next month's child support check.

T.O. can only use visit deduction 3-times per year -- and only once a month.

If a cash discount can't inspire T.O. to be a good dad, what will?!

When Hulk Hogan makes his long awaited return the WWE, his entire family will be there to support him ... with one big, blonde exception ... so says Hulks son.

After we broke the story that Hulk inked a deal to come back to the McMahon family business for Wrestlemania XXX ... TMZ Sports spoke with Hulk's son Nick who tells us he's pumped!

"The energy of him coming back is just insane!"

Nick says he'll be ringside to support his dad ... so will his sister Brooke -- but as for his mom Linda ... it's clear Hulk shouldn't reserve an extra seat for his ex.

Still, Nick -- who's blowin' up on the EDM scene -- tells us he's so excited for his pop, he's gonna work on a remix for the Hulkster's legendary intro music.

"Fight for what's right, FIGHT FOR YOUR LIFE"!

Rapper Ludacris wants to do something so shocking, it will send shock waves through the rap community -- he's fighting for CUSTODY of his kid.

Luda and baby mama Tamika Fuller are duking it out in an Atlanta court over custody and child support. They had a baby girl 2 months ago and Tamika's been taking care of the kid.

The rapper now says in legal docs he's a "fit and capable parent" and should get full physical custody. He offers up his parental resume, saying he's always been "an active father" to his 12-year-old girl.

Now the plot thickens.

Luda has also asked the judge to force Tamika to pay HIM child support. That's interesting, because Tamika was asking for $15K a month in child support and Ludacris pleaded poverty, saying Paul Walker's death derailed "Fast & Furious 7" and his cash flow dried up. The judge awarded her $7K a month.

You can see the pleasure in Mel Gibson's face as he left a restaurant in Malibu Friday. He didn't want to talk about Oksana Grigorieva and the fact that she has gone belly up ... filing for bankruptcy. But you can see a certain peacefulness and calm that hasn't been exactly front and center.

As we previously reported ... Oksana could have been set for life if she didn't reject Mel's $15 million settlement back in the day, when those tapes were just between them. But she got greedy, and ended up with $750K and lots of lawyers bills. And half of that money was taken away because she blabbed about Mel ... violating their confidentiality agreement.

Fact is ... Oksana is still riding Mel's gravy train. He's paying $20K a month for child support, and that will likely last until Lucia turns 18.

But Mel clearly had a good day in the Bu.

Simon Cowell was sent packing Friday ... just days after his baby was born, but not because Lauren Silverman threw him out -- because a judge laid down the law in her complicated custody case.

As we previously reported ... Lauren's nasty divorce from Andrew Silverman ended with a custody arrangement for their 7-year-old son Adam, which required Lauren to keep Simon away from the kid for a year. Adam stayed with Lauren over the last few days, which meant Simon needed to skedaddle.

Simon moved into the swanky St. Regis Hotel in NYC ... but we're told he moved back with Lauren when Adam left.

As for the immediate future ... we're told Simon will stay in NYC for 4 to 5 weeks, until their baby is allowed to fly. The new family will then go to London for "X Factor" auditions. They'll be in the UK for around 3 weeks and then return to NYC.

Our Simon sources say he and Lauren will split their time between NYC and London, and since he has a plane it's no big deal.

Snooki is plumping up again ... but not 'cause she's eating too much -- the "Jersey Shore" store is having another baby!

Snooks is reportedly a few months pregnant but is keeping things under wraps so it doesn't torpedo some lucrative appearances she has lined up -- according to Page Six.

Sources close to the couple told TMZ a similar story this week ... but we got radio silence from her camp.

Bite me once shame on you ... the new pastor in the "Snake Salvation" church will NOT accept medical treatment today if he's bitten by the rattlesnake that killed his father exactly one week ago.

Cody Coots tells TMZ ... he will indeed handle the deadly snake during the afternoon Kentucky service. What's more, he says there will be NO anti-venom meds on hand in case the snake attacks again.

And ... if he's bitten and paramedics rush to the church, he'll send them away ... just like his dad Jamie Coots did.

Jason Biggs' wife just dished out a healthy dose of reality to potential parents ... by tweeting a pic of her placenta in all its bloody glory.

Biggs' wife Jenny Mollen popped out Sid Biggs Saturday afternoon ... and then shared the placenta photo with the caption, "Hope I'm not 'over sharing' but there's no denying my placenta looks super hot and thin in this pic."

The new mom says she wanted to turn her nutrition sac into a pill ... but docs advised against it -- so now she's saving it for a cake topper on Sid's 1st b-day.