Money

Distraught Juice WRLD fans can take comfort ... plans for a new mural honoring him are already coming together after the original was abruptly removed from its Chicago site.

Peter Jideonwo, manager to the late "Lucid Dreams" rapper, tells TMZ Hip Hop that he and the family still have no clue who painted over the mural, which had become a beloved cultural landmark.

Thousands of fans flew to the windy city to see the original piece since its intro back in 2020 ... honoring Juice after his December 2019 death from a drug overdose.

The art piece cost the 999 Squad $50K to enlist artist Corey Pane.

No one has taken ownership of clearing the mural and the Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation even conducted a paint test to prove it had nothing to do with it.

The city agency tells us there are protocols in place for artists to register, and to be notified when their graffiti is slated to be removed as well.

Although they're still in the early planning stages, Peter tells us he and the rest of Juice’s team are not only plotting how the new installation can be a better piece, but also one that withstands vandals or accidents going forward.

Grammy-winner Robert Glasper is thankful for Chris Brown's temper tantrum about this year's Grammy ceremony ... mainly because the controversy helped line his pockets!!!

We caught up with Rob at LAX, where he told us he's still raking in the residuals from his "Black Radio III" album.

If you remember, the project took home the "Best R&B Album" Grammy in February -- and Chris cast a bigger spotlight on Robert's win with a sore loser reaction ... asking his 130 million+ followers "Who The F*CK is Robert Glasper?"

Rob eventually got an apology from Chris, but even better than that -- he sold the negative question on t-shirts, which he says earned him enough to buy a really nice car.

Our only question now is ... are we talking a Bentley or a very brand-new Buick?!!

He also says Chris' viral outburst scored him around 20,000 new followers and several musicians flooded his DMs hoping to collaborate.

Aretha Franklin's incredible talent could be passed on to strangers if you believe in osmosis, because her childhood home is up for sale.

The all-brick pad is located in Detroit. The house was originally listed back in January but the sale fell through ... so it's back on the market for $379,900.

Aretha and her family moved from Memphis to Detroit when she was just a kid. The future Queen of Soul called this place home from the ages of 5 to 18.

The house was abandoned in recent years before the current sellers bought it, and renovations have been started, but the new owners will likely have their work cut out for them.

The 3-story home located in Detroit's Historic La Salle Gardens has 6 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms. There are brick fireplaces throughout and original hardwood floors. There's a carriage house with enough room for 4 cars and a 1-bedroom unit upstairs. So you get a lot for $379k.

Aretha went back to visit the home in 2011 and said back in its day it was the most beautiful place she'd ever seen.

Whoever scoops it up is bound to gain r-e-s-p-e-c-t from their neighbors.

Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos were on the same Formula One turf this weekend -- and seeing how they didn't cross paths ... it would seem Miami's big enough for the two of them.

The mega-billionaires paid a visit Saturday to the 2023 Formula One Miami Grand Prix at the Miami International Autodrome ... where they visited different garages and took in the sights -- separate from one another -- for the final practice laps ahead of the main event Sunday.

Jeff and Lauren Sanchez hit up the McLaren pit wall... and looked very much like the power couple they often seem to be. The pair was hand in hand and rocking orange lanyards.

Elon, meanwhile, also brought along some company for his trip to Red Bull squad's station ... looks like his young son, X, was the special guest of honor -- and could be seen hanging on tight to his pops while getting an up-close view of the race cars and drivers. Lucky kid.

Now, as far as 'fits go ... you might argue Jeff was looking a little more stylish than his Tesla counterpart -- who was wearing a straight-up dad hat, sans any other accessories.

We're learning more about the financial pressures TikTok dad Bobby Moudy was experiencing in the weeks leading up to his suicide -- the father of 3 had just lost his house.

A rep for Rankin County, Mississippi tells us the Moudy home was recently sold at auction after going into foreclosure. What's more, Moudy's wife, Jennifer, tells us she had no idea about the issues with the house ... making his death, and the fallout from it, even more challenging.

Not only that, we're told no one around Bobby had any idea he was struggling, and the suicide has everyone stunned -- it just wasn't something they thought he'd ever do. The family also understands Bobby was battling more than just financial issues, and was clearly struggling mentally as well.

Jennifer tells us Bobby never wanted to be a burden, and the family is really relying on their community for support. Next steps will be grief counseling for both Jennifer and the couple's 3 kids -- ages 10, 12 and 19.

She says despite the family's newfound financial struggles, their daughter Kaytlin will still be able to go to college in the fall. As we reported, there's been a GoFundMe set up to benefit the Moudys.

As for Bobby's popular TikTok account, Jennifer says she and Kaytlin will take it over, in the near future, with the same fun vibe. Jennifer tells us the profile will also be used to bring awareness to suicide and people who might be suffering in silence.

Jennifer says it gave Bobby joy to showcase his family through TikTok and he loved making people laugh. She says he was proud of his family, and he got enjoyment from giving others enjoyment.

TMZ broke the story ... Moudy took his own life in the family home April 28. A family rep said "Bobby was full of life and laughs, but also weighed down by financial pressures. His wife, Jennifer and their three children are in an emotional and financial crisis as he was their rock."

Screenwriter Jim Herzfeld, famous for his work on "Meet the Fockers" and "Meet the Parents," doesn't think a computer can replace him in Hollywood ... he says AI jokes suck.

We got Jim in the picket line outside Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, CA asked him how artificial intelligence is affecting the writers' strike.

Jim, one of the most prolific writers on strike, sounds pretty confident he's not about to be replaced by ChatGPT ... but he still wants to see guardrails in place so none of the more than 11,000 film and TV writers on strike have their livelihoods negatively impacted by the emerging technology.

As a veteran writer, Jim remembers the last strike in 2007-08, when the internet was a huge issue, and he sees parallels between the way studios approached yesterday's tech and today's AI.

Jim says AI doesn't have the heart or soul of a human, therefore computers can't tell stories the way Hollywood writers can ... so listen for his "Meet The Fockers" joke, because it's a prime example of the limits he sees with AI.

Turns out, the picket lines full of WGA members aren't exactly such a bad place to be, as protesters are getting treated to live music and tons of free grub ... thanks to some pretty big names.

Friday marks the 4th day since the union voted to suspend all work, with members -- and even pre-WGA folks -- striking outside Disney, Paramount, Warner Brothers, Netflix, and other major studios.

One of the many celebs showing their support was 'SNL' alum Pete Davidson ... who pulled up to a strike in New York with boxes of pizza -- a sweet essential for those marching for hours on end.

On the West Coast, peeps striking outside Paramount and Netflix were greeted by a waffle food truck -- courtesy of the 'Late-Night' gang ... AKA Jimmy Fallon, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers, and John Oliver. Best part? The food was free!

Turns out, Kimmel's assistant put in the call on behalf of his talk show brothers, ordering food for 600 people ... the truck owner says he even gave them a discount to rent it out!

Netflix even had a live mariachi band out front, too ... pretty rad!

Writer, actress, and producer Mindy Kaling was also at the Paramount lot, joining those asking execs to give a fair, living wage to the thousands that believe they've been cheated in the era of streaming and AI.

Taylor Swift's former townhouse -- the same one that inspired a fan-favorite tune -- on Cornelia Street in Manhattan has just hit the market.

Laurence Carty, the real estate broker who holds the listing, tells TMZ ... the place is hitting the market Friday, rent is $49,500 per month for a 12-month lease. Laurence says the owner would also consider a sale, price upon request.

Taylor famously lived in the townhouse in 2016 and 2017 ... renting it from Laurence, who later sold the place to the current owner.

She wrote about the place in a song called "Cornelia Street" on her 2019 album, "Lover," and the track is a fan favorite. Some of the lyrics include, "I rent a place on Cornelia Street."

Swifties believe Taylor alludes to ex-boyfriend Joe Alwyn on the track, singing ... "And I hope I never lose you, hope it never ends // I'd never walk Cornelia Street again // That's the kind of heartbreak time could never mend."

The home is three stories of pure luxury ... it comes with an indoor pool, 3 gas fireplaces and a rooftop terrace with sweeping views of Manhattan.

The 4-bedroom townhouse is in the heart of the West Village ... two of the guest suites come with private terraces, en-suite baths and walk-in closets ... and the master has a private patio with a gas fireplace, plus a walk-in closet, marble bath and a glass shower with a skylight.

Add 50 Cent, Shaq and Kenya Barris to the growing list of high-powered celebs interested in buying BET, we've learned the group is making a massive push to strike a deal.

Sources with direct knowledge tell us 50 and Kenya were spotted at the Paramount offices in NYC earlier this week to talk business, and the possibility of buying the network.

As for the cash ... we're told 50, Shaq and Kenya are fully loaded and ready to make an offer with some help from CVC -- an investment company.

Of course, there's still a lot to be worked out before anything is finalized, as one source told us, "It's not a done deal, but they're deep in it."

The trio makes a lot of sense, 50 had a ton of success on Starz, and recently signed a multi-year deal with FOX that's sure to net him a boatload of cash. Not to mention, he also just announced his global "The Final Lap" tour to celebrate 20 years of "Get Rich or Die Trying" ... so he's clearly still super connected in the music biz.

Then there's Shaq and Kenya who have massive TV deals -- and Kenya with an impressive resume of producing, directing and writing credits.

As we reported ... Diddy is also among the names that have thrown their hat in the ring as an interested party. TV moguls Tyler Perry and Byron Allen are also reportedly in serious talks to buy the network.

Tekashi 6ix9ine is ripping Billboard's decision to allow artist merchandise to count toward record sales again, because he's claiming his success was the only reason it stopped doing that in the first place!!!

Billboard revealed Thursday its new rules would become effective on June 30 ... prompting Tekashi to share his own soured experiences.

Back in May 2020, Tekashi kicked off promotion for his sophomore album "Tattletales" with the single "Gooba," and accused Billboard of screwing with his numbers after its No. 3 debut ... while also alleging Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande's teams were buying their own releases to cheat the system.

Tekashi says he sold 3 million in merch for "Gooba" alone but was betrayed by Billboard, who later denied all wrongdoing, as did reps for the Biebz and Ariana.

A couple of years back, Nicki Minaj and Travis Scott faced similar controversies after Astroworld tour tickets influenced the top Billboard spot ... but Tekashi is telling his fans and haters alike they definitely made the change because of him.

Billboard is calling the newest rule change "fan packs," which allows for a limited number of merch items to be counted toward the album charts ... and Tekashi says it's all smoke and mirrors to make struggling artists appear bigger than they are.

The publication also highlighted a "day-long meeting" they conducted with record labels where one exec practically begged them to bring back artist bundles.

Bobby Moudy, the father of 3 who gained TikTok fame by posting wholesome content with his family, has died ... TMZ has learned.

Moudy's family writes, "Bobby was a loving father, husband, brother and friend. On April 28th, he was a tragic victim of suicide. Bobby was full of life and laughs, but also weighed down by financial pressures. His wife, Jennifer and their three children are in an emotional and financial crisis as he was their rock."

The circumstances surrounding Moudy's suicide are currently unclear, but we know he died at home in Mississippi.

If you were one of the more than 500k followers of the Moudy family accounts, you know Moudy posted a ton of videos of his wife and kids, often using humor to share his life as a dad.

Friends of the Moudy family have established a GoFundMe to help the family through their loss and financial struggles in the wake of Bobby's death.

Bobby leaves behind his wife Jennifer, and kids Kaytlin, Max and Charleigh.

He was only 46.

RIP

Jason Sudeikis and Olivia Wilde are firing back at their former nanny -- the same woman who has allegedly been going after them for a while -- ripping her for airing dirty laundry in the media and seeking to have her lawsuit against them moved to a private arbitrator.

According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Jason and Olivia say Ericka Genaro's civil suit never should have been filed in a California court. If she wanted to sue them, they say she should have taken up her beef in a private arbitration in New York.

Jason and Olivia tell TMZ ... "It is unfortunate that this private matter continues to play out in the press. Our focus has been and will continue to be to steadfastly protect our family in the face of harassment of any kind. We are confident that the evidence brought forward will affirm our position to summarily dismiss this case and bring our family peace."

TMZ broke the story ... the nanny took the ex-couple to court back in February, claiming they drove her to her wit's end and then some.

Genaro says she worked for Jason and Olivia from 2018 to 2021, claiming she had a ton of extra duties dumped on her plate when Olivia started dating Harry Styles.

Jason and Olivia say the issues only started after Genaro wanted her salary doubled again and to be paid tax-free.

In her suit, the nanny also claimed Jason would vent to her about Olivia and Harry, adding to an already stressful job. Genaro says medical professionals told her to take a break from working because of stress and anxiety, and she claims when she told Jason she was going to step away, he fired her on the spot. She claims she was wrongfully terminated and says Jason and Olivia violated other California labor laws.

But, Jason and Olivia say not so fast.

In their filing, JS and OW claim Genaro was generously paid, even had her salary doubled at the end of 2020, was regularly given raises and was well taken care of by the family.

What's more, Jason and Olivia say Genaro broke her contract by blabbing to the media, claiming she threatened their family by saying she "can be ruthless" and advertising her willingness to "dish" about her time as their nanny.

Jason and Olivia say Genaro resigned and wasn't fired ... and they say they paid for her and her dog to stay for weeks at the Rosewood Hotel in London even after she resigned, footing the bill for over $22,000 worth of in-room food and alcohol charges.

They say she was also reimbursed for $17,000 worth of charges for travel arrangements from London to the U.S.

Incredible gesture from Luka Doncic ... the NBA superstar is paying for the funerals of the victims who were killed this week in a mass shooting at an elementary school in Serbia, TMZ Sports has confirmed.

The tragic incident happened Wednesday morning ... when officials say a 13-year-old student opened fire inside Vladislav Ribnikar primary school, killing eight children and a security guard.

Six other children and one teacher were also injured. The alleged shooter was arrested.

Doncic -- whose father is from Serbia and still has family in the area -- was so moved by the tragedy, a rep for the basketball player told us on Thursday he's covering the funeral costs for the victims as well as providing grief counseling for classmates and school staffers.

"I am heartbroken by the tragic school shooting in Serbia and the loss of lives, including those of innocent school children," Doncic said in a statement. "My thoughts are with the families and the entire community affected by this tragedy."

R&B emeritus Ye Ali doesn't give a damn how much Nick Cannon has to shell out for his kids -- he wants his money, pronto, for an uncleared Chris Brown song he claims Nick swindled from him!!!

Nick was pleasantly enjoying his Thursday on Twitter, joking about impregnating the entire world, when Ye intercepted his message with fiery rebuttals ... making fans aware of his issues with the "Wild 'N Out" creator.

Back in 2021, Nick released his movie "She Ball" ... which featured a snippet of the unreleased CB track "Drive." Ye says he had a hand in creating the song originally cut for a Breezy studio album, and he claims RCA never gave Nick permission to soundtrack it.

According to Ye, Nick's lawyers have been stalling him out, so he felt it was time to take matters public. Nick has yet to respond ... probably because he's busy filling in for Jamie Foxx on his Beat Shazaam TV series.

We reached out to Ye to see if he plans on following through with a lawsuit. No word back -- he's plenty busy stepping on Nick's Twitter neck!!!

The Kid LAROI wants to make things right and THEN some after bailing on a recent restaurant tab -- not only by paying the bill -- but by also including an extremely generous tip.

Sources close to LAROI tell us it was actually his security team who was supposed to provide a card for his meal Tuesday night at Dublin's Pass Irish Pub & Restaurant in Springfield, Missouri ... but somehow, they forgot to get things squared away.

Our sources say LAROI and his team realized the mistake after reading our story, and reached out to restaurant staffers first thing Thursday morning.

We're told not only did LAROI cover the $133.58 bill, he also tipped their server from the night, Monique, a whopping $2,500 for all the trouble.

TMZ broke the story, LAROI and a group of buddies went to the eatery after his show, and pigged out on wings, mac & cheese, brownies and more before taking off with an open bill.

Drew Barrymore is going on strike ... she's backing out from hosting duties for the upcoming MTV Movie & TV Awards to show solidarity with the writers fighting for better pay.

The actress was supposed to host this weekend's award show, but announced Thursday she was pulling out.

Drew explained her decision in a statement to Deadline, saying ... "I have listened to the writers, and in order to truly respect them, I will pivot from hosting the MTV Movie & TV Awards live in solidarity with the strike.

She continues ... "Everything we celebrate and honor about movies and television is born out of their creation. And until a solution is reached, I am choosing to wait but I’ll be watching from home and hope you will join me."

As you know ... the Writers Guild of America started striking earlier this week, with writers going up against major studios for a bigger slice of the pie.

Drew's set to host next year's award show, and Deadline reports MTV is not going to replace her this weekend, instead opting to go without a host this year due to the strike.

The producers who put on the MTV Movie & TV Awards also sent a statement to Deadline, saying ... "We understand and deeply respect her decision. She's a legend – as a host and a fan – and we are excited to welcome her back in 2024."