Lonzo Ball Shades Lakers, Ex-BBB Partner ... In New Rap Song

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UPDATE

3:28 PM PT -- Zo wants to clear the air ... saying his words are NOT supposed to be meant as a diss.

UPDATE

"I’m not dissing anybody I loved my time in LA. I use my music as an outlet to express things that happen in my life."

Lonzo Ball just shaded the hell outta his old NBA team for trading him this off-season ... and also went after his ex-business partner, Alan Foster, in the process.

It's clear, Zo is motivated by the blockbuster trade that sent him packing for NOLA in exchange for superstar Anthony Davis -- spittin', "You know I'm all about business ... L.A. is gonna regret their decision" in the hook of his song, "Last Days."

But, the Lakers aren't the only target in his song ... he also mentions his old family friend, Foster, who he's currently suing for allegedly stealing MILLIONS from the family's Big Baller Brand.

"Put my trust in the wrong person, lost out on some Ms ... put that on a side bet the next day at the MGM."

It's a huge mess with the Ball family right now -- Zo's manager, Darren "DMo" Moore, even encouraged people to throw their BBB shoes in the trash in wake of the drama.

On top of that, Lonzo covered up his BBB logo tattoo recently as well. Like we said, HUGE mess ... so it was only a matter of time before the Pelicans star addressed it in a song.

Of course, the oldest Ball bro spends a lot of time in the booth when he's not on the hardwood. He's even dropped a song about his younger bro, LaMelo.

Here's a bit of advice for people looking to cross Lonzo Ball -- don't ... unless you wanna start a rap beef too.

Originally Published -- 2:10 PM PT

Prince Half-Brother, Heir ... Dead at 66

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One of Prince's six siblings who inherited the music legend's fortune died in his sleep ... TMZ has learned.

Alfred Jackson, Prince's older half-brother, passed Thursday morning at his home in Kansas City, Missouri. Alfred was found by his brother, Bruce Jackson -- who's not related to Prince. Bruce tells us he went to check on Alfred around 10:30 AM and found him unresponsive.

Law enforcement tells us no foul play is suspected, and police believe he died of natural causes.

Prince's half-bro was one of the iconic musician's first family members to speak out in 2016 following his death. Alfred, who had the same mother as Prince, said he hadn't spoken to his brother in years but followed his career and was proud of him.

He said at the time, "I miss my brother because my brother was everything in the world to me ... He's a legend, he really is."

Sources connected to the family tell us Alfred, an Air Force veteran, was able to purchase a new home after receiving his inheritance. Prior to that, he'd been living in VA housing for decades.

Alfred was 66.

RIP

Insane Clown Posse Fan Gathering Sparks Lawsuit ... Juggalo with No Legs Ran Me Over!!!

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A legless Juggalo -- one of the devoted fans of the hip-hop duo Insane Clown Posse -- took a wasted joyride on a golf cart and plowed into a guy ... according to a new suit.

A man claiming he attended the 20th Annual Gathering of the Juggalos at a park in Indiana this summer is suing Ninjas in Action -- the company that ran the event -- for negligence leading to his injuries. For the record, the plaintiff is NOT a Juggalo, he was there shooting a documentary.

According to the legal docs -- obtained by TMZ -- the Juggalos' gathering was supposed to have a rule prohibiting golf carts, four wheelers or motorized vehicles, but it was not being enforced.

The man claims around 1 AM on August 3, he was riding a motorized bike around the park when he saw a golf cart with its lights off barreling down a hill toward him. He claims he pulled over and hopped off his bike, but the cart's driver -- Alexander "Less Legs" Perkins -- lost control and smashed into him.

The plaintiff's attorney, Brandon Smith of Morgan & Morgan, alleges Perkins -- a well-known Juggalo -- was operating the golf cart pedals with a baseball bat ... due to the fact that Less Legs is missing both his legs. The man also claims Perkins was under the influence of drugs and/or booze.

Perkins claims it's all BS. He tells TMZ ... he had permission to use the cart because of his disability, and the alleged victim -- who he says was riding a motorized bike without permission -- actually ran into him. He admits he was using a bat to operate the pedals, but adds ... he was stone-cold sober.

Less Legs also claims the guy was going the wrong way on a one-way road and slammed into the front of his cart. He claims he was ejected from the cart and sustained injuries, as well.

The alleged victim says he suffered serious and permanent bodily injury, and wants money to cover past and future medical bills. He's suing the Indiana park along with Ninjas in Action, but not Perkins.

ICP also got a pass.

Justin Bieber Opens Up About Leading Worship ... And Drops a Kanye Bombshell!!!

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Justin Bieber
A MESSAGE OF HOPE
UPDATE

4:01 PM PT -- Justin tells TMZ ... singing in front of his church was more nerve-racking than singing in front of a crowd of thousands. JB was leaving E Baldi in Beverly Hills Thursday when he opened up to us a bit about leading worship for the first time at Churchome.

UPDATE

Bieber says his breakout moment was part of a larger message he wants to spread ... it's pretty cool stuff. On top of that, he's totally down for using his gift at another popular place of worship -- Kanye's Sunday Service.

Justin Bieber
BACK ONSTAGE

Justin Bieber's played hundreds of concerts for millions of people, but it took him years to work up the courage to lead worship at his church ... and he made it count.

Bieber hopped onstage with the worship band at Churchome in Beverly Hills Wednesday night, and poured his heart and soul into leading the congregation in song.

The pastor, JB's buddy Judah Smith, gave some backstory on what led to the big moment ... saying Bieber's always been a worshiper, but the time had come for him to use his immense talent to guide everyone in praising God.

Justin tells the church it's taken him a long time to do so because he doesn't want the expression of his faith to look like a show. Of course, once he started singing ... it wasn't hard to see why he's a star.

At one point, Biebs was feeling it so much he went off the lyrical script. No one seemed to mind.

As you know, Justin's immersed himself in religion in recent years, attending both Churchome and Hillsong services, and now it looks like he's taking on a bigger role.

Originally published -- 7:05 AM PT

Aaron Carter I Am Mentally Stable ... Here's Why I Need An Assault Rifle

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Aaron Carter's tackling 2 hot button issues ... mental health, specifically his own, and gun control laws -- and insisting it's not only safe for him to own assault weapons, but an absolute necessity.
STICKING TO HIS GUNS

Aaron Carter's tackling 2 hot button issues ... mental health, specifically his own, and gun control laws -- and insisting it's not only safe for him to own assault weapons but an absolute necessity.

The singer and his mom were at LAX when we talked to him about his recent revelation that he got his license to own a gun. Aaron says he aced his background check, but the fact is police have made several wellness checks to his homes in recent years -- mostly because loved ones were concerned about his mental health

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

That's all behind him, apparently, because Aaron told us his mental stability is off the charts right now. In fact, he got a little defensive, saying on a scale of 1 to 10 ... his mental stability is "infinite" -- despite all he's been through over the years. His mom agreed.

As for why Aaron feels the need to own assault rifles ... his mother gives an interesting reason, and it's supported by a story in the family's history, at least according to Aaron.

As we've reported, Aaron recently went through a nasty breakup with his girlfriend in which she allegedly got violent -- resulting in a restraining order -- and that was just days after cops performed a wellness check.

Of course, Carter also had his background check flagged when he tried to make a gun purchase 2 years ago around the same time he entered rehab.

Aaron says he's all good now though and, apparently, the feds agree.

Nas If I Ruled the World, This Damn Mic Would Work!!!

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UPDATE

1:21 PM PT -- Sources close to Nas tell us the rapper isn't pissed about the glitch ... we're told he's just happy it was resolved quickly. The pair have been on tour for quite some time now, and this is the first time it has happened.

Nas had the beat, the crowd and the stage, but one critical thing was missing -- at least for a good portion of his performance -- and still, he never skipped a beat.

The legendary rapper suffered a technical difficulty Wednesday night at Barclays Center in Brooklyn during his performance with Mary J. Blige. The duo was performing her track, "Love Is All We Need" featuring Nas, who, BTW, was rocking a Louis Vuitton Monogram Admiral Jacket.

It's a pricey piece of leather ... a cool $6,550. Those pockets tho!!!

Anyway ... the music was poppin' and Mary was dancing. But, as Nas begins, there's an audible silence. For a good 30 seconds you can see Nas rapping but can't hear him. Finally, he's like, "what the hell?!"

Someone in the crowd even yelled about the dead mic. Just as Nas realized the issue, his sound finally came back to life.

He kept the beat flowing like a pro, but someone on the crew got a lotta 'splainin' to do!

Bloodhound Gang Rapper Jimmy Pop 'Memba Him?!

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Pennsylvania-native Jimmy Pop (real name James Franks) was in his early 20s when he gained fame as the wacky rapper with creative lyrics in the '90s musical mash-up, Bloodhound Gang.

Jimmy Pop is best known for his hysterical lines in the slapstick songs "Fire Water Burn," "The Bad Touch" and even the 2005 follow-up, "Foxtrot Uniform Charlie Kilo."

After goofing around in the music biz, Pop could be seen messing around on prank shows like "CKY 4 The Latest & Greatest" and MTV's dummy programs, "Viva La Bam" and "The Dudesons."

Guess what Jimmy Pop looks like now in his late 40s!

MJ Accuser Wade Robson Rips Netflix Over Chappelle Special ... Stop Shaming Victims!!!

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UPDATE

2:11 PM PT -- John Branca, the co-executor of the MJ estate, tells us, "Wade’s accusations emerged only after his book failed and we turned him down for a job with our Las Vegas show 9 years ago. He couldn’t get a job until HBO and Dan Reed hired him."

UPDATE

He continues, "He’ll say anything to avoid answering the question of why people like Dave Chappelle don’t believe him or to address the factual holes and inconsistencies in this one sided documentary that did not interview a single person other than the two guys and their families, who are in it for the money."

Michael Jackson accuser Wade Robson is blasting Netflix for its decision to air a new Dave Chappelle comedy special defending MJ against allegations of molestation ... Wade says the streaming service is trivializing sexual abuse.

Wade is going scorched-earth on Dave and Netflix, telling TMZ this content in a Netflix special serves to "shame victims," and is "disgusting, irresponsible and inexcusable."

Robson says Netflix is just as guilty as Dave for trivializing and condoning sexual abuse ... because the streaming service provided Chappelle a massive platform.

In his new comedy special, 'Sticks & Stones,' DC straight-up says of Wade and James, "I don't believe these motherf***ers" after rehashing their allegations from the HBO documentary "Leaving Neverland" in graphic detail.

Wade, who says he doesn't care if Chappelle believes him or not, adds in his strong response ... "1 in 6 boys and 1 in 4 girls are sexually abused before the age of 18, and considering their actions, Dave Chappelle, Netflix, and the Michael Jackson Estate, who have recently supported Chappelle’s views, are part of the problem. I believe we can and should do better than this.”

Sources close to Wade and James tell TMZ ... both accusers feel Netflix is essentially condoning what Chappelle is espousing in his special -- that if you're a celebrity, it's OKAY to sexually assault a child.

However, lots of people enjoyed Chappelle's special and are praising Dave for pushing the envelope ... like comedian Donnell Rawlings, who says the people up in arms are forgetting one crucial element -- DAVE'S MAKING A DAMN JOKE!!!
YOU CAN'T CANCEL DAVE

However, lots of people enjoyed Chappelle's special and are praising Dave for pushing the envelope ... like comedian Donnell Rawlings, who says the people up in arms are forgetting one crucial element -- DAVE'S MAKING A DAMN JOKE!!!

We reached out to Netflix ... no word back, so far.

Originally published -- 11:40 AM PT

Taylor Swift Obsessed Fan Detained at RI Home ... Wanted to Marry Her

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UPDATE

2:50 PM PT -- Law enforcement sources tell TMZ this is not the first time this suspect -- a 30-year-old male -- has trespassed on Taylor's property. He also showed up on August 13, and returned this morning.

Taylor Swift's properties are a magnet for strange men with unrealistic and unnerving expectations ... and the latest one was nabbed early Wednesday morning outside her Rhode Island home.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... a man was busted trying to enter the gate of Swift's mansion in Westerly, RI. We're told he did not have any weapons on him, and cops took him to a hospital for mental evaluation.

Another source tells us the suspect claimed he had talked on the phone with Taylor and he told them he was there to marry her.

We're told he is NOT a repeat offender -- as we've reported, Taylor's had several unwanted visitors show up at her waterfront home. A white pickup truck with odd scrawling, on the inside and out, was towed from in front of the Swift home.

These photos show some of the disturbing hand-drawn images, and it appears the man was sleeping in the backseat.

No charges have been filed, and Taylor was not home during the incident.

Just last month, a 32-year-old man was arrested near this home after acting suspicious and carrying around a backpack with a metal bat, gloves, lock picks and a crowbar inside. He allegedly told cops he was there to "catch up with Taylor Swift."

Of course, she also dealt with a scary stalker situation last year and had another intruder at her Beverly Hills property.

These dudes really need to calm down.

Originally published -- 9:47 AM PT

Travis Scott Netflix Premiere with Kylie ... Ass Good as it Gets!!!

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Travis Scott is soaring to new heights, and Kylie Jenner is right by his side for support -- 2 handfuls worth, by the look of things.

The rapper's new Netflix documentary, 'Look Mom I Can Fly,' has arrived, and the couple arrived to the premiere in style Tuesday night at a Santa Monica Airport hangar.

The venue was the perfect spot to showcase their love, and the baller Netflix private jet they rode to the event. Oh yeah, and the documentary too.

Tuesday night's PDA, combined with their sick yacht vacay for her birthday -- proves any relationship troubles they had are a thing of the past.

The proud parents also brought their 18-month-old daughter, Stormi, along for the big event to up the cuteness factor. Mission accomplished.

Along with his family, several of Trav's famous hip-hop friends showed up for his film ... including Offset, Quavo and Swae Lee.

The documentary follows Scott as he pursues his rap career and juggles relationships, controversy and fatherhood. The new trailer features Kylie and Stormi and tons of footage from his Astroworld tour.

Alyson Stoner Missy Elliott's 'Work It' ... I Didn't Know What Her Song Meant!!!

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Alyson Stoner
SHE KNOWS HOW TO WORK IT

Missy Elliott knows how to put her thing down flip it and reverse it ... but Alyson Stoner says she didn't know the sexual significance behind "Work It" until long after she starred in the music video.

We got Alyson out at LAX after she got back from her highly-regarded dance routine with Missy at the VMAs ... and the dancer and former Disney Channel actress told our guy she was kept in the dark about the song's true meaning for years.

Alyson, now 26, first danced to Missy's provocative hit 17 years ago ... and she says their reunion onstage at the VMAs is easily one of the best moments in the history of the award show.

But, it wasn't until she was older when Alyson says she figured out what Missy was talking about in the lyrics. Kudos to the person who finally filled her in.

It's pretty wild ... Alyson tells us she nearly skipped her audition back in the day because of her sister and parents. But, thanks to a last-minute change of plans, she tried out for a spot in the music video and got the part.

Sounds like divine intervention.

Justin Bieber Rocks 'Not Shane Bieber' Jersey as Bromance Progresses

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Justin Bieber 8/27/2019
CLASSIC MIX-UP

Justin Bieber has Bieber fever -- Shane Bieber fever, that is.

The most unlikely long-distance friendship is blossoming between the "I Don't Care" singer and the Cleveland Indians ace ... with the Biebs getting his own "Not Shane Bieber" Tribe jersey!!!

Of course ... Shane has worn "Not Justin" on his back for the past 2 MLB Players' Weekends, when the athletes get to wear whatever name they want on their jerseys.

JB is getting in on the fun now ... rockin' his very own Tribe jersey while joyridin' on his motorcycle in Beverly Hills on Tuesday.

The 2 first linked up online on August 4 after Topps accidentally called Shane "Justin" on his baseball card -- and Justin responded on Twitter, saying, "I feel like we have a special connection."

TMZ Sports spoke with Shane in NYC earlier this month and he told us that the interaction was a life milestone reached.

081519_shane_bieber_kal_v2
IT WAS BOUND TO HAPPEN

Next up ... a studio collab??? Eh, we'll just settle for an in-person meetup.

Diane Warren Dem. Candidates Can Use My Tunes ... Guess Who Can't???

Published

Diane Warren is offering up her catalog of insanely popular, award-winning music to any candidate running for Prez -- with one BIG exception ... yep, it's you-know-who.

We got the legendary songwriter Tuesday in L.A. and asked if she'd be open to letting some Dems blare her tunes on the campaign trail -- seeing how she's a staunch supporter of the party and all. Turns out, she's declaring open season on her work ... come one, come all!!!

That's right ... Diane tells us that ANY presidential candidate who runs as a donkey is free to use the songs she wrote, if they want a little hype at their public events. She's even got suggestions.

On the Republican side ... not so much. President Trump absolutely CANNOT touch her tracks ... paws off, DT.

Of course, Trump has been asked by several marquee musicians to STOP playing their tracks at his events -- everyone from Pharrell and The Rolling Stones to Prince's estate and pretty much everyone else in between has demanded that their sounds be muzzled at Trump events.

Unfortunately for them, Trump has the legal right to crank any song he wants, so long as it's in a public space and in the U.S. of A. Mick Jagger explained what a bummer it was.

Unclear if Diane's aware of this loophole -- or if Trump is even into her music at all -- but it's the thought that counts, right? Hell yeah ... nothing's gonna stop us now!!!

BTW, DW gives a pretty strong endorsement for one particular Dem who's been speaking out on an issue she's very passionate about ... animal rights. Any guesses???

Taylor Swift Impersonator Travolta Was Confused at VMAs ... 'Cause I'm Stunning, Just Like Taylor!!!

Published

John Travolta mistook a famous drag queen for Taylor Swift at the VMAs -- and if you wanna know how he got so confused ... go straight to the queen herself!

We got Jade Jolie -- a former contestant on "RuPaul's Drag Race" -- Monday night after the award show and asked her about the awkward moment onstage right after TS won Video of the Year. John, very awkwardly, tried handing the Moon Man to Jade.

Ooops!! Taylor ... the real one ... wasn't even onstage yet.

As you can see (and as Jade acknowledges) ... she's a dead ringer for Taylor, whom she calls her "goddess" and "queen." But, while talking to us, Jade got all wrapped up in her own Swiftie fandom ... and even started talking 'Game of Thrones.'

You can tell by her mood here that Jade wasn't that offended by the case of mistaken identity -- she's clearly overjoyed to have shared in the glory of a VMAs win. The look-alike -- and a bunch of other notable gay and trans people -- appeared in Taylor's video for "You Need to Calm Down."

Speaking of that, Jade and another drag queen have some thoughts on inclusiveness in the music biz -- especially for LGBTQ folks. They think other artists should follow Taylor's lead.

Meek Mill Pleads Guilty Again in Old Gun Case ... Time to Move On

Published

Meek Mill isn't going to get his 2008 gun conviction tossed after all -- at least not entirely.

Philly's prodigal son went back to court with his legal team Tuesday, where his team was attempting to avoid a retrial after the original conviction was thrown out. Meek decided to end the battle ... 'cause he copped a plea.

Meek pled guilty to misdemeanor possession of a firearm without a license -- and remaining 6 charges for which he was originally convicted were all dropped. Back in 2008, Meek had been found guilty of 7 charges, 4 of which were related to the gun.

Meek spoke to the public briefly afterward, but wasn't all that chatty. He thanked his supporters and those who came out Tuesday as well. He said he wasn't on probation anymore, and that he was free at last. The D.A. in Philly has confirmed he's off probation.

He could've gone to trial if he wanted -- and very likely would've won -- but it looks like Meek is trying to put this saga behind him completely with the plea offer.

As we've reported, it's unlikely the case would've gone to trial again ... considering the key witness ended up being a dirty cop -- not to mention this would be taking place more than a decade after the alleged crime ... and any other witnesses' memories would be hazy at best.

Meek Mill
BACK IN COURT

You'll recall ... Judge Genece Brinkley sent Meek back to prison back in 2017 with a harsh sentence of 2-4 years behind bars after she found Meek had violated his probation in the 2008 conviction. A lot of people think Judge Brinkley had it out for him.

He ended up doing about five months before getting released.

Meek said Tuesday's hearing, "I’m extremely grateful that my long legal battle is finally behind me and I appreciate that it has sparked a much-needed discussion about probation reform and the inequalities that exist within our two Americas."

He added, "I have always told the truth — that as a teenager, who saw many around me die from senseless gun violence, I carried a gun for protection. I take responsibility for that and – in conjunction with my work on the REFORM Alliance – I’ll continue to use my platform to make communities safer and reform our criminal justice system."

Finally, Meek can close the book on this one.

French Montana Mad as Hell After Post-VMA Attack

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French Montana wanted heads to roll after some guy allegedly threw a sucker punch ... and TMZ's got video of him going off on his security team for apparently letting it happen.
EARLY MORNING SPAT
UPDATE

11:10 AM PT -- We've obtained an additional video from the incident -- shot by the man in the red shirt -- which shows French as the aggressor. He's clearly pissed at his security guard after a different bystander allegedly threw a punch.

UPDATE
French Montana Smacks Phone
SLAP HAPPY

French Montana wanted heads to roll after some guy allegedly threw a sucker punch ... and TMZ's got video of him going off on his security team for apparently letting it happen.

Sources close to the situation tell us ... French was in NYC early Tuesday morning -- after leaving the Amish Market in Tribeca -- when a guy in a red shirt attacked French's crew from behind. We're told the guy didn't hit French, but did hit someone and that set off a brawl.

In the video, you can see French chewing out some bodyguards, and just as things seem to calm down ... there's another flare-up.

NYPD showed up eventually, responding to a call of a physical fight at the Amish Market. We're told the store was a mess when officers arrived, but everyone involved in the fight was gone.

No report was filed for assault and no injuries were reported.

As far as French is concerned ... no blood, no foul but we're told he was pissed his security let someone get close enough to pop him.

Originally Published -- 7:36 AM PT