Music

Britney Spears got a special invite ... to speak before Congress.

Reps. Eric Swalwell and Charlie Crist fired off a letter to Spears, asking her and her attorney, Mathew Rosengart, to explain "how you achieved justice..." The 2 congressmen wrote, "There is no doubt your story will empower countless others outside the millions that are already inspired by you and your art."

The 2 Congressmen say they want to learn "about the emotional and financial turmoil you faced within the conservatorship system." The letter goes on to say they are concerned that Britney was "forced to engage in employment against your will."

The Congressmen make it clear in the letter ... they're fully on board the #FreeBritney movement, saying, "We applaud your inspiring fight and stand ready to assist in any way we can."

For her part, Britney said she was grateful ... "I felt heard and like I mattered for the first time in my life !!!" She got the letter in December, but said she wasn't nearly at the healing stage she's in now.

Rep. Crist appeared on TMZ Live today to talk about the invite.

Drake's got some new custom bling on his finger ... and it even comes with a shoutout to his kid.

Celebrity jeweler Alex Moss tells TMZ ... he just finished up a lucky No. 11 ring for Drake, made of gold and diamonds.

The No. 11 is significant ... it's the day Drake's son, Adonis, was born ... and the jeweler says Drake wanted to incorporate the date in the design.

As you see, there's also owl imagery ... with the bird's wings wrapping around to form the ring. It's par for the course for Drake, who uses the owl because his brand "OVO" resembles an owl face.

We're told the bling cost $77,000 ... it weighs in at 83 grams, with 14 karat gold and 15.7 carats of VVS D-F natural diamonds.

The jeweler toiled over the piece for about 2 months ... and we're told it was a gift to Drake from Kai Bent-Lee, the restaurateur and son of famous Canadian celeb chef Susur Lee.

Some might say Hazel-E's crossed a line in her viral feud -- but she has no regrets about clapping back at Winnie Harlow the way she has, and insists there's more to come.

Hazel-E went on the "It's Tricky with Raquel Harper" podcast to break down her war of words with the model which went nuclear when the insults got super-personal and lasered in on both women's appearances.

The "Love & Hip Hop" star told Raq that if people are gonna roast her appearance, she feels it's only fitting for her to respond with the same intensity. As Hazel put it ... if she's being pulled apart for the way she looks, "then nothing is off-limits".

The rift with Winnie ratcheted up when LightSkinKeisha posted pictures back in 2019 saying Hazel-E looked like Ernest P. Worrell from the 'Ernest' movies. It was strictly their beef until Winnie commented on one of Keisha's posts with ... "Keisha nooooooo."

Didn't seem like much, but it caught Hazel-E's eye real quick.

That's when she replied to Winnie ... "Look here 101 Dalmatians."

As you probably know Winnie -- a former 'Top Model' star -- has vitiligo, but Hazel-E still piled on with, "In real life if Tyra Banks didn't feel sorry for your malnourished a**, no one would know you! Pipe down salt n pepa."

Harsh, for sure, but check out the clip with Raq ... Hazel feels justified.

Texas-raised rocker Jaret Reddick has a long history in the music industry and is best known for being the lead singer and guitarist of the Y2K pop-punk band Bowling For Soup ... even landing at number four on the Billboard Top 40 chart with the standout single "1985" and "Stacy's Mom" on their album "A Hangover You Don't Deserve."

Reddick continues to share the stage with his longtime bandmates and friends Chris Burney as the backup singer and lead guitarist, as well as, Gary Wiseman holding it down in the back on the drums.

DaBaby is dealing with more fallout from his bowling alley beatdown of his baby mama's brother ... because now he's facing a lawsuit.

DaniLeigh's brother, Brandon Bills, is suing the rapper over their recent fight at a SoCal bowling alley.

According to the lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, Brandon claims he walked by DaBaby in the bowling alley when DaBaby suddenly attacked him, leaving him with severe injury and pain.

Brandon claims he didn't fight back ... and says DaBaby's assault resulted in physical and psychological damage, plus medical bills and sustained disability.

As we reported, the brawl was caught on camera ... with the fight spilling into bowling lanes. Law enforcement says they're now investigating DaBaby for assault with a deadly weapon, because Brandon was kicked in the head while on the ground.

DaBaby's already claimed it was self-defense ... and he's been banned from the bowling alley, Corbin Bowl, in Topanga, CA.

DaniLeigh's bro is suing DaBaby for assault, battery, emotional distress and negligence.

Machine Gun Kelly is ready to "Lace Up" for the All-Star Celebrity Game ... 'cause the Cleveland rapper/rocker just gave a glimpse of his 3-point shot during a recent shooting sesh ... and the dude's looking like a taller Darius Garland!!

The award-winning rapper is taking his spot in the All-Star festivities VERY seriously ... and has been training with NBA shooting coach Chris Matthews -- AKA the "Lethal Shooter" -- leading up to the game.

Matthews posted a video of MGK's shooting skills on Instagram ... showing the "Emo Girl" singer draining 6 straight 3-pointers while rocking a Shawn Kemp jersey.

"He's been going hard in the gym getting ready for All-Star weekend," Matthews said.

"Look forward to seeing this celebrity game on Friday. Do your thing, bro!"

FYI -- Matthews has worked with a TON of clients in the past -- from Drake to Anthony Davis to Dwight Howard.

Of course, this All-Star game hits different for MGK ... after all, it's in his hometown.

MGK won't be the only musician on the court -- Jack Harlow, Quavo, Jimmy Allen, Kane Brown, Anjali Ranadivé and Anuel AA will also be in Friday's game.

It's been nearly 7 years since the Houston Texans' season on "Hard Knocks" ... and J.J. Watt's infamous "Remember the Name" rap montage is still getting roasted -- this time, by the NFL star himself!!

In case you missed the hilariously cringe moment, Watt was videoed getting in a tough workout while HBO cameras were rolling during training camp in 2015 ... when he decided to rap along to the Fort Minor tune.

The scene has taken new life over the years ... with fans poking fun at Watt for his rap skills and how over-the-top it was.

Now, Watt is finally addressing the scene ... saying, "You ever sing a song in the car and you think it sounds great and then you try and break it out at karaoke that night and it just doesn't quite hit the same??"

Watt then cuts to the clip ... clearly showing embarrassment over it.

"Yeah ... me too."

Glennis Grace -- a one-time finalist on "America’s Got Talent" -- was arrested for assault in her home country of the Netherlands ... and we're told her son could be at the center of it all.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Glennis, her 15-year-old son and another man in their party were arrested and booked on suspicion of assault this weekend after some sort of altercation in a supermarket.

While it’s not exactly clear yet what happened, we're told ... Glennis’ kid had some kind of interaction with staff, left, and returned later the same day with his mom and the other guy. Cops say that's when a violent confrontation broke out.

When the dust settled, we’re told several people were injured. Law enforcement sources tell us ... once cops complete their investigation, they’ll pass their findings on to prosecutors to determine if anyone gets charged.

In the meantime, Glennis and co. have been released from custody.

Glennis’ attorney says, "The police investigation is still ongoing and we trust that it will show that Glennis has not committed any criminal offenses. We are now waiting for the investigation to be finished before making further announcements."

Justin Bieber deserves an attaboy for saving a coffee chain ... with a hole lot of ingenious promotion.

The Biebs partnered with a Canadian coffee chain called Tim Hortons, and boy did they need help. Sales fell 11% in 2020, largely because of the pandemic. It needed some life support ... enter Justin Bieber.

JB and Hortons created a line of doughnut holes with a name mashup -- Timbiebs Timbits. Justin himself was heavily involved in selecting the flavors, and they did not disappoint -- white fudge, sour cream chocolate chip and birthday cake waffle.

Well, talk about a turnaround. A year later the company has seen a rise in sales to the tune of 10.3%, and Company Prez Jose Cil credits his partner for the major uptick, saying "I'm a Belieber!"

BTW ... Tim Hortons' parent company owns Burger King and Popeyes, so if there's a trickle-down effect you can also thank Bieber for your Whopper or Chicken Sandwich.

BTW ... in addition to rising sales, Justin helped bring in younger donut fans. No surprise, with 220 million followers. When Justin says go try my holes, people listen!

There have been a bunch of celeb endorsements of restaurants recently ... Mickey D's recently had deals with BTS, Saweetie, Mariah Carey and J Balvin.

Bieber was genuinely a fan of Tim Hortons ... especially the donut holes, so maybe his endorsement sounded more authentic than most.

Kanye West apparently wants a chain made by Ben Baller, but he’ll never get it ... as long as he’s still beefing with Kid Cudi, anyway.

We got Hollywood’s go-to jeweler in L.A. to expand on some tweets he fired off during the Ye-Cudi showdown this past weekend -- when Kanye disavowed KC because he's friends with Pete Davidson.

In response, Ben recounted how Kanye’s been hounding him for a custom dove piece -- while also calling him a “bitch” for attacking Cudi, with whom BB is good pals.

The way Ben sees it, going after Cudi is totally unfair and unwarranted -- not just because of their long history as label mates, but on account of personal things Ben says Cudi’s gone through. On top of that, Ben says he’s just a lovely guy.

Like Ben tells us here, he wasn’t going to stand by and let his friend take a stray for something so absurd as perceived alliances. He also makes this clear ... if Ye has a problem with Cudi, then he's got one with Ben too -- and he can kiss the prospect of getting a chain goodbye.

So, yes, the door’s still open -- if only slightly -- and the ball is definitely in Ye’s court on how to proceed.

Moniece Slaughter is being ordered to stay the hell away from some folks who claim the "Love & Hip Hop" star attacked them at Cardi B's birthday party.

According to new legal docs obtained by TMZ ... two partygoers just got permanent restraining orders against Moniece.

As we reported ... Moniece was accused of going on the offensive at the birthday bash for Cardi back in October, allegedly throwing punches and drinks.

Moniece's accusers beelined it to court, claiming she was using her celebrity to harass them and smear their names with false allegations, and a judge signed off on a temporary restraining order.

Now, the restraining order has been granted for 2 years ... and it requires Moniece to keep at least 100 yards away from her alleged victims and bars her from contacting or harassing them.

Before this snacking little cutie was sinking her teeth into the entertainment industry with her incredible singing skills and eye-popping styles choice ... she was just another precious young lady waiting patiently in a high chair out in the valley of Los Angeles.

The jungle-like patterns around this grinning little girl aren't the only wild things in this baby photo ... this baby exchanged her real name (Amala Ratna Zandile Dlamini) for a much more feline moniker as a Hollywood celebrity.

If you still need to know then her songs might make you right.

Trey Songz allegedly anally raped a woman at a house party ... this according to a new $20 million lawsuit.

The singer is being sued by a Jane Doe who says she had a consensual sexual relationship with Trey before the alleged rape on March 24, 2016 ... when she claims he suddenly turned into a "savage rapist."

According to the lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, the woman claims Trey invited her to a house party in L.A., where he invited her upstairs for what she believed would be consensual sex.

Instead, she claims Trey repeatedly asked her if he could "get that a**" on the way upstairs ... to which she says she repeatedly told him "no" and to stop asking.

In the docs, the woman claims Trey's demeanor changed upon entering the bedroom ... she says he threw her to the ground, ripped her pants off, pinned her down face first and forced his penis into her anus without her consent.

The woman claims she screamed in pain and begged Trey to stop, and even tried fighting him off her ... but says she was overpowered.

In the suit, the woman says someone entered the room during the alleged rape, giving her hope that what she describes as a "brutal rape" might end ... but she says the person quickly left the room and Trey kept raping her.

The woman claims she was only able to escape after Trey finished and stopped raping her ... grabbing her clothes, except for her underwear, and running outside to call an Uber.

In the docs, the woman says her Uber driver noticed she was in distress and rerouted her to a hospital, where she claims a sexual assault exam was performed and the police were called.

The woman says the exam showed she had "severe anal tearing that could require surgery" ... but she says she didn't name Trey to police because she was "in shock and fearing for her life."

She's now suing Trey for $20 million in damages.

The woman's attorney, Ariel Mitchell, is also representing 2 women who are suing Trey for alleged sexual assaults in Miami and Las Vegas.

As we first told you ... Trey's legal team is accusing Mitchell of witness tampering in the Miami sexual assault suit, an allegation Mitchell vehemently denied.

Mitchell and the woman's other attorney, George Vrabeck, tell TMZ ... "Victims are coming forward every day. Just know you are not alone, and this behavior is unacceptable. George Vrabeck and I will not be deterred by bullying or intimidation tactics and will continue our pursuit of Justice for sexual assault victims of Trey Songz.”

We reached out to Trey's camp about this latest suit ... so far, no word back.

You are not alone ... the annual obligatory Valentine's dinner is a thing celebs gotta do too -- it's just that folks like Chris Pratt, Justin Bieber and Gunna hit more expensive restaurants.

Among the couples spotted out getting their V-Day on were Anthony Davis and his wife at Giorgio Baldi ... while relatively new boos Gunna and Chloe Bailey hit BOA Steakhouse.

Nothing screams we're official like that Feb. 14 dinner date!!!

Other famous lovebirds out in the L.A. area included:

• Chris Pratt and Katherine Schwarzenegger went to Cafe Vida in Pacific Palisades
• Larry English and Nicole - Tommy's in Beverly Hills
• Nicola Peltz and Brooklyn Beckham - Nobu in Malibu
• Justin and Hailey - Nobu in Malibu

Meanwhile, John Legend and Chrissy Teigen were seen grabbing lunch in Beverly Hills. Nice and romantic, right? Well, Chrissy also zinged her Valentine pretty good by revealing the less-than-gushing card John gave her.

She joked (we think) ... "I guess he saves it all for the songs."

Chaney Jones is definitely in Kanye West’s orbit -- but after this latest outing with Travis Scott, you kinda wonder ... who's she really with, anyway???

The IG model/Kim K look-alike was spotted leaving a Dave & Buster’s very early Monday morning in L.A., where TS was also in attendance for a Super Bowl after-party that went late into the night. Rappers Gunna, Lil Baby, Swae Lee and their entourages were all in tow as well.

Travis seemed to be heading out solo, ditto for Chaney. Neither of them was spotted together upon exiting. The interesting thing, of course, is that there’s no Ye in sight here -- and he’s definitely the dude she’s been linked to a lot lately ... at least on the surface.

As you know, CJ has crashed two different events Kanye was also attending -- an album listening party and a movie screening. And, although the two of them have never been photographed together, most people assume she’s someone Ye is seeing at the moment.

And yet ... here she is without him in the mix, seemingly cozying up to Travis and co.

Travis has been out on the town quite a bit lately, despite the fact he just welcomed a new baby with Kylie Jenner ... who’s been at home with the kid. As you know, his name is Wolf -- and he's all of 13 days old now.

Speaking of Trav's baby mama, she proudly showed off a wild flower arrangement he appears to have gotten her for Valentine’s Day.

Trey Songz is being sued by a woman for sexual assault in Miami, and now he wants a judge to toss the case ... because he says her attorney tried paying off a key witness.

The singer filed new legal docs in response to a recent lawsuit filed by Jauhara Jeffries -- who alleges he violated her while partying with him during New Year's Eve, 2017.

She claims as she was dancing on a couch at E11VEN nightclub -- this following a shindig thrown by Diddy that she and Trey had attended earlier in the night -- Trey allegedly slipped his finger into her vagina without her consent.

Here’s the thing ... in new paperwork filed by Trey’s attorneys, obtained by TMZ, the singer insists there’s an unnamed witness who’s at the center of this whole thing ... and who can actually clear TS’s name.

The reason ... they say this witness was with them all at the club, and not only emphatically denies being assaulted herself, but also says she did not witness Trey assault anyone. What's more, per the docs, the witness claims she was approached by Jeffries' lead attorney in a bid to try and get her to change her story.

Trey's lawyer, Jeffrey Neiman, says this witness claims Jeffries' lawyer, Ariel Mitchell, wanted her to get on board as a co-plaintiff to strengthen the claims against Trey and possibly score a larger settlement.

Trey's team says the witness told them Mitchell offered a payout between $100k-$200k, depending on how high she could get Trey and co. to settle.

The witness apparently told Mitchell to kick rocks, adding she wouldn't lie for any amount of money ... and was only interested in telling the truth. According to the docs, the truth is that she never saw anyone get sexually assaulted during the night in question.

Interestingly enough, Ariel Mitchell is the same attorney who is representing another one of Trey's accusers, Dylan Gonzalez, who says the singer raped her in Vegas.

Trey's team feels Mitchell engaged in serious misconduct warranting a dismissal.