Music

There's a quizzical piece of Beatles memorabilia hitting the market ... and these handwritten lyrics from Paul McCartney are worth way more than silver.

The working lyric sheet for the Beatles' 1969 hit, "Maxwell's Silver Hammer," is going up for sale ... and the folks at Moments in Time are putting the price tag at a whopping $450,000.

Paul wrote the first page of lyrics on a sheet of paper with letterhead for Apple Corps Limited, the multimedia corporation Beatles members founded way back in 1968 in London.

There are three pages total, and the other two were written by Mal Evans ... the band's former road manager and personal assistant.

The "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" lyrics are a hell of a treasure ... they were last put on the open market back in 2006, selling for $192,000. Now, a private collector is looking to unload them for more than double the price.

The track is Paul's first song on the Beatles' famous "Abbey Road" album ... Paul wrote the lyrics after the band's trip to India in 1968, and he initially wanted to record it for the 'White Album.'

Ja Morant just had one of the best jewelry shopping sprees ever -- he copped a bunch of expensive diamonds ... and then shot tequila with Gunna!!!

The fun time all went down at the Icebox jewelry store in Atlanta last week ... when the NBA star came to the famous showroom to get some of his old pieces cleaned up and to shop for more.

TMZ Sports has learned ... as the 22-year-old was browsing items -- they brought out Don Julio 1942, and everyone had a shot.

Later, "Drip Too Hard" rapper Gunna entered the shop -- and he, too, got in on the drinking!

The interaction between the guys was awesome -- they chatted it up about jewelry and admired some of the pieces in the store.

Eventually, we're told Morant copped several items -- a 14MM Miami Cuban bracelet, three other diamond bracelets and two diamond rings.

He also got a leather Icebox travel case to carry all his new bling ... and we're told his overall shopping spree bill came out to over $55K!

Kodak Black is strapped for time these days -- booking gigs here, there and everywhere -- but at least he's got a sweet new watch for his travels ... and it's worth its weight in gold.

The rapper recently had a ridiculously pricey timepiece delivered to him in Miami -- a Richard Mille RM 030, completely iced-out with diamonds and valued at about $300k!!!

As you'd expect at that price ... the watch is a custom design courtesy of celeb jeweler Gavriel from NYC Luxury, and he's sure proud of a job well done. He posed with Kodak, and the watch, when he dropped it off.

Kodak liked it too ... the dude was rocking it all weekend while at the Ultra Music Festival -- and was even happy to show it off to his buddies.

The rapper's definitely getting back into the swing of things since getting released from prison last year -- thanks to then-Prez Donald Trump -- when he had his sentence commuted. As we've reported, he's kept fairly busy in a variety of ways.

Not only has he been charitable, but he's also getting hired for jobs around the globe. And, unfortunately, he seems to have found some trouble in the year-plus since walking out a free man ... sometimes through no fault of his own (that wild shooting comes to mind).

The Grammys are underway and their MC, Trevor Noah, was on a roll in avoiding just about every controversy in the biz in his opening remarks ... except Will Smith, of course.

The ceremony kicked off Sunday in Vegas with a performance by Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak -- after which, things went indoors at the MGM Grand Garden Arena ... where TN popped up again and start delving into his monologue seamlessly.

He intro'd all the big names who were in the building -- going through a list that included the likes of Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga, Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo and more -- and said the night was going to be a smooth ride where they'd be singing, dancing and giving out awards.

Then came the dig ... "We're gonna be keeping people's names out of our mouths." That, he said, would help keep the night chill ... and the audience laughed it up as a result.

No name-dropping here, but it's obvious what Trevor was referring to ... that is, Will telling Chris Rock to keep Jada Pinkett's name out of his mouth during last weekend's Oscars ceremony -- this after smacking him across the face on stage, live on television.

It's interesting that Trevor went there -- albeit, lightly and not nearly as brutal as he could've been -- because the dude was seen embracing Will at an afterparty last week ... following a long chat they shared.

Seems like he struck a good balance between addressing it and sparing Will further humiliation. Dude's been getting both criticized and ridiculed in the wake of the hit.

It's Grammys Day, and while lots of musicians and artists are getting ready for the big show -- one guy seems more than willing to change the conversation on Twitter ... The Weeknd.

Indeed ... Abel has been VERY active on the bird app Sunday, responding to fans and teasing new video treatments for songs of his on his new album, "Dawn FM," including stills from what he shot for "Out of Time" ... which he says will drop Tuesday.

Now, Weeknd's been chirping up throughout the past few days -- much to his fans' amusement and delight, directly responding to their tweets with humor/wit -- but just hours before showtime ... it seems the dude is extra active, and even has himself trending.

No harm, no foul -- Abe's obviously fired up about his new projects, but the timing of his more-than-usual tweet storm is somewhat curious ... considering his beef with the Recording Academy.

You'll recall ... he was pretty pissed about getting snubbed last year -- so much so that he vowed to never submit again, and so far ... he's stuck to his promise. "Dawn FM" isn't nominated as a result of Abel not putting it up for consideration ... even though it's by far one of the most popular records out this year. It's hit a billion streams on Spotify, and he remains a presence on the charts.

Despite Weeknd's absence from the show -- it would appear the spotlight is fully on him, at least for now ... and something tells us that's not by accident. He's very social media savvy.

It remains to be seen if TW will attend/submit for other music award shows later this year ... much like he did in 2021, where he cleaned up and stuck it to the Academy's voting body.

If he does ... we wouldn't be surprised if 'Dawn' kills it. Fact is -- it's a very good album, it's performing well and it probably sounds great in a live setting. Unfortunately, the Grammys will never get to experience that for themselves ... maybe even forever!

Channing Crowder thinks there's no way Ciara would leave a guy like Future to get with Russell Wilson -- at least not without some money motives behind the move ... yikes.

The ex-linebacker made the inflammatory comments on a recent episode of his podcast "The Pivot," where they were talking about the Broncos QB and his wife ... whom Crowder apparently feels is in the wrong relationship, invoking her ex of several years now.

We'll let CC speak for himself here, because he says a lot ... and much of it is pretty mean. He calls Russ a "square" and speculates Ciara is only with him for cash.

He also theorizes there's just no way Ciara would ditch someone like Future and get with Russ -- who's seen as his polar opposite -- unless there was something deeper fueling her ... because he thinks all women have a type, and believes Ciara's shown her cards.

On Sunday, Crowder doubled down on his "goofball" jabs -- posting an old photo of Russ at the NFL draft in 2012 next to his then-GF Ashton Meem, whom he mocked in the pod.

Of course, he got strong pushback from his fellow podcasters ... who tell him that women want peace, and that Ciara and Russ are perfectly happy together -- as they've been married since 2016 and have kids together.

Sooo, it seems the proof is in the pudding here ... namely, the fact they've stayed together this long proves Crowder's train of thought isn't actually supported by reality. Russ and Ciara have been couple goals for a very long time now -- and yet, this narrative persists.

Russ, meanwhile, appears to have responded to all the renewed chatter ... albeit cryptically.

He tweeted Sunday, "'But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.' Galatians 5:22-23 NIV."

It's shades of Elvis ... the biggest band on the globe will be walking away from the mic for a year and a half to serve in South Korea's army.

South Korea's Ambassador to Great Britain made it clear ... K-Pop band members, BTS, have the same obligation as everyone else ... an obligation to protect their country. There's good reason to worry these days ... North Korea has become super aggressive and Kim Jong-Un has become even more unstable ... recently firing a missile that could carry nuclear warheads once the country develops that technology.

South Korea requires men ages 18 to 28 to serve for at least 18 months. The Ambassador said, "It is very much expected that young Korean men serve the country and those BTS members are role models for many young-generation Koreans." He did not give a time frame on when the group will be called to duty.

It does bring back the story of Elvis Presley, who at the height of his popularity in the 50s joined the military. He was able to restart his career after serving but not at the level it was at before.

Camila Cabello is letting her vulnerability show as it relates to her body and the pressure she feels to put on a good show for paps ... who constantly hound her at the beach.

The pop star opened up Saturday about a set of photographs that pap agencies were snapping and shopping -- standard operating procedure for A-listers, and something they've regularly done for years and years now.

The difference here ... Camila clearly has an issue with it ... not just with the photographers themselves -- whom she says go to incredible lengths to capture her in public -- but with the way society then interprets those photos, and the effects it has on her confidence.

She writes, in part ... "I've worn bikinis that were (too) small and paid no mind to how I looked, then saw pictures online and comments and been so upset."

Camila adds, "I reminded myself when it impacted myself esteem that I was thinking the culture's thoughts and not my own. A culture who has gotten so used to an image of what a "healthy" woman's body looks like that is completely not real for a lot of women."

CC goes on to describe the photos you see above -- explaining that she made sure not to eat anything too heavy today, while also sucking in her core nonstop ... knowing it was essentially going to turn into a full-blown photoshoot thanks to the paps on hand.

To Camila, that's a miserable way to live -- and she says she struggles with feeling like she has to portray herself in an image that she thinks is BS ... via beauty standards projected on to her by society.

Got plans tonight that don't involve Duke vs. UNC? Chris Duhon clearly thinks you're going to regret that -- telling TMZ Sports the Final Four game could be one of the biggest contests in sports history.

The Blue Devils are slated to play the Tar Heels in an NCAA Tournament semifinal game for the first time in the two rivals' history ... and Duhon -- a Duke legend -- says it's going to be can't-miss TV.

The two schools hate each other, it could be Coach K's last-ever game ... and there are future NBA players all over the court -- making it, according to Duhon, an event worth clearing the calendar for.

"It's going to be epic," Duhon tells us. "I think everybody is going to be there, everybody is going be watching. I think there's a possibility of being the most-watched event in sports history."

In fact, the game is so big, country music star Eric Church has actually already canceled a concert so he can watch his beloved Tar Heels.

As for Duhon's message to the Blue Devils to calm the nerves before the huge game -- watch the clip, Chris seems to have some great advice for his former squad ahead of the big matchup.

Waka Flocka says Kanye West doesn't care about performing at the Grammys in the slightest ... so Ye's ban shouldn't mean much to an artist Waka considers a genius.

The "No Hands" rapper sat down with Raq on the "It's Tricky With Raquel Harper" podcast ... and offered a strong defense of Kanye, and a scathing review of the music awards show.

Waka says musicians shouldn't put much weight into the Grammys, because they're being judged by a few dozen people ... whereas concerts see crowds with 100,000 fans.

As we reported ... Kanye was yanked from the upcoming Grammys lineup because of his online antics.

Waka's read is along the same lines as Damon Dash's ... who told us hip-hop doesn't need the Recording Academy.

Waka says Kanye is "an unapologetic genius" who is being judged too harshly by most folks ... though he admits Ye should be a little wiser with his choice of words given his celebrity.

Don't let these two similar shots of 2 Chainz and Stephen Jackson flossing courtside distract you from the task at hand .... Take a (free throw) shot and guess the differences in these similar snaps of the famous rapper and former NBA player.

The hitmaker and b-baller sat in the stands as fans for the sporting event ... but might have stolen the show with these top-notch looks ... can you look past the fashion-forward friends to find the different little looks?

Yes, the photo is a vibe, but can you pass the check and spot the differences?

Miley Cyrus says she's tested positive for the coronavirus after jet-setting around the globe, playing huge festivals and mingling with fans ... but she says it's not a bad thing.

The singer announced her COVID-19 diagnosis Friday on social media, explaining the positive result like this ... "Traveling around the world, playin for a 100,000 people a night & meeting hundreds of fans a day the chances of getting Covid are pretty high."

Miley says she's feeling fine and "it was definitely worth it."

Just in the last month, Miley played shows in Chile, Colombia, Argentina and most recently, Brazil. It's been a whirlwind tour, in advance of her new album, which dropped Friday too.

Miley had an eventful world tour ... in addition to getting COVID, her plane was struck by lightning and forced to make an emergency landing on her way to Asunción, Paraguay.

She dedicated her Brazil performance to late Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins, who Miley says was the first person she talked to after her plane incident.

Eric Church is extending an olive branch to thousands of pissed off fans for scrapping a concert to attend the North Carolina vs. Duke game ... by scheduling a completely FREE show later this year for anyone impacted by the cancelation.

The MASSIVE Tar Heels fan came under fire earlier this week for bailing on his upcoming gig ... all so he could watch his beloved team play in the Final Four against their hated rivals and coach Mike Krzyzewski (for the very last time).

Fans were super upset, though, with many storming his Facebook page to blast him for the decision.

The country star released a statement regarding the controversy on Friday ... saying he's grateful for the opportunity to check out the game -- and promises to make up for it.

"Thank you San Antonio for letting me take my family to this game," Church said. "It took a minute to figure out how and when I could properly express my thanks."

Church says he'll return to Texas in September for a "one of a kind" free gig for anyone who bought tix ... in hopes of getting back in good graces with the Church Choir.

Will it work?? We'll see ... but at least EC can now enjoy the game without feeling too guilty.

Rapper Stallionaires Pooch tells us he and Tiffany Haddish are an item after they did dinner together this week ... but Tiffany doesn't exactly see it the same way.

We talked to Pooch outside The Henry restaurant Thursday in WeHo ... and he was pretty confident he's got a new lady. He says he knew his charm was what hooked Tiffany, adding he's a respectful dude and knows how to treat a woman right.

Tiffany, however, doesn't appear to be taking their connection as far as Pooch is ... she tells us, "Well, I don’t think one dinner counts as dating. Does it?"

Well, to her point ... Pooch did get a little dodgy when we asked how long they'd been in a relationship. Watch the video -- he also wouldn't say if he's the man Tiffany's been praying for -- something she talked about on "The Tonight Show" back in January while discussing her recent DUI arrest in Atlanta.

While Tiffany and Pooch aren't on the same page about their relationship status ... we gotta give him some props for getting the first date with her. As for a second date? Well, Tiffany will ultimately decide just how charming he is or isn't.

Taylor Hawkins fans and childhood friends are remembering him in his SoCal hometown with a pretty fitting tribute on the same beach where he loved to surf.

Several dozen people formed a drum circle in the sand Thursday night in Laguna Beach, the scenic town where he grew up, and later bought a beachfront home.

The drummers, with some acoustic guitarists sprinkled in too, all gathered on Aliso Beach Park ... which locals noted was one of Taylor's fave spots to catch waves.

The Foo Fighters drummer had reconnected with some of his high school pals when he moved back into the area. Although he'd gained worldwide fame, and even been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame last year ... his friends say Taylor never gave off rock star energy when he was there.

As we reported, Taylor was found dead last Friday in his hotel room in Bogota, Colombia ... where Foo was scheduled to play. They'd been headlining festival shows across South America.

The Red Hot Chili Peppers are feeling unlimited love from their fans ... folks are flocking to the ceremony for the band's Hollywood Walk of Fame star and the scene looks insane!!!

RHCP is being honored as we speak on Hollywood Blvd ... and it's causing such a ruckus the city decided to shut down the famous street to traffic.

Flea, John Frusciante, Anthony Kiedis and Chad Smith are a huge draw ... there's a huge throng of RHCP people crowding around the new star, plus a ton of cameras and a heavy police presence.

The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce looks like it's busting out all the tricks for this ceremony ... hiring the USC marching band and song girls to provide entertainment to those milling around on the streets.

Celebs in attendance include Woody Harrelson, George Clinton and Bob Forrest.

The Chilli Peppers are still huge in Los Angeles ... the band formed here way back in the 1980s ... and they're still super relevant. Flea is a fixture at Lakers games and other L.A. sporting events, and RHCP is about to release its 12th studio album, "Unlimited Love."