Music

Lizzo is starting the new year with a list of grievances about the state of social media -- including the notion that "cancel culture" has been warped into something unrecognizable.

The singer has been expressing a lot of opinions lately about what she sees as total nonsense when it comes to what people focus on online -- especially as it relates to her. On Sunday, though, she had a new thought ... namely, that cancel culture itself is appropriation.

Here's how Lizzo puts it ... "There was real outrage from truly marginalized people and now it’s become trendy, misused and misdirected." She adds, "I hope we can phase out of this & focus our outrage on the real problems." In the comments, several people seem to agree.

Her cancel culture theory is just the latest idea she's voiced on this issue. Earlier this week, she was addressing social media discourse at large -- suggesting users (probably Twitter ones) needed to do a better job at filtering truth from fiction before jumping to conclusions.

This goes beyond people having full-blown debates about her figure, BTW -- which continues to be a subject of conversation. Now, there seems to be talk about Lizzo's music, and which groups she may or may not be catering to ... not to mention opinions on her race.

Speaking of fat-shaming, Lizzo is again tackling that head-on. It seems she's receiving a bit of what Adele was subjected to when she noticeably lost weight ... people criticizing her for not "loving herself" as she was -- this after she'd been mercilessly mocked for years when she was doing exactly that and championing body positivity. A lose-lose scenario, really.

Of course, some might say she'd be better off tuning all of this noise out and carrying on with her business -- but Lizzo's never been one to bite her tongue. On the contrary, she speaks her mind ... which is what so many people love about her to begin with.

Britney Spears and Paris Hilton were just 2 of the famous faces who came out for one lucky guy in Hollywood -- mega-agent Cade Hudson, whose birthday was a who's-who!

Several A-listers attended Cade's 36th bday party Saturday, which he hosted at The Park Santa Monica -- where the beachside streets looked more like a busy night in WeHo based on how many celebs and paparazzi were around.

We got a look at some behind-the-scenes shots of the action inside, and it seems everyone was having a ball helping CH ring in a new milestone of life. Take a peek for yourself.

Here's a taste of who else rolled through for the festivities ... Robert Pattinson, Rachel Zoe, Jeff Ross, Claudia Oshry, Edward Norton, Suki Waterhouse, Hayden Panettiere, Tiffany Haddish, Billy Eichner, Jordan Barrett, Emma Roberts, Darren Criss, Ashley Benson, James Marsden, Jeff Beacher, Ryan Phillippe, Rodger Berman, Brandon Davis, Demi Lovato, and Sanaa Lathan. As for Brit and Paris, we're told they were together all night.

Singer Kelsea Ballerini was on hand as the talent -- she sang a few songs, including, "If You Go Down (I'm Goin' Down Too)" and "Peter Pan." The party was catered by Craig's.

The moment Cade blew out the candles was caught on camera, and it seems the place was packed to the gills ... making for quite the rager. He also got on the mic at one point, and his guests poured on a ton of love as he recounted some standout memories.

It's also worth noting that Cade was able to get Britney to show up for something like this -- she's been mostly to herself these past several months ... and rarely ventures to L.A. proper for outings. If she does, she almost always avoids the paps -- and did so in this case too. Still though, she made an exception for her manager ... whom she's known for years.

Joe Don Rooney -- lead guitarist for the country music trio Rascal Flatts -- is in the middle of a contentious divorce from his Playboy model wife ... he says she cheated on him and she says he's a cheater who's hooked on drugs and alcohol.

According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, the musician claims his wife, Tiffany Fallon, is having an affair with her personal trainer. He says the affair started before he filed for divorce in January 2021 and believes the "adulterous relationship" is still going strong.

Tiffany cops to adultery but denies it was the cause of their marital breakdown and says the affair only began after Joe withdrew from the marriage due to "habitual alcoholism and drug abuse." She claims he's guilty of adultery, as well.

As we reported ... Joe was busted for DUI in September 2021, when police in Tennessee said he crashed his car into a tree. Tiffany cites Joe's DUI case in the docs ... saying it's the culmination of ongoing alcohol and drug abuse.

For his part, Joe denies abusing narcotic drugs ... though he admits he's used cocaine a few times. He says he suffers from an alcohol disorder and is getting treatment, but says his boozing isn't the cause of the marriage collapse ... he says she started having an affair in 2020 when he was on the wagon.

French Montana and members of his team were desperate to find safety in the seconds following the chaos of gunfire in Miami Gardens ... ducking into a fast food joint.

We've obtained video from inside a KFC restaurant where French and others gathered to find safe shelter. French isn't saying much in the clip, but you see him peering outside toward the scene.

A witness inside the restaurant tells us French remained there for 30 to 40 minutes, while cops arrived and victims were taken to the hospital.

As we reported, as many as 10 people were hit by bullets Thursday night when shots rang out into a crowd of people who had gathered at The Licking restaurant to celebrate the release of French's new mixtape, "Coke Boys 6: Money Heist Edition."

It's unclear what led to the shooting, but one witness on the scene tells us they believe it was the result of an attempted robbery during the celebration.

A rep for French confirmed to us he was not injured in the melee, and everyone is expected to survive ... including a bodyguard who was listed in critical condition.

In a statement Friday, French said, "Last night, I was in Miami celebrating the release of my CB6 mixtape w/ friends at a local restaurant. We unfortunately were at the wrong place, at the wrong time when an incident took place that left people hurt. Our thoughts & prayers are w/ the victims & families at this time."

Britney Spears and Jamie Lynn are battling it out for bragging rights over who had a rougher life ... and it's getting ugly.

Britney fired back at her younger sister with a social media rant Friday, after Jamie Lynn complained on TV about growing up with a super famous older sister.

The sisterly beef reignited this week when Jamie Lynn said on FOX's new reality series, "Special Forces: World's Toughest Test" that she struggles with self-esteem living in Britney's shadow.

Britney's having none of it, though ... she says Jamie Lynn and the rest of her family and friends were living it up while she was wasting away under a conservatorship.

What's more, Britney's none too pleased Jamie Lynn is whining on national TV ... Britney says she'd rather spit in her family's faces and "trash them on Instagram cause that’s all my family has ever been to me !!!!"

Jamie Lynn says she's proud of Britney and loves her to death, but grew up feeling like she didn't have anything for herself because her older sister found fame at such a young age.

Britney's response ... "It honestly blows my mind the hardships you say you have had with having me as your sister."

While Jamie Lynn says she's having a hard time finding her own identity outside of being Britney's sister, Britney's claiming she suffered nerve damage during the conservatorship.

French Montana is coming under fire from the Miami Gardens Police for not securing permits for his video production that turned into a bullet festival with 10 people shot.

Miami Gardens Police Chief Delma Noel-Pratt just blamed the rapper and his crew for all the violence and chaos.

Noel-Pratt said investigators have learned event organizers (i.e. French and Co.) failed to fill out an application to obtain the necessary permits for the video shoot, which is a violation of city policy.

"As a result of this disregard of the procedures, the unauthorized music video production led to an unfortunate situation," the police chief said.

He added, "If the necessary agencies were notified ahead of time and protocol followed, police officers would have been in place to safeguard the community and assist with deterring and responding, if needed, to any situation that may arise."

French has a completely different take. He tells us he was NOT shooting a video in Miami, but rather "celebrating the release of my CB6 mixtape w/ friends at a local restaurant." He says they were just in the wrong place at the wrong time when the shooting occurred.

TMZ obtained new video of Cage The Elephant vocalist Matt Shultz being put inside the back of a police car with his hands cuffed behind his back after his arrest this week for possessing illegal guns in NYC.

Check out this footage of the two-time Grammy-winning musician sporting a formal shirt and tie and surrounded by police Thursday morning outside The Bowery Hotel in the East Village. Cops took Shultz to a police station, where they processed him for criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a firearm, both felonies.

According to law enforcement ... Shultz's problems started late Wednesday night while he was a guest at the hotel. A worker spotted Shultz brandishing a handgun in a first-floor bathroom and reported him to a superior, who, in turn, called the NYPD.

We're told police responded to Shultz's room and knocked on the door .... Shultz answered the knock and stepped out into the hallway.

Cops allegedly asked Shultz if he had a firearm ... to which, Shultz replied, "two .45 caliber guns." When pressed about whether he still had the weapons, Shultz told cops he "may, but did not know," leading to his arrest, police said.

Investigators then got a search warrant and recovered the two loaded firearms from inside Shultz's room.

Sammy Hagar takes pride in being the first celeb to have a popular tequila brand ... which is why he explains on "TMZ Presents: Sammy Hagar's Paradise" that selling it was the craziest thing to ever happen to him!

The former Van Halen singer says when he created his Cabo Wabo Tequila line, no other stars had ever done anything like it ... adding that his business started booming like no other.

Remember, we talked to him back in July and he told us he was making a great fortune from his booze, books and bars ... way more than any money he racked up from his music.

Well, now he's telling the story behind his successful tequila. At first, Sammy says he wouldn't dare sell it because he was bringing in so much cash. But, that all changed when he secured a wild offer -- one that literally had him rolling on the floor laughing.

The Red Rocker says the company Grupo Campari agreed to pay him $100 million ... and after that, he sealed the deal!

Ya gotta hear how it all went down.

French Montana is thankful to be alive and that those injured in the shooting in Miami Gardens are all expected to make it ... breaking his silence on the scary incident.

French just addressed Thursday night's terrifying ordeal, writing, "Last night, I was in Miami celebrating the release of my CB6 mixtape w/ friends at a local restaurant. We unfortunately were at the wrong place, at the wrong time when an incident took place that left people hurt. Our thoughts & prayers are w/ the victims & families at this time."

Initial reports stated French was filming a music video at The Licking in Miami Gardens, but a spokesperson for the rapper tells us all photos and video taken were to celebrate CB6.

We're also told French was not injured, and those who were hit by gunfire are all expected to pull through.

As we reported, shots rang out Thursday night -- and as many as 10 people were struck by gunfire -- many were injured.

Celine Dion's biggest fans are loudly going to bat for her with the Rolling Stone honchos who had the nerve to leave her off its 200 greatest singers list.

This protest is going down Friday outside the magazine's HQ in New York City ... with Celine fans coming out in droves, armed with picket signs and some not-so-intimidating chants.

Celine's supporters are yelling "Rolling Stone is stoned" ... as they bash the outlet for snubbing the Canadian singer from its refreshed 200 Greatest Singers of All Time list.

Julie Snyder, a TV personality from Montreal, is leading the demonstration and told our photog what protestors are demanding -- they want Celine recognized, AND an apology from RS.

The outlet is taking notice ... Rolling Stone editor Steven Pearl came outside to talk to the protestors, listening to their issues and clueing them in on how the list was formed.

Lizzo has a lot to say to the folks who won't stop talking about her figure ... she's tired of all the body shaming and says she's not here to fit anyone's beauty standards.

The singer just went on a long rant on social media, posting a video in a bikini where she sounds off on anyone and everyone who has something to say about her body.

Lizzo says she's tired of the discourse around bodies ... rattling off all the different things she hears about her own body. Her point -- no matter what she does, someone always has something to critique.

Remember ... Kanye West and Aries Spears trashed Lizzo's body last year, and she even responded to their comments during a show in Toronto.

Lizzo doesn't mention anyone by name in her rant, which has been her MO on this topic, but she addresses her haters, celebs and otherwise, calling them "delusional."

The way Lizzo sees it ... she's not here to conform to anyone's beauty standards, and she's going to do whatever she wants with her body, which she says is a work of art in itself.

Lizzo says folks are wasting effort commenting on all her Twitter posts ... and she proposes charging $5.99 for every comment on her tweet.

Kim Kardashian's definitely gonna get her ex-husband's attention with this -- she and their daughter North West not only made a video homage to Kanye West ... but also his arch nemesis, Taylor Swift!!!

North recreated her dad's look with a damn good makeup job, and Kim recreated -- well, herself -- to make a TikTok with Ye's song "Bound 2." They didn't do any lip-synching, but ya gotta hand it to North ... she's got Ye's brooding look down pat. Kim famously co-starred with her then-husband in the OG 2013 music video.

We know North loves her some TikTok, so using it to pay tribute to her father has gotta sit well with Ye -- who hasn't always been a big fan of her even being on the platform. As for why they did it ... well, that's what's really interesting.

Before the "Bound 2" TikTok, Kim and North posted a different one -- a fully lip synched and choreographed routine to T Swift's "Shake It Off."

As everyone knows, there's nothing but "Bad Blood" between Ye and Taylor since the 2009 VMAs Taylor interruptus incident.

So while their Taylor TikTok is totally playful and seemingly innocent ... it wouldn't necessarily land that way on dear ol' Dad, who took another infamous swipe at Taylor in his "Famous" song and music vid.

Remember, back in better times for the couple, Kim was fully in lockstep with her then-hubby when it came to the war of words with Taylor.

So, you could see this as an olive branch to the singer on Kim's part.

As for the Ye clip -- we're not saying Kim and North's TikTok was a make good to him ... but, we're not NOT saying that either.

A French Montana music video turned into a terrifying ordeal when gunshots rang out ... and multiple people have reportedly been hit.

French and his team were in Miami Gardens Thursday filming a video outside The Licking restaurant. At some point, at least one person opened fire, injuring up to 10 people ... according to Miami WSVN 7News.

At this point, it's unclear if French was hit ... but a witness on the scene tells us his security got him out of the area safely and without incident.

We've obtained video of French on the scene before the shooting, and everything seemed to going smoothly. However, in additional video -- from after the shots rang out -- you can see the chaos.

We do not know who fired the gun or if it was more than one person.

Miami 7 says at this point, there have been no fatalities reported.

We spoke with French earlier in the day Thursday about the loss of his friend Takeoff, and advice he gave Quavo on dealing with the death.

Billie Eilish's family home was burglarized in L.A. Thursday night ... and police arrested a suspect thanks to a quick-thinking house sitter as the crime was in progress.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ … cops responded to the house in Highland Park around 9:15 PM after receiving a report of someone scaling a fence to gain access to the property.

The masked intruder was apparently wearing all black and lurking around the backyard. We're told the house sitter -- who was not present at the location -- received an alert on an electronic device showing the unidentified man on camera. The employee didn't recognize the person and quickly called police.

Cops responded to the scene and nabbed the suspect about one block away during a sweep of the area. Investigators tell us they don't believe anything was stolen from the house, which they confirm is owned by Billie's family.

Aries Spears sounds kinda like an angry old dude on his porch -- demanding Black men ditch the "sagging jeans" trend, and he thinks Soulja Boy should spearhead the change!!!

The controversial comedian was venting to VladTV about Black men's and women's fashion, and recalled a time he saw Soulja standing at a bank teller window ... flaunting the underwear covering his butt. 😅

Aries says he made eye contact with a White woman disapproving of SB's swag sag, and all he could do was shrug because he felt just like she did.

At 47 years old, Aries says he's comfortable speaking his mind and wishes he could grab every Black person's pants that are sagging and pull them up ... although, he's not naive to the number of fights that would start.

Aries called the Soulja moment embarrassing for the culture as a whole, and also has harsh criticism for Black women: No more bonnets and hair wraps in public! He claims he might start snatching them off heads.

Lil Uzi Vert's decision to add his Young Thug and Gunna collab "Strawberry Peels" to the deluxe version of his last album could prove to be a costly one ... the Generation Now rhymer is being sued over the song.

According to legal docs, obtained by TMZ Hip Hop, Uzi, Thug, Gunna, the song's producer Wheezy, as well as the record labels Atlantic and Generation Now are being sued by Sun City Publishing for allegedly stealing samples from Blackout's 1995 song called "Dim Da Lights."

Sun City claims it never gave Uzi permission to sample the track and says "Strawberry Peels" has been a huge success since its release ... amassing over 39 million Spotify streams and more than 4 million plays on YouTube.

Sun City believes the song has raked in well over $1 million dollars and now it wants at least that much in damages.

The suit obviously spells more bad news for Thug and Gunna ... remember, both were tied into the RICO criminal cases in Georgia.