Ben and JLO The House Hunt is Over!!! In Escrow for $34.5M Mansion

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Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck have FINALLY found their dream house ... TMZ has confirmed they're in escrow to buy an incredible property in the L.A. area.

The mansion is in the Pacific Palisades area of L.A. -- a super exclusive neighborhood only for the uber-rich.

It's listed for $34,500,000 ... we do not know the agreed-upon price, but it's a good bet it's not far off from the listing price.

The house was built just last year. The seller calls it a Hamptons-style traditional, with 7 bedrooms and 13 bathrooms.  It sits on an acre, which is HUGE for the area.

The house has all the bells and whistles ... a screening room, a gym, pool, wine cellar.  it's also got a health spa -- not sure how that differs from a gym, but apparently, it does.

As we reported, JLo just listed her Bel Air home for $42.5M. Their plan was to upgrade that home, but apparently plans changed and they're movin' west.

As we've been reporting for more than a year,  Ben and Jen have been on a non-stop house-hunting mission, looking at properties as high as $85M, but now they've settled on what looks like an awesome home for less than half the price!!!

Janet Jackson Grammy Awards Talks Break Down Because of Fallout from Super Bowl 38 & CBS

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The Grammys wanted to honor Janet Jackson in a big way last weekend, but TMZ has learned those talks fizzled after discussions on how to address the way CBS treated Jackson after her infamous Super Bowl Halftime performance.

Sources connected to The Grammys tell us ... the Grammys wanted to bestow Janet with a Global Impact Award, but there was a snag. Recording Academy honchos wanted Janet to attend a pre-Grammy event with the Black Music Collective days before the main event to accept the award, but her schedule wouldn't allow it.

From there, we're told discussions pivoted to a way Janet could receive the honor during the actual broadcast, but that presented another problem ... CBS never made amends with Janet for making her persona non grata after the wardrobe malfunction.

It was Super Bowl XXXVIII, broadcast on CBS, when Justin Timberlake ripped Janet's top, revealing her breast. The network received a ton of flack over the incident, and CBS CEO  Les Moonves pulled Janet's invite to the Grammys that year.

Our sources say Janet's team and Grammy organizers began talking about ways CBS could either apologize or figure out a way to acknowledge how she was treated by the network, but things just got too complicated and talks ended.

Since Janet couldn't attend the Black Music Collective event, she didn't get the Global Impact Award. She also did not attend the Grammys ... fact is she hasn't been there in years.

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CRACKIN' JOKES

We should note -- Lil Wayne ended up taking the Global Impact honor home -- and got a video shoutout from Drake before accepting the award. Unclear if both he and Janet both would've received awards, or if Wayne received his in place of Jackson.

Eminem Stunt Double Ryan Shepard Dead ... Struck By Car

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Ryan Shepard, who acted as Eminem's stunt double in the early 2000s, has died ... tragically losing his life after getting hit while attempting to cross the street.

Ryan's brother Kyle tells TMZ ... Ryan died in Washington at the end of January after getting hit by an oncoming pickup truck. Emergency responders rushed him to a hospital, but it was too late.

Ryan worked not only as Eminem's stunt double but also as his photo double and stand-in ... appearing at the MTV Movie Awards as Eminem's superhero character, Rap Boy.

He took the stage again with the rapper for his 2002 Anger Management Tour, and on his Japan and Europe tour the following year -- he also appeared in D12's "Purple Hills" music video as Eminem's double.

Kyle tells us Ryan was incredibly intelligent ... going on to work at Disney as a ride mechanical engineer, and eventually moving to Elon Musk's SpaceX as a test automation engineer.

Ryan leaves behind his 2 children, a 7-year-old and an 11-year-old.

He was 40 years old.

RIP.

Celebrity Scramble Guess Who!

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Underneath this contoured figure is a guy who has mad moves, mad game and a wardrobe that will for sure put yours to shame. His music and beats tend to get you up on your feet, and if you're not groovin' along ... he will "Uptown Funk" you up!

This suave guy is no stranger to the big stage ... In 2014 he took his pipes to the Super Bowl with the Red Hot Chili Peppers ... and again in 2016 with Beyoncé and Coldplay.

"You're amazing just the way you are" ... see if you can lock in this scrambled star!

Bill Bellamy Grammys Need Do-Over ... Hip Hop Tribute, Song of Year Sucked!!!

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C'MON, GRAMMYS!!!

Bill Bellamy thinks the Grammys have a diversity problem in their voting ranks, and that's why -- as he sees it -- their final ballots on the major categories rarely match up with public opinion.

The "Top Billin'" podcast host and comedian was out in West Hollywood when we polled him on the recent Grammy controversy over Song of the Year.

Bonnie Raitt's "Just Like That" beat out some pretty hefty competition such as Beyoncé’s  "Break My Soul," Harry Styles' "As It Was," Kendrick Lamar’s "The Heart Part 5" ... and surprised even the veteran blues-rock singer herself!!!

The song was indisputably the least-known song on the list, and Bill says it should be a no-brainer for one of the more well-known tracks to take home the award.

He brings up how a band like Journey can unite all people with their great song -- and we're assuming he's referring to their iconic track "Don't Stop Believin'" ... which, BTW, was not nominated for a Grammy back in 1981.

Bill was also displeased with the Grammys' 50th-anniversary hip hop tribute ... noting the lack of West Coast artists, in addition to missing many female rap greats such as MC Lyte, Da Brat, Foxy Brown and Lil Kim -- a sentiment Lola Brooke literally just shared with us.

Despite Questlove's best efforts, Bill says hip hop history cannot be condensed or covered in 2 minutes and they should've made room for a Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre set, T.I., 8Ball & MJG ... or nixed the idea altogether!!!

Fat Joe feels similar to Bill, having gone on yet another rant earlier this week about losing his 2018 Grammy to Chance the Rapper.

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GRAMMY JERK

Joe and Remy Ma's "All The Way Up" was the more popular record on the Billboard Charts, but still lost out to Chance's "No Problem" -- a song Joe maintains the world doesn't remember to this day.

Don't worry guys ... the Grammys only happen once a year. Save that anger for another 378 days or so.

Bad Bunny Cops Descend Near Miami Restaurant ... He's Uninvolved, Out of Town

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UPDATE

2:15 PM PT -- Miami PD tells TMZ ... units responded to the address in reference to a possible burglary in progress. Upon arrival, we're told they were notified the suspect could be armed and still in the building -- which spurred a perimeter being set outside.

Cops in Miami have descended upon an area near Bad Bunny's downtown restaurant -- leaving many wondering if he's okay ... but we've learned this has nothing to do with him.

The reggaeton artist's Japanese steakhouse, Gekko, is surrounded by dozens of police vehicles right now -- with SWAT units on the scene as well. The streets are getting blocked off ... and bystanders are filming the dramatic scene.

There are multiple units parked right in front of BB's establishment, with officers seen going in and out the front entrance -- so, naturally, there was panic that something may have happened to the beloved rapper ... that's not the case, though.

Sources directly familiar with the situation tell TMZ ... the owners of Gekko have been notified about a possible fugitive situation that's playing out at the SLS LUX Brickell Hotel -- which is adjacent to Gekko and shares the block. This explains this type of police response.

Our sources tell us Gekko is not directly involved in this matter. We're also told Bad Bunny isn't in FL at the moment, so he's no even in the vicinity of what's happening.

Gekko has become a huge hot spot in the city ... when Bad Bunny and Grutman opened this place back in August, it drew a big crowd and a lot of celebs. So, it's quite well-known.

It sounds like whatever the police are dealing with is fluid. We've reached out to the department for clarification on what exactly is going on, and if there's an active threat.

So far, no word back.

Originally Published -- 2:04 PM PT

Christina Aguilera, Winnie Harlow We Wanna Hear These RiRi Songs ... At Super Bowl LVII!!!

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Rihanna has A LOT of songs to consider as she finalizes her 13-minute Super Bowl set -- but if she's curious what her peers think she should sing ... she might wanna watch this.

We got Christina Aguilera and Winnie Harlow heading into Drake's SB party Friday in Scottsdale -- and, of course, we asked them about RiRi's many options in terms of tracks she could perform Sunday ... and what exactly they'd like to hear during the Halftime Show.

Check it out ... each of them gives us a response, and they're quite different. CA says she wants to see Rihanna's take on an ODB classic -- while going on to tell us she thinks Ri's gonna kill it.

Winnie had her own pick for a Rihanna song she'd like to see performed -- a fan fave, no doubt -- but she also had a lot to say about the fact that Rihanna is one of the first Afro-Caribbean women to take the big stage. Winnie is of Jamaican descent, BTW.

We'll see what Rihanna ends up deciding on ... we know she's got several variations in the can.

Machine Gun Kelly Crap, I Got Electrocuted During My Super Bowl Party Set!!!

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Machine Gun Kelly got himself a new hair-do during his performance at PGA ... but maybe not the one he wanted.

The rocker-turned-rapper says he got "electrocuted" onstage as he performed at the Coors Light Bird's Nest in Phoenix ... a Super Bowl weekend bash.

As he's singing, you see his hair go from flat to standing straight up on end. It's unclear if something really did happen or if it's just a stage prank. We're leaning toward prank, because he seems unfazed. Also, no EMTs showed up.

MGK performed for nearly 2 hours and, unsurprisingly, it was sold out. Among the guests -- A-Rod and his GF.

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AROD AT MGK

After the show, MGK met up with fiancée Megan Fox to hit up Drake's party.

Not shocking in the least.

Drake Takin' His Apollo Show on the Road ... For Star-Studded Super Bowl Party

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Drake hit the stage for a pretty spectacular pre-Super Bowl bash, with a little help from Cardi B.

Drake performed at Hanger 1 in Scottsdale Friday night, recreating his show at the Apollo last month in NYC.

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STAR-STUDDED EVENING

Several tons of stars were there to watch, including Machine Gun Kelly, Megan Fox, Cher and BF Alexander Edwards, Lil Baby, Tyga, H.E.R., Serena Williams, Meek Mill, Devin Booker, Odell Beckham Jr., Sauce Gardner, Kyler Murray, Davante Adams, Winnie Harlow, Rich the Kid, Christina Aguilera, George Kittle and Druski.

Drakes got skin in the game for sure ... he's betting nearly a million bucks total on the game and prop bets. That includes $700k on the Chiefs, $50k that Mahomes and Smith-Schuster would score the first Chiefs TD, and $50k the Chiefs would score in both halves of the game.

On the other hand ... it's just pocket change for him.

Sam Smith & Kim Petras 'Unholy' Grammy Performance Triggers Outrage, FCC Complaints

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Sam Smith and Kim Petras have pissed off lots of viewers who filed complaints with CBS and the FCC over their "Unholy" Grammys performance.

TMZ has obtained 18 complaints filed with the Federal Communications Commission  ... and the flashpoint is Satan.

Many claimed the performance was textbook devil worship and were appalled by the imagery shown on TV ... with one adding, "I will be canceling my television service due to this." Seems a little extreme.

Some called the performance anti-Christian. One viewer postulated the song had the potential to "increase violence against Christians." Some took offense to the BDSM and adult images.

And there's more ... "It was wrought with evil imagery, and depicted DEVIL WORSHIPING ACOLYTES writhing around on the floor virtually naked, and in CAGES. It was broadcast on live television, and I cannot believe that CBS allowed it."

One parent was furious ... "The performance of Sam Smith had people being whipped and in a cage. My 15 year old son who is an aspiring musician was traumatized by it."

Politicians even got in the act, with Ted Cruz and Marjorie Taylor Greene finding the whole thing "evil" and "demonic."

David Harris, magister for the Church of Satan, found the performance lackluster, telling TMZ the whole thing wasn't anything to write home about -- ouch!

Will Smith & George Clinton Bring in $10 Mil for Ben Crump’s Law School

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BIG HEART, BIG SUPPORT

Ben Crump doesn't just have a new law school named after him ... the institution's already getting jaw-dropping financial support from his very famous pals!

Will Smith was right by the famed civil rights attorney's side this week in Miami for the dedication of the Benjamin L. Crump College of Law at St. Thomas University -- and sources connected to the event tell us this was way more than a photo op.

We're told Will, funk music legend George Clinton and Bishop T.D. Jakes came together to raise a whopping $10 million for Ben's new school. As Will told the crowd ... he was honored to witness the historic event.

As of the naming ceremony, we're told Crump is now the first practicing Black attorney in the U.S. to receive such an honor.

As you know, Ben has become a renowned attorney taking on many high-profile cases -- most recently, he's been representing the family of Tyre Nichols, who was severely beaten by Memphis cops before dying last month.

He's also stood up for Jacob Blake and the families of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd -- no wonder he's frequently called Black America's Attorney General.

Many of his clients -- from those cases and others -- also supported him in Miami, including George Floyd's brother Philonise Floyd and Tyre Nichols' mom and stepdad ... RowVaughn Wells and Rodney.

Master P My Sons Are Future NBA Stars ... I Want Them On Pels!!!

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SUPER STARDOM

Master P is confident his sons, Mercy and Hercy, can BOTH be NBA stars ... telling TMZ Sports he's dreaming of seeing them team up on the New Orleans Pelicans one day.

We spoke to P in Beverly Hills last week on the heels of Mercy throwing down a monster dunk against Bronny James' Sierra Canyon team ... and he told us Mercy isn't the only budding superstar in the Miller fam.

"Mercy Miller, my son, he been a star," P said. "My other son, Hercy Miller, been a star. He in Louisville. Mercy at Notre Dame High School. They [are] the best-kept secrets in basketball."

"You seen the dunk and [Mercy] not just a dunker. He can shoot the three. He can rebound. He had like ten assists that game. He helped his team win and it was a blowout."

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

P said even though Mercy's highlight dunk came against Bronny's team, it's all love between the two ballers -- adding that they are friends with LeBron James and his family.

In fact, he said his kids work with Chris Johnson, who trained LeBron, and a slew of NBA stars including Ben Simmons, Dwyane Wade, Jimmy Butler, and Andrew Wiggins.

So when it comes to Mercy and Hercy's ceiling, P has his eyes on NOLA.

Of course, both were born and raised in Louisiana, so it makes sense the rapper-turned-business mogul wants him and Hercy to play for the hometown Pelicans.

"Two brothers on the same team. That'd be crazy."

Finally, P said he's not waiting for Wheaties to come calling to get them on a cereal box -- 'cause they're gonna get on the next batch of Snoop Cereal!!!

Meek Mill Philly's Got Room For My Song & Uzi's ... When Eagles Win SB!!!

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Meek Mill doesn't agree with DJ Drama's hot take that "Dreams & Nightmares" has been replaced by Lil Uzi Vert's "Just Wanna Rock" as the Eagles anthem -- instead, he's taking a more inclusive approach.

We got Meek out in Arizona amid the Super Bowl LVII festivities, and he laid out a plan for Philly to use both tracks. He suggests the birds come out amped to Uzi's stadium rocker ...  and then blare "Dreams & Nightmares" when they hoist up the Lombardi Trophy in victory!!!

Meek's hit has been synonymous inside Lincoln Financial Field for over a decade, but sadly, Meek was incarcerated during the Eagles' 2017 championship run -- so, he tells us he's eager to see that kinda moment in-person.

It's a great fix to the dust Drama kicked up when he lived up to his name earlier this month ... proclaiming Uzi's 'Rock' as the new sound of the Eagles.

Uzi's record is currently sitting in the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100, but still needs a bit of time before it carves out the same history as Meek's track.

Both songs would definitely extend the celebration in Philly, but Kansas City Chiefs ambassador Tech N9ne is 100% positive his squad will come out on top ... and even challenged Eagles fans Gillie and Wallo to put their dignity on the line with a jersey swap bet!!!

Scores will be settled and feelings will be hurt come Super Bowl Sunday -- but until then, everyone's gonna be having a blast!!!

Justin Bieber, Kodak Black Sued Over Shooting At After-Party ... During Super Bowl LVI Weekend

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Justin Bieber and Kodak Black are being dragged to court over a shooting that occurred following Justin's concert after-party during last year's Super Bowl weekend ... two men who claim they were struck by bullets are suing.

According to the lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, Mark Schaefer and Adam Rahman say they were shot and severely injured in the February 2022 shooting outside The Nice Guy in L.A. ... and they're blaming Justin, Kodak and the venue.

TMZ broke the story ... three people, including Kodak, were shot outside the party... and Kodak's camp says when he was leaving the venue someone in his crew got jumped by an unidentified assailant, with the rapper throwing himself into the mix to help his pal out before shots rang out.

In the docs, the alleged victims claim Kodak was a major catalyst in the shooting ... they say he was trying to cause harm and escalate the situation and they're laying the blame for the shooting squarely on his shoulders.

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FEET AWAY FROM THE SHOOTING

What's more, the alleged victims claim security at the venue was lax ... they say the security guards who were hired couldn't handle the job, and the venue, promoters and performers, therefore, bear some responsibility, too.

The alleged victims are going after Kodak, Justin, The Nice Guy, The Hwood Group and Revolve Group, plus the City of Los Angeles, the City of West Hollywood and Los Angeles County for damages ... and they're being repped by Gloria Allred.

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ANOTHER ANGLE OF THE SHOOTING

Kodak's attorney, Bradford Cohen, tells TMZ ... "I have seen a lot of bad complaints in my day. This is the most poorly drafted complaint I have seen in 26 years. I expect Kodak to be dismissed from this suit fairly quickly."

Cohen continues ... "There is zero specificity in the complaint and Ms. Allred groups the defendants all together instead of making specific allegations against each. It's law school 101. I am embarrassed for Ms. Allred that she actually signed her name to that complaint."

We also reached out to reps for Justin, The Nice Guy and The Hwood Group ... so far no word back.

YG & Ty Dolla $ign Remixing Bone & Biggie... For 'Fast X' Soundtrack!!!

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YG and Ty Dolla $ign are riding shotgun for the release of "Let's Ride" ... the first official taste from the soundtrack for "Fast X" and it comes as the film's first trailer drops too.

The leading Left Coasters are joined by up-and-coming Cali rapper, Lambo4oe on the song, which samples The Notorious B.I.G. and BoneThugs-N-Harmony's classic collab "Notorious Thugs."

Ty$ dropped off the song's lyric video Friday so fans can rap along ... and the song is also featured in the trailer. It's highlighting all the explosions, and you know how important that is in a 'Fast and Furious' flick!!!

"Fast X" brings back veteran cast members Vin Diesel, Jason Statham, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris, and John Cena ... while introducing Jason Mamoa as a Marvel-esque supervillain who likes to lick blood off knives.

The film hits theaters on May 19 -- as does the soundtrack -- so expect more blockbuster rapper pairings soon!!!

Britney Spears Friends, Family Say ... Canceling Intervention is Life-Threatening

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Britney Spears desperately needs help, and multiple people close to her tell TMZ ... the decision to pull the plug on the intervention scheduled this past Tuesday may well be life-threatening.

TMZ broke the story ... the intervention that was planned would include her husband, Sam Asghari, her manager and medical professionals. Her manager rented a house in the L.A. area where the intervention would go down, and the plan was for Britney to live there for around 2 months to get better, but someone in her camp pulled the plug on the plan.

As we reported, Britney's behavior has become increasingly erratic and volatile ... the result of her mental illness and substance abuse.

Here's what people with direct knowledge tell TMZ ...

-- "The intervention was long overdue. She is very much a danger to herself and those around her. It's a ticking time bomb. Thank god somebody finally took some steps to do something about it."

-- Another source says, "I worry about waking up in the morning and feeling like I'm going to get a horrible phone call."

-- A third source says, "This is 2008 all over again. There is serious fear she is either going to die or kill someone. She is abusing caffeine, Adderall, and anything she can get her hands on. She is not taking her medication, which is essential to stabilize her mood and is unknowingly trying to self-medicate with other substances, which is exacerbating her mental illness."

-- And finally, "She has unbelievable untreated trauma that with the help of therapists and specialists could put her in a much better place. An intervention is essential to make that happen."

There is anger among those who believe an intervention is necessary ... anger that someone has derailed the plan, and they are not giving up.

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BACK TO SQUARE ONE???