Music

Drake had a lot of people wondering if he'd accomplished the nearly impossible -- to get Kim Kardashian to pose in a promo photo with him -- and while the woman with him definitely raised some Kim comparisons, we've figured out her true identity.

Drake dropped "Search & Rescue" Friday, his latest in a whole army of singles with art that showed him and a mystery woman wearing helmets complete with face guards.

Fans were quick to notice a similarity between the woman's features and Kim Kardashian's. While it seemed like a stretch for Kim K to be in the pics, Drake also sampled Kim's voice in the song ... so people thought it was possible.

However, we've learned the mystery woman is Lilah, an artist who has gotten major props from OVO in the past.

Jimmy Buffett, meet "Jersey Shore" ... the MTV reality stars are descending on the singer's Margaritaville resort, with a film crew in tow.

TMZ obtained these photos of 'JS' stars Vinny Guadagnino, Sammi 'Sweetheart' Giancola and Deena Cortese in the lobby of the Margaritaville Resort and Spa in Orlando this week ... and it looks like this is the latest stop on their 'Family Vacation.'

As you can see, camera crews are capturing the Guidos' every move ... and the cast has matching pink shirts that say "Family Fun Trip."

Folks who are staying on the property tell us MTV camera crews have been filming all over the resort ... with the 'JS' cast even renting out a pool for a private party.

There's also video floating around social media showing Pauly D walking through the pool area with Vinny, Sammi and Deena ... but so far there's been no sign of JWoww, Snooki or The Situation.

Florida's been the setting for a lot of filming for the upcoming season ... we previously saw the cast out to dinner in Celebration, FL, shooting a scene at a restaurant.

Monica put a damper on her "Goonica" nickname, and a few fans' chances of landing more punches during a fight that erupted at her show.

The star singer was recently in D.C. for the R&B Experience Tour, and was bringing the house down with her hit ballad, "Why I Love You So Much" ... when she noticed the brawl breaking out in the stands right in front of her.

A confused Monica wondered what about her quiet storm classic could prompt people to fight and demanded they stop ... even offering to buy them a drink to cool them off.

“I ain’t singing 'Knuck If You Buck' baby, calm that s*** down,” she told the rowdy bunch, referencing Crime Mob's 2004 fight-starting record.

The bribe didn't seem to work and Monica suggested they take the scuffle outside ... and cleverly dropped her fan-favorite song "So Gone" to celebrate the fans' exit from the venue.

Monica has long been accused of having a thug side ... and did her best to explain the nickname to Stacey Abrams and Ciara last year during election season.

Paul Cattermole, one of the members of the hugely popular S Club 7 music group has died ... the group announced.

In a shocking statement Friday, the band announced, "We are truly devastated by the passing of our brother Paul. There are no words to describe the deep sadness and loss we all feel. We were so lucky to have had him in our lives and are thankful for the amazing memories we have."

They continue, "He will be so deeply missed by each and every one of us. We ask that you respect the privacy of his family and of the band at this time."

At this time, Paul's cause of death is unclear, though local reports state there were "no suspicious circumstances" surrounding his death. Paul was just photographed earlier this week on a walk, where he looked to be in relatively good health.

S Club 7 was an English pop group created by Simon Fuller back in 1998 with Cattermole, Jon Lee, Tina Barrett, Bradley McIntosh, Jo O'Meara, Hannah Spearritt and Rachel Stevens.

The group had four UK #1 singles -- including "S Club Party" and "Bring It All Back" ... their song "Never Had a Dream Come True" made it to the Top 10 in the U.S.

XXXTentacion's killers will spend the rest of their lives behind bars, and as far as the rapper's mother is concerned ... they better sleep with one eye open, as they'll be massive targets.

Michael Boatwright, Trayvon Newsome and Dedrick Williams each received sentences of life without parole Thursday for their roles in the 2018 robbery and shooting death of XXX.

XXX's mom, Cleopatra, tells us she believes the sentence was more than appropriate given her son was murdered at just 20 years old. She says Boatwright taunted her throughout the trial by blowing kisses. She hopes "Buttright (not a typo) will now get the kiss he wants so bad."

She also has a message for Newsome and Williams ... "My hope for these other gentlemen is they will retain a firm grasp on the slippery soap."

It's very clear, Cleopatra believes the men will be targets, and you can't blame her for her anger toward them ... especially given the circumstances surrounding the crime.

TMZ broke the story, XXX was ambushed in his vehicle in broad daylight outside of a South Florida auto shop, shooting him and stealing a Louis Vuitton bag and $50,000 in cash.

Pharrell Williams turning 50, while not looking a day over 30, is absolutely baffling to his legion of fans ... who want to know the secret behind his half-century milestone.

PW had his big birthday on Wednesday, and a ton of people online wished him well on another year around the sun, and many couldn't help but point out the obvious -- the dude just doesn't age!

It was a wide range of responses, but all pointed to the supposed fountain of youth the hip hop legend must be drinking from on the daily.

One fan asked Pharrell for his elusive skincare routine, while another said, "How is it possible that I appear older than Pharrell Williams? ... Who is literally 50 years old."

If you've been under a rock for the last 30+ years, Pharrell's been in the music biz since the early '90s ... forming the group The Neptunes in high school and getting discovered by producer Teddy Riley.

He went on to work with huge names like Madonna, Jay-Z, Shakira, Justin Timberlake, Gwen Stefani and Daft Punk -- while dropping his own iconic tracks, like "Happy," too.

Maybe he's born with it ... or maybe he's just found out how to get lucky. HBD!

You'd think Barbie fans would be more than satisfied with the latest trailer for the Margot Robbie flick ... but some have a serious question for those who worked on the movie -- where's the freakin' Aqua song?!?!

That's right, fans are scratching their heads at this week's new look at Warner Brothers' "Barbie" -- with many calling the absence of Aqua's "Barbie Girl" a HUGE missed opportunity.

Check out the responses to the missing 1997 hit ... one says it'll be heartbreaking if the song doesn't make the cut.

Another fan points out, the trailer starts with Ken, played by Ryan Gosling, shouting out "Hi Barbie!" ... with Margot responding, "Hi Ken!" ... just like in the Aqua track.

When the movie was first announced, Ulrich Møller-Jørgensen -- manager for Aqua lead singer Lene Nystrøm -- said the track wouldn't be used but never explained why.

Of course, there's been a legal battle between Mattel and Aqua. The toy company filed suit against MCA Records back in 1997 for distributing the track -- Mattel was concerned it would hurt the brand. Aqua came out victorious in the end.

Even Barbie is controversial these days ... jeez.

Lizzo and Jack Black's cameos in the latest episode of "The Mandalorian" is a casting choice 'Star Wars' icon Billy Dee Williams can get behind -- and he gives us his thoughts as to why the team picked them for the series.

ICYMI, spoilers -- Lizzo and Jack can be found in Episode 6 of the Disney+ series' third season ... appearing in a scene as the queen and king of Plazir-15. And, of course, people went nuts.

Billy tells us he's backing the choice wholeheartedly -- pointing out how franchises are always coming up with new ways to grab a younger audience.

He sees it as good business and understands what the crew was thinking with Lizzo and Jack, even if die-hard fans of the series are the ones marking it as a dumb move.

It's debatable, but some online think the two just aren't believable in the 'Star Wars' universe ... because of how recognizable they are. The franchise has had a slew of cameos in the past, but some fans seem to have had enough -- looks like Billy sure hasn't.

BTW -- Christopher Lloyd also popped up in the same episode, but people weren't as concerned with an unscheduled visit from Doc.

Coolio's cause of death has been revealed, and it's one that continues to plague not only the entertainment industry, but the country as a whole ... fentanyl.

Family spokesperson, Jarel (Jarez) Posey tells TMZ ... Coolio's loved ones just got the news from the coroner -- fentanyl killed the rapper -- and he also had traces of heroin and methamphetamines in his system.

Jarez tells us investigators determined Coolio's severe asthma and decades-long use of cigarettes also played a factor in his death and his body's inability to fight back.

Despite the grim news, Jarez tells us Coolio's kids -- Brandi, Jackie, Melan, Christopher, Artis III, Darius and Artisha -- will remember their dad for the great man he was ... and the public should know how much they loved him, and how he conquered the world both on the stage and when he wasn't performing.

We're told Coolio's family has plans to honor their dad through documentaries and film ... and continue the legacy that was his music.

TMZ broke the story ... Coolio was found dead at his friend's house in Los Angeles in September. At the time, Jarez, told us paramedics suspected he suffered a cardiac arrest.

Law enforcement sources told us no drugs or drug paraphernalia were found at the scene.

The world was shaken by the news of Coolio's death -- including his close pal Vanilla Ice, who last performed with the legend just days before his passing.

FYI, Ice got pretty emotional recalling the last time he had a heart-to-heart with the fellow artist ... adding that he even pushed pause on his tour following the rapper's death.

Coolio's family made a headstone so they could have a physical place to go and remember him ... enlisting Cemetery Tim -- who has also done headstones for Nate Dogg, Eazy E and Anthony Johnson -- to make the custom piece.

The 3 men convicted of murdering XXXTentacion just learned their fate ... with the judge sentencing them to life in prison.

The men -- Michael Boatwright, Trayvon Newsome, and Dedrick Williams -- were previously found guilty of murder in the fatal 2018 shooting.

Robert Allen, the fourth man arrested for the murder, pled guilty to second-degree murder ... he has not yet been sentenced

Remember ... XXX was just 20 years old when he was shot and killed in June 2018 at a South Florida motorcycle dealership, in what prosecutors say was a robbery. The killers were accused of shooting the rapper as he sat in his vehicle, then running off with a Louis Vuitton bag and $50,000 in cash.

A Florida jury also convicted the three men of armed robbery ... with the verdict coming down last month, following 8 days of deliberations.

During the trial, prosecutors linked XXXTentacion's killers to the slaying through surveillance video from inside and outside Riva Motorsports, plus cell phone videos the men recorded showing them flashing $100 bills shortly after the shooting.

XXX's death shocked the rap community, and to this day tons of fans still mourn his loss.

Kanye West's private Christian school only feeds students one thing for lunch, sushi, and they apparently have to eat it on the floor without tables or chairs ... this according to a new lawsuit.

Ye and his Donda Academy are being sued by two Black women who say they were fired from teaching positions at the school for two reasons -- retaliation for sounding the alarm on alleged education, health and safety code violations -- and for their race.

According to the lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, the women say they were the only Black teachers employed by Donda Academy when they were hired full-time earlier this year ... and they say it didn't take long for them to notice numerous health and safety violations, unlawful educational practices and extremely unusual rules at Kanye's school.

Among the alleged issues ... the women say the only lunch option available for students is sushi, every single day, and students are not allowed to bring any outside food or drink, except for water. The suit claims Kanye spends $10,000 a week on sushi.

What's more, the teachers claim Kanye did not allow crossword puzzles or coloring sheets at Donda Academy, classes could not take place on the second floor because Kanye is "afraid of stairs," and Ye didn't want children using forks or utensils.

The suit alleges Kanye did not allow artwork to be hung on walls, and no one was allowed to wear jewelry ... simply because he "did not like jewelry."

The teachers even claim Kanye didn't allow chairs, forcing children to sit on foam cushions or stand, while teachers were relegated to standing or using a stool.

Donda Academy, the suit says, required everyone to wear all black from head-to-toe ... and Nike and Adidas brands were forbidden.

The teachers claim the school doors were physically locked from the outside during the school day, and students weren't allowed to go outside until they went home ... with the entire school, pre-kindergarten through 12th grade, taking lunch and recess at the same time indoors.

The suit claims Donda Academy didn't have a janitor or a school nurse ... and there were no trashcans outside classrooms or in the kitchen. Meanwhile, they say student medications were stored in a closet with other expired medications just scattered around unsecured.

And, get this ... the teachers claim there are no lesson plans or proper disciplinary procedures in place, resulting in students going undisciplined for multiple instances of bullying and physical assaults against peers and teachers.

The teachers claim when they tried to run the alleged issues up the flagpole, they were threatened not to reach out to Kanye.

The women say they were ultimately fired ... and they're blaming their termination on retaliation and racial discrimination. They also claim their paychecks were often short up to $2,700 per pay period ... so they're suing Kanye and Donda Academy for money.

We reached out to Kanye's camp ... so far no word back.

Mötley Crüe co-founder Mick Mars IS going away mad ... as they're in the middle of a farewell tour, without Mick, he's suing his ex-band -- claiming they kicked him out and ripped him off, financially.

The band's lead guitarist announced last fall he wouldn't be joining the Crüe on the road, because he's suffering from a debilitating arthritic disease called ankylosing spondylitis -- but in his lawsuit he says he made it clear he could still record with the band or do limited performances ... he just couldn't handle a full tour with his condition.

According to docs, obtained by TMZ, Mick says the band cut his percentage of profits from 25 percent to 5 percent ... after he announced he was stepping back from touring. Furthermore, he claims the band's lawyers made him feel like he should be grateful for even that small cut, because they didn't feel they owed him anything at all.

Mick claims there was a full band meeting and they decided to "unilaterally" remove him from Mötley Crüe.

Some of this is definitely personal for Mick. In the suit -- filed by his attorney Ed McPherson -- Mick repeatedly accused bassist Nikki Sixx of "gaslighting" him about his guitar skills diminishing.

Mick says that's rich coming from Nikki, because he claims Nikki didn't "play a single note on bass" during a recent tour -- and instead, Nikki's parts were pre-recorded.

BTS superstar Suga has a new three-letter combination in his life -- NBA -- 'cause he just became a league ambassador!!

The news just dropped minutes ago ... with the league saying the rapper/producer will help expand the NBA brand around the globe through promotional activities and initiatives.

Of course, Suga is a big hoop fan ... and has been spotted courtside at several games in the past. In fact, he even got to meet Stephen Curry and the Warriors when they played in Japan last September.

Suga addressed the move on Thursday ... saying, "Music and basketball have been shared passions of mine since my youth, and it’s a dream to be named an NBA Ambassador."

"I'm excited to formalize my relationship with the NBA, and I can’t wait to share some exciting collaborations I have planned with the league over the coming months."

"We’re thrilled to join forces with SUGA -- a superstar musician, fashion icon, and passionate NBA fan," league Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer Mark Tatum added. "We look forward to working with SUGA to bring the same excitement he engenders from his global fanbase in support of our continued efforts to grow our brand."

The league even says the NBA will have a presence during Suga's first solo world tour ... which sold out in minutes.

Here's a close-up look at Lady Gaga's take on Harley Quinn for the upcoming 'Joker 2' movie ... and this version looks dark and sinister.

Director Todd Phillips shared the in-your-face photo Wednesday on social media, announcing filming has wrapped and it's time for him to hunker down and transform hours of footage into a movie.

Lady Gaga's hair and makeup seem to match up with a scene she filmed earlier this week ... when she was singing and dancing on the very same outdoor Bronx staircase Joaquin Phoenix danced on in the first "Joker" film.

Remember ... we previously saw Lady Gaga in full costume as Harley Quinn last month, but she was sporting a different look than this grimy version.

Before, LG was looking pretty clownish as HQ ... and both versions seem darker than Margot Robbie's take on Harley Quinn, which has been well-received in several different flicks.

"Enough is enough."

That's the message Roc Nation is sending Italian soccer fans -- and people across the entire world -- after Inter Milan's Romelu Lukaku was berated by hateful "fans" making monkey noises during the game against Juventus F.C. on Tuesday.

Jay-Z's agency, which reps Lukaku, purchased a full-page advertisement in Italy's daily sports newspaper, La Gazzetta dello Sport, which is headquartered just a few miles from where the racist incident went down at Allianz Stadium in Turin.

"Dear Italy, Do better. Want better. Be better," the letter, translated into English, begins.

"In professional [soccer], Black players have been subjected to hatred during professional [soccer] games. The hatred has displayed itself in the form of monkey chants, racial slurs and banana peels tossed at the best players in the world, as the world watches, as the children watch, as the players' families watch."

"No one has faced any consequences for this heinous behavior. Nothing has changed. No action has been taken."

Of course, as the ad suggests, this isn't the first time a Black player -- and Romelu in particular -- has been forced to endure racist behavior from fans.

29-year-old Lukaku, who was berated on Tuesday after converting a penalty kick against Juventus in the Coppa Italia semifinal match, was targeted by a racist group of fans in 2019.

Back then, Romelu, who again converted on a PK, was subjected to similarly gross behavior after his squad defeated Cagliari.

Roc Nation talks about the power of soccer to unite and then goes on to ask people around the world to take action to stop these ugly acts.

"We call on the worldwide community of sports - players, team owners, artists, brands and all fans - to denounce this racist behavior and hold bigots accountable to a human standard. One which upholds decency, respect and compassion for others."

American R&B group 112 made waves in the music world with the hit song "Peaches & Cream" back in 2001. The group originally consisted of Daron Jones, Michael Keith, Quinnes "Q" Parker and Marvin Scandrick aka "Slim."

"Peaches & Cream" -- one of their biggest hits -- topped the music charts and scored a Grammy nomination. The group's other popular songs include "Cupid" and "Only You."

Throughout their career, 112 has collabed with some of music's hottest stars including Whitney Houston, P. Diddy and Janet Jackson.

Today, both Mike and Slim continuing to performing and tour as 112, giving stellar performances to all their fans.