Tom Sandoval Back to the Band Life Post-Scandal Beltin' Out Tunes Shirtless

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SHREDDING ON STAGE

Tom Sandoval is moving on from the Scandoval -- and he's doing it by getting back onstage and singing his heart out.

The 'Vanderpump' reality star got under the spotlight this weekend with his band, The Most Extras, for 2 live gigs where the guys apparently played to packed houses. On Friday, Tom performed at a venue called the Canyon in Montclair, CA ... way out near Pomona.

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ROCKIN WITH THE BAND
Instagram / @sharonstreger, @tonebender

On Saturday, he did it again ... only this time, him and the band went in the other direction -- again playing at a Canyon establishment, but in Agoura Hills ... which is near Calabasas.

In both instances, TS lost his shirt ... and handled microphone duties bare-chested. He wasn't shy either ... Tom was up there belting out songs like there was no tomorrow, and it sounds like the crowds were rockin' with him for the most part. All in all, pretty good vibes.

Of course, the question some might ask is ... too soon? Clearly not -- the guy was booked, so he has every right to perform ... and it doesn't sound like the cheating hurt sales either.

He's already gone to the reunion and gotten chewed out by everyone under the sun -- both on and off set -- and he's apologized for betraying Ariana Madix. At this point, though ... this saga's been going on a month-plus and there's nothing more to really say. It's over.

AM's reportedly already lined up her next act -- apparently, she's set to appear on 'DWTS' -- and Tom seems set to do the same ... playing his music and running his businesses.

A soap opera comes to mind here ... 'As the World Turns.'

Taylor Swift & Joe Alwyn Splitsville ... Reports Say 'Amicable'

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Taylor Swift and her longtime boyfriend, Joe Alwyn, have reportedly broken up ... but it sounds like there's no drama she'll have to sing about in the aftermath.

ET broke the news Saturday, reporting that the couple split a few weeks ago ... but that the uncoupling was "amicable" and "not dramatic," which isn't always how Taylor Swift breakups go. The outlet goes on to say, citing sources, the relationship had simply run its course.

A sign there was trouble on the horizon, per ET, was the fact Joe hadn't been seen at any of TS's concerts of late. The reason, apparently, is because they'd gone their separate ways. As you know, TayTay is on tour right now -- and Joe has had a habit of coming out to support.

This news is quite the shocker ... Taylor and Joe seemed to be good as recently as this past fall, when they were spotted out in NYC -- not to mention their vacay to the Bahamas last summer where they were packing on the PDA. By most accounts, they were doing great.

JA is usually out of the spotlight, as was their relationship in general. The dynamic between them was, by and large, kept private ... but Taylor seemed head over heels for the guy.

Taylor and Joe first got together back in 2017, so they've been going strong for 6 years now. Up to this point, Joe's been Taylor's most steady and consistent boyfriend since she splashed onto the Hollywood scene ... with a lot of her exes being way more famous.

Remember, she's dated the likes of Jake Gyllenhaal, Harry Styles, Joe Jonas, Tom Hiddleston, Taylor Lautner, Calvin Harris and John Mayer -- to name a few. None went the distance with her the way Joe did ... and many thought they could even get married.

Of course, the other weird thing about this is that Taylor recently put out a new track that was meant to be a love letter to Joe -- although it's unclear when they may have been recorded. In any case, it appears to be sayonara for now for these two ... for now.

We've reached out to Taylor and Joe's reps ... so far, no word back.

LFO MEMBER BRAD FISCHETTI Death Curse Theory Doesn't Scare Me ... I'm Alive, Show Must Go On

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CARRYING ON THE LEGACY

Brad Fischetti, the last living member of LFO, says he's not scared by the fact death seems to come early to those involved with the band ... he's alive and well, and touring in their honor.

Brad tells TMZ ... he was shocked and dumbfounded at the end of March, when original LFO member Brian "Brizz" Gillis suddenly died, leaving Brad as the last surviving member.

Lots of folks didn't even know Brian was in LFO ... and some thought it was really Brad who passed. Brian was LFO's third member when the band started, but he left before Devin Lima joined the group in 1999, the same year "Summer Girls" became a huge hit.

Remember ... Devin was only 41 when he died back in November 2018, and Rich Cronin was just 36 when he died in September 2010 ... with cancer taking both their lives. Brian's cause of death is still unclear.

Brad says it's not just LFO band members who have died young ... he says their OG record label head, keyboard player, choreographer and a producer they worked with are all dead too.

Still, Brad says he hopes there's not a death curse on LFO. He hopes he lives a long life and tells us he's got no plans to stop touring, viewing it as a way to carry on LFO's legacy.

Brad says he keeps Devin, Rich, Brian and the others in his prayers and tries to remain strong in his faith ... and he thinks they would want him to keep making music.

Bu Thiam I Want To Sign Flau'jae!!! Also Open to AI Rappers

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Bu Thiam's role as EVP at Columbia Records has him scoping for new artists from all walks of life ... and he's looking to add NCAA champ Flau'jae Johnson to his roster!!!

We caught up with Bu at LAX and he had nothing but praise for Flau'jae, who recently helped the LSU Tigers win their first women's basketball national championship ... in controversial fashion at that.

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CHAMPIONSHIP CONCERT

Bu says he looked into Flau'jae's credentials and everything checked out, as it should have. The 19-year-old's been rapping long before it became trendy on the Internet ... going viral through appearances on "The Rap Game," "America's Got Talent," and her 2020 "Sway In The Morning" freestyle.

She inked a deal with Roc Nation management last year ... so, at least Bu knows who he needs to convince for a joint venture.

As a music exec, Bu also has to be mindful of the industry's changing landscape ... and he's surprisingly open to the idea of artificial intelligence artists, unlike some of his counterparts, like Swizz Beatz, who's expressed concern.

AI recordings mimicking the likes of Drake, Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole and Kanye West are littered all over YouTube ... but Bu thinks the industry needs to be more open-minded and embrace the technology.

Jay-Z's longtime sound engineer Young Guru has also been lashing out about AI, but Bu thinks the tech could give unpredictable results!!!

Tony Yayo Approves Angel Reese's Celebration ... Calls Criticism 'Crazy'

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PART OF THE GAME

Tony Yayo -- the rapper who inspired John Cena's famous "You Can't See Me" gesture -- is speaking out against those criticizing LSU hoops star Angel Reese for waving her hand toward Iowa star Caitlin Clark ... saying, "When a Black girl do it, it's a problem, but when a white girl do it, it's not a problem."

TMZ Sports spoke with the G-Unit MC -- who was trending this past week after Reese's celebration during last Sunday's NCAA championship game -- and he told us the criticism she's been receiving is "kind of crazy."

Yayo said trash-talking in sports is part of the game ... adding he understands the emotions athletes experience when competing, especially for a national championship.

Yayo -- who recently wrapped up a tour with 50 Cent and is gearing up to release new music this summer -- said Reese is popularizing women's basketball ... and she's elevating the sport to newer heights.

"You got Lil Wayne calling her phone," Yayo said. "You got Boosie excited over LSU. This championship was big. Everybody knows who Angel Reese is now, as well as Caitlin Clark."

Tony said he's proud of how Reese has handled herself during the controversy ... and doesn't want it to diminish what the LSU Tigers accomplished, winning the program's first NCAA women's basketball national championship.

"I just don't want all this stuff to overshadow the win," Yayo said. "There are other people on the team. There's a great coach [Kim Mulkey] over there. I'm definitely looking up to anybody that's a role model to Black women in this world."

Yayo also told us he's not upset that people attribute the "You Can't See Me" signal to John Cena -- who admitted his little brother inspired him to make the gesture in WWE -- and even praised Reese and Clark for paying homage to it after all these years.

Tina Knowles Vandal Hits Tina Knowles' Home ... Taken Into Custody After Foot Pursuit

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Beyonce's mom, Tina Knowles, had an unwelcome visitor at her Los Angeles home -- cops say they took a man into custody for causing a disturbance and damaging her property.

Law enforcement tells TMZ ... LAPD rushed to Tina's pad last Saturday after getting a call that a man was at the front of the house throwing rocks at her mailbox.

We're told units arrived, including a helicopter, but the suspect immediately booked it -- thing is, the chopper kept an eagle eye on him. Cops zeroed in on him and, after a short foot pursuit, he was taken into custody.

Law enforcement says the suspect was behaving erratically and was placed on a 5150 psych hold. We're told there was minor damage to Tina's mailbox, but she declined to press charges or even file a report.

Might be time for Tina to switch to a P.O. box ...

Celebunny Ears ... What's Hoppinin'?!

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Who knew Hollywood could breed such cute and fluffy bunnies?! Well, the proof lies here in these precious pics, and since tomorrow is Easter, go on with your bunny-self and scavenge through our celebratory bunny ear photos!

Singing sensations Mariah Carey and Celine Dion dressed to impress in their ear accessories ... Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Anne Peltz Beckham are eggstremely cute in matching ears, and Reese Witherspoon served up a "who wore them better" ... between herself and her pup!

These stars are always "ear" for your entertainment! Check out our gallery and get down and festive with these Celebunnies!

Fluffy AF!

Drake Kim K Look-Alike Revealed ...

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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.

As for Kim's voice, Drake used a snippet from Hulu's "The Kardashians" where she talks her divorce from Kanye West ... messy.

'Jersey Shore' Family Vacation To Margaritaville ... Filming At Orlando Resort

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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.

No word if the 'JS' stars are nibbling on sponge cake down in Margaritaville.

Monica No 'Goonica' Here ... Stops Fans From Throwing Blows

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BREAKING UP THE BRAWL

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.

A true "Goonica" would've let the fans fight, though!!! 😇

S Club 7 Paul Dead at 46

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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.

Paul was set to take part in S Club 7's upcoming reunion tour ... which was also to celebrate the group's 25th anniversary.

XXXTentacion's Mom Warns His Murderers ... Don't Drop the Soap Behind Bars

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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.

XXX's career was on a positive trajectory, and the outpouring of love and support from his fans was huge after his murder.

Pharrell Williams Fans Scratch Heads at Big Birthday ... How the Hell Is He 50?!?

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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!

'Barbie' Movie Trailer Fans Pissed 'Barbie Girl' Song MIA from Movie

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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.

Billy Dee Williams Lizzo, Jack Black In 'Mando' Is Great ... All About the Biz!!!

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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.

As for Billy, we're told he's dropping his memoir next year called "What Have We Here? Portraits of A Life." The book, published by Knopf, is hitting U.S. and UK shelves, and fans can start preordering in May.

Coolio Died from Fentanyl ... Fam Will Honor His Legacy

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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.

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THE FINAL PERFORMANCE

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.

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WE LOST A GOOD MAN

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.

We covered it all in a previous episode of The TMZ Podcast, available on all podcast platforms!