Music

Joe Burrow's professional women's volleyball league just added some serious firepower ... Olympic legend Kerri Walsh Jennings has now come on board -- and she's bringing a team with her!!

Walsh Jennings -- a three-time Olympic gold medalist -- announced the move earlier this week ... and told TMZ Sports on Thursday she's absolutely fired up to partner with the Bengals quarterback and others in the new league.

If you're unfamiliar, Burrow helped launch the Pro Volleyball Federation earlier this year ... promising to bring super competitive, professional indoor volleyball games to cities throughout the country. Jason Derulo has already revealed he's in on the project, telling us back in February he's launching the league's Nebraska team.

Walsh Jennings, in addition to being an equity holder in the league, is bringing on a squad of her own in San Diego ... and she said with her, Burrow, Derulo and others involved, the org. has sky-high potential.

"What's clear is that the opportunity is ginormous here," Walsh Jennings told us. "The sport is so hungry for this elite, top, most-echelon place, and the time is now for women's sports."

Walsh Jennings says the goal for the league -- which will kick off its inaugural season in February 2024 -- is to ultimately have seven or eight teams. Right now, it's at six. Every squad, Walsh Jennings said, will have 14 players -- and signings will happen soon.

And, when it all finally comes together and they get to go head-to-head during a real season ... she promised she was going to be super competitive with Burrow and Derulo.

"Just knowing what I know of the other owners," she said, "I know we're all going to take this, carry this crown of being owners with a lot of pride, a lot of honor. And we're going to want to win."

The American rock band Plain White T's first surfaced on the music scene back in 1997 and continues to captivate their fans to this day. Their 2006 hit song "Hey There Delilah" put the stamp on their fame and success, earning one Grammy nod and peaking #1 on the charts.

Originally forming in '97 with high school pals Tom Higgenson, Dave Tirio and Ken Fletcher ... Steve Mast would join the group soon after. Their songs "1,2,3,4" and "Rhythm of Love" are also some fan favorites.

Today, the group is still rockin' out ... recently performing in Texas at Tarleton State University, and they're gearing up for a summer tour!

"Hey there, Delilah!"

Takeoff's alleged killer, Patrick Xavier Clark, has just been formally charged with murder in the Migos rapper's shooting death

A Texas grand jury indicted Clark on murder charges Thursday ... the Harris County District Attorney's Office told KHOU.

As you know ... Takeoff was shot and killed back in November outside a Houston bowling alley, where he was partying with Quavo. What started out as a celebration turned into an argument, which led to a physical altercation and ultimately a fatal shooting.

Houston PD arrested Clark in December, accusing him of firing the fatal shots.

Remember ... the coroner's report said Takeoff was shot in the head and the torso. Police say Takeoff was not armed and he was an innocent bystander when he was hit by gunfire.

As we reported ... Clark was released from the Harris County Jail in early January after posting $1 million bond.

TMZ broke the story ... Clark has already asked a judge for $5,000 to hire a private investigator to properly prepare his defense, claiming he's financially unable to cover the costs of hiring a P.I. on his own.

Tina Turner's undeniable impact on music, and beyond, is being felt all over the world ... with some of the biggest artists paying homage to the legendary singer -- some of them live onstage.

Lizzo stopped to give Tina her flowers, following her death ... getting emotional during a concert, as she performed "Proud Mary."

She told her fans "I would not exist without Tina Turner ... there would be no rock 'n' roll."

Coldplay also took time to pay respects during their show in Barcelona, saying ... "Thank you to Tina for being sweet, not just to us but to the whole world and making us so entertained." They also performed a version of "Proud Mary."

Meanwhile, Janet Jackson's concert featured a sing-along to Tina's hit, "What's Love Got to Do With It."

And, celebs didn't just honor the singer onstage.

Beyoncé, who is in the midst of her massive "Renaissance" tour, posted a note on her site, thanking the singer for paving the way.

Her mother, Tina Knowles, also shared the impact TT had on her daughter's life and career.

Mariah Carey and Mick Jagger shared similar sentiments ... calling Tina a huge inspiration for all.

And fans all over have been showing love and streaming her music like crazy, with her tunes seeing massive spikes, just hours after her death.

As we reported, Tina's team announced the 'Queen of Rock 'n' Roll' died Wednesday at the age of 83.

RIP

Britney Spears' mom flew to L.A. Wednesday to see her daughter ... and Britney was receptive enough to let her inside her home and spend some time catching up.

Lynne Spears arrived at LAX in the morning and was driven to the home of Britney's manager, Cade Hudson. She then took an Uber to Britney's home.

We're told Britney didn't know exactly when Lynne was coming, but she knew her mom was in town to see her.

When Lynne arrived at Britney's home, the singer let her inside and the 2 spent around 30 minutes chatting. We're told Sam was also present.

Our sources say the ice between mother and daughter is thawing ... they've been texting recently and Lynne knew the path was clear enough to make the trek from Louisiana to L.A.

As you know, Britney was on a tear at the end of the conservatorship and afterward, saying her mom and the rest of her family betrayed her. This is a pretty clear sign there's a chance of reconciliation.

After Lynne left, Britney and Sam got in her car, drove around for a bit and then returned home.

Kim Kardashian is clearly seein' red, at times, when it comes to her ex-husband Kanye West ... ripping into him for publicly talking about her sex tape, and cooking up rumors she was hooking up with Drake behind his back.

KK went off about Ye during the season 3 premiere of "The Kardashians," telling Kris Jenner how "exhausted" she's been with her ex-hubby's behavior ... saying he spread the rumor she was having an extramarital affair with Drake -- with whom Kanye's had beef.

Remember, Kanye put Kim, their family and friends through hell for weeks on social media. Not only did he attack Pete Davidson, but he also took racist shots at Trevor Noah -- eventually getting him suspended from Instagram.

At the time, it seemed like Kanye found a new victim almost daily, but Kim remained his most sought-after target. Something that understandably was weighing on the mother of 4. He also posted videos accusing Kim of keeping the kids from him -- something that just wasn't true.

As Kim sees it ... Ye, who once bragged he's her ultimate protector, is doing the opposite these days, which she says includes uncomfortably bringing up her sex tape with Ray J all those years ago.

Kim goes on to say his "insane" narratives are a common occurrence, but believes all the stuff he's been spewing will mess up their kids more than her tape ever could. She even says Ye wants to approve what she says about him on the show ... which, obviously, didn't go his way.

As we reported, Kim and Ye called it quits in 2021 and finalized their divorce the following year. Since the split, we've seen him call out his ex-wife quite a bit over co-parenting -- especially when she was at the heat of her relationship with Pete Davidson.

Back in December, Kim said she tries her best to keep the parental drama away from her 4 kids' eyes ... jumping to great lengths to keep the noise to a minimum around them.

Tina Turner is gone, but her music is already showing it'll stand the test of time -- getting massive boosts across streaming platforms in the hours after her death.

Tina's songs and albums have all seen crazy spikes in listens and downloads, Amazon's Movers & Shakers Singles Chart is full of Tina's work. At the time of this post -- "What's Love Got to Do with It" has seen a 230,575% boost in sales, "Private Dancer" is up 280,327%, "We Don't Need Another Hero" up 210,909%, and "The Best" is up 62,425%.

As for the albums on Amazon, her "Tina (Live)" is up 297,322%, "Private Dancer" is up 273,528%, and "Break Every Rule" is up 140,825%.

Tina's also having a big surge on iTunes -- with "What's Love Got to Do with It," "Proud Mary," and "Better Be Good to Me" as just some of the singles pushing their way to the top.

It's also been reported her song "What's Love Got To Do With It" is making a push on Spotify.

As we reported, Tina's team announced the legendary singer and 'Queen of Rock 'n' Roll' died Wednesday at the age of 83.

In a statement, they said, "It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Tina Turner. With her music and her boundless passion for life, she enchanted millions of fans around the world and inspired the stars of tomorrow."

Tina Turner regretted not taking better care of her kidneys ... admitting two months before her death that her approach put her in "great danger."

The legendary singer opened up about her struggles with hypertension, high blood pressure, and kidney issues in a March 9 post on her Instagram page, talking about her health struggles for International World Kidney Day.

At the time, Tina admitted ... "My kidneys are victims of my not realizing that my high blood pressure should have been treated with conventional medicine. I have put myself in great danger by refusing to face the reality that I need daily, lifelong therapy with medication. For far too long I believed that my body was an untouchable and indestructible bastion."

Tina died Wednesday, 11 weeks after she talked about her kidney issues. The cause of death is unclear but she was reportedly battling a "long illness."

In addition to her IG post for International World Kidney Day, Tina also shared more about her health issues in a blog post for Show Your Kidneys Love.

There, Tina revealed she was diagnosed with hypertension way back in 1978 ... though she says she "didn't care much about it" and "didn't really try to control it."

She said she found out her kidneys had lost 35% of their function after her 2009 stroke.

Tina said she had to start dialysis to survive and admitted it was "depressing to be connected to a machine for hours." She said she was lucky to get a kidney transplant in 2017 from her second husband, Erwin Bach.

Tina Turner -- the iconic and adored singer known as "The Queen of Rock 'n' Roll" -- has died ... TMZ has confirmed.

A statement from Tina's reps reads, "It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Tina Turner. With her music and her boundless passion for life, she enchanted millions of fans around the world and inspired the stars of tomorrow."

They continue, "Today we say goodbye to a dear friend who leaves us all her greatest work: her music. All our heartfelt compassion goes out to her family. Tina, we will miss you dearly."

As of right now, the cause of her death is unknown, though we do know she's had her health battles in the past -- including a stroke in 2013, intestinal cancer in 2016 and a kidney transplant in 2017.

Tina was born in Tennessee as Anna Mae Bullock and raised in the small town of Nutbush, but later moved to St. Louis ... where she frequented the nightclubs and first encountered Ike Turner in the late '50s.

After hearing her sing, Ike made her a featured vocalist in his band, and in 1960 she was introduced to the world as Tina Turner as the duo put out their hit, "A Fool in Love."

The 2 would go on to get married in 1962 and become a massively successful music act in the '60s and '70s with hit songs like "It's Gonna Work Out Fine," "River Deep - Mountain High," "Nutbush City Limits" and the legendary, Grammy-winning "Proud Mary."

However, the duo wouldn't last, and after disbanding in 1976 they divorced in 1978. Tina would reveal years later in her autobiography that she was a victim of domestic abuse.

Turner then launched one of the greatest music comebacks ever as a solo artist in the '80s, by first releasing the hit "Let's Stay Together" followed by the massive album "Private Dancer" ... which included tracks like "What's Love Got to Do" and "I Can't Stand The Rain."

Tina won 8 Grammy Awards over the course of her career, including Record of the Year for "What's Love Got to Do with It."

It was back in 2019 when a Broadway Musical honoring her life debuted with Tina in attendance ... of course, her fans went wild as she left the venue with a gigantic smile on her face.

RIP

Tom Petty's family is ripping the auction house that's selling his wardrobe to the highest bidder ... claiming the items are stolen!!!

The late singer's family tells TMZ ... "We believe RR Auction, headquartered in Boston, is offering stolen Tom Petty memorabilia with a completely false provenance inaccurate to fact and in complete denial of clear evidence they have been presented. They will not disclose the cosigner who has provided these items or how they were acquired. But they are clearly stolen, there is no other word for it."

As we first reported ... RR Auction says the items are from Tom's former home in Encino, CA and the collection includes hats, jackets, shirts, shoes and more.

Tom's family is "pursuing swift legal action" against the auction house ... their goal being to get Tom's gear returned to the family.

The Pettys also say they firmly believe the auction items have "been outright stolen from a secured archive based on prior knowledge, staff observations and documentation."

RR Auction is already auctioning the items off, but the bidding doesn't end until June 22 ... so it seems like there is time for this to be resolved.

In the meantime, Tom's family is asking fans and collectors to "refrain from participating in this auction until the matter is settled to avoid getting further involved in this legal action."

Bottom line for the Pettys ... "These items have irreplaceable sentimental and educational value for the family and legacy of Tom Petty and we look forward to their safe return."

We reached out to RR Auction ... so far no word back.

Tina Turner's death sent shockwaves throughout the sports world ... with several legendary athletes paying tribute to the iconic singer.

Magic Johnson shared a few words shortly after the news broke ... praising her as a performer and sharing a throwback picture together.

"Rest in peace to one of my favorite artists of all time, the legendary queen of rock n' roll Tina Turner," Johnson tweeted. "I’ve seen her many many times and hands down, she gave one of the best live shows I’ve ever seen. She always gave you your moneys worth."

LeBron James and Lisa Leslie also mourned Turner's passing ... with Leslie calling her "a true icon." James added ... "Rest in Paradise Queen Tina!!!!"

Cowboys legend Emmitt Smith also paid homage to Turner ... sharing a snap of her with a pair of heart and prayer hands emojis.

WWE Superstar Charlotte Flair acknowledged Tina's legacy ... posting a picture of the legendary musician with the caption, "RIP."

Another WWE great, The Iron Sheik, shared his condolences, too ... writing, "Tina Turner I love you with all my heart. The song The Best is true for you. God bless you forever I love you."

Taylor Swift is teaming up with Ice Spice for an all-new collab ... but the new project just so happens to come on the heels of her boyfriend, Matty Healy's insults aimed at the rapper.

T-Swift made the announcement via Twitter, Wednesday ... saying, "Um. SO much to tell you. I’m a massive fan of this brilliant artist and after getting to know her I can confirm: she is THE ONE to watch."

"So delighted to say that 'Karma' Featuring the incredible @icespicee_ will be out TOMORROW night at MIDNIGHT ET as a part of the new Midnights (Til Dawn Edition) deluxe album that you can pre-order now" ... she also told fans about a few other projects she has up her sleeves.

However, the Ice Spice project couldn't be more awkwardly -- or, perhaps purposely -- timed ... considering her boo Matty recently came under fire for dissing the "Munch" rapper.

ICYMI, in Feb, The 1975 frontman went on the "The Adam Friedland Show," where Nick Mullen, Friedland and Matty made derogatory comments about the rapper while also mocking Chinese and Hawaiian accents. That clip recently resurfaced online ... along with a clip of Ice expressing her love for The 1975 band, in a separate interview.

Matty wound up apologizing, last month, for offending her but some fans felt the apology was lackluster. The episode was also scrubbed on several platforms.

As you know, Taylor and Matty have been inseparable ... after news got out she broke up with her longtime boyfriend Joe Alwyn.

We know Tay and Ice had at least one special moment together... with IS introducing her "Song of the Year" win for "Anti-Hero" at the iHeart Awards back in March and the two posing for photos together.

For years, fans believed all 3 members of the Migos rap group were related, but Offset is laying out the truth ... saying he's not related to Quavo and Takeoff at all.

Offset recently sat down for a new interview with Variety, where he confirmed Quavo is in fact Takeoff's uncle ... but the long-believed notion Offset was Quavo's cousin just isn't true.

Still, Offset's got a strong bond with Quavo and Takeoff ... Offset was a classmate of Quavo's when they were growing up in Georgia, with Offset hanging out with Quavo and Takeoff when Offset was in the sixth grade. They all became thick as thieves and ultimately formed Migos.

Fetty Wap is going away for 6 years -- the judge just sentenced him in his federal drug trafficking case.

The rapper learned his fate Wednesday after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute at least 500 grams of cocaine, for which he was arrested in October 2021.

The judge also sentenced Fetty to 5 years of post-release supervision ... according to a rep for the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York.

Fetty ended up getting one year more than he was hoping to get. As we first reported, he'd petitioned the court for a 5-year sentence, which is the mandatory minimum.

U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Breon Peace asked the judge to give him somewhere between 7 and 9 years, claiming Fetty participated in a huge drug trafficking organization that flooded Long Island with cocaine.

Ultimately, the judge landed right in the middle.

TMZ broke the story ... Fetty was arrested on his way to Rolling Loud New York in 2021, with the feds accusing him and several others of using USPS trucks to smuggle cocaine. The feds say their investigation turned up 16 kilos of coke.

The former bassist for The Beatles -- yes there was someone other than Paul McCartney -- has died.

Chas Newby died Tuesday in London. Most people don't know his contribution to the most famous band in the world, so here it goes.

In the early '60s, The Beatles started making a name for themselves in Hamburg, Germany,  and upon their return from their second Hamburg residency, they regularly played at The Cavern Club in Liverpool.

At the time, the group consisted of John Lennon, Paul, Pete Best on drums and Stuart Sutcliffe on bass guitar. Sutcliffe stayed in Hamburg to focus on his art career, so the band needed a bassist.

Enter Chas Newby, who played with John and Paul's prior group, The Quarrymen. The guys asked Chas to step in, and he obliged. This was a critical time in The Beatles' upward trajectory ... they were becoming a thing in both Germany and Liverpool, which ultimately got them a recording contract, and the rest is history.

Chas had other interests -- namely, he wanted to attend university majoring in chemistry -- so he left the band, When he graduated, he took a job at a company that made windshields for trains and airplanes.

For Beatles aficionados who are wondering why they needed a bass player when Paul played bass, at the time Paul played rhythm guitar and piano and after some cajoling when Chas left, he grudgingly played it, and played it brilliantly.

As for Chas, he said he had no regrets about leaving the famous group ... "Music was never going to be a living for me. I wanted to do chemistry," adding, "People sometimes don't believe me when I say I've no regrets, but I really haven't."

Chas was 81.

As if having two superstar parents wasn't enough to make Cardi B's kiddo the envy of her class, check out the lunches she's packing for school ... sure to make her classmates -- and Cardi's fans -- super jealous.

Mama Cardi seemingly turned her Twitter page into a homemade school lunch food blog Tuesday, showing off what her daughter, Kulture, brings in on a normal day.

In the tweet, Cardi wrote, "Kulture school lunch be everything 🍎," while sharing pics of the haul. The 4-year-old had mac & cheese, chicken nuggets, a side of fruit, cereal, flavored milk and other treats packed -- so yeah, essentially a gourmet meal for kid standards.

One of Cardi's fans responded, "She be on that bench passed tf out during recess omg" ... another said, "I know lil girl be hosting a supper at the lunch table".

One person asked, "If this is school lunch, what does her breakfast and supper look like?..." and Cardi then showed off a pic of her daughter's breakfast, followed by a plate pic of one of Kulture's dinners ... which seemed to include all the major food groups.

The last time we saw Kulture, she was strolling the red carpet for "The Little Mermaid" premiere with her dad, Offset, and sister Kalea Marie ... the two girls looked super cute in beautiful princess dresses.

Clearly, the princess lifestyle doesn't just end with a gown ... but a meal too!!!