Music

Morgan Wallen's album sales are still rising -- despite the industry largely canceling him for using the n-word -- but that boost is actually helping the NAACP, financially.

The country music star's second album, "Dangerous: The Double Album," is still topping the Billboard charts and selling like hotcakes. That means more money in the pockets of Morgan and his songwriters ... one of whom, Jason Isbell, is handing over his share to the NAACP's Nashville chapter.

Jason wrote the song, "Cover Me Up," on the album ... and the 4-time Grammy winner says he's donating everything he's made from the track.

Morgan's been shelved by SiriusXM, iHeart Radio, County Music Television, Big Loud Records, Cox Media Group, Emmis Communications and the Academy of Country Music, among others ... but Jason wants fans to keep buying the album so he can keep paying it forward.

The President of the Nashville NAACP will likely appreciate Jason's gesture. As we reported, the org's already extended an olive branch to Morgan ... hoping to make this controversy a teachable moment for him.

G-Eazy just got some protection from a woman he claims keeps lurking outside his home ... but he was not able to get his ex, Ashley Benson, that same protection.

According to new legal docs -- obtained by TMZ -- the rapper's been dealing with a woman he believes has had a "celebrity-fixation" on him for several months.

G-Eazy claims Monika Andrody has shown up at his Hollywood Hills home on several occasions, she rings the doorbell at his gate and paces in front of it. He says he always calls the cops, but she leaves before they arrive.

But, things got really bad in November 2020 when he says she started showing up at all hours of the night and ringing the doorbell ... and he claims she did it again as recently as January 15.

The rapper says he's afraid Andrody will show up at a public event and try to make physical contact, and insists her constant doorbell interruptions have wrecked his peace of mind while he's at home.

G-Eazy filed for the temporary restraining order last week, and at the time he asked the judge to extend the protection to his girlfriend, Ashley. However, at least until there's a hearing, the judge has only granted it for him.

Rebecca Black has passed hundreds of Fridays since the release of her viral hit song, and as releases a remix ... she's hopeful and thankful for the 10-year ride.

The "Friday" singer came on "TMZ Live" Wednesday -- 10 years to the day since the OG's release -- to discuss a new spin on her classic tune, which now features Dorian Electra, Big Freedia and 3OH!3.

RB herself's rocking a wild outfit in the video ... way different from the first version when she was just 13.

Of course, "Friday" blew up in 2011 ... but not for all the right reasons. It was mocked and ridiculed at the time -- as was Rebecca, but even in light of all that, Rebecca tells us she's happy to have gone through it and come out the other side.

She says while she's glad some folks have embraced the song as their end-of-week ritual -- Rebecca also believes those who put her through the wringer all those years ago have learned a lesson in humanity.

We'll let Rebecca explain for herself -- but long story short, the bullying she went through in the early 2010s simply wouldn't be tolerated today. It's just unfortunate it took damn near a decade for everyone to realize that.

All good, though ... Rebecca's keeping her chin up. Check out the remix too -- much of the same lyrics and beat, but it's a whole other vibe.

Lauren London is NOT pregnant contrary to a rumor that's running amok ... TMZ has learned.

Sources close to the situation tell TMZ ... there is no truth to a report from a weekly L.A. outlet "confirming" Nipsey Hussle's widow is pregnant.

That's backed up by J Roc, a close family friend who was also Nipsey's bodyguard, who is also shooting down the story -- calling it "fake news" -- and calling out those spreading the rumor.

Lauren has 2 children ... including Nipsey's son, Kross Ermias Asghedom.

The rumors, btw, started spreading after the L.A. Sentinel News -- which is headquartered in Nipsey's Crenshaw neighborhood -- claimed it "confirmed" Lauren was about to announce her pregnancy.

But, again ... our sources say it's just not true.

As for J Roc's social media reference to "What It Feel Like" -- that's the new track pairing Nipsey and Jay-Z for the first time. It's on the soundtrack to the new film "Judas and the Black Messiah," and drops later this week.

Bruce Springsteen is in the middle of a DWI case after he was busted in his home state ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... the Boss was arrested on November 14 at Gateway National Recreation Area in Sandy Hook, NJ. Springsteen was cited for DWI, reckless driving and consuming alcohol in a closed area. He'll have a court appearance coming in the next few weeks.

We're told the rock icon was cooperative throughout the arrest. As far as we can tell, this is his first arrest for DWI.

The DWI news comes on the heels of a different first for Bruce -- he was featured in his first-ever commercial on Super Bowl Sunday for Jeep. The 2-minute ad featured Bruce in an unspecified middle America type town ... offering his patriotic vision and a message of hope.

We've reached out to Springsteen's camp for comment, but no word back yet.

Kevin Federline is not taking Sam Asghari's lead -- he has no plans to get involved in Britney Spears' feud with her dad because, for him, everything's working just fine.

Kevin's not seeing anything that would cause him to take action opposing her conservatorship or Jamie Spears ... according to his powerhouse attorney, Mark Vincent Kaplan.

K-Fed's attorney tells us Kevin would obviously be concerned if there was something going on between Britney and Jamie that could harm their sons, Jayden and Sean -- but Kevin does not feel the conservatorship is negatively impacting his children.

As you know ... Britney's BF is beefing with her father, calling him a "total dick" who meddled in their relationship. There's also a new Britney documentary ripping Jamie and the conservatorship.

We're told Kevin doesn't want to get caught up in any internal family conflicts ... and remember, Jamie hasn't seen the boys since 2019, when he allegedly broke down a door and put his hands on Sean.

Interestingly, Jayden also called his grandfather a "dick" last year, but we're told, despite all that past drama, 15-year-old Sean and 14-year-old Jayden are doing well, and Kevin's enjoying watching them grow.

Bruno Mars' "24K Magic" became a $100k nightmare for one Texas woman, who told cops she was hoodwinked into forking over a fortune to someone passing as the singer.

The alleged victim was 63 when she told cops in Houston she made an IG account in 2018, and connected with someone claiming to be Bruno. She says the person developed an online relationship with her and eventually asked for cash.

Of course, as is oftentimes the case with these stories, she says she cut a couple of checks and put 'em in the mail, as instructed -- one for $10k, and another $90k.

Police say the money found its way into the bank account of one Chinwendu Azuonwu -- a local man who was taken into custody on money laundering charges, along with an alleged accomplice, Basil Amadi, who's facing similar charges. Both men were in court this week.

According to legal docs, obtained by TMZ, 2 cashier's checks were made out to "Chi Autos" at the behest of the fake Bruno, to cover “tour expenses” ... that's what he told the woman, anyway. She says he also told her he was leaving the tour to come be with her.

Cops told local news outlets they believe these men may be low-level crooks working for scammers overseas -- and are hoping they cooperate to help uncover a potentially bigger criminal ring.

Hoobastank's "The Reason" is all the rage with kids today ... is something you haven't heard since 2004, but the band wants to capitalize on its newfound 2021 fame.

We spoke to lead singer Doug Robb about the surge in popularity for one of his group's most famous tunes on TikTok -- which is the theme for a new challenge, where people list things they've screwed up ... using "The Reason" to wash away their shame.

The track has been used hundreds of millions of times in recent months as people post their own versions -- and of course, that's got Doug and co. thinking about how best to ride the wave ... without being cringe-y.

Check out what he says about the prospect of cranking out new tunes now that he and the band's back in the spotlight -- Doug's feeling inspired, but also explained why they won't pander to new OR old fans.

All this viral success creates a conundrum ... Doug says he doesn't wanna be the guy that milks this opportunity to the point of exhaustion, but he still wants to make the most of it.

So far, they've made a few of their own #NotAPerfctPerson renditions on TikTok -- all of which have been funny and original -- but Doug's apprehension on diving in is a phenomenon a lot of older artists are experiencing due to TikTok.

Fact is, a whole new generation is being introduced to their music for the first time -- kinda like what Fleetwood Mac went through recently with the viral skateboarder -- and it puts pressure on the OGs themselves ... to either cash in, or enjoy it for what it's worth.

Dr. Dre's estranged wife is looking into whether the mogul is funding the lifestyles of his alleged mistresses ... and she wants to talk financials with them.

Nicole Young wants three women whom she claims were intimate with Dre during their marriage to sit for depositions ... and according to new docs, obtained by TMZ, she's looking to ask them if Dre lavished them with money and gifts.

In the docs, Nicole claims the women's lawyer is trying to delay their depositions until the validity of the prenup is decided ... but Nicole wants answers sooner rather than later, because she says it could affect spousal support and the validity of her prenup itself.

Specifically, Nicole says one of the women bought a $2.15-million house free and clear in 2019 ... and she wants to ask if Dre provided the dough for the purchase.

As we reported ... Dre recently agreed to cut Nicole a $2 million check for temporary support, on top of the $293,306 a month he's already dishing out.

WWE Superstar The Miz says Bad Bunny better think twice before entering the ring at WrestleMania ... telling TMZ Sports he will straight-up BREAK THE DUDE'S JAW if he even tries!!

There's major beef between the two after the Puerto Rican rap star made his wrestling debut at Royal Rumble earlier this month -- BB helped eliminate Miz and his partner, Morrison, from the match ... and hit 'em with a frog splash in the process.

We spoke with The Miz about rumors BB could team up with Damian Priest to continue his feud with M&M at WrestleMania ... and the dude has some advice for the newcomer.

"Let's put it this way," Miz tells us. "Bad Bunny is an amazing artist, right? He has a ton of people, a ton of fans. He has like 1.1 billion views on his YouTube videos, all his music videos have so many people watching."

"Stay in your lane! Like that's what you do! I'm a WWE superstar! That is what I do, that is my job! You are a musician! Be a musician!"

He didn't stop there -- "Look, he makes a lot of money being a musician. So, go do that. Keep on making that money because the fact is, if you come into the WWE ring, I'm gonna break your jaw and when I break your jaw, you're gonna need a lot of money."

Miz says the ship has sailed for BB's chances at being a WWE Superstar ... and he simply hasn't put in the time to deserve a shot at WrestleMania.

"It takes years upon years to be a WWE Superstar, to get into a WWE ring and WrestleMania. These are moments that we have that we worked for."

Miz has A LOT more to say ... and explains what happens when he first asked Bad Bunny to collab in the studio. Here's a preview:

"You don't come to my house and put your dirty shoes on my carpet. You just don't. You get thrown out the house."

Britney Spears' boyfriend, Sam Asghari, is telling the world how he really feels about her father -- calling Jamie Spears a "total dick" who's meddled in their relationship.

We got Sam at Bristol Farms in L.A. Tuesday, who certainly didn't pull any punches on the heels of a new Britney documentary that rips Jamie and the conservatorship -- Sam also teed off Tuesday morning on IG, saying he has "zero respect" for Brit's dad.

Britney's BF accuses her pops of trying to control their relationship and claims Jamie constantly throws obstacles in their way. Although he says he won't go into details, you can tell Sam has a lot more to say ... and now says he's not afraid to speak up.

Sam's outburst comes as 'Framing Britney Spears' is getting a lot of attention. The Hulu doc has fans fired up about how the pop star's been treated over the years by Jamie and others.

Mary Wilson, a founding member of The Supremes, the group that not only racked up one of the most impressive string of hits in music history but also helped break the color barrier, has died.

Mary's longtime publicist, Jay Schwartz, said she passed suddenly at her home in Henderson, Nevada. We're told she was fine just days ago.  The cause of death is unknown.

It's impossible to overstate the impact and popularity of The Supremes. They hit like a nuclear bomb in the '60s with a string of chart-topping songs, beginning with "Where Did Our Love Go," and then "Baby Love," "Stop! In the Name of Love," "You Can't Hurry Love," "Reflections," "I Hear a Symphony," "Love Child," "Someday We'll Be Together" and on and on and on.

The Supremes were Motown's most successful act in the '60s, with 12 singles that hit #1. They still remain the #1 female recording group of all time.

Mary, along with Diana Ross and Florence Ballard, grew up in Detroit's Brewster Project. They formed the group in high school and hung around Motown Records, lobbying Berry Gordy for a break. He told them to finish high school and come back, and they did.

They actually started out as The Primettes ... a counterpoint to another group -- The Primes. FYI ... The Primes ultimately changed their name to The Temptations.

Berry Gordy saw something in The Supremes and decided they would be the group to take Motown to clubs that did not traditionally cater to white audiences, like New York's Copacabana. The Supremes did just that and they are widely credited for helping move the ball in the '60s civil rights movement. They were prized TV guests on programs like "American Bandstand," "The Ed Sullivan Show" and their own TV specials.

The group eventually became Diana Ross and The Supremes and friction developed between Mary and Diana. Diana Ross left the group in 1970 and she was replaced by Jean Terrell. Lots of people in the music biz assumed that would be the end of The Supremes, but far from it.

The newly-configured Supremes racked up yet another string of hits ... "Up the Ladder to the Roof," "Stoned Love," "Nathan Jones," "Everybody's Got the Right to Love," "Floy Joy," and more.

There were more changes in the group and eventually they disbanded in 1977. There was talk of a reunion from time to time, but Diana Ross was never open to it. Nevertheless, Ross tweeted, "My condolences to you Mary's family ... I have so many wonderful memories of our time together. "The Supremes" will love on, in our hearts."

Mary continued to perform as a solo act and became an author and motivational speaker.

Just 2 days ago Mary posted a video on YouTube, excitedly talking about Black History Month, The Supremes 60th anniversary and the upcoming release of her own recordings.

Berry Gordy said of Mary's passing, "The Supremes were always known as the 'sweethearts of Motown' ... I was always proud of Mary. She was quite a star in her own right and over the years continued to work hard to boost the legacy of The Supremes. Mary Wilson was extremely special to me. She was a trailblazer, a diva and will be deeply missed."

Mary leaves behind a daughter, Turkessa, and a son, Pedro Antonio, Jr., and many grandchildren.

She was 76.

RIP, Mary.

The folks at "American Idol" know gold fell in their laps when Claudia Conway auditioned ... and they're, very wisely, milking it even before the season begins.

Kellyanne Conway's headline-grabbing teen got the front-and-center tease treatment Monday night in a new trailer for the upcoming 'AI' season on ABC ... and they didn't pussyfoot with the big name they had in their midst. Claudia's appearance was cut as its own TV spot.

You hear Ryan Seacrest talking about how she's a social media sensation, but perhaps more importantly ... she's the kid of 2 very famous political figures, which CC herself alludes to on camera.

We also get to see what the judges have to say about her, at least momentarily.

It's a great hook into the season, and folks online seemed genuinely shocked the gal was involved at all. Guess they weren't paying attention, because Claudia herself revealed she was trying out back in November 2020 -- she posted some behind-the-scenes footage.

We'd also spoken to Ryan himself about her audition, asking if she'd be getting through on talent or her name.

Justin Bieber may wanna drive despacito when he's behind the wheel of his futuristic Rolls-Royce ... 'cause everyone's gonna want to enjoy its awesomeness.

TMZ's obtained pictures of what the Biebs' custom 2018 Rolls-Royce Wraith looks like and it's so jaw-dropping, RoboCop's somewhere out there jealous AF. The boys over at West Coast Customs are the geniuses behind this 1 of 1 Wraith ... meaning it's one of a kind.

Have a look ... it went from your normally souped-up Rolls to this silver bullet masterpiece. Just 4 years ago, Rolls-Royce unveiled the 103EX ... a slick and super extreme concept car that measured 19.4 feet long and we're told the inspiration behind WCC's design.

That concept -- a 2-seater with a panoramic sunroof -- also featured massive, half-concealed wheels and a super-tall grille. Fast forward to now -- or in Justin's case, the future -- the Biebs' ride features concealed wheels and a mean grille too.

No panoramic sunroof for Justin ... but there's no denying it oozes luxury. BTW, the Rolls-Royce Wraith goes for around $330k ... so you can imagine what it cost to turn Justin's Rolls into a piece of machinery that looks straight outta NASA.

Julius Jones has another shot at freedom, which is why Vic Mensa is trying to get maximum attention on the death row case ... and setting up a face-to-face meeting with him.

We spoke to the Chicago rapper about his newest song, 'SHELTER,' which references Julius directly ... while also touching on police shootings in the Black community. He said it was important for him to get the message out now, because there's a lot on the line in March.

Not too long from now, Julius will have another hearing with the parole board in Oklahoma, which has the power to grant him clemency and save his life. Vic tells us he's actually heading down to the state penitentiary to speak with Julius, and lift his spirits.

Vic says his plan is to raise awareness and put pressure on Oklahoma government officials, including Gov. Kevin Stitt. He's open to meeting with Kim K too ... who also went down to death row to visit Julius last year, and has been advocating for his freedom.

BTW, check out Vic's anecdote about how he became aware of Julius' case ... in what sounds like true fate. Apparently, Julius was well aware of Vic before the latter took up his cause.

In case you hadn't heard, Julius was arrested at age 19 in 1999 in connection to the shooting death of a white man ... for which he was ultimately tried and convicted of first-degree murder. He was sentenced to death, but Julius has maintained his innocence since day 1.

YFN Lucci is back on the outside after being arrested for murder -- but a judge is imposing limitations to keep him from booking it outta town, or hurting anyone.

Photos and video emerged Monday of the Atlanta rapper getting sprung from jail -- where he'd been in custody since turning himself in last month. He seems happy to be free, for now, but he had to drop a bundle ... a $500k bond to get released.

Once the money was posted, a jail rep says Lucci was cut loose around 4 PM ET -- and he left with a long list of rules he must abide by until his next hearing.

For starters, he has to surrender his passport and wear an ankle monitor while living in an undisclosed location -- and he needs to be at that place between 7 PM and 7 AM.

Outside of those hours, the only thing he can do is meet up with legal counsel for his case, take care of medical appointments and see his kids.

Lucci's also not allowed to have contact with any alleged victims, witnesses or co-defendants in the case ... nor can he associate with any known gang members or convicted felons. He can't even post on social media, although his pals made sure to get video of his release on the Internet.

Lucci's attorney, Drew Findling, tells us, "The bond was negotiated last week and finalized today. He was released just before 4 pm. There are a variety of conditions which is somewhat consistent with these cases, which included surrendering his passport."