Music

Sam Ingham, the lawyer who has represented Britney Spears in her conservatorship, is resigning ... TMZ has learned.

We're told Ingham -- who has repped Britney for 13 years -- will file legal docs as early as today ... asking to be dismissed as Britney's court-appointed lawyer.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ, Ingham is extremely upset at Britney's statement in court ... that she never knew she could end the conservatorship. We're told Ingham regularly gave Britney options, including requesting that the conservatorship should end, but she never wanted to pull the plug.

Our sources say Britney did talk to Ingham about removing Jamie, but she never wanted to end the conservatorship. We're told the last straw was when Britney told the judge Ingham never told her what he's legally required to do ... namely inform her of her options.

We're told Ingham will not go into detail in his filing, because of attorney/client confidentiality.

Ingham will follow Larry Rudolph, Britney's longtime manager, who resigned Monday, saying he was informed Britney was retiring from performing, so there was no reason to continue as her manager. Britney accused Rudolph of forcing her to perform during the 2018 European tour, but as we reported, we're told there were a number of communications, including text messages at the time, in which Britney "begged" to go on the tour.

Our sources say there will be more resignations this week as well. We're also told at the next court hearing later this month, members of the conservatorship team will present evidence to the judge disputing many of the things Britney said in court.

As you know, Britney says the conservatorship has all but ruined her life.

Hollywood heavyweights rolled through en masse for a 4th of July bash in the Hamptons -- courtesy of Michael Rubin -- and it was a who's who of fame ... and dancing.

The 76ers team owner hosted what might perhaps be the bash of the year Sunday -- a "White Party," where folks are encouraged to dress in all white, and rage til the early morn'. That's exactly what his guests did ... and they didn't pass up the dance floor either.

Check out these pics of the festivities, including who swung by for a good time -- A-listers like Jay-Z, Beyonce, Meek Mill, Travis Scott, James Harden, Yo Gotti, Jon Bon Jovi, J Balvin, Winnie Harlow, Bobby Shmurda and more showed face ... the latter of whom, our sources tell us, talked possibly collab'ing with Mr. Balvin. More to come on that soon, we're sure ...

The entertainment was top-notch, too ... we're told Meg Thee Stallion got on stage in an area of the property that was converted to a club -- plus, Lil Baby and Tinashe grabbed a hold of the mic as well. Even Cactus Jack got in on the fun ... DJ'ing for a bit and then doing an impromptu performance of "The Scotts" with Kid Cudi, who also attended.

And yes, like we mentioned ... these stars were showing off their moves, including JT from the City Girls and her boo, Lil Uzi Vert, who led the charge with a dance-off. Peep this.

LUV went straight up into break-dancing mode ... and the dude can get down! JT was filming him as he did his thing -- and safe to say, those watching were in awe at what they were seeing. Not only is he a good musician, but the guy can break it down like it's nobody's business.

Speaking of dancing ... TikTok star Charli D'Amelio was getting her groove on as well. JT filmed a clip of the 17-year-old grinding with her girlfriends, and she event twerked a bit too.

Miley Cyrus gave a solo performance in Vegas for the 4th, but she also joined a chorus ... as in the "Free Britney" chorus.

Miley hit the stage for the opening of Resorts World ... as she sang her biggest hit, "Party in the U.S.A." ... she added the Britney Spears chant -- "Free Britney!"

She sang, "The taxi man turned on the radio, he turned to me and said, 'Free Britney, Free Britney!"

The song has lyrics about Jay-Z and Britney ... Miley said, "We love JAY-Z, but we got to free this bitch. It's stressing me the f*** out!"

This isn't the first time Miley's supported Britney. During a performance on the NFL's TikTok Tailgate Super Bowl Pregame show, she screamed out, "We love Britney." She did something similar during a 2019 Memphis concert when she repeated the refrain, "Free Britney."

There's zero need to fill in H.E.R. about "Schoolhouse Rock!" ... 'cause not only has she heard of the iconic series, but she's also helped the Obamas improve on it with their new Netflix animated series.

The 4-time Grammy-winning singer joins us Monday on "TMZ Live" to let us know how executive producers Barack and Michelle Obama got her onboard for "We the People." Here's a hint: there was no arm-twisting involved.

The series features roughly 3-minute long episodes teaching viewers about different aspects of American civics and politics -- and they're centered around originals songs from H.E.R., Janelle Monae, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Bebe Rexha and others.

Now, for older heads this is gonna sound very familiar ... kinda like ABC's popular series, "Schoolhouse Rock!," from the 70s and 80s. You know "I'm Just a Bill" was a jam!

Well H.E.R. says "We The People" differs in one big way -- it has established hitmakers, like herself, which she says will immediately draw young audiences, and help them connect with the message. Let's just call it better learning through better music.

H.E.R. hopes the songs from the Netflix series live on like those from "Schoolhouse Rock!" ... and help young people get more invested in the country's political future.

John Stamos showed some major versatility Sunday as he played a variety of instruments when he joined the Beach Boys for a really cool performance celebrating the 4th.

John put his pipes on display for "Wouldn't It Be Nice," "California Girls," and "Sloop John B," in front of a huge crowd in Ft. Lauderdale as part of the CNN 4th of July special.

John's been a staple with the group, even showing up in the 1888 music video for "Kokomo."  He's been a frequent guest with the group on July 4th's past and also made a couple of appearances during the Beach Boys 50th reunion tour back in 2012.

Seattle-based rapper Sir Mix-A-Lot (real name Anthony Ray) shot to worldwide fame after he released his third album "Mack Daddy" back in 1992 ... which included the bass-bumping, booty-shaking and posterior-praising single "Baby Got Back."

"Baby Got Back" was such a huge success that held the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for multiple weeks and earned Sir Mix-A-Lot a Grammy for Best Rap Solo Performance.

The Sir went on to make a total of six studio albums in his music career but never reached the same success as his 1992 release.

Kodak Black's not feeling the heat these days, so he wants to return the favor to some folks at a Florida housing project ... in the form of air conditioners.

Kodak bought 100 A.C. units for around $12,500 and shlepped them to the Golden Acres Projects in Pompano Beach. He went door-to-door with the units, presenting residents with the cool gift.

Florida in July is no picnic ... it's super humid and hot. Right now it's in the high 80s with 79% humidity, but those numbers will rise as the summer wears on.

Kodak brought some of the residents to tears ... they were incredibly grateful, especially because it's not the kind of thing they would expect from someone who wants to do a good deed, but for anyone who lives in Florida in the Summer ... it's a Godsend.

He's VERY popular in Florida these days ... June 11 is now and forever Kodak Black Day in Broward County.

Kodak got an assist with the A.C.'s from Francky Pierre, who runs the charity, Philanthropic Work and Outreach.

As you know, Kodak scored a commutation from then-President Trump -- at the urging of his lawyer, Bradford Cohen -- in large part because of his charity work.

Todrick Hall told cops he's the victim of a home burglary where crooks made off with at least five figures in valuables ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... officers received a report thieves broke into the "American Idol" and "RuPaul's Drag Race" star's home recently, smashing a back window to gain entry.

We're told one of Todrick's friends came home to discover the break-in, and cops were told around $50,000 worth of handbags and personal property were taken.

We're told the total loss could end up being even more ... Todrick still needs to go through the rest of his stuff to see what else might be missing.

Todrick's a fixture on 'Drag Race' and he's also known for working on music videos with his close friend, Taylor Swift.

Britney Spears made a compelling case that the conservators have abused her and upended her life, but we've learned the conservators are going to present a very different story to the judge.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ, various people involved in different elements of the conservatorship claim Britney's story doesn't mesh with the facts.

For instance, Britney told the judge last week she was forced to go on her 2018 European tour. She said, "I was on tour in 2018. I was forced to do ... my management said if I don't do this tour, I will have to find an attorney and by contract, their own management could sue me if I didn't follow through with a tour. He handed me a sheet of paper as I got off the stage in Vegas and said I had to sign it. It was very threatening and scary. I couldn't even get my own attorney, so out of fear, I went ahead and did the tour."

Sources connected to the conservatorship tell TMZ, people involved in the tour will tell a very different story at the next court hearing. We're told they will say the following ... when Britney was at the tail end of her Vegas "Piece of Me" residency, she realized "she had nothing on her calendar for almost all of 2018. She then asked Management to find something for her to do so she wouldn't be bored for a year."

The sources claim Management came back to her and suggested a European tour, adding, "She literally begged to do the 2018 European Tour run. She was very excited about it and called repeatedly to ask to have it confirmed. There is a text message exchange between Management and Britney on December 16, 2017, where management provides her with the tour routing. She asks a few questions, and expresses how excited she is to do it."

The sources say once she was on tour, "she simply didn't want to be there so she was trying to find every excuse to leave the tour, at which time she made up the story about being forced to do it."

Britney said she was forced to sign a document committing to do the European tour. Sources connected to the conservatorship say she was asked, not forced to sign, and she did. Furthermore, the sources say the conservatorship changed protocols because Britney would agree to do various things but when it came time to do them "she would lie and deny having agreed to do it. The conservatorship was then forced to put into effect protocols requiring management to get her to sign off on all professional obligations so the conservatorship could show it to her to 'remind her' that she consented to the obligation."

The sources say Management did indeed ask her to sign the document committing to the tour, because that was the protocol the conservatorship had in place, and Britney "willingly signed."

We're told various people in the conservatorship will dispute many of Britney's claims involving getting married, having a baby, being denied the right to see her kids, not knowing she could end the conservatorship ... among other things.

Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck let it ride Friday ... taking in all the cool stuff at Universal Studios.

The freshly re-minted couple were joined by 2 young girls -- unclear whose kids -- as they meandered around the amusement park.

This wasn't your average day pass to the park ... they had security follow them around. When they got to the Jurassic World ride, park security told the normies in line they would be joined by some "special guests." That they were.

They spotted Ben first, followed by Jen and the 2 girls. They arrived at the ride through a side door and immediately climbed into their own personal car.

Ben and J Lo have been shuffling between coasts for the last few months after their romance re-ignited. They've been anything but secretive about it, showing up at places where celebs are routinely photographed.

It seems they'll settle for the Left Coast. As we reported, J Lo has been checking out schools in L.A. It's unclear if they'll move in together but the relationship seems as intense as when they were engaged back in the day, so that seems like more than a possibility.

Kirk Franklin's not down with ranking the greatest gospel artists of all time, because he says there's only one name that matters ... and no, it's not Kanye West!!!

The iconic choir director and gospel singer wasn't throwing any shade at Kanye -- quite the opposite -- but making a bigger point about the genre of Christian music ... telling us anybody can do it because it's for all of God's children.

With that mindset, Kirk says there shouldn't be a Mount Rushmore of gospel music -- notwithstanding he's considered to be a candidate -- because it's all about glorifying the man upstairs.

As for Kanye ... Kirk says he's tight with his "brother" and heaps praise on his musical talent ... calling him one of the greatest artists of all time.

Kelly Clarkson's getting a head start on her Fourth of July weekend ... filing for her own independence from her estranged husband.

Clarkson's lawyer, disso-queen, Laura Wasser, filed legal docs Friday ... asking the judge to officially grant Clarkson's request for a divorce, leaving other issues like money and child custody for another day.

As we reported, Clarkson's husband, Brandon Blackstock, has challenged their prenup, claiming it is invalid. Millions of dollars are on the line, and a judge has yet to rule on the validity of the prenup.

It seems there won't be an issue over custody and spousal support. The judge awarded Kelly primary physical custody on a temporary basis ... because Brandon moved permanently to Montana, far from the couple's family home in L.A. That order is expected to become permanent.

It also seems there won't be much of a fight over spousal support. The judge already awarded Brandon temporary spousal support and that order is likely to become permanent. Spousal support, however, would end in 2023 (half the length of the marriage).

The couple married in 2014 and have two kids.

The divorce has become nasty, and it is apparent now ... Kelly wants it over quickly.

Rapper SAINt JHN was allegedly confronted Friday by Lil Uzi Vert ... and all hell broke loose when Vert allegedly flashed his gun.

Eyewitnesses tell TMZ ... SAINt JHN was at Dialog Cafe in West Hollywood at high noon when Lil Uzi Vert jumped out of a Cadillac Escalade and confronted JHN. We're told they got into a physical altercation.

But, it got real when, according to people at the scene, Lil Uzi Vert flashed the handle of his gun ... prompting bystanders to run ... fearing a shooting was about to go down.

It doesn't appear Uzi fired his weapon ... both he and SAINt JHN left the scene.

We're told L.A. County Sheriff's are on the scene and looking to speak with Uzi and SAINt.

As for whether SAINt JHN and Lil Uzi Vert have beef ... it's unclear, however, SAINt JHN was spotted back in March with Uzi's former GF, Brittany Byrd.

We reached out to reps for both camps ... and JHN's team was unaware of this. No word back from Uzi's rep.

The British influencer who underwent 18 surgeries to look like BTS singer Park Jimin says the K-pop band isn't their reason for identifying as Korean ... it's the country as a whole.

Oli London, who identifies as non-binary and changed their name to Jimin, tells TMZ ... they became transracial after falling in love with Korean culture while living in the Asian nation, and their BTS obsession is a physical inspiration that led to a load of plastic surgery.

While Oli tells us they worship Jimin the BTS singer like a god and aspire to be like him in every single detail, their transition is really more about a love for everything that makes up Korea ... the food, the people and the lifestyle.

As you know ... the influencer is identifying as Korean after going under the knife a whopping 18 times for a variety of plastic surgeries, including loads of work on their eyes, nose and jaw.

Oli says the transition started long before their first plastic surgery ... and they say Rachel Dolezal provided the inspiration to come forward with their truth.

TMZ broke the story ... Rachel, a white woman who infamously identifies as Black, is embracing Oli's choice to identify as Korean.

Shawn Stockman is raising money to help families pay for all the expenses that come with raising an autistic child ... with the help of an awesome watch.

The Boyz II Men singer joined us on "TMZ Live" and told us about his charity, Micah's Voice, and how it provides hope and resources for families affected by autism.

Shawn says he found out firsthand how difficult it can be for average families to raise a child with autism when he and his wife, Sharonda, added up all the bills for their autistic son, Micah, and saw a staggering figure.

The pandemic only made things more difficult for families and autistic children, and Shawn's partnering with SEVENFRIDAY to create and sell a limited edition watch to raise money for families struggling to get their kids the care they need.

Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton are planning to say their vows soon -- like, potentially, July 4 weekend soon.

The engaged singers applied for their marriage license Tuesday in Oklahoma ... according to the Johnston County Court Clerk. The clock's now ticking for Blake and Gwen to walk down the aisle -- in Oklahoma folks have 10 days from the date they file for a marriage license to tie the knot.

Sources with knowledge tell TMZ ... Gwen and Blake are set to marry Saturday at Blake's Oklahoma ranch.

We're told the couple has an entire weekend of activities and celebrations planned, but they're staying a bit flexible due to the weather forecast. If mother nature cooperates, the ceremony will be held in an outdoor chapel on the ranch.

Our sources say Gwen, Blake and their kids are already in OK ... we're told they flew out from Los Angeles last Friday after Blake finished filming for "The Voice."

We're told the couple is sending their private plane from Oklahoma to L.A. Thursday to pick up Gwen's immediate family and whisk them to the heartland.

While the wedding is going down on a holiday weekend, sources say it will not be very big ... we're told only close friends and family will be on hand.