Music

Prosecutors in the YNW Melly double murder case could help prove their case against the rapper -- that is, if they can get their hands on his saliva and match it to DNA at the scene.

According to legal docs, obtained by TMZ, prosecutors are asking a Broward County judge to force Melly to submit an oral swab ... because they want to check if his C's, A's, G's and T's match up to DNA samples they found on a key piece of evidence collected during the investigation.

That evidence is a yellow jacket ... which prosecutors say already has DNA that matches Anthony Williams, one of the 2 people killed in the shooting.

Prosecutors claim there are 3 other potential DNA profiles on that jacket ... and seeing as how Melly is one of the people charged with the murders -- prosecutors wanna see if his DNA is also on the jacket.

As we reported, prosecutors allege Melly and his pal, Cortlen Henry, gunned down their buddies, Anthony Williams and Christopher Thomas Jr., and then hatched an elaborate plan to make it seem the men had died in a drive-by.

Ray J is starting a new battle -- that's actually an old one -- even as he's fighting off a nasty case of pneumonia ... he's filed to divorce Princess Love. Again.

Ray's divorce docs -- filed Wednesday in L.A. County Superior Court -- mark the third time the couple's now walked down the divorce aisle. Princess fired the first salvo with her divorce filing in May 2020.

They spent that summer in quarantine, and tried to patch things up, but by September Ray had filed. Since then, the couple's made another attempt at reconciliation -- both moved to Florida with their 2 kids.

As we reported, Ray's been hospitalized this week with pneumonia, but for 2 days doctors were worried he was also dealing with COVID-19 ... and even held him in the hospital's COVID ward.

We spoke to him briefly Wednesday morning, and he was still struggling -- so, the fact he's pushing forward with a divorce at this moment seems like a sign of just how far south things have gone with Princess.

The couple's marriage first hit the rocks in late 2019 when Princess accused Ray of abandoning her and their baby girl, Melody, in Las Vegas. She was also pregnant at the time ... and gave birth to their son, Epik, in January 2020.

Ye is turning more heads in NYC than normal by covering his entire face with a mask that even he would have to admit is ... just beyond the pale.

The artist formerly known as Kanye West is strolling around the Big Apple in your standard-issue ball cap, shades, Balenciaga leather jacket -- oh, and one of those rubber or latex masks he's been wearing a lot lately!!!

This one is super light-skinned, though, to put it lightly. Hell, who we kidding? It's downright Caucasian.

Ye is even wearing something around his neck to keep the same skin tone from his head to chest. He did miss a spot -- from the back, you can see his real skin.

No one really knows what the hell he's up to with these masks. As we first reported, he's filed to trademark "Ye" for use on designer COVID-19 face masks, but we figured that was more akin to the surgical style masks we've been wearing since early 2020.

The full masks might be COVID-safe, but it's gotta be hot as hell in there. If Ye can make these things popular, there's nothing he can't do!!!

Celine Dion says she's putting her upcoming shows in Sin City on ice ... and she says it's because medical issues are preventing her from being able to perform.

The "My Heart Will Go On" singer says she's experiencing severe and persistent muscle spasms and hasn't been able to rehearse ... so she's delaying her Nov. 5 opening.

Celine says she's "heartbroken" and saddened beyond words for letting down her fans ... and she feels especially bad because folks have been working hard to get the new venue at Resorts World Las Vegas ready for her.

Instead, Celine says she's targeting a Jan. 15 debut ... with shows running through Feb. 5 ... as long as her body holds up.

Sounds like Celine is confident she can get over this hurdle ... because she says her Courage World Tour is still moving forward in March as scheduled.

Harry Styles is sharing his watermelon sugar high with the cast of the new "Eternals" movie ... because he's taking on the role of Thanos' brother.

The singer is getting back to acting in a big way -- getting on camera for Marvel, no less, in Chloe Zhao's forthcoming superhero offering -- which just had its world premiere Monday in L.A. Variety's Matt Donnelly broke the news ... and no other outlet has confirmed, which seems to be for a reason. Word is, Variety gave up a huge spoiler here. 😅

Donnelly says Harry has joined the MCU as Thanos' sibling, Eros ... who's younger than the 'Avengers' big bad, and apparently is a mischievous womanizer of sorts in the comics.

Sounds like perfect casting, eh?!?

Strangely enough ... Harry did not appear to be in attendance for the red carpet event -- which makes sense. As you may or may not know, the guy's on tour right now ... and he was halfway across the country doing his show in Cleveland Monday night. Seeing how he isn't part of the main cast ... something tells us his intro might be a surprise at the end.

Now, we know what you might be thinking ... are they gonna have Harry boy in a ton of CGI like they did for Josh Brolin to turn him into Thanos. Not necessary, as it turns out!

Flavor Flav landed in jail after being arrested for a domestic violence incident earlier this month in Nevada ... TMZ has learned.

According to law enforcement ... the Public Enemy co-founder was booked on a misdemeanor charge of domestic battery on Oct. 5 by the Henderson PD.

We're told cops responded to a call about a domestic disturbance and when they got there Flav was placed into custody and taken to the Henderson Detention Center.

According to the criminal complaint, obtained by TMZ, Flav allegedly poked his finger on the alleged victim's nose, grabbed her, threw her down and grabbed a phone out her hand.

The City Attorney tells us Flavor Flav is officially charged with misdemeanor battery constituting domestic violence.

Flav's attorney, David Chesnoff, tells TMZ ... "in alleged domestic violence cases, there are often 2 sides to the story and we will explain our side in the courtroom and not in the media."

We recently got Flav out at LAX, where he laid out his demands for Chuck D and what it would take for a Public Enemy reunion.

Aaron Carter can finally close the book on his DUI case from 4 years ago in Georgia -- and he's gotta be pretty happy, because he's walking away without doing a day in jail.

A court clerk from Habersham County tells TMZ ... Aaron struck a deal with prosecutors, agreeing to plea no contest to reckless driving for the 2017 stop where he refused to submit to a breathalyzer test. The DUI charge goes away.

We're told Aaron will be placed on 12 months of probation, while also having to complete 40 hours of community service and take some DUI risk reduction classes ... plus, shell out around $1,500 in court fees and fines. AC will also be subjected to a drug and alcohol evaluation, and has to comply with whatever other treatment is seen as appropriate.

Assuming all goes well during his probation, he won't have to spend any time behind bars -- which was technically on the table as a possibility when he got arrested.

You'll recall ... Aaron got pulled over in Habersham while cruising with his then-girlfriend, Madison Parker, but declined to submit to the breathalyzer when cops suspected he was under the influence.

Now, the case is officially over and done with.

So, what's next for Carter? He previously told TMZ Sports he's eyeing another celeb boxing match after losing his first one to Lamar Odom.

Megan Thee Stallion and her BF are celebrating one year together by looking back, and it's clear her guy is enjoying the rearview ... a lot!!!

MTS just dropped a photo dump on her Instagram to mark her one-year anniversary with rapper Pardi Fontaine -- 10 glorious shots of them grabbing ass and having a blast.

In the first pic, Megan's holding a cocktail with her butt, and Pardi is taking a big ole sip ... yes, they look like one fun couple.

There's also pics of Megan hugging a shirtless Pardi below the waist, a mirror selfie with his hands all over her butt and a snorkeling photo where he's posing like he's about to take a big ole bite of her ... um, peach.

It's not all hot shots ... Megan also posted some wholesome content of them dressed to the nines, taking selfies in cars and there's even a piggyback ride outside a private jet.

Kanye West knows a business opportunity when he sees one -- which is why it looks like he's jumping into the face mask game ... and slapping his new name on it, front and center.

The rapper/producer/designer's company filed legal docs to trademark the "Ye" for use on "sanitary masks for protection against viral infection." However, it sounds like these might be slightly more stylish than the blue medical masks ya find at CVS.

In the docs, there's also a reference to branding "fashion masks" with the same moniker -- and knowing Kanye ... they'll likely be elaborate, and chock-full of the Yeezy aesthetic.

We've seen a lot of Kanye lately in varying types of masks, but more recently, they've looked like they were part of a Halloween costume.

The news comes on the heels of the guy legally changing his name to Ye ... sans any last name or anything else. A judge recently signed off on his request -- which means Kanye Omari West is now a thing of the past ... even though folks will probably continue to call him that.

Goodbye, Kanye Omari West ... hello, Ye.

Kanye's name change is official, a judge just signed off on the mogul's petition to officially change his legal name to "Ye" ... according to new legal docs obtained by TMZ. Ye won't have a middle or last name either, just straight to the point.

The judge's approval comes just under two months after we first reported on Kanye filing legal docs in Los Angeles asking a court to give him a new moniker.

He's gone by "Ye" as a nickname for years and years now ... but now the shortened version of the name that's on his birth certificate is what Uncle Sam, and apparently everyone else, will be calling him going forward.

Kim still has "West" in her own surname ... even using it on her recent "Saturday Night Live" hosting gig ... so it will be interesting to see if she keeps it around as their divorce proceeds. However, our sources had previously told us she'll hang onto the name just like the couple's kids.

Kourtney Kardashian is going to be walking down the aisle for the first time in her life -- and she'll be doing it with none other than Travis Barker ... who just popped the big question.

The Blink-182 drummer got on bended knee Sunday at a beachside hotel in Montecito -- where he pulled out all the stops before presenting her with an engagement ring and asking her to be his wife. Of course, she said yes ... and gave him a big smooch to celebrate.

It looks like some of their friends and family were on hand to bear witness -- and Trav laid out an elaborate floral arrangement of roses right there on the sand. As you can see, Kourtney was digging it ... hopping up into his arms as a private photog fired off snaps.

This is pretty stunning news ... because, as you know, the pair just started dated at the beginning of 2021 -- this after being close friends for years, of course. Still, that was fast!

As you've seen -- and as we've documented -- TB and KK have been tied at the hip since getting together and going public ... and have NOT shied away from PDA, be it on the beach, at Disneyland, on the streets of NYC, in Italy -- and lots and LOTS of other places.

BTW, this was hinted at recently by Travis himself -- who said "forever" wasn't long enough when it came to Kourtney. Clearly, he had wedding bells on his mind. Kourtney echoed that sentiment with her own post to announce the news ... throwing up a couple shots and writing, "forever."

It's been quite obvious they're head over heels for each other -- and for them to move on to marriage this quickly speaks volumes about how into each other they are ... especially when you consider Kourtney was with Scott Disick for years -- and had several children by him -- and still didn't get hitched with the guy, even when he bought her a ring way back when.

She also dated Younes Bendjima for a good while a few years ago -- but that didn't go the distance either. Now, she seems ready to take on the journey of happily ever after.

Drake might wanna reconsider the hatred he reportedly had for his 'Degrassi' character being in a wheelchair -- because lots of kids in wheelchairs actually felt validated thanks to his portrayal.

Madeline Robinson, executive director of Wheelchair 4 Kids, tells TMZ ... she hopes the rapper knows his role as Jimmy Brooks on 'Degrassi' really helped a lot of young people.

She says he actually made them kind of cool and, though he might not have known it, he instilled confidence and made their lives a little better. Robinson says Drake's character brought much-needed representation.

She explains ... kids in wheelchairs are often left out of things like getting invited to birthday parties or movies. She asked, "When was the last time you went to a mall and saw a kid in a wheelchair hanging out with other kids?" Sadly, she says it's rare.

ICYMI ... a writer of the Canadian teen drama show recently claimed Drake threatened to quit and took legal action against the show to get a rewrite, removing Jimmy's character from the wheelchair.

The writer claimed Drake made the demand because he worried it made him look soft. Jimmy was left paralyzed after a shooting, but ultimately underwent stem cell surgery ... allowing his character to stand with crutches in the season 7 finale.

It should be noted ... the show's writer also added that Drake relented and agreed that his character being in a wheelchair was a powerful moment on TV.

Kanye West showed up for a super-fancy wedding Saturday night and performed, although it's hard to know for sure because his face isn't visible!

Kanye was a guest at the wedding of D'Estree founder Geraldine Guiotte and Tiffany & Co EVP Alexander Arnault. The soiree went down in Venice, Italy. BTW ... he wasn't the only celeb on hand. Beyonce and Jay-Z were also there.

Ye performed "Runaway," wearing all Balenciaga ... with a mask that completely covered his face.

It appears from the vid Kanye was having a little trouble performing ... but hey, looking good is half the battle, right?

He also performed his hit, "Flashing Lights" at the party. You can see in video posted to Twitter how big of a crowd Ye was performing for. Looks like fun!

The reception was actually the couple's second. Their first was in July, so they clearly kept the party going. They've been together since 2019. FACT ... a couple that can stay together during a pandemic can make it through anything.

Britney Spears had a blast Saturday night riding a motorcycle with her fiance, Sam Asghari.

Britney seemed super happy as she returned home from their ride. That said, she's been warning her fam she may put them on blast soon, as the conservatorship appears to be winding down to an end after 13 years.

She posted ... "Lord have mercy on my family's souls if I ever do an interview!!!" As you know, Britney feels abandoned by her entire family, which she says has leached off of her for decades.

What's interesting ... what Britney will do once the conservatorship ends. She's understandably scared, because she's been under the thumb of the conservatorship for the majority of her adult life. She says "I'll just be honest and say I've waited so long to be free from the situation I'm in… and now that it's here I'm scared to do anything because I'm afraid I'll make a mistake!!"

Britney went on ... "For so many years I was always told if I succeeded at things, it could end… and it never did!!! I worked so hard but now that it's here and getting closer and closer to ending I'm very happy but there's a lot of things that scare me."

Britney also gave her fans a heads up, that she'll be taking a break from social media ... "I won't be posting as much in a world where it's our liberty to be free, it's a shame!!! I started experiencing that when I got the keys to my car for the first time 4 months ago and it's been 13 years!!!!"

There's definitely a measure of bitterness ... "I haven't done anything to be treated the way I have for the past 13 years!!! I'm disgusted with the system and wish I lived in another country!!!"

Elvis Presley's drummer, Ronnie Tutt, has died.

Ronnie Tutt's wife, Donna, tells TMZ, he died Saturday of natural causes at his home in Franklin, Tennessee. He was surrounded by family and went peacefully. He did not want to be hospitalized. Donna says Ronnie had a longtime heart condition and there was nothing more doctors could do. She says his body had just had enough, adding, "He couldn't play another drum lick."

Ronnie played with The King from 1969 until Elvis' death in 1977. Ronnie was a member of TCB -- short for Takin' Care of Business -- which backed up Presley during his Vegas runs and other performances.

Elvis Presley Enterprises said of Tutt's death ... "All of us with Elvis Presley Enterprises were deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Ronnie Tutt. In addition to being a legendary drummer, he was a good friend to many of us here at Graceland."

Tutt made the rounds with some of the most famous musicians of his day, including The Carpenters, Roy Orbison, Neil Diamond, Billy Joel, and Jerry Garcia.

Ronnie recorded with Johnny Cash, Glen Campbell, Kenny Rogers, Elvis Costello, Stevie Nicks and Michael McDonald.

After Elvis died, Ronnie became Neil Diamond's drummer for recording sessions and concerts.

Ronnie is survived by Donna, his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Donna says Ronnie will be cremated and there will be a celebration of his life.

He was 83.

Jay-Z and Beyonce are saying au revoir to New Orleans with a fire sale, of sorts -- just months after their mansion there ignited, they're selling it.

The power couple is listing the 1925 pad, asking for $4,450,000. The 13,292 square foot pad has 7-bedrooms, 8-bathrooms and was originally a Presbyterian church. It's since been retrofitted to not only house the rich and famous, but also hold special events.

Nestled in NOLA's Historic Garden District -- and just steps from the main Mardi Gras parade route -- the home's hosted weddings, salons and major recording stars and corporate execs.

It's easy to see why the rapper and singer loved this place ... the mansion's acoustics are unparalleled. According to the listing ... a Grammy winner once said, "I did my best writing ever, while watching the sunset from the rooftop garden!" The listing doesn't reveal who said that, but it easily could have been Jay or Bey.

In any event, the 3-story building with 26-foot ceilings features Spanish baroque architecture. The building itself is divided into one main residence with 3 apartments that are each approximately 1,000-square-feet.

One big bonus ... the house will be painted to the new owner's liking prior to the deal closing.

The listing comes nearly 3 months after the mansion caught on fire. The blaze lasted a little over 2 hours, and it was classified as simple arson.