Music

John Mayer has officially purchased the Jim Henson studio lot ... and he appears to have a clear vision on how he wants the studio to look in the future ... TMZ has learned.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Mayer and producer/director McG have finalized their deal to buy the iconic Jim Henson Studio. Despite previous reports claiming the deal was in the $60 million range, our sources say it closed for around $45 million.

We're told Mayer will oversee the recording studio, and McG will manage the other facilities on the lot.

Over the years, the Henson recording studio has been home to music's biggest acts including Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, Ozzy Osbourne, The Supremes and more. It's also where "We Are The World" was recorded.

We're told a name change for the studio is coming ... though an exact name has not been decided on yet.

However, renaming the Jim Henson studio may be the biggest change coming under new ownership. We're told Mayer and McG are set on keeping the studio running with no major changes — including keeping the same staff.

We're told preserving the history of the building means everything to the duo -- and so does making sure it stays the premier recording studio on the West Coast for years to come.

As we reported ... last month, Mayer and McG went under contract the buy the historic Hollywood property. Mayer already has a connection to the property -- holding offices in the building.

NFL fans looking to Texas Hold some Beyoncé-themed cocktails during her halftime performance on Christmas Day are in luck ... TMZ Sports has learned Houston will be selling drinks with Yoncé flair in honor of her much-anticipated show.

Aramark Sports + Entertainment -- which has provided football fanatics with goodies at Texans games throughout this season -- tells us four specialty drinks paying homage to Beyoncé will be available for purchase at NRG Stadium during Houston's Dec. 25 tilt with the Ravens.

The first is called the "Texan Honey" -- and it's a mix of whiskey, lemon juice, honey syrup and ginger beer that will all come mixed in a souvenir cup.

Lizzo is breaking her silence about the harassment lawsuit filed by three of her former backup dancers -- saying she was completely blindsided by the accusations.

Speaking on the "Baby, This Is Keke Palmer" podcast, the singer shared how deeply hurt she was by the ex-dancers -- especially since they weren’t even part of her 2022 "Watch Out for the Big Grrrls" tour, and they were people she had previously given opportunities to.

Lizzo got candid with Keke, saying she had always appreciated them as dancers ... so when they suddenly turned on her, hitting her with legal complaints while she was living her dream, it came as a complete surprise to her.

Druski's newest comedic skit took a swipe at lavish-living losers, and the hosts of the "Fresh & Fit" podcast -- and the entire internet -- is laughing!!!

The viral funnyman titled his latest bit "Dudes that think Money can UNLAME them 😂", where he portrayed a guy with a few dollars in his pocket and an outrageous personality.

After getting his head drenched with black hairspray for a $245 haircut, Druski spoofed a segment of the 'F&F' podcast where he spewed off misogynistic nonsense about females having ZERO rights.

Tony Buzbee -- the high-profile attorney who's filed multiple lawsuits against Diddy, and one against Jay-Z -- is now accused of infecting a woman he dated with a venereal disease.

According to a new suit filed in New York Supreme Court ...the accuser, identified as "Jane Doe," says Buzbee has taken advantage of her since 2018 when they first met during an online conversation.

The woman said the Texas-based lawyer charmed her and convinced her to go out on a date. She says she ventured to Buzbee's hometown of Houston to grab dinner with him before they took in a show.

GloRilla's amazing year didn't prevent her from giving back to her roots ... the "TGIF" rapper surprised students at her old high school in Memphis Wednesday afternoon -- with a chunky check for $25,000!!!

The 5-figure donation will benefit the school's new library space, giving both Melrose High students and the neighboring Orange Mound community access to the new tech.

Melrose High repaid the favor by renaming its library The Gloria H. Woods Media Center, uncharted territory for Glo's old stomping grounds.

California-bred rap veteran Saafir died in November ... and we've learned it was a complication of health issues.

TMZ Hip Hop obtained the death certificate, which states Saafir died from septic shock and enterocolitis -- an infection of the small intestine.

The doc also lists infected sacral decubitus as a COD, a medical term for an enlarged bedsore caused by too much pressure on the bottom of the spine.

Lil Baby stayed quiet behind the scenes throughout the entire 2024 Rap Wars where Kendrick Lamar and Drake battled it out ... turns out, he's not a fan of being one of K. Dot's "examples" on "Not Like Us!!!"

The Atlanta rap star broke his silence in a one-on-one sit-down with Charlamagne Tha God on Thursday ... Kendrick accused Drake of exploiting A-Town rappers Baby, Young Thug, Future, 2 Chainz, Quavo and his "Her Loss" collaborator 21 Savage.

Kendrick rapped, "Lil Baby helped you get your lingo up" on the heavily promoted record but Baby disapproved -- "If you and him [Drake] was arguing why the hell you gotta say me, you know?"

Tory Lanez is firing back at Megan Thee Stallion as she seeks a restraining order against him ... and his legal team says she's not to be believed.

The rapper's legal team tells TMZ ... "Megan's claim that Tory filed legal docs to undermine her new Amazon Prime documentary is 'ridiculous.'"

Instead, Tory's legal team says the timing of the legal filing Meg is referencing had nothing to do with the release of her documentary and was filed simply to comply with legal deadlines.

Timothée Chalamet had a very special surprise guest at a screening for his new Bob Dylan movie ... and it was Tom Cruise!!!

The legendary actor dropped in on Timothée over in the United Kingdom for Tuesday's debut of Chalamet's new movie, "A Complete Unknown," at the Ham Yard Hotel in London, England

Tom and Tim shook hands and posed for some photos together ... in one shot of just the two of them, Tom is pointing at Tim and has one hand over his shoulder.

Britney Spears took her dancing to new heights, going harder than ever in one of her most intense performances yet -- so wild, you might need a second pair of eyes to keep up!

In an IG clip shared Wednesday, the bikini-clad singer treated fans to a high-energy mix of her signature moves -- butt slaps, thumbs in her underwear, chaotically strutting up to the camera, and twirling so fiercely she nearly loses her balance.

Her routine, filmed during her Mexican getaway, also introduced us to some fresh moves -- think unique hand shapes, a surprise stuffed animal cameo, and, of course, some intense body contortions.

Taylor Swift and her pals know style ... dressing up in honor of the pop star at an "Eras" tour-themed party -- with Brittany and Patrick Mahomes paying homage to a viral moment.

Mrs. Mahomes posted several photos from the party to her Instagram just about an hour ago ... showing off her silver outfit covered in fringe -- clearly an interpretation of T-Swift's own outfits on tour.

Brittany had Patrick dressed up too ... black tux with a white undershirt and bow tie -- complete with a black top hat hanging off his thick curls.

Bhad Bhabie says she's breaking up with her baby daddy Le Vaughn ... and she says Alabama Barker is to blame.

The "Gucci Flip Flops" rapper ripped into Alabama in a social media rant Wednesday, calling Travis Barker's daughter a "homewrecker" and accusing her of hooking up with Le Vaughn.

Bhad Bhabie says it all started one night when she got drunk with LV and they got into a fight ... she says she called another man and then got into a physical exchange with LV ... ultimately leading to them spending a couple weeks apart.

Swifties are convinced Taylor Swift is trying to shake off her past romance with Joe Alwyn ... by erasing all evidence of the actor from a recently released behind-the-scenes video.

The singer's team dropped a number of BTS clips on her YouTube page in honor of her 35th birthday. The uploads featured Swift on a couple of her music video sets, including "Anti-Hero" and "Bejeweled," where she served as both the star and director.

Yet, it wasn't the Grammy winner's directing skills that had Swifties' tongues waggin' ... as one scene appeared noticeably edited -- seemingly as an effort to keep Alwyn from popping up in the footage.

Timothée Chalamet is proving he’s got the pipes to match the hype, giving fans a sneak peek of the vocal chops he'll be showing off in his Bob Dylan biopic, "A Complete Unknown."

The multi-talented star treated fans to a lengthy IG clip Wednesday, belting out Dylan’s "Visions of Johanna" on a pier in NYC at sunset -- and honestly, it’s a whole vibe.

Timothée was in his zone -- bopping with swagger, showing off some low-key dance moves, getting oddly comfortable on the ground, and making the most of the scenic pier backdrop.