Music

Did you know Barry Zito had a hell of a curveball AND an amazing voice?!?!

It's true ... the former World Series champ sang his face off all season on "The Masked Singer" -- with his voice even making Nicole Sherzinger cry before he was eliminated from the show Wednesday!!

The 42-year-old sang a rendition of Tim McGraw's "Humble And Kind" under the guise of The Rhino ... and it was so good, the Pussycat Dolls star was moved to tears.

Check out the footage ... Zito's twangy sound really had Nicole wiping away the waterworks!!

But, as it turns out, even that wasn't enough to save the former Cy Young winner from elimination ... he was booted from the show just short of making next week's finale.

Of course, it was a valiant effort from the ex-San Francisco Giant ... he finished in fourth place, and the judges praised him for being super authentic throughout the competition!!

BTW, Zito's been doing the music thing for a while -- and told us back in 2017 why he hopes to add a Grammy to his trophy case one day.

Also, don't feel too bad for Barry about the exit -- it's pretty much the only L Zito is taking in 2020 ... he just had a new baby, and his family is cute as hell!!

One group's $200,000 trash is another's treasure ... Tekashi 6ix9ine's rejected funds are exactly what an L.A. nonprofit -- that also helps kids -- needs to survive.

We broke the story ... the "GOOBA" rapper was set to donate $200k this week to No Kid Hungry, which helps feed families that can't afford to feed themselves. However, the charity turned down 6ix9ine's donation.

Enter Keith Johnson, Executive Director of Kooking 4 Kids, who tells TMZ ... if the rapper's looking to do a good deed and help eliminate hunger, his past deeds shouldn't matter.

As we told ya, No Kid Hungry said, "As a child-focused campaign, it is our policy to decline funding from donors whose activities do not align with our mission and values."

However, the Kooking 4 Kids boss says ... "If there is an individual that wants to help address hunger in Los Angeles, we welcome it. How that person wants to live their life is for them to decide."

Keith says his nonprofit often holds BBQ fundraisers, and he doesn't go digging into the personal lives of people who are there to support the cause. He does add that every organization has the right to determine from whom it will accept funds -- but donations are vital to his organization to survive, so he's not picky.

Johnson says K4K travels to 4 different parts of L.A. weekly and serves about 1,600-1,800 free meals to children and parents every day ... and they always run out.

He tells us, even before the pandemic, the org was stretched thin because L.A. County has some of the highest child hunger numbers ... and it can always use more funding.

Melissa Etheridge is grieving after announcing her son, Beckett Cypher, has died.

The Oscar and Grammy-winning rock star announced Wednesday her son with filmmaker Julie Cypher died. Melissa's team tweeted, "We’re sad to inform you that Melissa’s son Beckett passed away and there will not be a Concerts From Home show today. -- #TeamME."

Melissa had been performing Facebook Live concerts and offering virtual guitar lessons for just $10 during this pandemic quarantine. It's unclear at this time what led to Beckett's death.

Julie and Melissa had to 2 children via artificial insemination during their partnership. Their daughter, Bailey Jean, was born in February 1997, and Beckett in November 1998. For a while, the couple was reluctant to discuss who fathered the kids but they eventually revealed rock singer David Crosby is the biological father of both children.

Cypher -- who was previously married to Lou Diamond Phillips -- and Etheridge ultimately split in September 2000.

Beckett was 21.

RIP

Sophie Turner's not hiding it anymore -- she's pretty pregnant ... which she casually revealed on a walk with her hubby, Joe Jonas.

Up to this point, the baby rumors have been swirling ... but the cat's out of the bag after the married couple was spotted strolling in L.A.

Sophie and Joe both had masks on and held hands as they ventured out for some fresh air, but what everyone's more fixated on -- her blossoming baby bump.

She was also spotted out with Joe a couple days back in a loose-fitting, men's button-up dress shirt ... so it's starting to add up. There were also reports earlier this year she was pregnant, but no word from the couple.

Tekashi 6ix9ine's glorious return to social media paid him handsomely and then some -- but he ain't keeping all the dough for himself ... the dude's giving back to kids in need.

Sources close to the rapper tell TMZ ... the release of his new song, "GOOBA," as well as the launch of some new merch that he promoted on IG last week has left him with a small fortune on his hands in the amount of about $2 million, which he made in less than a week.

We're told Tekashi raked in a solid mil in just the last few days alone. Rather than hold on to all the cash, or put it it the bank for a rainy day -- our sources say 6ix9ine's planning to donate 10 percent of his haul to hungry families who are struggling in the pandemic.

Specifically, we're being told 69 will send $200k to an org called No Kid Hungry, which helps dole out money to families that can't afford to feed themselves or their little ones -- which, as you can imagine, has gotten worse with COVID-19 putting people out of work.

Tekashi's hoping his donation will help in that cause -- and, frankly, it's a really nice gesture and a nice pendulum swing after his wild, and not so smart, weekend activities.

Here's hoping it also serves as a sign to come for 6ix9ine in general -- give and you get, solid life philosophy.

Diddy is speaking out on the death of his mentor, Andre Harrell, who discovered him decades ago and put him on a trajectory to fame -- and his farewell may well bring a tear to your eye.

The Bad Boy honcho posted a video Monday showing a speech he gave earlier this year after winning an Industry Icon Award at a Pre-Grammys Gala -- where he also called out the lack of diversity in the music biz -- but this time ... he highlighted his words for Andre.

The remarks are quite moving -- Puffy recounts how Andre took him under his wing, showed him the ins and outs of the game, and simply rolled the dice and took a chance on him. He said he owes a lot of his success to the man -- and made sure he knew it.

Diddy worked as an intern at Harrell's Uptown Records and moved up the ladder to eventually become a talent director, where he was overseeing the development of some big-time stars. Eventually, Diddy and Uptown parted ways ... and the rest is history.

In an accompanying caption, Diddy writes ... "I honestly still can’t believe it. I’ve got to give myself the reality of this in doses. Because I can’t even handle this. I hope to God that you are all blessed to have someone in your life that loves you and believes in you like this man believed in me.… I’m going to miss him so much. I can’t even imagine life without Dre. God bless @gianni, @onealmcknight and the rest of the family."

He finished by saying, "LOVE YOU FOREVER @andreharrell !!!!!!!!!!"

As we reported ... Andre -- who founded Uptown Records and signed several mega R&B artists to his label back in the late '80s and early '90s -- passed away over the weekend. His family told media outlets that his cause of death was heart failure. He was only 59.

He received countless tributes from all over Hollywood, but it was Diddy people wanted to hear from ... and now, they have.

Billie Eilish is scared for herself and her family because an obsessed fan keeps showing up at her home this week, and he never practiced social distancing and most of the time, never wore a mask.

Billie filed legal docs, with the help of the law firm McPherson LLP, claiming Prenell Rousseau began showing up over and over again at her home.

Billie says the 24-year-old trespasser started showing up last Monday, ringing the doorbell, and through the Ring camera, her father asked Rousseau if he could help him. Rousseau responded, "I think I might have the wrong house, but does Billie Eilish live here?"

Billie's dad told the guy he had the wrong house, but that didn't stop him.

Billie says he returned at 9 PM and exhibited "erratic behavior." She says, "While we waited for security, Mr. Rousseau remained on our porch, sat down and began to read a book, while also continuing to engage in a periodic monologue. My father repeatedly asked him to leave, but he refused ..."

Security shooed him away, but he returned a little while later and laid down behind a wall, ready to spend the night.

Rousseau reappeared on Tuesday and began trying the door handle to gain entrance.

He returned again and again and was not deterred by anyone. Billie says Rousseau showed up a total of 7 times, 5 of which he was not wearing a face mask ... and the 2 times he did wear a mask, he pulled it down while talking to security. He was also not wearing gloves as touched the doorbell and doorknob multiple times.

Rousseau was actually taken into custody twice this week, but cops told Billie there was really nothing they could do because trespassing is a non-violent offense and they're trying to keep non-violent offenders out of jail due to the spread of COVID-19.

Billie says Rousseau was put on a bus to go back to NY, where he lives, but she fears he will return.

She's asking for a restraining order for herself and her parents.

Rich the Kid can rap all he wants about how "Money Talks" but one celeb jeweler's wondering why the Kid's gone radio silent when it comes to unpaid jewelry bills ... according to a new lawsuit.

Peter Marco from Extraordinary Jewels of Beverly Hills is suing the "Plug Walk" rapper claiming he owes a whopping $234,800 in unpaid jewelry that includes bracelets and incredibly fancy watches.

According to docs, obtained by TMZ, Marco says he's been doing business with Rich since at least October 2017. RTK ordered diamond necklaces, crosses and even a couple of Patek Philippe watches worth several hundred thousand dollars. And, for a while, Rich did make payments.

In docs, Marco says Rich wired over several payments but they eventually stopped. Even still, RTK continued ordering jewelry and Marco kept delivering ... but the bills kept piling on and Marco claims he wasn't getting paid. So, he's now suing for what he says he's still owed.

Rich the Kid's no stranger to flossing his bling. In the past, he's ordered pricey jewelry when he dropped new albums and even collaborations.

Chaka Khan and Luenell have had it with mothers in their community continuing to lose their children -- so, in their honor, they held a peaceful protest on an important holiday.

The singer and comedian got together in L.A. Sunday with a bunch of other women of color -- who have lost their own kids or relatives to violence ... be it from the police or at the hands of someone else. The purpose of the rally was to speak out against the killing of these children -- minors or adults, alike -- and to offer support to their grieving mothers.

We talked to Luenell about it, and she tells us the time to voice concern about this issue is more pressing than ever ... and they want the public and people in power, especially, to know #EnoughIsEnough, which also happens to be the official name for their viral campaign.

Now, while Luenell insists the issue of black children being murdered goes beyond law enforcement -- hers and Chaka's movement comes at a moment where, once again, we're seeing excessive violence being exacted upon men of color -- specifically, black men -- by cops and/or rogue vigilantes -- encounters that often lead to their deaths as a result.

Of course, we're referring to two recent cases of this in Ahmaud Arbery -- who was gunned down after a man and his son claim he fit the profile of a burglary suspect -- and Sean Reed, who live streamed his own death after cops gunned him down during a chase.

We've seen it before ... the list of black/brown people being killed by the authorities is long and well-documented. But, for Luenell and co., they're truly pissed and demanding structural change. Watch ... she's incredibly passionate about the cause and for good reason.

Betty Wright, a supremely talented R&B singer who popularized the phrase, "No pain, no gain," has died.

Wright's cause of death was not announced when her niece confirmed the passing. Something was clearly wrong though because 2 days ago, Chaka Khan made a plea ... "Calling all my #PrayWarriors. My beloved sister, Betty Wright @MsBettyWright, is now in need of all your prayers."

Wright, whom some in the music industry called one of the most underrated singers of her time, was recently honored on TV One's, "Unsung."

Betty recorded so many songs, including her 1971 hit, "Clean Up Woman. She was only 18 when the song was released, and it turned out to be her biggest song ever. Other hits included "Let Me Be Your Lovermaker," "Shoorah Shoorah," "Tonight is the Night," and "Where is the Love."

Betty made a bold move in the '80s, launching her own independent label ... it had not been done before by a female artist. That's when she recorded "No Pain (No Gain)." Ever heard that phrase? Later she recorded "Mother Wit," and it went gold -- the first time an African-American female singer went gold on her own record label.

Wright became an inspiration to so many singers, including Mary J. Blige, The Roots and Joss Stone. Wright performed with Joss on her song, "The Art of Love and War."

In 2005, her 21-year-old son, Patrick, was shot and killed. She had 4 other children.

Betty was 66.

RIP

Jay-Z, Meek Mill and others over at Roc Nation are speaking out publicly to demand justice for the slaying of Ahmaud Arbery -- asking for a speedy trial and conviction of his killers.

Jigga, Meek and other Roc Nation artists -- including Alicia Keys and Yo Gotti -- have signed an open letter they're releasing this weekend, which is made out to Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, Georgia AG Christopher Darr and District Attorney Tom Durden.

It says in no uncertain terms ... try Gregory and Travis McMichael fairly, but swiftly, so that felony convictions can fall on them. Also, they want another man arrested and tried as an accomplice.

The team writes, "By now, we’ve all seen the crime’s disturbing video, so the facts here are not in doubt: He was unarmed and innocent and the victim of a hate crime. Which is why we call upon you today, as official leaders of the Great State of Georgia, and with the entire world watching, to ensure that a fair trial is conducted, as that can only lead to the appropriate felony convictions of both McMichaels. We also implore you to charge William Bryan as an armed accomplice to the crime." Bryan was the guy who filmed the video.

They go on to say that D.A. Durden must recuse himself from the case because of a conflict of interest -- namely, the elder McMichaels is a former cop and they know each other.

The Roc Nation squad also makes a point that the first necessary step for healing has taken place in the arrest of both McMichaels. They say, "We truly appreciate that you have arrested and charged these men with Ahmaud’s murder, and are hopeful that a trial and conviction will show that, in the state that gave us Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and has been the site of the best and worst of the Civil Rights movement, Dr. King’s words do ring true: 'The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.'"

Taylor Swift's not going full Elon Musk -- as in, selling off all of her possessions -- but she IS a little lighter in the private jet department.

TMZ's learned the famous singer's sold one of her 2 jets -- a Dassault Falcon 50 she originally bought back in 2012 -- reducing her personal air force by half.

It's unclear how much she paid for the aircraft back then, but similar jets are priced anywhere from $1 to 6 million. Since Swift bought it, it's been registered to a company called SATA, LLC in Nashville ... which is believed to stand for family members' names -- father Scott, mother Andrea, Taylor and brother Austin.

According to FAA records ... the Falcon 50 was switched over to BoneDoc Aviation, LLC on March 16, which means she transferred ownership just as most of the nation went under stay-at-home orders. Pretty good timing.

It's unclear what BoneDoc paid for its new plane ... but it flexed by sharing a photo of it on its Facebook page a couple weeks ago.

As we said ... the sale still leaves Taylor with one private jet at her disposal -- the Falcon 900. Not to flex back at BoneDoc, but the 900 is a bit bigger than the 50. She reportedly paid $40 mil for it in 2011.

It's the private jet featuring her lucky #13 at the front -- so it's no wonder she decided to keep that one.

Harry Styles admirers have gone wicky, wicky wild for a Target candle that supposedly smells like the singer ... and now it's harder to get your hands on than toilet paper.

Here's the deal ... die-hard Harry fans know the One Direction star wears Tom Ford's Tobacco Vanille fragrance to enhance his natural aroma.

Well, somehow these fans also discovered the Cashmere Vanilla candle made by Target's Threshold brand smells almost exactly like the Tom Ford cologne ... and they want it more than a watermelon sugar high.

So, there's been a mad dash by Stylers to buy up the candle ... and now it's totally sold out online and is almost impossible to find on shelves in the physical stores too.

We're told Threshold is working to produce more of the candle with the Harry-esque scent, but there's no timetable for when they'll be back in stock.

Tough break for fans struggling financially right now, because the Target candle is much cheaper than the Tom Ford fragrance. A 6-oz candle goes for just $6.99 ... whereas a 1.7-oz bottle of Tobacco Vanille is $240.

Tekashi 6ix9ine isn't in the witness protection program, but he'd be smart if he started acting like he is -- which is exactly what he ISN'T doing by showing off his new digs.

The rainbow-haired rapper has a new pic up on IG, and there's a lot happening here ... including a potential road map to his whereabouts while he's under house arrest and (seemingly) trying to lay low from gang members ... who are almost certainly out to get him.

T69 isn't helping his own cause by posting this, showing himself posing on a balcony of some sort with a couple big stacks of cash. The money and goofy attire isn't even the problem here ... it's what's all around him that's concerning, and possibly even dangerous.

Basically, you can kinda see where Tekashi's hiding out right now -- and while he doesn't show off a full exterior ... there's more than enough here for digital snoops to get an idea of where he's at -- obviously not something he probably wants as a notorious snitch.

Now, we won't speculate as to where he is or what this setting looks like to us -- not trying to dime the guy out -- BUT we will say ... if we can take a wild guess, others can too.

Be smart, kid. For your sake ... and for the sake of others.