RIP

James "Radio" Kennedy -- the inspiration behind the movie, "Radio," starring Cuba Gooding, Jr. -- has died.

James, who was mentally challenged, was a true inspiration for decades. He was an unofficial 11th grader at T.L. Hanna High School since 1965, where he attended football games and often led the team onto the field

Radio -- he got his nickname because he was rarely seen without his rusty, trusty transistor radio -- got national attention back in 1996 when Sports Illustrated ran a story about Radio and the football coach, Harold Jones. The story highlighted how the town of Anderson, South Carolina accepted him.

The story was the catalyst for the movie, "Radio," which debuted in 2003.

Jones confirmed Radio's death, saying, "He was just a fine man. We all loved him. We will miss him incredibly."

Radio had been ill and had been in the hospital for quite a while. He had been recently moved to a hospice facility.

Radio became an inspiration to the players and the town ... truly spreading joy. A few years ago, the Salvation Army was struggling during the x-mas season and when Radio learned of it, he braved the bitter cold with Jones, stood outside a Sam's Club and got hundreds of people to deposit cash in the kettle.

Radio, who was inducted into T.L. Hanna Athletic Hall of Fame in 2016, struggled with various health issues, including pancreatitis, diabetes and kidney issues.

Tyla Yaweh got the crowd going Saturday at Rolling Loud by dedicating part of his set to the passing of Juice WRLD and XXXTentacion.

People crammed into the Banc of California Stadium in L.A., where he played Juice's "Armed and Dangerous." TMZ broke the story ... Juice died last Sunday after suffering seizures.

The tributes didn't end with Juice. Tyla said, "Let's also turn up for my brother, XXXTentacion," and the crowd was more than happy to oblige.

Juice WRLD's closest relatives and friends are paying their final respects to the late rapper at his funeral in Illinois.

Juice WRLD -- born Jarad Anthony Higgins -- had an open-casket funeral Friday at Holy Temple Cathedral Church of God in Christ in Harvey, Illinois ... about 45 minutes south of the rapper's hometown of Chicago.

The program included a collage of pictures featuring Juice WRLD. His mother, Carmella Wallace, also paid tribute to her son. His siblings and grandmother also shared some words.

Several staffers and execs from Interscope -- his record label -- attended, as did Juice's friend and fellow rapper, Ski Mask the Slump God.

Veteran actor Danny Aiello -- known for his scene-stealing supporting roles in many acclaimed movies since the '70s -- died Thursday night ... TMZ has learned.

According to his family ... Danny passed away at a medical facility in New Jersey where he was being treated for a sudden illness. We're told he suffered an infection related to his treatment. Danny's family had come to visit him Thursday, and we're told he died shortly after they'd left that evening.

Aiello, a native New Yorker, broke into movies in the early '70s by landing a small role in the Robert De Niro baseball drama, "Bang the Drum Slowly." He followed it up by playing Tony Rosato in "The Godfather: Part II" ... in which he delivered the famous line, "Michael Corleone says hello!"

Danny would go on to earn praise in several hit films in the '80s, like "Fort Apache the Bronx" with Paul Newman, "Once Upon a Time in America," "The Purple Rose of Cairo" and "Moonstruck" opposite Cher.

Rip Torn died after a years-long battle with Alzheimer's disease ... according to his death certificate.

The Emmy Award-winning veteran actor and comedian died at his Connecticut home in July, and according to the doc -- obtained by TMZ -- the cause of death is listed "due to (or as a consequence of) Alzheimer's dementia." Translation ... there were complications resulting from Alzheimer's that caused his death.

It says he was diagnosed "years" before he passed. Torn was then buried at a cemetery in Poughkeepsie, NY a few days later ... according to the certificate.

Rip was perhaps best known for his role as Artie on HBO's "The Larry Sanders Show," for which he won an Emmy and was nominated 6 more times. He was also an Oscar nominee in 1984 for "Cross Creek."

Torn's career spanned decades after his film debut in the 1956 film, "Baby Doll," and included memorable roles in the 'Men In Black' films and "Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story" ... along with TV shows like "Will & Grace" and "30 Rock."

He was 88.

Juice WRLD's family is breaking their silence on the death of the 21-year-old rapper, shedding light on his battle with prescription drug abuse and his fight to help others beat their addictions.

In an exclusive statement to TMZ, the late rapper's mom, Carmella Wallace, says, "We loved Jarad with all of our hearts and cannot believe our time with him has been cut short. As he often addressed in his music and to his fans, Jarad battled with prescription drug dependency."

Juice rapped about drugs often, something his family says wasn't to promote using ... but instead to help those battling addiction who may have felt alone in their fight.

His mom continues, "Addiction knows no boundaries and its impact goes way beyond the person fighting it. Jarad was a son, brother, grandson, friend and so much more to so many people who wanted more than anything to see him defeat addiction."

Juice WRLD will be getting multiple shout-outs at the music festival where he was supposed to perform this weekend -- and they'll be coming from 3 of his closest friends in the biz.

Sources familiar with the plans tell TMZ ... Lil Pump, Lil Mosey and Tyla Yaweh are all planning to pay tribute to Juice during their sets at Rolling Loud Los Angeles. They're all scheduled to perform Saturday.

Juice himself was supposed to be taking the stage as well -- in fact, he was one of the bigger names headlining Saturday's show.

We're told Pump's tribute will involve performing some of Juice's songs and/or displaying a video of him behind the stage at Banc of California Stadium. It's still unclear what the other artists will do to honor their friend.

Aside from those 3 we know about ... it's a safe bet several other artists will have something to say about Juice when they get on the mic.

The fact cops were all over Juice WRLD multiple times -- including an NYC bust last year -- pisses off his friends, who think cops were merely profiling a 20-year-old rich black man who dares to fly on private jets.

Sources who regularly interacted with Juice and were close to him tell TMZ ... all of the run-ins he had with cops are more than suspicious. The fact feds just happened to show up at multiple airports where he and/or his private jet were searched is enough for Juice's inner circle to believe this might well have something to do with race and rappers.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Juice got arrested in 2018 at NYC's LaGuardia Airport after officers responded to a call for "prohibited items" found inside one of his checked bags. We're told the items included a small amount of marijuana and bottles of codeine cough syrup.

Juice WRLD's death resonated with the fans everywhere, but his music might be having an even bigger impact right now ... because it's flooding almost every chart imaginable.

The rapper is running the board on digital platforms in the wake of his death Sunday in Chicago ... with several of JW's songs and albums claiming top spots on Amazon, Apple and Spotify -- seeing exponential surges of several thousand percentage points, in some cases.

Let's start with Amazon's Movers and Shakers list ... where Juice's single, "Legends," has risen in the ranks by a whopping 84,954% to reach #1 in just a couple days. Two of his other tracks -- "Lucid Dreams," both the explicit and clean versions -- are sitting at #2 and #3.

For albums, Juice's "Death Race For Love" and "Goodbye & Good Riddance" also claim the top 3 spots on Amazon's CDs and Vinyl list. In short, folks are swooping up his content.

On the Apple side of things, Juice WRLD is also toppling some of the hottest names in the game this past week -- including Roddy Ricch, The Weeknd, DaBaby and Trippie Redd. On the service's Top 100 songs chart, Juice claims 8 spots ... including #1, #2, #5 and #6.

And, if you thought your 2019 Spotify Wrapped list was set, it might just change this week based on how dominant Juice has been there too ... he's got 9 spots locked in alone.

Juice's Top 10 tracks on Spotify have also been getting tons of love (and plays) -- we're talking hundreds of thousands, especially "Lucid Dreams," which got streamed over 990k times since Sunday. Of course, Juice is no stranger to chart success -- 7 of his songs have made on Billboard, and 3 cracked the Top 10. He'll probably be up there again next week.

TMZ broke the story ... Juice suffered a fatal seizure early Sunday morning at Chicago's Midway Airport. Federal agents were there waiting for him and his entourage, and after conducting a search ... found tons of weed and a few guns on board.

We're told at some point in the search, Juice was seen ingesting multiple pills believed to be Percocet. Juice suffered a seizure shortly thereafter and died soon after that.

He was 21.

Juice WRLD had a habit of taking up to 3 potent Percocet pills a day and would mix them with lean ... this according to his ex-girlfriend who claims the rapper became physically abusive when he tried to get clean.

Alexia Smith says she was in a relationship with the rapper for nearly a year in 2018 ... and in that time she'd see him pop pills with lean as he struggled with depression, which she says stemmed from previous heartbreaks and the feeling of being misunderstood.

Smith claims Juice also used weed, Xanax, Ecstasy, morphine and coke ... but Percocet and lean were his go-to vices. She says she tried helping WRLD get clean but, during his withdrawals, their arguments turned violent. In one instance, she claims Juice picked her off the ground and slammed her into a wall ... squeezing her so tight she came away bruised all over her arms.

Smith told the Daily Mail she started dating him in early 2018 ... and when he flew her out to L.A. where he was taking meetings with music labels, she noticed the new drug world surrounding him.

She claims that within days of arriving in L.A., someone from a label gave him morphine and cocaine. Smith says WRLD didn't use coke at the time but it wasn't long before he did.

As we first reported ... the feds were on Juice WRLD's tail long before Homeland Security agents searched Juice WRLD's private jet last week when it landed at Chicago's Midway Airport.

Juice WRLD's movements had been under the microscope of federal agents since at least last month ... and TMZ has learned it started with another private jet search.

Juice's initial run-in with the feds went down on November 18 at LAX ... according to our law enforcement sources. The rapper and his entourage were boarding their flight bound for Sydney, Australia, when Customs Agents conducted the search.

We're told drug-sniffing dogs were all over Juice and co. and their luggage. It's unclear if agents found anything -- we do know the plane was eventually allowed to take off with Juice on board.

TMZ broke the story ... Homeland Security agents, operating under an FBI task force, searched Juice WRLD's private jet early Sunday morning when it landed at Chicago's Midway Airport.

As we reported, cops confiscated 70 lbs. of marijuana and 3 handguns after searching the plane. We're told Juice suffered his seizure -- which turned out to be fatal -- as agents were conducting their search. Our sources say someone in his entourage told cops he had taken several "unknown pills."

As for why the feds were so keyed in to his late-night flight to Chi-Town? It's possible it had something to do with the intel they'd gathered during the LAX search. Additionally, we're told the pilot had reported Juice's bodyguards for having handguns -- a no-no if they're not packed properly, or if the bodyguard doesn't have a permit.

We've reached out to the FBI for more detail on last month's search, but so far ... radio silence.

Marie Fredriksson -- lead singer for the pop-rock duo, Roxette -- has died after a 17-year battle with cancer ... TMZ has learned.

According to her management group ... the Swedish musician passed away Monday. After being diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2002, Marie received aggressive treatment that was ultimately successful, allowing Roxette to return after a long hiatus and release new music.

However, Marie was advised by doctors to stop touring and focus on her health in 2016.

Roxette formed in 1986 and became an international sensation with their breakout #1 hit in 1989 -- "The Look."

The duo's success continued the following year with the single "It Must Have Been Love," which was featured on the soundtrack of the iconic Julia Roberts/Richard Gere rom-com, "Pretty Woman."

The group's other big hits include "Listen to Your Heart" and "Joyride." All in all, Roxette put out 10 albums to go along with 10 major tours.

Marie's management says she "leaves us a grand musical legacy." It says, "Her amazing voice – both strong and sensitive – and her magical live performances will be remembered by all of us who was lucky enough to witness them," adding ... "But we also remember a wonderful person with a huge appetite for life, and woman with a very big heart who cared for everybody she met."

Her former bandmate, guitarist and singer Per Gessle, says ... "Thank you, Marie, thanks for everything. You were an outstanding musician, a master of the voice, an amazing performer. Thanks for painting my black and white songs in the most beautiful colours. You were the most wonderful friend for over 40 years."

Fredriksson's survived by her husband and 2 children.

She was 61.

Juice WRLD might've made a fatal decision as law enforcement searched his private jet -- swallowing a bunch of painkillers in an attempt to hide them from the feds.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... the pilot who was flying Juice's private plane alerted authorities on the ground that the rapper's entourage had guns on them -- a big no-no in air travel. When they landed, FBI and FAA agents were waiting for Juice and company.

We're told at some point between the plane landing and the feds conducting their search ... Juice was seen swallowing several Percocet pills in what people believed was an attempt to hide them. Our sources say the pills might've contributed to his death in a possible OD.

An autopsy was performed on the rapper Monday, but additional testing, including toxicology, cardiac pathology and neuropathology is still needed before determining an official cause.

Ex-Boston College baseball player Pete Frates -- the man who inspired millions of people to participate in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge -- has passed away at 34 years old, the school announced Monday.

Frates -- who served as team captain in 2007 -- was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease in 2012 ... and 2 years later, became the face of the worldwide campaign that raised more than $220 million for ALS research.

Frates didn't create the Challenge but was one of the first to do it -- and he's credited with being one of the most important factors in the Challenge going mainstream.

Huge names from Bill Gates to Lady Gaga to Alex Rodriguez participated in the fundraiser, which required people to dump freezing-cold buckets of water on their heads.

"Pete was an inspiration to so many people around the world who drew strength from his courage and resiliency," his family said in a statement.

"A natural born leader and the ultimate teammate, Pete was a role model for all, especially young athletes, who looked up to him for his bravery and unwavering positive spirit in the face of adversity."

"He was a noble fighter who inspired us all to use our talents and strengths in the service of others."

Frates had a successful career as an outfielder for the Eagles -- he had 11 home runs and set a modern BC record with 8 RBI in one game.

He went on to become the team's director of baseball operations in 2012.

The family is accepting donations to the Peter Frates Family Foundation in his honor.

"The Frates family wishes to express its sincere gratitude for the abundant love, kindness, and support we have been the recipients of during the past eight years."

The private jet Juice WRLD flew on to Chicago was loaded down with 70 pounds of marijuana ... and cops say people on the plane told them the rapper had popped several pills prior to suffering seizures.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... the FBI confiscated the huge stash of weed from several suitcases that were on board the flight. We obtained this photo of the marijuana and luggage in the private jet terminal at Midway.

According to law enforcement, several members of Juice's team aboard the flight -- which landed around 1 AM Sunday -- told them Juice had taken "several unknown pills" prior to the seizures which led to him getting rushed to a hospital.

Further, we're told one of Juice's associates told authorities the 21-year-old rapper has a Percocet problem. Our law enforcement sources also say a bottle of codeine cough syrup was found on the plane.

Juice has admitted abusing lean, or codeine cough syrup, in the past -- and taking prescription pills like Percocet. His cause of death hasn't been determined ... the Cook County Medical Examiner will conduct an autopsy on Monday.

Two men -- Chris Long and Henry Dean -- were arrested for possession of handguns. We're told cops recovered 3 guns in total. Dean was released without bail, and Long is out after posting a $1,500 bond.

Juice WRLD, the talented young rapper and singer whose career was just taking off, is dead after suffering a seizure in Chicago's Midway airport ... TMZ has learned.

Juice's flight from California landed early Sunday morning and, after deplaning ... witnesses tell us he suffered the seizure while walking through the airport. Law enforcement sources say he was bleeding from the mouth when paramedics got on scene.

We're told Juice -- real name Jarad Anthony Higgins -- was still conscious when he was transported by Chicago Fire. However, he was pronounced dead a short time later at the hospital. The cause of death was determined to be an accidental overdose.

Juice WRLD's major-label career was just starting after he almost climbed to the top of the charts in 2018. His first huge hit came in summer 2018 with "Lucid Dreams" ... which made it to #2.

His song, "All Girls Are the Same," also became a hit when Lil Yachty was featured on the remix.

In fact, it was that song's success that drew the attention of Interscope Records ... which signed him to a multi-million dollar contract. One month after releasing his first studio album, "Goodbye & Good Riddance" ... Juice released the 2-track EP, "Too Soon," as a tribute to Lil Peep and XXXTentacion.

Juice also had a feature on Travis Scott's enormous "AstroWorld" album, singing the hook on the track, "No Bystanders."

Higgins' stage name was reportedly inspired by Tupac Shakur's performance in the 1992 film, "Juice."

Juice WRLD just turned 21 last Monday.

RIP