RIP

Got the itch for some old school hip-hop vibes? Ya better be rich 'cause that's what it'll take to land this Vibe poster ... signed by The Notorious B.I.G. and Puff Daddy on the night Biggie was tragically gunned down.

The folks over at Moments in Time are brokering the sale of this 2-foot by 3-foot poster of the iconic September 1996 Vibe magazine cover ... featuring Biggie and Puffy. It was signed at an industry party hosted by Quincy Jones' Vibe magazine on March 8, 1997, at the Petersen Automotive Museum in L.A.

We're told a record executive brought the poster with him that night and had Biggie and Puffy sign it. But, just hours later -- after the party was shut down at 12:35 AM by fire marshals citing overcrowding -- Biggie was shot 4 times in a drive-by while at a red light on Fairfax and Wilshire Blvds. He was pronounced dead at 1:15 A.M.

Fast-forward to the present ... the son of the record executive is unloading the poster and the asking price is a cool $54k. The memorabilia also includes Biggie's itinerary for his west coast trip as well as the party's invitation.

Brian McKnight is honoring his late friend, Kobe Bryant, with a new song that's guaranteed to get you crying all over again over the passing of a Los Angeles legend. Be warned ...

The R&B crooner wrote a tune specifically dedicated to Kobe -- and by extension, to the basketball star's daughter, Gianna -- called "Can't Say Goodbye." We got a video of Brian playing it on guitar, and it's incredibly touching and sweet. Check it out for yourself ... but again, waterworks.

In the video, Brian says he wrote the song ... but can't really take credit, because it wrote itself. The lyrics touch on saying other versions of "goodbye" without actually uttering the words themselves because it's just too hard and so final. Frankly, it's beautiful.

We're told, Brian put this together in the hopes that it will help people begin to heal from the loss.

Of course, Brian and Kobe had a relationship. The NBA superstar was once featured on one of Brian's songs back in 1997 called "Hold Me." KB had a rap verse on it toward the end.

He's also a huge Lakers fan in general and included a ton of footage of Kobe in a tribute video he put together to honor the City of Angels. That track's called "I Love LA."

With all that said, it's no wonder the death of Kobe has affected Brian the way it clearly has. No word if this song will make its way onto an album of some sort, but we expect it'll reach the masses eventually.

Well, this is a big deal ... Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban says he's on board with the movement to change the NBA logo to Kobe Bryant -- telling TMZ Sports, "I would support it."

Not only have MILLIONS of people signed a petition to have the league swap out the current logo which features an image of Jerry West, but a bunch of NBA stars have backed it as well ... from Paul Pierce to Jamal Crawford and more.

Outside of basketball, stars like Justin Bieber, Julian Edelman, Snoop, Usher, Meek Mill and more have joined the #ChangeTheLogo movement.

As for Cuban, he's already honored Kobe by retiring the #24 jersey in the Mavs organization (despite Kobe never playing for Dallas) ... and now he's down for an even bigger tribute.

"I just think it's so much more than basketball," Cuban told us ... "He brought so many people together."

Unclear exactly what it would take to get the league to make the move, but having one of the league's most influential owners get behind the push seems pretty significant to us.

Pitbull did not disappoint at Shaq's Fun House in Miami Friday night, getting the crowd fired up and then delivering a rousing tribute to Kobe.

Mr. Worldwide sang "Give Me Everything," and then launched into his commentary, saying Kobe's memory will endure. He then went into a diatribe over the cauldron of hate known as social media.

Diddy followed suit, performing "I'll Be Missing You" as images of Kobe filled the venue. He also performed "Mo Money Mo Problems" with his son, Justin.

Shaq, of course, delivered a moving, personal tribute to Kobe. As the crowd chanted Kobe's name -- led by Shaq -- the video chronicled the incredible partnership between the 2 basketball greats who together were an unbeatable duo. BTW, Shaq also showed off his DJ skills, which are considerable.

DaBaby jumped on stage next to Shaq -- who looks massive by comparison -- and performed "Bop." He was in some hot water last month -- he was arrested and charged with battery for allegedly attacking and robbing a club promoter. That case is pending.

The Los Angeles Lakers honored the late Kobe Bryant with a tribute before the first game following his death ... with emotional performances by Usher and cellist Ben Hong ... and a powerful speech by LeBron James.

The Lakers superstar took center court to address the fans in attendance ... and spoke straight from the heart, calling Kobe his brother and the event a celebration of his career.

"I got something written down, they asked me to kinda stay on course, or whatever the case may be," LeBron said. "But Laker Nation, I would be selling y'all short if I read off this sh*t, so I'ma go straight from the heart."

"I look at this as a celebration tonight. This is a celebration of the 20 years of the blood, the sweat, the tears, the broken-down body, the getting up, the sitting down, the everything, the countless hours, the determination to be as great as you could be."

"I wanna continue along with my teammates to continue his legacy. Not only for this year, but as long as we can play the game of basketball that we love, because that's what Kobe Bryant would want."

James finished his speech with the message -- "So in the words of Kobe Bryant, 'Mamba Out' ... but in the words of us, 'Not forgotten.' Live on, brother."

Prior to LBJ's words, Usher performed a strong rendition of "Amazing Grace" while the video board showed a montage of the tributes that have popped up throughout the world, and Hong played while Bryant's on-and-off the court accomplishments flashed on the screen for all the fans to enjoy.

The Lakers then posted the names of all 9 people lost in the tragic helicopter accident and honored them with a 24.2 second moment of silence while the board showed the 2 courtside seats draped with Kobe and Gigi's jerseys.

Boyz II Men performed the National Anthem ... with all 3 members wearing the Kobe shirts handed out to every fan in attendance. Several players -- including LeBron -- broke down in tears during the performance.

The Lakers players honored Kobe by wearing Kobe's #8 and #24 jerseys during warmups ... and each player was announced as Kobe Bryant for the starting lineups.

LeBron wore Kobe's signature shoes, which might be the first time he's worn anything other than his own sneakers in an NBA game.

The Lakers and Portland Trail Blazers followed other teams' lead by opening the game with 24-second shot clock and 8-second violations.

Kobe's #8 and #24 were displayed on the court ... as well as a "KB" badge on the players' jerseys.

The fans were shouting Kobe's name outside Staples before entering the arena ... and we have video of the emotional scene.

Carmelo Anthony -- who was very close with Kobe -- did not make the trip because he's still mourning Kobe's death.

James revealed his permanent tribute to Kobe before the game, a tattoo that reads "Mamba 4 Life."

The memorials outside Staples continued to pour through LA Live on Friday ... and TMZ Sports was able to capture some of them.

Justin Bieber is adding to his growing cartoon art collection ... with a tribute to Kobe Bryant ... complete with imagery of the Black Mamba balling out with the Lakers.

Our sources tell us Justin's team reached out to Idiot Box Art owners Emily Bright and Tamara Martin to purchase their newest original piece honoring Kobe ... and the Biebs snagged one for only $1,200.

The cartoon art -- depicting a teddy bear wearing Kobe's #8 Lakers jersey over a Mamba hoodie and some Nikes -- is made of hand-cut wood covered in acrylic paint and finished with a coat of resin. The piece is one of 5 created, and it's 41.5 inches X 24 inches.

We're told the Kobe art sold out in a few hours ... so the artists are making miniature versions for $200 a pop, and they're going on sale February 6 and 7 with 24 percent of profits going to the MambaOnThree Fund.

How cool is this?!?

Sylvester Stallone is SUPER DOWN to share the spotlight in Philadelphia with Kobe Bryant ... telling TMZ Sports the city should build a statue of the NBA legend right next to Rocky!!!

"Absolutely!!!" Sly says.

It'd be an amazing tribute ... while Kobe never played for the Sixers -- he grew up in Philly and starred at local Lower Merion HS as a teenager.

Kobe never shied away from his love for Philly despite playing his entire pro career in L.A. -- even reppin' the Eagles in his final appearance at a Lakers game at Staples before his death on Dec. 29.

We broke the story ... Kobe and his daughter, Gianna, were among nine people who tragically died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, Calif. on Sunday.

Tributes have come in all shapes and sizes since the 41-year-old's passing ... with NBA teams taking shot clock violations, players writing personal messages on their shoes and Staples Center plaza being packed with mourning fans.

LeBron James has a new piece of body art -- a tribute to Kobe Bryant complete with imagery of a Black Mamba.

Both LeBron and Anthony Davis hit up tattoo artist Vanessa Aurelia on Wednesday looking to pay tribute to Kobe with some fresh ink.

Fast-forward to Thursday morning ... when Bron and the Lakers were working out in front of the Lakers facility in El Segundo and gave the media a sneak peek at his new art.

The tat is still under wraps but it appears he's got a black mamba snake with some words underneath. Some people in the office think it reads, "Kobe 4 Life" but it's really hard to tell.

We're told Bron plans to do a big reveal on his Instagram soon -- most likely before he takes the court on Friday when the Lakers take on the Portland Trail Blazers at Staples Center.

Originally Published -- 1/30 1:43 PM PT

Everyone who attends the Lakers game Friday night will get a free Kobe Bryant tribute shirt, courtesy of the team ... 20,000 in total.

The hard-working people at Staples Center have draped a Kobe shirt on every single seat -- half of the arena will get Kobe #8 shirts. The other half will get #24 shirts.

It's just one part of the Kobe Bryant tributes at Staples on Friday -- the first game for the Lakers since Kobe passed away on Sunday.

There will be a moment of silence, visual tributes to Kobe around the arena and we're told some players are considering addressing the crowd ... but nothing is set in stone yet.

Tickets for Friday's game against the Portland Trail Blazers are already rising in value -- with the cheapest tickets just to get in the building hovering around $800 on the secondary ticket market.

We're expecting to see a massive turnout both inside and outside Staples Center -- where Kobe played for nearly all of his 20 years with the Lakers (the Lakers previously played at The Forum).

Tonight will be emotional. In fact, Carmelo Anthony -- who was very close with Kobe -- did not make the trip because he's still mourning Kobe's death.

NASCAR driver John Andretti -- member of one of the biggest families in racing -- died on Thursday after a 3-year battle with cancer, his team announced.

The 56-year-old had a long career on the track -- spanning from 17 years in NASCAR to Champ Car to IndyCar and more.

Andretti was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer back in 2017 ... and used his platform to help others with his disease and spread awareness on getting proper screening.

Andretti Autosport released a statement on his passing ... saying, "John was a loving husband and father, a devoted son and a trusted cousin."

"He was a philanthropist, an advocate for the sport, a dedicated teammate, a driven competitor and most importantly a dear friend."

Andretti was the son of Aldo Andretti, nephew of Mario and first cousin to Michael and Jeff ... and was the first cousin-once-removed to Marco Andretti.

The statement continued ... "We will forever carry with us John's genuine spirit of helping others first and himself second. Our prayers today are with Nancy, Jarett, Olivia, and Amelia, with our entire family, and with fans worldwide."

Kobe Bryant Blvd?

It's certainly possible ... we're told L.A. City officials are having discussions on how to honor the late Lakers superstar and naming a street after Kobe is definitely up for consideration.

Look, no official decisions have been made -- it's still early in the process -- but we're told L.A. City Council members have already started the conversation.

One source tells us something that keeps getting brought up is some sort of tribute in the L.A. Live area -- right across from Staples Center, where Kobe balled out for nearly 20 years.

We're told there should be more clarity about the plans early next week -- but it's definitely top of mind.

The Lakers will return to Staples Center on Friday to take on the Portland Trail Blazers ... the first game at Kobe's home court since his death on Sunday.

We're told the turn out is expected to be massive ... and that the Lakers are planning several tributes to the Mamba, his daughter, Gianna, and the other 7 people who died in Sunday's helicopter crash.

In the meantime, tributes are popping up all over the L.A. area ... even at Santa Anita Race Track where the statue of legendary racehorse Seabiscuit was draped in a Kobe banner.

Lakers owner Jeanie Buss says losing Kobe Bryant is like losing a family member -- but credits KB and his daughter Gianna with helping her find her "purpose" in life.

Jeanie has known Kobe ever since her father (the late Jerry Buss) signed him as a rookie back in 1996 and they had remained extremely close ever since.

Jeanie took Kobe's death extremely hard and waited several days to collect her thoughts before putting out a statement ... and what she produced is touching, sad and inspirational all at the same time.

"Kobe, I don’t know how to express what you mean to me, my family and the Los Angeles Lakers," Buss wrote ... "My father loved you like a son, which makes us family."

"When you invited me to lunch shortly after my father passed away [in 2013], I was struggling to find motivation and purpose," Buss admits.

"Kobe, you brought Gianna with you to spend some time with me. You explained that you wanted to show her that women can be leaders in the NBA, just like the men."

"At first, it seemed like an action of a devoted father setting an example for his daughter. But in actuality -- and I am positively sure you knew EXACTLY what you were doing -- what you did was give me the inspiration and strength I was searching for. I reflect on that day often and it makes me smile and it makes me strong."

Jeanie continued ... "I call on that memory whenever I feel down and need a bit of courage. For everything you did on the court that filled me with so much joy and love, for all the lives you changed through basketball itself, it was that day with Gigi that reignited my drive and determination."

"Vanessa, Natalia, Bianka, and Capri - I am so sorry for your loss. We are grateful to have you in our lives and we will always be here for you."

"To the families that also lost loved ones on Sunday, the entire Laker family mourns with you. Laker Nation - we are one family grieving the loss of people we all loved dearly. We will mourn together, cry together but we will also heal together, love together and win TOGETHER. We love you."

Originally Published -- 10:00 AM PT

NFL star Carlos Dunlap just copped a real-deal, sick Kobe Bryant autograph -- and he's STOKED about it -- but he tells TMZ Sports guys who are pushing fakes need to knock that crap off.

"You're better than that," the Cincinnati Bengals Pro Bowler said. "Do better."

Dunlap was leaving Jay Glazer's MVP charity event Wednesday night in Miami when we spotted him with a pretty incredible piece of Mamba memorabilia.

It was a signed, framed photo of a high-flying Kobe with replicas of all of the Laker legend's championship rings ... and Dunlap seemed thrilled with the purchase.

But when we told Carlos experts are warning memorabilia seekers that scumbags are selling fakes to profit off the demand following KB's death ... he got pretty pissed.

"It's super sad," Carlos said. "I don't understand how somebody can stoop to that level."

Sikorsky, the manufacturer of the helicopter that crashed with Kobe Bryant and 8 others, had actively taken steps to make sure other fliers of the S-76 add the critical system missing from Kobe's chopper.

The specific model flying Kobe was the S-76B and, as you know, the NTSB said it wasn't equipped with a Terrain Awareness and Warning System (TAWS). It was an optional feature until 2005 -- Kobe's was built in 1991.

Sources familiar with Sikorsky tell us before Kobe's crash ... the company frequently reached out to customers of older S-76 models and urged them to implement new safety measures like TAWS.

The company says it regularly notifies customers of enhanced technology offerings, but for obvious reasons ... it's a top priority now.

The NTSB also revealed Kobe's helicopter didn't have a cockpit voice or flight data recorder (aka a black box) -- because, once again, they weren't standard until recently.

Sikorsky tells us TAWS and a black box have been standard since they rolled out their S-76D in 2012.

As we reported ... the NTSB says it previously made 2 safety recommendations to the FAA about the warning system and the black box, but the FAA didn't take action. The strong insinuation is those instruments could have helped Kobe's pilot avoid catastrophe ... and helped investigators figure out what went wrong.

The NTSB first recommended mandatory black boxes and warning systems in 2006 following a crash the year before, but neither are currently mandated by the FAA for commercial flights.

Sikorsky says it's deeply saddened by the Kobe tragedy and is "actively supporting the NTSB investigation," adding ... "Safety is our top priority. If there are any actionable findings from the investigation, we will immediately inform our S-76 customers."

Kobe Bryant's wife, Vanessa, has made her first public move since her husband and their daughter, Gigi, died tragically in a helicopter crash ... sharing a heartbreaking image of her lost loves.

Vanessa just changed the profile image on her official Instagram account to a picture of Kobe and Gigi ... and it's the first time she's publicly acknowledged the shocking loss.

In the pic, Kobe is embracing Gigi. She's got her arm on his shoulder, and he's lovingly gazing down. The snap is from the 2016 NBA All-Star Game in Toronto, the last of Kobe's 18 All-Star appearances.

Vanessa hasn't said anything publicly yet about her husband and daughter's passing, and you gotta feel for her in this extremely rough time ... but this picture speaks volumes.

TMZ broke the story ... Kobe and Gigi died in a devastating helicopter crash in Calabasas on Sunday morning, which claimed the lives of 7 others.

All 9 passengers of the chopper have been identified ... including Kobe, Gigi, John Altobelli, Keri Altobelli, Alyssa Altobelli, Sarah Chester, Payton Chester, Christina Mauser and the pilot, Ara Zobayan.

Kobe and Gigi were heading to the Mamba Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks for her basketball game.

Kawhi Leonard says he knew the pilot on Kobe Bryant's doomed helicopter -- and had flown with him regularly -- even describing the guy as "one of the best."

The L.A. Clippers star opened up about his business relationship with Ara Zobayan during a media session after Wednesday's practice ... clearly still emotional about the tragedy.

"[I had] flown with him a lot," Leonard told reporters ... "Great guy. Super nice. He was one of the best pilots."

Leonard says Zobayan would often joke about how he was dropping off Kawhi and going to pick up Kobe ... and would pass along messages between the two NBA superstars.

"He'll drop me off and say he was about to pick up Kobe -- 'Kobe said hello!' -- Or, he'll just be like, 'I just dropped Kobe off and he said hello!' You know, vice versa."

Leonard added, "He was a good dude. I'm sorry for everybody."

As we previously reported, Zobayan was an experienced pilot and certified flight instructor who had logged over 8,000 hours of flight time.

Officials believe Zobayan got caught in extremely thick fog on the morning of the fatal flight -- and crashed into a mountain while trying to fly out of the bad weather.

9 people were killed in the wreck including Zobayan, Kobe, his daughter Gianna and others.

When asked if he would continue to use private helicopters to travel, Leonard admitted he was still thinking things through ... saying, "There's a lot of thoughts in my head."

Leonard has previously talked about the major influence Kobe had on his NBA career -- and how Mamba motivated him to win a championship during his run with the Toronto Raptors.