TMZ Live

Ralo may soon benefit from a clemency program currently in the works under the Biden administration ... according to activist Weldon Angelos, who's been pushing for the rapper's freedom.

Weldon, a cannabis and clemency advocate, joined "TMZ Live" Tuesday, and said the White House reached out to him about a clemency program it's putting together that would primarily focus on cases with harsh sentences for non-violent marijuana offenses.

Ralo -- whose real name is Terrell Davis -- could become a primary beneficiary of the program, if it comes to fruition. The rapper was busted in 2018 with 444 pounds of weed on a private plane. He's been locked up ever since ... and faces up to 8 years in prison on conspiracy charges.

Weldon's been actively calling on the powers that be to grant the rapper clemency, given the laws on weed have changed exponentially over the last decade. It's now legal, in some form, in more than half the states ... although it's still illegal federally.

And, Weldon's main point is this ... Ralo's being punished "for violating the same federal statute many entrepreneurs and corporations violate every day in 36 states across the country, who are not subject to federal prosecution."

Drake, 2 Chainz, T.I. and Killer Mike are others joining Weldon's push as well. In fact ... they all attached their name to a letter Weldon sent to the Biden admin asking for clemency.

Weldon's been exactly where Ralo is -- he got a 55-year sentence in 2004 for $900 of ganja, but President Obama granted him clemency in 2016. He's crossing his fingers Biden will do the same for Ralo and many others.

Pete Buttigieg says his boss's big-ticket infrastructure plan is overdue for modern American life -- but he's got even more to say about his new gig and his first run-in with Major!

The Transportation Secretary will be on 'TMZ Live' Tuesday ... pushing President Biden's robust American Jobs Plan -- a $2.3 TRILLION proposal he just unveiled, which entails sweeping changes not just to roads and bridges ... but a heck of a lot more, including stuff you'd never think of as traditional "infrastructure."

Pete says folks shouldn't find this bill or its vaulted price tag too daunting ... because the definition of infrastructure for Americans in 2021 has evolved, and this plan reflects that.

We also got into his day-to-day on the job, and turns out ... he and other Biden officials just recently got together for their first cabinet meeting. Check out how Pete describes it -- beyond having to keep it COVID-friendly, it sounds inspiring.

Of course, we also had to ask Pete about the President's pooch ... Major, who's had a streak of bad luck lately with a couple biting incidents. He tells us he's actually interacted with the canine himself, and by his account ... there's nothing to fear!

Marc Lamont Hill says traditional media has an unconscious white bias and does not properly cover black issues, but he has a solution ... a show called "Black News Tonight."

Marc's the host of the daily news show, which debuts Monday night on the Black News Channel, and he appeared Monday on "TMZ Live." He says there's a giant hole in the market when it comes to black issues -- CNN, MSNBC, FNC, ETC, he says largely caters to white folks, so there's a need to present issues and stories that directly impact the black community.

This is where it gets really interesting. Marc doesn't think his show puts a wall up between black and white communities. Quite the opposite ... he thinks black-focused media can help drive their stories to the mainstream and connect with both.

Schoolchildren across America are being scarred for life because of gun violence, but there are ways to fix the problem ... so says author John Woodrow Cox.

John hopped on "TMZ Live" Wednesday for a sobering conversation about the impact of guns on our nation's youth ... something he's as passionate about as he is knowledgeable.

John's new book -- "Children Under Fire: An American Crisis" -- chronicles the scope of the problem. For example, 4 million students were impacted by school lockdowns in one year, and these are not drills ... they're actually incidents involving guns on campus.

John says these lockdowns can really mess with kids' heads ... with many thinking they were going to die. He says he's poured over tons of text messages by children to their parents saying goodbye because they thought they were living their final moments.

While mass shootings subsided during coronavirus lockdowns, John points out there were two -- one in Colorado and another in Georgia -- as soon as restrictions were relaxed.

Kodak Black's got a lot of love for Donald Trump ... who handed him a get out of prison card and other gifts, apparently, which he's not afraid to proudly display.

The rapper joined "TMZ Live" Tuesday and explained how he even got the hook up with the White House. Kodak called Trump "a real one" and claimed they're like brothers from another mother due to their zodiac signs -- but he also acknowledged the efforts of his attorney Bradford Cohen, or as KB calls him ... Pops.

Aside from commuting Kodak's 46-month prison sentence, Trump also sent him an autographed parting gift ... which he couldn't wait to show us.

You can't say he isn't making the most of that Presidential pardon either. Since getting out of prison, he's been on a very generous charitable streak ... but he's also been working on a lot of music.

With Pops by his side, Kodak told us he has more than 200 tracks ready to go, and he's looking for some big-name collaborators. You gotta watch his shoutout to Justin Bieber and even ... Beyonce.

Derek Chauvin's defense in his murder trial -- claiming George Floyd died from a drug overdose -- is similar to the tactic used in Rodney King's trial ... but civil rights attorney Ben Crump says it's a shameful attempt to distract jurors.

Ben joined "TMZ Live" on Monday and sounded not so surprised Derek Chauvin's defense zeroed in on Floyd allegedly being under the influence at the time he was killed ... rather than the ex-cop pressing his knee on Floyd's neck for more than 9 minutes.

Ben's adamant, whenever a white police officer kills a Black man in America the default strategy's to try every trick ... including assassinating Floyd's character.

You'll recall during King's federal civil rights case in 1993 ... the defense for the LAPD cops standing trial described King as a "PCP-crazed giant" who practically invited the beatdown. It's hard not to draw the parallel with what Chauvin's defense attorney laid out in court Monday morning.

Ben's hopeful America's grown up since King's senseless beating that sparked the 1992 L.A. riots. He's also hopeful that since Trayvon Martin and Eric Gardner's deaths America's now more conscious and aware of this issue of injustice based on the color of someone's skin.

Imagine a world where the oceans have ZERO fish -- that's pretty much doomsday for the planet, and it could happen by 2048 ... at least based on Kip Andersen's research while making "Seaspiracy."

The producer of the popular Netflix documentary joined TMZ Live and laid out the dangerous impact he says commercial fishing's having on our oceans. He claims it's, in essence, creating a seismic ripple effect on climate change.

Kip makes no bones about it ... the leading cause of the ocean's destruction is the fishing industry, and he says it's a damn shame its impact has been intentionally covered up. But, not anymore.

Kip, who also made 'Cowspiracy,' says his latest doc shines a light on the impact commercial fishing has on our oceans -- but adds the damage goes well beyond environmental. He claims social rights issues also plague the industry -- including allegations of slavery -- and they uncovered it while making "Seaspiracy."

Evanston, Illinois just made history by becoming the first U.S. city to offer reparations to Black residents, but one member of its City Council doesn't want its plan to be the way of the future ... because she thinks it misses the mark.

Alderwoman Cicely Fleming was the lone vote against the Chicago suburb's proposed reparations program, but not because she's against reparations ... she doesn't believe this program qualifies to be called that.

If ya don't know, the City Council voted 8-1 to distribute $400,000 to 16 qualifying Black households. Each can get up to $25k, but it must be used for home repairs or home down payments.

Fleming was on "TMZ Live" Wednesday and said she considers it more of a housing plan -- and a good one -- but it falls way short of being a precedent-setting reparations system for others to emulate. Watch the clip ... the alderwoman explained why all the strings attached to the program will end up benefitting the very banks that have harmed Black citizens by discriminating against them.

Mama June's got her work cut out for her as she tries to stay sober ... telling us it's an everyday struggle to stave off her addiction as she tries to repair her relationship with her family.

The reality star joined us Friday on "TMZ Live" for an uplifting conversation about how she's turning around her life after her astronomically expensive drug addiction. Not only did she temporarily lose her family, but it also cost her nearly $1 million ... the amount she says she and her BF Geno dropped on drugs in the year before they got clean.

June tells us she's got to stay patient in her fight to get back in the good graces of her children, and while she admits it's been hit and miss so far ... she's not letting that discourage her from staying present and keeping in touch.

Honey Boo Boo's mom says she and Geno entered rehab in January 2020, and they've been sober ever since -- but she says battling their addiction when they got out was complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

June explained how she used social media to hold herself accountable for her sobriety while coping with life in quarantine.

One more thing ... she's back on TV -- "Mama June: Road to Redemption" premieres Friday night on WeTV, but June says she's focused on her daily battles ... for sobriety and family.

The fact some Brits are tuning out Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's bombshell claims about race, is a sign of how ingrained racism is in the Royal family ... according to Dr. Shola Mos-Shogbamimu

The British women's rights activist joined us on "TMZ Live" Monday, and dug into the couple's biggest revelation to Oprah -- that one or more members of the Royals were concerned about Archie's skin color.

Dr. Shola squarely addressed Meghan and Harry's haters ... many of whom she says still deny racism is "structural" in the U.K.'s society.

It's a fascinating conversation ... and she also told us why Prince Charles should be the first Royal to respond to his son's interview. The way Dr. Shola sees it, the heir to the throne has a lot of explaining to do ... IF he wants to patch things up with Harry and Meghan.

As you know ... there's a worldwide guessing game over who voiced those skin-tone concerns to Harry. They wouldn't say, and the Palace remains silent about it.

Tekashi 6ix9ine has been on the rollercoaster of a lifetime, but his latest ups and downs are all about yo-yo'ing big time on his weight ... and we found out why.

6ix9ine got into the nitty-gritty of his recent weight gain/loss Wednesday on 'TMZ Live' -- where he dished on how exactly he ended up a full 70 pounds heavier within a few months of getting out of prison.

Ya might've heard ... Tekashi says he hit a whopping 204 lbs. during home confinement last year -- he was about 130 lbs. when he left the pen -- but miraculously dropped the poundage in record time ... something he alluded to recently on social media.

He explains he was able to get himself back down to around 140 lbs., adding this in celebration ... "In the chaos of everything that is going on in your life, tell yourself 'I control what happens in my life' do NOT let anyone tell you that things you want it’s not possible, that’s FALSE!"

So many questions here, which Harvey and Charles dug into with Tekashi -- such as, what the hell was he eating to gain so much weight -- and perhaps just as important, how'd he lose it all so quickly???

Tekashi's got the answers ... and his solution might be a bit more primitive than any fad diet out right now. Turns out, the answer to tons of Chinese food is ... sweat and misery.

Tekashi 6ix9ine does NOT believe what he did in court to save his own skin was snitching ... and he laid out his argument Thursday on "TMZ Live."

As you know, Tekashi became the star witness in his 2018 RICO case by testifying against his fellow gang member buddies ... which resulted in their conviction.

Tekashi argues it all boils down to loyalty -- or a lack thereof. He makes a decent point about beefing with just about everyone from coast-to-coast and ultimately being targeted by his own crew in what amounted to a scary stick-up job.

You'll recall ... Tekashi was kidnapped by his own security team in the summer of 2018 -- part of which was captured on dashcam video and surveillance footage. He was taken for a ride around the block, where he was threatened at gunpoint, and ordered to fork over cash and jewels he had at his NYC pad ... an exchange ultimately carried out by his then-GF.

In light of that, 6ix9ine explains he doesn't owe anything to those guys ... and even suggests what he did was wise. The Nine Trey Bloods almost certainly feel differently.

Of course, we also had to ask how he's holding up these days, and whether he fears for his life now that he's labeled a traitor with a violent gang. Fact is ... Tekashi was looking over his shoulder when the subject was raised ... but it ain't for the reason you'd think.

The pesky murder hornets that made it to North America last year are NOT all dead and gone -- in fact, a battle's being waged to contain the danger.

We spoke to renowned Washington state beekeeper Ted McFall Tuesday on "TMZ Live" about the new Discovery Channel documentary, "Attack of the Murder Hornets." He says enough have made it over here now to the point that different nests have developed.

Pros like Ted are addressing the crisis now ... however, he fears if they don't get it under control quickly, the U.S. honeybee population could be in serious jeopardy -- which eventually impacts our food supply too.

You might not realize it, but honeybees are a HUGE part of what keeps a lot of our crops growing at the rate they do. Murder hornets can easily wipe out colonies of bees, and that's why they're such a menace.

You'll recall, scientists in Washington state set out on a weeks-long mission late last year to snatch up as many murder hornets as they could find in one woodsy section of Washington, right on the Canadian border.

They thought they'd gotten them all in that one fell swoop, but had to go back later to retrieve a lot more of these hornets ... including hundreds of queens!

Turns out, those weren't the only ones out there -- and now, a black (and yellow) cloud hangs over the area.

Ex-NBA star Chris Webber believes there's A LOT of money to be made in the weed business ... and he wants to make sure minorities get a fair shot to get that green.

Webber has teamed up with JW Asset Management to launch a $100 million private equity fund specifically to help minority entrepreneurs succeed in the marijuana industry, which has exploded all over the country.

The issue ... Webber says there are several barriers in place which seem to prevent minorities from getting a piece of the action -- and he's looking to even the playing field.

Webber told the guys on "TMZ Live" ... some states require a $60,000 deposit to apply for a license to open a dispensary which is an extraordinarily high price.

"People need help," Webber says ... "So we’re gonna come in these places and we’re gonna train, we’re gonna make sure we provide jobs, and we’re gonna make sure you have a hub to understand how you can enter the cannabis industry not just as a cultivator or grower, or some star, but also how to make a great living by providing certain services that the industry allow."

Webber broke it down this way in a statement -- "It’s crucial that we diversify the leadership in the cannabis industry and level the playing field for people from our communities."

A video of young Dylan Farrow accusing her adoptive father, Woody Allen, of molestation is about to go public in an HBO documentary, and Rosanna Scotto says it's not for the faint of heart.

Rosanna -- co-host of FOX5's "Good Day New York" -- is very familiar with the subject matter of HBO's "Allen v. Farrow" because she covered it extensively in the early '90s ... and saw the footage of Dylan back then.

Rosanna suggests Allen's lawyer and "PR machine" kept the videotape under wraps, but she adds ... when people see it now, "I think that your stomach is going to turn."

The veteran journalist thinks Allen came out of the scandal largely unscathed because his image was favorable back then -- and she feels his PR team successfully painted Mia Farrow as a scorned ex.

Rosanna claims that's also how he avoided career suicide when he married Mia's adoptive daughter Soon-Yi.

Rosanna's pretty adamant the upcoming documentary, in which she's featured, will change some minds about Allen ... and offers one last anecdote about how it's been a long time coming.

Cyhi The Prynce says the folks who tried to gun him down chased him at speeds over 120 MPH, and he tried all sorts of dangerous maneuvers to escape before crashing.

The rapper joined us on "TMZ Live" Thursday and detailed his brush with death ... he says a Maserati started chasing him last week on an Atlanta highway, and stuck to his Bentley SUV like white on rice.

You gotta see him explain all the moves he was forced to make, nearly causing a massive pileup -- it sounds like something you'd see in an action movie!!!

As we reported ... he ended up crashing, and he told cops someone was trying to gun him down.