The Cars Frontman Ric Ocasek Dead at 75
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Ric Ocasek -- the frontman and lead singer of the rock band The Cars -- has died.
Police say Ocasek was discovered unresponsive Sunday at his townhouse in NYC, and was pronounced dead at the scene -- according to an NYPD spokesperson. It's unclear for now how he might've died. He was reportedly found in his bed by his estranged wife, Paulina Porizkova.
Ocasek started The Cars back in the '70s and made a name for themselves with their 1978 song, "Just What I Needed." They went on to churn out a number of hits, including "My Best Friend's Girl," "Good Times Roll," "Bye Bye Love" and many others.
Their first Top 20 single, "Let's Go," arrived from their second album, "Candy-O" in '79, with other hits to follow such as "It's All I Can Do," "Double Life" and more. Their biggest hit to date, "Drive," peaked at number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and topped other charts as well.
The tune was prominently featured in the 1985 event Live Aid, where it was used as the background song in a montage depicting famine in Ethiopia.
The Cars were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame just last year, where they reunited to perform at the induction ceremony.
Ocasek is survived by his five children. He was 75.
RIP
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Nate Dogg Getting Pimped-Out New Tombstone ... Similar to Eazy-E
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Nate Dogg is getting a fancy new tombstone on his grave ... designed by the same guy who just gave Eazy-E's final resting place a face-lift.
Cemetery Tim, the man behind Eazy-E's updated gravestone, tells TMZ ... Nate Dogg's family hit him up this week looking to spruce up the rapper's plot with a new headstone. The original headstone is kinda basic, and the elements have taken their toll.
Nate's loved ones saw how CT worked wonders with Eazy-E, and they wanted something similar for Nate.
We broke the story ... Eazy-E got an extravagant tombstone on what would have been his 55th birthday.
Nate Dogg, who was 41 when he died back in 2011, is buried in his native Long Beach, CA at Forest Lawn cemetery ... and we're told his family is talking to Tim about their vision for the new tombstone.
The headstone will take about 60 days to be designed, manufactured and delivered ... and we're told the target date for the unveiling is December 1.
If Eazy-E is any indication, Nate's family will be pleased with Tim's vision ... nobody does it better.
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Diddy to 2 Chainz Full Moon Meets White Grape Ciroc At FT13th-Themed Birthday
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2 Chainz rang in his 42nd birthday on an ominous night -- which was immediately canceled out with better vibes after what Diddy gave him as a gift ... sparkly new booze!!!
The Atlanta-based MC was hosting a birthday bash Saturday night at The Gallery at Ravine in his hometown, which was decked out in the "Friday the 13th" theme ... honoring both the movie and the fact that it actually was FT13 in real life. To make things even creepier, a full moon was out too.
DJ Khaled came out, as did Jermaine Dupri, Jeezy, Remy Ma, T.I. and Tiny ... and, of course, the Bad Boy honcho himself. Most everyone seemed to stop and pose with 2C.
When Diddy got up to the cameras, he busted out a gold bottle of his best s*** -- White Grape Ciroc, which is apparently the first of its kind to the hit the market. 2 Chainz was honored as the first recipient ... and he seemed fairly stunned by the gesture.
Not even Jason Voorhees stands and stares this long ... must be some good (luck) vodka right there.
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Village People Don't Wanna Ruin Farmers' Good Time ... 'YMCA' Spoof Can Stay!!!
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The Village People don't want a group of Missouri farmers who spoofed their famous song to feel down anymore ... so they're going to let them put their viral vid back up.
We broke the story ... the group's frontman, Victor Willis, was super pissed off at the Missouri Farm Bureau for creating a parody of "YMCA" called "USMCA" ... urging Congress to pass the new U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement.
The Village People took action and got the video removed from YouTube, but it was also tweeted out by the official White House account to its 19 MILLION followers ... and it's still there.
A rep for the group tells TMZ it's all good now ... at least they hope it will be. They're working with the Missouri farmers to grant a limited-use license for a year to allow the spoof back on the market.
We're told the Village People pondered the issue and decided the farmers made the vid for a good cause -- to bring attention to a bill that may benefit millions of Americans -- and they don't want to be the party poopers. Besides ... it only brings attention to the iconic song.
BUT ... Victor and company still want The White House to take down the vid on Twitter until they hammer out a deal with the Missouri FB, and they sent a cease and desist letter to that effect.
We're told it's nothing political ... just business.
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Meek Mill Back-To-School Special Delivery Hundreds of Backpacks!!!
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Meek Mill is back at his old elementary school, passing out hundreds of backpacks to students and hooking up their teachers with much-needed supplies.
Meek swung by his alma mater, James G. Blaine Elementary School, Friday afternoon in Philadelphia to personally hand out the goods, and the kids went crazy as they got their new gear.
The rapper teamed up with Puma, and together they're giving away over 500 backpacks filled with school supplies to kids in need. Meek's also doling out 30 classroom packs to all the teachers at the school, making sure they've got everything to meet their pupils' needs this school year.
As you know ... Meek's worked wonders in his old Philly stomping grounds since walking out of prison in 2018, and just last month, he lifted the curtain on a refurbished basketball court in his old hood.
Backpack donations are kinda becoming Meek's thing ... last year, he helped pass out 6,000 backpacks at James G. Blaine elementary.
Good on him.
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Eddie Money Dead at 70 After Complications from Heart Valve Procedure
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9:47 AM PT -- A source close to Eddie tells us the singer died from complications associated with his heart valve procedure from a few months ago.
Eddie Money -- the '70s and '80s hitmaker known for "Take Me Home Tonight" and "Baby Hold On" -- has died ... TMZ has confirmed.
The singer died Friday in Los Angeles. His family said, "The Money Family regrets to announce that Eddie passed away peacefully early this morning. It is with heavy hearts that we say goodbye to our loving husband and father. We cannot imagine our world without him. We are grateful that he will live on forever through his music."
Eddie made the stunning revelation about his diagnosis during season 2 of his reality show, "Real Money." As we reported ... Eddie got the heartbreaking news late last year during a routine checkup with doctors.
It didn't look good at that point ... the cancer started in Eddie's esophagus but spread to other parts of his body. He'd been battling health scares for some time now. You'll recall he was forced to take a break from the road for other health issues -- a minor heart valve procedure in May and he also caught pneumonia in July, but neither issue was related to the cancer.
Eddie -- born Edward Joseph Mahoney -- was born in Brooklyn. He came from a long line of family members who served with the NYPD. He himself was on the force for 2 years ... before ditching NYC in 1968 for California to fulfill his lifelong dream of becoming a rock star.
Money worked the local clubs in Berkeley before he was signed to Columbia Records in 1976. His self-titled debut album earned double-platinum success. The album also included some of his classic hits ... including "Two Tickets to Paradise." His career spanned more than 4 decades and he sold over 28 million records.
Eddie also made a guest appearance on the CBS sitcom 'King of Queens' back in 2002.
He's survived by his wife of more than 30 years, Laurie, and 5 children ... Zachary, Jessica, Joseph, Julian and Desmond.
2/25/18
Last time we got Eddie out, he talked to us about his favorite era of music, and even tolerated a couple bars sung to him by our camera guy.
Eddie was 70.
RIP
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Rihanna Fans are Way Off Base ... NOT PREGNANT
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8:01 AM PT -- There has been a flurry of activity on social media, with people honing in on one of the photos from the gala, along with an interview last night, suggesting she's pregnant. Sources with direct knowledge say sorry, she's not pregnant.
Was this Rihanna telling us she’s pregnant ???? pic.twitter.com/ElGkPylwr2
— this is once again a Rihanna stan accounf (@JustJJxo) September 13, 2019 @JustJJxo
Rihanna shined bright like a diamond at her annual gala -- the brightest in the room -- and that's saying a lot considering the shindig hosted TONS of other celebs.
Riri threw her 5th annual Diamond Ball Thursday night in NYC. The soiree benefits the Clara Lionel Foundation ... it's the name of her grandparents. The org helps impoverished communities around the world with funding for education and health.
'Late Night' host Seth Meyers hosted the event where there was no shortage of big stars ... Cardi B, Meek Mill, A$AP Rocky, Carmelo and La La Anthony just to name a few.
Some of the performers included Pharrell, DJ Khaled, G-Eazy, 2 Chainz, Fat Joe, Fabolous, A$AP Ferg and Yo Gotti. Interesting to note ... no sign of Rihanna's billionaire boyfriend.
One thing's for sure ... she knows how to throw one helluva party.
Originally published -- 7:09 AM PT
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Tekashi 6ix9ine Safe from Death ... Housed with Other Snitches
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Tekashi 6ix9ine has an even bigger target on his head than ever, now that the U.S. Attorney has just made public exactly how the rapper will help them bring alleged violent gang members down ... yet we've learned his security behind bars isn't being amped up.
Fact is ... the feds believe Tekashi is already safe and secure in the facility he's called home for nearly a year. The joint houses other snitches, all of whom have the same problem ... certain people want to kill many of them and are willing to pay a hefty price to get the job done.
The facility has a unit where a bunch of the snitches live. They spend all of their time with each other ... no other inmates allowed. They have a common area where tables are set up for meals. It's strictly a catering-in unit. Food carts come and go all day.
They have exercise equipments and a TV in the common area and they sleep in a dormitory setting.
According to the new legal docs, Tekashi's testimony will be devastating. He'll name names in various alleged crimes, including the July 2018 robbery and kidnapping of Tekashi himself.
He's going to identify which Nine Trey Blood members are attached to various aliases used in incriminating texts. Mind you, prosecutors can't figure this out themselves, so Tekashi's testimony is critical.
The rapper faced 47 years in prison for his alleged crimes, but he cut a deal in return for his cooperation. Short story, the people he's testifying against would be more than happy if he somehow doesn't make it to testify next week.
We're told when it comes time to go to court, U.S. Marshals will take Tekashi through a secure tunnel to the courthouse ... he'll be under super heavy guard.
One thing's for sure ... the feds don't want another screwup like Epstein, where the guards were literally asleep at the wheel.
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Tinashe I'm Not with Roc Nation ... But Maybe I Should Be???
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Tinashe is shutting down rumors that she signed with Roc Nation ... but it sure sounds like she's ready to make the move.
The singer was leaving Craig's in West Hollywood Thursday night, when we asked if it's true she's joining Jay-Z's company. She tells us she's an independent artist, so no ... she hasn't signed anything.
Tinashe's wording is very interesting, though ... because she seems to hint there's an offer out for her, but she's just not inking a deal until she puts out some music on her own first.
Even the notion of a big signing bonus couldn't sway her right now, she says ... but then makes it clear she'd be excited to work with the company that boasts artists like Rihanna in the future.
And, to drive home the point she's worthy of a Roc Nation contract ... Tinashe gives us a little sample of her talent.
Nailed it!
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Adele Files For Divorce
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Adele is throwing in the towel on her marriage ... because the pop singer just filed for divorce.
According to court records, Adele filed to divorce her husband, Simon Konecki, on Thursday after more than 7 years together.
The divorce filing was a long time coming for Adele ... as we previously reported, back in April she announced that she had separated from her hubby.
Adele and Simon have one child together ... and her reps previously said that she and Simon were "committed to raising their son together lovingly."
Adele and Simon kept their relationship mostly out of the spotlight since starting to date back in the summer of 2011. She gave birth to their son, Angelo, in October 2012. They tied the knot in a very secret ceremony, and she didn't confirm the union until 2017.
The last time Adele and Simon were seen in public was earlier this year in January, when they surfaced backstage at an Elton John concert at the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles. Adele and Simon arrived to the show together.
Adele's been having lots of fun without her hubby this year ... hitting up a gay bar in New York City with Jennifer Lawrence, and kicking it in L.A. for an entire weekend with Drake.
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Mike Posner Snake, Rattle and Ready To Roll!!! Resumes Trek After Near-Fatal Bite
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9/12/19
Mike Posner won't let a near-fatal rattlesnake bite keep him from completing his walk across the U.S. of A. ... because the dude's back on the trail and more determined than ever!!!
The "Cooler Than Me" singer hopped on "TMZ Live" Thursday as he continued his journey from New Jersey to California, detailing his scary encounter with a rattler that nearly took his life.
Mike describes his injury in excruciating detail ... explaining how the baby rattlesnake's venom coursing through his veins had him feeling like he was in the closing credits of a "Looney Tunes" cartoon. Really paints a picture.
Remember ... a rattler tore into Mike's foot last month, after walking 16 miles through the middle of nowhere in Colorado and looking to log 8 more. The bite was as bad as it looked. Mike was airlifted to a hospital and placed in ICU for days, putting his trip across America, like his foot, on ice.
But, Mike's no quitter ... he's picking right up where he left off -- the site of the snake bite -- and says he even saw a few more rattlers on his way toward Arizona.
Mike appeared last April on "TMZ Live," telling us how the deaths of his father and Avicii inspired him to cross the country on foot.
Mike's been releasing new music along the way -- every time he crosses a state line -- and when he gets to Arizona in a few days, he's got a new song -- "Slow It Down" -- for his fans.
Mike feels anything but snake bitten.
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Mac Miller Left Behind $7 Mil in Property ... Music, Furniture, Bling
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Mac Miller left behind some very valuable property, including millions of dollars in master recordings.
Mac's estate filed new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, which list some of his assets. Among them ... nearly $5 million in master recording assets, $1.5 mil in music royalties, and $180k in Mac Miller LLC.
The docs also reveal Mac had an extensive jewelry collection, which includes a $31k 18 karat Presidential bracelet, a $20k Rolex and another $14k Cuban link necklace.
He also left behind $20k in household furniture, $15k worth of electronics and a 2009 BMW 5 Series valued just over $6k.
In all, the items total around $7 million.
SEPTEMBER 2019
TMZ broke the story ... Mac died from a lethal combination of fentanyl, cocaine and alcohol on September 7, 2018. His assistant found him unresponsive on his bed in a "praying position" at his L.A. home.
Last week, charges came down against 28-year-old Cameron James Pettit, whom the feds allege supplied Mac with counterfeit oxycodone pills that contained fentanyl in a new 42-page criminal complaint out of the Central District of California.
Per the docs, prosecutors claim Mac had asked Pettit for "percs" -- short for percocet, a prescribed painkiller full of oxycodone -- and that the dealer ended up supplying the pills that contributed to Mac's accidental overdose death last year.
Mac was just 26 when he died.
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DJ Khaled Another One!!! My Wife's Pregnant Again
DJ Khaled is about to add another executive producer to the family ... he and his wife are expecting their second child together.
Khaled announced the big news Thursday, and safe to say he's super pumped to add to his growing family ... calling his wife's pregnancy a blessing and saying he's more musically inspired than ever.
As you know ... DJ Khaled absolutely LOVES being a father and doting on his kid, so much so, he made his first son Asahd a friggin' executive producer on his 10th studio album, "Grateful," when the kid was only 4 months old!!!
Asahd is almost 3 years old now, and he won't be an only child for long ... he's about to have a baby brother. No word on a name for the little man, at least not yet.
Congrats, and we can't wait to see how many albums Khaled's baby boy produces before learning to walk. The bar's been set pretty high.
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Nipsey Hussle Writer Wants 'Rap Ni***s Payday!!! Files Claim Against Estate
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Nipsey Hussle's estate might need to cough up some cheddar to a songwriter who claims he collaborated with Nip on his last album ... but never got paid.
Bradley Davis filed a claim Tuesday against the estate claiming he, along with 2 others, teamed up in 2013 to write the music that would eventually be used in "Rap Ni**as." The track is featured on Nipsey's major label debut album, "Victory Lap," which dropped in February 2018.
According to docs, obtained by TMZ, Davis says he copyrighted his work in December 2017. Fast-forward to when the album dropped ... Davis claims Nipsey never got permission to use his work. Davis also claims no royalties were ever paid to him or the other 2 composers.
Davis doesn't say how much he's owed but it's clear he thinks the estate owes him something. For what it's worth ... creditors claims against the estate must be filed within 4 months of an executor being named.
In this case, Nipsey's bro, Sam Asghedom, was named executor on August 29, and we might be seeing a lot of these. TMZ broke the story ... singer Tasleema Yasin filed a claim just last week. Yasin claimed she wrote and performed a vocal phrase used throughout the track "Hussle & Motivate."
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Lil Nas X Kevin Hart's Interruption Was No Big Deal for Me on 'The Shop'
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To all the people ticked off at Kevin Hart on behalf of Lil Nas X for seemingly interrupting his story about coming out -- LNX says feel anyway ya want, just don't count him among the outraged.
The "Old Town Road" rapper says he's not fuming about the perceived slight. While recording an interview Tuesday with DJ Scream and Moran Tha Man -- for their Atlanta-based show, Hoodrich Radio! -- he said, "I'm not mad at Kevin Hart."
Lil Nas really wanted that to sink in for the outrage police on the Internet ... who were still going after Kevin, even after he suffered serious injuries in that car accident.
Last week on HBO's "The Shop" Nas X was asked about coming out as gay earlier this year. Before he could even get into why he came out when he did ... Kevin blurted out, "He said he was gay, so what?!?" Many people found it tone-deaf.
Kevin later interjected with more clarifying questions that some took as disrespect, especially in light of his past issues with the LGBTQ community.
Well, Lil Nas doesn't see it that way -- or if he does, he's not talking about it. He insists there's no beef between Kevin and him. However, he admits IF he did have beef, he wouldn't air it publicly ... and he explained his MO when it comes to celeb feuds.
Bottom line ... don't get Lil Nas X twisted!!!
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Aaron Carter I'm Bipolar and Schizophrenic ... Openly Shares Rx List
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Aaron Carter's a mixed bag ... and so is the assortment of prescription medication he says he's on for a variety of mental health disorders.
The singer claims he's been officially diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, manic depression and anxiety. Aaron says his mental illness means taking a laundry list of pills ... and he's not hiding anything.
Carter's reveal is just part of a 2-part interview on "The Doctors" this week. We're told along with focusing on his health, the segments will include Aaron's mom and her struggles with alcohol.
Aaron will also be taking a drug test to prove to the docs he's sober as he insists, but as you can see in the clip ... his admission to opioid use after a dental procedure already has eyebrows raised.
"The Doctors" interview comes on the heels of a tumultuous month for Carter -- despite him boldly telling us his mental stability has been "infinite" throughout.
It started in early August with him facing accusations of flipping rescue dogs for profit, then a few days later ... cops were called to his home over fears he was suicidal.
After a nasty, allegedly violent breakup with his girlfriend that resulted in a restraining order, Aaron was spotted buying guns ... and more guns.
All of this and more will be discussed on the 2-part interview airing Thursday and Friday. And, by the way, Aaron's 'Doctors' visit won't be his first ... his dependency on prescription drugs was also the topic 2 years ago.