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Frankie Staton -- a Nashville musician who's worked to increase diversity and inclusiveness in country music -- doesn't think Morgan Wallen's really getting what he deserves ... and it sounds a lot like what's described as white privilege.

Staton -- who co-founded the Black Country Music Association in an effort to produce Black country stars -- isn't among folks willing to accept Wallen's apology for using the n-word ... at least not so readily.

She suggests Wallen's situation is more of a societal issue, but the consequences he's experiencing demonstrate the difference in a fallout between a popular white celeb ... and someone else.

To prove her point, she mentions how Wallen's popularity and sales are skyrocketing despite dropping a racial slur ... so it seems his career won't be adversely affected by his actions.

We asked if she thinks that's fair -- Frankie says "not really." However, she says she doesn't like seeing other musicians' careers go down the drain because of a mistake ... but as a Black woman, she underscores what Wallen said is unacceptable.

Taylor Swift's experiment with her old songs is proving to be fruitful out of the gate -- the early numbers are in for the first song of the big batch ahead of her, and they're not too shabby.

Billboard documented the single-day download and radio play data that has come in since Taylor released "Love Story (Taylor's Version)" on Friday ... the initial, re-recorded mega-hit track of hers in what could be a long line of re-releases she's vowed to distribute anew.

Based on the figures, it's doing alright ... especially compared to the OG on the same day (Feb. 12, 2021). Billboard reports MRC Data for Feb. 12 show Taylor's new version got downloaded some 10,000 times, compared to just 200 downloads for the 2008 track.

There's also a radio play element here that has yet to bear out fully -- Billboard notes that Taylor's new 'Love Story' (which sounds virtually identical to the old one) has not gotten a big push by her team for it to be played on radio ... but a handful of stations across the country did blast it on Friday -- and even those numbers are greater than the OG's same-day stats.

"Love Story (Taylor's Version)" got 144 radio plays among 89 stations on Friday, compared to the original ... which got just 67 plays on Friday. 2008's "Love Story" is still king (for now) -- as we know, it sky-rocketed in the charts over time -- so Tay-Tay's got a ways to go before her new take comes close. Still, pretty promising early signs of what's to come.

Remember, Taylor's doing this to stick it to Scooter Braun and other execs who have come to control her catalog since she left Big Machine Records and settled at UMG. She wasn't able to get the rights to her masters, and decided she'd reclaim them by re-recording all her hits.

The catalog is now in the hands of a private equity group -- and Scooter made a bundle in the sale -- but TS is still moving forward. She teased the refreshed 'Love Story' in a Match.com commercial featuring Ryan Reynolds, and there was hardly a discernible difference ... leading many to believe her other re-recordings will follow suit.

Justin Timberlake says he's remorseful over the unkind things he said about Britney Spears after their breakup ... and while he's at it he also apologizes to Janet Jackson.

Justin posted his apology, which reads, "I specifically want to apologize to Britney Spears and Janet Jackson both individually, because I care for and respect these women and I know I failed."

He goes on to place the blame more broadly on show biz ... "The industry is flawed. It sets men, especially white men, up for success. It's designed this way. As a man in a privileged position I have to be vocal about this ... I have not been perfect in navigating all of this throughout my career. I know this apology is a first step and doesn't absolve the past."

As you know ... Justin and Britney's infamous relationship began way back in the early '90s when they were both stars on the revived 'Mickey Mouse Club,' and their puppy love blossomed years later as their popularity soared.

The 2 went public with their relationship in 1999 as Britney's "Baby One More Time" was skyrocketing and Justin was with NSYNC. When they broke up, there were rumors posted that she cheated on Justin, and Justin went on a radio show and bragged about taking Britney's virginity. He also targeted her in his hit, "Cry Me a River."

Morgan Wallen's apology for dropping the n-word after what he calls a 3-day bender has not moved radio stations to play his music again.

Sources at Entercom -- which owns 235 radio stations, 20 of which are country music stations -- tell TMZ ... the company has no plans to reinstate Wallen's music to their playlists.

Likewise, a rep for Emmis Communications tells us its country-programmed station in Indianapolis -- Hank FM -- is likeminded ... it's a Wallen-free zone for the time being.

We reached out to other major media companies in the radio industry with the same question but got a no comment.

As we reported ... Wallen posted a lengthy apology Wednesday for casually dropping a racial slur that was captured on video. He said he's met with Black organizations to learn the error of his ways, and wanted to collect his thoughts before offering up the mea culpa.

Morgan says he's been sober for more than a week and vows to become a better person.

He says he accepts all the backlash he's gotten ... which includes radio stations pulling his music, his record label suspending his contract, and getting disqualified from awards shows.

Morgan Wallen says he's gained an understanding of the hate his words carry and he's a sober and changed man since video of him casually using the n-word was published.

Wallen posted a lengthy apology video Wednesday, saying he's taken the last week to gather his thoughts and get an education. Wallen revealed he's met with leaders of several Black groups and listened to personal accounts from members that shook him to his core and made him realize the true meaning of the n-word.

Morgan claims he was given "hardly any time" to respond to our video of him using the n-word and that only a portion of the words he wrote for an apology were used. For the record ... we held off on publishing the video for nearly 4 hours so that Morgan's apology could be included, and we used the apology his team provided to us in full.

Wallen says the video was shot on "hour 72 of a 72-hour bender" -- which he's not proud of -- and he's been sober in the 9 days since it was taken.

Morgan addresses his supporters too, saying while he's appreciated them standing up for him, he accepts the backlash and penalties he's received. As we reported, radio stations, merchandise websites and even award shows banned the singer.

TMZ broke the story ... Wallen was recorded by a neighbor after a rowdy night out in Nashville calling a friend the n-word.

Taylor Swift's a businesswoman who knows how to sell, so she's giving fans more than just a re-recorded version of her "Fearless" album -- she's adding all-new songs to it.

The singer made a surprise announcement Thursday on 'GMA' that the first big step in her full album do-over -- "Fearless: Taylor's Version" -- is her new version of "Love Story" ... which drops at midnight, just in time for Valentine's Day.

That track was also the lead single when the OG "Fearless" album dropped in 2008, and Taylor says it was her favorite to re-record because she feels her voice is more mature now.

The bonus news is the full album remake will be different, because she's including never-before-heard "songs from the vault" ... 26 tracks total. The initial release of "Fearless" was 13 songs, and the platinum album had 19.

As you know ... Swift's vowed to independently re-record all 6 of the albums she originally released on her former label, Big Machine, so she will own the new master recordings. Scooter Braun purchased her original masters, along with the label, in 2019.

Morgan Wallen's album sales are still rising -- despite the industry largely canceling him for using the n-word -- but that boost is actually helping the NAACP, financially.

The country music star's second album, "Dangerous: The Double Album," is still topping the Billboard charts and selling like hotcakes. That means more money in the pockets of Morgan and his songwriters ... one of whom, Jason Isbell, is handing over his share to the NAACP's Nashville chapter.

Jason wrote the song, "Cover Me Up," on the album ... and the 4-time Grammy winner says he's donating everything he's made from the track.

Morgan's been shelved by SiriusXM, iHeart Radio, County Music Television, Big Loud Records, Cox Media Group, Emmis Communications and the Academy of Country Music, among others ... but Jason wants fans to keep buying the album so he can keep paying it forward.

The President of the Nashville NAACP will likely appreciate Jason's gesture. As we reported, the org's already extended an olive branch to Morgan ... hoping to make this controversy a teachable moment for him.

G-Eazy just got some protection from a woman he claims keeps lurking outside his home ... but he was not able to get his ex, Ashley Benson, that same protection.

According to new legal docs -- obtained by TMZ -- the rapper's been dealing with a woman he believes has had a "celebrity-fixation" on him for several months.

G-Eazy claims Monika Andrody has shown up at his Hollywood Hills home on several occasions, she rings the doorbell at his gate and paces in front of it. He says he always calls the cops, but she leaves before they arrive.

But, things got really bad in November 2020 when he says she started showing up at all hours of the night and ringing the doorbell ... and he claims she did it again as recently as January 15.

The rapper says he's afraid Andrody will show up at a public event and try to make physical contact, and insists her constant doorbell interruptions have wrecked his peace of mind while he's at home.

G-Eazy filed for the temporary restraining order last week, and at the time he asked the judge to extend the protection to his girlfriend, Ashley. However, at least until there's a hearing, the judge has only granted it for him.

Lauren London is NOT pregnant contrary to a rumor that's running amok ... TMZ has learned.

Sources close to the situation tell TMZ ... there is no truth to a report from a weekly L.A. outlet "confirming" Nipsey Hussle's widow is pregnant.

That's backed up by J Roc, a close family friend who was also Nipsey's bodyguard, who is also shooting down the story -- calling it "fake news" -- and calling out those spreading the rumor.

Lauren has 2 children ... including Nipsey's son, Kross Ermias Asghedom.

The rumors, btw, started spreading after the L.A. Sentinel News -- which is headquartered in Nipsey's Crenshaw neighborhood -- claimed it "confirmed" Lauren was about to announce her pregnancy.

But, again ... our sources say it's just not true.

As for J Roc's social media reference to "What It Feel Like" -- that's the new track pairing Nipsey and Jay-Z for the first time. It's on the soundtrack to the new film "Judas and the Black Messiah," and drops later this week.

Kevin Federline is not taking Sam Asghari's lead -- he has no plans to get involved in Britney Spears' feud with her dad because, for him, everything's working just fine.

Kevin's not seeing anything that would cause him to take action opposing her conservatorship or Jamie Spears ... according to his powerhouse attorney, Mark Vincent Kaplan.

K-Fed's attorney tells us Kevin would obviously be concerned if there was something going on between Britney and Jamie that could harm their sons, Jayden and Sean -- but Kevin does not feel the conservatorship is negatively impacting his children.

As you know ... Britney's BF is beefing with her father, calling him a "total dick" who meddled in their relationship. There's also a new Britney documentary ripping Jamie and the conservatorship.

We're told Kevin doesn't want to get caught up in any internal family conflicts ... and remember, Jamie hasn't seen the boys since 2019, when he allegedly broke down a door and put his hands on Sean.

Interestingly, Jayden also called his grandfather a "dick" last year, but we're told, despite all that past drama, 15-year-old Sean and 14-year-old Jayden are doing well, and Kevin's enjoying watching them grow.

Dr. Dre's estranged wife is looking into whether the mogul is funding the lifestyles of his alleged mistresses ... and she wants to talk financials with them.

Nicole Young wants three women whom she claims were intimate with Dre during their marriage to sit for depositions ... and according to new docs, obtained by TMZ, she's looking to ask them if Dre lavished them with money and gifts.

In the docs, Nicole claims the women's lawyer is trying to delay their depositions until the validity of the prenup is decided ... but Nicole wants answers sooner rather than later, because she says it could affect spousal support and the validity of her prenup itself.

Specifically, Nicole says one of the women bought a $2.15-million house free and clear in 2019 ... and she wants to ask if Dre provided the dough for the purchase.

As we reported ... Dre recently agreed to cut Nicole a $2 million check for temporary support, on top of the $293,306 a month he's already dishing out.

Justin Bieber may wanna drive despacito when he's behind the wheel of his futuristic Rolls-Royce ... 'cause everyone's gonna want to enjoy its awesomeness.

TMZ's obtained pictures of what the Biebs' custom 2018 Rolls-Royce Wraith looks like and it's so jaw-dropping, RoboCop's somewhere out there jealous AF. The boys over at West Coast Customs are the geniuses behind this 1 of 1 Wraith ... meaning it's one of a kind.

Have a look ... it went from your normally souped-up Rolls to this silver bullet masterpiece. Just 4 years ago, Rolls-Royce unveiled the 103EX ... a slick and super extreme concept car that measured 19.4 feet long and we're told the inspiration behind WCC's design.

That concept -- a 2-seater with a panoramic sunroof -- also featured massive, half-concealed wheels and a super-tall grille. Fast forward to now -- or in Justin's case, the future -- the Biebs' ride features concealed wheels and a mean grille too.

No panoramic sunroof for Justin ... but there's no denying it oozes luxury. BTW, the Rolls-Royce Wraith goes for around $330k ... so you can imagine what it cost to turn Justin's Rolls into a piece of machinery that looks straight outta NASA.

Kodak Black is extending his charitable streak by reaching out to the families of the FBI agents killed in the line of duty this week in Florida.

TMZ has learned the Florida rapper -- fresh out of prison after his Presidential pardon -- had his attorney, Bradford Cohen, send a letter to the FBI Miami Division offering to pay college tuition for the children of the 2 agents fatally shot in Sunrise, FL.

In the letter, obtained by TMZ, Cohen says Kodak knows what it's like to lose loved ones and grow up in a single-parent home, and he wants to make sure the mourning families don't ever have to worry about sending their kids to college.

Kodak's attorney says he has a friend in the FBI's Miami office who told him special agents Daniel Alfin and Laura Schwartzenberger each have minor children -- and Cohen relayed that to KB.

The agents were serving search warrants Tuesday when they were killed and 3 other agents were injured.

Alfin is survived by a 3-year-old child and Schwartzenberger is survived by a 4-year-old and a 9-year-old.

We don't know if the families will accept Kodak's offer -- we've reached out to the FBI, but no word back.

Morgan Wallen has been booted from just about every platform that played his music, but Saturday night he got the biggest platform of all ... and the crowd loved it.

Diplo headlined to around 2,000 people at the WTR Tampa Pool, and at around 1 AM he spun his hit with Wallen, "Heartless."

TMZ broke the story ... Wallen hurled the n-word at a friend as he returned home Sunday night in Nashville, and the reaction was swift. His label, Big Loud Records, indefinitely suspended his contract. He's also been yanked from radio streaming on SiriusXM, iHeartRadio, Pandora and other platforms. CMT has removed his performances and he's now ineligible for the ACM Awards.

Although his radio play dropped 71% since the video surfaced, sales of his catalog of albums and songs went from a combined 5,000 Tuesday to 22,500 after the video surfaced ... that's a 339% increase.

Wallen's sister also wrote an emotional post, saying her brother is a good man without malice in his heart and shouldn't be defined by the worst moments. Diplo clearly agrees.

Diplo can sure draw a crowd, because around 2,000 people swarmed the Godfrey Waterfront Hotel's WTR Tampa Pool Saturday night and -- aside from the whole COVID super-spreader thing that sometimes causes death -- a good time was had by all.

It looks very pre-pandemic, with music, a dance floor, bars, and fun shenanigans. And, as per usual, no social distancing and masks are few and far between.

The electronic music and light show are pretty spectacular, as fire dancers do their thing.

On a serious note, this is what is keeping Dr. Fauci and other experts up at night. Some of them have warned ... if there are 50 people in a crowd, there's more than a 50% chance at least one of them is carrying COVID.

With the variants spreading across the U.S. -- some of which are even more contagious than the COVID OG -- this and other events like it are disasters waiting to happen.

50 Cent also performed earlier in the evening at the same venue.

Here's what the event organizers demanded ... "Social distancing procedures will be strictly enforced, face masks will be required for all staff & guests, wellness and temperature checks will be mandatory for entrance, sanitizing stations will be placed throughout the venue, and continued cleaning protocols will provide regular sanitizing.” The best-laid plans ...

The Tampa PD was pissed ...“Scenes from WTR last night and a few other clubs were incredibly disappointing. The city spent the better part of a year educating residents on precautions due to the pandemic and have recently put a mask order in place for both the entertainment and event zones to ensure the safety of our residents and visitors to our great city.”

The night before, Steve Aoki headlined another bash at the same venue -- that was also super COVID unsafe.

Marilyn Manson gave people a hint at least one of his exes was very angry at him, years before Evan Rachel Wood made her allegations against him.

Manson was performing at the Riviera Theatre in Chicago on February 5, 2015, when he took a break in between songs and pulled out a letter.

It appears the letter was written by an ex-girlfriend, though Manson did not reveal her name. He toyed with the crowd ... "Let's not assume this is written about me. Don't be prejudiced. Don't be racist toward me."

He reads a line where she wrote he was so drunk he couldn't look her in the eye, and then ad-libs, "It's starting to sound like me a little bit."

He continues reading ... "I hope your show especially fails. I hope you trick every dumb girl into thinking they got the golden ticket."

Manson then asks the crowd, "Do I need to read the rest?" He then crumples up the letter and begins his next song.

As we reported, Manson's ex, Evan Rachel Wood, publicly claimed the shock rocker abused her for years while they were together.