H.E.R. My Music on Obamas' New Show Can Connect Kids to Politics

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There's zero need to fill in H.E.R. about "Schoolhouse Rock!" ... 'cause not only has she heard of the iconic series, but she's also helped the Obamas improve on it with their new Netflix animated series.

The 4-time Grammy-winning singer joins us Monday on "TMZ Live" to let us know how executive producers Barack and Michelle Obama got her onboard for "We the People." Here's a hint: there was no arm-twisting involved.

The series features roughly 3-minute long episodes teaching viewers about different aspects of American civics and politics -- and they're centered around originals songs from H.E.R., Janelle Monae, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Bebe Rexha and others.

Now, for older heads this is gonna sound very familiar ... kinda like ABC's popular series, "Schoolhouse Rock!," from the 70s and 80s. You know "I'm Just a Bill" was a jam!

Well H.E.R. says "We The People" differs in one big way -- it has established hitmakers, like herself, which she says will immediately draw young audiences, and help them connect with the message. Let's just call it better learning through better music.

H.E.R. hopes the songs from the Netflix series live on like those from "Schoolhouse Rock!" ... and help young people get more invested in the country's political future.

After all, THEY are the people.

John Stamos Fun, Fun, Fun, with Beach Boys ... For July 4th Concert!!!

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JAMMIN' FOR AMERICA

John Stamos showed some major versatility Sunday as he played a variety of instruments when he joined the Beach Boys for a really cool performance celebrating the 4th.

John put his pipes on display for "Wouldn't It Be Nice," "California Girls," and "Sloop John B," in front of a huge crowd in Ft. Lauderdale as part of the CNN 4th of July special.

John's been a staple with the group, even showing up in the 1888 music video for "Kokomo."  He's been a frequent guest with the group on July 4th's past and also made a couple of appearances during the Beach Boys 50th reunion tour back in 2012.

The Beach Boys have been one of Rock's most enduring bands ... and the music never gets old! "Pet Sounds" is widely regarded as one of the greatest albums ever, inspiring The Beatles to try and one-up them with "Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band."

Kodak Black Delivers Cool Gift ... To Florida Housing Project Residents

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KODAK KOOL OFF

Kodak Black's not feeling the heat these days, so he wants to return the favor to some folks at a Florida housing project ... in the form of air conditioners.

Kodak bought 100 A.C. units for around $12,500 and shlepped them to the Golden Acres Projects in Pompano Beach. He went door-to-door with the units, presenting residents with the cool gift.

Florida in July is no picnic ... it's super humid and hot. Right now it's in the high 80s with 79% humidity, but those numbers will rise as the summer wears on.

Kodak brought some of the residents to tears ... they were incredibly grateful, especially because it's not the kind of thing they would expect from someone who wants to do a good deed, but for anyone who lives in Florida in the Summer ... it's a Godsend.

He's VERY popular in Florida these days ... June 11 is now and forever Kodak Black Day in Broward County.

Kodak got an assist with the A.C.'s from Francky Pierre, who runs the charity, Philanthropic Work and Outreach.

As you know, Kodak scored a commutation from then-President Trump -- at the urging of his lawyer, Bradford Cohen -- in large part because of his charity work.

Kodak served half of his 46 months in prison for two counts of making a false statement on an application for a firearm.

Kirk Franklin Preaches Gospel About Music ... Kanye's One of Best Ever!!!

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Kirk Franklin's not down with ranking the greatest gospel artists of all time, because he says there's only one name that matters ... and no, it's not Kanye West!!!

The iconic choir director and gospel singer wasn't throwing any shade at Kanye -- quite the opposite -- but making a bigger point about the genre of Christian music ... telling us anybody can do it because it's for all of God's children.

With that mindset, Kirk says there shouldn't be a Mount Rushmore of gospel music -- notwithstanding he's considered to be a candidate -- because it's all about glorifying the man upstairs.

As for Kanye ... Kirk says he's tight with his "brother" and heaps praise on his musical talent ... calling him one of the greatest artists of all time.

You may recall, Franklin was featured on Ye's acclaimed 2016 track, "Ultralight Beam," and he had another major moment in mainstream music last week when he and Lil Baby opened up the BET Awards with a powerful performance of "We Win."

Lil Uzi Vert's Ex Tells Cops He Pointed Gun At Her & Struck Her

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UPDATE

5:56 PM PT -- Brittany Byrd went to the West Hollywood Sheriff's substation Friday afternoon and filed a police report alleging Uzi, her ex-bf, put a gun to her stomach and then struck her.

UPDATE

3:19 PM PT -- It now appears that Lil Uzi Vert rolled up to Dialog Cafe because SAINt JHN was there with Uzi's ex, Brittany Byrd. Sources connected to Brittany tell TMZ, she and SAINt JHN were there discussing a business project, when Uzi jumped out of an Escalade and confronted everyone at the table and then got into it with JHN.

UPDATE

The sources say Uzi threw a punch at JHN and missed ... he fell down and his gun fell out on the ground. We're told that's when Brittany got up from the table and approached him and he allegedly pushed the gun into her stomach and allegedly struck her. Everyone left the scene and we're told she's going to a hospital and then planning to file a police report.

Rapper SAINt JHN was allegedly confronted Friday by Lil Uzi Vert ... and all hell broke loose when Vert allegedly flashed his gun.

Eyewitnesses tell TMZ ... SAINt JHN was at Dialog Cafe in West Hollywood at high noon when Lil Uzi Vert jumped out of a Cadillac Escalade and confronted JHN. We're told they got into a physical altercation.

But, it got real when, according to people at the scene, Lil Uzi Vert flashed the handle of his gun ... prompting bystanders to run ... fearing a shooting was about to go down.

It doesn't appear Uzi fired his weapon ... both he and SAINt JHN left the scene.

We're told L.A. County Sheriff's are on the scene and looking to speak with Uzi and SAINt.

As for whether SAINt JHN and Lil Uzi Vert have beef ... it's unclear, however, SAINt JHN was spotted back in March with Uzi's former GF, Brittany Byrd.

We reached out to reps for both camps ... and JHN's team was unaware of this. No word back from Uzi's rep.

Originally Published -- 1:44 PM PT

Shawn Stockman I'm Helping Families With Autistic Kids ... Care Doesn't Come Cheap

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Shawn Stockman is raising money to help families pay for all the expenses that come with raising an autistic child ... with the help of an awesome watch.

The Boyz II Men singer joined us on "TMZ Live" and told us about his charity, Micah's Voice, and how it provides hope and resources for families affected by autism.

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Shawn says he found out firsthand how difficult it can be for average families to raise a child with autism when he and his wife, Sharonda, added up all the bills for their autistic son, Micah, and saw a staggering figure.

The pandemic only made things more difficult for families and autistic children, and Shawn's partnering with SEVENFRIDAY to create and sell a limited edition watch to raise money for families struggling to get their kids the care they need.

Shawn's looking to raise about $100,000 here ... there are 100 timepieces at $998 a pop ... and he says folks who buy a watch can look down and know they helped a child in need.

Gwen Stefani & Blake Shelton Got Ourselves a Marriage License!!! Weekend Wedding Bells?!?

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Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton are planning to say their vows soon -- like, potentially, July 4 weekend soon.

The engaged singers applied for their marriage license Tuesday in Oklahoma ... according to the Johnston County Court Clerk. The clock's now ticking for Blake and Gwen to walk down the aisle -- in Oklahoma folks have 10 days from the date they file for a marriage license to tie the knot.

Sources with knowledge tell TMZ ... Gwen and Blake are set to marry Saturday at Blake's Oklahoma ranch.

We're told the couple has an entire weekend of activities and celebrations planned, but they're staying a bit flexible due to the weather forecast. If mother nature cooperates, the ceremony will be held in an outdoor chapel on the ranch.

Our sources say Gwen, Blake and their kids are already in OK ... we're told they flew out from Los Angeles last Friday after Blake finished filming for "The Voice."

We're told the couple is sending their private plane from Oklahoma to L.A. Thursday to pick up Gwen's immediate family and whisk them to the heartland.

While the wedding is going down on a holiday weekend, sources say it will not be very big ... we're told only close friends and family will be on hand.

As you know ... Blake popped the question back in October after nearly 5 years of dating.

Kelly Clarkson See Her New Colonial-Style Home in L.A. ... Big Buy After Big TV News

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Kelly Clarkson's about to have a new daytime TV slot ... and she's got a new home to go with it.

The talk show host and former "American Idol" winner just dropped $5.445 million on a beautiful, Colonial-style home in the Toluca Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles ... just minutes from Universal Studios Hollywood in the valley.

It seems Kelly's planting some deep roots in L.A. on the heels of the announcement that "The Kelly Clarkson Show" will take over the time slot currently held by Ellen DeGeneres after the 19th season of her show concludes.

Clarkson's new property purchase came just days before she finally unloaded her mega-mansion in Tennessee for $6.3 million. As we told you ... it had been on the market since 2017, and went through a couple of huge price slashes before she unloaded it.

She also currently has a mansion in Encino, CA -- just a few miles west from her new digs -- listed for $9 million ... so Kelly's been just as busy in real estate business as showbiz lately.

As for her new home in Toluca Lake ... it's 5,000-square-feet with 5-beds and 7-baths, including the guesthouse, and comes with a chef's kitchen, a rotunda-style breakfast nook and a fireplace. The outside has it all too -- swimming pool, spa, tennis court and gazebo.

Congrats on your new talk show slot, Kelly ... and your new pad.

Tyler, the Creator Drops $500k for Sick, Shiny Bling ... Celebrates New Album!!!

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Tyler, the Creator dropped a boatload o' cash ... for 2 tiny but shiny suitcases and one bellhop to carry 'em.

The rapper is celebrating the release of his new album "Call Me If You Get Lost" with a ridiculously expensive chain and pendant. The total cost ... a whopping $500k, but ya gotta see the extensive work that went into producing it.

The man behind the masterful work is celeb jeweler Alex Moss, who tells TMZ ... Tyler hit him up about 7 months ago to get started on the piece, and it took him 4 months just to find the colored diamonds for it.

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We're told Tyler gave Alex a reference for what he wanted, and they tweaked the design together. You can see the pendant is the bellhop toting 2 suitcases.

As for the meaning behind it ... unclear, like a lot of things with Tyler. We're told the rapper didn't tell Alex much, as he wanted to keep it a mystery. He can check that box.

No mystery on the hefty price tag, though -- the piece has more than 186 carats in diamonds, 60 carats in sapphires and a whopping 23,515 stones were hand-set!!!

Hell, the suitcases even open and close.

Tyler, who is seen wearing the piece in his "JUGGERNAUT" music video, is known for rewarding himself in the most spectacular ways.

As we reported ... TTC balled out with a pendant of his album and alter ego "IGOR" back in December 2019. That piece was also dripping in a variety of diamonds and made out of 18k gold.

Ariana Grande Crushes 'Little Shop' Karaoke Duet

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Ariana Grande singing karaoke in any capacity might seem unfair -- but that's especially true when she gets a number that lets her show off her pipes as this famous duet did.

AG was filmed hanging out with friends and crooning along to "Suddenly Seymour" from "Little Shop of Horrors" ... in which she took up singing duties for Audrey (Ellen Greene) while a pal handled Seymour's lines (performed by Rick Moranis in the movie version).

Ellen was always the more impressive of the pair from the iconic scene -- and that proved to be true here as well. Not to say her friend singing for Rick was bad or anything ... but Ari just shined through for some weird reason. It's almost like she's a pro.

BTW, her hubby, Dalton Gomez, was by her side for the impromptu show ... cheering her on after she hit that final note on "SEYMOUR IS YOUR MAN."

And, don't worry, no kiss here between Ari and the friend like they do in the play/flick. Although, we're sure the actual mister and missus smooched at some point in the night.

Dionne Warwick New Meditation Biz Sounds So Right!!!

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Dionne Warwick's smooth sound has made her a music icon, and it's also why she's perfectly suited for her new biz venture ... which is all about bathing in sound. Seriously.

We're told Dionne will soon open a sound bath center dubbed The Ohm Zone in partnership with her son Damon, and "Sweet Tooth" star Dania Ramirez ... who's also known for her role as the Avion girl and Turtle's GF on "Entourage."

For the uninitiated ... a sound bath is a type of meditation exercise complemented by musical techniques to form soothing, overlapping vibrations.

It's also known as sound healing, which helps release stress, anxiety, depression ... ailments that could trigger more serious conditions like heart disease and diabetes.

The triple Ds -- Dionne, Damon and Dania -- are setting up shop in Venice, CA, and we're told the building is set up like a private spa and healing temple. The experience will be soothing, and include a customized frequency for you to listen to while relaxing in a bath.

The whole experience lasts about 90 minutes.

We're told Dionne got into this shortly after her son's widow-maker heart attack in 2016 -- both of them started learning about and applying the holistic treatment.

And, given Dionne's decorated career in music, it made perfect sense for her to jump on this opportunity.

We're told the sound bath center had previously been used as a recording studio ... and Dionne and co. have plans to eventually use parts of the building for that again.

Britney Spears Gimme More Maui!!!

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Britney Spears is living her best life in Hawaii ... soakin' up every minute of her Maui vacay.

The singer just shared some fun videos of her Hawaiian getaway, and she looks like she's having a blast on the island. Britney's showing off her body in a skimpy red bikini, making angels in the sand and playing in the ocean.

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Britney is definitely practicing aloha ... saying she likes the sounds of the waves at night and listening to people laughing from her hotel balcony. She adds, "there's a togetherness here and it's endless!!!"

As we first told you ... Britney and her boyfriend, Sam Asghari, hopped on a private plane to Maui last week in the wake of her explosive court testimony on her conservatorship, and they looked like they were having a great time right out of the gate.

Remember, Britney claimed she's been threatened to have her Maui vacations denied if she doesn't go to therapy, and she complained about feeling trapped by the conservatorship.

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TIME FOR A BREAK

Britney and Sam have been all smiles since they boarded their private flight to Hawaii ... she previously posted some funny videos from their jet, playing around with filters and acting silly.

Bottom line ... Maui's got Britney feeling stronger.

Tekashi 6ix9ine Bails on Texas Concert ... You Don't Pay, I Don't Play!!!

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Tekashi 6ix9ine canceled his weekend show in Texas at the last minute, leaving fans in the dark about what happened ... and now he says it's because he was stiffed.

Tekashi tells TMZ ... he had a contract guaranteeing him $250,000 for a Sunday concert at the Humble Civic Center in Humble, TX, but he says he was only paid $70,000 in cash and didn't get the balance before the show ... which the contract required.

6ix9ine says he returned the $70k and got the hell outta Dodge ... never taking the stage.

Folks who were there tell us the venue opened the doors at 3 PM and fans waited around until 10 PM, when cops and security started forcing everyone to leave. We're told the venue didn't make any announcement about Tekashi before folks were booted.

Sounds like it was a big letdown for fans ... we're told some shelled out $500 for tickets, while others dropped $3,000 on VIP experiences.

We reached out to the venue ... so far, no word back.

Lil Nas X Defends Kissing Dancer at BET Awards ... Diddy Calls it 'Fearless'

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Lil Nas X delivered a memorable performance at the BET Awards, but at least one person on Twitter hated it ... so the rapper put them in their place.

The "Montero (Call Me By Your Name)" singer crushed it on stage Sunday night, not only with his hit track but also with a tribute to Michael Jackson's "Remember the Time."

The stage appearance ended with Lil Nas planting an intense kiss on one of his male backup dancers.

Clearly, a major moment -- especially as Pride Month wraps up -- but one Twitter user was outraged, tweeting ... "DONT USE AFRICAN CULTURE FOR S***S LIKE THIS!!!!!!! RESPECT OUR ANCESTORS."

Never one to ignore criticism, Lil Nas X defended his decision while making a historical point, saying ... "y'all really like to pretend homosexuality didn’t exist in african culture."

Other than the one hater, the rapper received widespread praise for his bold move, including from Diddy ... who applauded him for being fearless.

Fans of Lil Nas X -- who came out on the last day of Pride Month in 2019 -- were initially disappointed when the 2021 BET Awards nominees were announced and he didn't make the list, and some accused the show of being homophobic.

Still, he was there to perform, and certainly made the most of it.

Bow Wow Celebrates 'Verzuz' Win Against Soulja Contribution Solidified???

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BOW WOW'S BIG WIN

The people have spoken, and they say Bow Wow beat Soulja Boy in a "Verzuz" -- which begs the question ... can Shad get a little respect on his name now??? Sheesh!

That's exactly what we asked BW Saturday in WeHo as he was leaving Catch ... this after his highly-anticipated showdown with his 2000s contemporary, which was put on in front of an audience at the Hollywood Palladium (where "Verzuz" battles have gone down lately).

Check out what Mr. Moss had to say when we asked if him (unofficially) winning the faceoff solidifies his contribution to music and culture ... something that's actually been in question in recent years, as Bow Wow's often been the butt of many online jokes/challenges.

Bow Wow had possibly the best answer to the question of relevance ... all you gotta do is punch his name into a search bar, and you'll quickly learn who he is. Well said, sir.

BTW, Lil Romeo came out as a surprise guest during the jam-packed "Verzuz" and gave both Bow Wow and Soulja their respective props ... which many say were long overdue considering their legacy and impact as it pertains to pretty much everything hip-hop.

It made for a sweet moment ... but it was just one of many highlights. At one point, Bow Wow busted out the Harlem shake -- which he made famous as a little tyke -- right around the time he was blowing up from his "Like Mike" role. We gotta say ... he hasn't lost a step!

The show ended up being an awesome walk down memory lane for pretty much anyone who was born in the '90s and grew up on Soulja and Bow Wow's music.

One last thing from our interview with BW ... he really wants people to go see 'F9' (the newest 'Fast & Furious' movie). Y'know -- 'cause he's in it and everything. Vroom, vroom.

Pop Smoke Family Thankful for Travis Scott Dior Collab ... Let's Work Together More!!!

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Pop Smoke's family is showing Travis Scott some serious love for paying tribute to the late rapper through a fashion collection with Dior ... and they want to work with him again for future projects.

Pop Smoke's brother, Obasi Jackson, tells TMZ ... the family is thankful Travis' Cactus Jack brand made the first item in its Dior collection all about Pop, and he thinks it could be the start of a great partnership.

It's a special moment for Pop's family ... he rapped about Dior and loved the brand, and often talked about leaving the country for the first time so he could check out Paris Fashion Week, where the collab was unveiled.

Pop's bro says the family appreciated the final product, a t-shirt with Pop's face on the front and lyrics from his popular "Dior" song on the back, but more than that ... they sound inspired.

Obasi told us how Pop's family wants to get more involved on the creative side moving forward.

Business deals aside, he says seeing Pop's image on a Dior shirt is bringing up a lot of emotions ... and the family's just thankful for all the folks keeping his memory alive.