Jay-Z No One Can Step to Me for 'Verzuz'

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VISION IN THE VERZUZ
@TIDAL / Twitter

Jay-Z says he's in a league of his own when it comes to music and greatness -- to the point he's claiming nobody could realistically touch him in a 'Verzuz' showdown.

HOV did some chest-puffing of his own during a Twitter Spaces convo this week, saying there wasn't a chance in hell another artist could go toe to toe with him over hits ... and not just songs everyone knows well, but ones Jay says no one's heard him perform live.

One example ... the 'Grammy Family Freestyle,' which he says he hasn't even performed onstage before. Bottom line -- he really does believe he's the GOAT of this rap game ... and that there's no true contemporary who could give him a fair fight.

Not everyone agrees, of course -- with some names having already been tossed into the proverbial ring ... like Lil Wayne, Eminem or the great OutKast as potential rivals.

The only way to find out for sure ... putting his money where his mouth is, and making it happen!!! Eh, don't get your hopes up though because it sounds like Jay's too good to consider it ... in kind of a snooty way.

The backdrop to this seems to be Future recently saying he's "bigger" than Jay-Z (in the streets) ... which stirred up a lot of debate as to whether Mr. Carter is as relevant these days as he once was.

Jay didn't directly respond to Future publicly, but something tells us he's telegraphing something here -- because he's not humble bragging. It's plain boasting.

Packers Vs. Ravens Fans Get In Bloody Brawl At Game ... Multiple Punches Thrown

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THE ALL-OUT BRAWL
Storyful
UPDATE

8:06 AM PT -- Cops tell TMZ Sports nobody was arrested over the incident ... though they did say four people were ejected as a result of the melee.

UPDATE

Cops added that one person needed medical attention before they were booted from the venue.

Packers and Ravens fans got into an all-out brawl during the teams' game Sunday -- and the action got so violent, one fan left the melee with his jacket covered in blood.

The wild scene all went down in the stands at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore ... when Green Bay supporters began jawing with men in Ravens jerseys.

Unclear what initially started the arguments -- but video from the scene shows a guy in a cheesehead hat appeared to ignite the physical fracas after he struck a Baltimore fan in the face.

Check out the video, as soon as the man was hit -- fists flew everywhere, with roughly half a dozen people getting involved in the skirmish.

At one point, a Ravens fan wanted to insert himself so badly into the fight -- he left his feet to jump on top of the crowd.

As security came to separate the combatants, you can see in the clip a woman appeared to have been struck in the cheek during the commotion, which caused one Ravens fan to yell, "Who the f*** punched her in the face?! I swear to f***ing God I'll kill you!"

Eventually, security was able to gain control of the situation -- though it's unclear if any arrests were made. We've reached out to cops, but so far, no word back yet.

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BEAR DOWN
TMZSports.com

Of course, this is far from the first act of violence at an NFL game this season -- fans have been fighting all year, including at the Rams vs. Bears game earlier in the season.

Originally Published -- 6:52 AM PT

Brett Oppenheim My Bro Loved Chrishell More Than Anyone ... Despite Rumors it Was Fake

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THERE'S STILL LOVE THERE
TMZ.com

Jason Oppenheim and Chrishell Stause are both back on the market, and although some "Selling Sunset" fans doubt the relationship was ever real ... Jason's twin bro says it was real, and really serious.

Brett Oppenheim was leaving his famous real estate agency on Sunset Tuesday when he shot down rumors Jason and Chrishell were only faking a relationship to promote the show's current season. Instead, he says, "My brother and Chrishell love each other more than Jason has probably loved anybody."

As we've told you, the 'Selling' costars announced Tuesday they're calling it quits, 5 months after they started dating ... a relationship Brett has publicly supported from day one. When Chrishell first posted pics from their romantic European getaway, Brett commented ... "Love you Chrishell. Thank you for making my brother happy."

The breakup's still fresh, but he's confident they truly loved each other. As for why they split -- Brett was pretty mum, but Jason himself hinted it might be because only one of them wanted to have kids.

His breakup post on IG said, "While we have different wants regarding a family, we continue to have the utmost respect for one another."

'Selling Sunset' Star Chrishell Stause Agrees with Zendaya, Height No Big Deal 12/17/21
YEAR OF THE SHORT KING
TMZ.com

Just last week, Chrishell told us height doesn't matter in a relationship when we asked her thoughts about dating a shorter guy --- after Tom Holland and Zendaya weighed in on the double standard.

She told us chemistry's way more important than size, and never let on there was any trouble in paradise for Jason and her. Hey, a lot can change in a week.

JoJo Siwa Barely Avoids Courtside Catastrophe ... Nearly Run Over By Suns Player!!!

A Phoenix Suns player almost wiped out JoJo Siwa while she was sitting courtside at the Lakers game Tuesday ... but somehow, the influencer avoided catastrophe.

The near-collision all went down early in L.A.'s contest with Phoenix at Staples Center Crytpo.com Arena ... when Jae Crowder went flying into the stands to try to save a loose ball.

You can see in the footage of the play, as Jae dove head-first to nab the basketball -- his 6-foot-6, 235-pound body nearly went crashing into Siwa!!!

Fortunately, JoJo was able to duck out of the way -- and Crowder rolled over her seat without causing any injuries.

Siwa clearly loved the experience ... she was all smiles as Crowder picked himself up off the floor -- and she even tweeted her experience went "quite well!"

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COURTSIDE COLLISION

The night ended up being an overall bummer for Siwa, though -- 'cause her Lakers ended up losing badly to the Suns.

But, hey, sure beats going home with bruises or broken bones ... right?!

Yung Joc Says 'Wheel of Fortune' Meant Young Jock ... Despite Fans' Concerns

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JOC OR JOCK?
TMZ.com

Young Jock or Yung Joc? Well, it depends on who's asking -- some "Wheel of Fortune" fans are calling out the show out for misspelling the rapper's name during an episode ... but Joc says that's probably not the case.

Folks believe contestant Kennise Miller might have been cheated out of $39k during Monday night's bonus round when she failed to solve the puzzle under the "person" category.

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THE BIG REVEAL

Turns out the answer was "young jock", but some fans say otherwise.

Instead, they believe it was a misspelling of rapper Yung Joc's name. Well, we caught up with the "It's Goin' Down" rapper who didn't really think the answer was a mistake but was simply intended to be the description of a young athlete.

Joc tells us he is a longtime fan of 'Wheel' -- he says he grew up watching with his mom and grandma .... "So, I'm one of the best people to play "Wheel of Fortune," he says.

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

Though he's never been on the show, he says at home there was no doubt he was a winner ... and he was much more certain about that than whatever producers intended on Monday's episode.

Bryce Hall Stops Man Allegedly Trying to Get into His Home ... Cops Called to Scene

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CAUGHT IN THE ACT
TMZ.com
UPDATE

4:58 PM PT -- We're told the man, Joshua Shakill, was arrested on suspicion of burglary.

Bryce Hall took matters into his own hands after coming face-to-face with a man who allegedly got inside the TikTok star's home uninvited ... apprehending him until cops arrived.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ they got a call for a "hot prowl" -- essentially someone trying to break in when a homeowner is present -- at Halls' West Hollywood pad Tuesday. When they arrived, they discovered the man, who had been apprehended by Bryce and another man outside in the driveway.

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JUST LETTIN' MYSELF IN
@brycehall / Instagram

In video, obtained by TMZ, you hear Bryce accuse the man of having followed or approached him before ... though it's not clear why he continues to allegedly follow Hall.

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WAITIN' FOR THE COPS
TMZ.com

Bryce also posted a disturbing clip, showing the man inside his home, allegedly uninvited, and coming up his stairs.

Officers were quick to take the man into custody, and we're told he's being booked. It's currently unclear what he's been arrested for.

Story developing ...

Originally published -- 4:32 PM PT

Francis Ngannou I'm Impressed W/ Jake Paul's Boxing Woodley KO Shocked Me!!

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GOTTA HAND IT TO HIM
TMZSports.com

"I was impressed by Jake Paul. I didn't see that coming. I was sure that Tyron Woodley was gonna win this fight, you know? But you gotta give it to Jake Paul. He made a statement -- a huge statement and he proved that he puts his money where his mouth is."

That's arguably the baddest man on the planet, UFC heavyweight champion and knockout machine, Francis Ngannou saying that even he was very impressed with the Problem Child.

Like many people, Ngannou expected 39-year-old Woodley -- with the experience of their summer fight under his belt -- to handle 24-year-old Paul with relative ease.

However, that didn't happen ... 'cause Paul knocked T-Wood -- the former dominant UFC welterweight champ -- out cold in the 6th round of their highly anticipated rematch Saturday night in Tampa, landing a huge power punch that flatlined the future UFC Hall of Famer.

Francis -- who's won 12 of his 16 pro MMA fights by KO -- says this should be a lesson to anyone who doesn't take 6-0 Jake Paul seriously ... you really should, or wind up fast asleep on the canvas.

"[Jake's] taking himself very seriously. You better take him seriously because he proved it."

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BEATING THE ODDS
TMZSports.com

We also talked to the HW champ about his upcoming UFC 270 fight with interim champ, Ciryl Gane ... a fight in which Ngannou is actually the underdog.

But, Francis flat out says he doesn't care what Vegas thinks ... and when January 22 rolls around, he plans on extending his win streak to 6!

BFF Tori in 'White Chicks' 'Memba Her?!

Michigan local Jessica Cauffiel was in her mid-20s when her acting career was launched into the limelight with some big acting roles including playing the Hamptons hottie and best friend Tori Wilson -- whose cool clique gets raided by the undercover cops in drag -- in the 2004 work of art "White Chicks."

Cauffiel shared the big screen with the on-screen and off-screen comedy brothers Marlon Wayans as Agent Marcus Copeland... and as Tiffany Wilson and Shawn Wayans as Agent Kevin Copeland ... and Brittany Wilson.

Other notable roles from Jessica's Y2K credits are Margot in 'Legally Blonde' and Milan on "The Drew Carey Show."

Guess what she looks like now!

Pete Davidson Driving Kim's Car For Jewelry Shopping

Pete Davidson is in the driver's seat when it comes to his relationship with Kim Kardashian -- or at least he was Tuesday -- when he was cruising around in her car, and doing some jewelry shopping in the process.

Here's PD making a quick stop in Bev Hills at a place called XIV Karats, which sells fine jewelry. Doesn't look like he went inside the shop, but he definitely had some goodies delivered to him outside the place.

While he was waiting, Pete had a smoke ... pulling down his mask while the jewels were getting prepared, even chatting it up with somebody outside. Oh, and like we mentioned ... the guy's out there in Kim's signature Rolls-Royce.

Earlier in the day, we saw Kim and Pete grab breakfast together at the Beverly Hills Hotel -- and it looks like they stayed in the neighborhood through the afternoon.

Unclear who Pete was shopping for ... but he certainly did so in style.

Yeezus take the wheel.

Jorge Masvidal Jake Paul's $5 Million Offer Is 'Chump Change' ... Meet Me In UFC!!!

UPDATE

3:42 PM PT -- Masvidal has heard Jake's offer loud and clear -- and he's shutting it down, calling it "chump change."

UPDATE

Masvidal says if Jake raises the offer to $20 million, then maybe the UFC would consider letting the fight happen.

UPDATE

Jorge then makes his own offer to Jake ... saying he can come meet him in the UFC on a 1-fight deal, where they'll only box. If Jake wins, Masvidal says he'll forfeit his purse.

UPDATE

"Come on over and get paid and laid out."

Jake Paul is channeling his inner Godfather and making Jorge Masvidal an offer he can't refuse ... saying he will shell out $5 MILLION to get the UFC fighter to be his next opponent.

Fresh off his knockout win over Tyron Woodley, the Problem Child announced the offer on his brother Logan's "Impaulsive" podcast on Tuesday ... saying he's not all talk and REALLY wants to scrap.

Jake says Masvidal keeps shutting him down for 2 reasons -- he only fights the best, or he fights for the money ... so now, Paul is giving him the latter.

And, a LOT of it.

"Masvidal, I got an offer for you right now -- $5 million guarantee plus percentage of Pay-Per-View," Jake said. "Let's make it happen."

Remember, Jake called out Gamebred and Nate Diaz right after the win ... calling them "bitches" in the process.

The big obstacle, though, is that both guys are under contract with UFC ... and would need permission to take a fight outside the promotion.

He says he's down to take either UFC star in the ring ... calling it "light work."

"Diaz isn't good," Jake added. "Look at their records! Numbers don't f***ing lie, bro. I'm undefeated. Diaz literally wins two fights and loses one. Two fights, loses one. F*** that."

It wasn't always this bitter between the two -- back before the Ben Askren fight, Jorge was actually helping Jake train.

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TRAININ' WITH THE BEST
@jakepaul / Twitter

Is the money enough to get Jorge's attention?? Most likely. But, the real question is, if UFC honcho Dana White -- who ain't exactly the biggest Paul fan -- will sign off on the fight?

Originally Published -- 2:52 PM PT

'Selling Sunset' Jason & Chrishell Call It Quits After Brief Relationship

UPDATE

5:50 PM PT -- Chrishell's doubling down on her ex's take on the breakup, saying ... "Jason was and is my best friend, and other than our ideas for family ultimately not being aligned, the amount of respect and love with have for each other will not change going forward."

UPDATE

She added that she's choosing to view their relationship as a success, regardless of how everyone else sees it.

UPDATE

2:44 PM PT -- Jason has broken his silence on the split, only saying loving things about his time with Chrishell, he says it was their views on their future and as a family that seemed to cause the end of their relationship.

UPDATE

Jason Oppenheim and Chrishell Stause are no longer a couple, deciding to go their separate ways 5 months after going public about their relationship ... according to a report.

As we previously told you, the "Selling Sunset" costars announced that they were dating back in July. Chrishell had posted lots of photos of the two on a romantic getaway ... with some PDA mixed in there as well.

As you may know, Chrishell works at The Oppenheim Group, which is an LA real estate company founded by Jason and his brother. Chrishell had previously told People it was "easy" working with her BF because they were best friends before and worked together all the time.

Chrishell works as a private contractor for the OG, and that almost certainly won't change moving forward. People was first to report the news of the split.

'Selling Sunset' Star Chrishell Stause Agrees with Zendaya, Height No Big Deal 12/17/21
YEAR OF THE SHORT KING
TMZ.com

We caught up with the Chrishell just last week and asked her thoughts about dating a shorter guy -- after Tom Holland and Zendaya called out the ridiculous standard -- she says height is no biggie in relationships, but "it's more about what's inside."

So far, no word on what may have led to the split...

Originally Published -- 12:47 PM PT

NFL's Cole Beasley Tests Positive For Covid-19 ... Outspoken Against Vaccine

UPDATE

4:11 PM PT -- Beasley says he has mild symptoms and is feeling fine ... sending another fiery message in the process.

UPDATE

"Just to be clear Covid is not keeping me out of this game. The rules are," he said on Instagram.

UPDATE

"Vaxxed players are playing with Covid every week now because they don't test. One of my vaxxed teammates is in the hospital missing games. I'm sure he didn't get this same energy."

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Cole Beasley -- who said he'd rather die than get the vaccine -- tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday ... and is expected to miss at least 10 days before returning to the team.

The news became official just minutes ago ... with the Bills placing Beasley on the COVID-19/Reserve list.

Beasley -- who is unvaccinated, obviously -- returned a positive test, and is now sidelined for the Bills' big game against the Patriots.

Of course, Cole has been as passionate as they come on his decision to not get the jab -- back in June, Beasley went on a social media rant ... calling out everyone from the NFLPA to fans on Twitter.

"Hi, I'm Cole Beasley and I'm not vaccinated!" the 32-year-old said at the time. "I will be outside doing what I do. I'll be out in the public. If you're scared of me then steer clear or get vaccinated. Point. Blank. Period."

"I may die of Covid, but I’d rather die actually living."

Beasley's decision to not get vaccinated even drew criticism from Mavs owner, Mark Cuban, who pled with the slot wideout to get vaxxed for the sake of everyone else.

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PLAIN AND SIMPLE
TMZSports.com

"Cole's a good guy, but, you know, getting vaccinated isn't just about you, it's about everybody else as well," Cuban said.

Despite Cuban's advice, Cole -- who already had to quarantine earlier this summer after coming into close contact with a trainer who tested positive for the virus -- doesn't seem like he's changing his mind anytime soon.

Originally Published -- 1:52 PM PT

Nikole Hannah-Jones If You Hate '1619 Project' ... My Question Is, Have You Read It???

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JUST. READ. THE BOOK.
TMZ.com

'The 1619 Project' is celebrated, debated and, for some, hated ... and that's partly why its creator has written a couple of sequels, of sorts -- works she's urging her most fervent critics to simply read before tearing it apart.

Nikole Hannah-Jones, who developed '1619' for the NYT, has turned her long-form journalistic endeavor from a magazine series into a book collection ... and she came on "TMZ Live" to dissect why she thinks the concept alone pisses off so many, especially on the right.

If you're unfamiliar, '1619' theorizes our nation's foundation traces back to that year -- instead of 1776 -- when African slaves were first brought here, and explains how the slave trade continued to impact American politics and economics for centuries.

Now, back to the original question ... what is it that makes people so angry that it influences them inside voting booths???

In NHJ's eyes, their fury pretty much boils down to propaganda, and oftentimes, ignorance ... much in the same way critical race theory is often confused or mischaracterized by people who have no sense of what it really is. Something that was on display during Virginia's gubernatorial race this year.

Nikole says the strongest critics of the 1619 Project often haven't even read it -- so they don't understand what they're arguing against. But, if they'd simply absorb the material, they'd probably learn something valuable ... even if they walked away still disagreeing, an outcome she says she'd accept, knowing it was at least considered.

Her latest books, "The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story" and "The 1619 Project: Born on the Water" are already on the NYT Bestsellers List.

Bottom line ... Nikole just wants folks to give her work a fair shot ... spark a conversation, and then let the chips fall where they may.

Luka Doncic Sends Kids Toys, Autographs & Swag ... At Slovenian Hospital

Luka Doncic may be a Dallas Maverick, but he's clearly never forgotten where he's come from -- 'cause he just sent a bunch of gifts to kids at a hospital in his Slovenian hometown.

TMZ Sports has learned ... the NBA All-Star just directed a special delivery to the Children's Hospital of the University Medical Center Ljubljana -- surprising almost 200 kids with all kinds of goodies to brighten up their holidays.

The shipment was filled with toys -- like LEGOS and dollhouses -- as well as headphones, Jordan sportswear, and gift cards.

We're told Luka also sent each kid an autographed photo and a sweet note from the NBA star ... plus he recorded a video message that everyone got to watch from their hospital bed.

"These children are going through so much," Luka said in a statement. "I just hope this gives them a little bit of happiness during these difficult times."

"I hope they feel better soon, so they can get back to doing what they love. I'm thinking of them and I wish the children and their families a happy New Year in 2022."

Of course, this isn't the first time Doncic has given back to his Slovenian roots ... in 2020, he launched a program with Slovenian athletes Jaka Bijol and Robert Kristan to help the country's healthcare system during the pandemic.

The 22-year-old has also donated to the city of Dallas during the pandemic -- gifting 100 pairs of Jordans to healthcare workers at UT's Southwestern Medical Center.

Doncic also partnered up with Mark Cuban, Dwight Powell and the Mavs' Foundation to donate $500k to the same medical center and Parkland Hospital.

Props for all the generosity, Luka.

Blac Youngsta Poses Next to Tomb with Young Dolph's Name On It ... In New Music Video

Blac Youngsta is either clueless or he's gonna have a wave of hate coming his way from Young Dolph fans after posing next to a tomb with the late rapper's name on it in a new music video.

Youngsta -- who was a known enemy of Dolph -- released the video for his song "Im Assuming" Monday, filmed almost entirely in a cemetery. While it's very brief, around the 1-minute-mark of the video, you see the last name Thornton on the tomb he's rapping in front of ... Dolph's real name was Adolph Thornton Jr.

While the song's lyrics don't seem to directly talk about Dolph's death, they're certainly violent -- "I been a street n**** that murder s*** ... I'm on the verge, 'bout to purge with the young n*****. They stackin' bodies."

Blac Youngsta and Young Dolph had a very nasty history, back in 2017 BY turned himself in to cops investigating a Dolph shooting in Charlotte ... and he was also named a person of interest when Dolph was shot in L.A. later that year.

Charges against BY in the Charlotte case -- where more than 100 rounds were fired into an SUV Dolph was traveling in -- were dropped for lack of evidence.

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I'M STILL STANDIN'
TMZ.com

As we reported, Dolph was killed in Memphis last month ... gunned down by two men as he visited a local cookie shop. There have not been any arrests made in that case.

Kim K & Pete Davidson From Late Nights to the Early Morn ... Breakfast in L.A., Post-NY

Pete Davidson and Kim Kardashian are officially a bi-coastal couple -- doing date nights in New York and breakfasts in California ... as evidenced in new photos.

We've obtained pics of Kim and Pete taken Tuesday morning at the Fountain Coffee Room in the Beverly Hills Hotel and looking like they just rolled out of bed. We're told the pics were taken around 7:30 AM PT, so it would seem they're both early risers.

Even more interesting, Pete's in town with Christmas only a few days away. It's unclear what his holiday plans are exactly -- we've been told Kim is going to be with her kids -- but his presence suggests ... maybe he'll stick around for Santa???

Of course, he could fly back to the East Coast in a flash if he wanted, but the fact he dropped in, even if it ends up being brief, just goes to show -- these two are quite serious.

The breakfast outing follows their very public date on Staten Island over the weekend ... where Kim and Pete rented out a private theater all for themselves, but not before being spotted by a ton of other moviegoers, who were snapping pics of them like crazy.

We'll see what the holidays hold for the new couple.