Trae Tha Truth Donating Fresh Water In Jackson ... Damage Control Or Controlling the Damage?!?

Trae Tha Truth's back in superhero mode -- after a stint in the villain role -- to help with Jackson, Mississippi's water crisis ... which has been a pretty disgusting situation for locals.

The Houston rapper made the trek to Mississippi over the weekend to assist with the water crisis ... helping deliver 100 water filters, groceries and enough supplies to support up to 50 families.

Trae delivered the water filters to families' doorsteps and showed them how to properly install and use the device.

He also listened to the people's concerns ... which according to some residents, date back some 30 years!!!

091422_trae_the_truth_kal
NO MORE BOILED WATER
TJ Falkhan

A video of the city's water situation went viral a couple of weeks ago ... showing a doo-doo brown substance oozing out of the faucet that barely passed for liquid.

City officials blamed everything under the sun for the contaminations -- insufficient resources, old and leaky pipes and heavy rainfall for the shutdown of one of the cities' two water-treatment plants -- but have been short to offer solutions all the same.

091422_dirty_water_kal
UTTERLY UNUSABLE

As of Wednesday, 150,000 Jackson residents reportedly are still without suitable drinking water.

While the road to winning back the public opinion may be a steep one, we're told Trae will be back on the road in Jackson to ensure families also get pallets of water this time around.

Trae posted his latest act of kindness on Instagram to a rather icy reception from his followers ... seeing that he's been mum on his involvement in the group beatdown of former collaborator and fellow Texas rapper Z-Ro -- after previously denying ambushing him.

The video evidence told a different story and IG commenters accused the "Asshole By Nature" of hiding behind his charity and posturing behind the camera instead of settling his beef back home.

091422_trae_the_truth_woman_kal
UNDERSTANDING THE PROBLEM
TJ Falkhan

No good deed goes unpunished ... not even supplying clean drinking water!!!

Queen Elizabeth II William and Harry Walk Behind Coffin Queen Now Lies in State at Westminster Hall

091422_royal_procession_kal 9/14/22
THE ROYAL PROCESSION
CNN

Prince William and Harry walked behind their grandmother's casket during a ceremony steeped in pageantry as the procession went from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall where her body will lie in State for 4 days.

The 2 Princes walked side-by-side ... William in military garb, Harry in civvies.

Prince Andrew was also in the procession, and he too was in civilian clothes, and not by choice. Queen Elizabeth stripped Andrew of his Royal duties and many perks after his ties to Jeffrey Epstein surfaced.

The Queen's crown is resting atop the coffin. BTW ... only 3 people are allowed to touch the crown ... the monarch, the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Crown Jeweler.

It's impossible to ignore what happened 25 years ago, when a young Harry and William walked side-by-side during the funeral of their mom, Princess Diana.

King Charles is obviously front and center as well, as everyone walked in lockstep to the Houses of Parliament, where the casket will be placed. Princess Anne is also right there ... she will assume an even larger role in the family.

The spouses of the Princes and the King are in cars ... following along per tradition. Queen Consort Camilla and Kate Middleton were in the same car. Meghan Markle was in another car with Sophie, the Countess of Wessex.

The procession arrived at Westminster Hall. William, Kate, Harry and Meghan are standing near each other while the ceremony carries on inside.

091422_tmz_live_harry_william_kal
BROTHERS BROUGHT TOGETHER

Trevor Bauer I Have Video Proving My Accuser Lied ... Dismiss Her Lawsuit

Trevor Bauer is asking a judge to throw out a lawsuit filed by the woman who accused him of sexual assault ... claiming he has video proof, taken from bed after their second sexual encounter, which proves she lied about her injuries.

TMZ Sports obtained a motion filed by 31-year-old Bauer's legal team in southern California, which includes a video that was allegedly recorded by accuser Lindsey Hill after they had sex the night of May 16, 2021.

"She appears to be willingly in bed with a sleeping Mr. Bauer, and is smirking and uninjured," the Cy Young award winner's attorney wrote in the filing.

The clip, which we've seen, is less than 10 seconds long and doesn't contain audio.

Bauer's team believes the video -- which they say they recently received from the Pasadena police department -- proves Hill didn't actually sustain injuries to her face, torpedoing her case.

Hill previously claimed Bauer gave her two black eyes.

Bauer's accuser filed a lawsuit for battery against the pitcher in August 2022, claiming ... "Last year, disgraced Major League Baseball player Trevor Bauer violently and sadistically abused Hill in the most appalling manner imaginable, sexually battering and battering a defenseless woman."

Hill did not specify how much money she's seeking.

At the time, Trevor's team responded to the suit, saying ... "Lindsey Hill’s claims were judicially disproven last August following a hearing regarding a DVRO petition filed in bad faith."

In August 2021, a court denied Hill's request for a permanent restraining order against Bauer ... saying Hill hadn't set clear lines before they had sex. However, the judge described the injuries in photos presented as evidence as "terrible."

Despite the court's ruling, Major League Baseball hit the former Dodgers pitcher with a two-year suspension without pay.

Trevor is appealing MLB's decision.

Bauer also filed a lawsuit, alleging Hill was bitter and wanted to destroy his baseball career.

PnB Rock Cops Alert Pawn Shops Stolen Jewelry Could Lead to Killer

Detectives from the LAPD are working around the clock to track down PnB Rock's killer, even alerting local pawn shops to keep an eye out for the jewelry stolen off the rapper's neck.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... investigators are confident they'll make an arrest, and have spoken with those close to PnB to determine exactly what type of jewelry he was wearing at the time of his murder.

We're told investigators contacted numerous pawn shops in the area, asking them to alert cops if anyone tries to make a buck off the stolen pieces. The theory is that the murderer would want to get rid of the jewelry quick ... otherwise, it would directly link him to the crime.

Our sources say detectives believe the suspect targeted PnB because of social media posts. The rapper shared a video of himself wearing several expensive chains, and his girlfriend, Steph Sibounheuang, shared their location just before the shooting.

What's more, we're told the entire crime was captured on surveillance ... though sources inside the restaurant tell us that footage is blurry. Cops have been canvassing the area for other cameras, and are working to identify a possible getaway vehicle.

Our law enforcement sources say the killer was wearing a mask at the time of the shooting.

TMZ broke the story, PnB and Steph were eating lunch Monday when the killer entered the restaurant, walked straight to PnB and demanded his jewelry. The rapper was shot multiple times, and rushed to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Nursing Home Hired Stripper Gets Rise Outta Vets!!!

091422_nursing_home_stripper_kal
GERIATRIC GRINDING
Newsflare

Some wheelchair-bound veterans are still ready to rise and salute -- just send in the stripper, which worked like a charm at a nursing home that's now saying ... oops, we didn't know she was gonna do all THAT!!!

The young woman who showed up decked out in lingerie at the Taiwan facility for retired veterans definitely brought her A-game -- writhing on the floor, getting in laps and even allowed at least one resident to break normal strip club rules ... as he got pretty hands-on with her.

The whole scene screams ... "Please tell me there's a defibrillator nearby!!!"

The stripper's visit went down last week during the Mid-Autumn Festival, an annual harvest celebration in China, and video of her performance has gone viral ... putting some heat on the nursing home's administrators.

Responding to the backlash, a spokesperson says their intent was to "entertain residents and make them happy." Mission accomplished!!! ✅

As for dangerously raising heart rates and blood pressure -- well, the facility admits the dancer's moves were "too enthusiastic and fiery," and they promise to be "more cautious" next time.

091422_tv_clips_nursing_home_stripper_kal
LET 'EM HAVE FUN!!!

Sooo ... hang on for next year, guys???

Kourtney Kardashian Fashion Week Event Takes Dark Turn ... Lights, Please!!!

091422_kourtney_kardashian_nyfw_kal
FASHION BLACKOUT
TMZ.com

Kourtney Kardashian's Fashion Week Show looks like a huge success despite the fact it was missing something very necessary when it started -- someone missed the "lights, camera, action" memo.

Kourtney's event -- for her collab with Boohoo -- began around 8:30 PM at the Highline in NYC ... she made a grand entrance with hubby Travis Barker, and everyone cheered as they strutted down the runway.

But, as you can see in the video, shortly after they hit their seats next to Jonathan Cheban ... the freakin' lights went out! The show must go on, so the models did their thing down the catwalk -- just without lights or music.

Awwwkward. Let's face it, the point of a fashion show is to show off fashions ... which gets difficult in the dark.

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

Sources at the show tell us Kourtney was looking around in confusion while the lights were off, but her reaction wasn't super obvious since it was so dark.

Good thing she didn't panic -- after about 30 seconds the lights popped on and the music started too. Pesky plugs!

After that ominous start, the show continued without a hitch.

091422_tv_clips_kourtney
LIGHTS OUT!!!

BTW, this was a solo mission ... Kourt handled her biz without any other Kardashians attending.

King Charles Freaks Out Over Leaky Pen ... This Bloody Thing!!!

091422_king_charles_kal 9/14/22
PEN-DEMONIUM

King Charles might be wearing the crown, but he's still dealing with problems that we commoners come across every day ... including pens that bleed like a hemophiliac.

The new British monarch was on hand for a signing ceremony at the royal residence of Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland Tuesday ... where he and Queen Consort Camilla were trying sign some sort of book.

KC3 was having trouble right off the bat ... forgetting it was September 13 and not the 12th as he was putting down his John Hancock. Camilla noted he'd screwed up earlier in the day as well. Just as Charles was pulling the pen back, it started leaking ink on his hand.

He was instantly frustrated, saying he hated the pen ... going on to angrily call it "this bloody thing" as he pawned it off to Camilla, who also noted it was going everywhere before Royal aides came to her rescue.

090922_king_charles-kal2 9/9/22
GREETING THE PEOPLE
BBC World News

The King, meanwhile, stormed out ... still pissed over the writing instrument, grumbling to himself that this happens "every stinking time." It's pretty hilarious, just 'cause Charles is usually buttoned up in public. Seems this desk cam caught him in a moment of candor.

BTW, it seems pens and pen paraphernalia might be Charles' kryptonite -- the guy also had a minor meltdown earlier over the weekend when he came across a pen box on his desk as he was attempting to sign a proclamation making him the new top dog ... kind of a big deal.

As he was taking a seat, he frantically motioned for an aide to get all the pen crap out of his way ... and it was all quickly whisked away so he could get to business.

091422_tv_clips_king_charles_kal
INK ISSUES

Time to pick up a 10-pack of BICs, KC ... seems ballpoint might be the way to go.

R&B Sensation Jesse Powell Dead At 51

Popular '90s R&B crooner Jesse Powell has died at his home in L.A., this according to his family.

His sister, Tamara, broke the sad news Tuesday night on IG, but did not reveal a cause of death.

She wrote ... "It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of our beloved son, brother, and uncle Jesse Powell. Jesse loved music and he especially loved his fans who supported him throughout his career. We want you all to know that you meant the world to him." Tamara asked for privacy so her family could grieve and celebrate her brother's life.

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

Born in Gary, Indiana, Jesse got his first break in his early '20s after a music producer saw him perform at a local talent show. He was signed to a record label and released his first album in 1996.

Throughout the mid-to-late '90s, Jesse enjoyed some moderate success, but he really hit his stride with the release of his 1998 song, "You," which rocketed to No. 2 on the Billboard R&B charts. His second album, 'Bout It," was certified gold after it shot to No. 15 on the charts. Jesse also won high praise for his four-octave vocal range. He retired after his fourth record release in 2003.

Jesse was 51.

RIP

'Bachelorette' Stars Olumide & Riley Weigh In on Blackface ... Hope Erich's Learned

091322_olumide_onajide_kal
BACHELORETTE BLUNDER
TMZ.com

The lead man on "The Bachelorette" has a blackface controversy that's dogging him -- and a couple of former Black contestants have mixed reactions on how he should proceed.

We got former 'Bachelorette' stars Olumide Onajide and Riley Christian in NYC Tuesday to weigh in on Erich Schwer donning dark makeup back in high school to make himself look like Jimi Hendrix.

Olumide tells us he's on the fence over Erich's apology ... especially with the history of blackface and what it means for African-Americans. Still, he doesn't think the dude had bad intentions in his heart -- and thinks he might still have a chance with Gabby Windey.

091322_riley_christian_kal
HISTORY LESSON
TMZ.com

Riley also acknowledges the painful connotations of blackface ... saying he can't believe it's still being done in this day and age (he ain't alone there).

But on the issue of forgiveness, RC says it's certainly achievable for Erich ... especially if he's genuinely sorry and can learn from this mistake. It sounds like he and Olumide are on the same page on how to proceed -- let the show go on, and allow Gabby to decide what she wants to do.

As we reported, the old photo of Erich dressed as Hendrix for Halloween resurfaced during this season -- which was shot a while ago. He apologized for it, citing ignorance and naivete ... claiming he wasn't aware how offensive it was at the time.

There's going to be a reunion episode in the coming weeks, and he'll almost certainly address this there too.

Zydrunas Ilgauskas Wife Dies At 50 ... Cavaliers Mourn Death

UPDATE

1:39 PM PT -- Cavaliers GM Koby Altman just addressed Jennifer Ilgauskas' death with reporters ... and said the team is mourning the loss.

UPDATE
091422_koby_altman_kal
THEY'RE IN OUR HEARTS
Cleveland Cavaliers
UPDATE

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the Ilgauskas family and his two boys," he said. "It's obviously a really, really sad time for that family, so we wish them the best."

UPDATE

The Cavs added in a statement Wednesday they were "deeply saddened" by the death.

UPDATE

"Our hearts are with Zydrunas and their two sons, Deividas and Povilas who are forever a part of our Cavaliers family."

The wife of Cleveland Cavaliers legend Zydrunas Ilgauskas has sadly died, a funeral home in Ohio confirmed this week. She was just 50 years old.

Jennifer Ilgauskas, according to an obituary from the Zeis-McGreevey Funeral Home, passed away on Sunday. A cause of death was not revealed.

Zydrunas and Jennifer had been married for almost two decades -- the couple reportedly tied the knot way back in 2004, when Big Z was starring for the Cavs.

She had worked in the medical industry while Zydrunas was playing in NBA arenas ... and according to her obit, "She always had ideas for growth and the never-ending desire to achieve more."

"She truly enjoyed working and being a leader who led by example," her family and friends wrote in the obituary. "She cared deeply about everyone she employed, and her door was always open to those who needed to talk. She was generous with her time, finances and counsel."

Jennifer and Zydrunas had two sons. Her funeral is scheduled for Sept. 17.

The former basketball player -- whose jersey was retired by the Cavaliers in 2014 -- has yet to publicly comment on the loss.

RIP.

Originally Published -- 6:07 AM PT

New York Fashion Week Bigger They Come, Harder they Fall ... We're Talking Heels

091322_model_kal
FASHION WEEK WOBBLES
TMZ.com

New York Fashion Week is a contact sport -- just ask this poor model who had a very hard time staying on her feet while rocking painfully high heels down a runway.

Check out this clip, obtained by TMZ, which shows an unidentified model strutting down the catwalk at a warehouse in NYC. The event was for a brand called "Alicia's Designs," and from the looks of it -- this was a packed house, so lots of eyeballs on the models, the clothes ... and the shoes.

Unfortunately for this woman, that meant tons of people watching her wobble her way down the path, before eventually falling hard to her knees. As they say, the show must go on, and she collected herself to continue doing her thing.

091022_harpers_bazaar_party_kal
NIGHT WITH THE STARS
TMZ.com

That didn't last long, though ... she toppled over a couple different times, but the crowd appreciated her perseverance. They actually applauded her when she got up a second time, this as she finally exited backstage.

Safe to say, it was a rough outing.

In the end, she wanted nothing to do with her footwear -- she ditched the heels when all the models reemerged for a final bow. We mean that literally. She came out barefoot.

NYFW was all about spring and summer styles, but at least one model was ready for fall. 😅

Montrezl Harrell Police Video NBAer Talked LaMelo Ball, Free Agency With Cops ... During Weed Stop

091322_montrezl_harrell_kal_v2
CHATTIN' WITH COPS
TMZSports.com

Montrezl Harrell chopped it up with cops for over half an hour about all kinds of NBA topics during his weed stop in May -- including LaMelo Ball and free agency -- and the entire conversation was captured on police video, obtained by TMZ Sports.

The traffic-stop-turned-round-ball-talk all happened in Richmond, Kentucky on May 12 ... after Kentucky State Police pulled over Harrell and his friend in a 2020 Honda Pilot after cops say they were following another car too closely on the road.

During the stop, cops said they smelled an odor of marijuana coming from the ride -- so they detained the basketball player and his friend to check everything out.

While probing the car and asking questions, video shows cops at the scene found out Harrell was an NBA player -- and then wanted to get all kinds of Association scoop from the former Hornets power forward.

At one point, a cop needed to know Harrell's opinion of Ball -- his famous teammate in Charlotte.

"How's LaMelo?" the cop asked.

"He's a cool person," Harrell responded. "I mean, regular kid. At the end of the day, people got to understand he's a kid."

The cop later told Harrell, "I think his dad messed him up."

Cops eventually got Harrell out of the car -- and claim they then found three pounds of marijuana in vacuum-sealed bags in a backpack in the back seat of the ride.

"Damn," Harrell said on the video. "Didn't know that was in there."

But the cops were calm with Harrell and his friend -- even at one point saying in the footage, "We are not the weed police."

As they continued to search the car -- the cops peppered Harrell with NBA questions ... asking him about the playoffs, his former teammates, "the biggest prick in the" league, and "the best big guy you ever had to play against."

At one point, Harrell was asked who had the worst facilities in the league -- and he said Philadelphia ... which was ironic, considering he went on to sign as a free agent with the 76ers earlier this month.

Eventually, cops issued a citation to Harrell and the other man, before letting them go.

Video shows one of the cops ultimately took the weed they found in Harrell's vehicle and put it into a squad car.

Harrell was charged with trafficking less than five pounds of marijuana -- a Class D felony -- over the stop ... but he cut a plea with prosecutors last month to close out the case.

As we reported, Harrell agreed to enter a guilty plea to a reduced charge of simple marijuana possession. In exchange, Harrell -- according to his attorney, Drew Findling -- received a conditional discharge at the end of 12 months.

Jeana Keough From 'RHOC' 'Memba Her?!

American TV personality and realtor Jeana Keough was 50 years old when she made her debut on Bravo's first 'Housewives' franchise, "The Real Housewives of Orange County" back in 2006.

Joining Jeana in the dramatic series included her neighbor and friend Vicki Gunvalson as the insurance company owner and queen of "whoopin' it up," Tamra Judge as the fitness queen and Vicki's partner in crime, Lynne Curtin as the jewelry designer and Tammy Knickerbocker as Jeana's bestie.

Jeana was the recipient of Tamra's iconic wine slap during the 2011 season 6 finale.

Guess what she looks like today at 66 years old!

Tamika Mallory Economics, Poverty to Blame ... For PnB Rock's Murder

091322_tamika_mallory_kal
THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM
TMZ.com

Tamika Mallory says there's an underlying problem that explains why PnB Rock was murdered in cold blood -- and, to her, it all has to do with economics.

We got the activist in NYC Tuesday at the Helen Mill Theatre for a screening of VH1's My True Crime Story: Aron. She gave us her take on Rock's killing ... and she's pretty passionate about her position. Essentially, she says we as a society -- but especially our government -- have to examine what circumstances led to PnB being robbed in the first place.

From her perspective, she thinks it all boils down to poverty and folks being in dire straits to make ends meet -- and by extension, desperate as well ... a longstanding issue in underserved communities, which Tamika says has only been exacerbated by the pandemic.

Tamika says it's dangerous for Black men to simply exist, seeing how they're so often the victims of crime ... famous or not. While PnB Rock was the latest example, TM says this issue finally has to be addressed by America as a whole -- because it's gonna keep happening if not.

Beyond just tackling people's money woes and lack of opportunities, Tamika says mental health is a key part of this conversation too. Lots of roots to this problem, no doubt ... and it's time to start ripping out the weeds to fix it once and for all -- so says Tamika.

091422_tmz_live_tamika_kal
THE HEART OF THE ISSUE

Thomas Markle Can't Go Near Tabloid Honcho ... After Alleged Death Threat

UPDATE

12:11 PM PT -- 9/14 -- Thomas tells us he wasn't aware there was a hearing, and that's why he missed it.

The tabloid owner who claims Thomas Markle is out to kill him just got two years of court-ordered protection from Meghan Markle's father.

According to new legal docs, obtained TMZ, a judge granted Jeff Rayner a restraining order against Thomas, who did not show up for Tuesday's court hearing.

The protective order will be in place for the next two years ... and even though TM didn't show up for the hearing, the court says Thomas was served with legal papers.

TMZ broke the story ... Jeff, the co-owner of tabloid and news agency Coleman-Rayner, claimed he was scared of what Thomas might do to him after Meghan's pops allegedly threatened Jeff in a book.

Remember ... Rayner claimed Markle vowed to kill him in an excerpt from Tom Boyer's book, "Revenge: Meghan, Harry and the War Between The Windsors" ... wondering if Thomas might use a gun to get revenge in a longstanding beef, and claiming the alleged threat was causing stress and anxiety.

Jeff and Thomas have been squaring off for years ... with Markle suing Coleman-Rayner back in 2021, claiming an agreement the two sides made regarding some staged photos destroyed his relationship with Meghan and Prince Harry.

PnB Rock Murder Roscoe's Chicken Open for Biz ... 24 Hours After Shooting

Roscoe's Chicken & Waffles finds itself in a tough spot 24 hours after PnB Rock's murder -- it's a crisis many businesses are facing amid a violent crime wave -- when and how to resume normal operations.

The South L.A. location where the rapper was killed is open for business Tuesday, and these pics from inside show some employees working, clearing empty plates from tables. We're told the restaurant was fully functioning and had been cleaned after Monday's shooting, but understandably, there aren't many customers sitting down to eat.

What's more, we're told employees who were working during the shooting were given the day off.

TMZ broke the story, PnB was eating inside the restaurant with his girlfriend, Steph Sibounheuang, when the suspect entered, targeting the rapper for his jewelry and opening fire.

Prior to the shooting, PnB's girlfriend posted a photo of the couple's meal with their location ... and earlier in the day, PnB posted a video of himself wearing the jewelry.

PnB was rushed to a local hospital, but died from his injuries. There has not yet been an arrest made in the case and cops continue to chase down leads.

091322_tmz_live_pnb_kal
THE TRAGIC INCIDENT

He was only 30.