R. Kelly Guilty of Child Pornography in Illinois Federal Trial ... Not Guilty on 7 Other Counts
3:36 PM PT -- U.S. Attorney John Lausch says sentencing for Kelly will range from 10-90 years.
R. Kelly is guilty of 6 of the 13 charges he faced in his Illinois federal case ... the jury just came back with its verdict.
The jury convicted him Wednesday on the child pornography counts he faced, but acquitted him on 7 others -- including charges of conspiracy and enticement.
Remember, Kelly was facing child pornography charges and prosecutors also accused him of concealing video evidence from his infamous 2008 case and threatening witnesses.
R. Kelly Alleged Victim Testifies He Started Having Sex With Her When She Was 15
The trial just got underway last month, with prosecutors accusing Kelly of videotaping sexual encounters with minors.
As we reported, Kelly's trial included explosive testimony ... with his former goddaughter claiming the singer had sex with her hundreds of times before she turned 18 years old, with their first sexual intercourse happening when she was only 15.
Kelly's attorney, Jennifer Bonjean, told the jury the singer was "imperfect" but insisted he was innocent.
R. Kelly Trial Juror Suffers Panic Attack In Court, Excused by Judge
A juror suffered a panic attack Monday, but the trial pressed forward as the judge immediately put the alternate juror in her place.
The singer will be sentenced in this case at a later date. Remember, Kelly's already been previously convicted of federal sex crimes in New York and sentenced to 30 years in prison.
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Adam Silver on Robert Sarver 'Dramatically Different' From Donald Sterling
NBA commish Adam Silver is addressing comparisons between Donald Sterling and Suns owner Robert Sarver -- who was punished for allegedly saying the n-word -- calling the situations "dramatically different" from one another.
Sarver was slapped with a $10 million fine and one-year suspension on Tuesday after a lengthy NBA investigation showed the multi-millionaire owner repeated the n-word on at least five occasions and treated female employees differently, among other accusations.
The league noted Sarver didn't appear to use the word with racist intent ... but was repeating the word.
Still, many people have raised Sterling's name ... asking why the former Los Angeles Clippers owner was banned forever (he also received a $2.5 million fine), while Sarver was hit with a relatively modest 365-day suspension.
Of course, TMZ Sports broke the Sterling story in 2014 ... when the real estate developer and team owner was heard berating "friend" V. Stiviano over a photo she took with Lakers legend Magic Johnson at Staples Center during a Clips game.
Clippers Owner Donald Sterling to GF -- Don't Bring Black People to My Games ... Including Magic Johnson
"It bothers me a lot that you want to broadcast that you’re associating with Black people. Do you have to?" Sterling asked Stiviano.
Sterling also told her ... "You can sleep with [black people]. You can bring them in, you can do whatever you want. The little I ask you is not to promote it on that ... and not to bring them to my games."
Silver explained why he believes the Sterling situation is far worse than Sarver.
LeBron James Furious Over Robert Sarver Suspension, Chris Paul Too
"For me the situations are dramatically different. What we saw in the case of Donald Sterling was blatant racist conduct directed at a select group of people," Adam told media in NYC.
Silver also apologized to former and current Suns/Mercury employees, and spoke about the sheer shock he felt when learning of the accusations against Sarver.
"I was in disbelief to a certain extent about what I learned had transpired over the last 18 years in the Suns organization. I was saddened by it, disheartened, I want to again apologize to the former and in some cases current employees of the Phoneix Suns for what they had to experience, there's absolutely no excuse for it, and we addressed it."
Ultimately, Sterling was essentially forced to sell the team to Steve Ballmer for $2 billion. Meanwhile, Sarver will be back sitting courtside before the calendar reads 2024 ... and that's not sitting right with many NBA fans.
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The Game 15-Year-Old 'Murda' Lyrics Eerily Describe PnB Rock's Fate
The hip-hop community is reeling in the wake of PnB Rock's heinous murder ... and it has some people referencing a 2007 song from The Game which seems to mirror the Philly rapper's tragic end.
The unreleased track is called "Murda," and it's resurfaced online because fans noticed some now-eerie lyrics you could say include a warning that could've saved PnB's life.
On the song's 3rd verse, Game raps, "When you eat at Roscoe's watch out for the chain snatchers/Take it off slow, or you might get killed/If the Grape Streets [Crips] don't catch you, the [Rollin] 60's will/Police don't give a fuck cuz they all RenPark/And what happens on Crenshaw stays on Crenshaw."
The 'Killafornia' anthem was originally slated for Game's sophomore album "Doctor's Advocate" and outlines various L.A. gang territories and habits ... which might explain why it got cut.
Speaking of Game, his fellow West Coast OG Ice-T cited him, Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, Dr. Dre and Kendrick Lamar as living Los Angeles legends who don't hit the town drenched in jewelry.
Ice, who lyrically chronicled the mean streets of L.A. all the way back in the '80s has been lecturing his Twitter followers on the dangers of the area, whether or not you're a rapper, and says going without the jewels doesn't mean your pockets are empty.
LAPD is currently on the hunt for PnB's killers after the 30-year-old rapper was murdered September 12 inside a Roscoe's Chicken & Waffles while eating with his girlfriend.
Investigators believe the pair were targeted from their social media posts and the gunman entered the restaurant specifically for the jewels.
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Girls Basketball Player's Mom Forced To Pay $9K ... After Daughter Punched Opponent
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The mom who told her daughter to attack her opponent during a youth basketball game last year has been forced to cough up more than $9,000 in restitution to the teen victim ... after agreeing to enter a diversion program, TMZ Sports has learned.
Back in November, Tira Hunt was heard on video telling her daughter -- whose father is ex-NBA player Corey Benjamin -- to go after a rival player following an on-court collision in Garden Grove, CA.
Girls Basketball Player Violently Sucker Punched In Game, Video Shows
The victim's mother went to cops over the violent incident ... and in December, Hunt was hit with two misdemeanor counts -- contributing to the delinquency of a minor and battery.
Hunt was facing up to one year in jail if convicted ... but on Wednesday, an Orange County Superior Court judge approved a diversion program that has a laundry list of conditions.
Among Hunt's requirements include the $9k payment, written apologies to the victim, her parents and the two basketball teams involved, and anger management classes before returning to basketball games. On top of that, Hunt has been forced to stay away from the victim.
Benjamin apologized for his daughter's actions following the incident ... saying that was not how he raised her.
"To the young lady who was punched by my daughter during a youth basketball game, I sincerely apologize to you and I am praying for your complete healing both physically and emotionally," he said.
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Tory Lanez Chillin' Outside Court ... Megan Trial Delayed 2 Months
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Tory Lanez doesn't appear to have a worry gene in his DNA -- his trial for allegedly shooting Megan Thee Stallion was supposed to start Wednesday, but there was no concern on his face outside court.
We got him on camera Wednesday, entering and exiting the courthouse, and when we asked about his current mental state, Tory coolly replied he was "chilling."
That level-headed response might've been due to the fact nothing really went down in court. The trial was postponed, yet again, partly because Tory's lawyer is in the middle of another case.
The new trial date will be between November 28 and December 8.
Megan's ex-best friend, Kelsey Harris, was also present at court and is scheduled to testify for the prosecution about what she saw that night. Remember, Kelsey was inside the SUV with Tory and Megan.
Megan Thee Stallion Says She Was Shot in the Foot, New Vid Shows Bloody Prints
An LAPD officer testified in December 2021 that Megan initially reported her injury to be caused by broken glass, before later claiming the injuries in her feet came from Tory shooting her while yelling "dance, bitch dance."
She's explained that, in the moment, she was protecting Tory ... fearing that if she told cops he had a gun -- this was just a few weeks after George Floyd's murder -- the situation could get worse.
Tory's facing one count of assault with a semiautomatic firearm and one count of carrying a concealed, unregistered weapon.
He's pled not guilty, but if convicted, he could face up to 22 years in prison.
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Brittany Snow Splits from Hubby Tyler Stanaland
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Brittany Snow is a single woman again, because she and her husband are dunzo ... TMZ has learned.
Sources connected to the couple tell TMZ ... the "Pitch Perfect" star and Tyler Stanaland have officially called it quits -- this after rumors of infidelity, although we're told there's no truth to any of those and that they had no bearing on the breakup.
What we are told, however, is that this uncoupling has been a long time coming -- and mostly has to do with distance. Apparently, L.A. (where BS lives) and Orange County (TS's home) is a bit too far and they were having problems splitting their time between the areas.
Again ... our sources insist this has nothing to do with cheating, with emphasis on the fact that Tyler is NOT dating his "Selling the OC" costar Alex Hall ... despite speculation they might be a thing. We're told the two Netflix stars are simply friends.
Unclear when exactly they threw in the towel on their relationship, but we do know it's over now. Snow posted Wednesday, "After time and consideration, Tyler and I have made the difficult decision to separate. This decision was made with love and mutual respect for one another. We have realized we need to take some time and make sure we are each living our most fulfilling and authentic lives."
She continued, "We started this journey as best friends and our relationship will continue to be a priority not only for us but for our dog Charlie. We sincerely appreciate your support and ask for privacy as we navigate this new chapter."
Brittany and Tyler got engaged back in 2019, and then hitched in 2020.
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Scooter Braun Settles Divorce Keeps $65M Home, Private Jet, Art ... Will Pay $20M
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Scooter Braun -- the man behind the careers of Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande and more -- has made out nicely in his divorce, retaining untold millions in real estate, artwork, investments and even a private jet ... but he's also gotta shell out $20 million to his ex.
We've obtained the divorce settlement between Scooter and his ex-wife, Yael, which breaks down the insane amount of money and investments Scooter has.
The docs -- filed by Disso Queen Laura Wasser -- say the two had a prenup, and here's the way it breaks down -- Scooter will keep the $65 million Brentwood home he bought after he filed for divorce (among other properties), a Gulfstream G450 (about $40 million), over 100 pieces of art (including Warhol and Keith Haring works), retains a slew of investments and bank accounts, and a Porsche and Tesla.
In turn, Scooter will fork over a $20 million equalization payment to Yael and pay $60,000 a month in child support for the couple's 3 kids. Yael also gets several works of art, assets from multiple bank accounts and a Land Rover Defender. She will also remain in the former couple's $30 million family home in Brentwood.
The two were married in July 2014, and Scooter filed for divorce in July 2021. They'll have joint legal and physical custody of their 3 children. We're told the divorce is amicable and they're committed to co-parenting.
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Eminem My Competition Is ... Kendrick, Cole, Joyner & Big Sean!!!
Eminem's doing a bit of closet cleaning ... in an extensive and rare interview where he details his past drug use and reveals his biggest influencers currently in the rap game!!!
In a first-person spill with XXL, Eminem admitted he still takes his music seriously these days -- so much so, he has the likes of Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, Joyner Lucas and Big Sean in his crosshairs ... on a competitive level, of course.
Eminem is the highest-selling rapper of all time, and openly admits chasing numbers and stats doesn't entice him anymore. Instead, he says watching the quartet of younger rappers' every move has become a pastime for the 49-year-old hip hop legend.
He says he's "watching them and how the fuck they're doing their s***, because they're also focused on being the best rappers."
Em continued, "I still love to rap. It's always been the most important thing to me. I still have fun writing. I have fun watching the rappers I just mentioned, and being like, OK, let me see if I can do something that inside I think I can top that. And every time the best rappers drop an album, it changes the landscape of the fuckin' game.
"At least it does for me, and I'm like, I need to be able to rap like that. Because if I don't do that, someone's going to come behind me, probably in the next couple of years, and wash me."
Marshall also chronicled his timeline of drug use, including his near-fatal overdose, and also recalled a time 50 Cent saved his butt on live television when he was too high to even answer questions on 106 & Park!!!
The painful clip is how it looks ... Em says his "wheels started to come off" as he stumbled through the 20-minute interview.
Of course, Slim Shady has been clean for years and is currently swimming in rumors he's prepping to release new music ... in addition to helping Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre on their upcoming joint album.
Kendrick, Sean and them better get ready!!!
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Britney Spears Has a Good Cry on Camera ... During Dance Routine
Britney Spears isn't afraid to shed a few tears ... even while she's on camera -- but she insists this cry session isn't about being sad, it's more of a catharsis.
The pop star posted a clip of herself at the crib Tuesday, where she was spinning around to some earthy tunes playing in the background. Nothing really new there -- except this time, she started weeping toward the end ... kinda out of nowhere.
Now, it appears BS knew people might be alarmed by her crying, because she got ahead of it ... noting in her caption that she was not having a breakdown here, per se, but simply letting out emotions.
Brit said, "It’s been a while since I’ve cried on camera !!! It’s not a breakdown assholes, it’s a release that I’ve needed for a very long time now !!! Spiritual experience for sure !!! I think I need to do that way more 🌹🌹🌹 !!! Psss… bawling."
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Unclear if Britney was moved by the music/dancing ... or if it's related to her conservatorship, or even both. What we do know is she's aware there are more eyes on her now as she continues to feud with her sons ... while also taking shots at contemporaries of hers, like Christina Aguilera -- who she kinda fat-shamed this week.
You might've heard about this one too ... Britney posted a quote from Rodney Dangerfield on IG that read, "I found there was only one way to look thin: hang out with fat people." She furthered that thought by name-dropping Christina and her backup dancers, saying if she had those same peeps in her orbit during the peak of her fame ... she'd look "extremely small."
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Britney caught A LOT of backlash from that, with many taking it as body shaming ... but she defended herself in a follow-up post by insisting she wasn't trying to put anyone down, and that she'd been misunderstood. In any case, Christina unfollowed her as a result.
As if she wasn't already fighting a strong current ... here she is turning on the waterworks.
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Jesse Williams Runs Back to Court Over Custody ... And Another Broadway Run
Jesse Williams is doing back-to-back seasons on Broadway, and because of some apparent fighting with his ex-wife over the custody arrangement for their kids ... he's now asking a judge to step in.
Jesse Williams and Ex-Wife Settle Child Custody Dispute
The actor filed new legal docs that seek to change the custody order that was agreed to earlier this year when he was starting his Spring run for the baseball play "Take Me Out," when he and Aryn Drake-Lee settled on him having his kids 4 consecutive days a month in NYC.
In the paperwork, obtained by TMZ, Jesse is asking to tweak that a bit ... seeing how he's going back to Broadway in the fall for yet another outing in the production. He wanted the same deal -- 4 consecutive days/month -- starting in October ... but says Aryn refused to play ball, so he's going to court over it and wants a few other tweaks.
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For the month of October, Jesse is requesting he get his kids in the Big Apple for 4 days between Oct. 7 through Oct. 12 -- as well as 4 days through the Thanksgiving break ... and wants a similar arrangement to continue through January.
Now, you'd think that'd be A-OK since both he and Aryn signed off on a very similar arrangement back in March ... but, unfortunately, Jesse's saying they're fighting again over the dates for this go-around -- with him alleging that Aryn's refusing his requests.
Namely, he claims she'll only agree to his dates ... just so long as the kids aren't forced to head to New York, which is a no-go for Jesse, since that's where he's living at the moment.
Essentially, he's saying Aryn's being unreasonable and trying to enforce conditions that'll deprive him of seeing his children for nearly 2 months -- and now wants a judge to weigh in.
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Nicki Minaj Sues 'Nosey Heaux' I'm No Cokehead!!!
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10:23 AM PT -- Nicki just tweeted about the lawsuit, making it clear she isn't playing around ... and will take over the blogs talking smack.
Nicki Minaj is making one thing VERY clear, she and her legal team won't put up with social media accounts making wild statements about her ... and now she's filed a lawsuit.
According to legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Nicki claims a woman named Marley Green -- who goes by the social media persona "Nosey Heaux" -- posted a video Monday talking about Nicki in which she allegedly said Nicki is, "shoving all this cocaine, shoving in all this cocaine up her nose. Allegedly. Thank you. Allegedly. But we all know it's true. "F***-listen, I can't even say allegedly with that 'cause I, we all know it's true. I'm not saying allegedly on that. Nicki Minaj is a cokehead."
Not only that, but Nicki claims Green has also made "vile" comments about her 1-year-old son ... calling Nicki's entire bloodline disgusting and saying Nicki needs to get her son in therapy because, "Your baby is going to be a rapist, too."
While the legal docs call Green a "nobody" and someone "whose main accomplishments in life have been a string of criminal charges, bail jumping and bad debts," they acknowledge her social media posts have still gained some traction ... and the possibility people could believe what she says.
Nicki's attorney, Judd Burstein, states the "cokehead" video on Twitter garnered more than 2,000 likes and more than 250 retweets ... spanning a significant audience.
Nicki's going after "Nosey Heaux" for defamation, claiming she's never used cocaine ... and wants a jury to decide damages of no less than $75,000.
Burstein tells us, "When this case is over, she will no longer be permitted to use the name "Nosey Heaux" because we will take her trademark from her when she does not have enough money to pay the judgment. Anyone else who spreads lies about Nicki will suffer a similar fate."
He continues, "My marching orders are to aggressively sue anyone with a media or social media following who damages her with intentional lies. Eventually, the lesson will be learned."
Originally Published -- 9:01 AM PT
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Trae Tha Truth Donating Fresh Water In Jackson ... Damage Control Or Controlling the Damage?!?
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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!!!
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.
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.
No good deed goes unpunished ... not even supplying clean drinking water!!!
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Queen Elizabeth II William and Harry Walk Behind Coffin Queen Now Lies in State at Westminster Hall
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.
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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.
Trevor Bauer's Accuser Denied Restraining Order Against MLB Star
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.
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PnB Rock Cops Alert Pawn Shops Stolen Jewelry Could Lead to Killer
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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.
Rapper PnB Rock Shot at Roscoe's Chicken & Waffles in Los Angeles
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.
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Nursing Home Hired Stripper Gets Rise Outta Vets!!!
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.
Sooo ... hang on for next year, guys???