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Ja Morant gave Lil Wayne the cold shoulder when the rapper tried to lend a helping hand following his recent gun controversy ... so says Skip Bayless, who claims he was given the information from the Young Money honcho himself.

The FS1 host shared Wayne's apparent side of the story on the "Skip Bayless Show" podcast this week ... saying the "Kant Nobody" M.C.'s personal experiences influenced his decision to reach out to the All-Star guard.

According to Skip, Wayne reminisced on his own time spent on Rikers Island for gun possession ... and made it known he didn't want Ja to end up in the same cell.

Skip says the message was delivered ... but claims Ja and his team never got back to Wayne.

Wayne isn't the only rapper concerned about Ja's well-being.

Cam'ron, who says he dashed his own basketball dreams to pursue moves in the streets, has also been publicly telling Ja to revert course ... especially since the Dipset rapper doesn't think a career in hip-hop is in the cards for the Grizzlies star.

Skip's gonna need to map out a game plan to discuss more of Ja's plight -- he's currently without a debate partner at "Undisputed" after Shannon Sharpe announced his departure on Tuesday.

The mass shooting after the Nuggets' championship win in Denver on Tuesday morning appeared to be sparked by a drug deal gone wrong ... this according to cops.

Denver chief of police Ron Thomas made the revelation on Tuesday afternoon ... explaining that they discovered cash, firearms and what appeared to be fentanyl at the scene -- all signs that point toward a botched drug deal.

Two people, Thomas said, are in police custody -- though their exact involvement remains unclear.

Of the 10 people that sustained gunshot wounds, authorities said they believe five or six were innocent bystanders. All 10, thankfully, are now in "fair condition," according to officials ... though five still remain in the hospital.

The gunshots initially broke out about a mile from Ball Arena at around 12:30 AM ... roughly three and a half hours after Denver beat Miami to win the NBA title in Game 5.

Officials praised the actions of responding officers -- releasing video from the scene that showed cops running toward the gunshots in an effort to keep people safe.

An investigation into it all, officials added, remains ongoing.

Larsa Pippen says she was in super stealth mode in the early days of her relationship with Marcus Jordan ... admitting she gave her boyfriend an alias in her phone to keep people from finding out about their budding romance.

The 48-year-old reality TV star revealed the sneaky tactic in the couple's new podcast, "Separation Anxiety" ... saying she initially couldn't risk having people find out what was going on behind the scenes.

"I could never really put you under your name in my phone," Pippen said. "So I had you under Marc Jacob."

"I didn't want anyone to know when you called me."

Marcus seemed to completely understand the reasoning behind it -- after all, Scottie Pippen is Larsa's ex-husband, who has major beef with Marcus' pops, Michael Jordan ... and the two knew there was going to be a lot of "interest" if word got out that they were dating.

But, the couple decided to say to hell with the hate after a few months ... which was made clear after they started packing on the PDA wherever they went.

Marcus also spoke about how things got started ... and apparently Yo Gotti was right, 'cause it really does go down in the DMs.

"I do remember going on a trip to the Bahamas, taking a big group of friends, hit you in the DMs just saying, 'Hey, look we going to the Bahamas, you're more than welcome to come,'" Jordan said.

"I'll probably say that's the first move."

Pippen also had a few words for the trolls who still don't believe she just met Marcus a few years ago ... since Scottie and MJ played together for over a decade

"Like, I threw your 5th birthday or something," Pippen said. "Like, no, by the way, I never met you before."

Larsa admitted she feared she would never find true love again ... claiming there was no one out there who really got her attention the way Marcus does.

"I think I might be single forever because there's no one that's cute, funny, smart," Pippen said.

"Then when you and I first got together, I was like, 'Oh, my God, this is the guy.' This is the guy I prayed for, 'cause I really prayed for a best friend and I feel like I got my best friend."

Ted Kaczynski, the man known as the "Unabomber," died by suicide in federal prison by hanging himself, TMZ has learned.

According to a 911 audio recording, obtained by TMZ ... someone inside the prison called emergency services Saturday morning, requesting assistance at FMC Butner in North Carolina.

The caller stated he "got a guy that was hanging ... they got a crash cart up there now." A crash cart is a wheeled container that carries medicine and equipment for use in emergency resuscitations.

Sources with direct knowledge tell us ... Kaczynski suffered serious neck injuries, including redness from ear to ear and a deformed/depressed trachea. We're told rigor mortis had also set in, particularly in his arms and legs.

One source told us leading up to his death, Kaczynski appeared ghost-like and frail -- unlike how he looked when he was arrested by the FBI in Montana on April 3, 1996. He was serving life in prison after his federal conviction for killing 3 people and maiming many others during a 20-year domestic terror campaign, involving mail bombs.

Amber Heard's million-dollar IOU to Johnny Depp has finally been paid -- and now, we know exactly where the money's going ... different charities near and dear to his heart.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... in light of the million recently making its way to Johnny -- which, as we reported, was covered by Amber's insurance company as part of her settlement following the U.S. defamation trial -- JD is ready to dish out the dough, pronto.

We're told the cash will be split up evenly five different ways for 5 different orgs -- so, $200k each -- that tackle causes Johnny believes in. Those efforts include everything from aiding sick children with life-threatening illnesses and providing housing for historically disenfranchised communities ... to preserving ecosystems/natural environments globally.

Specifically, he'll be donating to the following nonprofits ... Make-A-Film Foundation, The Painted Turtle, Red Feather, Tetiaroa Society and the Amazonia Fund Alliance.

Make-A-Film is similar to Make-A-Wish, but it grants kids' wishes from people within the film world -- actors, directors, etc. We're told Johnny's done a short film with them in the past, so that's why he's selecting them on his short list.

BTW, our sources tell us two other orgs here -- Painted Turtle and Tetiaroa Society -- are actually homages to heroes in Johnny's life ... namely, Paul Newman and Marlon Brando. Each guy was instrumental in these charities' founding and success over the years, and we're told Johnny wants to continue their legacies, respectively, by making these donations.

Red Feather and Amazonia, meanwhile, are all about helping indigenous communities keep their culture and heritage intact all over the Americas (North and South) ... be it through shelters and sanctuaries for individuals or large-scale infrastructure projects to protect villages.

The Drake curse may officially be over. The hip-hop superstar hit on two massive bets when the Denver Nuggets secured the 'chip in 5 games, profiting over 800 grand!

The 36-year-old superstar placed two bets on the Denver Nuggets back on June 1, before game 1 was played. The first wager ... risking $1 million on the Nuggets to win the series outright (pays 1.23 mil total). The second ... Drizzy put up $250K on the Nuggets winning the series in 5 games (pays $850K).

All told (assuming Drake isn't holding back any losing tickets), the rapper, minus what he risked, won $830K!

It's a good sign for many of the most popular teams across the sports landscape. Of course, Drake's notorious for rooting for, and betting on teams or athletes ... who have then had a reputation for losing.

Thus, the Drake curse.

The Kentucky Wildcats basketball team fell victim to it, and so did the Alabama Crimson Tide football team. Conor McGregor, too (though Khabib probably deserves the credit here).

Not all have fell victim. Drake's beloved Toronto Raptors won the title in 2019, Tyson Fury, who the rapper supported against Deontay Wilder in 2021, also won.

Now, you can add the Nuggets to that list.

Ezra Miller showed face in public for the first time in a long time during "The Flash" premiere -- and just as promised ... they didn't answer many questions, and kept it moving.

The embattled actor -- who's been at the center of several arrests and scandals over the past year and change -- walked the red carpet Monday in Los Angeles ... where their new DC superhero film debuted in a highly-anticipated screening at the Ovation in Hollywood.

It'd been reported EM would show up in the flesh and pose for pics ... but they weren't fielding very much from reporters and other media members on hand ... probably for good reason. Word is, WBD wants Ezra to lay low and just let this movie come out -- all in hopes that the hype and solid word-of-mouth will wash over their lingering drama.

In that spirit, Ezra stuck to the script while heading inside ... maintaining a fairly neutral expression and barely cracking a smile or throwing a wave. They did stop for cameras and pose with fellow costars and crew -- including director Andy Muschietti -- but that's not all.

While many believed Ezra wouldn't talk to journalists, period ... they actually did. It sounds like nothing was asked about their troubles -- and they only spoke about the new flick.

Interesting choice, no doubt. Remember, there hasn't been too much publicity and press ahead of "The Flash" -- and if there was, other actors handled it -- and that was apparently on purpose and the studio's call. You'll recall ... Ezra has been accused of quite a lot.

In addition to their burglary case in Vermont -- for which they copped a plea deal to a lesser charge of trespassing -- Ezra has allegedly wreaked havoc elsewhere ... including in the great state of Hawaii, where several people claimed they'd either harassed or attacked individuals.

Two of those incidents resulted in arrests ... not to mention wild body cam footage.

Of course, there's also the alleged choking incident -- where Ezra appears to have gotten their hands around the neck of an unsuspecting woman in Iceland, and taking her down.

There's been more allegations about Ezra -- everything from alleged child grooming/kidnapping to hoarding weapons/drugs and more -- but it appears they're ready to turn the page and get a move on with this film ... which is supposedly quite great.

As we've reported ... Ezra has apologized for their erratic behavior and vowed to seek professional mental health help in getting back on track.

Considering the director of "The Flash" has already said he'd recast Ezra in this role for any potential sequel in a heartbeat -- plus, the reported fact a sequel is, in fact, already written -- it seems Ezra's already on the road to redemption and then some. Almost a 180, really.

"The Flash" hits theaters and opens wide everywhere Friday.

Ex-NFL star Peyton Hillis is opening up on the day he heroically saved his son and niece from a fierce rip current in Florida earlier this year ... saying it's a "miracle" everyone survived.

The former Cleveland Browns running back detailed the Jan. 4 rescue mission in an interview with "Good Morning America" ... where he explained there were no warning flags near their spot at Pensacola Beach prior to the incident.

Hillis said he immediately sprang into action and ran into the water as soon as he found out the kids were in danger -- and he had an impossible decision to make.

"I think the scariest point ... was when I'm swimming to my son and I have to pass by him because my niece is in more danger," Hillis told Michael Strahan. "I knew that I had to pass him up to get to Camille first. Because, you know, if I didn't then there's no way she would've made it."

After getting his niece to safety, Hillis said by the time he was back in the water, his son, Orry, was out of energy and couldn't swim anymore ... and he was struggling to stay afloat himself.

In fact, Hillis said he saw his son's eyes roll in the back of his head ... and he began to pray as he fought his way back to shore.

"Lord, please," Hillis said. "Like, I really don't care about my life. I don't. But if we can get him out of here that’s the only thing I’m going to care about."

Thankfully, Hillis was able to get Orry to safety ... but that's when the former Madden cover athlete started to lose consciousness -- and his kidneys and lungs began to fail.

Hillis was airlifted to a nearby hospital, where he spent more than a week in the ICU ... and he said the road to recovery is long.

"I don't think my lungs will ever get back to where they needed to be," Hillis continued. "Physically, it's coming along okay. Mentally things [are] coming along a lot slower. I'm just trying to take it one day at a time."

Garth Brooks has heard all the noise about him promising to sell Bud Light at his new Nashville bar -- and he's here to put out the fire ... by again vowing BL will be on tap.

The country star hopped on camera Monday to address the "stir" that had been caused by his comments last week -- namely, where he alluded to the fact that he'd be serving the now-controversial Anheuser-Busch brand at his forthcoming Honky Tonk on Broadway.

You'd think his OG remarks were quite clear in his stance -- and, on their face, they certainly were -- but GB wanted to hit the point home further by elaborating on his rationale.

Check out his breakdown on why he's going to sell Bud Light in his establishment -- he says this is all about diversity and inclusiveness, which he wants his business to foster ... and which he says he's always been about as a person. We know, that might be a shocker to folks.

As for those who disagree with him on this issue -- and even those who might choose to boycott his bar -- Garth has a telling response ... hey man, that's okay too. It's a refreshing take.

Now, on top of wanting to host a place where all are welcome ... Garth also says that, as far as his beer selection, it's the people and patrons who actually decide what's going to be served -- and they do so with the use of their dollar. Basically, he says Bud Light is still one of the most popular beers around ... and until it isn't, it's going to have a place there.

Garth's got one final message for anyone who wants to swing by and enjoy themselves -- in short, he says to come in with love and acceptance ... and with an open mind too.

The simplicity in his PSA is actually charming, and it sorta puts this whole "controversy" in perspective. We now live in a time where people are riled up about who's drinking what beer -- and the way Garth explains it, that's all pretty damn silly.

Cheers, y'all...

Put away the celebratory joints ... Snoop Dogg will not be the next owner of the Ottawa Senators after all -- the NHL franchise announced Tuesday it's opted to sell its team to another bidder.

Snoop had been a part of the group that L.A.-based entrepreneur Neko Sparks had put together in an effort to buy the hockey team ... but the Sens revealed they ultimately chose to go with the offer that Toronto billionaire Michael Andlauer had made instead.

Reportedly, Andlauer and his backers will fork over right around $1 BILLION for the team as part of the sale.

Snoop has yet to comment on the matter ... but it's no doubt got to be disappointing for the rapper -- you'll recall, back when he initially became a part of Sparks' group, he said in an Instagram post that he desperately wanted the squad.

Andlauer, meanwhile, said Tuesday he was fired up to have beaten out the rest to become the team's next owner.

"I believe that the Senators' fanbase is one of the most passionate in the league," he said, "and I'm excited to take the franchise's success both on and off the ice to the next level."

An NBA championship celebration in Denver quickly turned from jubilation to terror ... as 10 people were injured in a mass shooting in the city following the Nuggets' win.

According to the Denver Police Dept. ... the shooting took place about a mile from Ball Arena at around 12:30 AM on Tuesday morning.

Full details surrounding the incident are not yet clear -- cops described the scene as "a complex" situation -- though they did say 10 total people had sustained gunshot wounds.

Cops revealed one of the injured has been identified as a suspect. Three others, police said, are in critical condition. The rest "are believed to have non-life-threatening injuries."

"As far as what led up to this altercation that resulted in the shots being fired, that’s still under investigation at this time," a police spokesperson said. "It did occur in the area where we had largest gathering of folks celebrating during the night."

Photos from the scene show authorities have marked off the area with caution tape as an investigation continues.

Just prior to the shooting, it had been nothing but a good time for those in the city who were celebrating the Nuggets' 94-89 Game 5 victory over the Heat.

Fans had climbed street poles to cheer on their NBA team with others -- before they hurled themselves into happy crowds below.

Others were seen shooting off fireworks to commemorate the team's first-ever title.

Inside the arena, meanwhile, Nuggets players couldn't have been happier to finish off their championship run ... the guys doused each other in booze in the locker room -- and at one point, series MVP Nikola Jokic tossed Jamal Murray into a pool.

Treat Williams, whose career accomplishments include "Hair" and "Everwood" has died as the result of a motorcycle accident.

Williams' agent, Barry McPherson, tells People, "He was killed this afternoon. He was making a left or a right [and] a car cut him off. I'm just devastated. He was the nicest guy. He was so talented."

People reports the crash happened Monday in Dorset, Vermont.

Williams' career spanned decades, with appearances on "Blue Bloods" as recent as this year. He appeared in nearly 100 episodes of "Everwood" in the early 2000s as Dr. Andrew Brown ... and played Berger in "Hair" in 1979.

Williams was a three-time Golden Globe nominee, for his work on "Hair," "Prince of the City" and "A Streetcar Named Desire." He also received a Best Actor Emmy nomination for his work in "The Late Shift" in 1996.

He is survived by wife, Pam Van Sant, and their two kids, Gill and Ellie.

Treat was 71.

RIP

Kroy Biermann knows his estranged wife, Kim Zolciak, has zero filter when it comes to talking drama on camera, and he's worried about how it might impact their children.

According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, the former NFL star filed a motion to appoint a guardians ad litem -- meaning someone who would essentially make sure the best interests of the kids are represented during the divorce proceedings.

Kroy claims he's tried his best to keep the estranged couple's minor kids -- Kroy Jr., Kash, and twins Kaia and Kane -- away from all the noise Kim's been making about their split, but adds she's constantly dragging him and talking in an "abusive" and "derogatory tone" about the divorce.

He's also concerned Kim will use her 'Real Housewives of Atlanta' outlet to garner more attention ... noting she's already alleged he smokes too much pot to take care of the kids, something he insists she has no proof to support.

Kroy doesn't hold back -- saying she's the one who's not paying enough attention to their kids lately and has been spending too much time on virtual slot machines ... adding one of the few times she does pay attention is when she lets them gamble on her account.

What's more, he says he's concerned she's taking videos of herself while driving with the kids in the car, and says he's picked up most of the slack since they let go of their nannies and chefs ... although he does say Kim has made a few meals for the kids like chicken fingers and frozen pizza.

TMZ broke the story, Kim recently posted a pic of herself with some 'RHOA' cast members -- leading many to speculate she was back to filming on the show. However, our sources say the photo was taken a few months back -- before the split -- and Kim only filmed a cameo.

Woah Vicky is ditching her famous look in an effort to go big in Hollywood ... removing her tattoos as she eyes a career as a model and actress.

The internet star went to Bad Habits Tattoos & Laser Tattoo Removal in Fort Lauderdale last weekend, with owner Liz Chaviano telling us it was the first of many sessions to scrub Woah Vicky's many tattoos.

Vicky is heavily inked ... and we're told she's getting the tattoos on her hands, forearm, shoulder and inner biceps removed.

As for the reason behind the change ... Liz says Woah Vicky is seeking a fresh start in Hollywood, and she wants her body to be a blank canvas as her career evolves. She is hoping this will keep her options open when it comes to roles and opportunities.

Woah Vicky's also got ink on her back, stomach and legs and feet ... but it sounds like those are staying put, at least for now.

"Coward!"

That's Julianna Pena's reaction to Amanda Nunes' retiring inside the Octagon after UFC 289 ... walking away from the sport before the two UFC stars got a chance to fight for a third and deciding time.

The former bantamweight champ joined Babcock on the "TMZ Sports" TV show (airs weeknights on FS1) ... where she viscerally reacted to Nunes' retirement.

"There's unfinished business and listen, the reality is that Amanda retired. She had a great career, but let's call a spade a spade. She's a coward. From the very beginning, the UFC told me that she didn't want to fight me and that's why it took so long for them to make the trilogy," Amanda told us.

Of course, 35-year-old Nunes easily handled Irene Aldana, scoring a decisive and unanimous 5-round decision Saturday night in Vancouver ... before she laid down her gloves in the center of the cage.

Remember, 33-year-old Pena defeated Nunes at UFC 269 in December 2021, in turn taking her bantamweight title. The women rematched at UFC 277 in July 2022 ... a fight Amanda won by unanimous decision (though, if you watch the video, the fight wasn't without controversy).

The Venezuelan Vixen and Lioness were supposed to settle their score once and for all at 289 ... but Julianna was forced to drop out after suffering a serious rib injury.

"We're 1-1, it's tied up and the fact that she walked away like this, it's unfortunate but personally, congratulations. Professionally, what the heck is that?"

Now, the expectation is Pena will fight Raquel Pennington or another top contender ... but, Amanda doesn't think Julianna will ever be champ again, and she said as much during her post-fight presser.

Pena believes Nunes is simply taking a shot at her.

"[Amanda] knows what can happen. She knows that she lost her belt to me and she knows that I'm a threat. She's gonna do everything and anything that she can to discredit me to say that I'm not good or that I'm never gonna be champion."

Julianna says she's not been left to "carry the whole division" by herself ... and she doesn't plan to sit around and dream about what a trilogy could've been like. It's onward and upward for the former champ.

"At this point, [Amanda's] dead to me. You retired, good, go, ride off into the sunset, have a good time. We gotta keep s*** pushing around here, so let's keep this division open and alive and things are gonna be exciting!"

But, with that said ... Pena did leave open the possibility for a future fight.

Outkast will go down as one of the best hip hop duos in history ... but don't cross your fingers for a reunion cuz Sleepy Brown says the group is done for good.

TMZ Hip Hop caught Mr. Brown out at LAX Monday ... and with the 20th anniversary of Kast's monster album "Speakerboxxx/The Love Below" approaching, we wanted to see if there's any chance they use that milestone to slip back into the music mix.

The Organized Noize producer laid out the obvious for us ... André 3000's cosmic defection from the group caused their indefinite end, and not even a celebration of one of the only rap projects to win Album of the Year at the Grammys can resurrect the movement.

Sleepy and Big Boi have since joined forces ... releasing their joint album "Big Sleepover" in 2021 and still wooing audiences past with their chart-topping classic "The Way You Move!!!"

Outkast has one of the best catalogs in rap music history as well. When it comes to ranking their albums, Sleepy feels the group's 1998 album "Aquemini" holds the 👑.

The eclectic LP spawned the classic records "Rosa Parks," "SpottieOttieDopaliscious" and was the first album from southern rappers to get a perfect rating in "The Source" magazine back in the day.