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It pays to be a Travis Scott fan in the front row, especially if you can match his energy and recite his lyrics -- 'cause the dude might just throw you a bone ... like he did for this bloke.

The rapper was overseas this weekend, performing at Rolling Loud in the Netherlands ... where he was at a 10 in terms of the hype and throttle. At one point during his set, he came down to the front row to mingle with the crowd, and one dude caught his eye.

The reason ... this fella was rapping TS's own lyrics right back to him, seemingly perfectly and just as animated as Travis too -- almost like they were mirroring each other, really.

Watch what happens next ... Trav appears to be impressed by the fact that the fan was able to keep up, so he rewards him on the spot. He literally yanks his shirt off -- an unreleased "Utopia" tee, it seems -- and hands it to the kid ... and ditto for the shoes off his feet.

You can see a bunch of others in the immediate area trying to get their grubby paws on the stuff, but Travis makes sure it gets into the hands of the person it was all intended for.

BTW, the shoes also appear to be fairly unique -- not only are they Jordans that Travis had personally worn, but they seem to be similar (if not identical) to the custom "Utopia" Nike sneakers that he was recently rocking ... when he had his album handcuffed to a bodyguard.

This Dutch dude posted photos of the merch afterward and said it was the greatest night of his life. He got a 1-on-1 with his idol -- but more importantly, he's got valuable collectibles.

Something positive came from social media Friday ... a Facebook post may have prevented a tragedy that could have had fatal consequences.

Video of a roller coaster zooming across the tracks at Carowinds amusement park in North Carolina revealed a BIG crack on a steel support pillar, which separates and then snaps back into its proper place.

The Fury 325 ride was shut down after people on social began to share the vid, shot by Jeremy Wagner ... presumably for repair.

A spokesman for the park said, "As part of our comprehensive safety protocols, all rides, including Fury 325, undergo daily inspections to ensure their proper functioning and structural integrity.” Well, sounds like Jermey helped.

Fury 325 is billed as “the tallest, fastest, longest giga coaster in North America.” Its speed reaches 95 mph and soars to a height of 325 feet.

Charles Barkley is doing his part in end-running the United States Supreme Court's decision outlawing affirmative action in college admissions ... he's amending his will to provide scholarships for Black students.

Barkley says he'll leave $5 million to his alma mater, Auburn, adding, “That’s just my way of trying to make sure Auburn stays diverse. After that ruling yesterday, my phone was blowing up. I was talking to my friends and said, ‘I need to make sure Black folks always have a place at Auburn.’”

Black students comprise just over 5% of Auburn's student body.

As you know, SCOTUS gutted affirmative action Thursday, ruling that using race as a factor in deciding who gets into a school violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution. The way the ruling is written ... it could have far-reaching implications, including in the area of employment.

John Legend, Chrissy Teigen and their brood lived that Pepto Bismol life, making the now-famed Barbie Malibu Dreamhouse their own for a night!

John, Chrissy and their 4 kids hit up the pink mansion, ahead of the release of the new "Barbie" film. It's been decked out from the foundation to the roof in everything B&K.

Ken was the host, showing the fam all the bells and whistles. Their daughter, Luna, lounged by the pool in a pink chair.

Miles suited up in Ken's cowboy hat and boots and danced a bit inside what looks like a dressing room -- Barbie-inspired, of course.

The flick opens in just under 3 weeks, and the marketing has been pretty spectacular. The mansion will be available to the public on Airbnb for a few days as part of the promotion, but John and Chrissy got an early "booking."

As you know, Chrissy just had a baby, and they welcomed their 4th kid via surrogate last month.

Afroman and Young Buck were recently at odds -- and it got so ugly, hands were thrown ... leading to a full-blown brouhaha breaking out between their respective crews.

Sources with knowledge tell TMZ ... the G-Unit rapper got into it last weekend with one of Afroman's up-and-coming artists, Lil Sodi, at this place called The Zarati Shop in Abingdon, VA -- where Afroman and co. were scheduled to perform, and where YB was also performing.

We're told after Buck exited the stage and Afroman was getting ready to go out there ... some kind of altercation occurred in the VIP room that escalated into a brawl between Sodi and Buck -- and it required lots of people to help break it up.

Afroman took to social media to explain things from his POV. The guy claims Young Buck rolled into the VIP room -- where he and Sodi were -- and appeared to be intoxicated. Not just that, but Afroman says Buck was hurling profanities and being disrespectful ... especially to Sodi.

Afroman says they tried to get Buck to leave them alone, but alleges he kept at it ... and Afroman claims Buck actually smacked Sodi in the stomach ... which apparently set Sodi off.

As you see in our video, it took a while to separate the parties -- Afroman wasn't directly involved in the mix -- and tensions were high in the room. Afroman came down on the venue staffers, whom he said had a responsibility to manage Buck and the talent better.

Now, Young Buck himself had words for Afroman and co. after the fact ... continuing to taunt them and suggesting they could finish their business at another time, while also claiming he was just trying to come show them love and they jumped him.

It's clear Afroman doesn't wanna drag this out -- he posted a peace treaty and well-wishes.

Jay Bloom and his son, Sean, dodged death by skipping a ride on the doomed Titan submersible at the last minute -- and, now they're explaining why ... red flags galore.

The multimillionaire Vegas tycoon -- who recently disclosed he and his boy were on the verge of being passengers themselves -- were out in Bev Hills and he further explained what he and Sean saw that gave them major pause.

It sounds like it was the younger Bloom in this instance that might've saved his old man -- based on what he describes here ... common sense and good judgment kicked in.

Take a listen for yourself ... Sean says there were a few things that stood out to him when he did his research -- including the fact that OceanGate's CEO, Stockton Rush, was literally piloting this thing with nothing more than a Logitech video game controller.

That spelled trouble to Sean ... as did the actual construction/makeup of the vessel itself, which Sean wisely surmised would not be able to withstand the ocean's immense pressure at those far-down depths. While Titan had completed successful voyages up until that point, something in Sean's gut told him to steer clear ... and they obviously chose correctly.

As we all know  ... the five people aboard, including Rush, perished after the sub imploded. Their spots were given to another father-son duo (Shahzada and Suleman Dawood) which is something that, as Jay and Sean explain, lingers. As they say, it could've been them.

Jay believes that Stockton's decision-making did not come from a bad place... but he was just so passionate about his project that it clouded his judgment.

Now, here's the kicker ... Jay and Sean say their prospective Titanic exploration days are NOT behind them, despite everything that's unfolded. In fact, they're down to go down there ... but with the right person.

Victor Wembanyama has talent that would dominate in any era ... so says Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas, who tells TMZ Sports the French superstar would be able to hold his own against the iconic "Bad Boy" Detroit Pistons!!

The San Antonio Spurs' top pick in the 2023 NBA Draft is widely considered the best prospect since LeBron James ... with a skill set that's never been seen from a guy officially listed at 7 feet, three and a half inches tall.

While the 19-year-old can defend, shoot, dribble and pass like a seasoned vet ... Wemby's not the most muscular dude in the world, and some critics are worried about how he'll hold up against the bigger-framed guys in the Association.

All that concern can be put to rest, 'cause when we spoke with Zeke out in NYC this week, we asked how he thought Wemby would fare against the grittiest lineup of all-time -- the 2-time champion Bad Boy Pistons -- and he said, "He would actually be able to stand up [to us]."

It's pretty shocking, considering players like Zeke, Bill Laimbeer, Dennis Rodman and Rick Mahorn made life a living hell for the biggest stars of the late 1980s and early '90s -- just ask Michael Jordan.

Safe to say Isiah thinks the giant hooper has a bright future in the league ... adding, "He's gonna be fine, very excited to have him in the NBA. He's going to be great."

There's more -- Thomas has also been in the headlines recently ... after Chris Paul claimed he played a role in the trade that sent him from the Phoenix Suns to the Washington Wizards.

Katy Perry's looks over the years have shined bright like a "Firework!"

Here is a 26-year-old version of the bedazzled babe standing tall and having a ball during the "VH1 Divas Salute The Troops" in Miramar, California back in 2010 (left). This was around the same year she dropped her mega-hit song "Firework."

And, 13 years later the hot momma recently ignited her explosive voice -- looking like no time has passed for the pop icon -- during the U.K.'s Coronation concert at Windsor Castle (right).

"Cause baby, you're a firework!"

Mrs. Perry has definitely "bloomed" into a beautiful star, but the question is ...

Jason Derulo knows the dangers of fans chucking crap onstage all too well ... and he says it's up to artists to put their foot down to make it stop.

Jason hit Barnes and Noble in NYC Wednesday to promote his new book "Sing Your Name Out Loud: 15 Rules for Living Your Dream" ... and gave his take on why he thinks there's recently been an increase in objects flung at performers.

Jason says the whole thing started with fans tossing their phones at the stage in hopes their favorite artist would snap a pic using the device. After a bunch of performers actually did start taking photos, it gave way to more phones being thrown ... with a mix of other random stuff.

Jason says it's up to performers to stop engaging with the items being thrown ... which will hopefully stop all the madness.

As we reported, Bebe Rexha got nailed in the face by a fan's phone at a show earlier this month, ending up with a black eye and some stitches. The fan was eventually charged for the stunt.

We've since seen Ava Max slapped by a fan while performing, and even Kelsea Ballerini took a bracelet to the face at a recent concert.

Charlie Puth even took to Twitter to share his thoughts on the recent incidents and said, "This trend of throwing things at performers while they are on stage must come to an end. (Bebe, Ava, AND NOW Kelsea Ballerini…) It's so disrespectful and very dangerous. Please just enjoy the music I beg of you…"

The thermometers are starting to top off and there's a smell of sunblock in the air, which can mean only one thing ... It's time to kick off the TMZ Summer Hot Shots features!

This year we are starting off the Fourth of July holiday weekend with the eye-popping influencer Eve Plourde ... a real red-hot firecracker complete with a cheeky checker print bikini and a matching pair of cherry shades!

When Eve isn't looking at life through her rose-colored glasses, she uses her artistic eye to stick it to her customers at her tattoo shop and leaves the competition in the dust in her tricked-out 2014 Subaru WRX.

Vroom-Vroom!

Mike Posner is one of the healthiest dudes in entertainment, but his secret to staying fit isn't about piling it on in the gym ... it's all about sprouts!!!

We spoke with Mike at LAX, where he gave out some really simple pointers which he says not only helped him get super ripped ... but also maintain his toned body.

Mike tells us his number one tip is sprouts -- Mike grows and eats his own product -- and says it's as easy as it sounds ... you don't even need a green thumb.

As far as his own regimen, Mike says he cultivates sprouts of all sorts, and goes outside every day to move his body.

Of course, this is all coming from the guy with an impressive athletic resume. You'll recall, he climbed Mount Everest back in 2021 ... telling us, he wanted to complete the amazing feat so he didn't become a "fat, old, white guy."

Hidden behind this star-studded stud with the busting biceps is a former footballer turned Hollywood personality who started popping up on TV shows like Chris Rock's "Everybody Hates Chris." And today, you can catch him kickin' it on the big stage with Simon Cowell.

Aside from his athletic skills, he's also known for his pec-poppin' dance moves ... he's clearly not afraid of sharp objects as he's seen here holding a cactus, and he had a Rottweiler with razor-sharp-teeth in "White Chicks!"

Can you guess the buff bro decked out in red, white and blue?!

It's been Friday the 13th nonstop at Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's house -- at least that's how the couple is viewing their recent misfortunes ... according to a new report.

The Daily Mail says it's hearing from "insiders" that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex feel like they've been hit with a lot of bad luck over the past few years after they left the Royal Family/institution ... and it's because of this, apparently, that things haven't worked out.

If this report is to be believed ... it would seem they're pointing the finger elsewhere, and not at themselves. Specifically, Meg and Harry are reportedly blaming COVID, the death of the Queen and the death of Prince Philip for overshadowing their achievements -- which they supposedly think would've made bigger splashes under a different set of circumstances.

As far as the pandemic's concerned, DM says their sources claim H&M believe it generally screwed 'em on getting stuff out in an efficient/consistent manner ... not to mention setting them back time-wise, as it did for basically everyone else in the entertainment industry.

When it comes to why they're (reportedly) holding QE2 indirectly responsible ... DM's sources claim they felt like her death coincided with the launch of MM's podcast, 'Archetypes,' and essentially stole all her thunder ... as the world focused more on that a week or so later.

Ditto for the Queen's late husband, Prince Philip, who died about a month after their interview with Oprah aired. Apparently, they think that should've had longer legs than it did ... and that the Duke of Edinburgh's passing overshadowed their big moment.

Speaking of that interview, a separate report from The Times (UK) has some juicy new gossip that they're pedaling ... including the alleged notion that Kate Middleton and Prince William were actually the ones behind that "recollections may vary" line that Buckingham Palace released in their official statement responding to Harry and Meghan's racism claims.

The word is ... that statement was a lot more mild than how it finally came out, and that Will and Kate wanted to toughen it up to push back on H&M's characterization of things.

In other words, things are still icy between Harry and his family -- and not just that, but it appears Hollywood isn't all that interested in his other ideas either ... a double-whammy.

Lump in the fact Harry and Meg were finally booted from their Frogmore Cottage home just earlier this week, and it sure sounds like they're finally out here on their own now without a lifeline -- and clearly no further connection to the Royals ... besides blood, we suppose.

A scene straight out of 'Wizard of Oz' is unfolding in the Great White North -- namely, a humongous tornado ripping through a hilly countryside ... and on a national holiday at that.

Footage has been making the rounds Saturday, which shows a massive twister traversing along Didsbury, Alberta -- where storm chaser Aaron Jayjack has been documenting the natural disaster all morning ... and posting stunning, close-up footage of the tornado.

As he notes in his narration of it all, the tornado is absolutely massive and it's sweeping up everything in its path. He even gets some good shots of how high it goes ... and its height, too, is quite staggering.

Jayjack says the tornado was hitting homes and other parts of properties -- including farms, it seems -- as it carried itself along ... and, as he mentions in his clip, there's debris and dirt flying everywhere. The tornado is also incredibly thick ... not to mention wide. Reports say it was estimated to be about a mile or so across -- so, obviously, this thing is deadly.

The local Royal Canadian Mounted Police says it received reports of extensive damage, as well as some injuries ... but no word yet on how many people were hurt or killed.

Harrison Ford's final rodeo as Indy doesn't seem to be drumming up much interest -- the box office numbers, so far, are looking bad ... and it might be Disney's own doing.

Disney's latest, "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny," raked in a measly $24 mil Friday -- and that means the film is on track for just $60-$65 million through Sunday (and about $80 mil or so through Tuesday) ... which, by most accounts, is not a very good start at all.

These tepid projections haven't wavered much since a couple months ago -- when the movie premiered at Cannes -- and that's a bad sign ... at least from the outside looking in.

'Dial of Destiny' reportedly had a budget of upwards of $300 million (not including promo/marketing) -- so it would have to have long legs at the theaters for Disney and co. to make their money back, let alone turn a profit on it. For now, it doesn't seem like that'll happen ... especially with a few huge blockbusters on the way for the month of July.

Tom Cruise's newest 'Mission: Impossible' is hitting the big screen soon, as is "Barbie" and Christopher Nolan's "Oppenheimer" -- all of which are expected to do fairly decently.

As for why Harrison's flick appears to be primed to be a dud ... there are a lot of theories. Some say there's 'Indiana Jones' fatigue in 2023 (HF is reprising the role in his 80s), others say this movie caters to an older audience (who might be harder to get to a theater).

One interesting take has to do with the fact that Disney started letting the film -- which has gotten middling to bad reviews -- be screened pretty damn early ... and that, perhaps, bad word of mouth has caught up to it now. There's also the fact that Spielberg isn't directing this one ... although he did sign off and gave his blessing to the script/the new director.

Whatever the case, folks aren't itching to see an older (and, at times, a digitally de-aged) Dr. Jones take on Nazis anymore. The appetite for that adventure was left in the 20th century.

Pete Davidson and Colin Jost seemingly bought a ferry together as a joke -- but, now one of those new owners says turning a profit on the damn thing is of the utmost importance.

The 'SNL' alum dished about the $280k Staten Island boat buy with Seth Meyers on a recent podcast episode -- in which he goes into detail about what led up to him partnering with Colin on this in the first place ... and where things stand now more than a year after.

Take a listen for yourself ... Pete acknowledges what he's said about going in on this ferry in the first place -- namely, that he and CJ were both stoned out of their minds when they decided to do it.

Before long, the purchase became reality ... and Pete says Colin called him up one day to talk business -- and to collect on his end of the bargain. PD says he was sent a link to wire over a deposit ... and suddenly, he was straddled with a massive ferry with no real plan.

Not to worry, though ... Pete and Colin have apparently devised a business model for their ferry that they're hoping to manifest -- including turning it into a one-stop shop entertainment hub ... complete with a concert venue, a movie theater, a restaurant and hotel rooms too.

Pete even says he and Colin have commissioned computer-generated mockups of all this ... and says it's well underway, although it's still years in the making. Like, 5 years specifically.

When Seth Meyers marvels at how well thought out their ferry future is, Pete quips -- "Yeah, we have to cause we’re in the hole." To what extent, exactly, is unclear ... but it seems Pete and co. certainly wanna get a return on investment -- because as he says, "Now I'm like stuck with a f****ing boat."