Quavo Honors Takeoff 🚀 While Giving Back to Hundreds of ATL Kids

Quavo recently pushed his "Rocket Power" album back a bit, but he's still busy hosting his 2nd "Ultimate Back 2 School Giveback" ... which benefitted 270+ Atlanta local families!!!

The event, held at The Gathering Spot in Atlanta, was bittersweet with the absence of his late nephew Takeoff ... but Quavo and the family honored the fallen Migos rapper with commemorative "94 Rocket Power" jerseys, referencing the year of Take's birth.

Fellow Atlanta-bred artist 6LACK also showed up to support the Quavo Cares and Tender Foundation collab. No child went home empty-handed ... backpacks, notebooks and pencils were all dished out and 2 kids even won iPad Minis!!!

Quavo's giveaway served grades pre-k all the way to high school and kept the youth busy with apparel giveaways, popsicles for the hot weather, a live DJ, a sensory station, and more games.

The superstar rapper will have even more back-to-school material when his album drops on August 18!!!

World Dog Surfing Championships Pooches Hang 10 ... Cowa-bark-a!!!

Leave the leash, treats, toys and water bowls at home -- these dogs are totally content on riding waves -- and make for some pretty cute pics, too.

The annual World Dog Surfing Championships went down near San Francisco Saturday, and it featured tons of pooches who threw on their life vests and went out to catch some waves ... all in the name of charity and good fun.

The event is pretty self-explanatory -- you place your pup on a surfboard and take 'em out to sea, push them up onto a relatively small wave (whitewater, really) and see how long they can stay on. In the case of some of these doggos, they were able to cruise pretty far!

As far as how this is scored ... it comes down to confidence, style and, of course, how long they can maintain their balance. As it turns out, there were some top dogs to be crowned.

Seven different categories were under consideration -- including Small/Medium/Large/XL solo rides ... as well human-dog and dog-dog tandems. There was also a category for best in show -- and that ended up going to a little guy named Carson, a Terrier of some sort.

Like we said ... this thing benefits great causes -- including raising money for nonprofits pertaining to dog rescues, surfing and environmental efforts. Folks who attended also had the opportunity to adopt shelter and rescue dogs ... a win-win for pets and prospective owners.

Indeed, this was freakin' paw-some!

Kim Kardashian Slammed By C-Murder Victim's Family ... He Shouldn't Be Released!!!

Kim Kardashian used her voice to try to spring Master P's incarcerated brother C-Murder from prison, but the gesture was a slap in the face to his alleged victim's family.

George Thomas, brother of the slain Steve Thomas, tells TMZ Hip Hop ... whenever a celebrity such as Kim Kardashian advocates for C-Murder, it's like reopening the same wound that cut the family so deep years ago.

He says the advocacy from Kim K and other celebs has made it impossible to properly mourn Steve, who was only 16 at the time of his death, adding the family is constantly reliving the pain.

George says there's a mountain of evidence pointing to C-Murder as the killer, and thinks it's just celebs -- not the common man -- who want the ex-No Limit rapper freed from prison.

Kim jumped on a new Louisiana law Thursday that allows the incarcerated to prove their innocence, and seems to think it could be C-Murder's ticket out. She noted C's conviction is based on the testimony of two men -- both of whom have now recanted their testimony.

George says he's all for Kim using her voice to help innocent people, C-Murder is not that guy -- his conviction was upheld in 2011 and he even appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, which refused to hear the case.

C-Murder was found guilty of second-degree murder for the beating and shooting death of Steve. He was sentenced to mandatory life in prison.

C-Murder's legal team has waged legal war on his behalf ... arguing he didn't get a fair trial because of jury irregularities. The team wrote, "One juror cast a guilty vote not based on the evidence but because she wanted to end deliberations to protect another juror who refused to convict Miller but was targeted by other jurors to change her mind."

Montgomery, Alabama Riverboat Brawl Turns Racial Fast ... Black Versus White

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BRAWL ON THE RIVER

A massive brawl along the docks of a river in the deep South unfolded this weekend -- and it was pretty black and white as far as what was going down ... quite literally.

This wild scene took place Saturday at Riverfront Park in Montgomery, AL -- where multiple eyewitnesses say a riverboat was trying to pull in, but couldn't ... because some locals in a smaller pontoon boat were blocking the space, something a security guard tried rectifying.

That's where this first video picks up ... the man in the white shirt -- who's Black -- is said to be a guard/dock worker of some sort, and he was telling these white dudes to move. It erupted into a 4-on-1 deal, with the white guys wailing on the man ... while others watched.

Soon, though ... other Black people jumped into the mix to come this gentleman's aid -- including somebody who threw themselves into the water from across the way to swim over.

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THE FIGHTING CONTINUES...

Eventually, the initial fracas came to an end ... but it was far from over. Another group of Black individuals -- who were apparently staffers on the riverboat -- saw what happened and raced down to confront the white assailants ... and another beatdown ensued all over again.

This time, the 4 white men on the boat were very clearly outnumbered ... and all hell broke loose. People were getting punched, knocked down -- it was straight up pandemonium.

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MONTGOMERY MADNESS

Naturally, the cops arrived and multiple people were arrested. While there might've been some confusion, at first, as to what started all this ... Montgomery's mayor, Steven Reed, made it clear it was the white guys who antagonized this ... and consequences are coming.

He says, "[T]he Montgomery Police Department acted swiftly to detain several reckless individuals for attacking a man who was doing his job. Warrants are being signed and justice will be served." Unclear who the instigators in the smaller boat were at this point.

Ne-Yo Offers Up 'Deepest Apologies' After Anti-Trans Comments

UPDATE

12:54 PM PT -- Ne-Yo's not done yet ... posting a video to his Instagram and letting people know he's not apologizing for having an opinion, he's just sorry for the hurt he may have caused for some of the people he offended.

UPDATE
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I SAID WHAT I SAID
Instagram / @neyo

Ne-Yo is pulling back on his controversial comments about parents who allow their kids to be transgender ... claiming he's always been an advocate for inclusiveness.

The singer said Sunday night, "After much reflection, I’d like to express my deepest apologies to anyone that I may have hurt with my comments on parenting and gender identity."

He also said he's "always been an advocate for love and inclusivity in the LGBTQI+ community, so I understand how my comments could’ve been interpreted as insensitive and offensive."

As we reported, Ne-Yo had folks pretty ticked off by a Saturday interview with VladTV's Gloria Velez, in which he condemned parents who affirm their child's gender identity.

He said he grew up with only 2 genders, and has no problem with others identifying however they want -- but added, "It becomes my business when you try to make me play the game."

He told Gloria, "I feel like parents have almost forgotten what the role of a parent is. If your little boy comes to you and says, ‘Daddy, I want to be a girl.’ And you just let him rock with that? He’s 5. He can’t drive a car yet, but he can decide his sex?"

In his Sunday night mea culpa on X, Ne-Yo added ... gender identity is "nuanced," and he plans to "better educate myself on the topic, so I can approach future conversations with more empathy."

Originally Published 6:59 AM PT

Kaitlyn Bristowe & Jason Tartick 'Bachelor' Nation Stars Break Off Engagement

"The Bachelorette" alums Kaitlyn Bristowe and Jason Tartick have said their goodbyes ... calling it quits on their engagement after 4 years together.

They announced the split in a joint statement, posted on Instagram Sunday ... saying they're "saddened with heavy hearts to share that we have decided to end our engagement," breaking the news after filling in family and close friends.

Kaitlyn and Jason say they're thankful for those that gave them "time and space to process the life-altering decision as there are many emotions and changes to navigate."

They add they'll be co-parenting their 2 dogs, Ramen and Pinot ... and say they'll be remaining friends despite the breakup -- writing, "We feel grateful to be ending our engagement with love and respect for each other," adding it's "heartbreaking" to say goodbye.

Fans of the show remember Kaitlyn first appeared on Chris Soules' season of "The Bachelor," then returned to "The Bachelorette" the same year as the season's lead. As for Jason, he was on Becca Kufrin's season in 2018.

Kaitlyn and Jason met in 2019 when he jumped on an episode of her "Off the Vine" podcast -- they started dating that same year and announced their engagement in May of 2021.

FYI, Kaitlyn told her followers soon after their breakup announcement that she'd be going off the grid for a while ... writing, "I just know social media can be awful so taking a little break."

Conor McGregor Using Gaethje's Name For Clout Says Manager Ali Abdelaziz

Justin Gaethje is arguably the hottest fighter in the UFC right now after his highlight-reel knockout of Dustin Poirier, and that's why Conor McGregor is calling out the lightweight star on social media ... he's clout chasing, according to JG's manager.

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FUTURE IS BRIGHT
TMZSports.com

TMZ Sports talked to Ali Abdelaziz days after his star client went home with the BMF belt, which he won during the main event of UFC 291. While people were in awe of Gaethje's fight-ending head kick, The Notorious wasn't one of them ... Conor quickly hit up Twitter and trashed Justin.

Just jealousy, according to Ali.

"Conor McGregor, he lost himself. He doesn't know who he is. He's a guy who isn't even a fighter. He's a retired fighter. He's not in the USADA program, he probably weighs almost close to 200 pounds. He just wants clout," Abdelaziz told us.

"Justin Gaethje's a gladiator. Dustin Poirier's a gladiator. Kamaru Usman, Islam, Max Holloway, all those guys are gladiators. He's not a gladiator anymore."

Speaking of Poirier, McGregor hasn't fought since breaking his leg against Diamond at UFC 264 in July 2021.

"Conor McGregor is a pretender right now," Abdelaziz said.

"He gets in fights in bars and at Grammy's, street fights. He gets in fights when he has security there to protect him."

Conor is/was supposed to fight Michael Chandler (who coached opposite him on TUF), but that fight hasn't yet been made, and reports indicate McGregor isn't in the USADA test pool yet, meaning he couldn't fight for at least 6 months.

Listening to Ali, it very much seems Conor and Justin is NOT going to happen. Question is, who will it be? Abdelaziz breaks it down.

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MAJOR OPPORTUNITY
TMZSports.com

We also talked to Ali, who counts fighters like Islam Makhachev, Kamaru Usman, Henry Cejudo, Kayla Harrison, and Khabib Nurmagomedov as clients, about becoming the manager to speak in front of the Association Boxing Commissions and Combative Sports (ABC) conference in Las Vegas this week.

Senator Mitch McConnell Crowd Boos And Demands He Retire

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CRUSHED BY THE CROWD

Mitch McConnell -- one of the most powerful politicians in the country -- was drowned out by calls to retire during a speech in Kentucky over the weekend.

The 81-year-old Senate Minority Leader -- who has been battling health issues for several years -- was giving a speech at the Fancy Farm Picnic in his home state of Kentucky Saturday when the crowd turned on him BIG TIME.

Check out the video ... McConnell -- a staunch Republican -- was taunted by his constituents in the heavily red state. For over a minute, people were loudly chanting, "Retire," while booing him.

But McConnell didn't seem to let it bother him as he carried on, finishing his address. The only problem was ... you couldn't hear anything he was saying over all the jeers from the audience.

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THE TENSE MOMENT

McConnell has been struggling with health problems, which have spilled out into the open. During a recent press conference, McConnell froze up mid-sentence at a podium and stood there for more than 30 seconds with a blank stare on his face.

In March, he tripped and fell at a Washington D.C. hotel, sending him to the hospital with a concussion.

Elvis Presley Buy His Old Revolver ... Smith & Wesson Model 53

Elvis Presley was a proud gun owner, and now a revolver from his expansive firearms collection is hitting the auction block, where it's expected to fetch five figures.

The gun going up for sale is a Smith & Wesson Model 53 double-action revolver ... and it was gifted to Elvis in November 1976, just 9 months before he died.

Like most relics from '76, Elvis' revolver commemorates the Bicentennial ... Smith & Wesson's master engraver, Russell Smith, customized the gun with silver inlaid five-pointed stars and the weapon features gold accents, with "1776-1976" inscribed near the muzzle.

Elvis' gun also includes a bald eagle holding a 13-star Betsy Ross American flag on one frame, a gold minuteman flanked by stars on the other frame, plus the Liberty Bell on the back strap.

Basically, the revolver screams AMERICA!!!

Elvis' firearm is going up for sale through Rock Island Auction Company ... and it's featured in this month's "Premier Auction," where the winning bid is expected to land somewhere between $60,000 and $90,000.

The King of Rock and Roll reportedly owned 37 firearms and a machine gun ... and now a special one's finding its way to the open market.

Guess Who This Cheesin' Kid Turned Into!

Before this kid with blonde hair and blue eyes was singing and grooving on stage, he was just infatuated with outer space, growing up with his older sister in Mississippi and dreaming of being a performer one day...

His fans never get 'sick and tired of hearing all' the tunes he and his fellow boy banders sing. And outside of his acting and singing career, he's appeared on reality television ... most famously ordaining the marriage of Jax Taylor and Brittany Cartwright.

Need one more clue? When he's not on Daddy duty, he may be sippin' on some sangria with LVP!

Can you guess who he is?

Mark Zuckerberg Suggests Threads Over Elon's X ... I'm Ready to Fight Now, Bro

update

3:07 PM PT -- Elon Musk might need more time to train and get ready for a cage match against Mark Zuckerberg -- but the Facebook founder says he's ready now.

Post by @zuck
View on Threads

Zuck fired back at Elon's chirping this weekend, taking to his own platform (Threads) to point out that he's all set to rumble, and at a moment's notice. He also says he suggested a date of August 26 when Elon first challenged him -- but claims EM is stonewalling.

Finally, MZ takes a jab at Elon's proposal of streaming the bout on X -- suggesting Threads would be a better place for generating actual revenue (for charity). Twitter/X has been in dire financial straits for months now.

Elon's teased the fact that he's pumping iron in preparation, but also notes ... Mark probably has him beat on stamina -- and that if they duke it out, he'd wanna end it quickly.

Elon Musk plans to make some loot for his company formally known as Twitter, because he's planning on live-streaming his highly anticipated fight with Mark Zuckerberg on X ... so he declared Sunday.

TMZ has been reporting, Zuck and Musk are both all in for mixing it up in the UFC octagon.  There were actually talks between UFC and the Italian Foreign Ministry about holding the fight at the Coliseum, but our sources say that's not going to happen.

We're also told if the fight goes down, it will likely take months. We're surmising from what we're hearing Elon needs more time to train ... something Zuck has been doing for a long time.

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THE BIGGEST FIGHT IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD
TMZSports.com

Despite their height and weight disparity -- Zuck's 5'7" and 150 lbs, while Musk towers over him at 6'2" weighing 230 -- M.Z. had a big edge when it comes to stamina.

The more these guys jawbone back and forth, the more likely it is they'll fight, because neither one is prone to blinking.

Stay tuned.

Originally Published -- 6:04 AM PT

Loch Ness Monster Largest Search in Years Set to Begin Help Us Find This Big SOB!!!

The Loch Ness Monster's days of hiding might soon be over -- 'cause a group of enthusiasts say they're ready to find this elusive beast once and for all ... but they need a hand.

The Loch Ness Centre in Drumnadrochit is teaming up with a volunteer research group called Loch Ness Exploration -- and together, they're organizing what they call a massive effort to track down the famed mythical creature ... who's rumored to inhabit the local loch.

It might sound silly ... but these folks are legit planning to scour the massive body of water for ol' Nessie, which has been described as a long-necked dinosaur that supposedly still exists ... with reported sightings dating back decades from people claiming to have seen it.

In this latest search -- the biggest one since the early '70s, according to LNC -- the two groups are said to be trotting out a lot of state-of-the-art equipment to conduct their work.

That includes ... thermal drones, infrared cameras, and a hydrophone, among other devices, which will be used over the course of two days between Aug. 26 and 27. Of course, they're also inviting fellow "monster hunters" to join in on the fun extremely serious expedition.

Any normies that wanna get in on this will apparently be stationed at various land posts and given instructions on how to use the gear, what to look for ... and how to document any sightings. And yes, for an extra fee -- tourists can also book boat trips during this weekend as well for a chance to listen for sonar sounds in the actual loch as the search is underway.

Like we said ... it might seem fantastical, but it appears these folks are dead set on finding something. Considering a fairly convincing recent sighting just a couple years ago -- the original video of which, BTW, has mysteriously vanished since 👀 -- maybe they'll succeed.

They're finally admitting aliens are real ... so why not Nessie too?!?

Beyoncé Includes Lizzo's Name in 'BMS' Remix ... Now Loses Badu

Lizzo is back in Beyoncé's good graces -- that, or she never left to begin with -- and we know this because the Queen Bey is back to saying her name ... on stage, no less.

The singer name-dropped Lizzo Saturday night during her show in D.C., where part of the setlist once again included the remix to 'Break My Soul' -- which features a moment where Bey's rattling off a list of women's names she views as trailblazers.

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Normally, in the lyrics, as they're written, Lizzo shows up as one of those women -- and after being nixed from the lineup last week ... fans were quick to notice her re-inclusion.

Check it out for yourself -- there's a few different clips making the rounds that caught the moment Bey mentioned Lizzo, but this video here is by far the best shot ... where you can see Beyoncé pause on saying Erykah Badu's name -- but clearly emphasizing Liz.

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CLEAR REMOVAL

Of course, this is in stark contrast to Beyoncé's performance a few concerts ago ... where she nixed Lizzo, but said "Badu" at least 4 different times. Some perceived that as a shot at Lizzo in the wake of her workplace lawsuit drama ... but others thought it was geared toward what EB had recently said about Beyonce -- namely, accusing her of ripping off her style.

Now that Beyoncé has flipped it -- this after she's surely had time to hear and process the Lizzo news -- it seems pretty obvious she did this on purpose ... and stands with Lizzo.

As for Lizzo herself, she denied the allegations made by her former dancers ... calling them "false" and "outrageous." She's also lawyered up big time -- we'll see how the suit plays out.

Greta Gerwig 1st Female Director with 10-Figure Flick ... All Thanks to 'Barbie' 🤑

Greta Gerwig achieved something pretty great in showbiz this weekend -- she's now the sole female director to have crossed the billion-dollar line ... and it's because of "Barbie."

Indeed ... the inevitable happened Sunday, with "Barbie" raking in over a $1 billion at the worldwide box office and once again taking the top spot here domestically. That's 3 weeks in a row that the flick has dominated, and at this point ... there's no sign of it slowing down.

Now, as for Greta ... like we said, she stands alone (as a woman) in this billion-dollar club -- which is a historical feat, and something that hasn't been done before "Barbie" came along.

Yes, there are other female directors who are technically in that 10-figure category -- including Jennifer Lee and Anna Boden, who co-directed the "Frozen" and "Captain Marvel" movies, respectively, alongside men -- but GG's in a league of her own now as a standalone.

There's a very large gap between Greta and the other solo female directors with box office hits -- #2 on the list is Patty Jenkins' "Wonder Woman," which made around $412 mil through its run. There's an even bigger drop-off with the next tier of films/directors ... Betty Thomas' "Alvin and the Chipmunks" ($219M); Catherine Hardwicke's "Twilight" ($192M); Elizabeth Banks' "Pitch Perfect 2" ($184M); Cate Shortland's "Black Widow" ($183M) ... and so on.

With Greta's milestone here ... it proves that women are pretty damn bankable, not just as actresses -- but behind the camera as well. Full circle, really, for the themes of 'Barbie.'

Considering her indie background, you could argue Greta's has had a meteoric rise over the past 5-6 years. And like we previously reported, there's currently no active plans for a sequel at this point -- which, if you know studios, is unheard of when this sorta success is had.

There's a report saying WB actually tried brokering a deal for Greta to direct 'Barbie 2' months before the film came out -- but her agents shot that down and insisted on waiting to see how it actually performed. Smart move in hindsight ... Greta can fetch a fortune now.

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BTW ... Greta actually turned 40 a couple days ago, and Ryan Gosling surprised her with a flash mob performance full of Kens, complete with his signature song from the movie.

Perfect way to celebrate ... congrats!

U.S. Women's Soccer World Cup Defeat Hurray'd By the 'Go Woke, Go Broke' Crowd

The Americans were bounced in the Women's World Cup -- and if you can believe it ... there are many here in the States who are celebrating their defeat, all because of politics.

For anyone who wants a true sense of how divided the USA is right now, go ahead and hop on Twitter to see the reactions to Megan Rapinoe and co. being beaten by Sweden in PKs Sunday ... which ends their World Cup run, and sees Rapinoe retire on a down note.

A ton of people -- mostly conservatives, it seems -- are crapping on the USWNT and arguing that the team, at large, is reaping what they've sown here ... citing political stances some have taken, including how they handled the National Anthem at the start of the tournament.

You'll recall ... several starters for Team USA stood in silence during the 'Star-Spangled Banner' during their opening match against Vietnam -- and it pissed a lot of folks off.

Of course, there were also comments Rapinoe made last year about trans athletes in women's sports -- which she unequivocally supported in fiery statements. That, too, rubbed a certain demographic the wrong way -- and now, a victory lap is being had at her expense.

This is a snapshot of where America is right now ... where culture wars dominate pretty much every aspect of pop culture, which are getting uglier and more contentious by the day.

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WTF?!
Courtesy of Fox Sports

On an objective level ... there are also some saying Team USA just wasn't up for going the distance this year, evidenced by their level of play and lack of effective offense. They squeaked by the early round ... and many felt other teams were simply better than us.

There was also a question about attitude ... something former USWNT star Carli Lloyd tore into the other day after the Americans seemed happy to settle for a 0-0 tie with Portugal.

That was a fair criticism -- but actively rooting against your own country's team feels like a step too far ... and yet, it was happening en masse this weekend. Sad times.

Jamie Foxx Stars Jump To His Defense ... After Controversial Post

Jamie Foxx felt he had to apologize for his controversial social media post, but many in Hollywood are saying there was no need to do that ... and it's stirring a massive debate.

As you know ... Jamie's IG sparked outrage ... especially from people who felt Jamie's statement was antisemitic -- seeing how, on its face, it seemed to refer to a trope about Jews being responsible for the death of Jesus Christ. That's how many took it anyway.

Amid the mounting backlash, Jennifer Aniston distanced herself from Jamie's post, which she appeared to like.

Eventually, Jamie said he was sorry and that he meant no harm ... but like we said, there are a ton of folks who think he was forced into an apology that wasn't even warranted, as some are arguing that his language wasn't in any way aimed at Jewish people.

This comes down to cultural differences -- and there's a lot of takes referencing AAVE when breaking this down -- but the bottom line here is ... people are defending Jamie and lamenting the fact he was seemingly cajoled into a clarification -- including a lot of stars.

Among the famous faces who are standing in his corner ... Winnie Harlow, Waka Flocka, Jay Pharoah, and others -- all of whom explicitly questioned why he was apologizing at all.

TBH, this is part of a larger conversation relating to marginalized groups and the levels of outrage/reverence some feel are mustered among certain identities versus others. We'll leave that discussion for the internet to fight over, though.

FWIW, the Anti-Defamation League welcomed Jamie's apology with open arms.

We covered it all on the latest episode of The TMZ Podcast, available on all podcast platforms.