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Lil Rel Howery says an ill-timed trip to the men's room almost spoiled his marriage proposal during Beyoncé's concert ... and he's thanking her for stalling long enough for him to pop the question.

The comedian joined us Wednesday on "TMZ Live" and told us all about how his engagement went down ... and why nature called at the most inopportune time.

Lil Rel proposed to his GF Dannella Lane at Beyonce's concert Monday night at SoFi Stadium, and he says Jay-Z and Beyoncé's mom, Tina Knowles, advised him to do it when she sang "Love On Top" ... and they arranged to get the moment on the stadium's big screen.

It's funny, Lil Rel says he was waiting for the song for so long, he finally needed to break the seal ... and as soon as he got to the bathroom, "Love On Top" started playing.

Lil Rel says he finished his biz, and rushed back to his woman ... but he couldn't find their seats!!!

With the clock literally ticking, Lil Rel says he had to go back out and retrace his steps, and when he finally got back to his seats a cameraman was waiting ... and Beyoncé was motioning for him to get on with the proposal because she was dragging out the song. 😂

It all worked out, since Dannella said "Yes," and he tells us how the plan to propose really came together at the last minute. As for whether Bey's forgiven his tardiness ... we'll let him tell it.

Jim Tom Hedrick of "Moonshiners" has died ... TMZ has confirmed.

A family member of JT's tells us he passed away Wednesday morning in Robbinsville, NC -- although the exact circumstances are unclear. What we do know, per the relative, is that JT had kidney cancer and was receiving dialysis for a long time.

We're told Jim was in a nursing home for the last year, and photos of him in a hospital bed had been posted in recent months.

A statement from Sugarlands Distilling Co reads, "Jim Tom dedicated much of his life to the art of moonshining, becoming a legend in Appalachia along the way. Jim Tom’s well-earned reputation as one of the most skilled moonshiners in the South earned him a role on the hit television program Moonshiners, where his colorful personality endeared Jim Tom to the hearts of millions."

SDC goes on to say Jim Tom was one of the veteran moonshiners in the area who embraced them when they opened their doors ... and his stamp of approval went a long way.

Jim Tom appeared on several seasons of the long-running Discovery reality series -- which chronicles moonshiners running their illegal booze biz all throughout the Appalachian mountains. He joined during Season 2 in 2012 and stuck around through 2017.

He was known for his unique personality and manners of speaking -- not to mention his storytelling and, of course, his pristine skill at making homemade alcohol out in nature.

He was 82.

Former NFL receiver Mike Williams -- the Offensive Rookie of the Year runner-up in 2010 -- has died following a recent accident at a construction site.

According to a GoFundMe page set up by Williams' family, the ex-Tampa Bay Buccaneers wideout suffered a "massive head injury" a few days ago when a steel beam fell on him ... causing "complete paralysis in his right arm as well as his lower body from the waist down."

Sadly, Williams' family says his condition worsened in the ensuing days ... and Spectrum News 1's Jon Scott reported Monday he passed away.

He was just 36 years old.

News of his death Monday evening rocked the football world ... with his former teammate, Gerald McCoy, tweeting he was devastated to learn of the passing.

"Dang man hurts my heart seeing the news of my former teammate and Buccaneers 2010 draft class brother Mike Williams," McCoy said. "Always great energy, brought joy and laughter to the locker room and a heck of a player!! Prayers and blessings to his family!! 🙏🏾😔"

The Bucs picked Williams with a selection in the fourth round of the '10 NFL Draft ... and he went on to have an outstanding rookie season, finishing only behind Sam Bradford for OROY honors.

He would go on to play for three more seasons in Tampa, before he was traded to the Bills in 2014. He was never able to replicate the production he had as a rookie, however, and he bounced from the league after just one year in Buffalo.

The former Syracuse standout finished his career with 3,089 receiving yards and 26 receiving touchdowns in 63 total games.

RIP.

Drake and The Weeknd already don't rock with the Grammys, so the possibility of their unauthorized AI collaboration winning an award likely won't mend any fences.

Still, that's the scenario Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. is floating when it comes to the controversial "Heart on My Sleeve" -- the AI-generated track that surfaced in April featuring faux vocals from the Canadian megastars, but convincing enough to be a hit.

Ghostwriter -- the anonymous human creator behind the track -- submitted it for both Song of The Year and Best Rap Song for the 66th Grammy Awards next year.

Mason tells the New York Times he was impressed with "Heart on My Sleeve" as it opened up possibilities for their business and declared it suitable for nomination ... "As far as the creative side, it's absolutely eligible because it was written by a human."

If Ghostwriter earned just a nomination, it could spearhead the next evolution of artists: human songwriters who use other people's artificially-generated voices!

Drake and Weeknd's record label Universal Music Group doesn't share Mason's enthusiasm. When the track was released, the label had it pulled from DSPs ... leaving it to lurk in the internet's dark recesses. This Grammy development offers the song, and others like it, a new light.

The Weeknd and Drake have been boycotting the Grammys for years, going as far as to withdraw nominations and refuse to submit heir own music.

On the other hand, Ghostwriter isn't letting up off the digital throttle in the wake of his new career strides.

He released a new AI concoction Wednesday titled "Whiplash," featuring CPU-generated soundalikes for Travis Scott and 21 Savage -- 2 more artists to piss off, but also another possible path to the Grammys!!!

For more viral news, tune in to the TMZ Verified Podcast. Dropping every Thursday on all podcast platforms.

Tom Brady has a new venture post-NFL life -- but it's one that has absolutely nothing to do with football, or even sports ... as he's partnering up with a massive American airline. 🤔

Indeed, Delta announced a multi-year agreement Wednesday that they've struck with TB12 -- making him a new long-term strategic adviser for their company ... which will see him give their employees, their customers and their stakeholders a piece of his mind on a number of topics -- including general greatness, something that's right up his alley.

Here's how the CEO pitches this ... "Delta’s people are driven by their commitment to world-class performance, excellence and a desire to achieve best-in-class results. Bringing a leader like Tom onto the Delta team furthers our mission to connect the world while accelerating our drive to continuously improve for our colleagues, customers and communities."

Specifically, Delta says Brady will assist them in developing/advising on strategic training and "teamwork tools" for their more than 90,000 workers. He's also going to be the new face of Delta, it seems, when it comes to marketing for current and prospective ticket buyers.

And finally ... Delta says TB's going to get involved in their shared "communities," but are kinda vague on what exactly that means. In any case, they've landed a major whale here.

As for Tom himself, he's quoted as saying ... "I am grateful to be joining the Delta family, a company I have loved and respected for years," Brady said. "Growing up with a mother as a flight attendant, I have always admired the people that make seamless air transportation possible. Throughout my career, my teammates and I flew Delta countless times, spending hours traveling for some of the most important games of our lives, even celebrating Super Bowl wins on the plane."

He adds, "Those championship teams were built off of great leadership and a commitment to excellence, and Delta certainly shares those qualities. Now, alongside Ed and the Delta team, I look forward to playing my part to continue the company’s success."

No word on what the money looks like here, but ya gotta imagine Brady's making a fortune off of this ... as he seems committed for the long haul, and his services don't come cheap these days. Remember -- he signed a 10-year, $375 million contract with FOX Sports already. Plus, he's got tons of other sponsorships under his belt -- Hertz and so many more.

Perhaps LeBron James wasn't kidding when he said he'd play in Saudi Arabia if the bag was big enough ... 'cause the King was spotted in the country, just weeks after he made the comment on social media.

Bron was in Riyadh, the capital city of Saudi Arabia, earlier this week. The exact reason for the trip is unclear, but James was seen hanging out in a gymnasium with a banner that said "Welcome to Arabia" and "Ministry of Sport."

LeBron was invited to watch a match between Saudi prospects at the AZM Academy, according to an online report.

So, while Lakers fans shouldn't worry (for now, at least) ... it doesn't seem impossible that James could play in Saudi for a massive amount of money after his NBA career is over.

In July, the Lakers superstar used a Tom Hanks' Forrest Gump GIF to show how fast he'd go to the Middle Eastern company if he got Kylian Mbappe-type money (the French soccer superstar got a staggering $776 million offer to play for Al-Hilal, but turned the money down).

Many fans perceived LBJ's tweet as a joke, but ... maybe not.

LeBron's not alone. We talked to Giannis Antetokounmpo a few weeks ago about the same subject ... and the Milwaukee Bucks superstar told us he'd be down to suit up in Saudi if the cash was right.

Just James visiting the country will likely be enough to spark a debate ... considering Saudi Arabia's history of human rights violations.

Despite the controversy, Saudi Arabia, with their enormous wealth, has lured some of the world's biggest athletes to their country, including Neymar and Cristiano Ronaldo. Golfers like Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson, among others, also bolted for Saudi.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are house hunting again ... and this time they're eyeing a pricey slice of paradise in Malibu, where a brand new mansion is going up.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... the Duke and Duchess of Sussex spent part of their holiday weekend touring an $8 million plot of land in the 'Bu.

Our sources say Meghan and Harry checked out an estate, that's almost 6 acres. There's already a guard house at the front of the property, plus a huge pool ... and the foundation is laid for a 10,000-square-foot main residence.

The property sits above PCH and overlooks Broad Beach, and it's super secluded and private -- there's a gate and a long driveway up to where the main house would sit -- and we're told that's part of the draw for Meghan and Harry.

Our sources say the asking price is $8 million ... plans for the main house have already been approved and a construction crew is in place. If Harry and Meghan buy the lot, they can assume the costs of construction, estimated at another $10 million.

Meghan and Harry currently live in a $14 million mansion in Montecito, which is pretty far from the glitz and glamour of Hollywood ... and the Malibu property is about 13 miles from celeb hot spot Nobu, and less than an hour drive from L.A. and Beverly Hills.

Our sources say M&H are talking about selling their Montecito home and moving to Malibu full-time. It's close enough to Hollywood for them to do business, but far enough from Hollywood to give them security and privacy.

We did some digging and it appears Brendan Brown at Westside Estate Agency reps the property. We reached out to Brendan, so far no word back.

The Maryland police officer who was spotted kissing a woman, and then getting into the back of a patrol car with her, has been suspended ... and his wife is slamming both of them.

The Prince George's County Police Department said late Tuesday -- not long after the video clip went viral -- it was aware of the video, and immediately launched an investigation. An update hours later said the officer had been suspended.

The officer in question is Francesco Marlett, according to CBS News Baltimore ... and a woman named Paula Marlett -- who says she's Francesco's wife -- has been goin' off on him and the other woman.

She wrote on Facebook ... "There goes my husband and his Mistress," and told someone in the comments she's "Not doing OK" -- partly because the video "constantly pops up on my f***ing newsfeed and I have to constantly re-watch it over and over again."

Paula later thanked folks for the well-wishes during a "very tough time" for her and her kids ... before going off a bit more.

Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner have finally broken their silence and are addressing the end of their marriage ... which they describe as "four wonderful years."

In a joint statement posted Wednesday, the two say, "After four wonderful years of marriage we have mutually decided to amicably end our marriage."

They continue, "There are many speculative narratives as to why but, truly this is a united decision and we sincerely hope that everyone can respect our wishes for privacy for us and our children."

As we reported, Joe filed for divorce from Sophie in Miami Tuesday, asking for joint custody of their daughters, ages 1 and 3. The couple has a prenup and, according to court docs, obtained by TMZ, Joe wants a judge to establish a parenting plan between him and Sophie that allows for "frequent and continuing contact with both parties."

The docs also reveal the children have most recently been staying with Joe in Miami and "other locations throughout the United States" as he and his brothers tour the country.

TMZ broke the story over the weekend, the two had reached an end in their relationship and Joe was looking for a divorce attorney ... once that happened, he got the ball rolling quickly.

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

A$AP Rocky is the lucky recipient of the Virgil Abloh Award ...  a full circle moment considering the late fashion designer was one of the first to respect the rapper's style.

TMZ Hip Hop obtained footage of Rocky's acceptance speech during the HFR 16th Annual Fashion Show & Style Awards Tuesday night inside the famed Apollo Theater in Harlem. Rocky immediately turned the spotlight back on Virgil Abloh.

Rocky says several years back, he and his A$AP Mob crew were too young to get inside a club but Virgil still knew who they were, which instantly validated his swag.

Fast forward a year later, Rocky says his raps had taken off and he soon recruited Virgil to be the creative director behind his 2013 debut album "LONG.LIVE.A$AP" and the inner workings of the tour that followed.

Rocky told the crowd Virgil's fearlessness pioneered his own trendsetting into the fashion world and spouted off a few inspirational bars for the city of Harlem ... a noble gesture, seeing the night's theme was "Remix!!!"

The "Praise The Lord" rapper didn't spend too much time hogging the podium ... his bladder was full and duty called, so you know how the equation goes.

Damian Lillard may have his hopes set on playing with the Miami Heat next season but his heart’s clearly still with his Portland Trail Blazers fanbase … he recently crashed the wedding of two of his biggest supporters!!!

TMZ Hip Hop obtained video from September 3 of Dame in D.O.L.L.A. mode … at the nuptials for Jay & Kelly Virdee … a true Trail Blazers love tale if there ever was one.

We’re told the couple have been together for 6 years after meeting at a Portland winery and are huge fans of Dame … Jay actually grew up in the same Bay Area region as the NBA All-Star before making the move to Portland for work.

Their mutual friend, L.A. rapper Dreebo, collaborated with Dame in the past and convinced him to surprise the couple and perform a song during the wedding reception … fittingly their collab titled “Home Team.”

Drake is reasserting himself as the certified lover boy he's always claimed to be, and he's got the trophies to prove it ... scores and scores of bras, in all cup sizes and colors.

The rapper posted the evidence Wednesday standing in front of a massive bra collection he's assembled over the past couple months of being on tour, and soliciting undergarments from women in the crowd.

His collection ranges in all shapes and sizes, as he's attracted lingerie from all over the globe.

Drake's bra bonanza really took off back in July when RI resident Veronica Correia flung her 36G bra onstage ... immediately prompting Drake to put out a call for her, which eventually led to offers from Playboy and other outlets.

Of course, there was the cute moment when Drake's son Adonis was in attendance and he asked the audience not to throw any bras ... but his father trolled him with a ridiculously giant-sized one anyway!!!

Smash Mouth members were not allowed to say their final goodbyes to Steve Harwell in person ... because he didn't want visitors while he was in hospice care.

The rock band's manager, Robert Hayes, tells TMZ ... Steve asked for privacy in his final days and he did not want a large gathering at his home in Boise, Idaho.

We're told the only folks allowed to see Steve while he was on his deathbed were his family, his fiancée, her family and his manager.

While Steve's bandmates missed the cut, their manager says they were all on good terms with Steve. They sent their prayers and well wishes before he died ... mainly over the phone.

TMZ broke the story ... Steve died Monday as a result of liver failure. He had been in hospice and over the weekend he was only given days to live, receiving end-of-life care at home.

Despite Steve's death, it's still business as usual for Smash Mouth ... we're told the band will continue to tour with new singer Zach Goode. The band's not planning to cancel any gigs unless Steve's memorial takes place during a previously scheduled event.

Aaron Rodgers has been seeing things before he ever dabbled in psychedelics -- the New York Jets quarterback went in depth about the time he believes he saw a UFO on "Hard Knocks" this week ... saying he felt like he was in a movie!!

The four-time MVP opened up on the 2005 experience on the season finale of the Max series Tuesday night ... when he was staying with his old college teammate, Steve Levy, in New Jersey prior to the NFL Draft and heard an alarm going off outside.

Naturally, the guys left the house to investigate ... and Rodgers couldn't believe his eyes.

"Up in the clouds, we heard this sound and we saw this tremendously large object moving through the sky," Rodgers said. "And it was like a scene out of 'Independence Day,' when the ships are coming into the atmosphere and they're creating this kind of like explosion-type fire in the sky."

"And we just saw this incredibly large object and froze, as anybody would because what the hell was going on? And eventually it went out of sight and nobody said a word."

Shortly after, the signal-caller says he heard the sound of fighter jets zooming above them ... as if aircrafts were chasing whatever they just saw.

"Again, we just stood there in just disbelief for another few minutes," Rodgers added. "Nobody said a word. Then we all looked at each other like, 'Did we just see what we think we just saw? What was that?'"

Rodgers -- who did his research on the subject after a lack of media coverage on the incident -- seemingly believes it was, in fact, a UFO ... because he heard an alarm go off at a nearby nuclear power plant, which tracks all the information he's gathered.

"And if you know anything about UFOs, there are a lot of sightings around nuclear energy, around volcanoes, around power plants," the Super Bowl winner said.

Naomi Campbell hasn't lost her step on the runway ... strutting her stuff at her New York Fashion Week show and looking downright amazing!!!

The iconic supermodel was decked out in a form-fitting, silver halter dress as she swaggered around the catwalk in her trademark '90s style at Cipriani Broadway in Manhattan Tuesday night.

A steady stream of models followed behind her, showcasing Naomi's new fashion line -- a joint collaboration with clothing brand PrettyLittleThing.

Check out this video, obtained by TMZ, which shows Naomi parading around as if she owns the place with her long black mien flowing down her back. The packed crowd seemed captivated, shooting cell phone images of her.

Naomi worked with up-and-coming designers Victor Anate and Edvin Thompson to create the fancy gowns, which were studded with crystals or made out of glossy metallic material.

After her show, Naomi told a reporter it was "nerve-wracking to do that walk -- on every level." But she added, "This is what I wanted."

PETA is cashin' in on Pete Davidson's anger -- the organization is selling a Halloween costume based on the infamously unhinged voice mail Pete left PETA during their feud over a puppy.

We've learned PETA's limited-edition costume comes with a paper mask of Pete's face, an "I Should Have Adopted" hoodie and a hat with a censored cuss word plastered on it -- referring to his profanity-laced telephone rant after the org called him out for buying a pet store puppy, instead of one from a shelter.

It also comes with a plush dog wearing a "Shelter Dogs Rule" bandana. The whole look is going for $99.99 ... and all proceeds are going toward spay and neuter surgeries to help combat the overpopulation of homeless dogs.

According to PETA, over 70 million dogs and cats are homeless in the U.S. ... and breeders contribute to the crisis by denying animals in shelters a chance at finding a loving home.

PETA President Ingrid Newkirk says, "It’s too late for Pete to undo his puppy purchase or that voice mail, but it’s never too late to save a dog’s life by choosing adoption and shunning pet shops and other dog breeders." She hopes Pete will see the joke in having folks dress up like him ... especially since it's for a good cause.

TMZ broke the story, Pete dialed up PETA in June after the org publicly shamed the comedian for buying the new pup at a NYC pet store. In his furious defense, Pete said he's allergic to dogs and, therefore, needed a hypoallergenic pooch like the cavapoo he got.

He also said the puppy was a gift for his mother who'd been mourning the recent death of her dog.

All of that with lots of colorful language sprinkled in, too -- which you can now mock, or celebrate, come Halloween.