Keith Sweat Drake Deserves His R&B 👑 They Hated On My Vocal Range, Too!!!

Keith Sweat
CONGRATS DRAKE
TMZ.com

Keith Sweat was singing female fans outta their bras before Drake was even born, but the R&B legend thinks Mr. OVO is now wearing the R&B crown!!!

We caught up with Mr. Make It Last Forever at LAX this week and he gave props where they were due, anointing Drizzy ... who infamously called himself the "light-skinned Keith Sweat" back in 2013!!!

Drake just delivered his new 23-track "For All The Dogs" album with a wide assortment of R&B tracks and singing ... as heard on his #1 hit "Slime You Out" with SZA.

Keith says Drake is doing his thing on the singing front, and he should ignore critics of his vocal range. He says he got the same limited-range diss during his heyday.

Keith admits he was no Stevie Wonder or anything -- but he and his signature twang sold millions of records by dropping rug cutters in an era when singers simply sang and rappers just rapped. As far as he's concerned, Drake's earned his stripes in both genres and deserves all his flowers.

We don't know about bouquets, but the project is a shoo-in to top the next Billboard 200.

Celebs Hit Halloween Horror Nights Scary Fun Photos!

Have no fear, Halloween Horror Nights is here! With Halloween quickly approaching, even the celebs are feening for some fright at night, and that's why they're hitting up Universal Studios with the expectation of getting spooked TF out!!!

As you may be aware, the L.A. theme park doors have creaked open at Halloween Horror Nights, and the stars have stepped right up ... ready for thrills, chills and freaky haunted mazes!

To kick off the A-list name-drops ... Demi Lovato and Travis Barker hit the mazes running -- but not without first snapping a spooky selfie with some scary-lookin' peeps!

JoJo Siwa also came through with a double thumbs-up, while the creepy characters took over the (dance) floor, upstaging her giddiness with their fake blood and violent props!

And, Siwa wasn't the "only fan" in attendance at the iconic attraction ... Bella Thorne stood by for a spirited snap and let the dressed-up folks commit to their bit (being as in-your-face as humanly possible ... without touching the attendees of course!)

Hollywood is getting lit up at Horror Nights, and there continues to be an influx of celeb visitors ... Amber Rose, Charli D'Amelio, Kenan Thompson and Alesso have all been unmasked and entertained with some friendly frights.

And, take a whack at our "Inside Halloween Horror Nights" gallery to see what goes down behind these terrifying scare zones ... 'tis the Spooky Season!

Insane Tornado Video Storm Chasers Trapped In Storm Pray to Jesus for Help

Tornados are something to AVOID at all costs ... as proven by this intense clip of storm chasers screaming for their lives while stuck in the middle of a terrifying storm.

The destructive winds touched Lewistown, Illinois back in April, but storm chaser and YouTuber Tanner Charles shared the shocking footage this week.

Tanner and his friends had no choice but to park right in the middle of the tornado's path after powerline poles came down, blocking the road in front of and behind them.

It's pretty horrifying, with the group panicking as the EF-3 tornado got closer to their car -- begging God to keep them stay alive as the windows in their ride got smashed, with loads of debris ripping over them.

Keep in mind, this tornado reached top speeds of 160 mph, so they definitely were feeling the power while right in its crosshairs. The gang somehow survived the brutal storm, and rightfully were extremely grateful to be alive while looking at the aftermath.

4 people were reported injured as a result of the tornado, which traveled nearly 19 miles ... but by some miracle, there were no deaths.

'Love Is Blind' Producers Sued Over Alleged Sexual Assault

"Love Is Blind" producers are being taken to court ... after one of the contestants claims she was sexually assaulted -- and says the incident might've been caught on camera.

According to the docs, obtained by TMZ, Tran Dang -- a contestant on season 5 who was never featured in the final product -- is coming after production companies Delirium TV and Kinetic Content for the alleged incident, which she says went down in 2022.

Dang says she got engaged to fellow contestant Thomas Smith while spending time in the pods ... but claims he sexually assaulted her while filming in Mexico.

She claims Smith "incessantly groped" her, exposed her to his naked body, and "forcibly and repeatedly made sexual contact" with her -- without her consent. Dang says she brought her concerns to producers but alleges they were "swept aside."

She's also suing producers for false imprisonment, claiming she was required to remain on-call in her hotel room and subjected to around-the-clock surveillance that left her "unable to exercise her will in going anywhere she was lawfully allowed to go."

She thinks the 24-hour surveillance means most of the alleged incidents ended up on film.

Dang is seeking more than $1 million in damages, claiming she's suffered extreme emotional distress, pain, mental anguish, and suffering as a result of the ordeal.

"LIB" creator Chris Coelen spoke to People, which was first to report the lawsuit ... saying he supports anyone who comes forward with sexual assault claims, but adds he was "never told that she felt unsafe or experienced any of the allegations that she made."

Delirium and Kinetic Content say Dang's claims are meritless, too.

Fans of the show know Dang and Smith weren't contestants on season 5 ... it appears all traces of them were scrubbed from the final product. She first filed in August 2022, and it's been in mediation since February.

Travis Kelce Responds To Rodgers' 'Mr. Pfizer' Joke ... Stands By Getting Jab

100623-travis-kelce-mr-pfizer-kal 10/6/23
NO HARM DONE
Kansas City Chiefs

Travis Kelce is taking Aaron Rodgers' playful diss in stride ... admitting he thought it was actually funny when the Jets superstar referred to him as "Mr. Pfizer" earlier this week -- but doubling down on his decision to be a vaccine spokesperson.

Kelce addressed AR8's recent comments on the "Pat McAfee Show" with reporters on Friday ... cracking a few jokes of his own as he discussed the whole ordeal.

"I thought it was pretty good," Kelce said at the Chiefs' facility. "I mean, with the 'stache right now, I look like a guy named Mr. Pfizer. Who knew I'd get into a vax war with Aaron Rodgers, man. Mr. Pfizer versus the Johnson & Johnson family over there."

Of course, Kelce is referring to Jets owner Woody Johnson, who is an heir to the Johnson & Johnson pharmaceutical company.

100623-travis-kelce-taylor-kal
STAYIN' FOCUSED
Kansas City Chiefs

TK then got real for a second ... explaining his reason for getting the jab.

"I got it because of, you know, keeping myself safe, keeping my family safe, the people in this building. So yeah, I stand by 1000%. Fully comfortable with him calling me Mr. Pfizer."

Kelce -- who celebrated his 34th birthday on Thursday -- was also asked about his recent romance with Taylor Swift and the hype around it ... and he knows he brought all the attention on himself.

"You got a lot of people that care about Taylor and for good reason," Kelce said. "Just gotta keep living and learning and enjoying the moments. At the end of the day, I've always been pretty good with compartmentalizing and being able to stay focused in this building. I'll just keep rollin' with that."

Kanye West Files for 'YEWS' Trademark ... Financial Services, Clothing, Streaming & More

Kanye West is reportedly working behind the scenes to lock down trademark rights to "YEWS," a phrase he wants to slap on just about everything .. from streaming to restaurants.

The filing, obtained by TMZ, and first submitted earlier this month is linked to an LLC called Ox Paha Inc. We've never known Kanye to be associated with that LLC, but it has an address listed to Kanye's office on Melrose Ave.

Unclear if there's anything Kanye wants to do specifically with the word -- if he's the guy who filed for it -- but he's taking just about every realm of possibility with it.

The docs want to use "YEWS" for financial services, real estate, clothing (footwear, headwear, jeans, etc.), music and audio, entertainment content, beauty products, restaurants and so much more.

Of course, while Kanye hasn't publicly said anything about the word "YEWS" -- people are already speculating it's got some sort of connection to "Jews" and the controversy surrounding Kanye.

120122-kanye-west-kal DECEMBER 2022
FROM THE MOUTH OF KANYE
InfoWars

As we reported, he was blasted for praising Hitler on "Info Wars" along with his other attacks against Jewish people on social media. Kanye's been mostly out of the public eye since the controversy -- spending the last several months in Europe.

Corey Feldman Famous Jacket's Been Found ... After Claiming It Was Stolen

Corey Feldman can relax ... he's getting back his studded leather jacket from "Dream a Little Dream" -- just a couple days after he said it was stolen, which now seems like a slight overreaction.

The manager for the 'Goonies' star tells TMZ ... an employee at the New Jersey restaurant where Corey was performing live music apparently found the jacket in a bathroom, and locked it in an office.

Remember, Corey hopped on social media Wednesday and franticly posted a thread in ALL CAPS about his coveted jacket being stolen from backstage, and wondered who would have the audacity to take such a beloved item from his wardrobe.

Now it sounds like Corey was seriously jumping the gun with his assumption someone walked off with it, and his manager says they're hoping to pick up the jacket today.

Of course, one reason Corey might have assumed the worst is that his jacket was legitimately stolen once before in L.A., only for it to pop up years later at a Boston flea market and make its way back to Corey.

This time, Corey lost the jacket during his Sunday gig at Homestead Bar & Kitchen in Morristown, NJ. A rep from the bar confirmed the jacket was found in the very bathroom where Corey changed ... so, no big mystery on how it ended up there.

The jacket, which Corey wore in "The 'Burbs" and "Married With Children," holds sentimental value for him ... he says it's a reminder of his late friend, actor Corey Haim.

No word if Corey's going to dish out the $1,000 reward he offered for info on the jacket's whereabouts.

Chrisean Rock My Baby's Surgery Was A Success!!!

Chrisean Rock says her son is recovering after undergoing surgery to remove the hernia that Blueface brought to the world's attention.

Chrisean posted a boomerang video holding a smiling Chrisean Jr. Friday from his hospital bed, nothing the newborn was "recovering so fast."

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

As we reported, the youngster was suffering from an inguinal hernia ... and Blueface blamed Chrisean for mistreating their son by not getting him treatment soon enough. The rapper also posted a nude photo of the child, showing his condition ... and got a ton of heat online.

Despite the backlash, Blue's mother Karlissa Saffold defended her son to TMZ Hip Hop ... even going as far as to blanket it as a teachable moment for new parents and their child's medical issues.

092223-chriseanrock-baby-kal 9/21/23
NO SUPPORT

We're not even a month removed from Chrisean facing the wrath of the internet and Blue's family as she let her baby dangle loosely during a Walmart shopping trip.

ardi
MOTHERLY ADVICE
TMZ.com

Cardi B and Keke Palmer have both offered her public support and with the surgery in the rearview mirror, hopefully so are some of those motherly growing pains!!!

Nicki Minaj Barbz Out For Blood After Drake Doesn't Deliver Album Feature

Nicki Minaj fans have long held onto a promise from Drake that she'd be featured on his new album, but the rapper failed to deliver on that promise ... and the Barbz are pissed.

Drake's "For All The Dogs" packs on several big-name features ... 21 Savage, Bad Bunny, Sexyy Red, and J. Cole, just to name a few, but Nicki's fans are now taking her absence as a sign of disrespect ... especially after she publicly pushed for the album to drop.

100623_nicki_minaj-KAL
CALLING ALL BARBS

There's still a chance the collab could appear on Nicki's "Pink Friday 2" album when it drops in November but the Barbz would hear none of it and called for their Queen to cut all ties from Drizzy!!!

One feature that may have shocked audiences was the appearance of Drake's son Adonis, who made his rapping debut freestyling at the end of the track "Daylight" ... though we doubt the adorable moment was enough to appease Nicki's rabid fanbase.

President Obama Mourns Dick Butkus' Death ... He 'Was Football' In Chicago

People in and around the sports world are honoring the life and legacy of Chicago Bears great Dick Butkus following his death ... with Barack Obama, Bill Belichick and more sharing their memories of the Hall of Fame linebacker.

"In Chicago, Dick Butkus was football," Obama -- a diehard Windy City sports fan -- said on Friday. "Thinking of his family today, and all the Bears fans who loved watching one of the best to ever play the game."

Belichick also addressed the tragic loss ... taking a few minutes out of his press conference to praise Butkus' impact on football.

"The prototype middle linebacker," the Patriots coach said. "From his playing style, to the look, to his ads. He was a Chicago Bear if there ever was one."

BB added he got to spend time with Butkus in recent years ... saying it was great to meet and talk with him.

"A ton of respect for Dick, his play style, what he did for the game. At that time, the way he played, he was the ultimate middle linebacker."

Former Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher also joined in paying his respects ... saying, "Dick Butkus was not only a Legend, he was my Idol. Loved his Frankness, Toughness, and the Inspiration he was for me! You set the Standard for the role of a MLB! Love you Dick."

Current Bears wide receiver D.J. Moore -- who finished with 8 receptions, 230 yards and 3 touchdowns during Chicago's win over the Washington Commanders on Thursday Night Football -- also shared a touching message about 51 after the game.

"R.I.P Dick Butkus. Was looking over us Tonight," he tweeted.

The Bears will look to keep making Dick proud the rest of the season -- their next game will be at home against the Minnesota Vikings on Oct. 15.

21 Savage Leaves United States for First Time in Years ... Joins Drake in Toronto

21 Savage has a Green Card and he's finally putting it to good use, joining Drake in Toronto to perform together ... TMZ has learned.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ 21 and his team will be in "The 6" Friday and Saturday night for the Toronto stops of the "It's All a Blur" tour. It's the first time in years 21 has legally been able to leave the United States.

Drake dropped his highly-anticipated "For All The Dogs" album Friday, and hinted 21 had finally cleared his immigration issues on the track "8AM in Charlotte."

Drake raps, "Savage got a green card straight out of the consulate/Where I go, you go, brother, we Yugoslavian."

It was back in 2019 when 21 was taken into custody by ICE, and we learned he was actually from the UK -- living in the United States illegally on an expired visa. The case dragged on for years, further complicated by the fact he was caught with codeine and a handgun during the ICE bust.

Of course, 21's been touring with Drake for months now but has never been able to hit locations outside the US -- most notably when Drake went to Vancouver and brought Travis Scott out in place of 21.

Unclear exactly when 21 got everything cleared up with the government, but there are plenty of his fans around the world who can't wait to see him back in their city.

Drake I'm Done with Music for At Least a Year ... Gotta Focus On Major Stomach Issues!!!

1006-drake-TMZ-audio-art-desktop-1
GOTTA FOCUS ON ME
Table For One / SiriusXM

Soak up his new album, "For All the Dogs," because Drake is dropping the mic -- he says he's walking away from music to deal with a health issue that's plagued him for a long time.

He made the bombshell announcement Friday morning on his SiriusXM show "Table for One" ... saying, "I need to focus on my health, first and foremost." Apparently, he's been battling a gastrointestinal issue ... he says, "I've been having the craziest problems for years with my stomach."

He didn't get any more specific about the ailment, but says it's gonna require enough of his time that "I'ma lock the door on the studio for a little bit. Maybe a year or something ... maybe a little longer."

It's a huge revelation, and not just for his fans, but for the music industry as a whole. Quite frankly, Drake's thing has been quantity -- the guy cranks out records very regularly.

He's dropped 9 studio projects in the last 13 years, most of them packed with #1 hits that dominate radio play and streaming services.

But, just hours after releasing his latest, he's making it clear he's got more important things to deal with now -- "I need to focus on my health, and I need to get right."

Britney Spears Great Escape to Private Island After Knife Dance Drama

Britney Spears needed some serious rest and relaxation after becoming the target of social media criticism for dancing with knives ... and decided the best place to escape was a private island.

100523_britney_spears-KAL
knife-free vacay

Sources close to the pop star tell TMZ, she and a group of friends took off to the famous Brando hotel in French Polynesia this past weekend.

Britney shared a quick video of herself and some pals in a private plane as they flew over the crystal blue water near the resort.

Fans speculated one of the men onboard the plane, and sitting closest to Britney, could be a new love interest, but our sources say that's not the case ... they're simply acquaintances.

092523-britney-spears-kal 9/25/23
LOOKIN' SHARP
Instagram / @britneyspears

Of course, it's no surprise why Britney might have wanted to escape.

She took a ton of heat for posting multiple videos dancing with knives, a stunt that even prompted a police response for a welfare check. Britney has maintained the knives were fake, but some disagree.

If the Brando sounds familiar ... it's the same spot Beyoncé recently rented out for her birthday during a small break from her "Renaissance" tour. Kim Kardashian also took a group of her closest friends and family members there for her 40th birthday.

100623_tv_clips_britney_spears_vacation.01_01_39_00.Still001
JET SET TO PARADISE
TMZ.com

The resort features a bunch of private villas, offering anywhere from one to four-bedroom accommodations.

Beyoncé rented out the cream of the crop for her bday bash ... a villa with a private pool which usually goes for about $20,000 per night.

Unclear how much Britney plunked down, but it certainly ain't cheap.

Deion Sanders Dealing W/ Medical Issue, Misses Event ... Colorado Says He's OK

Deion Sanders was under the weather on Thursday after having a bad reaction to medication ... Coach Prime was forced to skip his radio show Thursday, but thankfully, Colorado says the Hall of Famer is okay!

The CU Buffs' weekly radio show started Thursday afternoon with one very noticeable absence ... Deion, the man everyone wanted to hear.

Instead, assistant coach Gary "Flea" Harrell was behind the mic ... and show host Mark Johnson provided an update on Sanders.

“We are going without Coach Prime here today," Johnson said. "We received notification a little while ago that (he) was a little under the weather and had a bad reaction to his immune IVs, is what I was told.”

A spokesperson for the Buffs didn't add any further detail, per The Denver Post, but added the coach was fine.

Sanders has had a few health issues since putting on the headset. In 2022, Sanders had two toes on his right foot amputated.

The good news ... Coach Prime is expected to be well enough to travel with his team for their game on Saturday against Arizona State.

The Buffs started the season 3-0, and were ranked as one of the top 20 teams in the country ... before being blown out by Oregon.

Last weekend, Colorado gave USC a run for their money with a late 2nd-half run, but came up short, 48-41.

Drake RIhanna & Rocky Jab On New Album???

Drake dissed a particular "gyal" from his past on "For All The Dogs" ... and fans think he's firing at his former flame Rihanna -- A$AP Rocky's feelings be damned!

The possible Rihanna disses pop up at the opening of "Fear of Heights," where Drake raps, "Why they make it sound like I'm still hung up on you?/That could never be/Gyal can't ruin me ... better him than me."

If that wasn't indication enough, Drake repeatedly screams how he's "anti" -- the title of Rihanna's last released album, a project he's even featured on, before going on the claim the sex wasn't so amazing like the song goes ... he remembers it as average. 😱

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

He goes on to claim he's been with women whose beauty is superior and her new man is stuck like Chuck in their current situation.

As you know, Rihanna and Rocky just welcomed their 2nd child together in August ... months after performing pregnant at the Super Bowl -- they haven't given Drake much thought.

They just may now ... A$AP's new album "Don't Be Dumb" is due out this year.

Donna Kelce Travis Dating Taylor Has NFL Laughing ... All the Way to the Bank!!!

100623-donna-kelce-kal
SHAKIN' IT OFF
Got It From My Momma

Travis Kelce's mom is opening up about her son's budding relationship with Taylor Swift ... revealing that she's a HUGE fan of the pop star.

Donna Kelce sat down for an interview with host Jennifer Vickery Smith on the podcast "Got It From My Momma" -- and discussed a range of Taylor-related issues, including her 2 favorite songs: "Shake It Off" and "Bad Blood."

During Friday's episode, Donna also addressed all the drama surrounding Travis and Taylor's romance over the past few weeks since the couple went public.

Donna said, “I feel like I'm in an alternate universe. It’s something I never thought I’d be involved with." She briefly mentioned her family has been targeted by "haters" who are unhappy about the relationship.

100623-donna-kelce-today-show-kal
"IT WAS OKAY"
NBC

Now, Trav's mom also popped up on NBC's 'Today' Friday morning, and Hoda Kotb and co. asked her what it was like to sit next to Taylor in those stadium suites for 2 consecutive weeks. Let's just say it wasn't exactly a glowing review, and more than anything it seems like Donna's hesitant to get too excited about her son's new "situation."

But, she's also keenly aware that the NFL is “laughing all the way to the bank,” with all the ticket sales at games Taylor has attended to watch Travis play with the Kansas City Chiefs.

On the podcast, Donna went on to say her family has given the NFL better publicity than any pricey PR firm, which would charge the league a million bucks.

092823_swift_on_the_sidelines_kal 9/24/23
SWIFT ON THE SIDELINES

But, there's no bad blood between them. Donna says she's happy for the NFL, adding, “Good for them. They’re getting the ramifications of everything."

As we reported ... Taylor and Travis started seeing each other several months ago - but they stayed under the radar at first. Now, the lovebirds are out there for all to see as Taylor has shown up at 2 of Travis' football games within the last few weeks.