Silento Indicted for Murder in GA ... Total of 4 Felonies

Silento now stands accused of murder -- a Georgia grand jury indicted him in the shooting death of his cousin ... TMZ has learned.

According to new legal docs ... the grand jury hit the "Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)" rapper with 4 felony charges, including one count of malice murder and one count of felony murder.

He's was also charged with aggravated assault and gun possession during the commission of a felony.

As we reported ... cops arrested Silento in early February for allegedly murdering Frederick Rooks after an investigation into the man's death. Rooks, the rapper's cousin, was shot to death in the street on Jan. 21, and cops in DeKalb County linked Silento to the crime.

Silento's team claims he's been suffering from various mental health issues for several years.

He's still being held without bond.

Jake Paul Facing Criminal Charges In AZ Mall Incident ... Scottsdale's Back on Him!!!

Jake Paul's not out of the woods yet for roaming an Arizona mall as it was being looted by George Floyd protestors ... the feds declined to prosecute him, but local authorities still hit him with charges.

Reps for the City of Scottsdale tell TMZ ... now that the feds are passing on pursuing federal charges after their own investigation, the city has decided to refile charges against Jake.

Remember, Jake was initially busted and charged with 2 criminal misdemeanors -- criminal trespass and unlawful assembly -- but the City Attorney dropped the case when the feds launched its own investigation. The City had the option of refiling.

That's exactly what happened ... sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ, the City Attorney learned back in May the feds had completed their investigation and decided not to file charges. At that point, the City Attorney re-filed the misdemeanor case against Jake.

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TAKIN' TO THE STREETS

TMZ broke the story ... the feds say they didn't find enough evidence to pursue federal charges against Jake for his conduct in the Scottsdale shopping center days after Floyd's murder.

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MOVIN' IN
TMZ.com

Remember ... video shows Jake inside the mall as it's being looted on May 30, 2020 and he was busted by Scottsdale Police. The feds eventually stepped in and launched an investigation, which included FBI raids at his home in Calabasas and the famous Graffiti Mansion in Las Vegas.

Bottom line ... Jake's off the hook with the feds, but he still has to deal with a couple of charges in Arizona. He's due in court after Labor Day.

If convicted, he faces a maximum of a year in jail.

Guess Who This Guitar Girl Turned Into!

Before this guitar girl was starring in blockbuster movie franchises with her super squad, she was just another mini musician showing off her artistic abilities in Inverness, Scotland.

This red-headed runt is best known for her spaced-out look in a Marvel-ous superhero flick ... for which she appeared in several of the movie series. Her killer moves and fierce fighting for films don't stop there, she also showed them off in a comedic reboot of a 1995 board game adventure.

Recently, she starred alongside an epic "Game of Thrones" actress in an explosive action film on Netflix.

Can you guess who she is?

Johnny Depp Hollywood is Boycotting Me ... Over Amber Heard Saga

Johnny Depp has addressed the elephant in the room -- which is that he's seen as a pariah in Hollywood now ... something that isn't lost on him, and which he seems to think is BS.

The embattled actor sat for an interview with the Sunday Times -- to promote his new movie, "Minamata" -- and he opened up about what he perceives as a de facto ousting from the biz, while also vowing to shed more light on the "truth" and thanking fans for sticking with him.

Johnny is quoted as saying that he feels like those who got on board late for his latest flick owe the real-life Japanese mercury poison survivors on which it's based fairness in its release -- the film's only being released in the UK, for now. A U.S. release date hasn't been set.

The distributors, MGM, have been accused of shelving it over JD's legal issues -- an alleged reaction to which Depp says ... "And for anything ... for Hollywood’s boycott of me? One man, one actor in an unpleasant and messy situation, over the last number of years?"

On that topic, he goes on to say that he's "moving towards where I need to go to make all that … to bring things to light." Sounds like he's talking about his acrimonious case against Amber Heard here in the U.S. -- the one he still has a fighting chance to win (maybe).

Remember ... he already lost a libel case over his tumultuous relationship with Heard across the pond somewhat recently, when he sued The Sun over a headline they ran that called him a "wife beater" -- something a judge there found to be true in a ruling against him.

Depp lost (again) in an appeal in that case ... and the book is closed there. The legal battle wages on, though, here at home as he continues to press the issue in a U.S. court -- going after Amber herself for outright defamation. She, in turn, has countersued him ... for a lot.

With that said, Johnny made sure to shoutout his loyal fans in this interview ... because he says they're the ones who are on the right side of history, calling them his true "employers." He adds, "I'm proud of these people, because of what they are trying to say, which is the truth. The truth they're trying to get out since it doesn't in more mainstream publications."

JD finishes by saying, "It's a long road that sometimes gets clunky. Sometimes just plain stupid. But, they stayed on the ride with me and it's for them I will fight. Always, to the end. Whatever it may be."

Jennifer Lopez Surfaces with Son, Max, in Bev Hills ... As Ben Enjoys 49th Bday Solo w/ Kids

UPDATE

4:03 PM PT -- Jennifer Lopez wasn't entirely off the radar Sunday while her boo, Ben, enjoyed some personal time with his children -- she, too, was out and about with her own young ones ... grabbing a bite in Beverly Hills as if it were any other day in the year.

UPDATE

TMZ has obtained photos of J Lo Sunday breaking bread with at least one of her kids -- her son, Max, it appears -- as well as with her manager, Benny (plus a crap ton of bodyguards, we're told) at none other than the Beverly Hills Hotel in L.A. ... this while Ben was out with his own children just earlier in the day to ring in the big 4-9.

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Looks like she was having fun on mom duty -- holding up the phone to Max with something that must've been amusing ... 'cause she was all smiles for the show and tell.

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At one point, she got up on her feet as well -- again, no Ben in sight. She was looking pretty caj here, which seems to match their approach to Ben's bday ... aka, keep it chill, babe.

Ben Affleck is turning 49 today, and before he gets into whatever Jennifer Lopez has in store for him ... it seems he wanted some QT with his kiddos, without her on his arm.

BA was spotted out Sunday with his three children in tow -- Violet, Samuel and Seraphina -- while they were apparently visiting a friend in L.A. It's just dad and the young ones here ... no sign of Jen or any of her brood tagging along. Ditto for his ex-wife, Jennifer Garner.

It's interesting to see Ben without the former tied to his hip on his most special of days -- considering they've been doing just that with all their other outings lately, plus workplace drop-ins. Frankly, we figured it'd be a no-brainer to see her with him early and often on his bday.

Not the case, though, it seems. Maybe Ben's compartmentalizing, and splitting up his time. Family first, love life second. Oddly enough, there's no bday shout-out from Jen yet either.

The only thing she has up on her Story today is a goofy solo selfie -- definitely not the same type of attention/treatment she gave herself a few weeks ago for the big 5-2, which had Ben's fingerprints all over the celebration. On the other hand, he is a low-key dude generally (no IG or anything) ... so, maybe the non-acknowledgment is at his behest? 🤷🏽‍♂️

While JL might not be giving him bday props just yet, Ben's old director pal, Zack Snyder, sure has ... he posted a born day tribute with some never-before-seen photos of BA as Batman -- and it's got DC fans buzzing and clamoring for more Snyder-verse content.

Zack threw up the throwback pic on Vero, showing a test batsuit he was having Ben try on at the time -- which was apparently back in 2013, before they started filming 'Batman v Superman.' Your boy looked as good then as he does now some 8 years later.

Anyway, happy birthday, big fella. And, here's hoping a surprise is waiting for ya before the night's out!

Originally Published -- 2:38 PM PT

Lizzo Breaks Down Over Hate/Negativity ... Cardi & Celebs Defend Her

UPDATE

2:31 PM PT -- Cardi just added more context to the controversy, she wrote, "Rumors is doing great. Stop trying to say the song is flopping to dismiss a woman emotions on bullying or acting like they need sympathy. The song is top 10 on all platforms. Body shaming and callin her mammy is mean & racist as f***."

Lizzo is once again batting off haters who have nothing but mean things to say about her -- but this time, it's truly gotten to her ... 'cause she's in tears on camera.

The singer went live Sunday and broke down over what she says is growing negativity aimed in her direction following the release of her and Cardi B's new song, "Rumors," which Lizzo says amounts to fat-shaming, racism and accusations of catering to white audiences.

Lizzo says that despite trying to put positive energy in the world through her music or posts or whatever, she feels like she oftentimes receives more hatred back than love ... and while she notes that she's got thick skin for that type of thing, it's weighing on her hard now.

She makes a valid point -- namely, that if you're not into her music or persona or anything else about her artistry, just change the dial to something else ... instead, however, Lizzo says she's been noticing people going out of their way to belittle her, and she can't make sense of it.

This is nothing new for her -- Lizzo's dealt with this type of hate since splashing onto the scene, and she's usually pretty good about telling people to kick rocks. She ends doing that here as well, but this video is truly a peek at how hard all the trash-talking is hitting her armor ... and heartbreaking, to say the least. Even Cardi felt compelled to speak up.

She writes, "When you stand up for yourself they claim your problematic & sensitive. When you don’t they tear you apart until you crying like this. Whether you skinny,big,plastic, they going to always try to put their insecurities on you. Remember these are nerds looking at the popular table." Other celebs have come to her defense as well, including Chloe Bailey.

Lizzo says she's going to start focusing on the positive and ignore hate messages she might read about herself on social media and elsewhere -- TBH, that sounds like a great idea.

Originally Published -- 1:47 PM PT

Kabul, Afghanistan Images of Women Painted Over ... As Taliban Takes Over

The Taliban are continuing to take hold of Afghanistan, and instant changes reflecting their ideology are already cropping up in the nation's capital ... especially as it relates to women.

The so-called religious "students" and their vast discipleship are on the brink of sacking Kabul right now -- with mass evacuations underway among citizens and leaders (like Afghanistan's president, Ashraf Ghani, who's said to have fled) but also ... U.S. diplomats and other allies who are stranded at the embassy there, which is basically under siege.

Aside from the utter chaos that's descended upon the area over the past week or so -- it's becoming quite clear that with the Taliban at the helm again, which looks more and more likely by the day, their world is going to look vastly different ... and almost overnight, too.

One example of this that's manifesting this weekend is the fact that posters, billboards and advertising-like images of women in and around Kabul are starting to get painted over completely, presumably at the Taliban's behest. Check out this photo showing exactly that.

The thinking here seems to be in line with what the Taliban subscribes to -- a strict interpretation of Islamic law, which often sees women of its faith being covered up and often relegated to whatever a man has to say. One glance at this, and it would appear the Taliban wants to get the status-quo back ASAP -- unraveling 20 years of a U.S. presence there.

Of course, it's become a political nightmare on our shores -- with Republicans pointing the finger at President Biden for evacuating our troops in recent months. But, his counterpoint was ... well, this is something Trump brokered while in office, and he just followed through.

In the meantime, footage that has surfaced of what's going on on the ground level is shocking. The streets of Kabul are jam-packed with people trying to hit the airport to get outta Dodge. But they're out of luck because commercial flights have reportedly been suspended.

Instead, it looks like only military aircrafts are being used at the moment ... and there's video of people trying to board what appears to be a cargo plane of some sort -- the type that opens up in the back, normally used for transporting massive gear and equipment.

This is just a taste of the scene there, and it's gut-wrenching. Big picture ... some U.S. officials have openly warned what letting the Taliban have its run of the place might mean for national security -- AKA, potential terrorism threats that could arise from this insurgence.

Granted, these aren't necessarily the guys who carried out 9/11, per se -- that was mostly Osama bin Laden/Al Qaeda -- but nonetheless ... the concerns are still there.

Usher 'Bucks' Make Sense Now Hot Pole Dancer Steals the Show!!!

Usher took major heat earlier this year after being accused of throwing fake money at real strippers -- but when you see this ... his so-called "bucks" are A-OK in context.

Check out these videos taken from one of Usher's Vegas residency shows from this past weekend -- during which an exotic dancer took the stage (and the entire building) by storm after performing a pole routine during Mr. Raymond's "Bad Girl" ... with a club-like set in tow.

The woman's name is Isis (the Goddess) ... and she's half naked on the pole, doing all sorts of flips and tricks in the air, while also twerking and knocking her boots ON BEAT at the same time -- this while Usher and the rest of his fellow performers look on and throw some kinda green her way. Some have speculated that, yes, they might be Ush bucks.

It's all part of the performance for that track, it seems, with the stage design made to be part of a larger set piece highlighting the "Bad Girl" narrative Usher's singing about. So, in this setting -- where the dancing isn't "real," per se -- it's NBD to throw his phony cash. Right???

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Even More 'Bad' MOves
@isisthe_goddesss / Instagram

WRONG!!! Or so it seems, anyway, based on some Twitter users' reaction to the clip -- which has since gone viral -- who *seem* to actually be upset that this gal might've been getting funny money thrown at her instead of real bills ... even though she's in on the show.

Whether the so-called outrage over this is sincere or not -- we can easily weigh in and say, the idea of being mad that this dancer wasn't collecting real greenbacks during the show is utterly outrageous. Because, frankly, she's probably collecting way more for her role BTS.

Of course, it's quite possible people are simply giving Usher a hard time (in jest) because of the brief controversy from a few months ago, where a stripper who wasn't part of his show claimed he'd thrown Ush bucks her way instead of real dough ... which he refuted.

Anyway, the dude's residency continues to be a smashing success -- the place is looking packed just about every time he goes on, and celebs have been making a point to come by and catch this one in person. And, with show-stopping numbers like this ... you can see why!

Travis Barker Flies for First Time Since Deadly Crash

Travis Barker had a momentous day ... flying for the first time since the deadly plane crash 13 years ago that killed 4 people and left him with third-degree burns on 65 percent of his body.

Travis and GF Kourtney Kardashian boarded a plane in L.A. Saturday ... and it had to be a terrifying moment for the Blink-182 drummer who had vowed never to fly again after the crash that took the life of 2 close friends, Charles "Che" Still and Chris Baker, along with the 2 pilots. DJ AM survived the crash but died a year later of an overdose.

Travis understandably seemed hesitant ... he and Kourtney, along with Kris Jenner and Corey Gamble, were headed to Cabo, but Travis was an hour late. It's unclear if he was just delayed or had second thoughts, but it must have been gut-wrenching for him.

Years before the 2008 crash, Travis was terrified of flying, and just before getting on the ill-fated jet, he called his dad and said he had a bad feeling about the flight. Although he vowed never to fly again, he recently softened his position and said he might give it another try.

To understand the gravitas ... Travis had multiple surgeries and skin grafts and spent months in a burn unit in tremendous pain. So, getting on a plane again must have been unbelievably emotional and, frankly, scary.

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CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF
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That he did, on Kylie's private jet, and the group left for a vacay in Mexico.

All was well, and they're now safely ensconced in Cabo.

Mike Dean I Haven't Left Ye's 'Donda' Album ... It's Fans Who're Toxic!!!

Mike Dean had the whole music world thinking he might've abandoned ship on Kanye West's forever-delayed album -- but the guy says he seeing it through, despite some weird tweets.

The legendary producer and hitmaker was the subject of a lot of conjecture over the past 24 hours due to what people perceived as warnings signs that things were amiss between him and Ye ... and the whole creative process behind "Donda" -- which still isn't out yet.

Mike had tweeted things like "F*** IT" ... and later responded to a fan who suggested Kanye's entire rollout for this is unhealthy by saying, "Toxic. That's It." He was also posting photos of himself outside, and people took that to mean he'd finally escaped KW's bunker.

After rumors swirled that he peaced out and left "Donda" behind ... the dude finally cleared the air, telling followers that he hadn't quit anything -- and that work on the album continues.

As for all the "toxic" stuff ... Mike has also since clarified that he's mostly talking about incessant fans who are badgering him about the release date, suggesting they themselves are the toxic ones. With that said, he also seems to think the Mercedes-Benz Stadium air might be a little poisonous too, and is just happy to be stretching his legs a bit.

BTW, Mike hasn't been held hostage there by any means -- he's made a point to address that as well in recent weeks.

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WORKIN' THE CROWD
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Still, it has been a long and arduous journey to get this record out -- and there doesn't seem to be any end in sight at this point as Kanye continues to hole up in the stadium and burn the midnight oil to tinker with the final product. This, of course, after TWO listening events.

During the latest offering this month, Kanye was seen talking to someone on the phone ... right in the middle of the performance. Dean said it was actually him Ye was talking to ... apparently, over some sort of mixing request, Kanye wanted addressed then and there.

So, yeah ... Mike's been right in the thick of the action for this one -- and considering Kanye's perfectionist attitude toward "Donda," understandable people jumped the gun in assuming MD was fed up. Turns out, though, he's not ... at least not with that part.

Rams vs. Chargers Insane Fight Breaks Out ... Blood Spilled in the Stands

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RAMS RAMPAGE
TMZSports.com

The Rams lost their game Saturday, and at least one of the fans lost a considerable amount of blood watching it happen ... after an insane brawl broke out in the stands.

Fans squared off during the Rams/Chargers game at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood during a preseason game.

The game was close and tension in the stands was palpable during the second quarter. You see two fans square off ... first just jawboning and then the fists start flying, leaving the face of one of the dudes bloodied.

It's unclear what security was doing, but it took them a LONG TIME to mosey over and break up the fight.

The guy in the white shirt -- the one throwing the punches -- was escorted out and the game continued.

The Rams lost 13-6.

Naomi Osaka Donating Prize Money for Haitian Relief ... Following 7.2 Earthquake

Tennis star Naomi Osaka has stepped up in a big way to help victims of the massive earthquake in Haiti ... she's opening her wallet to provide badly-needed assistance.

Naomi has pledged to donate whatever prize money she wins at next week's Western & Southern Open to the Haitian relief effort.

Naomi, whose dad is Haitian, said, "Really hurts to see all the devastation that's going on in Haiti, and I feel like we really can't catch a break," adding, "I'm about to play a tournament this week and I'll give all the prize money to relief efforts for Haiti.  I know our ancestor's blood is strong we'll keep rising."

The massive, 7.2-magnitude quake rocked Haiti Saturday. The casualty numbers are not final, but more than 300 people have died, hundreds have been injured and an untolled numb er have been displaced from their homes.

Naomi has been a fierce advocate of various causes, including mental health and social justice. She wore masks with the names of victims of police violence at last year's U.S. Open.

As for next week's tournament ... she's seeded second. As far as the possible prize money, the winner of the women’s singles tournament will receive $255,220, the runner-up will receive $188,945 and semifinalists will receive $100,250.

YNW Melly Produced New Album From Prison ... Calling Shots Over the Phone

YNW Melly is facing a possible death penalty as he sits in prison awaiting trial for murder, but he's passing the time by producing an album behind bars.

Sources close to YNW Melly tell TMZ ... the rapper had been working on "Just a Matter of Slime" for the better part of the last 8 months. We're told he spent hours and hours on the phone ... securing collabs with other rappers like Young Thug, Future and Lil Uzi Vert. He's also spent lots of time talking to sound engineers.

Our sources say YNW recorded his verses long before he was arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree murder over the shooting deaths of 2 friends.

YNW has been locked up since February 2019 ... and while he awaits trial in Broward County, Florida -- where prosecutors are seeking the death penalty -- the rapper's been grinding.

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We're told YNW has been listening to arrangements of his music and giving engineers direction on tweaking the vocals.

The rapper hopped on the phone Thursday and someone from his team recorded him from prison ... promoting his new album. We're not sure how well that's gonna go over with the warden.

As for the meaning behind the album title ... here's the story -- YNW had been unable to get a trial date for the murder case due to the COVID-19 pandemic shutting down the courts.

But, with things slowly but surely opening up again, YNW feels it's "just a matter of [time]" until he sees his day in court.

Anti-Vaxx Violence Man Stabbed During L.A. Protest

The political divide over vaccines just got bloody.

Someone was stabbed Saturday during a massive brawl in downtown L.A. ... in the middle of an anti-vaccine protest.

People on both sides squared off and it didn't take long for fists to fly. The person stabbed is hospitalized in serious condition.

The protesters called the demonstration a "Choose Freedom March." They say they are protesting the "medical tyranny" of mandatory vaccinations and vaccine passports ... whatever that means.

As the Delta variant continues to wreak havoc in the U.S., more and more cities and businesses are either contemplating or implementing mandatory vaccination policies. There's a clear move to declare restaurants, concerts, sporting events and other gathering places off-limits to people who choose to turn thumbs down to the vaccine.

As for Saturday's confrontation, there were counter-protesters present, calling their mission "No Safe Space for Fascists" ... they are demonstrating against what they call "violent anti-vaxxers."

The L.A. City Council is considering a law requiring partial vaccination proof before people can enter restaurants, bars, gyms, concert venues, movie theaters and various businesses.

Korn Cancels Concert ... Someone Here Has COVID

Korn pulled the plug on their concert Saturday night with a vague disclosure ... someone "within the Korn camp" tested positive for COVID.

This is what the band said just hours before the concert was supposed to start ... "Unfortunately, there has been a confirmed COVID-19 case within the Korn camp. The safety of our artists, crew, venue staff, and fans are our top priority, so we must postpone the show tonight."

The concert was supposed to go down at the Pavilion at Montage Mountain in Scranton, PA.

Korn wants to make good on the concert, saying, "We're deeply sorry for this unfortunate last minute news, but please hold on to your tickets while we work to get your rescheduled date sorted ASAP with Live Nation and the Pavilion at Montage Mountain. Thank you for your understanding, and stay safe out there. We'll be back soon."

This is now the way of the world ... people get tested and plans abruptly change.

Flea Dances, Performs at Native American Wedding

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NATIVE MOVES
@randi_bird / Instagram

Flea had the time, and the honor, of his life at a Native American wedding ... celebrating the nuptials of 2 close friends.

We're told the Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist hit up the Earth Lodge on Thursday night at Fort Berthold Indian Reservation in New Town, North Dakota ... where Jocy and Trae Little Sky tied the knot.

Our sources say Flea's wife, Melody Ehsani, is good friends with the couple, and this video we obtained shows Flea having a blast during the intimate ceremony ... dancing his face off to a traditional drum beat. He also picked up a bass and performed with another guest who was singing and playing guitar.

Flea posted on Instagram a picture of the couple at the altar and captioned it, "Humbled by the infinite sacred beauty of it all! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ @jocy.bird." He also posted several pics and videos proclaiming his love for North Dakota.

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Pretty cool moment when Jocy and Trea were accompanied by their 7-year-old daughter, Ataya, and 5-year-old son, Tokala, as they all walked down the aisle.

BTW, Fort Berthold Indian Reservation -- consisting of 988,000 acres -- is home to the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation ... also known as the Three Affiliated Tribes. It boasts nearly 17,000 members ... and historians date its history back around 1000 A.D.