Celebrity Death

Tyler, the Creator is telling fans to enjoy his tunes while he's alive and well, because when he dies ... his music will officially stop.

The Golf Wang curator was explaining this tidbit to the crowd last night during his Estate Sale Show at The El Rey in Los Angeles.

Tyler just dropped a deluxe edition of his Grammy Award-winning album "Call Me If You Get Lost" that featured 8 previously unreleased songs ... and told fans he felt the songs were too good to sit in the vault.

The veteran rapper felt it best he let go of the tracks now because he says his living will prohibits his music from being posthumously released ... especially with "random" artists he wouldn't ever collaborate with while he was alive!!!

Fact is, deceased artists have proven to be cash cows over the years. So, whoever's distributing Tyler's music can't be thrilled with his will ... not that anyone's rushing him to the grave.

Len Goodman, the popular longtime judge on "Dancing With The Stars," has died, his manager confirmed.

Goodman passed away Saturday in a hospice center in Kent, England after a battle with bone cancer, according to the British Broadcasting Corporation.

His manager, Jackie Gill, announced his death Monday morning, saying in a statement that Goodman was "a much loved husband, father and grandfather who will be sorely missed by family, friends and all who knew him."

A once professional ballroom dancer, Goodman served as a 'DWTS' judge from 2005 to 2022 and was known for his wry humor. He acted as head judge in the 2005 season. From 2004 to 2016, he was the top judge on the British adaption of the show called "Strictly Come Dancing."

Friends and family took to social media to remember Goodman.

TV personality Piers Morgan tweeted a photo of himself with Goodman and a caption that read, "Always had a laugh with Len, and swapped a few strong opinions. A quintessential Londoner and a top bloke."

BBC Director-General Tim Davie tweeted that Goodman "appealed to all ages and felt like a member of everyone's family."

Goodman was 78.

Quavo's latest IG caption angered fans who jumped to the conclusion he was taking shots at Offset's new tattoo honoring Takeoff ... but his mother is setting the record straight.

On Thursday, Quavo amassed thousands of comments with a photo shoot atop a giant military aircraft and wrote, "Rocket Power It’s In You Not On You! 👑 #RocketPower🚀."

Many fans took the "not on you" quip as a slight towards the full-back portrait ink Offset debuted last week -- but Quavo's mother/Takeoff's grandmother is assuring fans the line is a quote taken from the late rapper's legacy.

That said, it's not like the remaining Migos members have given fans a ton of reasons to believe they're going to be cool with each other going forward.

Aaron Carter's cause of death -- drowning as a result of being under the influence -- doesn't add up for his fiancée, which is why she wants a second opinion as to how he died.

Melanie Martin -- who shares a child with Aaron -- tells TMZ ... she's not satisfied with the findings of the L.A. County Coroner's Office -- which ruled Aaron's death an accident based on an autopsy following his sudden death last year.

The reason ... she says there are still elements surrounding the circumstances of his passing that don't quite make sense to her -- like the fact he was partially clothed in the bathtub when his body was found ... suggesting to her he was lucid before he died ... which could point to someone else being involved.

Another thing ... there was mention in Aaron's autopsy of a small abrasion on his left eyebrow and another one at the base of his septum. MM tells us that's a red flag to her and a sign of a possible struggle.

Because of these lingering doubts -- which Melanie says she and her son are entitled to have addressed -- she's mulling over the possibility of having Aaron's case examined a second time by a private investigator and medical professional ... only this time, private ones hired by the family.

Melanie also says she wants the additional investigation to give her peace of mind and closure ... as she believes Aaron himself would want no stone unturned.

Here's the reality ... Melanie tells us she simply isn't sure if she'll be able to pull the resources together to do it all. As you might imagine, it's very expensive, and she says she's not equipped at the moment to get it done. Still ... she's considering her options.

Fact is, Melanie is on the same train as Aaron's mother, Jane Carter -- who recently told us the death scene photos that surfaced screamed foul play ... a theory she doesn't think investigators looked into seriously enough.

Melanie says she's even tried doing a little investigating on her own -- going door-to-door for surveillance footage ... but coming up empty. She tells us she wants the homeless housekeeper who was staying with him to get a second look by cops ... not to mention drug dealers she claims had it out for Aaron, and who might've been supplying him.

K-pop star Moonbin, of the popular boy band Astro, has died.

Astro's label Fantagio shared the tragic news with fans Wednesday ... saying the singer "left us and became a star in the sky." The company says it's "deeply mourning" the shocking death alongside his family, droves of fans, and fellow artists.

Fantagio says the family will hold a private funeral with close family, friends, and colleagues.

An official cause of death has yet to be revealed, but South Korean police reportedly found him dead in his apartment in Gangnam-gu, Seoul after allegedly not showing for a recent rehearsal.

Fans of Moonbin know he started working as a model in 2004 when he was just a child ... then transitioned into acting, first grabbing a role in 2009 on the Korean drama "Boys over Flowers."

He then debuted with Astro in 2016 with 5 others -- MJ, Jinjin, Rocky, Cha Eun-woo, and Yoon San-ha. They went on to come out with some hits, including "Candy Sugar Pop" and "Baby." Rocky left the K-pop group in late February of this year.

Moonbin took a brief pause from the band in 2019 due to health-related reasons but made his return the following year. The group had a concert scheduled for mid-May, but that's reportedly been canceled.

He was only 25.

Keith Nale, a two-time contestant on the "Survivor" TV series, has died after a bout with cancer.

His wife, Dana, tells TMZ ... Keith passed away Tuesday in his home in Keithville, Louisiana after he discovered that he had the disease in January. Dana said it was unclear what type of cancer he had.

His presence will definitely be missed. Keith was beloved by his fellow contestants from the "Survivor" franchise, whose producers isolate a group of strangers on an island where they compete in endurance challenges to avoid elimination through voting until one person is left victorious.

Keith and his son, Wes, appeared on 2014's "Survivor: San Juan del Sur," where Keith reached the final four competition before getting the boot. The following year, Keith returned to an alternate version of the show — Survivor: Cambodia — where he nearly made it to the finals again, but he got voted off.

Some of Keith's fellow contestants paid homage to him on social media.

Jeremy Collins, who won "Survivor: Cambodia" in 2015, tweeted his condolences to Keith's family, noting that he and Keith were both firefighters by trade.

Ex-contestant Kelley Wentworth recalled that Keith had the "purest heart" and a good sense of humor when everyone really needed some laughs.

ET was first to report his death.

Keith was 62.

Aaron Carter took prescription pills and huffed before his death, according to the autopsy results ... TMZ has learned.

The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner says its findings show Aaron drowned in the bathtub of his Lancaster home, but he took alprazolam -- generic Xanax -- and inhaled compressed difluoroethane ... which is the propellant used in cans of compressed air.

The report says he became "incapacitated while in the bathtub due to the effects" of the drugs and the huffing ... and, ultimately, he slipped under the water and drowned. Aaron's death is officially ruled accidental.

TMZ broke the story -- Aaron was found dead last November. Aaron's family claimed the coroner had told them there was no water found in his lungs, and they believed he had died of a drug overdose.

According to the autopsy report, there were multiple cans of Surf Onn compressed air found in A bathroom and bedroom. Additionally, authorities found several prescription bottles in the home.

Several clothing items were found near the bathtub -- including a beanie, sweatshirt and pants. A nozzle tip to one of the compressed air cans was found in a front pocket of that sweatshirt.

Aaron's fiancée, Melanie Martin, told us she thought drugs were what killed him -- you'll recall, he had a serious substance abuse problem in the years leading up to his death. As we previously reported, cops found cans of compressed air and prescription pills in Aaron's bedroom and bathroom.

Melanie told us there was a text exchange on Aaron's phone, saying he owed someone $800 for an unknown substance ... submitting the exchange to authorities for further investigation.

His mom, Jane, revealed a series of photos in early March from Aaron's bathroom the day he was found, believing it wasn't an overdose -- instead, calling it a crime scene and speculating that her son may have been a victim of foul play.

Jane said she had support from Aaron's family and friends to put the pics out there, wanting to bring the spotlight back to the case.

We covered it all in the recent episode of The TMZ Podcast, available on all podcast platforms!

Chris Smith -- a former NFL defensive end who was playing in the XFL this season -- has passed away, according to his agent. He was only 31.

NFL agent Drew Rosenhaus confirmed the devastating news via Twitter on Tuesday, sending condolences to his family, friends, and loved ones.

"Rest in Peace Chris," Rosenhaus tweeted. "We will miss you."

Details surrounding his passing are unknown at this time.

Several tributes from fans and athletes were shared on social media after the announcement, including Buffalo Bills' Shaq Lawson who tweeted, "Man prayers up for Chris Smith family."

"This one hurts."

Cleveland Browns star David Njoku said the death of Smith is heartbreaking as he was a "hometown hero" and had "such a kind soul."

Smith was a fifth-round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft after spending four seasons with the Arkansas Razorbacks where he was named Second-team All-SEC.

The North Carolina native played for the Jaguars, Bengals, Browns, Panthers, Raiders, Ravens, and Texans during his 8-year NFL career. He had 80 total tackles, 11 sacks, and 4 forced fumbles.

During the 2018-19 season with the Browns, Smith's girlfriend and mother of his daughter, Petara Cordero, was tragically killed after she was struck by a passing car after getting out of Chris's car.

Smith was starting a new career in the XFL and just signed with the Seattle Sea Dragons on March 9.

R.I.P.

Chris Cornell's estate -- which is run by his widow, Vicky -- appears to finally be on the same page, legally, with his old band, and it seems like there's even new music on the way.

A statement was issued through Chris's official IG page, and it reads ... "Soundgarden and Vicky Cornell, on behalf of the Estate of Chris Cornell, are happy to announce they have reached an amicable out of court resolution."

It goes on ... "The reconciliation marks a new partnership between the two parties, which will allow Soundgarden fans around the world to hear the final songs that the band and Chris were working on. The two parties are united and coming together to propel, honor and build upon Soundgarden's incredible legacy as well as Chris's indelible mark on music history."

The update comes after years of acrimonious legal battles between Vicky and the band since Cornell's death.

From what we know ... she'd actually sued Soundgarden twice -- once in 2019 over royalties and 7 unreleased tracks and again in 2021 regarding the value of his stake in the band ... and there were even complaints to a judge about COVID protocols amid all this drama. It's been a lot.

Now, it seems like they've all buried the hatchet -- which presumably means both lawsuits have been settled. And that's gotta be great news for Chris' fans around the world.

Mark Sheehan, the guitarist from the famous Irish rock band The Script, is dead.

The band announced Mark's death Friday, saying he died in the hospital following a brief illness. The official cause of death is unclear.

Mark's bandmates are remembering him as a "much loved husband, father, brother, band mate and friend."

When The Script toured the United States last year for the American leg of their greatest hits tour, Mark was not performing with the band ... and at the time, singer Danny O'Donoghue told the "Sunday World" Mark was taking time away from the group to be with family.

Mark helped found The Script in Dublin way back in 2001, along with Danny and Glen Power on the drums.

The group's first album, "The Script," reached No. 1 in both the United Kingdom and Ireland ... and their lead single, "The Man Who Can't Be Moved" peaked at No. 2 on the singles charts.

Mark was 46.

Mary Quant, a British designer who revolutionized fashion and is credited with making miniskirts popular, is dead.

Mary died peacefully Thursday at her home in Surrey, in southern England ... according to her family.

She's famous for designing colorful and sexy miniskirts that defined the swinging '60s, as well as tights that went along with them, helping make fashion accessible to the masses with her simple, mix-and-match designs.

Mary started making her own clothes way back in 1955, when she opened her first boutique called Bazaar on London's famous King's Road, in the heart of Chelsea, and it was an instant hit ... ultimately making the area the epicenter of British fashion.

Within a decade, Mary was a global brand ... she had a fashion line at J.C. Penney, her own makeup, a doll, and boutiques in New York department stores. When she came to the United States, she needed police protection because she was treated like a fifth member of The Beatles.

Mary was named an officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1966 for helping British exports with $20 million in sales ... and in 2009 she was honored with her own Royal mail postage stamp, featuring a model wearing a black Mary Quant miniskirt.

She was 93.

World Rally Championship driver Craig Breen was tragically killed on Thursday after crashing during a practice drive for an upcoming rally, his team announced. He was just 33 years old.

FIA confirmed the heartbreaking news in a statement ... saying Breen passed away "during a private testing accident" in Croatia.

"Our thoughts & prayers are with his loved ones & the Rally community at this difficult time," FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem said.

According to Hyundai Motorsport, Breen -- who was with co-driver James Fulton -- was practicing for the upcoming Croatia Rally when their Hyundai i20 N Rally1 car went off the road.

The car reportedly hit a pole and Breen died from his injuries. Fulton was unharmed.

The Irish driver began his racing career in 1999 with karting in Ireland ... before he made a switch to rallying in 2009. Breen competed in 81 rallies, and during his career, he became the champion of WRC Academy in 2011, and the 2012 WRC Super 2000 world rally champion as well.

Breen has a total of 30 stage wins and recently placed 2nd at Rally Sweden in February.

His father, Ray, was an Irish rally national champion.

Unfortunately, this tragedy is almost 11 years after Breen's co-driver and best friend, Gareth Roberts, died when they crashed in the Targa Florio rally in 2012. Gareth was only 24.

Cole Pensick -- a former offensive lineman for the Nebraska Huskers -- died in an early morning car accident in Nebraska on Saturday ... TMZ Sports has confirmed.

He was 32.

Nebraska football commented on the tragic news ... "Mourning the loss of one of our own. On behalf of the Nebraska Football program, our deepest condolences go out to the family, friends & teammates of former Husker lineman Cole Pensick."

The Polk County Sherriff's Office tells us they responded to a call at 6:42 AM after receiving a report for a pickup truck that was off the roadway and in between trees.

Once they arrived, cops found Pensick, who had been driving a 2022 Chevrolet Silverado, deceased at the scene. Police say he was involved in a single-vehicle accident after failing to stop at a stop sign, and leaving the road.

Law enforcement tells us Cole was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash, but added they're still investigating the accident.

Pensick was a standout at Nebraska ... he played in 13 games his senior year (starting 12) and was selected to the All-Big Ten second team by coaches around the league in 2013.

Michael Lerner -- famous for roles in 'Elf,' 'Barton Fink,' 'Godzilla' and tons of other shows and movies -- has died ... this according to his family.

The actor's nephew, Sam Lerner, broke the sad news Sunday -- taking to IG with a lengthy caption about his uncle, writing ... "We lost a legend last night. It’s hard to put into words how brilliant my uncle Michael was, and how influential he was to me."

Sam adds, "His stories always inspired me and made me fall in love with acting. He was the coolest, most confident, talented guy, and the fact that he was my blood will always make me feel special. Everyone that knows him knows how insane he was— in the best way. I’m so lucky I got to spend so much time with him, and we’re all lucky we can continue to watch his work for the rest of time."

He ends with ... "RIP Michael, enjoy your unlimited Cuban cigars, comfy chairs, and endless movie marathon." The exact circumstances surrounding his death are unclear.

Michael will, perhaps, be best remembered for his standout role in the 2003 Will Ferrell comedy -- where he played James Caan's hard-ass boss, Fulton, who was demanding a grade-A children's book. Of course, he's had way more credits before that came along.

Aside from the aforementioned flicks, ML's been in movies such as 'Blank Check,' 'Newsies,' 'Harlem Nights,' 'For Richer or Poorer,' 'The Mod Squad,' 'Celebrity,' 'A Serious Man,' and lots of others. His TV credits are equally impressive, with appearances dating back to the '70s.

Some of the biggest shows he's been a part of include ... 'The Brady Bunch,' 'The Good Guys,' 'Ironside,' 'MASH,' 'The Odd Couple,' 'Starsky and Hutch,' 'The Rockford Files,' 'Barnaby Jones,' 'Hill Street Blues,' 'Melba,' 'Tales from the Crypt,' 'Courthouse,' 'Clueless,' 'Kingdom Hospital,' 'Law & Order: SVU,' 'Matumbo Goldberg,' 'Glee,' and many, many more.

He's survived by his famous brother, Ken, and his extended family. Michael was 81.

Brad Fischetti, the last living member of LFO, says he's not scared by the fact death seems to come early to those involved with the band ... he's alive and well, and touring in their honor.

Brad tells TMZ ... he was shocked and dumbfounded at the end of March, when original LFO member Brian "Brizz" Gillis suddenly died, leaving Brad as the last surviving member.

Lots of folks didn't even know Brian was in LFO ... and some thought it was really Brad who passed. Brian was LFO's third member when the band started, but he left before Devin Lima joined the group in 1999, the same year "Summer Girls" became a huge hit.

Remember ... Devin was only 41 when he died back in November 2018, and Rich Cronin was just 36 when he died in September 2010 ... with cancer taking both their lives. Brian's cause of death is still unclear.

Brad says it's not just LFO band members who have died young ... he says their OG record label head, keyboard player, choreographer and a producer they worked with are all dead too.

Still, Brad says he hopes there's not a death curse on LFO. He hopes he lives a long life and tells us he's got no plans to stop touring, viewing it as a way to carry on LFO's legacy.

Paul Cattermole, one of the members of the hugely popular S Club 7 music group has died ... the group announced.

In a shocking statement Friday, the band announced, "We are truly devastated by the passing of our brother Paul. There are no words to describe the deep sadness and loss we all feel. We were so lucky to have had him in our lives and are thankful for the amazing memories we have."

They continue, "He will be so deeply missed by each and every one of us. We ask that you respect the privacy of his family and of the band at this time."

At this time, Paul's cause of death is unclear, though local reports state there were "no suspicious circumstances" surrounding his death. Paul was just photographed earlier this week on a walk, where he looked to be in relatively good health.

S Club 7 was an English pop group created by Simon Fuller back in 1998 with Cattermole, Jon Lee, Tina Barrett, Bradley McIntosh, Jo O'Meara, Hannah Spearritt and Rachel Stevens.

The group had four UK #1 singles -- including "S Club Party" and "Bring It All Back" ... their song "Never Had a Dream Come True" made it to the Top 10 in the U.S.