Reunions

The Fugees' reunion is officially on, centered around the blockbuster album "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill" ... which is celebrating its 25th anniversary on Friday.

Beginning in September, Lauryn will embark on a 17-date tour throughout New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and her New Jersey hometown, with Wyclef Jean and Pras reuniting for their first tour in years.

'Miseducation' is Lauryn's first and only solo album, but its impact has survived the test of time ... the project famously earned her 5 Grammys in one night and eventually got certified Diamond by the RIAA.

In a rare public statement, L-Boogie broke down the album's synopsis ... “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill is and was a love song to my parents, my family, my people, my musical and cultural forebears, my teachers, my loves, my Creator. I wrote love songs and protest songs— (still love songs) about the subjects and interests that inspired and moved me. I was confident that what inspired me would resonate with an audience that had been led to believe that songs of that kind could only live in the past.”

She elaborated on her art further writing, “I loved music, I loved people, I truly felt grateful to God for my life, and genuinely blessed to have a platform where I could share wisdom and perspective through music. I felt a charge to challenge the idea that certain kinds of expression and/or certain kinds of people didn’t belong in certain places. I loved showing what could work or happen provided there was imagination, creativity and LOVE leading the way.”

The "Killing Me Softly" trio tested the waters at The Roots' picnic back in June and will also perform classics from their Diamond-selling album "The Score."

Timbaland's back in the studio -- with real humans, after entertaining the thought of AI -- with his longtime pals Justin Timberlake and Nelly Furtado!!!

The "Dream Team" trio was apparently up late in the studio on Tuesday night ... sharing several pics of themselves with huge grins, a good sign the tunes are turning out right.

Nelly dialed in remotely from FaceTime while Timbaland and Justin were together in-studio ... but the reunion was still full circle.

Back in 2006, Timbaland oversaw the production of both JT and Nelly's blockbuster albums ... "FutureSex/LoveSounds" and "Loose" ... with both projects selling millions of records, opening the door for more collabs as the artists owned the dance floors for years.

"Vanderpump Rules" star James Kennedy has chosen a new name for his pup ... the same one he scooped up from a shelter after living with his ex, Rachel Leviss.

James shared a cute snap Sunday of the dog formerly known as Graham Cracker -- now called Hippie, according to the DJ. He says it carries some sentimental weight, being "a tribute to my late godfather, George Michael's dog's name."

He says the legendary singer's pooch was "the only dog I saw around the house growing up" ... and he thinks both George and Hippie are watching over him today and would be pretty proud of him.

As we reported, James posted some pics with his dog and his GF Ally Lewber last week, during the "VPR" Lake Tahoe trip.

Sources told us it was recently dropped off at a shelter after having a biting problem, and Rachel's mom, Laura, claimed she was bit down to the bone while caring for Hippie while her daughter was at her mental health facility, according to ET.

After some rehabilitation, Vanderpump Dog Foundation learned where the pup was and set up the reunion with James.

Pras is doing A-OK in spite of his recent conviction for criminal conspiracy ... at least, that's the update Wyclef Jean is sharing about his fellow artist.

TMZ Hip Hop connected with Wyclef outside NBC Studios on Monday, looking spry and lively after surviving a burnout earlier this year after he denied all retirement rumors.

He also assured us Pras was still in good spirits since we last spoke to him in May after the guilty verdict.

Pras is currently awaiting sentencing for his role in a $20 million fraud political theater, the type of stuff that makes for a ripe movie script ... but Wyclef says don't expect to see a feature film of the legendary hip hop trio anytime soon.

Wyclef says Fugees' life story is still being written in real time and there's no way to put a cap on the saga just yet.

He, Pras and Lauryn Hill recently reunited at this year's Roots Picnic but haven't released an album together since 1996's Diamond-selling blockbuster album "The Score."

Kim Zolciak has a new lease on life (and love) -- which she seems to be signaling to the world with a sneak peek at her rockin' mom bod.

The 'RHOA' star posted some footage Monday night on her Instagram where she's whipping her hair around after a salon visit and looks very happy with the results ... as she thanked the owners of the joint.

Of course, the obvious image here that stands out -- besides her golden locks -- is her cleavage, because she posted the vid wearing just her bra, and Kim's cups runneth over.

Thirst traps from 'Housewives' are nothing new, but the timing of this one is interesting. Obviously, Kim just patched things up with her husband, Kroy Biermann, and called off their divorce ... which had gotten very ugly very quickly.

If this were a week ago, everyone would assume Kim did it to get under Kroy's skin -- but now that they're mending fences ... we're guessing she's just feeling good, and wanting to show she's looking good too.

It's a vibe.

Like we reported, Kim and Kroy are working through their issues the old-fashioned way -- just talking every day, without any 3rd party help.

The "Vanderpump Rules" reunion reached its climactic conclusion Wednesday night as Tom Sandoval and Raquel Leviss professed their love for one another -- doing so right in front of Tom’s jilted ex Ariana Madix.

The dramatic sequence went down halfway through the third and final part of the 'VPR' Season 10 reunion when Bravo host Andy Cohen asked Raquel why she didn't slam the brakes on her affair with Tom.

Raquel said it was "almost impossible" to turn away from their relationship, prompting Andy to explore if she was in love with Tom at the time. After a tense moment, Raquel nodded and said, "Yeah."

Predictably, Ariana lost it and did some name-calling, but Raquel stayed composed and went on to admit she was still in love with Tom.

Andy then turned to Tom and questioned whether he had the same feelings for Raquel. Tom took a deep breath and thought about it for what felt like an eternity ... then he finally blurted out, “I’m sorry. Yes.”

Of course, Ariana reacted with disgust, labeling Tom and Raquel "grody" and their expressions of love as "the most pathetic thing I've ever heard." Earlier, Ariana promised to never see or speak to Raquel again after the reunion and compared her to an evil "Dementor" creature from the 'Harry Potter' films.

The other 'VPR' cast members -- Lala Kent, James Kennedy, Tom Schwartz and Lisa Vanderpump -- chimed in from time to time, but it was mostly the Tom, Ariana and Raquel show.

Lauryn Hill shocked fans at the 2023 Roots Picnic by using her headlining performance to orchestrate a mini-reunion with the Fugees ... a complete and total surprise for Pras, who we've learned was shocked at the request to join his former bandmates.

A rep for Pras tells TMZ Hip Hop he was able to make the performance happen last minute, as he's currently awaiting sentencing after being found guilty of conspiracy and fraud in April.

Pras' admiration for his Fugees bandmates Lauryn and Wyclef Jean runs deep ... he considers them family and their longtime bond paid off for Sunday night's impromptu Roots Picnic performance.

We're told the invitation to perform was so sudden, there was no time for rehearsal ... but the legendary hip hop trio managed to belt out 6 songs from the classic multi-platinum album "The Score" for the crowd.

Due to Pras' looming sentencing, a lot of people think this was the Fugees' final performance for a long time, but not necessarily.

Joe Giudice is back in the 'Real Housewives' universe after his cameo in the New Jersey reunion ... where he was looking for a surgical consultation, of all things!

The 'RHONJ' alum called his ex-wife Teresa on the phone just as the first of the 3-part reunion kicked off with host Andy Cohen. Teresa and the other housewives -- Melissa Gorga, Margaret Josephs, Dolores Catania, Jennifer Aydin, Rachel Fuda and Danielle Cabral -- seemed surprised.

As Teresa answered the phone, she said, "Look who's calling me: Joe Giudice," who has been living in the Bahamas since 2021 after leaving Italy following his deportation from the States.

Joe had an important question for Jennifer's plastic surgeon husband, Bill, who was not present either, so he addressed it to Teresa. Joe said, "Tre, ask Jennifer's husband, Bill, if he does bags under your eyes," while everyone chuckled.

Andy then snatched the phone from Teresa and asked, "Giudice, are you looking to get your eyes done?"

Hell no!! Joe said he was just researching the procedure for his uncle and pointed out, "[Mine] aren't baggy yet."

Besides all that ... we learned Joe has a few girlfriends in the Bahamas, and he never watched 'RHONJ' -- not even while he was in prison.

After everyone said their goodbyes, Andy hung up and remarked, "Wow, unexpected." Not so sure about that, but anyway ... it was a moment.

As we reported, Joe was convicted in 2014 of conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud and served 41 months in federal prison. A judge ordered him to be deported to his native Italy, and he was eventually booted from the U.S. after losing several appeals.

Britney Spears' mom flew to L.A. Wednesday to see her daughter ... and Britney was receptive enough to let her inside her home and spend some time catching up.

Lynne Spears arrived at LAX in the morning and was driven to the home of Britney's manager, Cade Hudson. She then took an Uber to Britney's home.

We're told Britney didn't know exactly when Lynne was coming, but she knew her mom was in town to see her.

When Lynne arrived at Britney's home, the singer let her inside and the 2 spent around 30 minutes chatting. We're told Sam was also present.

Our sources say the ice between mother and daughter is thawing ... they've been texting recently and Lynne knew the path was clear enough to make the trek from Louisiana to L.A.

As you know, Britney was on a tear at the end of the conservatorship and afterward, saying her mom and the rest of her family betrayed her. This is a pretty clear sign there's a chance of reconciliation.

After Lynne left, Britney and Sam got in her car, drove around for a bit and then returned home.

"Good Burger" is returning to the big screen with OG stars Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell ... and we nabbed an early look at the new production's set as filming gets underway.

Eyewitnesses tell TMZ ... the sequel "Good Burger 2" started shooting Thursday in North Providence, RI around 8 AM, and it's obvious the set designers put a lot of work into recreating the look of the classic '90s flick.

We're told production completely transformed a vacant Friendly's ice cream shop ('memba those?) into the new Good Burger joint.

The joint was originally painted red, but that all changed about 2 weeks ago when production gave the shop a major facelift ... just after notifying local businesses.

Sources say the crew went in and did a full paint job, added window decals and more. They even built a concrete wall in the parking lot, before finishing it off with some spray paint.

And, now it's time to get all that hard work on camera -- we're told they've been filming all this week ... with the cast and crew shooting a scene involving some actors at the graffiti wall.

Busta Rhymes says a highly-anticipated reunion with Janet Jackson for their 1998 song together was well worth the wait -- and right on time too ... almost like it was divine!

The legendary rapper was gushing about JJ Tuesday night ... this shortly after they shared the stage at Madison Square Garden, where she was putting on a crucial show that's part of her larger 'Together Again' tour -- which couldn't be more perfectly named.

Indeed ... Busta got on the mic with Janet to crank out their hit, 'What's It Gonna Be?!' -- a fan fave, and something folks have wanted to see them perform together live for years now.

That's certainly what BR has wanted as well ... and he talked to a photog about just how big of a moment it was for him. As it turns out -- the dude, who's no stranger to being in front of audiences, says he was actually shaking in his boots ahead of their big duet onstage.

He actually suggests something happened up there that gives away the fact he was freaking the hell out -- we have video of the performance ... so take a look for yourself.

Anyway, it's clear that this was big for Busta and that he's grateful for the opportunity to have done it now -- even if it is 25 years later. He says any sooner wouldn't have been as significant ... so, in his mind, this coming together with Janet was right on time.

BTW, he also gets into the story about how he first linked up with her to record way back when -- and even that tale sounds too good to be true. Busta remembers it like it was yesterday.

As he notes, the reunion marks a cultural snapshot that transcends music. And, considering Janet's theme for the tour is in this ballpark, there's probably more stuff like this coming.

Kourtney Kardashian is in leathered-out super fan mode for her husband Travis Barker's remarkable reunion performance with Blink-182 at Coachella.

Kourt and Travis got on the road Thursday to head to Indio, California for the huge Musical Festival weekend ... and she made sure to flick it up and show support for her hubby ahead of his set.

While on the road, she posted a few photos from inside the trailer using the Coachella geotag, showing off her 'fit and giving fans a sneak peek behind-the-scenes.

Of course, she couldn't help but promote Poosh's party, which is an 'adult sleepaway camp' held during the festival weekend.

Kourt's looking like the ultimate rockstar groupie -- shades paired with a graphic tee and black leather jacket.

Most importantly, she posted a shot of Trav's practice drum kit, referencing the hot topic for all Blink fans -- how's he gonna play with his injured hand?!?

As we reported, Travis had surgery to repair his busted left ring finger a little over a month ago ... and that forced the band to postpone dates on their first tour together in 9 years.

Everyone was shocked when the pop-punk rockers were a last-minute addition to Coachella's Friday night lineup. As you can see, frontman Mark Hoppus is amped for their set inside the Sahara tent.

The band formed back in 1992 ... and over 3 decades later, fans are still lining up to see 'em rock out.

Gucci Mane's former artist Ralo had a Happy Easter despite his ongoing prison bid for weed trafficking ... the Georgia rapper got to hug his daughter for the first time in 5 years!!!

Ralo posted pics of the father and child reunion -- showing himself and his daughter embracing. On IG, he compared their prison meeting to an out-of-body experience that lasts a lifetime.

He admitted current hip hop culture made him want to cut the "rapper" tag from his résumé, but says proceeds from his music are providing for his daughter and much more.

So, he's not bowing out of the game just yet.

Ralo was sentenced to 97 months last year after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute, but has released several projects while behind bars.

He's been teasing his upcoming "97 Months" album ... titled after the length of his prison sentence and dropped off its first single, "Street Honors" with Jadakiss, ahead of the project's April 21 date.

"Jersey Shore" stars Ronnie and Sammi were in one of reality TV's most toxic relationships, one that forced her away from the cast for years ... and now the two are shockingly back under the same roof.

We got pics of Ronnie at Margaritaville Resort in Orlando Friday -- the same hotel Sammi, Snooki, The Situation, JWoww, Pauly D, Vinny and Deena are all shacked up to shoot the new season of "Jersey Shore: Family Vacation."

Ronnie's presence is surprising for a multitude of reasons, including the fact Ronnie hasn't been a full-time cast member for several years after stepping away from the show following a string of arrests and domestic violence issues with his ex-girlfriend and mother of his child, Jenn Harley.

Of course, it's also surprising to see him reuniting with everyone while Sammi is around, as she's chosen to steer clear of him for years. Sammi was the only OG cast member who did not return for 'Family Vacation' in 2018 and many speculated she only returned now because Ronnie was no longer in the picture.

It's still unclear if Ronnie and Sammi will shoot any scenes face-to-face or if they'll do parts separately with the other cast, but we do know Sammi's boyfriend is also on the trip ... so it's absolutely not a rekindling type of thing.

Ronnie and Sammi dated off and on through the first 6 seasons of "Jersey Shore" and their fights were explosive -- with furniture thrown from balconies, and one instance where Sammi punched Ronnie in the face.

Here's Sammi 'Sweetheart' Giancola filming with her "Jersey Shore" castmates ... the first time we've seen her back together with the group since her surprise return.

Sammi looks right at home in video obtained by TMZ ... getting back on the horse with Vinny, JWoww, Pauly D, Angelina, Deena and The Situation for the upcoming season of 'Family Vacation.'

Folks who were there tell us the cast was shooting scenes Tuesday night at Reggiano's restaurant in Celebration, Florida ... and the only one who seems to be missing was Snooki.

As you see, it appears to be a couple's outing for a birthday party ... complete with cake, candles and significant others -- unclear whose birthday it was.

It's interesting ... Sammi's date is a tattooed hunk with a striking resemblance to her reality TV ex, Ronnie Ortiz-Magro.

Remember ... Sammi and Ronnie have an extremely rocky history, and there's speculation she's finally back on the show in large part due to Ronnie moving on from the 'JS' life.

Sammi's return is a huge deal for fans of the MTV show, and it looks like she's happy to be back in the fold.

Malia Obama is hittin' the streets of NYC with close family friends -- people with whom she has a lot in common -- the next generation of Bidens.

The oldest daughter of the former prez was out and about Sunday in Manhattan with the current president's grandkids ... Maisy, Finnegan and little Beau Jr.

It looks like everyone was having a blast, strolling around the big city after grabbing lunch together at Charlie Bird. They all were snappin' pics of each other, too -- documenting fond memories, no doubt.

Malia, Maisy and Finnegan are all within a couple years of each other in age ... so, they grew up around each other when Barack Obama was prez and Biden was his veep.

One non-White House-connected member of the group was the guy next to Malia ... Tyler Patterson is a private equity associate at Boston real estate firm, Rockpoint. It's unclear if they're an item.

FYI -- she was reportedly linked to 33-year-old music producer Dawit Eklund last year, but dating rumors were never confirmed. We also saw her with a mystery man in L.A. back in August ... but, again, just unconfirmed dating rumors.