RIP

The world is down one more musician, philanthropist, and humanitarian with the death of Harry Belafonte, and Chuck D perfectly outlined the tremendous loss.

TMZ Hip Hop caught up with the Public Enemy front man Tuesday at LAX, and he refused to accept the notion today's youth don't know Harry's contributions to the Civil Rights movement, or even his 1956 album, "Calypso."

Chuck explained it perfectly ... saying they've got smartphones and should Google the man!

As we reported, Harry died Tuesday at age 96 of congestive heart failure, and Chuck says the "Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)" singer used each day of that long and fruitful life to uplift people.

And, while the man is celebrated for his art -- as a singer and actor -- Chuck says he should be considered an activist-turned-artist, and not the other way around.

Chuck says "Mr. B.," as he affectionally knew him, will go down as a father figure to the Black community, and he called it an honor to have had the opportunity to soak up some of Harry's laughs, wisdom and intelligence.

Rev. Al Sharpton, who worked alongside Harry for several decades, agrees 100 percent with Chuck. We spoke to him in NYC, and he shed some light on the lighter, more humorous side of Harry's personality.

Colin Kaepernick is mourning the death of Harry Belafonte ... paying tribute to the legendary singer and civil rights activist by thanking him for his mentorship and leadership.

The former NFL quarterback took to Instagram after news of the "Day-O" singer's passing broke on Tuesday ... sharing a photo of them together with a sweet note.

"Thank you, Mr. B, for all of your years of mentorship, guidance, and lifetime of activism fighting for a better future for all of us," Kaepernick wrote.

"You will be missed by many, but your memory and impact lives on. I'm eternally grateful for our time together. Rest in Power."

Belafonte -- who was famously known for marching with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the 1960s -- was a huge Kap supporter ... and applauded the ex-49ers star for standing his ground despite all the backlash he received for protesting racial inequality during the national anthem at NFL games.

"When a Black voice is raised in protest to oppression, those who are comfortable with our oppression are the first to criticize us for daring to speak out against it," Belafonte said of Kaepernick in an interview with NewsOneNow in 2016.

"I think that it's a noble thing that he's done. I think that speaking out and making people aware of the fact that you are paying homage to an anthem that also has a constituency that by the millions suffer is a righteous thing to do."

Belafonte added, "The fact that these people are having these ‘How dare you speak out against lynching?’ and all of the things that racism stands for or the conclusions to racist acts permit – I think is a statement about America."

"I think he's a noble and a courageous man having done that."

Belafonte was 96 and leaves behind his wife, four children, two stepchildren, and grandchildren.

Harry Belafonte, the iconic and pioneering singer, actor and civil rights activist is dead ... according to his rep.

Ken Sunshine says Harry -- who burst onto music charts in the 1950s before becoming a successful actor -- died Tuesday at his home in Manhattan of congestive heart failure.

Belafonte popularized calypso music in America in the early 50s with his infectious -- still, to this day -- hit song, "Banana Boat Song" ... also known as "Day-O." Younger folks will recognize it as that song from "Beetlejuice."

Harry was born in NYC to Jamaican-born parents, so his music was fueled by Caribbean sounds ... and his breakthrough album, "Calypso" became the first ever record to sell more than 1 million copies in a single year.

His music success made him in a commodity in Hollywood where he immediately landed roles in "Carmen Jones," "Island in the Sun" and "Odds Against Tomorrow." He was also very good friends with Sidney Poitier, with whom he costarred in the 70s classics, "Uptown Saturday Night" and "Buck and the Preacher."

As prominent as he was as an entertainer, Belafonte is equally hailed for his work as a civil rights leader and human rights activist. He was commonly seen marching with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the 60s ... and he was at the forefront of efforts to fight famine in Africa.

He was one of the key organizers of the "We Are the World" charity record in 1985. In fact, Harry was so respected among the packed room of superstars that during the late night recording, they all spontaneously burst into a few verses of "Day-O." Very cool moment.

Just last December -- the last time he attended a public event -- he received the National Order of the Legion of Honour from the French government.

He's survived by his wife Pamela, 4 children -- including actress, Shari Belafonte -- 2 stepchildren and several grandchildren.

Harry Belafonte was 96.

Ed Sheeran is ready to get it on in court ... the federal courthouse where a jury will decide if his Grammy-winning song "Thinking Out Loud" is a rip-off of a Marvin Gaye classic.

The singer arrived Tuesday morning at the Manhattan federal court Tuesday for his trial, and he's expected to take the stand and testify.

Ed strolling into court in a suit and tie caused a media frenzy ... as you can see, the scene outside the courthouse looks like a circus, with tons of photogs and reporters.

In case you missed it, Sheeran was sued back in 2017 by the heirs of Ed Townsend, Marvin's cowriter for the 1973 hit, "Let's Get It On" -- the suit accuses him of copying the soul classic for his massive 2014 ballad, "Thinking Out Loud."

The case has finally made it to trial after multiple delays ... and Ed's among the witnesses expected to testify.

The suit involves the underlying musical composition of the 2 songs, so the jury is supposed to only focus on the melody, harmony and rhythm.

The trial is expected to last up to 2 weeks, and all eyes in the music industry will be watching.

Stay tuned ...

Taylor Swift fans are rallying for one of their own, flocking to a GoFundMe page set up for a fellow Swiftie who was killed by a drunk driver after her Houston concert ... and it's garnering a ton of cash in just over 24 hours.

20-year-old Jacob Lewis and his sister April were leaving Taylor's Eras Tour concert early Saturday morning when their car broke down on a highway. As Jacob got out to push the vehicle, he was struck by 34-year-old Alan Bryant Hayes.

Jacob died at the scene, and a GoFundMe was started to help his family cover funeral expenses ... and it blew past the $60K goal in a little over a day -- with Swifties seemingly providing a good portion of that total.

Many TS fans chose to donate $13 each -- Taylor's lucky number. A lot of the comments on the fundraiser are references to the singer's music, too ... like "Hold on to the memories, they will hold on to you… Long live, Jacob."

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.

Tragic news in the horse racing world ... jockey Dean Holland died on Monday after he fell from his horse during an event, officials announced.

He was just 34 years old.

According to Racing Victoria, thoroughbred racing's governing body in Victoria, Australia, Holland was riding in the opening race at Donald Racecourse ... when he and another jockey were thrown from their horses.

Officials say Holland was immediately tended to by medics -- and was slated to be airlifted to Melbourne -- though he ultimately succumbed to his injuries.

Racing Victoria announced the other rider who fell, and their two horses, did not sustain significant injuries in the accident.

"On behalf of the Victorian racing industry, I would like to extend our prayers and heartfelt condolences to Dean's partner Lucy, his children, his family, friends and colleagues on the incredibly sad news of his passing," Racing Victoria exec Andrew Jones said in a statement on Monday.

"It was a tragic accident at Donald today and we are all are deeply shocked and saddened that Dean has passed away as a result of injuries sustained in the fall."

Racing Victoria added an investigation into the crash is ongoing.

Holland began his racing career in South Australia in 2005 ... and piled up over 1,000 wins. In fact, he had just won a race last week.

Racing Victoria said he was the father of four children.

"Together with Racing Victoria," Victorian Jockeys Association Chief Executive Matt Hyland said Monday, "the Jockey Assistance Program will be wrapping its arms around the riding group and will be working to support Lucy and the Holland family both now and importantly into the future."

The family of a Florida man who died on a Celebrity Cruises ship and was allegedly put in a drinks cooler is suing the company for a million bucks.

78-year-old Robert Lewis Jones died on the Celebrity Equinox back in August in the middle of the high seas. When the ship docked in Ft. Lauderdale 6 days later, his wife says she learned the body of her husband of 55 years was placed in a walk-in cooler, which is used to stock beverages and keep them cold.

The lawsuit claims the body should have been placed in the cruise ship's morgue for proper care. They say as a result Jones' body was badly decomposed.

The lawsuit seems to allege the corpse was at first placed in the morgue but then moved to the cooler.

The ship docked in Puerto Rico after Jones died, and the suit claims his widow was given 2 options ... take the body off in Puerto Rico or keep it in the morgue until it returned to Ft. Lauderdale. The suit claims the crew urged his widow to keep the body on board, which she did.

When the ship docked in Ft. Lauderdale, a Sheriff's deputy came on board and the body was nowhere to be seen in the morgue. The suit claims funeral service workers found it inside a blood-splattered bag, laying on the floor of the cooler.

Casey Anthony is feeling the magic at Mickey's kingdom, which just so happens to be down the street from where she was once accused of killing her 2-year-old daughter.

The formerly accused, but acquitted defendant was spotted Friday in Orlando ... as she checked in to one of the Walt Disney World hotels.

It looks like Casey's going to spend the weekend enjoying all WDW has to offer ... and she doesn't have to worry about pushing strollers or keeping kids entertained at the Mouse House, because "Tot Mom" is rolling with an adult friend.

Hotel guests tell TMZ ... Casey checked in with a blonde woman and didn't seem to be trying to keep a low profile, openly walking around the lobby with her luggage in tow.

We haven't seen Casey since she was back in the spotlight at the end of 2022, when her controversial documentary, "Casey Anthony: Where the Truth Lies" was released.

You won't find that doc on Disney+, though ... it's a Peacock production.

Of course, Casey's got deep ties to Orlando ... that's where she lived in June 2008, when her 2-year-old daughter Caylee was reported missing.

Caylee's skeletal remains were ultimately found a few months later in a wooded area near the Anthony family's, and Casey was arrested and charged with first-degree murder.

She pleaded not guilty and stood trial in 2011, with the jury acquitting her of murder, manslaughter and child abuse. She was only found guilty of lying to cops.

The first photos of Alec Baldwin on the new "Rust" movie set have trickled out ... and one showed him handling a lever action rifle.

Baldwin was shooting scenes for the film in Pray, Montana, Friday when the images were snapped -- the actor was spotted passing the prop gun, handle first, to another crew member.

Another picture shows the actor wearing old Western garb while standing next to a horse just one day after prosecutors dropped involuntary manslaughter charges against him in the 2021 killing of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the first "Rust" set in New Mexico. Director Joel Souza was also wounded in the shooting but survived.

From the beginning, Baldwin maintained that he never pulled the trigger when he shot Hutchins with a revolver while practicing for a scene, claiming the gun had discharged on its own. He also said he was told the gun was not loaded with live ammo.

The Santa Fe D.A. folded like a cheap suit, belatedly conceding the prop gun Baldwin used at the time had a modified trigger that increased the likelihood the firearm could misfire without actually pulling the trigger.

Armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed still faces involuntary manslaughter charges. Former "Rust" assistant director David Halls cut a plea deal with prosecutors for his role in Hutchins' death and was sentenced to 6 months probation.

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.

Koko Da Doll, one of the memorable subjects from the recent documentary "Kokomo City," is dead ... and the film's director says she was shot and killed as a result of trans violence.

D. Smith -- director of the moving, award-winning doc featured this year at Sundance -- shared the sad news Friday, saying Koko, AKA Rasheeda Williams, "was shot and killed in Atlanta" Tuesday night.

She added, Williams' death makes her "the latest victim of violence against Black transgender women," -- but says she will "inspire generations to come and will never be forgotten."

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Atlanta PD says cops responded to reports of a shooting just before 11 PM, and investigators found a woman who had been shot -- she was pronounced dead on the scene.

For those unaware, "Kokomo City" took home 2 awards at this year's Sundance Film Festival -- following Black transgender sex workers, including Williams, as they lived and worked in New York and ATL.

Williams, along with Daniella Carter, Liyah Mitchell, and Dominique Silver, accurately put a spotlight on the horrendous threats women like them face on a daily basis.

Sundance is also paying respects, saying "We were honored to have her at the Festival this year with KOKOMO CITY, where she reminded Black trans women, 'we can do anything, we can be whatever we want to be.' It is a tragic loss."

Williams was 35.

Alec Baldwin has been vindicated in the "Rust" shooting case ... at least criminally, because the New Mexico prosecutors will drop the involuntary manslaughter case against him ... sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ.

We're told Baldwin has been informed the case against him is over. Attorneys Alex Spiro and Luke Nikas were expected to wage legal war in less than 2 weeks ... but the D.A. blinked in a big way.

Frankly, it makes a lot of sense. The D.A. has charged armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed with involuntary manslaughter, presumably because she's the expert, so it doesn't make a whole lot of sense why an actor would double-check her work.

Beyond that, although Baldwin is an executive producer on the movie, he's not the one making day-to-day decisions.

As you know, the accidental shooting took the life of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

The case against Baldwin will be dismissed without prejudice, meaning it could be filed in the future, but that seems to be little more than a face-saving move by the D.A.

Spiro and attorney Luke Nikas tell TMZ ... "We are pleased with the decision to dismiss the case against Alec Baldwin and encourage a proper investigation into the facts and circumstances of this tragic accident."

Colin Kaepernick is stepping up to help a family find answers ... paying for the autopsy of a 35-year-old man who died under peculiar circumstances in county jail after the medical examiner's initial autopsy failed to provide answers.

LaShawn Thompson died in his Fulton County Jail cell in September 2022 ... and his family wholeheartedly believes the facility's horrific and unsanitary conditions led to LT's death. But, the official autopsy came back "undetermined."

Enter Colin. He heard about the story and wanted to help, so he contacted Ben Crump, attorney for the family, and offered to fund a second, independent autopsy.

Typically, autopsies can cost between $20-50k.

Aside from wanting to provide the family with closure, we're told Colin was, and is, upset about the conditions in which LaShawn, initially arrested for a misdemeanor simple battery, and other inmates endured.

In fact, it's those disgusting conditions the Thompson family believes contributed, if not caused, LaShawn's death.

"The cell he was in was not fit for a diseased animal. This is inexcusable and it’s deplorable,” Thompson family attorney Michael Harper said of the cell where LaShawn lived, and ultimately died.

The family has released several photos of the scene, as well as LT's body, which appears to be covered in bug bites.

In the wake of the outrage over jail conditions, three high-ranking jail officials have stepped down, with the Fulton County Sheriff saying, “It’s clear to me that it’s time, past time, to clean house,” adding they're making "sweeping changes" to the facility.

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.

Suge Knight's name is a constant topic on hip hop podcasts these days, but the incarcerated ex-music mogul is about to tell his life story his way, and says it'll be nothing but raw, uncut facts!!!

TMZ Hip Hop spoke to the Death Row Records founder from the CA state penitentiary where he's doing 28 years for voluntary manslaughter -- and also plotting out a 10-season TV series on BLK Prime chronicling his life before during and after launching the legendary label home to Tupac Shakur, Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre.

Even though he's behind bars, Suge told us he plans to provide voice-over for the series like Ray Liotta did as Henry Hill in "Goodfellas" -- and each season will chronicle a different era of his life.

Season 1 will dive headfirst into Pac's stint at Death Row until his death; season 2 will focus on Biggie's presence in the Death Row/Bad Boy beef; season 3 will be about Suge's friendship turned rivalry with Diddy; seasons 4 and 5 will tackle Dre and Snoop respectively.

Death Row's reputation as a hostile work environment has been discussed for years and Suge, being the big boss that he is, couldn't deny his office had its fair share of physical dustups.

According to Suge, he intentionally brought the competitiveness he learned playing football to his office space to make Death Row as tough as its name. He says Pac and Snoop had no problem thriving in the gangsta environment but does acknowledge those crazy times took their toll on the company.

The 5 other planned seasons dig into the N.W.A-era and Eazy-E ... plus the East and West coast tensions, the Crips and Bloods and, of course, Suge's trial and conviction.

The show will begin filming this summer and stream exclusively in the fall on BLK Prime ... a network Suge promises will leave his story intact, no matter how brutal it comes across.