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Doing a nice thing doesn't ALWAYS pay off ... just ask Dale Earnhardt Jr., who says he crashed his Jeep while helping a guy who got stuck in the snow.

We got the NASCAR legend out in NYC and wanted to know if world-class drivers like him ever get into fender benders in the real world.

"I ran into a pine tree with my Jeep in the wintertime," Dale says ... "going through the snow."

And, how the hell did that happen?

"I just pulled a guy out of a ditch and drove him down the road about 2 miles ... and then I hit a tree."

Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine gotta write a FAT check to their former business partner after a jury sided with him ... ruling the Beats co-founders owe unpaid royalties.

According to court docs, obtained by TMZ, an L.A. jury awarded Steven Lamar a whopping $25,247,350 Wednesday ... after ruling the music moguls hadn't paid him for design work he did on 3 models of Beats headphones -- the Studio 2 Remastered, the Studio 2 Wireless and the Studio 3.

Dre and Jimmy had previously argued Lamar was only owed royalties on the first model. Lamar sued and the jury agreed he had fulfilled his end of the bargain with the Beats honchos.

The man named as a new person of interest in XXXTentacion's murder case has had a lot of run-ins with the law, much like the arrested murder suspect ... TMZ has learned.

22-year-old Robert Allen's rap sheet in Broward County, FL dates back to early 2015, when he was hit with 3 felony charges after being pulled over for riding without a seat belt. He was charged with trafficking cocaine, carrying a concealed firearm and grand theft of a firearm.

Later that year, two warrants for his arrest were issued for allegedly carrying PVP (a synthetic party drug) and carrying a concealed firearm. He was charged with the 2 felonies.

Allen was also hit with 22 felonies in 2016 (yes, you read right) ... all of which pertained to IDs and credit card info he was accused of stealing. He was just placed on probation for 45 months this past December. You'll recall ... the lone murder suspect in custody so far, Dedrick D. Williams, had quite the criminal record himself, with a number of gun, drug and DV charges.

As we reported ... cops want to talk to Allen in connection to XXX's murder over a week ago. We don't know why police believe he might be a person of interest.

10:30 AM PT -- Family sources tell TMZ, Joe died at a hospice in Las Vegas. The hospice is connected to a hospital where Joe was admitted. We're told he was moved to the hospice a day and a half ago.

Joe Jackson -- the patriarch of the Jackson family -- has died ... TMZ has learned.

Family sources tell TMZ, Joe passed away at 3:30 AM Wednesday.

We broke the story ... Joe was hospitalized in June with terminal cancer. His family had been flocking to his bedside since. His wife, Katherine, had been at his bedside as were some of Joe's children and grandchildren.

Joe had been battling health problems for some time now. He was hospitalized back in 2016 after coming down with a high fever. But, he bounced back not long after and was seen partying in Vegas. His health was also fragile after a stroke and 3 heart attacks back in 2015. Doctors implanted a pacemaker.

Joe may have been the most successful parent managing his children in the history of music. He, with a little help from Diana Ross, engineered the careers of The Jackson 5, and then Michael and Janet Jackson as solo artists.

The elder Jackson took a lot of heat from Michael and his siblings for abusing parenting and management practices, including physical brutality. Joe copped to it but, far from apologizing ... he said his methods made his kids successful and kept them out of jail.

Michael's dad stood by him during his molestation trial. After Michael's death, Joe was criticized for trying to make money off his son's memory.

A rep for Michael's estate tells us, "We are deeply saddened by Mr. Jackson’s passing and extend our heartfelt condolences to Mrs. Katherine Jackson and the family. Joe was a strong man who acknowledged his own imperfections and heroically delivered his sons and daughters from the steel mills of Gary, Indiana to worldwide pop superstardom."

Joe had 10 kids with Katherine, his wife of more than 60 years. The 2 did not live together and had a strained relationship for the last years of his life, but they frequently interacted.

"Braxton Family Values" is on an indefinite break after the sisters and their mother made a family decision -- no taping until they're paid what they're worth.

Sources connected to the show tell us the entire cast -- Tamar, Toni, Towanda, Traci, Trina and mom Evelyn -- was scheduled to shoot in Atlanta last week, but only Traci showed up ... so WE tv sent the crew home and pulled the plug on taping.

Our sources say the Braxton women are refusing to return to work until the network and Magical Elves production company renegotiate their contracts for the second half of season 6.

The major bones of contention, we're told -- the cast feels their wardrobe and travel stipends are so low it's laughable. They also want their salaries increased to an "appropriate" level.

Everything Barbara Bush left behind is, not shockingly, in the hands of her 94-year-old husband, George H.W. ... for now.

According to the doc -- obtained by TMZ -- H.W. is the executor of Barbara's estate, but the doc also reveals a clear line of succession in the fam. George W. and Jeb will control the estate when 41 passes away. H.W.'s had many health scares -- most recently, he was hospitalized last month for low blood pressure and fatigue.

After W and Jeb, there's a second tier -- the other 3 kids ... Neil, Marvin and Dorothy would be co-executors in the event their big brothers can't do it.

Law enforcement officials tell TMZ Sports ... the older brother of NY Giants star Janoris Jenkins is a "person of interest" in the case of the dead body discovered at JJ's New Jersey home.

We spoke with Ontario County NY District Attorney James Ritts ... who tells us, "William Jenkins is a person of interest in relation to dead body case at his brother’s house."

"Bergen County wants to talk to him."

Here's the twist ... according to jail records obtained by TMZ Sports, 34-year-old William Jenkins was arrested in upstate NY on June 26 at 1:46 AM ET ... about 9 hours BEFORE the body was discovered at JJ's home.

It appears William was arrested for an unrelated parole warrant issue -- but now, investigators in the dead body case believe he might know something about the death of Roosevelt Rene.

Ritts tells TMZ Sports ... there will be an extradition process to bring William from Ontario to Bergen County, NJ -- which is about 300 miles away.

Important to note, William Jenkins is NOT a suspect -- officials just want to know what he knows.

Jesse Williams and sports journalist Taylor Rooks are trying to keep their relationship low-key, but did a terrible job of it Tuesday night as they slipped out of a strip club together!

The "Grey's Anatomy" star and 26-year-old SportsNet New York reporter -- who's made her name landing interviews with huge athletes -- started the night with dinner in Bev Hills at Matsuhisa, before hitting up Crazy Girls in Hollywood.

They did that thing where they walked out the door separately -- around 3 AM, btw -- but ultimately got in the same ride.

Pretty splashy public debut for the couple ... who've been rumored to be together for about a month now.

Our sources say Jesse's finally enjoying the single life -- despite the fact he's now paying just over $100k per month in child and spousal support to his ex-wife, Aryn Drake-Lee.

We're told Jesse's just focused on being happy. We're guessing Taylor will help him achieve that goal.

XXXTentacion's murder investigation just intensified as cops have officially named a second person of interest.

The Broward County Sheriff's office is searching for 22-year-old Robert Allen who may be connected to the killing of the 20-year-old rapper over a week ago. Cops say Allen was on surveillance video at the motorcycle shop in Pompano Beach where XXX was shopping before he was gunned down in his car.

It's unclear why cops believe Allen might be connected to the murder. As we previously reported ... cops have already arrested Dedrick Williams for murder and said there were at least 2 other suspects.

Ronnie Ortiz-Magro's friends are warning the 'Jersey Shore' star to cut ties with his baby mama, out of fears her latest domestic violence arrest is a bad omen of what's to come if he stays with her.

Sources close to Ronnie tell us he's been trying hard to have a good relationship with Jen Harley because he's worried she'll take full custody of their daughter. We're told that's the only reason he was at a BBQ with her Sunday, hours before she allegedly dragged him outside their car.

Ronnie's friends are telling him it's time to quit playing family man and look out for his safety and his daughter's, and they say that means staying away from Jen. We're told friends are also advising him to handle the custody situation in court, because there's no upside to reconciling with Jen at this point.

TMZ broke the story, Harley allegedly attacked Ronnie in their car on the way home from a Vegas BBQ. We're told their 2-month-old daughter, Ariana, was in the car at the time ... and there's growing concern she could be caught in the middle of any future fights.

Harley was also named the suspect in a battery investigation after she allegedly spit on and hit Ronnie 3 weeks ago during an argument over their daughter and dead dog.

Forget your Sanyo ... Floyd Mayweather says he just bought a brand new diamond watch -- WITH AN $18 MILLION PRICE TAG!!

"This my new timepiece, it's called 'The Billionaire Watch,'" Floyd says ... "If you don't know about it, google Billionaire Watch."

The watch is super famous -- made by Jacob & Co. back in 2015, it features 239 emerald-cut baguette diamond stones, each weighing up to 3 carats.

Jacob & Co. describes the watch as a unique piece that "truly epitomizes the brand’s passion for breaking boundaries."

"As the tourbillon caliber brings dynamism to its bejeweled enclosure, or the ballet of light of 260 carats of diamonds illuminates its exquisitely revealed heartbeat."

"The Billionaire is a dazzling representation of the courageous and rebellious Jacob & Co. spirit."

Floyd says he bought the watch from a Japanese jeweler named Tadashi Fukushima -- and says he'll never buy any jewelry from anyone else ever again.

Cardi B's baby shower wasn't exactly a lady luncheon or backyard affair, it was more of a baby bumpin' club night with the soon-to-be mama still shaking what she's got.

Cardi's party was anything but standard. It was dubbed "Bardi Shower: A Bronx Fairytale" and the party didn't start till late Tuesday night. Her husband, Offset, was the impromptu videographer ... roaming around recording Cardi, their guests and the elaborate decorations.

In addition to the dance floor, there was a library with baby books and a Bardi Baby Bodega stocked with drinks, baby gear and dessert.

Joe Jackson is in the final stages of life ... getting weaker by the day, and his family is assembling for what they believe will be the final goodbye ... sources connected with the Jacksons tell TMZ.

As we reported, Joe has terminal cancer. He is currently in the hospital and had planned to go to his home in Vegas to live out his final days, but that has not happened.

Our sources say Joe is very weak and getting significantly weaker. As one source put it, "It's now a waiting game, and the end could come at any time."

Joe had a famously contentious relationship with Michael Jackson's estate after his son died, but we're told he has made peace with the people running the estate ... in part because they have made sure Joe has been well taken care of during his illness.

LeToya Luckett -- one of the original members of Destiny's Child -- is having her first child and she's gonna reveal the gender in an explosive fashion ... TMZ has learned.

LeToya posted an IG video Wednesday that she was pregnant by having her stepdaughter, Madison, declare the big news. LeToya has been married to entrepreneur Tommicus Walker since 2017 -- Madison is his kid from a previous relationship.

Wanna see a WWE superstar steal the spotlight from Shania Twain ... at a Shania Twain concert!?!?!

Well, that's exactly what happened on Tuesday night in Canada when Twain pulled Kevin Owens out of the stands and brought him onstage.

Owens is a huge Twain fan -- "When" is his favorite song -- and he brought a sign to the show hoping to get Shania's attention.

The plan worked -- he got onstage ... and when Shania asked if he was "pro wrestler Kevin Owens" ... he grabbed the mic and took over.

"I hate to correct you, but it's actually HUGE WWE SUPERSTAR KEVIN OWENS!"

The crowd loved it!

Diane Warren thinks Sarah Huckabee Sanders is reaping what she was sowing by spewing hate and lies, and has zero sympathy for Trump's mouthpiece.

We got the legendary songwriter Tuesday night at Craig's in WeHo Tuesday and asked how she felt about Sanders reportedly getting Secret Service protection in the wake of threats against her and her family. Warren's simple response ... "F*** her!"

Diane -- one of the most prolific songwriters in the world with 9 Oscar nominations -- shreds Sarah for lying to the American people every single day. Diane also calls BS on Trump rallying his supporters against the Left's "bullying."