We have tragic news to report out of the world of music today.
Luci4 — the rapper best known for his viral hit “BodyPartz” — was just 23 years old.
News of his death comes courtesy of a report from the Los Angeles Fire Department:
Rapper Luci4 has passed away under suspicious circumstances. (YouTube)
A spokesperson for the department tells TMZ that emergency personnel responded to a call about a medical emergency.
When they arrived, the person was already dead, and the incident is now being investigated as a crime.
Luci4’s passing is confirmed by his grandparents, who say they are suspicious of the circumstances surrounding his death.
They say that his wallet was completely emptied, and he had been expressing uncertainty about some of the people he had been spending time with since gaining fame.
Luci4 — whose real name was James Dear — reportedly died at the home of an unnamed friend in Los Angeles.
After first gaining notice on TikTok in 2021, Luci4 became an integral part of the online “Sigilkore” movement.
He signed to Atlantic Records, and “BodyPartz” went gold shortly after its release.
Rapper Luci4 — real name James Dear — has passed away at the age of 23. (YouTube)
Though he had yet to gain mainstream fame, Luci4 was a wildly popular figure on social media, and he had a very bright future ahead of him.
Industry insiders who worked with the young star reported that his talent and work ethic were unparalleled.
Clearly, there’s a whole lot that we still don’t know about Dear’s passing.
We will continue to keep you updated on this developing story as new information becomes available.
In the meantime, our thoughts go out to Luci4’s loved ones as they begin to try and process this unthinkable tragedy.
Eric Church’s life changed forever in 2018 when his brother Brandon suddenly died. In the weeks that followed, he was in a very vulnerable state, struggling to make sense of it all, but then he received a call from country legend Vince Gill who offered him a perspective on the situation that he would never forget.
Eric Church; Photo by Robby Klein
The North Carolina native’s brother died at age 36 on Friday, June 29, 2018. According to an autopsy report obtained from TMZ, Brandon suffered two seizures, one of which led to cardiac arrest. Many of his health issues were reportedly tied to years of alcohol use, which had damaged his heart and liver, and left him with a history of seizures triggered by alcohol withdrawal.
During an appearance on the CNN Podcast All There Is with Anderson Cooper, Church opened up about this tragedy and how it impacted his life.
“When my brother died, I didn’t comprehend that it’s never going to be the same again — with my parents, with their relationship, with the whole family, the family dynamic. When my brother died, I wasn’t prepared for that part,” he admits.
He went on to recall a conversation he had with Gill shortly just a few days after the loss. The pair of artists had met before, but they weren’t close friends at the time. Gill could relate to what Church was going through as he had unfortunately also lost his own brother, Bob Gill, to a heart attack in 1993. While sharing their stories of grief, the Grand Ole Opry member offered some guidance to Church that has stuck with him to this day.
“I didn’t really know Vince very well. I’d met him. And he actually was the first one that said to me, he said, ‘You don’t understand this now, but you’re never going to be the same. Your mom and dad are never going to be the same. Your sister’s never going to be the same. Y’all are never going to be the same as a unit. Nothing’s ever going to be the same. And the quicker you understand that, the better you’ll deal with it.’”
The “Hands of Time” singer explained that at the time, he wasn’t quite able to grasp what Gill was telling him. Eventually, he came to understand just what those powerful words meant and realized that he spoke nothing but the truth in that moment.
“I was sitting there thinking, well, it was grief. We’ve always been the family. But looking back on it…he’s exactly right. It never is the same. When something like that happens, it changes everything. And it becomes a new normal,” Church added.
The critically acclaimed country star and his brother always shared a love for music. They started off in a band together, and then once Church embarked on his solo career, his brother became a huge supporter. Brandon is even credited on at least two of Church’s songs: “How ‘Bout You” and “Without You Here.”
All these years later, Church says that he might not have ever gotten to this point if it weren’t for Brandon’s encouragement during the difficult moments of his musical journey.
“When I came to Nashville, like any experience for a young artist and Nashville songwriter, it’s tough. You think you’re really good, I would say this to any artist out there: you think you’re really good till you get to Nashville and you see what really good looks like. And I went through a couple of years of trying to make it and it wasn’t working.”
Brandon Church; Photo Courtesy of TMZ
He revealed that one night, he was feeling extra defeated and was ready to throw in the towel and give up on Music City all together. First, he called his brother, who ended up doing everything in his power to make sure that Church didn’t give up on himself.
“He said, ‘What’s going on?’ I said, ‘Man, it’s not gonna work.’ I said, ‘I feel like life’s passing me by. I feel like all my friends and everybody back there is moving on with their life. They’re getting married, they’re doing this stuff. I’m out here treading water,’ right? And the next day he showed up in Nashville. We drove and I had a one-bedroom apartment,” he recalled. “He slept on my foldout couch for a year, just to keep me there. And he just moved in and we found our own rhythm and our own life, but he wouldn’t let me go. He said, ‘No, you’re not. You don’t come here. I’ll come to you.’ And he moved out and it kept me in town.”
A year of living together changed everything. Slowly, Church began to see movement in his dreams, and looking back, he realizes just how pivotal that support was.
“I don’t tell a lot of people that, but I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for him doing that, because that was an ultimate commitment. He dropped everything where he was and said, ‘Pack a bag, I’ll sleep on your couch.’ And that’s what he did.”
Photo Courtesy of Eric Church
Losing his brother was obviously a major moment in Eric Church’s life. Since then, he has witnessed several other losses and tragedies. Church not only opened up to Anderson Cooper about his brother’s death but also about the grief he dealt with after the 2017 Route 91 Harvest Festival mass shooting and the 2023 Covenant School tragedy, which hit especially close to home since his own children attended school nearby.
This conversation found Church opening up in a way he doesn’t often do publicly, while reflecting on how loss has changed the way he views life, family, and the world around him.
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The reality TV star recently talked about her diagnosis on TikTok, the latest in a line of celebrities who have opened up about cervical cancer in recent years.
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She explained that she had undergone a screening, and caught her illness at Stage 2.
Unfortunately, her doctors have now informed her that it had progressed further than she had realized.
As a guest on the ‘Call Her Daddy’ podcast, Bethenny Frankel addressed a slew of topics. (Image Credit: YouTube)
Her chronic kidney disease is in Stage 3A
In January, Bethenny shared that her newly diagnosed chronic kidney disease was at Stage 2.
That announcement came mere hours after doctors told her the news.
It was only natural that there would be an update.
Unfortunately, it was not good news.
“Just left the kidney doctor,” Bethenny shared on Instagram. “He said that I actually have stage 3A chronic kidney disease, which is right in the middle.”
According to Bethenny, she learned from her doctors that she is still “not quite at the medication point” for her disease.
However, she did receive a good piece of advice: “Water is your best medicine.”
Fans have raised concerns about her supplement use. Apparently, so have her doctors.
“It’s not really a one-size-fits-all model,” Bethenny said of what her doctors counseled in terms of supplements.
While Bethenny may need to dial down certain supplements (like turmeric, which is great for some things but not if you have vulnerable kidneys), she says that people should speak to their own doctors regarding supplements.
Bethenny Frankel looks a little exasperated in this Reunion screenshot. (Image Credit: Bravo)
‘I’m always dehydrated’
Bethenny told her fans that she will remain under the care of a kidney doctor to avoid other unfortunate updates like this one.
“It’s important to get these tests and stay with this stuff because you could find other things,” she reasoned.
“I’m not going to be quite alarmed yet,” Bethenny expressed.
She affirmed that she is committed to drinking more water. (Everybody has their own hangups and hacks for drinking water — you just need to find the one that works for you.)
“[My doctor] said water is the most important thing,” Bethenny added. “So that gives me anxiety because I’m always dehydrated.”
After Bethenny Frankel shared a health update, advice ranged from helpful to dangerous nonsensical in the comments. Just a reminder: everything is chemicals, and doctors are not one of the leading causes of death in the US. Please be serious. (Image Credit: Instagram)
“So right now, this is a step in the wrong direction,” Bethenny characterized of her updated diagnosis.
“I have a little bit of a little bit anxiety,” she expressed.
“And I’m sick to my stomach,” Bethenny acknowledged. “But I’m just remaining calm.”
Not panicking is a good strategy.
Panic can be almost as harmful as brushing it off.
The Real Housewives of New York City star Bethenny Frankel radiates BDE on a daily basis and especially in this moment from the Season 11 trailer. (Image Credit: Bravo)
How can she stay hydrated?
Hydration strategies begin with knowing how you like your water and having access to it.
Bottled water can be the key, especially for someone who wants their drink to be in that shape and who may want it tepid rather than chilled. Otherwise, having a hefty bottle of filtered water is a great option.
The thing is that you don’t have to pretend to enjoy water. It’s not fun to drink.
You do, however, have to drink it.
Setting a timer for yourself to periodically chug a 16 oz bottle of water might not be fun, but it’s a lot more fun than kidney disease. Especially in the later stages.
We have tragic news to report from the world of reality television.
Maxi Shield, one of the most beloved contestants to appear on RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under, has passed away.
She was just 51 years old.
Maxi Shield attends RuPaul’s Los Angeles DragCon at Los Angeles Convention Center on May 14, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images)
News of Maxi’s death comes courtesy of an Instagram post from her longtime friend Vanity.
“It’s with the heaviest of hearts that we share the news that our dearest sister, Maxine, has passed away,” Vanity captioned a photo of herself and her late friend.
“We are all mourning the loss of an incredible icon, friend, and our beloved sister. Thank you for the laughs, the cackles, and the magic you brought into our lives,” she continued, adding:
“I will cherish every second of our 30 year friendship and I’m so grateful that I was apart of your chosen family. You will be forever loved and deeply missed. I love you old girl.”
“Our girl. It’s gonna not be the same without her giggles in it. I’m so heartbroken,” Hannah Conda.
“This is so heartbreaking! Sending so much love, the performer who goes by Boa the Drag Queen echoed.
“Oh my gosh…this is devastating. Stayed next door to her at DragCon one year and she was such a kind soul… i’m so sorry for your loss,” Abigail Beverly Hillz commented.
Though no official cause of death has been revealed, Entertainment Weekly reports that Maxi had been battling cancer.
In addition to her work on reality TV, Maxi was an actor, activist, and beloved nightclub performer.
Universal Sydney was one of the venues where she performed most frequently, and its owner, Dillon Shaw, paid tribute to Maxi in a social media post:
“Maxi was a big personality with a heart of gold. I’m heartbroken that the world won’t get to see this legend light up a stage again, and that I won’t get to share another giggle over lunch with my friend,” Shaw wrote.
Maxi Shield attends the Sydney premiere of Bros at Hoyts Entertainment Quarter on October 18, 2022 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images)
“Her love, her humour, and her impact live on through the incredible Sydney talent she directly influenced, and through the scene she helped shape with such passion,” he contued, adding:
“She was a force. She was brilliant. And I will miss my friend dearly.”
Our thoughts are with Maxi Shield’s friends and family during this incredibly difficult time.
We will have further updates on this developing story as new information becomes available.
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