Fergie from Black Eyed Peas - I'm Changing My ENTIRE NAME

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Fergie from Black Eyed Peas
I'm Changing My
Entire Name Fergie Ferg from the Black Eyed Peas is in the middle of a serious identity crisis -- 'cause she's petitioning the court to legally change her FIRST and LAST name ... TMZ has learned.

Ferg -- born Stacy Ann Ferguson -- has filed legal papers requesting to officially change her name to Fergie Duhamel ... roughly 4-and-a-half years after marrying Josh Duhamel.

The reason for wanting to change her last name is obvious ... but in the docs, filed in L.A. County Superior Court, Ferg's lawyer says she wants to swap Stacy for Fergie in order to "conform to the first name which she is commonly and professionally known as, and has been for many years."

In other words ... no one's called her "Stacy" in YEARS.

In order for the court to grant her request, Ferg ... or Stacy (for now) ... must publish a notice in a local newspaper for four consecutive weeks (just like Ron Artest was required to do in order to become Metta World Peace).

She'll most likely get her wish if she completes her task by August 16 -- when a hearing is scheduled for the matter.

Good luck!

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Kanye West -- DISTRAUGHT Over Leaked 'Black Skinhead' Music Video

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Kanye West
DISTRAUGHT
Over Leaked Music Video
Kanye West is PISSSSSSSSED that his new music video leaked before it was finalized -- and now he's gone public asking for anyone who published it to please please PLEASE take it down.

In case you didn't know, a very rough cut of the video for Kanye's new track "Black Skinhead" leaked online today and it's been spreading like wildfire -- but Yeezy insists it got out before it was ready ... and the leak is sabotaging the final product.

If you've seen the early cut ... you can understand what Kanye's talking about. It's very rough around the edges ... too dark, the CGI is glitchy, you can't see Kanye's face ... it obviously needs some final touches.

Now Kanye is on Twitter asking for help taking the rough edit off the web -- saying, "Me and Nick Knight have been working on this video for 5 months and for creatives it's heartbreaking when something like this happens."

Kanye says the final video will be ready in a week or so -- adding, "To whoever leaked the video ... F*** YOU!"

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The Black Keys -- Sponsoring Little Leaguers ... With BAD ASS Jerseys!

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The Black Keys
Sponsoring Little Leaguers
With BAD ASS Jerseys!
The Black Keys just put local pizza places and hardware stores in Akron, Ohio to shame -- cause the group just sponsored their own little league team in town ... and hooked 'em up with some pretty kick ass jerseys! 

TMZ has learned ... Keys lead singer Dan Auerbach played for the West Akron Baseball League in Ohio as a kid ... and jumped at the chance to sponsor a team for them when a board member asked if he was interested.

The WABL's president says it only cost the group $300 to make it happen ... and everyone on the team couldn't have been happier with their involvement.  

The best part -- after the season was over ... Auerbach, along with Keys drummer Patrick Carney, told the kids to send mail them their jerseys and they'll autograph every single one. 

Beats a participation trophy.

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Terrence Howard's Ex -- Restraining Order GRANTED, Massive Black Eye in Court

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Terrence Howard's Ex
Restraining Order GRANTED
Massive Black Eye in Court

10:20 AM PT -- Michelle Ghent's temporary restraining order request was just granted. Terrence is forbidden from coming within 100 yards of Michelle pending another hearing later this month. He is also barred from contacting her in any way.

Michelle's lawyer discussed the text messages Michelle allegedly sent to Terrence in May -- threatening to kill him and his family -- but argued they were misleading and incomplete.

Michelle's black eye was NOT discussed in court.

As for Terrence, he filed his own request for a restraining order, but that was not granted. The judge said the court would hear his side of things at the next hearing.

Terrence Howard's ex-wife just showed up to court in L.A. to get a restraining order against the actor, claiming he beat her up during a blowout fight in Costa Rica last week -- and we're told she's got a huge black eye.

It's unclear if Howard is responsible for the injury ... but she'll probably claim that he is.

As we reported, Michelle Ghent says Terrence physically abused her during an argument while she was on vacation with him and his family.

Terrence tells a different story, claiming Michelle maced him, his adult daughter and another family member. He insists he never laid a finger on her.

The temporary restraining order hearing is about to begin.

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'Black Keys' Singer Dan Auerbach -- My Suicidal Ex Is Endangering Our Kid

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'Black Keys' Singer
My Suicidal Ex
Is Endangering Our Kid
Black Keys singer Dan Auerbach is in a feud with Jack White ... but it pales in comparison to the all-out divorce war Dan has been having with his estranged wife.

The allegations in Dan's divorce from Stephanie Gonis are shocking.  For starters, he claims she tried to commit suicide twice in one day -- the first time by allegedly gashing open her leg and ankles in front of their daughter ... the second time by almost burning their house down.

Stephanie fired back in her own legal docs -- obtained by TMZ -- claiming the leg-gashing "suicide" attempt was the result of years of abuse during the marriage.  As for the fire ... she says it was just an accident.

According to docs, Stephanie voluntarily committed herself and spent time in a treatment center.

A judge has given Dan temporary custody of their daughter.  Stephanie gets supervised visitation for now.  The judge won't give her additional parental rights until he's convinced she's mentally stable and is not putting their daughter at risk.

The divorce is ongoing.

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Paula Deen -- Meet My Black Friend ... If You Can See Him!

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Paula Deen
Meet My Black Friend ...
If You Can See Him!

Paula Deen was out to prove she wasn't  a racist back in 2012 ... an she did so by bringing in her hard-to-see Black friend.

Paula was speaking with the New York Times ... and explained how her great-grandfather was devastated when the Civil War ended ... because he couldn't figure out how to run his plantation without "help" -- aka slaves.

Paula then plays show and tell with her friend, Hollis Johnson, who is "black as that board" (her words) while pointing to the background.

At one point she hollers, "Come out here Hollis. We can’t see you standing against that dark board."

How'd she have the foresight to play the "Black friend" card before it became necessary?

You gotta watch this video.

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Famous Black Chef Joe Randall -- Paula Deen Might Be Racist, But I Still Respect Her

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Famous Black Chef
Paula Deen Might Be Racist
... But I Still Respect Her
Famed black Southern chef Joe Randall -- who once taught Paula Deen a few tricks -- says he's extremely hurt by Deen's admitted use of the n-word ... but tells TMZ, he'd STILL welcome her at his establishment.

Randall -- who runs the famous Savannah Cooking School in Georgia where Deen once studied -- tells us, he can't say definitely whether Deen's a racist simply because she once used the n-word ... but says, "I can say that her admitting to using derogatory language and the n-word is very hurtful."

Randall called the language racist, but said, "You have to understand we're in the South and some people think that it's acceptable to use [racist] language from 50 years ago."

Now the shocking part ... Randall says, "As a businessman, of course she is welcome in my establishment like any other client would be. I wouldn't turn her down at all."

He adds, "Although I don't respect that she used derogatory hateful words ... and if she came into my establishment and we were to talk, I would tell her I don't agree with her words."

Translation: money talks, racist or not.

CMT Awards -- It's a Black Thang, Y'All!!

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CMT Awards
It's a Black Thang, Y'All!!

Nelly, Darius Rucker, and Cowboy Troy hit up the CMT Awards ... on purpose -- proving country music is going the way of baseball, basketball, golf, and even hockey!

Ok, maybe not hockey. Yet.