TMZ briefly threw a scare into the celebrity media by reporting a rumor that Jay-Z (or "rapresario," in the parlance of our TMZ times) might have maybe possibly perished in a plane crash:

Rumors have been swirling this morning that rapresario Jay-Z (aka Shawn Carter) was in a plane crash this morning. TMZ has confirmed that a small plane registered to a citizen of Dublin, GA crashed near Asheville, NC in the Smoky Mountains. The FAA tells TMZ that the four-seat propeller plane did go down this morning, but could not provide any additional details.

But just minutes later, that rumor was promptly unswirled:

UPDATE: TMZ has confirmed that Jay-Z WAS NOT aboard the plane. The three aboard the plane were white men.

We apologize if this brief moment of panic curtailed your Feel-Good Friday, and now return you to basking in the warm glow of Mandy Moore's new-found self-confidence.

• Jay-Z in a Plane Crash— NOT TRUE [TMZ.com]

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