Did U Know? Entertainment News 10-21-17
DID U KNOW? Entertainment News 10-21-17 Updates… Nicki Minaj, Toni Braxton, Tamar Braxton, Gucci Mane, Shaq, Tina Knowles and others are trending this week. Did U Know? is trending entertainment news about the latest movies, music, TV shows and your favorite celebrities that happened during week ending Oct. 21, 2017.
Nicki Minaj To Testify At Brother’s Child Sex Abuse Trial
Not only is Nicki Minaj fully supporting brother Jelani Maraj throughout his child sex abuse case, but she will also reportedly will be testifying on his behalf, according to The Daily Mail. The “Anaconda” rapper is prepared to tell a jury that the mother of his alleged victim offered to drop all charges if she paid the family $25 million. Although it isn’t clear when Minaj will take to the stand, she will be the defense’s star witness, according to TMZ. While the “Anaconda” rapper has not publicly commented on her brother’s case, it doesn’t come as much of a surprise that she is standing behind him. She reportedly posted his $100,000 bail and used two of her homes to back the amount, according to HotNewHipHop.
Original report: 10/17/2017, 3:16 p.m.
Jelani Maraj, 38, the brother of rapper Nicki Minaj, is accused of sexually abusing a child younger than 13 years old—allegations he denies. Despite the controversial charges, little sis is sticking by his side, according to the accused’s attorney, David Schwartz. In a statement to Newsday, Schwartz claims the accusations are false and that Minaj remains loyal to her family, supporting Maraj “100 percent.” Jury selection began Oct. 11, with Maraj expected to be tried for up to three weeks in Long Island, N.Y. The accused was arrested in connection with the case in 2015 and now faces charges of predatory sex assault against a child, course of sexual conduct against a child and acting in a manner to injure a child, according to People. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges. If convicted of the most serious count, he could face life in prison.
Toni Braxton And Birdman Did Not Get Married, Rep Claims: ‘Toni Is Dating’
Reports surfaced Oct. 17th claiming Toni Braxton and Birdman had secretly gotten married. But a rep for the singer says the rumors are not true. “Toni is dating,” Braxton’s spokesperson told Us Weekly before quickly pivoting to promote her client’s next release. “She has a new single called ‘Deadwood’ from her forthcoming album ‘Sex & Cigarettes.’ It will be released in early 2018.” Braxton, 50, and the Cash Money Records cofounder, 48, first met 14 years ago after collaborating on the 1992 track “Baby You Can Do It.” The pair made their romance official at the BET Awards in June 2016. Toni’s mom, Evelyn Braxton, gushed about Birdman during an interview with The Rickey Smiley Morning Show in June. “I think he’s a nice man,” she said of her daughter’s beau. “I don’t care what others say about him. He’s a nice man. He is full of respect.” Evelyn added: “Ever since I’ve been knowing that man, he’s been phenomenal.”
Tamar Braxton & Vincent List Mediterranean Mansion On Sale For $15M
Tamar Braxton and her music executive husband Vincent Herbert, founder of Streamline Records, have listed their glamorous Mediterranean mansion in Calabasas, Calif., for sale at $15 million. This news can only add to the current tongue wagging by a lot folks about the celeb couple’s reported financial problems. As was reported earlier, Vince recently lost a legal suit to Sony for almost $4 million. In other words, it looks like they’re dealing with “funny money” issues and are strapped for cash which means downsizing!
So, with that in mind, here’s the story on the sale. As noted by Variety, “the couple purchased the 13,716-square-foot mansion inside the double-gated Estates at The Oaks enclave in April 2013 for $10.5 million and public records show since then there have been several notices of default filed and subsequently cancelled against the two-acre spread that provides a total of seven bedrooms and nine full and two half bathrooms between the main house and poolside guesthouse.” The publication also describes the property as having “wrought iron and glass front doors” that “open to an entry vestibule and foyer with black and white floral-patterned inlaid floor and a floating, wrought iron railed staircase that curves up to the bedrooms on the second floor.”
Meanwhile, Braxton is hinting at trouble in paradise in her marriage. Rumors have been circling for several months now that the couple are close to calling it quits. The singer fueled speculation that there are serious issues in the marriage after appearing to slam her husband on social media.
Tamar posted a cryptic message on Instagram about how people force your hand to react a certain way. She wrote: “Niggas ALWAYS forget what they do to YOU to make u do what YOU did to THEM!!!”….Except, I ain’t sorry.” Braxton then shared a sexy photo of herself in a lace bra along with the caption: “If u don’t someone else will.”
Shaq And Leticia Rolle Spark Engagement Rumors?
Retired baller Shaquille O’neal and his boo-thang Leticia Rolle are still going strong. After three years, Leticia posted up a cute photo of the two looking happy and even cozier on a velvet couch and it looks like Shaq’s Boo is sporting a serious rock on her finger! Shaq and Leticia were first spotted together in 2014, cuffing each other in ATL, then again at a Parisian nightclub. Since then have been building onto their post-NBA romance. It looks like some strong couple-dom to us, but are they heading down the aisle soon. Shaq has been divorced since 2007 and these two look blissful!
Gucci Mane Marries Keyshia Ka’oir In Lavish $1.7 Million Miami Ceremony
Just like his proposal, naturally Gucci Mane’s wedding was so “Icy.” The rapper married his love of seven years, model and beauty/fitness entrepreneur Keyshia Ka’oir live Oct. 17th on BET as part of their 10-part wedding special series “The Mane Event.” The couple are hip hop royalty and their lavish $1.7 million wedding was billed as the wedding of the year. There were diamonds everywhere (the bride reportedly walked down the aisle on them and the groom wore a diamond-studded bow tie) and everyone, including the guests, wore white to the event, which was held at the Four Seasons in Miami. There was even a white carpet instead of red to greet all the celebrity guests. The guest list included celebs such as fellow rappers Lil Yachty, 2 Chainz, Big Sean, and Rick Ross, mogul Sean “P. Diddy” Combs, singer Monica, reality star Kim Zolciak and a host of others. Gucci Mane famously proposed to his love last year with a 25-carat diamond ring on the Kiss Cam during an Atlanta Hawks basketball game. The couple met in 2010 after the rapper spotted Ka’oir in XXL magazine and requested she appear in one of his music videos. The rapper served a three-year prison sentence for possession of a firearm by a felon starting in 2013 and has credited Ka’oir with helping him start a new life, which included shedding weight and cleaning up his inner circle. “We had our ups and downs, ’cause I would mess up and do stupid junk, but she had my back through all of it,” he told the New York Times last year.
Richard Lawson And Tina Knowles Lawson Will Launch Grand Opening Of WACO Theater Center In Los Angeles
Actor and master class acting teacher Richard Lawson and fashion designer and philanthropist Tina Knowles Lawson will launch the grand opening of the WACO (W)here (A)rt (C)an (O)ccur Theater Center, with a full slate of events beginning Friday, November 3rd and ending on Sunday, November 5th in Los Angeles. “We are thrilled to open the doors on a creative center in Los Angeles where art can occur,” Tina Knowles Lawson says, alluding to WACO’s acronym. “The line up of grand opening events truly reflects our commitment to artistry, creativity and most importantly provide a place for actors to celebrate their own talent,” Richard Lawson adds, “WACO is our dream come true.”
Following a successful fundraiser of the WACO Wearable Art Gala last spring, the WACO Theater Center will celebrate pulling back the curtains on a state of the art facility to serve acting students, artists, philanthropic initiatives and the Los Angeles community. The grand opening will commence with an art exhibit featuring the work of the late master class teacher Milton Katselas on Friday, November 3rd. There will be a variety of pieces on display showcasing his diverse technique using vibrant shapes, and texture.
On Friday, November 3rd there will be a private grand opening, Saturday, November 4th and Sunday, November 5th public events will include a screening of King of Stage: The Woodie King Jr. Story, followed by a stage reading of The Talented Tenth by Richard Wesley, featuring an all star cast including Glynn Turman, Nicole Ari Parker, Bill Bellamy, Nija Okoro and Vanessa Williams. The WACO Theater Center will honor successful playwright Richard Wesley and Black Theater pioneer, Woodie King, Jr. with a Lifetime Achievement Award.
Sponsored by Cantu, the launch will simultaneously showcase WACO Theater Center’s community mentorship programs, which include Tina’s Angels and Richard’s Warriors focusing on the education and empowerment of teenage girls and boys; and, the Mobile Theater, which will take theater, music and visual arts to communities around the greater Los Angeles Area. WACO Theater also houses Richard Lawson Studio (RLS), a series of master classes including traditional scene study, sketch, improvisation and stand-up classes that are set to re-launch on Monday, November 6th.
WACO THEATER CENTER The WACO Theater Center is dedicated to the empowerment of artists within a diversified pool of LA communities. Its founders’ mission is to create a space Where Art Can Occur. WACO Theater Center is where artists and non-artists alike will be taught to develop their true purpose and awaken their own individual power source which fuels their art.