The Entertainment Weekend Recap: July 31
The weekend kicked off with good news for the Grammy award-winning R&B group, Blackstreet. Group members Chauncey Black, Eric Williams, Levi Little and Mark Middleton were honored with a street dedication ceremony in Paterson, New Jersey on Friday. Blackstreet is known for hits including “No Diggity,” “Before I Let You Go” and “Don’t Leave Me.” On June 23, the Paterson City Council approved renaming Presidential Blvd to “Blackstreet Blvd.” \The event was attended by local leaders including Councilwoman-at-Large Dr. Lilisa Mimms and fans and family of the group members.
Congratulations are also in order for Terence Crawford, who won his Las Vegas boxing match against Errol Spence Jr. on Saturday night. Crawford scored three knockdowns and stopped Spence with a TKO in the ninth round to become the undisputed welterweight champion. The win cemented Crawford’s name in history as he became the first male fighter to achieve undisputed status in two weight divisions in the modern four-belt era.
Spence is able to and has indicated that he will activate a rematch, but the weight class will be determined by Crawford.
While the boxing world was focused on Saturday’s fight, hip-hop fans were focused on an altercation between Cardi B and a fan. The New York rapper became the latest artist in a rising trend to have an unruly fan throw something at her while on stage. Cardi was performing at Drai’s Beachclub in Las Vegas on Saturday when she was hit with a drink by a fan. Rather than verbally calling out the fan, Cardi responded by launching a microphone at the event attendee.
Videos show security entering the crowd to escort the woman out of the area while the rapper stood on stage watching with “Bodak Yellow” playing in the background.
Fellow New York female rapper, Nicki Minaj, garnered media attention this weekend too. The queen of the Barbz was a victim of another swatting incident in which a person falsely reported shots fired at her Los Angeles residence. Sheriff Deputies arrived at the rapper’s home Saturday afternoon, according to reports from TMZ. The “Barbie World” rapper has now had two swatting encounters, with the first incident causing cops to swarm her home over claims of child abuse. Minaj is not the only target of the calls. Other celebrity victims include Miley Cyrus, Justin Bieber and Rihanna.
Television personalities Iyanla Vanzant and Gizelle Bryant were uplifted in prayer as the weekend came to a close. The two both announced the loss of close loved ones. The Real Housewives of Potomac star announced on Friday that her father, famed civil rights activist Curtis Graves, died at 84. Fans of life coach Iyanla Vanzant are also sending condolences as her team announced the death of her youngest daughter, Nisa Vanzant.
Details on Curtis and Nisa’s death have not been made available.
