The Weekend Entertainment Recap: June 5th
The weekend began solemnly after news of the death of former Wild ‘n Out star Jacky Oh was announced. Jacky Oh, who was born Jacklyn Smith, died in Miami Wednesday night. Smith traveled to Miami to reportedly undergo a “mommy makeover” surgery and according to an incident report from the Miami Police Department, Smith was found unresponsive at a Homewood Suites by Hilton. The cause of her death was not released and authorities are actively investigating. Smith was a mother of three and the longtime partner of comedian D.C. Young Fly.
The rapper, Chika, found herself facing backlash after going on a Twitter rant about crying babies traveling on a flight she was on. The plot thickened once it was discovered that the crying child was the daughter of Zonnique and the granddaughter of Tiny and T.I. Chika’s Twitter rant ridiculed the screaming child and guardian while letting it be known that she was so bothered by the crying that she was willing to spend more than $30 just to complain about the situation. The rant eventually caught up with Zonnique and her relative who was accompanying the children.
Zonnique fired back saying, “you should of just sat there and been mad babe.” Chika has since posted a video doubling down on her comments but did apologize to those she offended.
While Chika was ranting about babies being babies, actor Tyler James Williams did a deep dive into sexuality and the harm of stereotypes. The Abbott Elementary star responded to rumors that circulated about him being gay and spoke out against speculating on someone’s sexuality. Williams noted in a post to his Instagram story, “I’m not gay; but I think the culture of trying to ‘find’ some kind of hidden trait or behavior that a closeted person ‘let slip’ is very dangerous.”
The former Everybody Hates Chris star shared that he is not a member of the LGBTQ+ community but expressed his support for those who identify as a member. Williams ended his message by wishing a “happy Pride” month to all who are celebrating (and even those who may be questioning).
As Tyler James Williams stood as an ally with the LGBTQ+ community, rappers Lil Baby and Young Dro stood as advocates against gun violence. The rappers attended a funeral to remember a 16-year-old shot and killed at a graduation celebration in Atlanta, Georgia. Family and friends gathered Saturday to honor the life of Bre’Asia Powell – a scholar, basketball player, and cheerleader. Powell was killed after shots rang out at a gathering outside the school on the morning of May 28. Lil Baby and Young Dro encouraged the youth in attendance to stop all of the violence.
Crime Stoppers is offering a $10,000 dollar reward for any information on the shooting.
Despite the heaviness of the weekend, there was still a touch of positivity as the Roots hosted their annual picnic festival. Attendees were able to hear from artists including Usher, Ari Lennox, GloRilla, Lauryn Hill and Lil Uzi Vert. There was also an opportunity for attendees to listen to some of their favorite voices, including DJ Akademiks, Angela Yee and Charlamagne Tha God. The two-day festival is held in Philadelphia at the Mann at Fairmount Park and first began in 2008.
