Page 25 - Florida Sentinel 1-1-21

Entertainment
Oprah Winfrey Sells
John Fletcher, A.K.A. Ecstasy Of The Group Whodini, Dies At 56
Most Of Her OWN Stake
To Discovery For $35M
John Fletcher, who was known as Ecstasy of the foun- dational hip-hop group Who- dini was the engine for some of the genre’s first pop suc- cesses, wearing a flamboyant Zorroesque hat all the while, died on Wednesday in Atlanta. He was 56.
His daughter Jonnelle Fletcher confirmed the death in a statement. She said the cause had not yet been deter- mined.
In the mid-1980s, Whodini — made up initially of Mr. Fletcher (whose hip-hop name was sometimes rendered Ecstacy) and Jalil Hutchins, who were later joined by the D.J. Grand-
Oprah Winfrey has sold most of her stake in OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network to Discovery Inc. in exchange for more than $35 million in the company’s stock.
Winfrey’s company, Harpo Inc., filed to sell half of the 1.34 million shares received in the transaction, according to re- ports.
The deal boosts Discovery’s stake in OWN to 95%, accord- ing to a person with knowledge of the matter, an increase from more than 70% reported in 2017. The channel was co- founded by Discovery and the longtime talk show host in 2011 as a female-focused net- work, trading off of Win- frey’s huge popularity.
Winfrey had an agreement with Discovery where she
Jalil Hutchins, left, and John Fletcher, a.k.a. Ecstasy, of the foundational hip-hop group Whodini in 1984. “I can’t sing,” Mr. Fletcher once said. “But I heard somebody rap one day and I said to myself, ‘I can do that.’”
Rihanna And A$AP Rocky
Gucci Mane and Keyshia Ka'oir are having an espe- cially blessed holiday week.
On Wednesday night, the couple took to Instagram to announce the birth of their first child together—a 7-pound baby boy named Ice Davis. Gucci shared the big news with a photo of his wife show- ing off her baby bump, writing: "thank you MrsDavis ❤􏰀 he’s here!!!!!!!"
Celebrate Their First Christmas
Together In Barbados
Sleighbells are ringing for Rihanna and A$AP Rocky.
The couple, who wore face masks, was spotted spending Christmas Eve together as they were on their way to a Cata- maran sunset cruise while va- cationing in her native Barbados.
The Grammy-nominated rap star touched down on the Fenty CEO's home island of Barbados on Wednesday, PEOPLE confirms.
"Rihanna has been in Bar- bados since [last] Thursday," a source tells PEOPLE. "A$AP joined her and they are spend- ing Christmas together with Rihanna's family."
GUCCI MANE AND WIFE KEYSHIA KA’OIR DAVIS
post shortly after give birth to "soooooo darn cute and per- Ice, who she described as fect."
OPRAH
could require the company to purchase part of her interest beginning in 2016. In 2017, Discovery purchased a 25% stake from Winfrey for $70 million.
master Dee (born Drew Carter) — released a string of essential hits, including “Friends,” “Freaks Come Out at Night” and “One Love.”
Whodini presented as street- savvy sophisticates with a pop ear, and Mr. Fletcher was the group’s outsize character and most vivid rapper.
Gucci Mane And Keyshia Ka'oir Davis Welcome Their First Child Together
Keyshia shared a similar
Master P And Ex-NBA Star Baron Davis
A$AP ROCKY AND RIHANNA
Music Mogul Master P and former NBA All-Star Baron Davis have jointly en- tered into negotiations with parent company Adidas to ac- quire the once-mighty shoe brand Reebok, which is report- edly on sale for some $2.4 bil- lion.
Master P is the stage name of Percy Robert Miller, a 53-year-old rapper, actor, record producer, and entrepre- neur whose net worth is said to be valued at $200 million.
Davis, 41, is a retired for- mer professional basketball player who played 15 seasons for various teams, including Charlotte, New Orleans, Golden State, the Los Angeles
In Talks To Buy Reebok For $2.4 Billion
Clippers, Cleveland, and New York.
'These companies have been benefiting off us, this could be history for this company going black-owned,' Master P told ESPN reporter Eric Wood- yard.
The mogul said that he and Davis are 'prepared finan- cially' after two months of talks with Adidas.
'Imagine if Michael Jor- dan owned Reebok? That's what I'm talking about making history,' he said.
MASTER P AND BARON DAVIS
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