Go With The Flo
By Flo Anthony
Farewell to Biz Markie. The
beloved rapper passed away
in hospice care on July 17 at
the age of 57, after suffering
from Type 2 Diabetes. In June
2021, rumors swirled that the
popular emcee had died. However,
his representative made a
statement that Biz, whose birth
name was Marcel Hall, suffered
a stroke and was admitted into
hospice. Biz was best known for
his Beat Box skills and his hit
single, “Just A Friend.” Born in
Harlem, he grew up on Long
Island, and was affectionately
known as the Clown Prince
of Hip Hop. Said LL Cool J
on a video he posted on social
media, “I’m glad we got to do
what we got to do towards the
game. Love you Bro.” Our condolences
go out to Biz’s wife
and his family. In other sad
news, according to TMZ, Keyshia
Cole’s mother Frankie,
tragically died of an alleged
drug overdose, celebrating her
61st birthday on July 18 in Oakland,
California, after suffering
a relapse.
Bounce TV will be premiering
its newest series, Johnson,
on Sunday, Aug. 1, with backto
Caribbean L 28 ife, JULY 23-29, 2021
back episodes. Centering
on four life-long best friends
in Atlanta, all of whom share
the same last name (Johnson),
the series revolves around
what happens when the four
guys find themselves in vastly
different places in their lives
and it begins to threaten their
bond. Produced in partnership
between Eric C. Rhone
and Cedric the Entertainer’s A
Bird & A Bear Entertainment
and Deji LaRay and Thomas Q.
Jones Midnight Train Productions,
the series will feature
D.L. Hughley and spotlight an
ensemble class that includes
LaRay, Jones, Philip Smithey
and Derrex Brady.
Tongues are wagging that
Mary J. Blige was spotted at
Bylander Steel Beach (coowned
by Ian Duke), enjoying
the West Harlem Lobster Roll
and Sun Goddess Pinot Grigio
by Mary J. Blige. Mary recently
released a new song “Hourglass”
heard in her new Amazon
Prime documentary Mary
J. Blige’s My Life, now streaming.
The piano ballad was cowritten
by Teddy Riley, Andy
Murray, Benjamin Wright, and
ROMANS and produced by the
latter. It finds Blige probing
about what-ifs and how regrets
only stand in the way of living.
Former NBA star/coach
Derek Fisher and former VH1
Basketball Wives cast member
Gloria Govan got married
on July 18 at Cielo Farms in
Malibu, California. According
to People Magazine, the newlyweds
got engaged in April 2018
after dating for three years and
were forced to delay their wedding
Biz Markie attends the premiere of Netfl ix’s “Roxanne Roxanne”
at SVA Theatre on Monday, March 19, 2018, in New
York. Photo by Andy Kropa/Invision/AP, File
in April 2020 due to the
coronavirus pandemic. Govan,
wore a gown by Monique Lhuillier.
Her bridesmaids’ were
dressed by Dessy Collection,
while Fisher’s groomsmen
looked sharp in suits by Octavius
Perry. “For Derek and me,
our wedding has been about
uniting and a blending of families,”
Govan told People. This is
the second marriage for both
the bride and the groom. Ironically,
they are both parents of
twins, which Fisher has with
his previous wife, Candace
Fisher, and Govan has with her
previous husband, former NBA
player, Matt Barnes. Fisher also
has two other children.
Flo Anthony