Puerto Rican rapper Ozuna has gone under fire this week, after a gay porn film was released revealing Ozuna masturbating in a room while men had sex. According to Ozuna, the pornographic content was filmed when he was a minor, at 16 years old. The video came as a massive shock to the community, namely Ozuna's wife and children. Ozuna has apologized for his actions in the video, stating "What happened was a mistake of the past. Like many young people, I made a mistake, fueled by ignorance. Today, I’m not only sorry for what happened, but I condemn it ... More importantly, I ask my family for forgiveness. They are my life’s priority and I will continue to fight for them always." But earlier this month, on January 10th, gay Trap star Kevin Fret was shot eight times while riding his motorcycle in San Juan. The apparent vindictive nature of the death, and rumors of extortion beginning to spread lead people to start questioning the motives for the murder. Then the video was released. It was reported by Univision and confirmed by Ozuna on January 23rd, that in the time leading up to Fret's death Ozuna had paid Fret $50,000 in order to maintain the secrecy of an unknown video. The obvious conclusion many people came to was that the video Ozuna was being extorted over was the one that had recently been released. The next obvious conclusion, was that Ozuna had Kevin Fret murdered. Being shot eight times is an immensely aggravated and intentional event; this type of indirect murder is often called "a hit." The Spanish tabloid Xposed Magazine was the first to publically accuse Ozuna of the murder. Kevin Fret was the first openly gay artist in the Latin Trap scene and there is growing public pressure to examine his death. Ozuna denies any involvement in the crime personally stating "One thing is blackmail, another is murder." He also maintains that he is the victim of Kevin Fret's extortion. Ozuna's label management office stated "The necessary legal measures are already being taken since sending and publishing videos of minors is a state and federal offense... We hope that this will serve as an example and a message to all teenagers and adults, that they guard their privacy and avoid these things so as not to have to go through such regrettable situations." The media firestorm around this story has caused wild theories and troubling allegations. Some sources have alleged that the video of Ozuna released is actually him at the age of 18, and the video of him at the age of 16 was in the possession of Fret. Some allege the video was released as a counter attack to the murder of Kevin Fret. Ozuna is in the early stages of his career, but he's already produced songs with superstars like Selena Gomez and Cardi B. Neither celebrity has commented on Ozuna's situation at this time. Kevin Fret had popular songs like his debut single "Soy Asi." The Puerto Rican police have not named any official suspects in the murder of Kevin Fret, though Ozuna's legal team is currently taking action to prevent the distribution of the video.

Actor Jussie Smollett of the hit TV series “Empire”, was the victim of a brutal homophobic & racially-charged attack in Chicago around 2 a.m. Tuesday morning. According to TMZ, Jussie arrived in Chicago from New York late Monday and decided to grab some food from Subway — As he walked out, someone yelled, “Aren’t you that fa**ot Empire nig**r?” 2 unknown white men wearing ski masks then began attacking Jussie, fracturing his rib and then yelled, “This is MAGA country,” as they fled the scene. Chicago police later confirmed in a statement to Gaye Magazine, “The offenders began to batter the victim with their hands about the face and poured an unknown chemical substance on the victim.” “At some point during the incident, one of the offenders wrapped a rope around the victims neck.” After the offenders fled the scene, Jussie then self-transported himself to Northwestern Hospital and has since been released early this morning in good condition. “Given the severity of the allegations, we are taking this investigation very seriously and treating it as a possible hate crime,” Chicago police told Gaye. Detectives are currently investigating and the Area Central Detectives asks that anyone with information about the incident to report it at 312-747-8382. We are severely disheartened from this news and we are keeping Jussie in our prayers.

On Jan. 23rd, Pete Buttigieg, a married gay man, announced his Presidential campaign for 2020. Buttigieg (Booty-Jej) is the mayor of South Bend, Indiana and announced his bid for the Democratic nomination in a video on his Facebook page. His message in this initial announcement boasts a platform of dramatic change, noting his presidency would be a "fresh start." If Buttigieg were to win it would be a historic victory on numerous levels: he would not only be the first openly gay President, but would also be the first openly gay nominee for President, the first Millennial President and the first President to have served in the Afghanistan War. But it doesn't stop there. Buttigieg would also be the youngest President elected and youngest to serve, at the age of 38. Buttigieg married his husband, Chasten Glezman, in mid 2018. They have two beautiful dogs named Truman and Buddy. In his home state, Buttigieg is well liked for reviving South Bend's economy, having served as Mayor since 2012. Pete Buttigieg announced his bid at a rather congested time in the 2020 presidential race. Kamala Harris, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, and Joe Biden are some of the top contenders for the Democratic nomination, clearly signaling a challenging road ahead for Buttigieg. But if Buttigieg's promise of resilience and determination to represent the new generation rings true, perhaps the 63 million eligible Millennials will respond to his message with a vote. On January 27th his resilience was tested, as he announced on Facebook the passing of his father. There is no word yet on whether this will affect his plans to pursue the 2020 Presidency, but we at Gaye Magazine wish Buttigieg and his family the best in this difficult time.

If you know of someone who doesn’t believe that love is over all, then have them take a look at this amazing photo symbolizing love despite different beliefs. According to TVM News, Matteo Menicocci, an Italian photographer/LGBT activist, and his partner Riccardo experienced homophobia and were insulted during their holiday visit to Tel Aviv. The couple decided to take this photo in order to promote “love and peace between sexes and religions”. In the photograph Menicocci is seen wearing traditional Palestinian garb while kissing his partner Riccardo, who is wearing a Yarmulke, a Jewish symbol. Let’s give a round of applause for this symbolic imagery. Let this be of motivation for those who are in interracial relationships or any couple in love despite society’s standards of normalcy. Love Always Wins!

Teyana Taylor has once again snatched every single hair follicle from the depths of our edges! Her new self-directed music video “WTP” (Work This Pussy) dropped yesterday, Jan. 23, and it not only proves that Teyana is one of the “girls”, but her video also makes it clear that she serves as an ally to the LGBT community and respects the influence that ballroom/vogue culture has had on the entertainment and fashion industry. WTP does a phenomenal job with highlighting prominent figures within the ballroom scene who have influenced ballroom’s success in mainstream media, all the while telling a quirky story influenced by the movie “Cinderella”. It was thoroughly exciting to see the face of Deshaun Lanvin, Trace Lysette, Milan Christopher, and Tokyo Stylez during the video’s opening segment. Each of them began their rise to stardom in the ballroom scene and ultimately helped the culture receive national recognition and mainstream success. It’s arguably accurate to say that without ballroom, these iconic individuals would not be who they are today. In the video, Teyana plays an aspiring voguer who wants to “work her pussy” at the ball, but is hindered from attending by her 3 cruel sisters in her house, one of which is played by an Atlanta makeup artist, Japan aka Japanese Faces. Thankfully, her “Fairy Cunt Motha” whips out her magical charm and aids Teyana in her quest to vogue at the ball. Teyana’s seductive costumes trail-blazed the other divas in each scene. From strutting down the walkway to duck-walking profusely on the dance floor, Teyana gave no bitch room to doubt her vogueing abilities. After all, she is known for giving a quick hand performance or dip in her concerts. It is certainly heart warming to witness vogue culture being celebrated on this level. Critics within the community are overjoyed with the positive representation and recognition that Teyana chose to share on her platform. Check out the video below.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, 29, has been shaking up the political scene since she was voted into her position in the House of Representatives this past election season. She's proposed a 70% tax rate for certain bracket, proven her place as a proper a New Yorker and been a shining beacon for ideals many millennials share. And next on her agenda? It might just be to sashay down the runway as a guest judge on Rupaul's Drag Race. The representative has been a vocal fan of the show over social media, but she fan-girled on Instagram live when one of the queens from the most recent season, Valentina, started watching along, saying “Oh my God. I can’t believe she’s on my livestream right now. Oh my God. Amazing. Girl, tonight the lip sync, you turned it out. It was incredible. You make me so proud. You make me feel amazing about being Latina, about being America, about being todo." Cortez went on to say what fans of her and the show have been waiting to hear for months; “It would be a dream of mine to be a guest. Maybe we'll reach out. It's just so amazing, and I'm just so thankful that we have a community that can celebrate each other and just find joy in each other and beauty in each other and uplift each other … we’re talking about RuPaul’s Drag Race, if you haven’t watched it it’s one of the most amazing things ever.” Rupaul has a history of using her show to comment on politics, having numerous political and patriotic themed challenges throughout its 10 seasons. Nancy Pelosi, the current Speaker of the House of Representatives, came on to the show's 3rd All Stars season to encourage young people to get more active in voting and politics. We already know that Alexandria is down for the runway, so now we have to wait and see if Mother Ru will take her up on it. But given the young representative's popularity and relevance; and the fact that next year is an election year and Rupaul tends to plan her challenges quite meticulously around pop culture it seems quite possible we'll be seeing Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in the 2020 season of Drag Race.

The stars of the makeup world aligned when Rupaul and Mally Beauty announced a collaborative makeup line in the works last year. In a recent interview with Andy Cohen, Rupaul confirmed that this new makeup line will be coming next month. This is the first time Rupaul has talked about the makeup line since it was announced in April 2018. At that time, Rupaul made a press release stating a collaboration with Mally was set to launch in Feb. of 2019. Rupaul expressed his excitement to work with the celebrity makeup artist, saying “I love Mally, her approach to makeup is exemplified by her personality; smart, sexy, fun, and beautiful. I really dig this woman!" He went on to say he is thrilled to make products that "are made with love and kindness." Mally Roncal is the founder of Mally Beauty Cosmetics, and shared her business partner's enthusiasm, saying "I respect, adore and worship RuPaul personally and professionally ... I feel blessed to have the honor of working with RuPaul and have him connected to my brand." Mally Beauty Costmetics was started in 2005, and has a focus on specialty foundations that invoke a younger appearance. And given that Rupaul hasn't aged a day since the Reagan administration, it truly seems like a perfect match for both parties. Rupaul is no stranger to having his own makeup products; he had a mineral makeup collection with Color Evolution in the early 2010s and eventually a limited edition perfume named Glamazon under the same brand. But for this collab, Mother Ru is going all out, taking on the responsibilities of conceptualizing products, marketing the line, and even formulating some of the products. According to the press release, the line will be a capsule collection of about ten to twelve different makeup items. For the butch queens out there, a capsule collection is only the most essential of each makeup item, meaning we will probably get a full tool kit of foundation, powder, lipstick, eye shadow; but more than likely won't have many shades to choose from. The line was initially announced to be released in Feb. 2019, though other than Rupaul’s comments on After Show, neither person has commented on the status of the makeup line and no formal release date has been set. In the coming weeks we will have to keep a close eye on both parties social media while we wait for the official announcement.

Gay Adult Film Star “Team Dreads” aka Joseph Hawkins was sentenced to 15 years for an aggravated assault charge in Clayton County. It is alleged that Team Dreads stabbed someone multiple times back in 2015. Despite his sentencing, he seems to be in great spirits due to recent tweets he made today. According to public records we obtained from the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC), Hawkins actually began his sentencing on Nov. 6th last year and is currently serving 10 years. This means he somehow and someway has access to the internet to tweet, “No matter what happened. Never count me out. Minor set back for a major comeback.” Hawkins is due to be released on July 28th, 2028. His records state that this is his Max Possible Release Date, which is the expiration date of the longest running sentence with credit for time served in a county jail prior to conviction and sentencing. Several of his fans have since retweeted him and sent encouraging words — saying that they will miss his videos. From the looks of Dreads’ easy access to the internet perhaps they may get some prison-made flicks!

TMZ ran into Da Brat on Saturday at the Trumpet Awards in Atlanta and wanted her to give her two cents on the whole R. Kelly situation due to their musical history. Da Brat seemed to be torn at the beginning of her response saying, “That’s a rough one ya know, I do think he needs help. I love him, I grew up with him.” But she later bluntly says, “I think the parents need to take responsibility. Where is your 14 year old child? Why are you there? Something is wrong with that.” The 6 part docu-series Surviving R. Kelly received many similar opinions once it aired on Lifetime. Some may agree that Da Brat is correct — the parents should be held accountable for the role they played throughout. However, many claim a predator will be just that, a “predator”, despite any barriers others may set forth. When asked about listening to R. Kelly’s music, Da Brat says she will never stop listening to his music. “I may not buy it no more, but it’s already in my playlist,” she said. Hmmm, seems a bit weird how she is taking both sides on this one. Check out the video via TMZ Below:

"The biggest Broadway star of the 1950s" Credit: BIOGRAPHY On January 15th 2018, Carol Channing's publicist made the announcement of the actor's passing. She died of natural causes at the age of 97. Channing was most well known for her roles on Broadway in the 50s and 60s, popularizing classics like "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" and "Hello Dolly." Channing never starred in the film versions of these plays as she lost the rolls to Marilyn Monroe and Barbara Streisand respectively. Though to Channing's credit, that is some unbelievably tough competition. Carol would go on to star in the 1967 movie musical "Thoroughly Modern Millie" and receive an Academy Award nomination for her work in the film. She also took home a Tony for "Hello Dolly" and would go on to have a successful career in TV and movies;by the end of her career she had 28 theatrical credits, and 35 film and TV credits. In her 2003 memoir entitled "Just Lucky I Guess: A Memoir of Sorts," Carol famously revealed that she believed she had African-American ancestry. Basing this knowledge off of old documents and a comment her mother made in her youth. Channing was vocally proud of her heritage and would retroactively accredit her diverse background to her success, stating "No white woman can do it like I did" Channing has also been a longtime ally to the LGBT community. She credits much of her success to queer people, she once said “The gay community is responsible for so much of my success, and I love them. It's a mutual love affair, really. They make the better audiences too, because they laugh often and loudly." Her death has had a wide reach; fans and peers alike are paying their respects to the late actress. Fellow Broadway legend, Bette Midler remembered her talented peer fondly: "She was completely original, and there will never be another. Blonde, [six foot] tall and utterly hilarious, she was a legend. My condolences to the world; and to those knew her ... and those who never got the chance." Many people consider Channing the last of a generation of great stage actors, and with her passing the world feels the gravity of the loss. Carol Channing harkens back to a simpler time in acting, before people could market themselves on social media. Her success is a testament to the power of working hard while having fun, and never was there soul that combined the two as naturally as Carol Channing.

Lady Gaga got snubbed at the Golden Globes, and she'll be damned if she doesn't get that Oscar! But first, she has to get a nomination. Recently, in a move that shocked fans, Gaga removed her song "Do What U Want," featuring rapper R. Kelly, from all streaming services. R. Kelly has fallen back to the center of controversy, following the release of a docu-series detailing his sexual misconduct entitled Surviving R. Kelly which aired on Lifetime. On her Twitter, Gaga denounced the song stating "I think it’s clear how explicitly twisted my thinking was at the time," and continued with "I’m sorry, both for my poor judgment when I was young, and for not speaking out sooner." Gaga's tweets came days before the voting deadline closed for the Academy Awards on January 14th; and some have been claiming the apology is simply an attempt to appeal to the voters of the Academy. Gaga has been on the awards circuit for her performance in A Star Is Born and surely has eyes on the Oscars. But Steve Greenberg, R. Kelly's attorney, stated "Mr. Kelly appreciates that she recognized his immense talent ... but finds it regrettable that she is now exploiting this controversy to try and help her in her effort to win an Oscar." The song has never particularly been one of Gaga's fondest hits; she didn't include the song in her Joanne World Tour, or her recent residency in Las Vegas, Enigma. Even the song's music video was never completed, which is probably for the better when you find out what it was going to be. The nominees for Academy Awards will be announced on January 22nd, and only time will tell if Lady Gaga can reap the fruits of her efforts. Sales of the 2013 single have sky rocketed since her apology so one can make the argument that the publicity for the song did more to spread the song then suppress it. Oscar season is heating up and with Glenn Close inching out Gaga for Best Actress at the Golden Globes the pressure is higher than ever for Gaga to be in the Academy's good graces. Was making a public apology for a five-year old song enough to win one of the toughest juries around? Or maybe she feels real regret for her past decisions? But, whether she is sincerely sorry or just trying to fake it till she makes it, Gaga surely has set her sights on that elusive Oscar nomination, and in less then a week we'll see if she gets it.