One of the biggest homecoming celebrations at an HBCU took place last weekend for Morehouse and Spelman alumni. However, some are calling foul over a party that was promoted by the son-in-law of well-known comedian Steve Harvey. Kareem “DJ BruckUp” Hawthorne and his company T-12 Entertainment hosted a homecoming bash at Atlanta’s Georgia Aquarium. The event featured VIP packages that cost upwards of $4,000 and made promises of private sections flowing with alcohol and comfy seats. But according to attendees, that was far from what they received.
Instead, attendees were given watered down drinks and uncomfortable seats on scattered futons. One of the main benefits with a party at the Georgia Aquarium is the ability to see some of the incredible exhibits of sea life at the facility. But according to witnesses, the exhibits and hallways were darkened. Instead of a night featuring a live DJ, partygoers claimed that the DJ was playing out of date hits from a laptop with a Beats Pill amplifier speaker. Reportedly, Hawthorne left the event early and went to a hipper party that night. Now the event is being called #Aquagate and attendees are threatening to sue Hawthorne and have taken him to task on social media. Some of the posts include:
-LastBlackSpartan @rjlavergne Oct 31
So far for #AquaGate: -No fish -No bottles -(Lack of) drink tickets -Music was trash/not loud -People turned away at door -Ikea Furniture
–Lemon Pepper Wet @soLEXsaid Nov 1
It was so quiet, I literally fell asleep in the aquarium #AquaGate
-faithful black man@pants_so_short
Did they really play Kirk Franklin at #AquaGate?
–Cis-ely Tyson @_Gambina Oct 31
Weak a– DJ played Usher for about 10mins straight & then left. #AquaGate
–Malcum X (DEN 6-2) @_MylesHigh Oct 31
The party was so weak even the whales left early #AquaGate
–Ace @_raphael_ace Oct 31
Clearly y’all just paid for somebody’s study abroad with the sections alone at #AquaGate
Hawthorne posted a letter on Twitter and Instagram that blames the Georgia Aquarium in part for the night’s debacle and said that his company is refunding money for those who attended the party and paid VIP prices.
