Nicki Minaj Pays "Cosby Actor" Geoffrey Owens $25K As Promised: Report

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Nicki Minaj attends the Heavenly Bodies: Fashion & The Catholic Imagination Costume Institute Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 7, 2018 in New York City.
Geoffrey Owens is also keeping his promising and donating the money to charity.

A few weeks ago, Nicki Minaj pledged that she'd donate $25K to former Cosby actor Geoffrey Owens after he was job-shamed for working at Trader Joe's. While the "Ganja Burns" rapper was accused earlier this month of not following through with her promise, it turns out that she's kept her word and sent Owens a check for $25K.

According to TMZ, Nicki Minaj has sent a check for $25K to Geoffrey Owens after pledging to donate the money on "Queen Radio" earlier this month. However, instead of keeping the money, the actor will be donating the large check to charity.

"I would like to give this donation of 25k to the Actor’s Fund in memory of the late, great Earle Hyman -- who played Cosby’s father, ‘Russell’, on “The Cosby Show” -- who lived his last many years and died at the Actors’ Home, (funded and run by the Actor’s Fund)." He said, "I am extremely grateful to Nicki Minaj for enabling struggling actors to continue pursuing their dreams."

In response, Nicki Minaj said, "I'm happy to be a part of a great cause. I wish Geoffrey much success and want him to know how loved he is. Rest in Peace to Earle Hyman."

While Owens ultimately left his job at Trader Joe's because of the unwarranted attention that came from the viral moment, it seemed to work out in his favor, ultimately. He's reportedly received a "handful" TV offers including one from Tyler Perry who offered Owens a gig on his show The Haves And The Have Nots.


About The Author
Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.
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