Pastor Jamal Bryant Apologizes For Disparaging Kevin Samuels From The Pulpit

BY Erika Marie 14.3K Views
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Jamal Bryant
The celebrity pastor and ex-husband to "Real Housewives of Potomac" star Gizelle Bryant is back after criticizing Samuels posthumously.

The news of the death of Kevin Samuels caused a wave of reactions across pop culture and they have only continued. Today (May 16), there have been reports of the GoFundMe set up for Samuels's funeral being an alleged fake, and famed pastor Jamal Bryant has also recently come forward with an apology. The well-known celebrity pastor is not only a minister to the famous, but he's also been seen on Real Housewives of Potomac with his ex-wife, Gizelle Bryant.

We previously reported on the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church pastor taking to the pulpit to say: “How can a man say that you are of low value after 35?" Bryant questioned during his teaching. "How can a man say that you don’t have the level of traction of a high-powered man when that man has to get a GoFundMe for his funeral?” He was seemingly referencing a crowd-sourcing campaign that was launched by Melanie King, a friend of Samuels'.


Several people came forward to condemn the good pastor for his remarks, and Bryant returned to his church stage to apologize for his behavior.

“Last week while we were in worship, I referred to the deceased public critic and public intellectual about relationships, Brother Samuels. As a consequence, later information I came forth that what it is that I said was incorrect,” said Bryant. "Everything that I say from this place must be a place of truth as it represents the Gospel of God. I don’t care whether you are a pastor, a Bishop, or a postman. When you are wrong, you have to own when you are wrong. And not in a quiet place, but from the same pulpit in which I said it, I wanted to address it. Everybody wants to be an adult until it’s time to apologize.”

"Thank you to all who purposed to keep me accountable. We grow from mistakes and birth maturity. Humility will always defeat arrogance. We grow as we go!” Check it out below.



About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.