Last week, Reach Records parted ways with GAWVI and dropped him from their upcoming “We Are Unashamed” tour. It didn’t take long to find out why as Catalina Bellizzi-Itiola’s tweet made the rounds faster than the CHH insider’s could keep up. While the issue of unsolicited pictures of nudity have been confirmed, there appears to be more layers to this unfortunate story. We want to clarify that sharing this story is not intended to bring any additional or unintentional harm to the victims nor is it an attempt to sully GAWVi who now faces the repercussions of his indiscretions.
“This is something we have been processing for over a year and have wrestled with what would be the right way forward. New details that were provided made us realize today’s decision was necessary. “
Reach Records
This isn’t new. GAWVI isn’t the first and because of the human condition, won’t be the last. However, from what a few insiders are suggesting, this was a long time coming. Far from the bandwagon dog piling of a man down, some suggest that GAWVI’s nature and demeanor lent itself to the behaviors which have now cost him his career in CHH. In the closing statement of REACH Records’ statement releasing the rapper, they hope that healing and restoration are the outcome. There are many layers to this story, the very least of them is what was exposed by Catalina or “Cataphant” as she’s known on Twitter. She went on The Tastemakers Podcast last week to explain why she took the extreme measure of releasing the tweet and provided insight into the timeline of the subsequent action by Reach Records.
Reach Records Releases Gawvi from label and Upcoming ‘We Are Unashamed’ Tour
Due to behavior that is inconsistent with our core values, we have ended our professional relationship with GAWVI. This was a tough decision for us because of the level of complexity and because we invest in our artists not just for their talent, but also as brothers and sisters in Christ. This is something we have been processing for over a year and have wrestled with what would be the right way forward. New details that were provided made us realize today’s decision was necessary. We also want our actions to be a reflection of love, care, and concern for those who fail and those who are affected by our failures. Each of us needs God’s grace and we invite you to pray for the families and individuals whose lives are being impacted. This is not a chance to throw anybody away. We continue to hope for restoration to be the outcome.
–Reach Records
With each separation of a label from talent, the inner workings of the entertainment industry are made somewhat public. Many of those working behind the scenes emerge to the forefront to either speak up for their represented talent or speak out against them. In Christian entertainment, the juxtaposition of demanding accountability while trying to balance relationships is nearly unbearable. GAWVI’s manager of many years took to Instagram to share another layer of this experience. You can watch her tearful video, here.
GAWVI has since deleted every Instagram post but issued a statement acknowledging his split with his wife in 2020. Though the marriage is and his contract with REACH Records have come to an end, GAWVI is now faced with accepting accountability for his actions. No charges have been filed, but almost irreparable has been done. What becomes of a disgraced CHH super producer? The industry is watching and waiting.