Marlon Wayans and Big Boy may feel a bit of vindication this year, as the fate of the 2024 Roc Nation Brunch has yet to be announced.
Last year marked the 12th annual brunch hosted by Jay-Z and the entertainment company Roc Nation. It was also the first time the event had been held since January 25, 2020.
The invite-only assembly of some of the music industry’s most popular artists and biggest deal brokers has seen the likes of Nipsey Hussle, Sean “Diddy” Combs, ChloexHalle, and, of course, Beyoncé, to name a few, all in attendance.
Historically, it has taken place either during the last week of January or within the first two weeks of February. It is largely recognized as one of the premier pre-Grammy festivities in Tinseltown. Now, with only a week until the 66th Annual Grammy Awards left, Big Boy has joined in on the whispers of the brunch not taking place.
“Rumor has it that the Roc Nation brunch is not happening this year. I heard just yesterday,” said Big as Wayans, with a smirk on his face, glared directly into the camera during a “BigBoyTV” interview that was posted to YouTube on January 21.
The two men have previously shared banter on Big’s platform about not making it onto the invite list. This time was no different. “Now, the year that I felt we were gonna be in there,” he continued before being interrupted by Wayans.
“Now, I ain’t laughing, you know … but I will say this: Karma,” said the comedian as he did his best deadpan to those in the room. Wayans continued, “So we gon’ do the Alright Brunch? Let’s do it.”
“I think this is the year that we were talking about the Alright Brunch, man,” replied the legendary radio host.
The Roc Nation brunch canceled this year? Not like I was invited anyway but damn
— Real Naysayer (@8VIIGary) January 22, 2024
Yeah because the way 2024 going who knows what might happen 🤣🤣🤣
— Real Naysayer (@8VIIGary) January 22, 2024
Speculation about the event being canceled has not been substantiated by anyone connected to Jay-Z or Roc Nation, but social media users have assumed that the explosive start of the year—Katt Williams‘ scathing interview and Diddy’s mounting legal issues involving alleged sexual misconduct — is enough reason to call it off.
Though the “Marlon” creator rationalized that the alleged cancellation has more to do with egos. “That’s why he [Jay-Z] didn’t wanna do the Roc Nation Brunch! They saw the competition,” sarcastically quipped Big’s fellow snubbed brunch partner, further egging on their running joke about throwing their own version of the exclusive gathering.
Marlon Wayans and Big Boy talk about throwing a brunch for the people not invited to Jay-Z’s Roc Nation brunch:
— Daily Loud (@DailyLoud) October 7, 2023
“Everybody wear Zara suits… you can’t spend over $150 for your suit” 😂 pic.twitter.com/cXGNpA0DrI
Last October, the entertainer, while appearing on “BigBoyTV,” suggested, “Let’s do a brunch because there’s so many people talking about how they ain’t invited to the brunch. ‘The Uninvited Roc Nation Brunch,’ the brunch for the other guys. So me, you, LL Cool J, Snoop. We do the ‘Alright N**ga Brunch.’ … We got enough money to be aight, and you ain’t gotta wear a dope suit. You can wear Zara suits. Everybody wear Zara suits. You can’t spend over $150 for your suit. No real jewelry — everything fake.”
Though the “White Chicks” actor said that everybody, including Beyoncé, should be invited to the Alright Brunch, he quickly reneged on the idea, jokingly citing that she was more than all right.
“She gon’ try to take our shine,” he said. Instead, he suggested that the “bastard child” who left Destiny’s Child was a more appropriate guest.
