Owner of Sole Play ATL just sent me this photo of a longtime
@ajc
subscriber who read the article about the new Air Max 95 Atlanta and showed up to buy a pair. She brought her AJC, too. FILA.
#404Day
Rico Wade was many things to folks who knew him personally.
I spoke to some of the people whose lives he changed forever. They talked about their friend, who was a chef, sports fanatic, and family man who was always smiling.
Spoke to
@KillerMike
via text message. Went like this:
Me: Not sure what happened but can't wait to hear your side of the story.
Mike: "Over zealous security but I am good"
Me: Are you still detained or out enjoying the show?
Mike: "I'm Good! Three Grammy Good!"
#GRAMMYs
Can’t stop thinking about this moment from the Rico Wade tribute last night when KP played “Blackberry Molasses” while Backbone shared a story about Rico’s obsession with the beat.
Today, I get to announce that I’m joining the
@AJC
. I’m eager to get back into telling stories about the city I love, with brilliant folks I admire, and the news organization I grew up reading.
RE: this Atlanta magazine story, my "too urban" feature on Donald Albright. My pitch at the time was that a Black man was finding success in a predominantly white media space, so my editor (the great
@mshalhoup
) and I wanted to tell his story.
Beautiful ATLiens and beyond, please welcome
@KenyaTheHunter
to the
@CapitalB_ATL
family. Here are some fun things to know about our new health reporter 🧵
The face of a man who, less than a year ago, had his chest cut open, spent 10 days alone in a hospital, and 3 months recovering. Today, he’s out here running miles.
LIFE UPDATE
As many of you know, the journalism wizards,
@laurenwilliams
and
@KO_616
, have launched Capital B, a non-profit news organization for Black communities throughout the U.S., starting with ATL.
I am joining the team as the Atlanta Editor, starting November 22. 🧵
Life update(s):
In August, I resigned from my gig as editor of Capital B Atlanta. I left thankful for the opportunity and proud of what we built in ATL.
I spent the past few months thinking and talking to many different folks; I even spent two weeks in France.
Kinfolk, I'm looking for environmental justice stories for
@CapitalB_ATL
. Got pitches? Know some dope freelancers?
Hit my line: gavin.godfrey
@capitalbnews
.org.
A lot of love, sweat and tears went into bringing
@CapitalB_ATL
to the city. I am incredibly proud of what this team has accomplished in such a short time. Forever grateful to
@laurenwilliams
and
@akoto_oa
for the opportunity. We're just getting started.
In Atlanta, we know all too well that the good die mostly over bullshit. RIP to one of the most gifted voices to come out of this city. Tired of mourning Black men younger than me. Praying for Takeoff’s family, friends, our city and everyone affected.
Back in 2000, I stood in a long line outside of EarWax Records to meet OutKast and have them sign my copy of Stankonia. Two decades later, Jasz, EarWax's owner, rapped with me about a new exhibition celebrating the shop's legacy, Atlanta, and
#HipHop50
.
1/ We’re live! is finally here! We’re a team of Black journalists 📰 who are eager to deliver reporting that meets the needs of Black Atlanta. We’ve got a bunch of stories on deck for today, but let’s get started with a little Capital B Atlanta 101!
Proud of ATL Mag’s editorial staff, and hate what they’re going through. The work in recent years has been more reflective of what Atlanta actually represents. I was supposed to be a digital staff writer there in 2017 then Hour Media took over. Wild times.
I hope that the work we did for
@nprmusic
on "The South Got Something to Say" is also a reminder that the South is FULL of dope writers who are actually from here. Let us tell our stories. Shout out to
@TheQueenBRI
for bringing us all together.
A little bit of news: I'm leaving
@CNN
and heading to
@MailChimp
. New gig starts January 8, and can't be more GEEKED to join team Freddie. To every editor ever, this also means FREELANCE GAV IS BACK!!!!!!!!!!
After I heard about the search for Atlanta’s first graffiti crew, The United Kings, I knew I had to write something. What I found was one the most overlooked stories of Black genius and culture in Atlanta. This is their story.
ATLANNA, y'all know what it is when me and my brother
@rodneyology
get together and talk, well, ATLANNA. Honored to be included in this episode of
@LouderThanARiot
.
Proud of my friend, mentor, and brother and the brilliant work this team has BEEN doing.
Canopy ATL is LIVE!!!!! Been working with a Dungeon Family of Atlanta storytellers and the beautiful, brilliant minds of the West End community to bring this to life. Please read, share, read again, and tell your friends. The South still got something to say.
Remember that time
@thomaswheatley
and I put together a cover package in Creative Loafing about MLS coming to Atlanta, and folks went ballistic because I "suggested"
@ATLUTD
could match or surpass Seattle's success? Lolz. ?
LOLz every time I think about
@thomaswheatley
and I doing a cover story about Atlanta potentially being a soccer town and folks laughing at us. See y'all in 2026 for the city's biggest sports glow up since '96.
#WorldCup
Party people, today is
@bySydneySims
' first day with
@CapitalB_ATL
as our GA Reporter. I can't tell y'all how excited I am to have one of the eastside's very own working with us to bring stories about Black Atlanta and the metro area to light.
Kinfolk,
Join me in welcoming
@mthigs
to the
@CapitalB_ATL
fam as our new criminal justice reporter. Thrilled to have Madeline in the mix with the SQUAD. Send her pitches!
Made two stops, ate over 20 wings and sat down with Mr. and Mrs. Jeter to talk about the impending closure of LT’s Wings and Atlanta losing its Black cultural staples.
So
@CapitalB_ATL
’s first election focus group is off and running. Talking to Black male voters about the issues that are motivating them to vote on Nov. 8 and their relationship to local news.
#gapol
You know you're a true Atlanta nerd when you geek out over
@KillerMike
's Fred Tokars reference on "Black Power. White Powder." Also shout out to my lawyer parents for inadvertently schooling on every major ATL crime case in the '90s.
WATCH: Video
@V103Atlanta
’s DJ Greg Street sent me from the recording process behind “2xs For Reek,” a beautiful record by Big Zak dedicated to the memories of Rico Wade and Clay Evans.
The beat is from Goodie Mob’s “The Day After,” from “Soul Food.”
It feels like so many of us have a Rico Wade story. I want to hear and share stories about Rico’s impact on Atlanta and the world.
He’s one of THE forefathers of Atlanta’s sound, culture and history.
Share with me: gavin.godfrey
@ajc
.com.
The owners of Sole Play and I are still trying to find this woman who bought a pair of AM95 Atlanta sneakers. If you know her or have any leads, please, please send them my way.
Owner of Sole Play ATL just sent me this photo of a longtime
@ajc
subscriber who read the article about the new Air Max 95 Atlanta and showed up to buy a pair. She brought her AJC, too. FILA.
#404Day
My older sister was shot at 5 times driving to work at her school in DeKalb. She’s OK. One of my best friends lost his mother yesterday. Love your people, hug your people.
Spoke to
@KillerMike
this morning and he explained that his biggest moment from the past 24 hours had nothing to do with sweeping the rap category (or that other incident) at the
#GRAMMYs
last night.
So,
@ATLWatershed
started shutting off folks water on Monday. When you try and call their office, you get "We are at a high call volume" message and they just hang up on you. Can't imagine how residents without means, time and actual customer service are going to handle this.
Wifey and I have been back on the Thursday trivia train.
If you're doing trivia in ATL and hear the team name "Gator Belts and Patty Melts," just know we came to win.
Kinfolk!
This is
@AnnHillBond
’s first official week at
@CapitalB_ATL
. Ann will be leading our community engagement programming, events and working with reporters to connect with community voices.
Y’all help me welcome Ann to the squad! 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
Bruuuuuuuuh long story short: Melvin Van Peebles made me the interviewer I am today by cussing me out and berating me in front of a room full of Chicago journalists. I was 24. Going to write about that time and how it shaped me as a reporter. Coming soon.
#RIP
So the
@Braves
are mad at
@MLB
. Let’s just remember that moving to Cobb County to follow their racially motivated heat map was just as bad as Kemp’s malarkey. They care about the money they’re losing, not Black people, fair elections, or Atlanta.
What Does an A&R Actually Do?
A&R is one of the most misunderstood roles in the music industry, so we talked to A&Rs at major labels, independent labels, and publishers to clear up the confusion and answer key questions.
Yesterday a black man was kicked out of Umi Sushi in Buckhead for wearing sneakers. An older white woman was also wearing sneakers but was allowed to stay.. 🤔