.
.
AT THE RADIO STATION
.
Chris, Giovonni, and Normani were getting interviewed at the local Hip-Hop and R&B radio station.
.
DJ Slick: we got a packed house today. We got the talented and beautiful Princess Normani, the vocally gifted and dancing Chris van der Berg, and the singer-songwriter extraordinaire Giovonni Starr.
Normani: oh my God, wow! Thank you so much.
Giovonni: yeah, wow.
Chris: thank you so much.
Alicia (Co-Host): you guys are in Portland for the week to perform together on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights.
Normani: yes, we're gonna bring it the only way we know how to.
DJ Slick: yes baby girl, I seen you in action and let me tell you what! Ooh wee!
Alicia: yeah, we know you know. [laughing]
... Normani, you been blowing up, got people calling you the next Beyonce.
Normani: oh my goodness, I'll never get used to hearing that.
DJ Slick: well, get used to it, because it's true.
Rocky (Co-Host): funny, cause they call Chris the "Male-Beyonce!"
DJ Slick: [laughing] yup, so what do they call you? [asking Giovonni]
Giovonni: Giovonni Starr!
.
.
Everyone in the booth breaks out laughing, Giovonni included.
.
Giovonni: like I'm not even sitting here. Like DAMN!
Chris: [rubbing Giovonni on his back] aww poor baby. [turns to the hosts and Normani]
... he needs his ego stroked.
.
Alicia: don't say that around these two. [pointing at DJ Slick and Rocky]
Rocky: [giggles] or them two. [pointing at Chris and Giovonni]
... they don't need no more rumors going around.
Alicia: [clears her throat] speaking of rumors. So much buzz around the "boyfriend" comment. At first, I was like what? Then I was like, "WHAAAAT?" [everyone laughs at Alicia's comment]
Rocky: and I was like, "hmm!"
Chris: and I was like "NOOOO!"
DJ Slick: oh, you were shocked for real?
Chris: [chuckles as he puts his hand on the lower portion of his neck] yes, I had no idea he was going to do and say any of that.
Giovonni: [chuckles] it was just me pulling jokes on him as usual. We switch up things as much as possible. That people actually follow us from city to city to see what we gonna do next. As for the "boyfriend" comment, he is my boyfriend. We do almost everything together. Just not that stuff.
Rocky: and then Chris posted some pics of him "husband." I'm doing air quotes y'all. That was the first time you posted anything with him all up on each like that.
Chris: umm yes. I felt I needed to clear things up after someone ... [playfully nudges Giovonni with his elbow and then clears his throat]
... decided to drop the word "boyfriend" on people as a joke and I just wanted to make it clear who I go home to.
Rocky: [shaking his head] I'm just shaking my head y'all. Shaking my head at you Giovonni. Making this man have to put out his boo like that to squash your rumors.
Chris: it's okay, I'm Normani's boyfriend now. This like definitely a level up.
Normani: [giggles] aww thank you boyfriend!
Chris: [giggles] you're welcome girlfriend.
Rocky: Okay, now that, I'd pay to see.
DJ Slick: me too.
Alicia: me three!
Giovonni: me four!
DJ Slick: iight, enough of that. Everybody, they gonna be touring Portland for the next few days. The concert is already sold out, so the only way to get tickets is through our contests this week.
Rocky: any last words.
Giovonni: yeah, we're looking forward to seeing everyone y'all that come out to see us. I guarantee that this beautiful couple ... of talented people will give you a show you won't forget.
Alicia: y'all heard it here folks. Normani, Giovonni, and Chris are performing at Moda Center.
.
WEDNESDAY EVENING
.
Giovonni agrees to go on Instagram Live with an influencer that wanted some publicity for his clothing line.
.
Rashawn: so tonight, I'm gonna be joined by none other than Giovonni Starr on IG Live with yours truly.
Giovonni: no doubt, make sure I get one of them new shirts.
Rashawn: of course, fa sure! Just as long as you wear it on stage when you come to Seattle.
Giovonni: iight deal!
Rashawn: y'all heard that right, Giovonni said he gonna wear one of my designer shirts. [screams and then giggles]
Giovonni: I'm all about supporting black designers.
Rashawn: aww, thank you, thank you! Now, let's talk the talk about this tour and all things Giovonni. [clears his throat]
... a lot of shits been happening this year ... and part of last year too, you started working with Chris van der Berg ... man that name sounds so fucking white and European. [chuckling]
Giovonni: [laughs] yeah, it does.
Rashawn: [chuckles] yeah, but y'all had nothing but hits. Hit after hit after hit. Then you moved to Atlanta and bought a house that's right across the street from Chris'. Then out on tour, rumors started bout you and Chris. Then he got attacked, then the videos started getting released. Next thing we know, Lil' Murda, gets killed in a carjacking attempt.
Giovonni: yeah, it's been really fucked up at times, but the good outweighs the bad.
Rashawn: but then, there more bad shit happened when all missing trannies got found on your boy's ...
Giovonni: whoa, whoa ... he ain't my boy. That motherfucking piece-a-shit bitch ass nigga ain't shit to me.
Rashawn: I'm sorry that happened to you, for what he did to Chris, and most definitely what he did to those women.
Giovonni: yeah, so let's stop talking bout him. I go over this shit in every interview. I know I'm wrong to say this, but I'm glad he's gone. He was a shitty useless nigga, and that's the last time I'm gonna talk 'bout him ever again.
Rashawn: word, word. I feel you on that. So, what was the deal behind you doing all that flirting and shit with Chris?
Giovonni: it's just for show.
Rashawn: just for show? Well, that was a fucking to show I'll never forget. Iight, bout to get some questions for people watching. If you see one you wanna answer, be my guess.
Giovonni: nah, you pick em.
Rashawn: okay, I already saw like three. Umm, here's one. You say you not gay and shit, but you deal with a lot of gay niggas. Why not just say you bi and be done with it?
Giovonni: I'm not gay or bi. I make good music with Chris. He's good people, I'm friends with his boyfriend. My daughter and his boys are the best of friends. To be honest, what difference does it make what someone does in their bedroom? If you never knew the sexual preferences about the artist whose songs we listen to or movies and shows we watched, would we like more of them or less?
Rashawn: preach baby, preach!
.
.
Giovonni: [chuckles] I'm fa real though. You don't see gay folks saying, "that's nasty, I don't wanna see that" or "I can't support him or her because they sleep with the opposite sex." ... and I know people gonna say that we weren't created that way. But people don't mind breast and ass implants. They don't mind fake this, fake that, but as soon as they find out who someone wants to lay in bed with, all-a-sudden they can't support someone they was stanning for, going hard for. Man get outta here with that bullshit.
Rashawn: [cheering and laughing with delight at Giovonni's statements] my nigga going off, and I'm here it for! [waving his fist in the air, whopping it up]
... iight, I see a comment, I like. @mannybae says, he ain't lying, look at how they treated Frank Ocean.
Giovonni: yeah, but not really. I can say some people showed their true colors, but I think he had mad support. Let's talk about Chris for a moment. He never hid who he was. He never threw his sexuality in anybody's face either. Some people use it as a gimmick, like "hey, look at me, I'm bi!" He let his work speak for itself. And that's what attracted me to him, the man got vocal range and a stage presence like the greats. You got people that can sing, but it's like watching a broomstick tryna dance, some are dancers that get autotuned to death. But you got people like Beyoncé and Michael Jackson that really have no equals.
Rashawn: who you think better, MJ or the Queen B?
Giovonni: [laughs] I've only seen videos of Michael, but I've seen Beyoncé live, and hands down, seeing a show live is so much better.
... [laughing] I mean, I don't wanna see the fucking audience, I wanna see the performer. My vote is for the Queen. She puts on a show. Chris tries to do the same.
Rashawn: how long y'all gonna be performing together.
Giovonni: [chuckles] shiiid! As long as we able to. I know he gonna blow up even more than he is right now, so I'mma "Old Town Road" him.
Rashawn: huh? [giggling]
Giovonni: I'mma ride him 'til I can't no more.
Rashawn: [laughing] I'm reading these comments, and I agree with @vanderBergFan that sounded like something else.
Giovonni: [laughing] I joke a lot, it's just jokes.
Rashawn: @NickiHusbandChrisWife says nigga back off my husband, you just the sideline hoe, jkjk seriously though would you date Chris if you were down? Shit, I wanna know that too! [when Giovonni chuckles and blushes as he took a moment before starting to answer, Rashawn interrupts him and talks about the blushing]
... damnnnn! He blushing y'all ... [giggling] ... but go ahead.
Giovonni: [chuckles some more] ... wow! Okay, I gonna answer that, but let me say this before I do. I'm really good friends with Chris' boyfriend, so that's not something I wanna come in between. Actually, me and Clay talked about how straight women can openly say whether another woman is attractive or not, but a man can't do the same, without people immediately questioning his sexuality.
Rashawn: and Clay is Chris' boyfriend for those of y'all who don't know.
Giovonni: yeah, my bad ... Soooo, if I was interested, Chris would be up there on my list.
Rashawn: [shocked] you got a list?
Giovonni: [laughs] nah, nah ... I'm just saying, I think I'd be able to go after the number ones out there.
Rashawn: so he's a number one in your book?
Giovonni: [scoffs] yeah, of course. He's a very handsome man. He's got that unisex appearance. I know a few straight guys that say he's a pretty motherfucker. If you go to jail and you look like me, you getting fucked, sorry to say, but hey. [chuckling as he shrugged his shoulders]
... and if you look like Chris, niggas gonna be fighting over you.
Rashawn: [laughing loudly] nigga you wilding right now! Oh my God, I never knew Giovonni Starr would be saying shit like this. Okay, okay ... hmm @trendyStarr says, so what he saying is, he wanna fuck Chris, we hear you GIOVONNI!!!
Giovonni: no @trendyStarr, I'm not saying that, and I would never say that. And how you gonna come at me when you using my name?
Rashawn: okay, I'm almost out of time. I just wanna say, Giovonni Starr will be here in Seattle next weekend with Chris van der Berg and Normani. He's gonna be wearing one of my designer shirts. I'mma be a huge fangirl when I see him wearing my work. Thank you, thank you, so much for helping me.
Giovonni: of course, no problem. Good luck with the clothing line. Y'all support my nigga, iight! [kissing his fingers before giving a peace sign and waves at the screen]
... looking forward to seeing you there. [winks at Rashawn and ends his live feed]
.
The comment section blew up after Giovonni winked at Rashawn.
- @trendyStarr – he be playing way too much
- @sizequeen – HE GAY!!!!!!
- @trendyStarr – @sizequeen watch ur mouth WHORE!
- @guccilinedbussy – y'all catch that part bout the boyfriend and him being bff, threesome anyone?
- @queenVDB – we know something going on
- @anonymous69 (Giovonni) – y'all thirsty asf 4 him 2 be gay, but even if he was he won't be gay with U!
- @boiqueen – the nigga said men would fight to fuck Chris in jail. That means he would fight to fuck Chris. HIS WORDS!
- @anonymous69 (Giovonni) – y'all still thirsty, PERIODT!
- @boiqueen – he still wanna FUCK CHRIS, PERIODT!!!
- @BlkTransLivesMatter2 – wonder if he would bottom or bottom?
- @eewpussy - 🤣🤣 @GioStarr bottom boi!!!
.
.
FRIDAY AFTERNOON
.
As soon as Clay was finished with his classes for the day, he rushed home, grabbed his bags, and jetted off to Portland with Erica and the twins. While Clay, Erica, and the twins were flying across the country, Chris was doing an interview for a podcast.
.
Tyson (Podcast Host): ... so I'mma just get straight to it. So what's going on with you and Giovonni? Why he dropping "fake" bombs about being "boyfriends" and talks about jail?
Chris: [giggles] you'd have to ask him all of those questions. But, what I can say is that Giovonni and I have made some great songs together. He's a remarkable songwriter and I'm so blessed to be able to work with him.
Tyson: okay. I see you gonna give me answers that the bosses wanna hear.
Chris: no, I'm giving you MY answers. If I don't feel like answering something, I will tell you, "I'm not going to answer that" or "move on to the next question."
Tyson: Great! So is there something going on with you and Giovonni?
Chris: no, nothing, nada! Full stop.
Tyson: he was asked about if he was gay, would he date or have sex with you ... what would you do?
Chris: the question was would he date me, not have sex with me. But I'm in a relationship, a relationship that I stepped out on. So to answer that would almost as bad as stepping out on Clay again. Would you ask anyone else that's in a relationship if they'd date someone else? That's not on rude, but extremely disrespectful.
Tyson: [making a face of "well, excuse me"] ... ooo-kay, moving on. What do you say to the people that say something's going on between you both?
Chris: I'd say the same thing I just did. [baffled at why Tyson was continuing to ask him about Giovonni]
Tyson: so a straight man dances with you the way he did, slaps you on the ass the way he did, then calls you his boyfriend. And we're supposed to believe that nothing going on, either between you both or that he's gay.
Chris: [clearly agitated by the line of questions] you can believe whatever you want to. Believing a thing ... is or isn't a thing doesn't make it factual. My performance with Normani was a thousand times more sexual. But you aren't accusing me and her of having "something" going on.
Tyson: Well, you're dating a man, soooo?
Chris: and I'm the father of children conceded from natural intercourse.
Tyson: [shrugs his shoulders] speaking of that, what are your thoughts about Michelle's mother announcement that she going to release a book about Michelle's life? The rumors are that she plans to "truthful" about your role in her daughter's death.
Chris: she's free to write whatever she wants to about Michelle and write opinions of me as well.
Tyson: This is was she posted on Michelle's Memoriam page. [picks up one of the note cards]
... he never loved my daughter, she was just the cover he needed to make it.
Chris: [chuckles] once again, she is entitled to her opinion.
Tyson: are they true and if not why not come out publicly with a forceful response?
Chris: it's an opinion, I don't argue with someone about their opinions of me. It's like someone saying that they think you're stupid. What's the point of arguing with someone over what you think about you? Plus, I will not speak ill of my son's grandmother.
Tyson: [thinks to himself briefly] ... umm, okay, well, thank you for agreeing to come on my little podcast. [extends his hand towards Chris]
Chris: thank you. [walks away without shaking Tyson's hand]
.
LATER THAT NIGHT
.
Chris sent Marshall to pick up Clay, Erica, and the twins shortly after 8PM Pacific Standard Time. Once they arrived at the arena, the twins went crazy when they saw Chris. The reactions from the twins to seeing him caused Chris to tear up.
.
Chris: I missed you too. [kissing and hugging them, causing the boys to giggles loudly]
... I'm so happy to see you.
Clay: we're happy to see you too.
.
Chris hugs Clay and kisses him repeatedly. After many more hugs and kisses, the family went to the area reserved for family and friends. The twins were fitted with noise-canceling headphones to enjoy the concert with
.
After spending the weekend together in between the concerts and small engagements, Chris and family toured Seattle with a security team in tow. Once the weekend was coming to an end, Clay and Chris spent the night reconnecting. REPEATEDLY! The next morning before the flight back to Atlanta, Giovonni texts Clay the headboard banging he had to endure the night before.
.
Giovonni TEXTING: y'all noisy asf! All that banging on the walls.
Clay TEXTING: get some earplugs
Giovonni TEXTING: lol, at least you had fun!
Clay TEXTING: bout 2 cups worth
Giovonni TEXTING: got milk? 🥛 🍼
Clay TEXTING: 😅 more like cream, it's thick, rich, & creamy!
Giovonni TEXTING: lol, Chris and me got something in common
Clay TEXTING: what's that?
Giovonni TEXTING: 🌊💦💦💦
Clay TEXTING: nigga why u keep bringing that up? You musta really liked that shit?
Giovonni TEXTING: not as much you did, you dick thief!
Clay TEXTING: dick thief? 🤣
Giovonni TEXTING: you fucked my 🍆 til you nutted, you lit dick thief slut.
Clay TEXTING: I need to hook you up with some friends of mine, cause you liked it. A few of them dancers might let you up in it.
Giovonni TEXTING: bout to call you.
Clay: [answers the call from Giovonni] sup booty lover?
Giovonni: nothing much dick thief.
Clay: just admit you liked it?
Giovonni: [laughing] yeah it was good.
Clay: [laughs] so you want me to hook you up?
Giovonni: hey, I gotta go, but when you get a taste of the original, you don't want the substitute. Talk to you later.
Clay: wait, what?
.
Giovonni ends the phone call leaving Clay in shock as he waited to board the airplane.
.
.