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Christian hip-hop artist Gawvi has been dropped by his label Reach Records over accusations of sending unsolicited and inappropriate photos to several women while married to his wife.
The allegations came shortly after the musician announced that he had decided to divorce his wife Brianna Azucena after being separated from her since 2020.
Following the announcement, visual artist Cataphant claimed that Gawvi allegedly sent improper pictures to women before his separation from Azucena.
In response to the controversy, Reach Records ended their professional association with the singer and also dropped him from the upcoming We Are Unashamed package tour. The record label mentioned that Gawvi’s behavior was “inconsistent” with the company’s core values.
The company also shared that the action was “necessary” even though the decision was “tough.” Reach Records also asked their followers to pray for the families and individuals who have been affected by the situation.
Meanwhile, the We Are Unashamed tour will reportedly continue through March and April without Gawvi and feature performances from the label's remaining artists, including: Lecrae, Andy Mineo, Trip Lee, Tedashii, 1K Phew, Wande, WHATUPRG and Hulvey.
A look into Gawvi’s divorce and ongoing controversy
On January 30, 2022, Gawvi announced his decision to divorce his estranged wife Brianna Azucena. In a now-deleted Instagram post, the hip-hop artist shared that he had separated from his wife in 2020:
“We did everything we could to make it work for years, but after seeking support of friends, family and counseling, I came to an extremely hard decision to move forward in a direction that I felt would be the healthiest.”
The Late Nights singer also mentioned that there is “no scandal or gossip” involved in his divorce, and that the separation is only a result of a mutual decision made by “two adults.”
The music producer said that despite their separation, the pair will continue to love their two children and provide them with the best environment to grow up in.
The musician also asked fans to respect his privacy and thanked them for their support and prayers during the difficult time.
Shortly after the announcement, Azucena’s friend and visual artist Cataphant took to Twitter to call out the Christian hip-hop star for his alleged improper behavior. She alleged that the singer has sent “unasked” and improper pictures to other women while he was still married to Azucena.
Cataphant further clarified that her allegations were not a “knee-jerk thoughtless reaction.” She mentioned that several people knew about the singer’s controversial behavior for more than a year as he was not good at “covering his tracks.”
She also said that everyone in Gawvi’s circle made multiple attempts to confront him but he allegedly refused to take responsibility for his actions. Cataphant even called the musician a “text book narcissist” and a “liar.”
The designer also mentioned that she addressed the issue to stand up for her friend [Azucena] who was “incorrectly represented” in the divorce statement.
Although Azucena did not address the situation surrounding her ex husband, she reportedly posted several TikTok videos related to themes of “infidelity, trauma, and healing.”
In light of the accusations, Gawvi was dropped from his record label. He also deleted the majority of his social media posts and accounts. The singer has also maintained silence regarding the allegations at the time of writing.
Singer Gwavi’s career highlights explored
Gawvi, aka Gabriel Alberto Azucena, is an award-winning Christian hip-hop artist and music producer. He was born on September 23, 1988 in New York and raised in Miami. He began his career in the music industry as a producer for Lecrae and Trip Lee in 2008.
The musician started working under the supervision of singers such as Rodney Jerkins and Pharrell in 2011 and then bagged a deal with Reach Records in 2012. He served as an in-house producer and engineer for the label and produced for several music artists.
The 33-year-old continued to produce chart-topping singles for artists such as Lecrae, Andy Mineo, and Trip Lee, and gained immense recognition after contributing to Lecrae’s seventh studio album, Anomaly.
At the 46th GMA Dove Awards, he won an award for Rap/Hip Hop Album of the Year for his production work on the album.
In 2016, the singer released his debut EP Lost in Hue, which reached number one on iTunes' top-selling dance album chart. His second EP, Holding Hue, was also released the same year and garnered considerable acclaim from critics.
Gawvi received his second Dove Award for his contribution to Trip Lee’s album The Waiting Room in 2017. That same year, the singer released his debut album We Belong and earned the 19th place on the iTunes chart.
The hip-hop artist released his second studio album PANORAMA in 2018 and won the Rap/Hip Hop song of the year at the 50th GMA Dove Awards for his single Fight For Me.
The singer's third album HEATHEN was released in 2020 and earned him another nomination at the 51st GMA Dove Awards. He released his fourth album, Noche Juvenil, last year, where all the songs were in Spanish.
