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    the OG's big 5-0

    Houston icon Bun B toasts the big 50 in trill and star-studded surprise birthday bash

    Steven Devadanam
    Mar 21, 2023 | 6:00 am

    Be it wicked rhymes, his smash Trill Burgers, headlining RodeoHouston, emceeing the Tastemaker Awards, leading peaceful downtown marches, or quiet charity, rap icon Bun Bhas always given to his hometown.

    On Sunday, March 19, it was time for his hometown to give back.

    Anyone keeping score could easily call the last 12 months "The Year of Bun B," as he headlined another RodeoHouston Takeover, won Best Burger in America on Good Morning America, and is set to open his first Trill Burgers restaurant in Montrose. So it's fitting that Sunday, March 19 not only saw Bun B turn 50 (!) but a weekend marking 20 years with his beloved and cherished wife, Queenie (née Angela Walls).

    Bun B and Queenie renewed their vows in a private and intimate ceremony Sunday night at the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston with Pastor Keion Henderson officiating — and Robinson's wife Shaunie assisting — with a small orchestral accompaniment. Bun was draped up in a three-piece tuxedo, looking every bit the Trill Gatsby. Queenie, always a stunner, was adorned in a sparkling, shimmering gown — one absolutely worthy of her royal moniker.

    Only a handful of family and friends attended the vow renewal and a special ring exchange, something the couple agreed upon. But it was the moment after that caught the usually steely and over-prepared Bun B off-guard. As they walked into a private CAMH ballroom, the couple was greeted with a huge "surprise!" from a crowd of longtime friends and family.

    DJ Mister Rogers spun must-dance jams, images from Bun's storied past blazed on a large video screen, and friends (like Houston society queen Lynn Wyatt) and family hugged the Trill OG, who was nearly overcome with emotion by the party appropriately dubbed The Trill Legacy Surprise. The surprise bash was engineered by Queenie and event producer DeRonica Horn of Lasting Empressions.

    "It's overwhelming to have this amount of love and admiration being outpoured to me right now," he told CultureMap as we caught up backstage. "I'm doing the best I can to contain myself, but it's hard when the people that you love go out of their way to show you how much you mean to them and how much they love you. You know, it's, it's hard to contain that stuff."

    Hard indeed, when friends and colleagues from his earliest days popped up — some all the way from the Great White North.

    "I have friends here from Canada who flew in a private jet just to make sure they could be here," Bun added. "Gumball 3000 friends of mine from all over the country. Guys I've known for 10, 15, 20 years. My wife, my mother, my godmother, my grandchildren, nieces, nephews — so many friends and family."

    The Trill OG raised glasses of Crown Royal and Tequila Don Julio cocktails with the likes of the aforementioned Wyatt, music mogul J Prince, former Rockets legend/Junkyard Dog Mario Elie, Destiny's Child founding member LeToya Luckett, rapper Lil' Keke, famed attorney Rusty Hardin, power publicist Mark Sullivan, and more. No trill bash would be complete without Trill Burgers; the team including PR pro Nick Scurfield and chefsMike Pham, and Fernando Valladares ensured hungry partiers noshed on the hottest burger in Houston.

    A question quickly arose from crowd: would Bun perform — or chill? But spotting his purposeful stride from party to stage, it was evident that king was about to hold court. He smoothly dropped into classic UGK tracks like "Big Pimpin'" and "Murder" and his own "Draped Up" — barely catching a sweat while fluidly dropping rhymes with his unmistakable bass timbre and alpha male presence.

    Then came same heartfelt toasts from friends and longtime collaborators like Statiik Selektah, J Prince, and even a friend from his native Port Arthur. "He used to come to my house — I'd say, 'Hey, do my homework,'" his longtime friend David Marcel told the crowd during a toast — eliciting a big laugh from the OG himself. "Bun was always the smart kid in class." (Not surprising, given Bun's syncopated rhyme schemes, Rice University guest lecturer status, and prowess as a budding burger magnate.)

    Pastor John Gray, unable to attend, brought church to the party in a poignant, powerful prayer and declaration as the crowd bowed their heads and raised hands in agreement.

    Always one to anoint his queen, Bun ensured (a very reticent) Queenie got her flowers onstage and graciously thanked the crowd. Backstage, he reflected on the night and his wife of two decades who put it all together. The father and grandfather, who is globally famous for his creativity and lyrical prowess, found himself speechless.

    "It's a bit overwhelming," he said, "I didn't really see this coming and I'm so happy that my wife thought enough of me in this moment to put this together. It's just so much, man. It's hard to really put into words — and I get paid to put things into words, you know what I'm saying? I could never have imagined that at 50 years, I'd be where I'm at right now and have so many people help me get here. And so many people that love me and care for me and look after me, man, it's, it's really amazing."

    The fact that such an outpouring is amazing to him says much about the always-humble Bernard Freeman. While the alpha, godfather Bun B is a prominent persona, he's just one facet of the man who pondered the loved ones who gathered to celebrate him.

    "Look, everybody that's here tonight are people that I've never had to change a single part of me for," he said, quickly getting real. "These are people that love me and have always loved me for who I am. I've never had to put on a costume, I've never had to put on a mask. I've never had to put on airs. I've never had to, you know, show favor, anything. These are people that love me in spite of myself, right? Everybody. It's very easy to love me when good things are happening, but when bad things have happened in my life, these are the people that never turned their back on me. These are the people that lifted me up, kept me going, kept me motivated, and I wouldn't be here without them today."

    And then, it was back to business. The Year of the Bun promises big things — for Houston and beyond. "I just wanna put this burger in the hand of every person in Texas at least once," the burger king vowed. "But I would love to put this burger in the hands of people all over the world, but one city at a time. We'll start in Houston and we'll scale our property."

    Now that's a birthday wish.

    Bun B 50th birthday Contemporary Arts Museum Houston
      

    Photo by Marco Torres/Marco from Houston

    Bun B and collaborator Statiik Selektah.

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    League of Her Own

    Astros wives and fans rally at all-star fundraiser for Houston girls

    Eric Sandler
    May 8, 2025 | 12:15 pm
    Girls Inc Houston 2025 fundraiser
    Photo by Daniel Ortiz
    Kat Pressly, Treopia Cannon, Janet Gurwitch, Sheila Gurwitch, and Sue Rogers.

    A sea of pink and red flooded Union Station at Daikin Park on April 17, as nearly 400 guests turned out for All Stars Night: A League of Her Own, benefiting Girls Inc. of Greater Houston. The annual event, chaired this year by Kat Pressly and her mother, Sue Rogers, blended baseball spirit with bold ambition, raising more than $345,000 to empower young girls to be strong, smart, and bold.

    Girls Inc Houston 2025 fundraiser
      

    Photo by Daniel Ortiz

    Kat Pressly, Treopia Cannon, Janet Gurwitch, Sheila Gurwitch, and Sue Rogers.

    Pressly, wife of former Houston Astros and current Chicago Cubs pitcher Ryan Pressly, brought major-league energy to the cause, with a roster of supporters that included Astros wives and longtime friends like Kara McCullers, Maria Hader, Pam Espada, and Monica Alvarez. The lively crowd embraced the festive spirit early, snapping selfies in front of a balloon-framed photo backdrop and vying for Cracker Jack boxes, each hiding a surprise prize inside.

    Inside, the atmosphere was a heady mix of camaraderie and purpose. Treopia Cannon, president and CEO of Girls Inc. of Greater Houston, took the stage to share the organization’s powerful mission of creating safe spaces, building long-term mentoring relationships, and equipping girls to take charge of their futures. She introduced this year’s honorees, each exemplifying what it means to be a true game-changer.

    Corporate powerhouse Janet Gurwitch, an executive and Houston Astros investor, was named the Strong, Smart, and Bold Honoree, recognizing her role in mentoring future leaders. Perry Homes was applauded as Corporate Champion for its commitment to community empowerment, while the Melanie Gray Vanguard Award, named for one of the organization’s most dedicated advocates, was presented to Estefania Torres.

    Familiar Houston face Julia Morales kept the program lively as emcee, while auctioneer Johnny Bravo whipped the crowd into a bidding frenzy during the live auction. A dazzling jewelry piece from Shaftel Diamonds became the evening’s hot-ticket item, inspiring a flurry of competitive paddle-raising.

    As the night drew to a close, Pressly introduced a surprise performance by the Astros Shooting Stars, drawing a standing ovation. Guests ended the night on a sweet note, gathering for desserts and final goodbyes under Union Station’s soaring ceilings.

    In the crowd were Anita Sehgal, Dana Barton, Emelda Douglas, Alan and Tricia Ratliff, Courtney and Zac Harmon, Leah Christman, Chelsea Collmer, Kristen Collins, Chree Boydstun, Laurie and Bret Sanders, Meghan Cornelius, Krystal Crane Thompson, Adrienne Crane, Whitney Kuhn Lawson, Kristen Cannon, Mandy Moffitt, Regina Rogers, and Jeannie Gardner, president of the board.

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