Rapper Offset, who appeared on Raw earlier this year, was reportedly involved in a shooting incident leading to his hospitalization on Monday.
According to reports from TMZ, the 34-year-old, real name Kiari Kendrell Cephus, was shot near the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, FL, and taken to Memorial Regional Hospital.
A spokesperson for the rapper confirmed the hospitalization and noted that Cephus was ‘fine’ and ‘He is stable and being closely monitored.’ A representative of the Seminole County Police confirmed that they have secured the site and detained two individuals after the shooting, though they did not reveal any further details.
Offset was part of the hip-hop group Migos with Quavo and Takeoff. The latter, real name Kirsnick Khari Ball, lost his life in a shooting incident in Houston, Texas back in 2022.
Offset made an appearance on the February 23 Raw this year, accompanying Je’Von Evans for his match against Kofi Kingston. He got involved in the action with Grayson Waller at the ringside, allowing the OG to pick up the victory.
This led to a storyline between the rapper and the New Day. His song called Bodies was also used as the official theme for the 2026 Elimination Chamber event.
Kevin Nash has issued a public apology after facing widespread backlash for referring to Je\’Von Evans as \”Mr. Bojangles\” during a recent episode of his podcast, though the apology itself is drawing its own share of criticism.
On his Kliq This podcast, Nash praised Evans as an \”incredible athlete\” but said the 21-year-old was \”a little bit too f*cking Mr. Bojangles\” for his taste and expressed a wish that Evans were \”a little bit more urban.\” The remarks were widely condemned as racially stereotypical, particularly given they were directed at a young Black wrestler during Black History Month.
After the backlash intensified on social media, Nash posted a statement to his @RealKevinNash account on X on February 18, writing:
\”I apologize for the use of the term Mr. Bojangles, it was in poor taste and obviously offensive. I just see talent being pushed in a direction that I disagree with. He should be the male version of Sol Ruca. More contemporary than urban. It\’s funny how I\’m usually the only person who pays attention to the development of black talent.\”
Nash\’s statement also included a reference to Uncle Tom, arguing that the literary character is often misunderstood, before pivoting to his critique of how WWE is presenting Evans on the main roster.
How often have you heard the term Uncle Tom? Most likely, it was used in a degrading way. If you've actually read the literature, Uncle Tom was whipped to death for helping free two female slaves. I apologize for the use of the term Mr Bogangles, it was in poor taste and…
The controversy began when clips from Nash\’s podcast circulated online, in which the WWE Hall of Famer discussed Evans\’s presentation. While acknowledging Evans\’s physical abilities, Nash used the term \”Mr. Bojangles\” — a name historically associated with Black minstrel performers — to describe what he saw as an outdated creative direction for the young star.
Nash\’s suggestion that Evans, who officially signed with Raw in January, should be presented as \”more urban\” only added fuel to the fire. Multiple outlets covered the remarks as an example of racial stereotyping, and fans on social media were quick to voice their displeasure.
Apology Draws Mixed Reactions
While Nash acknowledged that his choice of words was offensive, the rest of his statement has been criticized for centering his own perspective on how Black wrestlers should be presented. His comparison of Evans to Sol Ruca, suggesting Evans should be positioned as her male counterpart, and his claim that he is \”usually the only person who pays attention to the development of black talent\” have not gone over great on social media. Many fans feel the statement acknowledges fault, but still includes commentary on how Black wrestlers \”should\” be presented, extending the discourse rather than ending it.
The main event of tonight’s Raw from Memphis, Tennessee, was another triple threat qualifying match for the Elimination Chamber, with Gunther, Dominik Mysterio and Evans battling for the spot.
The Ring General was the favorite going into the bout, and he looked to be in control towards the ending of the match. As Gunther went after Dominik outside the ring, however, Dragon Lee made a surprise appearance. The Masked Star took the former World Champion out using the ring bell as a weapon.
This effectively turned the match into a one-on-one with Mysterio going after the 21-year-old. After crawling back into the ring, Dirty Dom delivered a 619 to Je’Von, but he failed to connect with the Frog Splash. Je’Von Evans instead caught him with the OG cutter and pinned the IC Champion for the win.
Je’Von Evans qualifies for the Men’s Elimination Chamber match.
The former NXT star has become the fourth person to qualify for the Men\’s Elimination Chamber with this victory. He joins Randy Orton, LA Knight, and Cody Rhodes in the match with 2 spots remaining open.
Pinning Dominik Mysterio means that the WWE rookie now also has a claim over a potential title match against the Judgment Day star down the line.
