Jay-Z held a James Bond-themed casino party in Atlantic City recently that helped raise $24 million for criminal justice reform. Everyone from Kim Kardashian to Kevin Hart was in attendance.
Jay-Z’s Star-Studded Event
Jay-Z planned a James Bond-themed casino party recently. It was held at the Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City.
Partying for a Good Cause
The party served as a fundraising event for REFORM Alliance. This organization was founded by Jay-Z and others in 2019. It was created to help push criminal justice reform in the U.S.
The Special Guest Host
Jay-Z nabbed Kevin Hart to serve as the host for the evening.
The A-List Guests
There were so many celebrities in attendance at Jay-Z’s party. Kim Kardashian and Tom Brady were two of the many celebs who showed up for the event, which included more than 250 guests in total.
No Beyoncé?
Jay-Z’s wife Beyoncé was just about the only big-name celebrity in his life not in attendance at the party.
While she was reportedly in Atlantic City with her husband, she was resting up for the final stop on her Renaissance World Tour, which ended in Kansas City on Sunday.
The Stage-Stealing Performers
Jay-Z’s party featured more than just celebrities mixing and mingling. It also included a whole host of special performances. Travis Scott, Lil Baby, and Fat Joe were several of the acts who performed during the party.
An Exciting Blackjack Tournament
There were several events that took place during Jay-Z’s party to help raise money for REFORM Alliance. A blackjack tournament with a $100,000 buy-in was one of these events.
Kim Kardashian, Tom Brady, and other celebrities took part in it.
The Million-Dollar Winning Hand
Andrew Goldberg, who is the managing partner of TAO GROUP, won the blackjack tournament.
He was awarded $1 million for it and decided to donate $750,000 of his prize money to REFORM Alliance.
A One-Of-A-Kind Live Auction
In addition to a blackjack tournament, Jay-Z’s party also featured a live auction. It would help raise almost $8 million on its own.
The Items Available for Auction
The celebrities donated many of the items auctioned off at Jay-Z’s party in attendance. Jay-Z and Tom Brady both contributed items that sold for top dollar.
A Bidding War for the Ages
Tom Brady and Kim Kardashian were involved in a bidding war over a George Condo painting during the live auction. Brady was able to get the best of Kardashian with a bid of over $2 million.
A Nice Consolation Prize
Kim Kardashian wasn’t able to outbid Tom Brady for the George Condo painting that was originally auctioned off.
But after the auction was over, Condo agreed to create a new painting for her so that she would also go home a winner.
The Total Haul
Between the high-stakes blackjack tournament and the live auction, Jay-Z’s party was able to raise upwards of $24 million for REFORM Alliance.
How the Money Will Help
The $24 million raised for REFORM Alliance should go a long way toward helping with criminal justice reform. The organization has already assisted more than 700,000 people since it was first founded.
Same Time Next Year?
Jay-Z is known to turn his parties into yearly events. His annual pre-Grammys Roc Nation Brunch, for example, has been going strong for almost a decade. So, could his fundraiser for REFORM Alliance make a return appearance in 2024? It wouldn’t surprise us one bit.
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The post Jay-Z Leads $24 Million Celebrity Gala for Criminal Justice Reform, Targeting Mass Incarceration, Unfair Sentencing, and Racial Disparities first appeared on Mama Say What?!
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Brian Friedman. The people shown in the images are for illustrative purposes only, not the actual people featured in the story.
