Andrew Gillum found an interesting way to announce himself when he unexpectedly popped back up on “Native Land Pod.”
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During the September 17 episode, Gillum appeared alongside co-hosts Angela Rye and Bakari Sellers after being largely absent from the show during a turbulent stretch in his personal life. Gillum introduced himself before adding, “Also known as the Bobby Brown of the group here.”The timing matters.
Gillum was arrested on July 2 in Daphne, Alabama, after police said an officer stopped him for erratic driving. Police said an officer spotted a glass pipe in the center console and searched the vehicle, where authorities reported finding marijuana and packages containing a substance that tested positive for methamphetamine.
Gillum was charged with marijuana possession and unlawful possession of a controlled substance, according to police. More detailed court records later reported by TMZ showed prosecutors filed one felony controlled substance possession count along with two misdemeanor counts involving marijuana and drug paraphernalia.
The situation did not end with his initial release.
In August, Baldwin County Assistant District Attorney John Oxford confirmed to TMZ that Gillum missed a required random drug screening and was tested during a subsequent court appearance. Prosecutors said that test returned positive for methamphetamine, and Gillum was taken back into custody.
A judge later allowed Gillum to leave jail and enter treatment. Gillum entered Cumberland Heights Treatment Center in Nashville and was required to remain there for at least 30 days while participating in a drug and alcohol treatment program.
By September 15, Gillum had completed the 30-day program and had received permission to return home to Florida. Court paperwork confirmed that he would remain on GPS monitoring while his Alabama criminal case continued.
That was just two days before his “Bobby Brown” appearance on “Native Land Pod.”
Gillum’s history with treatment also stretches back years. According to CBS News, Gillum announced in March 2020 that he would enter a rehabilitation facility for alcohol abuse after Miami Beach police encountered him intoxicated inside a hotel room where officers reported finding suspected crystal methamphetamine. Gillum was not arrested or charged in that incident, and he denied using methamphetamine.
Months later, Gillum publicly discussed addiction, recovery, and the impact that his father’s struggle with alcoholism had on his own decision to seek treatment.
The Bobby Brown comparison lands as the singer has shared similar personal experiences to those of Gillum.
Brown has publicly discussed his own history with substance abuse and recovery. In a 2022 interview with the Los Angeles Times, Brown discussed being drug-free for years while touring again with New Edition. His story has included public controversy, addiction, time away, and repeated returns to the stage.
For Gillum, however, the most direct connection may be much simpler.
He disappeared from his group for a while. Then, days after completing treatment, he popped back up, cracked a Bobby Brown joke and essentially acknowledged the image of somebody stepping off stage before eventually making his way back.
Whether Andrew Gillum is ready for a permanent return to fully return to the spotlight remains unclear. But after an arrest, another stint in jail, and 30 days in rehab, calling himself “the Bobby Brown” of the group suddenly sounds a lot less random than it did at first.
