(Novemebr 14, 2025) - "I'm Melissa Ngumape. I am Miss Africa USA 2025," said the statuesque beauty dressed in a beautiful gown with her crown and her Miss Africa USA sash.Miss Africa USA was one of the first interviews I obtained while covering the red-carpet arrivals at the 2025 Hollywood and African Prestigious Awards (HAPAwards) held recently at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles.

"We ended up having 16 incredible candidates. All the ladies came hard," Ngumape said during my interview with her when I asked how many candidates there were at the pageant. "I was so grateful and honored to share the stage with them. I'm from the heart of African. This is the first time Central Africa Republic has won Miss Africa USA."

This is the 9th year of the prestigious awards that honors Hollywood and African personalities, leaders, political, dignitaries, artists in motion pictures, the arts, music and comedy industries. The awards were hosted by Pooch Hall ("The Game"), Novi Brown ("Sistas"), and Nathalie Beasnael (Health4Peace Philanthropist)

The HAPAwards is an event lead by Dr. Tina Weisinger and this year I Dream 4 All Foundation presented the 2025 HAPAwards with a theme of "Driving Global Investments & Cultural Integration." Those honored included American actor Glynn Turman with the Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs Lifetime Achievement Award in entertainment; actor Bill Duke with the Icon Award; Arnold Turner with the Excellence in Photography Award; Nigerian promoter/DJ Peter Lentini with the Ooni of Ife Leadership (Kings) Award; film producer Manny Hally with the Visionary Producer Award; Nigerian-American singer, actress, and producer Monica Omorodion Swaida with the HAPA African Entertainment Vanguard Award. African honorees included H.E. Joseph Nyumah Boackai, Sr. (President of the Republic of Liberia), Iba Gani Abiodun Ihe Adams with the African Heritage Award and High Chief Honorable Ambassador Billy Umar Garba with the Yoruba Cultural Ambassador Award.

Other personalities that attended include Brandon T, Jackson ("The Family Business: New Orleans"), Jensen Attwood ("The Family Business: New Orleans"); director Trey Haley (The Family Business: New Orleans"); South Africa's Nkosikhona Mpungose; D'Kia Anderson ("Beauty in Black"); Brandee Evans ("Reasonable Doubt"), Yvette Nicole Brown; Nova Brown; Kiki Haynes ("All the Queens"), and Orlando Jones ("The Family Business: New Orleans").

I happen to caught Meagon Good (Roll Bounce, Stomp the Yard) and Yale School of Drama graduate and Primetime Emmy nominated actor Jonathan Major (Loki, Antman & the Wasp: Quantomania) as they were leaving the red carpet and I shouted out a question, asking whose idea was for them to dress up as the 18th Egyptian Dynasty Pharoh Akhenaten and his wife Nefertiti and Meagon said, "We did!" and Jonathan smiled and pointed to her and mouthed the words, "She did."  www.HapAwards.com

Jim Messina is a legend in the Rock/Pop genre most notable as the duo Loggins and Messina. Their hits are many, such as "Mama Don't Dance," and "Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)." Fifty years in the music industry. Jim started as a musician (guitar) with Buffalo Springfield (1966 - 1968), Poco band (1968 - 1970), and Loggins & Messina (1971 - 1976, 2005, 2009). Jim met Kenny Loggins when he was working as a producer at Columbia Records. They united and released six studio albums, three live albums, four compilation albums and 11 singles. Together Loggins and Messina has sold over 16 million "albums." That is 16x platinum.

"I saw him at an interview...Mike asked me to audition for...I asked who this skinny kid was. He said Kenny Loggins. I said he is a pretty good singer. That was years before we got together," Messina said. "I got a call from Atlanta Records to produce (a group). They lost their bass player...I auditioned and became their engineer and bass player. When I started a new group, Poco, I spent three years with them...then got a job at CBS Records as producer. They signed him (Kenny Loggins), and they asked me to write for him...well as they say, the rest is history."

Jim Messina and The Road Runners have released eight albums. The latest is "Here, There & Everywhere." Band members include Steve Nieves on sax, Ben King on bass, Jim Frazier on keys, and Jack Bruno on drums, with Jim on guitar. He is also a producer, sound engineer, singer and plays the bass. Messina and The Road Runners have sold over four million - 4x platinum sellers.

"I've been very lucky," he said when I mentioned what an amazing career he has. "I got through the 60s and 70s. I grew up in a strict and poor Italian family...clean, no drugs. My mother and uncle worked at a police department!"

"I was hired as a producer in high school," Jim added as we talked about his humble beginnings. "I was a producer in my junior and senior year...then moved to Hollywood (in 1964). I thought everyone was better than me...so I took engineering classes...with DJ Mike at a radio station. I got to be in the studio with Mike as an engineer We had to edit Dick Clark and Cassey Kasem (shows)...then I became a record (label) engineer (where he would collaborate with Kenny Loggins)." www.JimMessina.com

SYNDICATED COLUMN: Dr. Eunice Moseley has an estimated weekly readership of over one million with The Pulse of Entertainment. She is also a Business Management/Public Relations Strategist and Consultant at Freelance Associates and is Promotions Director (at-large) for The Baltimore Times. www.ThePulseofEntertainment.com. EVENTS: "Uplifting Minds II" Entertainment Conference (ULMII), founded by Eunice in 1999, is into its 26th year. Next events are coming to Baltimore via Zoom Saturday April 19, 2025, presented by Security Square Mall and The Baltimore Times, and Los Angeles via Zoom Saturday, November 8, 2025. The ULMII event is a free entertainment conference offering a Professional Panel Q&A Session, a Professional Talent Showcase and National Talent Competition (vocal, songwriting, dance and acting) where aspiring artists have a chance to receive over $20,000 valued in prizes/product/services. Log onto www.UpliftingMinds2.com RSVP for Zoom Access at EventBrite.com or email info@thepulseofentertainment.com.ent.com.