This one touched the culture!
Bradley Kaaya Jr. is a former NFL quarterback who made a name for himself in college while playing at the University of Miami. The all-time leading passer at The U, Kaaya went on to be drafted to the NFL, doing stints with the Detroit Lions, Carolina Panthers, Indianapolis Colts, and Cincinnati Bengals, before several injuries caused him to pivot careers, taking up modeling, cybersecurity, and screenwriting, dubbing himself the “Side Quest King” on social media.
Currently living in London, Kaaya regularly posts videos to TikTok about his many lives and journeys. He talks about his family history as someone with a solid Tanzanian heritage and answers questions about his time as a professional football player and the business of cybersecurity. Recently, someone asked him if he could talk about his relationship with his famous mother.
“Dude can you talk about how your mother is ANGELA MEANS and is the origin of ‘Bye Felicia,’ “ one user asked.
For those who don’t know, Angela Means was an actress and comedian from the Def Comedy Jam era who starred in several classic films and TV shows during the ‘90s. A model and screenwriter, she is best known for her role as Felisha in the 1995 cult classic Friday, which starred Ice Cube and Chris Tucker.
Kaaya responded to the commenter, saying his mom was, in fact, the famous “Felisha” from Friday and proclaiming her “a side quest queen.” Kaaya then created a touching video about his relationship with his mom, sharing more of her work in Hollywood and calling her his “best friend.”
“So my mother was an actress, famous for her role in Friday as Felisha. She was the character who was famously told, ‘Bye, Felisha.’ She also played this baddie in House Party 3. She played the mom in this ‘90s Nickelodeon show Cousin Skeeter, and before that, she was a stand-up comedian,” began Kaaya.
@sidequestkaaya Replying to @DUMB HOT Yes, my mom not only is Felicia, but she is a side quest queen. @Theeangelameans #byefelicia #felicia #coolmom #coolgirls ♬ original sound – Brad Kaaya
He went on to share a video from her time on Def Comedy Jam and a picture from her career as a supermodel before getting into what mattered most to him – her role as his mom.
“She’s also my best friend,” said Kaaya, sharing a sweet present-day pic of him and his mom.
“She was also my trusted advisor when it came to getting recruited for college football…She’s also my travel partner; growing up, we took a lot of road trips, just me and her, throughout California…So, in return, I took her to Japan a couple of years back for her birthday,” added Kaaya.
He talked about how fun his childhood was because his mom was a comedian, reminiscing about days of watching Southpark and Chappelle’s Show with his mom. He also fondly remembered the times he and his mom would throw eggs at abandoned houses and cars to release steam during the tough times, sharing sweet text exchanges between them.
“And above all else, she is literally my superhero,” Kaaya said.
Means, a chef, restaurateur, and the author of several books caught wind of her son’s sweet video. She took to social media to thank everyone for their kind messages regarding her career and son. She also encouraged those who may not have had the best relationship with their moms, reminding them that whatever the journey, it is all a part of life’s plan.
“I wanted to say thank you to everyone who responded to Bradley’s really adorable video about us and his mama, Felisha,” said Means while chuckling. “That boy is something else. He was telling on me,” she continued.
“I been getting the most incredible messages. I been getting some heartbreaking messages as well…Listen, this much I know is true. No matter what kind of mother you had, or you got, she was your assignment,” said Means.
Much love to Brad and his legendary mother!
Cover photo: Former NFL QB Brad Kaaya Makes Touching Video About Close Relationship With Famous Mom, Comedian Angela Means/Photo credit: Chef Angela Means/Instagram