Brandy: Finally Talking About The Lies And Deceit

By Karu F. Daniels, BlackVoices.com

For the first time ever, Brandy Norwood is opening up about her fake marriage and the "traumatic" car accident which left a woman dead on the highway.

The former chart-topping music superstar and UPN actress tells US Weekly that she publicly deceived the media and her fans about her quasi-marriage to music producer Robert Smith because of her public image.

"I lied because of the fear of what people would think and the pressure to be a good role model," the 29-year-old single mother told the tabloid.

Ironically, her media revelation is timed well with the release of her new album, 'Human,' which is scheduled for release next month.

Black Music Notes Nov. 20

11/20/08: The Notorious B.I.G.
January will mark a celebration in memory of slain rap icon The Notorious B.I.G. Not only will Biggie's life and death story hit the silver screen on January 16 with the FOX feature film 'Notorious,' the late rapper also has his first official full length documentary hitting stores around the same time. Produced by Biggie's close friend Damion Butler (aka D-Roc) and his production company, RocDarling Films, the DVD captures scenes from Biggie's personal and private life, performing in different cities, with adoring fans screaming his name and his lyrics. The documentary is uncut and uncensored featuring appearances by Diddy, Lil' Kim, Lil Cease, Jay-Z, and The LOX among others. Titled, 'Biggie Smalls: Rap Phenomenon,' the project will hit stores January 27.

11/20/08: Beyoncé / Raphael Saadiq
With the debut of the highly-anticipated film, 'Cadillac Records,' set to hit theaters December 5, the film's soundtrack is sure to feature a star studded lineup. The soundtrack, which will be made available as a single or double set, features Q-Tip, Mos Def, Nas, Raphael Saadiq, Solange, and Beyonce's version of Etta James' classic hit 'At Last' among others. 'Cadillac Records - Music From The Motion Picture' will be available December 2.

11/20/08: Mary J. Blige, Ghostface Killah, Amy Winehouse
Grammy Award-winning singer's Mary J. Blige and Amy Winehouse are among the many guests featured on Ghostface Killah's upcoming remix album, 'GhostDeini the Great.' The December 16 Def Jam release features a slew of remix tracks as well as unreleased songs including, 'Ghostface Christmas,' 'Be Easy' remix featuring Ice Cube and 'Slept on Tony.' Not to mention the Wu-Tang Clansman's 2000 hit single 'Cherchez LaGhost'. Kanye West and Ne-Yo also make an appearance on the remix version of 'Back Like That.'

11/20/08: John Legend
In promotion of his recently released third album 'Evolver,' John Legend has recently kicked off his new tour featuring UK's very own Estelle. Not only are the pair wrapping up their current trek in North Carolina on December 13, Legend also confirmed that he has added additional dates from January 12 through February 7. The tour picks up in Oakland, California and ends in Atlantic City, New Jersey on February 7.

11/20/08: OutKast
Despite various setbacks, OutKast member Big Boi still has plans to release his sophomore album 'Sir Lucious Leftfoot: The Son of Chico Dusty.' And according to the rapper, the project's delay may very well be worth the wait. Big Boi recently revealed to 'MTV News' that in addition to his album being released in 2009, fans can also expect a solo release from Andre 3000 as well as a new OutKast album. "Me and 'Dre were on the conference call [recently]," he explained. "He's working on his album; my album is done. We're gonna wait until the top of the year - January or February - to put it out. Then 'Dre is gonna come hit y'all, and [then] we're gonna do the OutKast album. So y'all gonna get three records from the 'Kast next year." In the meantime fans can catch Big Boi on November 25 when he appears on an episode of 'Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.'

11/20/08: 50 Cent
You can now add 50 Cent's name alongside Big Boi and Keri Hilson for artist who have delayed their albums in 2009. Fifty, whose forthcoming album 'Before I Self Destruct' was originally scheduled for a December 6 release before being pushed back to December 16, is now tentatively set for February 3. "I'm trying to leave the same way I came in," he revealed to MTV. "February 4 [2003], 'Get Rich or Die Tryin' came out. I drop this album February 3. The time frame. It used to take six to eight weeks for us to position a hip-hop record. Now, it's taking 12 to 14 weeks." Although the rap mogul expressed his satisfaction with the album's current single 'Get Up,' he did mention that he's "just looking for the opportunity to present more of my material [prior to the album's release]. It's not the strongest effort on my album; it's just a great start for me."

11/20/08: Montell Jordan
Grammy Award-nominated singer Montell Jordan returns to the music scene with his new studio album 'Let It Rain.' The new project reflects a more grown and sexy side of the R&B singer, which is a huge difference from Jordan's earlier days as he describes. "Those people that understand that the time frame that my music was originally created are now a more grown and sexy group of people," he told Eurweb.com. "We went from the college era, and the party style to becoming adults, and so that's where my music is now." And to keep in touch with the adult side of partying, Jordan reached out to the "World's Greatest Entertainer" Doug E. Fresh for the album cut entitled, 'Left Alone.' 'Let It Rain' is in stores now.

11/20/08: Lupe Fiasco
Despite releasing his debut album 'Food & Liquor' in 2006, Chicago rapper Lupe Fiasco is looking to unplug his microphone following the release of his triple disc album entitled, 'LupEND.' The rapper recently made the announcement during his Halloween show in Chicago, explaining that the album's title stands for "everywhere," "nowhere" and "down here." "When you play a videogame, you can only put in three letters for your name and when the game's over, those three letters and 'END' pop up," he continued. "My next record might be my last one." Although Lupe is making plans to retire, there is no official word from his label, Atlantic Records, regarding a release date for the project.

"Our relationship was very real, we just weren't legally married," she said about her union with Smith, who is also the father of her seven-year-old daughter Sy'rai.

In 2002, on the heels of the release of her new album, 'Full Moon,' Norwood announced she'd secretly wed Smith the year before - just four months before giving birth to their baby. She was 22 years old.

In an elaborate cover-up, the pair even went to the extremes of acting as husband and wife on MTV reality series 'Brandy: A Special Delivery,' which documented their daughter's birth.

A real reality set in when Smith (pictured right with Norwood during better days), a cousin of super-producer Rodney Jerkins, told a radio station the marriage never happened -- after calling it quits in 2003.

Career-wise, things got janky for Norwood, who actually predated Britney Spears and Beyonce Knowles as being the queen of the mainstream teen music scene; her 2004 album, 'Aphrodisiac' didn't live up to industry expectations and led to the end of her longtime association with industry powerhouse Atlantic Records.

According to sales figures the project, featuring a collaboration with Kanye West, debuted at # 3 on the 'Billboard' charts and has sold 361,000 copies.

A on-and-off again relationship/engagement to NBA star Quentin Richardson soon followed.

And then she was involved in a 2006 multicar collision that left a 38-year-old woman dead.

Norwood tells 'US Weekly' that she kept her daughter, who recently appeared in a footwear advertisement campaign with her, in the dark. "It was a very tough time, and I still have never talked about it with Sy'rai," she said. "I had to be a mother and stay strong for her. I'd cry when she'd go to sleep so she wouldn't see me like that - I had a responsibility to her."

After a year-long cloud of darkness (and negative mainstream media attention), Norwood was vindicated of any wrongdoing. There was no evidence of drugs or alcohol in her system, she was never charged, but a $50 million lawsuit by the victim's family looms.

In the aftermath of the drama, the former child star, known for her bubbly persona, remains optimistic about her future.

"I think this is my year because I've decided that I'm going to go with the flow in my life. The purpose of my life is music. It's my responsibility to give the fans something they've been waiting for, something they deserve."

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