Toni Braxton at one point was on top of the r&b scene. She has sold more than 40 million albums in her career. With hit songs like "You're Makin' Me High" and "He Wasn't Man Enough" the six time Grammy Award winning singer had the world in the palm of her hands, but things changed dramatically when she started having financial problems.
She filed for bankruptcy in 1998 and later appeared on the Oprah Winfrey show to talk about it. In a clip from her VH1 Behind The Music special she points to that interview as the beginning of her career's downward spiral.
"She was so frickin' mean to me. I was in shock," Toni says. "I couldn’t believe it because I loved her so much. I admired her and looked up to her and she pretty much reprimanded me. “She says to me, ‘I hear you have Gucci flatware; I’m Oprah Winfrey and I don’t have Gucci flatware…’ You didn’t have Gucci flatware because you didn’t wanna buy it; it’s not because you couldn’t afford it."
Toni said Oprah is partly to blame for her career not getting back on track.
“She made me feel this big," Toni explained, squeezing her thumb and forefinger together. "That moment completely changed my career. It made people look down on me."
Since that interview Toni filed for bankruptcy again in 2010. At the time she claimed she owed somewhere between $10 million and $50 million to various creditors according to TMZ.
Yesterday TMZ reported that Toni is being accused by the trustee of her bankruptcy case of fraudulently transferring $53,490 to her husband in order to avoid paying back creditors.
"All of the payments made to Lewis prior to Toni’s bankruptcy filing were appropriate transfers for reasonable and necessary personal and business expenses in the ordinary course of her business," claims Toni's rep.
It doesn't look like things are getting any better for Toni.
Check out a clip from her VH1 special which aired last night where she speaks about Oprah Winfrey.
As Hurricane Sandy churned inland as a downgraded storm, residents up and down the battered mid-Atlantic region woke on Tuesday to lingering waters, darkened homes and the daunting task of cleaning up from once-in-a-generation storm surges and their devastating effects.
Power remained out for roughly six million people, including a large swath of Manhattan. Early risers stepped out into debris-littered streets that remained mostly deserted as residents awaited dawn to shed light on the extent of the damage. Bridges remained closed, and seven subway tunnels under the East River remained flooded.
A wind-tossed construction crane atop one of the tallest buildings in the city still dangled 80 stories over West 57th Street, across the street from Carnegie Hall, after coming loose during the storm.
The storm was the most destructive in the 108-year history of New York City’s subway system, said Joseph J. Lhota, the chairman of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, in an early morning statement. “We are assessing the extent of the damage and beginning the process of recovery,” he said, but did not provide a timetable for restoring transit service to a paralyzed city.
Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey called the damage to his state “incalculable” and said the Jersey Shore had been “devastated.” As he spoke on a series of morning talk shows on Tuesday, rescue teams were rushing to the aid of those stranded in Atlantic City and in areas of Bergen County where he said tidal waters had overwhelmed a protective natural berm.At least 11 deaths — including 7 in the New York region — were tied to the storm, which toppled trees and sparked fires in several areas, state authorities said. Falling limbs became deadly bludgeons in three of the New York deaths and two in Morris County, N.J., where The Associated Press reported a man and a woman were killed when a tree fell on their car Monday evening.
Nine hours after making landfall at 8 p.m. on Monday, the storm — already reclassified as a post-tropical cyclone — weakened as it passed west across southern Pennsylvania, though it still packed maximum sustained winds of 65 miles per hour, the National Hurricane Center said. It was expected to turn north and head for Canada late on Tuesday.
The storm had picked up speed as it roared over the Atlantic Ocean on Monday, grinding life to a halt for millions of people in more than a half-dozen states, with extensive evacuations that turned shorefront neighborhoods into ghost towns.
Hurricane-force winds extended up to 175 miles from the center of the storm; tropical-storm-force winds spread out 485 miles from the center. Forecasters said tropical-storm-force winds could stretch all the way north to Canada and all the way west to the Great Lakes. Heavy snow was expected in some states.
Businesses and schools were closed, roads were closed, and more than 13,000 airline flights were canceled. Even the Erie Canal was shut down.
Subways were shut down from Boston to Washington, as were Amtrak and the commuter rail lines. Flights were canceled at airports across the East Coast, including the three major airports in the New York City area. The wind-driven rain lashed sea walls and protective barriers in places like Atlantic City, where the Boardwalk was damaged as water forced its way inland. Foam was spitting, and the sand gave in to the waves along the beach at Sandy Hook, N.J., at the entrance to New York Harbor. Water was thigh-high on the streets in Sea Bright, N.J., a three-mile sand-sliver of a town where the ocean joined the Shrewsbury River.
“It’s the worst I’ve seen,” said David Arnold, watching the storm from his home in Long Branch, N.J. “The ocean is in the road, there are trees down everywhere. I’ve never seen it this bad.”
Fire Destroys Homes in Queens
In Breezy Point on the Rockaways, nearly 200 firefighters were still battling a blaze on Tuesday morning that destroyed at least 50 tightly-packed homes in the beach community. A Fire Department spokesman said the area was “probably the most flooded part of the city, so there are all sorts of complications.”
The surging water also caused extensive complications at NYU Langone Medical Center when a backup power system failed on Monday night, forcing the evacuation of patients to other facilities. Backup power also failed at Coney Island Hospital in southern Brooklyn, though critical patients had been evacuated in advance of the storm.In New York, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s office said late Monday night that at least five deaths in the statewere caused by the storm. About 7 p.m., a tree fell on a house in Queens, killing a 30-year-old man, the city police said. About the same time, two boys, ages 11 and 13, were killed in North Salem, in Westchester County, when a tree fell on the house they were in, according to the State Police. The storm was tied to another 3 deaths in Maryland, 2 in Connecticut and one in West Virginia, state authorities said.
As the storm lashed the city, waves topped the sea wall in the financial district in Manhattan, sending cars floating down streets. West Street, along the western edge of Lower Manhattan, looked like a river. The Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel, known officially as the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel in memory of a former governor, flooded “from end to end,” the transportation authority said, hours after Governor Cuomo had ordered it closed to traffic. Officials said water also seeped into seven subway tunnels under the East River.
“In 108 years, our employees have never faced a challenge like the one that confronts us now,” Mr. Lhota, the transit authority chairman, said.
A replica of the H.M.S. Bounty, a tall ship built for the 1962 movie “Mutiny on the Bounty” starring Marlon Brando and used in the recent “Pirates of the Caribbean” series, sank off the North Carolina coast. The Coast Guard said the 180-foot three-masted ship went down near the Outer Banks after being battered by 18-foot-high seas and thrashed by 40 m.p.h. winds. The body of one crew member, Claudene Christian, 42, was recovered. Another crew member remained missing.
Delaware banned cars and trucks from state roadways other than “essential personnel.”
“The most important thing right now is for people to use common sense,” Gov. Jack A. Markell said. “We didn’t want people out on the road going to work and not being able to get home again.”
Extensive Power Failures
By early Monday evening, the storm had knocked out power to hundreds of thousands of homes, stores and office buildings. Consolidated Edison said that as of 1:30 a.m. Tuesday, 634,000 customers in New York City and Westchester were without power. Con Edison, fearing damage to its electrical equipment, shut down power pre-emptively in sections of Lower Manhattan on Monday evening, and then, at 8:30 p.m., an unplanned failure, probably caused by flooding in substations, knocked out power to most of Manhattan below Midtown, about 250,000 customers. Later, an explosion at a Con Ed substation on East 14th Street knocked out power to another 250,000 customers.
In New Jersey, more than two million customers were without power as of 1:30 a.m. Tuesday, and in Connecticut the total reached nearly 500,000 customers.
President Obama, who returned to the White House and met with top advisers, said Monday that the storm would disrupt the rhythms of daily life in the states it hit. “Transportation is going to be tied up for a long time,” he said, adding that besides flooding, there would probably be widespread power failures. He said utility companies had lined up crews to begin making repairs. But he cautioned that it could be slow going.
“The fact is, a lot of these emergency crews are not going to get into position to start restoring power until some of these winds die down,” the president said. He added, “That may take several days.”
Forecasters attributed the power of the storm to a convergence of weather systems. As the hurricane swirled north in the Atlantic and then pivoted toward land, a wintry storm was heading toward it from the west, and cold air was blowing south from the Arctic. The hurricane left more than 60 people dead in the Caribbean before it began crawling toward the Northeast.
“The days ahead are going to be very difficult,” Gov. Martin O’Malley of Maryland said. “There will be people who die and are killed in this storm.”
Alex Sosnowski, a senior meteorologist with AccuWeather, said potentially damaging winds would continue on Tuesday from Illinois to the Carolinas — and as far north as Maine — as the storm barreled toward the eastern Great Lakes.
Mr. Cuomo, who ordered many of the most heavily used bridges and tunnels in New York City closed, warned that storm surges could go two feet higher than that associated with Tropical Storm Irene last year. The PATH system, buses and the Staten Island Ferry system were also suspended.
The storm headed toward land with weather that was episodic: a strong gust of wind one minute, then mist. More wind. Thin sheets of rain dancing down the street. Then, for a moment, nothing. The sky lightened. Then another blast of rain. Then more wind.
In some places, caravans of power-company trucks traveled largely empty roads; Public Service Electric and Gas said that 600 line workers and 526 tree workers had arrived from across the country, but could not start the repairs and cleanup until the wind had subsided, perhaps not until Wednesday.
They will see a landscape that, in many places, was remade by the storm. In Montauk, at the end of Long Island, a 50-seat restaurant broke in half. Half of the building floated away and broke into pieces on the beach.
The 110-foot-tall lighthouse at Montauk Point — the oldest in the state, opened in 1796 — shuddered in the storm despite walls that are six feet thick at the base. The lighthouse keeper, Marge Winski, said she had never felt anything like that in 26 years on the job.
“I went up in the tower and it was vibrating, it was shaking,” she said. “I got out of it real quick. I’ve been here through hurricanes, and nor’easters, but nothing this bad.”
News coverage
Explosion at NYC Con Edison Plant
Amateur Video Captures Sandy's Power
Record flooding at NYC's Battery Park
Mayor Michael Bloomberg addresses flooded New York City residents
Bad Boy artist King Los stopped by Phoenix radio station 98.3 to kick it with Bootleg Kev. Los showed off his impressive off the top of the head skills in a freestyle challenge.
Kev threw out random words and Los incorporated them into the freestyle.
Normally the guy being interviewed, Kevin Hart flips the script in the latest episode of his Day in the Life series and fires questions at former 106 & Park host, Terrence J.
Kevin was supposed to quiz Terrence about his new gig as host of E! News, but in typical Kevin Hart fashion the comedian found a way to make the interview all about him.
It's always nice to see rap newcomers pay homage to legends that came before them. California spitters Kid Star B and Kubez do just that on "Runnin," a dedication to the late great producer J. Dilla A.K.A. Jay Dee.
Kid Star and Kubes rap over the J. Dilla produced song "Runnin" made famous by The Pharcyde in 1995.
Directed By Cristian "Concrete" Gutierrez R2S FILMS
Lil Wayne's chances of winning his lawsuit against Quincy Jones III just took a big hit, all because Wayne decided to not give a damn during his videotaped deposition.
As we previously reported, Wayne is suing QDIII over a documentary he says was unauthorized and was a "scandalous portrayal" of him. He also claims that the film maker didn't have permission to use his songs.
Wayne was due to appear in court to testify at the trial this week, but because of the two seizures he suffered last week he won't be able to, leaving his lawyers no other choice but to use the deposition tapes as his testimony.
The judge in the case said Wayne acted like an "irresponsible little child" during the deposition according to TMZ
Wayne is seen in the tapes cursing, refusing to answer questions and even threatening QDIII's lawyer, Pete Ross.
"You know [the judge] can't save you, right? In the real world? That guy right there. He can't save you in the real world," Wayne tells Ross.
During another exchange Ross asks Wayne if he remembers performing at the Virgin Mobile music festival in 2008 with Kanye West.
"I don't know," Wayne says. "But I know I did perform at this bad a$$ b*tch birthday party recently. She was crazy stupid thick."
That's pretty much how the entire deposition went and that's what Wayne's lawyers will have to use in front of a jury they will be trying to convince that the Young Money boss deserves a victory in the case.
Is Rick Ross and the MMG camp going to have to start looking over their shoulders? A video uploaded to youtube suggests so.
In the seven minute clip, a Gangster Disciple's member surrounded by his crew says Ross made two mistakes. The first was name dropping imprisoned GD leader Larry Hoover's name in "BMF (Blowing Money Fast.)" His second misstep was putting his face on the six point star the gang uses on the cover of his Black Bar Mitzvahmixtape.
"It ain't nothing but three people that rock this star. The Jews, the GD's and the Illuminati," he says. "You not Jew, you not GD so I guess the Illuminati gotcha. It's like this we pulling up on you, we pressing up on you... the whole Maybach. No matter who in Maybach. Everybody on your label is in trouble. Whatever city, whatever state - the pressure on. We letting you promoters know, before you book Rick Ross you need to check with us G"
Ross was supposed had an agreement to pay the GD's off according to the video.
"We aint gonna release this pressure on you until you release this check. Maybach, Meek Mill, everybody G. Nothing personal, but tell your boss man he gotta get that check cuz y'all in trouble."
Those Top Dawg Entertainment emcees stick together like glue. During a recent Oakland, California tour stop Schoolboy Q brought out Kendrick Lamar to perform "A.D.H.D." and "Backseat Freestyle."
As promised Lloyd drops his new DJ Scream hosted mixtape, The Playboy Diaries. The tape boasts features from Roscoe Dash, Cyhi The Prynce, August Alsina, Lil Wayne and Trae Tha Truth.
As we previously reported, Max B's appeal was recently denied meaning he could serve out the remaining part of his 75-year sentence in prison.
However, Max is not giving up and is currently working getting a new appeal.
Over the weekend, Mikey T The Movie Star caught up with Max to talk about what he has planned moving forward.
Max, real name Charly Wingate, has started a website called pardonthewave.com where fans can get information on how to write to him and also sign a petition that he hopes will lead to securing his freedom. Max is hoping to get 4 million signatures on the petition and then approach both New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and President Barack Obama for a pardon.
Max mentioned that his next appeal could come as soon as 18 months or drag out ten years if he's not on top of his business.
DJ Lazy K and Benny Negro will be hosting the "American Wave" listening party and fundraiser event on November 2, 2012 at Harlem's Tian at the Riverbank.
Expected guests include Styles P, Rich P, Rob Cash, Fat Joe, Al Pac, Mak Mustard and more.
If you can't make the event don't stress it because it will be streamed live on pardonthewave.com.
No rapper is safe when comedian Affion Crockett is around. As he gets ready to release his comedy album, Watch The Clone, Affion has some hilarious fun at the expense of Tity Boi A.K.A. Two Chainz in his new video spoof titled "Enunciation."
Peep the cover art and tracklist for the album below as well as the "Enunciation" video. And pick up Watch The Clone on November 6th via iTunes.
Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter and co-founding member of 112, Q Parker releases a new music video for "Yes." The song is off of his new album The MANual, which was released via Malaco Music Group and NeWFAM Entertainment.
Jaden Smith hops on the Justin Bieber song "Love Me Like You Do" and gives it a rap remix. The song appears originally on Bieber's third studio album, Believe.
Ne-Yo recruits Funeral Fabolous and Diddy for the super smooth track "Should Be You." The Salaam Remi-produced song will appear on Ne-Yo's upcoming fifth studio album, R.E.D. (Realizing Every Dream), which will be released on November 6th.
}