Please Please Please let me in- Tomi Rae Brown
James Brown, the ‘Godfather of Soul’, died on Monday at the age of 73 of heart failure in Atlanta after being taken to Emory Crawford Long Hospital with pneumonia.
Brown’s widow Tomi Rae said on Monday that she is not allowed to enter her house where she lived with her five year old son, due to strict orders by Brown’s lawyer and accountant.
She claims that the gates are padlocked and the security guards are not letting her in, saying that they have been told to do so. She admitted that she doesn't hold a deed to the home but says she has a lawful right to live there. Tomi also said that she has no money and nowhere else to go.
The 36 year old Tomi Rae Brown, who was also one of James Brown’s backup singers, said that her husband died when she was at a retreat. She informed that when she returned to their South Carolina house hours later after his death, she discovered that she was locked out and denied access to enter her own house.
"The last thing he said to me was, 'I love you baby and I'll see you soon,"' she said.
James Brown's lawyer, Buddy Dallas, and accountant, David Cannon were not available for comment on the situation and phone messages left for them were not responded back.
James Brown was married four times and his personal life has provided regular fodder for the yellow journalism. He married Tomi in 2001, but the marriage was later declared “nullified”. They remarried again in 2004 and have had one child from their relationship.
Brown also had two children by his first wife, Velma Warren, and three more by his second, Deidre Jenkins.
The renowned entertainer and wife Tomi have had a bumpy marriage. James Brown pleaded guilty in 2004 to a domestic violence charge stemming from an argument with his wife and was let off with a $1,087 fine. He was also accused of pushing his wife to the floor and threatening to kill her.
Brown has had several brushes with law and trips to prison. At the age of 16, he was arrested for theft and served three years in prison. Adrienne Rodriegues, his third wife, had him arrested four times on charges of physical attack between the mid 1980s and mid 1990s.
He has also been arrested for carrying unlicensed pistol, assaulting police officers, and various drug related and driving offenses.
But Brown’s career has been on a full swing ever since he embarked on the journey of entertainment. He began his career in 1953 and rose to success and fame in late 1950’s and early 1960’s on the strength of his breathtaking live performances and a string of smash hits.
Despite of personal problems and setbacks, he scored a hit in every decade. He was not only an American entertainer, but has left his mark in numerous genres including rock, jazz, reggae, disco, dance and electronic music, afrobeat, and hip-hop music.
He has been lauded with numerous prestigious awards and also holds the record for the artist who has charted the most singles on the Billboard Hot 100 without ever hitting number one on that chart.
delicious
digg
Let it play itself out before judging
As an executor myself, since separately we learn that Brown's wife was actually married to someone else when they previously married, he really had no choice. The lady in question has a house two blocks away, so she is hardly left out on the street without other resources.
James Brown. Whoof, where to begin. Volcanic, compelling, principled, troubled, flawed and ultimately one of the more seminal figures in American music and culture during the 50's, 60s, 70s, 80s and even on into the 90s and the early 21st century. Difficult, by all accounts, not an easy man to live with or around, but what a singular vision, what a presence, what an artist and showman. As if all that was not enough, he was in his own right an advocate for the black community in the United States, a constant battler for true color-blind equality and opportunity. I'm not sure he was the Godfather of Soul, the founder of funk, the progenitor of hip-hop and rap. Does any of that really matter? He was enough, every bit of what he was he earned by himself. Nothing was ever given to him, but in return for his herculean efforts. Mistakes? You bet. Did a lot of good, stumbled some as well. What a large life. I hope he is at peace.
James Brown was a very
James Brown was a very complex individual with a major talent and major demons, whose true influence may never be fully appreciated. What cannot be disputed however, is the fact that he was a tremendous source of inspiration and ethnic pride for millions of black Americans, for whom "Say It Loud, I'm Black and I'm Proud" is still an anthem. I hope the same media that will so quickly cite his negatives, will be equally swift to note his positives. Whether for his anti-drug advocacy to youth (e.g., "King Heroin"); his conscience-prodding advocacy on behalf of the poor and less fortunate (e.g., "Santa Claus, Go Straight To The Ghetto"); his many, many, musical offspring; or his various charitable endeavors; this man i-n-s-p-i-r-e-d us. As a talent, King James helped a lot of us to "Get Up Off That Thing" and dance our blues away. But as a man, he helped even more of us to see that we all could overcome our shortcomings and achieve greatness. He should and will be missed.
Dallas did what he had to do.
The lawyer had no choice. If he knowingly allowed access to the house to someone who didn't have a legal right to be there (even if she has the moral right to be there), then he would be liable for anything that happens to the house as a result of said access.
James Brown National Monument
It's all to easy to be distracted from Jame's contributions by his human "short-comings". James' efforts to stem violence after Martin was killed were successful. James created a musical empire in the midst of violent racism. James gave Black America the the voice to be proud of being black. James gave the world a type of music that is the blue print for celebrating the freedom to be whoever you want to be. All this from a man who was abandoned as a baby,lived in the woods alone until he was four, was not "well spoken" due to being abandoned; but rose to become the one and only Godfather of "THE" SOUL.
A national monument in DC is quite fitting.
Peace To All,
Kee
Something is fishy
It is Christmas - a time for family and Tomi is off at a retreat. Where is her son??? Tomi's husband is sick in the hospital and again, Tomi is off at a retreat. Sounds like maybe there wasn't so much bliss there.
Regardless, I think it is pretty cruddy to lock someone out of their home on Christmas. I am not sure what legal grounds the lawyer (and especially the accountant) have to do what they did, but if Tomi has property in that home, she has the legal right to retreive her property. I can't imagine that James Brown intended for his wife to be locked out of their home. I am wondering if this isn't coming from James' other kids from his other marriages.
I think the lawyer could have at least called Tomi and told her what was going on. They could have had her escorted into the home to retrieve her personal items. I think they also should have given her access to enough money to get a hotel and to live on until they could go over the details of the will.
The whole thing sounds like there is a lot more going than what is being revealed.
RIP James.
Brown
After reviewing his very, very troubled and problematic history, I hope no one honors him. He seems like a real criminal.
James Brown
For what it's worth, many of those criminal charges stemmed from an incident in the 1980s when Brown was wacked on PCP and led police on a two-county high speed chase, during which they captured him by shooting out his tires. He was in prison for almost two years for it. At the time, the police as well as his fellow South Carolinians expressed sympathy for Brown, because the 3rd wife, Adrienne, was a known drug dealer who had kept him hooked on PCP, cocaine, etc.
another one
Just another criminal who made alot of money. Here is another chance for ole Al to be seen in public. Bury the man and hope young people choose another route.