“I’m not afraid of marriage! I’m afraid of divorce!!!”
R&B Divas: Atlanta Season 3
Episode 8: "Divas Make it Rain”
Celebrity Blogger: Diva Manager/Boyfriend Ashanti
Manager/Boyfriend Ashanti shares fatherly advice and sounds off about his relationship with Diva Angie Stone, attending the DIVA wedding of the year and how he REALLY feels about marriage!
Ashanti on Reality TV – A Do Or a Don’t?
I’ve only been on a few episodes of R&B Divas so nobody is really checking for me! LOL!! I have had a couple of stares- like people definitely look twice but nobody has approached me on the street. Angie and I recently participated on “Celebrity Wife Swap” and people recognize me from that. I had pink-eye while on that show so people aren’t quite sure if it’s me or not. I think reality TV is a good thing but at the end of the day, Angie is a strong enough person to know what’s true and what she wants. I would love her to keep it going on TV because there is a little girl out there who wants to be the next R&B Diva and can learn from Angie. People look up to her in and out of the music industry. Angie has always been a mentor and motivator.
I tell Angie all the time that her relationship with the other ladies on the show is like having sisters! You are going to have conflict with a bunch of women with strong personalities in one room! I don’t want to sound bias but that’s real talk. It’s OK for the ladies to disagree but more importantly, to show that women can work together on one accord towards a common goal. The show is a great concept; I have no issues with it at all!
Tour Drama
The tour debacle with simply a misunderstanding and I was man enough to apologize. Syleena and Angie had an agreement but once the managers (me for Angie and Syleecia for Syleena) got involved, it didn’t make financial sense. Even though Angie and I are in a relationship, I have an obligation to represent her as I would do any other client to the FULLEST! When the buyer came back to me with an agreeable offer I did what any other manager would have do and close the deal for my client. My only regret was not communicating my agreement with Angie, Syleena, and Syleecia.
Angie’s Yearly Surprise
On this episode you see Angie and I at the restaurant talking about her “surprise.” That “surprise” is her birthday gift each year. My birthday is in November and hers is in December so every year we celebrate BIG! I normally throw us a big bash together. Last year for her 50th, I wanted to do something JUST for her and threw her a surprise party and invited her family, high school classmates and industry friends. It was an awesome event! She loved it!!!! This year, I wanted to do the something on the same caliber and that was the birthday bash in episode #5 During that conversation at the restaurant, her birthday celebration hadn’t happened yet but yup, that’s her surprise!
Getting Along With Diamond
On this episode you see the tail-end of a disagreement between myself and Angie’s daughter Diamond. Diamond and I have our ups and downs as I do with my own children (ages 17,16 and 10) but we always work it out. I am not Diamond’s biological father but she respects me as a man and knows that she can come and talk to me about anything. Diamond is a grown woman with children of her own but whenever there is an issue, we get down to the bottom of it and work things out. The grandbabies call me “paw-paw.” LOL!!!! But for real, Diamond and I are on a great level!
Real Deal Fatherly Advice
For all the fathers (and mothers) out here raising children, you have to love your kids for who they are!!!! God puts people in your path for a reason, like blended families that include children – LOVE THEM! As a father, I’m COOL but I’m also FIRM. That’s LOVE!
Love, Marriage & When the Time is Right
I met Angie while working at the airport in Savanah, GA. We connected from the very beginning. We talked on the phone and when time permitted we met in person and we’ve been together ever since! It’s going on 9 years strong! I’ve been managing her for about 6 ½ to 7 years now in addition to a girl rap group (ages 8-9) named DSquared Live.
I love Angie! The love we have for each other is crazy BUT good and once all the pieces are in place there will be a marriage. When I said “when the time is right,” I meant that we will do it [get married] because WE want to, not because the world wants us to. I’m not afraid of marriage. I am afraid of divorce. A happy marriage gets no publicity but a bad divorce gets more than its fair share.
Attending the Diva Wedding of the Year
I know you haven’t seen the wedding yet but being in Hawaii with Angie for Monifah’s special day was AWESOME. Being there with Angie and seeing the love that Monifah and Terez displayed definitely affected our relationship in a positive way. We left Hawaii with a closeness like no other. What we have is amazing!
What’s Next?
Angie and I are moving forward and doing what it takes to make our house a better home. We are having a blast loving and respecting each other.
-Ashanti-
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