http://www.detnews.com/ar...ith-her-ex

It looks like her ex husband wants half! Poor Anita.

Seriously, it can't be that much money. Out of the two, Giving You was the only major success.

Say what?!

What a disaster.....New Rules that everyone should live by

1)write all your stuff
2)produce every aspect of your work, even down to the cover of it
3)dont sign with any label that gives % to "sources"
4)dont get married

funksterr said:

They were talking about this on the news and they were claiming he wanted royalties for "Rapture". That was not during their marriage! Whenever I see them get something that wrong, it makes me think what do they get right? Kind of sad how it all fell apart since she took time off in the nineties and 2000s to be with him.
[Edited 2/25/10 23:24pm]

PrincesDad said:

lastdecember said:

It's a shame most of the female artists who gain success don't do any of the four options.

VinnyM27 said:

Girl said she quit the business to try to work things out with him. Apparently their marriage was troubled from the start.

Timmy84 said:

That's not fair. She is an outstanding singer.

Cinnie said:

It ain't fair. But so isn't the music business.
[Edited 2/25/10 23:42pm]

Timmy84 said:

Don't make me kick yr ass, P****ll.

Cinnie said:

Pernell, it's not that hard lol

sosgemini said:

I thought "Rhythm of Love" went gold.

I could never imagine a great singer like Anita going through this trouble but then again, I remember someone mentioning Aretha had to basically sign her royalties to her ex, Ted White. I just hope it all works out for her tho.

Babyface sued her a few years ago.He wrote and produced a song for her 2004 album but apparently he wasn't paid for it.

SoulAlive said:

I remember that.

Cinnie said:

This fool right here sayin' people's name

Ted White got SOME of Aretha's publishing, enough to shut him up, but not all of it

bboy87 said:

I know right?

I just noticed when he quoted lastdecember, he renamed him PrincesDad...

scriptgirl said:

Oh SOME, OK. I hope this don't turn into a Melba Moore situation. The girl put all her trust in dude and she never got any money. smh

Cinnie said:

Timmy84 said:

Sad - Aretha gave her publishing to Ted White, Sr. in 1969 to divorce him. She even allowed that man's name to go on several of her early hits as a co-writer, i.e "Think", "Since You've Been Gone" and "Dr. Feelgood". He is rich off of the wife he abused. Shame, shame, shame

The crux of the issue is, Ms. Bakers not allowing an attorney who specialize in music/entrainment contract law ascertain what she receives in royalties/profits from the music she's created. To be frank her argument -that profits also were greatly reduced by production costs- sounds vaguely familiar of a tactic record companies have used against artist when they've cheated them out of royalties and profits. This isn't over and if need be she and her lawyer(s) can haggle over what her ex should receive but eventually she'll sign those papers so that a lawyer can look over her books. Period.


If Ms. Baker didn't have prep-nuptial agreement before marriage, all marital assets are on the table to be divided. As I mention in a thread about child support payments, you don't get to dictate the terms of what you want to give after a marriage has gone bad or ended. Nor can you come to court with a violin story, the court looks and follows the laws on the book. In this case it's whatever the divorce laws of Michigan so happen to be.

Everything fine and dandy in happier times... what's yours is mine or baby you were there in the beginning supporting me blah, blah, blah. When things go bad then folks wanna go historical on what they did, what their spouse didn't do, what you think they should get, and so forth. It doesn't work that way.

=====
[Edited 2/26/10 5:28am]

TD3 said:

Thats the 1st thing that I thought of. But then again, prenuptial agreement was pretty taboo among women back in the 80s/90s and the thought of a man signing it was even more unthinkable,,,so, I'm not even sure that he signed one.

I'm really shocked to hear about this though. Usually Anita has her business affairs in shape, all the time.

Story as old as time if you ask me,,,esp among black female entertainers, something in the water they drink but whenever they get married, her man gets a hold of ALL the financial strings, nevermind the idea whether he had her best intrests at heart or not.

She's getting a divorce? He wants her royalties??? This is a nightmare!!!

A frustrated Anita during Thursady's hearing over orders to sign documents that could give some of her royalties to her ex-husband. (Brandy Baker / The Detroit News)

If I have understood this article correctly, the papers she is refusing to sign are simply to allow the courts to look over her contracts and agreements with her record company and her history of royalty payments that she has received.

It's because of this contempt of court that she's being threatened with jail, and to be honest I can see why.

If she has nothing to hide and she's not being unreasonable, then why not let the court see all the documents that prove it?

Harlepolis said:

What can I tell ya.

Prenuptial agreements aren't just for the wealth/famous. Anytime you bring assets to a marriage, artwork/antiques of any kind,home(s), inheritance, intellectual property, rental property, or any future assets you know of that someday will be bequeathed to you should seriously consider a prenuptial agreement to protect yourself and your stuff. Though some state have laws and/or stipulations already protecting you, sometimes the wording can be "tricky". To prevent a protracted, litigious court battle and making your lawyer(s) wealthy, get a pre-nup.

I know this doesn't sound romantic and all but romance be damn. Don't allow you groin nor your heart to do your thinking for you. If it goes downhill than you end up like Ms. Baker crying for two day and in need of some valium. If if he or she walks because they don't wanna sign allow them to walk.

rocknrolldave said:

The thing is, she had not had the chance to read those documents herself. Tell me, would you sign something that you have not read?