Cash Money's Baby, who was seated next to Braxton in an MTV studio, said to his buddy and song collaborator last week. "I'mma come with about 50 of the homies, ya dig? We're gonna take [up] the whole upstairs section. I ain't trying to be down[stairs]. I'mma peep the play."

Maybe Baby will even give one of his patented birdcalls if T.B. garners an ovation.

"What's the name of [the show], 'Iesha'?" he asked with a wide grin, showing off his sparkly diamond-encrusted chompers.

"It's not 'Iesha,' " Braxton laughed, sharing in the amusement. "It's 'Aida,' dammit. That would make the play really ghetto, if it was 'Iesha.' "

"What is it, 'I'eema?' " he carried on with his ribbing, chuckling lightly. "I'll be there to peep that. Believe that."

Braxton first stepped under the bright lights of the stage in 1998 as the female lead in the Broadway production of "Beauty and the Beast" (see "Toni Braxton's Broadway Debut Set"). The Grammy Award winner says she welcomes the opportunity to do a musical once again.

"Coming back, I'm really excited. I love Broadway," Braxton said. "It gives me a chance to sing [and act] at the same time. The younger audiences will come, hopefully, to see me in it. The theater is so important for younger people. It adds a little bit of culture [and] it helps in our music. Broadway is one of the reasons we do what we do. Music has so many different faces."

Braxton is once again recording music as well. She recently changed record labels, leaving her first home, Arista, for Blackground. Other than the Cash Money Millionaires, she's not quite sure about who she's going to work with, but wants to deliver a nice mixture of songs on her next LP, which is slated for a fall release.

"My albums are always kinda eclectic," she explained about her collaborations. "It can be anything from David Foster, to Babyface, to Cash Money — it can be anyone. We're just in the preliminary parts of it right now, working it out. I'm going to do my traditional sad, love song ballads, of course, and get some dance tracks in it as well."

Baby and Toni first worked together for "Baby You Can Do It" off of last year's Birdman album

The scene needs Toni Braxton, while Jho & Britney are getting hits Toni gets dropped by her label???
WHY?

twink69 said:

Cuz life is a down the broadway tramp, don't you know that?



I hope Blackground do the woman justice and I sho hope she take the CREATIVE CONTROL like she did when she came up with that masterpiece "The Heat". "More Than A Woman" got some good moments over here and over there and thats it. The reason why it ain't that solid cuz the woman let the producers take over the show.

Don't work with nobody, sweetheart. Keri is a one bad motherfucker, he's waaay much betta than any of the producers out there and plus the brotha is a tight keyboardist. Just make a Toni/Keri ONLY LP make a wife/husband collapo like Ike & Tina or Rene & Angela or just like any dues(Missy & Tim).

I always think that "dues" come up with the best effort

Harlepolis said:

I bought "More than A woman" for $5! Brand new! I think I only played it once, maybe twice. I was really disappointed.
"The Heat" is a brilliant album. To follow it up with something like "MTAW" was a slap in the face. The album was over produced. I think it was trying to be more hip hop than a little of both. I could've spent those five dollars on a single and been happier! Let's hope you'reright on this one Harlepolis!

Chico319 said:

WHAAT? "More Than A Woman" was TTIIIGHT!!! Daym Lies Lies Lies, Give It Back, Show U The Way Out, Spend A Little More Time, daym, i loved about every song on it

Chico319 said:

Where did you get it for five dollars brand new?

VinnyM27 said:

At the wrecka sto' of course!

It was on the counter by the register. They had that cd and two other titles. I asked if they were used copies, an they said no. They just weren't selling! :LOL:

paisleypark4 said:

Ok! Fine! I'll give it another listen. If you're wrong you owe me five dollars!

Toni is a remarkable vocalist,but I lost interest in her after her second album (the excellent 'Secrets' CD in 1996).Her third and fourth albums were disapointing.I miss the days when she primarily worked with Babyface and did all those heartfelt "you did me wrong" songs.Her voice is perfect for those types of songs.Remember "Another Sad Love Song" (1993),"Breathe Again" (1993) and "There's No Me Without You" (1996)? THAT's the Toni Braxton that I miss!


Nowadays,she has fallen into the "commercial R&B trap",which means that she now works with all the trendy R&B producers on her albums (Rodney Jerkins,Murder Inc.,etc).And since none of these producers are particularly innovative or original,her music will sound just like every other R&B artist on the scene.

DavidEye said:

Gotta agree with Dave on this. I remember when Toni was more marketed to the Anita Baker type listener. Wasn't but a COUPLE of fast songs on her first album Then I Get So High got big and all of a sudden, Toni became a hip-hop head.

Hated it.

But its cool, cause now that her and Chante Moore - both of whom are mothers with children and yet have the need to market their looks and songs to children - are chasing after them young dollaz...

ANITA BAKER IS COMING BACK!!!

HA!

Speaking of Anita Baker, "Love Shoulda Brought You Home" was originaly written 4 Anita but she told Babyface 2 give it 2 Braxton cuz she was pregnant at that time and didn't have the time 2 record it. She said "That girl have a nice voice, she would do the song justice".

Glad 2 hear that David Foster will produce a cut in the LP tho, I love his work.