How Kandi Burruss Felt Working With Destiny’s Child While One Member Was Dating Her Ex-Boyfriend
Kandi Burruss was a mogul long before becoming a cast member on the Real Housewives of Atlanta. The singer expanded her resume when she began writing for other artists, penning TLC’s “No Scrubs” and a few songs for Destiny’s Child. But working with Destiny’s Child could have been an uncomfortable experience for The Masked Singer winner, as one of the group’s members was dating Burruss’s ex-boyfriend. Thankfully, things went smoothly and she helped make the group’s album their best-selling.
Kandi Burruss and LaTavia Roberson both dated Brandon Casey from Jagged Edge
Burruss is actually credited with discovering Jagged Edge. The R&B quartet is comprised of four male singers, whom Burruss had the vision to create a male version of her group, Xscape. Burruss eventually managed the group and helped secure their first record deal.
At some point, she began dating Casey and they even moved in together. “She’s probably one of the most generous people you’ll ever meet. Like, if she got it, you got it – she’ll make you feel like that,” Casey said of Burruss during their 2017 TV One Unsung special.
They tried to keep their relationship under wraps publicly for the sake of their image and careers. It was also difficult with Burruss managing the group and balancing that with her relationship with Casey, which caused conflict between them.
She decided to remove herself as their manager. To make it known to Burruss that he was serious about their relationship, Casey revealed that Burruss was the inspiration behind the group’s breakout hit, I Gotta Be.
Burruss and Casey eventually split. Soon after, he began a romance with Roberson. Matthew Knowles, Destiny’s Child’s manager and Beyoncé’s father, was not pleased with Casey and Roberson’s relationship.
“Matthew was used to running the operation, stock and barrel. As they started becoming adults, I just remember telling the girls, ‘I wish you could see the experience for what it is without all of the control [from Matthew],’” Casey said.
Knowles allegedly felt intimidated by Casey and the group’s influence over Roberson, so much so that Jagged Edge’s involvement in the girls’ business dealing would cost two members their place in the group.
As he did with Burruss, Casey was inspired to write about his love for Roberson. Jagged Edge’s second number one hit single “Promise” is his love letter to Roberson, telling her to ignore the chatter of her friend’s of him being unfaithful on the road.
LaTavia Roberson was in a relationship with Brandon from Jagged Edge when Kandi Burruss worked with Destiny’s Child
In the midst of Casey and Roberson’s budding romance, Burruss began exploring her work as a songwriter. Her friend and producer, Shakespeare, offered her the chance to sit in on a studio session with Destiny’s Child to come up with a few tracks for their sophomore album, The Writings On The Wall.
It seemed to be the perfect match, as Destiny’s Child and Xscape were under the same record label umbrella, Columbia Records. But, knowing that Roberson was dating her ex, Burruss was initially worried about working with the group.
She said during a recent interview with 9Mag TV, “In my mind I was like, ‘Okay, I don’t know how they gonna feel about me coming to work with them.’ I didn’t know what they were going to think. It was like another girl, from another girl group and we’re on the same label – so I wanted to be prepared but not overbearing.”
Luckily, Burruss was met with warm feelings by the group, including Roberson. She wrote five songs on the album, including “Bills, Bills, Bills” and “Bug-A-Boo.”
Roberson even helped Burruss write on some of the tracks. At the time, Roberson was the primary member of Destiny’s Child with great songwriting skills. It was later rumored that Roberson was offered a spot in Xscaoe when she was kicked out of Destiny’s Child.
Roberson and Casey ended their relationship after seven years.
