Skip to main content

Any fan of the Real Housewives franchise is well-versed in its episodic drama, heartbreak, and humor. The original release, The Real Housewives of Orange County, spawned nine U.S.-based spin-offs. International fans can also enjoy such hits as The Real Housewives of Bangkok, or similar premises set in places like Athens or Vancouver. 

But while audience members have the luxury of turning off the theatrics, the featured stars face controversies and quarrels in their everyday lives. For Kandi Burruss, a staple on RHOA, the show has documented only snippets of the battles she faces with her oldest child’s father. 

Kandi Burruss smiling, seated, in front of a blurred background
Kandi Burruss | Jordin Althaus/Getty Images

Burruss shines on The Real Housewives of Atlanta

Many of Burruss’s loyal fans discovered her through The Real Housewives of Atlanta, the wildly successful reality show that Burruss joined in its second season. Now in its thirteenth season, the star continues to entertain viewers alongside other famous faces — from Kenya Moore to Porsha Williams. Burruss has also appeared in five franchise spin-offs, serving as the titular protagonist for three of them. 

Although RHOA has clearly become a large part of her career, Burruss first gained attention through her impressive singing and songwriting talents. In the ’90s, Burruss lent her voice to R&B group Xscape, helping to pen many of their most popular songs. As IMDb notes, the star won a 2000 Grammy Award for her work on TLC’s hit, “No Scrubs.” Though Burruss hasn’t released an album in over a decade, she continues to receive songwriting credits through big-name artists sampling her tracks. Beyond a successful career, Burruss also has a beautiful family with her husband Todd Tucker. Though People recounts some of their marital struggles, the two have stuck together and have two adorable kids. 

The singer briefly dated Russell ‘Block’ Spencer

Outside of Ace and Blaze, Burruss has a step-daughter in 24-year-old Kaela Tucker. She also has a daughter from a previous relationship with Russell ‘Block’ Spencer. Although the two’s romance lasted only a few months, it was filled with drama. According to Bravo TV, Burruss broke things off when she discovered that Spencer was still in a relationship with a previous love interest. At the time of the split, Burruss was pregnant.  

Spencer has made a few appearances on RHOA but spends most of his time managing his music label. The pair’s child, a daughter named Riley, recently turned 18 and is thus considered a legal adult. Prior to this, however, Burruss shared that Spencer did not do his part in raising her. 

The music mogul has failed to pay child support for Riley

Related

‘RHOA’: Kandi Burruss Explains Why Nene Leakes Really Left the Reunion Early

Burruss and Spencer had limited contact following their split, and Burruss’s immense wealth allowed her to not be too worried about badgering her baby daddy for child support. Now that Riley has grown up, however, she’s looking for assistance in funding their daughter’s college education. According to Meaww, Burruss raised Riley virtually single-handedly and feels that Spencer needs to at least step up financially. 

Some have argued that Spencer paying his reported $92,000 debt won’t be a noticeable contribution to Burruss’s large net worth. Still, others have pointed out that the wealth of one parent does not automatically let the other off the hook. Legally, the latter group has a point — according to the Meriwether & Tharp Law Office in Atlanta, failure to pay child support can result in license suspension, contempt citations, and even incarceration. We can count on RHOA to keep us updated on all of the developments in the battle. 

Best in Entertainment