Brandy's Sneaky Marriage Secret

Brandy's ex claims they were never legally hitched and lied about their marital status to maintain her image

By Lia Haberman Jul 22, 2004 7:30 PMTags

The boy was Brandy's...sort of.

Brandy's ex, Robert Smith, has lashed out at the R&B songstress, labeling their marriage a hoax meant to maintain the singer-actress' wholesome image.

Smith revealed on Wendy Williams' radio show Monday that the couple's secret July 2001 nuptials never actually happened. Ditto their subsequent divorce.

Smith, a music producer, and the former Moesha star called it quits last year. The two collaborated on a daughter, Sy'rai, born June 2002. Her birth was documented on MTV's Diary Presents: Brandy--Special Delivery.

At the time of her pregnancy, Brandy (last name Norwood) announced that she and Smith had tied the knot a year earlier.

But speaking to Diamond on Power 99, WUSL-FM, Smith referred to Brandy as his "jump-off" woman and said that he'd been involved with another woman, a film producer, when they learned Brandy was preggers.

A decision was made to tell people they were married, allegedly at the urging of Brandy's mother-manager Sonia Norwood, who didn't want her daughter tagged as an unwed mother.

The kiss-and-tell cad has since reunited with the film producer and is expecting a child with her in two months. Brandy has also moved on, allegedly into the arms L.A. Clippers guard Quentin Richardson.

The singer, who's promoting her fourth album Afrodisiac, said she was "hurt and shocked" by Smith's revelations in a statement from her publicist. While not a legal union, she insisted they had "spiritual union and a true commitment to each other."

"We still share a common bond through our daughter, Sy'rai," the statement continued. "He is not thinking about her, me or what we had together. He is trying to destroy my reputation while using me and our daughter to get publicity and radio airplay for his artists. I am stunned that he is being so dirty about it."

Smith was at the radio station to shill for an artist named Amanda, who has signed to his Big Bert Entertainment label and will release her first single, "Please Mister," in August. He denied his bombshell leak was a publicity ploy.

"My comments were in no way made to take away any responsibility from Sy'rai emotionally or financially," he said. "And in no way am I an irresponsible father.

"I have recently been granted joint custody of Sy'rai. When breaking off relationships it's always difficult, and I prefer not to air our dirty laundry through the media. I was just stating the truth. Brandy and I have many things to work out over a long period of time, [and] will hopefully [head] in a more positive direction," he concluded.