TWEETY LOOKING GOOD!
By Tiffany Long 2/15/08
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - Atlanta Gossip (AG) Reporter Tiffany Long spoke tonight live via the phone with former Next group member Raphael “Tweety” Brown. He told me that he was no longer in the group Next. He said that he was kicked out of the band of 10 years that he started with his brother, Terry 'T-Low' Brown and band mate, Robert Lavelle 'R.L.' Huggar by their new manager and Music World Entertainment record label head, Mathew Knowles. He was replaced with R&B singer, Deponce who lives here in Atlanta .
If you remember back in 2006, Next signed to Mathew Knowles' Music World Entertainment label. As you may recall, on April 2, 2007, R.L. revealed on Atlanta’s V-103’s Frank Ski & Wanda Morning Show, that their new album would be entitled Sex Toy. Tweety told me that Mathew made them change the title and it was renamed to, Next, Lies, & Videotape by Solange Knowles, Mathew’s daughter. Their album was rumored to be originally slated for a July 2007 release, but was delayed because Mathew was working on Beyonce’s B’ Day album. In the meantime, he made the boys re-record the entire album with new member, Deponce. At the same time R.L. was also working on his second solo album and Mathew ordered him to stop and concentrate on the groups effort.
Tiffany: Tweety, so what happened?
Tweety: To keep it on a real tip, me and Mathew bumped heads from day one. He came in and just wanted to make all these changes. We have been doing our thing for a decade and he did not respect what we had done. He was not happy unless it was his way and only his way. He did not take any of our ideas into consideration.
Tiffany: What do you mean his way?
Tweety: That dude is on a power trip. If things aren’t his way, it’s nobody’s way. He even allowed his daughter who don’t even have a career basically to come in and write songs for us and name our album. What kind of B@^#S^ #% is that? Anyway, I can’t go into to much more detail because of a pending suit, but all I can say is, he is a dictator.
Tiffany: Wow, it’s funny that you say that. I have heard the same exact thing from the former band members of Destiny’s Child. You know LaTavia and I are good friends...We talk all the time.
Tiffany: Anyway, let me stay on track. That is totally another story for another day…haaa. So why do you think he kicked you out of the group? Well, without saying to much, I was told that I was not carrying my weight and that I couldn’t sing. I was told that I was the cancer that had killed the success of the group.
Tiffany: What? You were told that?
Tweety: Yeap, in so many ways…
Tiffany: So what happened to the album?
Tweety: The guys are re-recording it without me…they are re-doing it with their new singer name, Deponce. He is from Atlanta.
Tiffany: So, is your brother still in the group?
Tweety: Yes.
Tiffany: So how do you feel about that?
Tweety: I have no comment on that particular situation.
Tiffany: Ok...Is it true that you warned your fellow band mates not to sign with Mathew Knowles and his Music World Entertainment Label?
Tweety: Yes, that is true, but the fellows thought that he could take our careers to the next level. They thought that we could be the male version of “Destiny’s Child.”
Tiffany: Well, we all know that would never happen. Mathew is only concerned about Beyonce and none of his other artists. So what are your plans for the future?
Tweety: I am writing and producing songs and I have written a ballard for a major female R&B singer who lives here in Atlanta . I also have an offer on the table to travel with a major stage play, so we will see how things work out.
Tiffany: Well Tweety, we wish you all the best and let us know how things are working out for you.
Tweety: I will…thanks for talking with me.
Who is Deponce? To find out more about Tweety’s replacement in the group, visit Deponce’s My Space page.
http://www.myspace.com/deponcemusic
Thanks to Tiffany Long of Atlanta Gossip for giving us all the exclusives.
