Entertainment

Stevie Wonder: How He Became a Ladies’ Man

Published

10 years ago

March 3, 2015

Stevie Wonder performs during the finale of “Stevie Wonder: Songs in the Key of Life – An All-Star Grammy Salute,” at the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2015, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

by Stacy M. Brown
Special to the NNPA from The Washington Informer

Stevie Wonder practices what he preaches. One of our greatest love-song writers, composer of “My Cherie Amour” and “Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours,” recently fathered his ninth child — with a fifth woman.

“No one has been a greater advocate for the power of love in this world than I have, both in my life and in my music,” Wonder once said.

Just prior to his “Songs in the Key of Life” concert that aired Feb. 16 on CBS, friends described his remarkable knack for finding pretty ladies. They say the 64-year-old Casanova met his fiancée, 40-year-old Tomeeka Robyn Bracy, with that same instinct.

“Like he does with all of the other women, they were at the same gathering and he smelled the kind of perfume she was wearing, she walked past him and he said she seemed light on her feet so she must be a pretty lady,” the source said.

Wonder himself has previously described how he meets women, saying that he was taken by his first wife, the late Syreeta Wright, because “she was fresh.”

He said he sensed her sexiness by touching the sleeves of her blouse.

“A lady that wears an expensive top, is not loud when she speaks and smells good, that’s how I know,” he said. “I know a lady of the world when I’m around her, so I really don’t need anyone to tell me she’s the one or she’s not.”

One former girlfriend, whom Wonder met in a Los Angeles church during Sunday worship, said that the singer’s entourage helps as well.

“I mean look, he’s sitting in the pew right behind me. He’s Stevie Wonder. Later, I found out that one of his guys that were with him told him, ‘Wow, she’s got a nice butt and a face to match,’ ” she said.

“But, I remember him tapping me on the shoulder, and his pick-up line was asking me what was it that brought me to church. I said, ‘I’m here every single Sunday because I believe in God’ and he says that he could give me all of the things God has promised to give me, only I didn’t need to pray to him.”

Another ex-girlfriend, who dated the singer for nearly five years, said Wonder wooed her by repeatedly showing up at church, even staying late, stealing her heart by giving piano lessons and turning gospel songs into love songs.

“He’d change the words and insert my name and his name in there and he’d even talk about what he thought would be good baby names and how he’d buy the most fabulous of houses and how he knew I could help him to take care of himself and do his heart right,” she said. “So, naturally, it wasn’t hard to fall for.”

Wonder has been married twice but fathered children — aged two months to 40 — with five women. His first child, Aisha, was born in 1975 and became the subject of hit song “Isn’t She Lovely.” Even Wonder’s mom, who died in 2006, acknowledged some of her son’s antics.

“He’d pick out a woman like Diana [Ross], or Martha Reeves and, before they’d come into the building, he’d get someone to tell him what color dress they were wearing,” Lula Hardaway said.

“When they’d come in, Steve would run up to them and say, ‘I love that red dress. I love those black shoes,’ and they’d be stopped in their tracks.”

But Wonder would soon learn that Ross — who was having an affair with Motown Records founder Berry Gordy — was off-limits.

“He flirted, but when it came to Diana, we had to let him know that she was the boss’ woman and the boss doesn’t play,” said Levi Stubbs of the Four Tops.

Stacy Brown is the co-author of “Blind Faith: The Miraculous Journey of Lula Hardaway, Stevie Wonder’s Mother.”

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Oakland Post: Week of January 8 – 14, 2025

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of January 8 – 14, 2025

Published

4 days ago

January 11, 2025

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2024 in Review: 7 Questions for California Black Chamber of Commerce CEO Jay King

Jay King is also a member of the popular 1980s R&B group Club Nouveau. In his role as an artist and activist, he has stood up for issues affecting underrepresented Californians for over three decades. As the President of the CBCC, King says he is determined to put his mark on developing and expanding the capacity of African American businessmen and women.

Published

1 week ago

January 5, 2025

Oakland Post

Jay King, president of CEO of the California Black Chamber of Commerce.

By Edward Henderson, California Black Media

Grammy Award-winning singer and record label executive, Jay King, was elected CEO/President of the California Black Chamber of Commerce (CBCC) in June of 2019.

The CBCC is the largest African American non-profit business organization, representing thousands of small and emerging businesses, affiliates, and chambers of commerce throughout California.

King is also a member of the popular 1980s R&B group Club Nouveau. In his role as an artist and activist, he has stood up for issues affecting underrepresented Californians for over three decades.

As the President of the CBCC, King says he is determined to put his mark on developing and expanding the capacity of African American businessmen and women.

California Black Media (CBM) spoke with King recently. He reflected on the Chamber’s accomplishments, disappointments, lessons learned this year, and goals moving forward.

Looking back at 2024, what stands out as your most important achievement and why? 

Making the voices of micro and mini-micro businesses loud, forcing policymakers and other decision makers across the state to pay attention to them. With legislation in place now — AB 1574 and AB 2019 – that mandates that the state and agencies affiliated with the state extend opportunities to micro and mini business owners and give them a chance to participate in government contracting in a real way.

How did your leadership and investments contribute to improving the lives of Black Californians? 

I really want to contribute to the world and the state of Black businesses because of the systemic inequities in the past.

Small business, micro businesses and mini businesses are too often overlooked.

I think it would be egotistical to believe that I make any significant impact on my own. Whether it’s the Asian Chamber, Hispanic Chamber and other organizations that are fighting the same fight. I think it’s a collective, so I’m proud to be part of the collective.

What frustrated you the most over the last year?

We say we want to give access to capital to small businesses, yet we continue to create barriers that deny them access.

What inspired you the most over the last year?

Watching some of the small business owners that we worked with — these micro businesses — and seeing the potential and the power that is in front of us.

What is one lesson you learned in 2024 that will inform your decision-making next year?

We have to fight for Black business owners, but they also have to be prepared; because if they’re not, it affects us all down the line.

In one word, what is the biggest challenge Black Californians face?

Self-belief. I think we have been conditioned on victimization and victimhood. We think that if we don’t get the help we need that we will falter.

What is the goal you want to achieve most in 2025?

I want to change the trajectory of micro and mini business owners.

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Tina Thompson: Champion, Legend, and Pioneer of Women’s Basketball

Known for her signature red lipstick, Thompson displayed confidence and style on the court, becoming an icon both for her gameplay and her individuality. Her ability to score from anywhere on the floor, combined with her defensive prowess, made her one of the league’s most formidable players.

Published

1 week ago

January 5, 2025

Oakland Post

Tina Thompson at 2013 WNBA All-Star game at Mohegan Sun. 27 July 2013. Photo: Danny Karwaski/Wikimedia Commons.

By Tamara Shiloh

The establishment of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) in 1996 was a turning point for women’s sports, creating a professional platform for female basketball players to showcase their skills at the highest level. Among the trailblazers who helped launch the league, Tina Thompson stands out as the first African American woman drafted into the WNBA.

Tina Thompson was born on February 10, 1975, in Los Angeles, California. Raised in a basketball-loving household, she quickly developed a passion for the game. Thompson improved her skills on the playgrounds of South Central Los Angeles, often playing against boys, which toughened her game and fueled her competitive edge.

She attended the University of Southern California (USC), where she became a standout player for the Trojans. Known for her versatility, scoring ability, and relentless work ethic, she earned All-Pac-10 honors multiple times and cemented her reputation as one of the top collegiate players in the nation.

When the WNBA held its first-ever draft on April 28, 1997, Tina Thompson made history as the league’s first African American player to be drafted. Selected as the first overall pick by the Houston Comets, she joined a team that would go on to dominate the early years of the WNBA.

Tina’s selection was a historic moment, symbolizing the league’s commitment to showcasing diverse talent. As a Black woman in a pioneering role, Thompson carried the hopes of aspiring African American female athletes who dreamed of playing professional basketball.

Tina wasted no time making an impact in the WNBA. As a key member of the Houston Comets alongside legends Cynthia Cooper and Sheryl Swoopes, she helped lead the team to an unprecedented four consecutive championships from 1997 to 2000. The Comets’ dynasty became the gold standard for excellence in the league’s early years.

Over a career spanning 17 seasons, Tina established herself as one of the WNBA’s all-time greats. She retired as the league’s leading scorer, a record she held until it was broken by Diana Taurasi. She was a nine-time WNBA All-Star and was named to multiple All-WNBA teams, cementing her status as one of the sport’s legends.

In 2018, Thompson’s contributions to basketball were recognized with her induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The honor underscored her influence not just as a player, but as a trailblazer for African American women in sports.

After retiring from professional basketball, she transitioned into coaching, using her experience and knowledge to mentor young athletes. She has served as a head coach at the collegiate level, inspiring the next generation of players to pursue excellence both on and off the court.

As a role model and advocate, Thompson has consistently emphasized the importance of education, empowerment, and self-belief. Her story resonates with countless young women who see in her the embodiment of perseverance and success.

Tina Thompson is presently in her third season as an assistant coach at the University of Texas at Austin.