Although Mary J. Blige did not have kids of her own, she did have a stepdaughter, Briana Latrise, who was upset when the singer divorced her ex-husband, Kendu Isaacs. Here's everything we know about Blige's stepdaughter.
Singer-songwriter Mary J. Blige is an iconic figure in the music industry who has immortalized such hit songs as "Family Affair," "Be Without You," and "Just Fine."
While Blige has a stellar music career, her marriage to her ex-husband Kendu Isaacs was not as successful. The former couple's 2018 divorce deeply affected Isaac's daughter, Briana Latrise.
Mary J. Blige speaks onstage after accepting the Star Power Award during the 2018 Black Girls Rock! at Newark, New Jersey. | Photo: Getty Images
Latrise is Blige's stepdaughter who appeared on the reality TV show, "Growing Up Hip-Hop." Latrise was upset about how Blige and her dad became distant after their divorce. She said:
"It almost makes me feel like, 'Did I have something to do with it?'"
The reality star, who stuns fans with her freckled beauty, is Isaacs' daughter from a previous relationship. Her biological mother met Isaacs as a teen, but their relationship was short-lived.
Her father married another woman named Maurine, Latrise's ex-stepmother, who allegedly mistreated her when she was a child. Adding up to Latrise's rough childhood was Isaac's absence in her life.
Latrise, who sports body tattoos now, did not have a good relationship with Isaacs who allegedly treated her like a feral animal. She used to love her father unconditionally, but he did not reciprocate her love.
She lashed out at Isaacs for failing to be a strong presence in her life. According to Latrise, her father prioritized his sexual desires and financial ambition over their relationship.
Having an unsupportive father made Latrise miss Blige, her then-stepmother with whom she shared a warm affection. Isaacs married the 50-year-old singer in 2003 after he ended his relationship with Maurine.
Blige went through a painful ordeal with Isaacs and her then-stepdaughter felt how deep her wounds were.
However, Isaacs' marriage with the "Mudbound" actress did not last as well. In a 2017 interview with Angie Martinez from Power 105.1, she opened up about her emotional divorce from Isaacs.
The "Umbrella Academy" star said Isaacs disrespected her. Blige also sensed that her ex-husband did not want her anymore in his life, and seemed to be looking for something to change about her.
According to the Oscar-nominated actress, Isaacs asked her why she won't style her hair in a certain way or why she never cooked. It led Blige to question their relationship.
Her ex-husband was gone most of the time, and his absence resulted in many rumors, which turned out to be true. She said there's nothing to investigate about the rumor as it showed up to her.
She filed for divorce from Isaacs in 2016, citing irreconcilable differences. The Grammy-winning singer claimed that her ex-husband spent more than $420,000 on "travel charges" involving a woman he had an affair with during their marriage.
The couples' divorce was finalized in 2018. Blige expressed regrets for previously thanking her husband for helping her overcome drug addiction, saying that he did not deserve the credit.
She said she wanted a savior as she was hurt so badly in the past. With Isaacs gone, Blige said it was her inner strength that pushed her to stop her drug abuse.
She also described Isaacs as a con artist and a gold digger, adding that he was only after her fortune. Blige went through a painful ordeal with Isaacs and her then-stepdaughter felt how deep her wounds were.
"I love her, and I get it," Latrise said. Although she felt that Blige does not want to speak to her directly, Latrise respects her privacy and continues to look up to her stepmother as her role model.
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