Following her sister Trina Braxton’s divorce, it appeared that American R&B singer Traci Braxton’s marriage to her husband would not last much longer as well. After both parties leveled accusations at each other, the two-decade marriage was on the verge of dissolution.
But, did they end up divorcing, or were they able to save their relationship? To find out the answers, keep reading!
Married Life That Failed
Traci and her husband, Kevin Surratt, have two more children in addition to their son, Kevin Surratt Jr. The couple first met in 1993, became friends, and eventually fell in love.
Their marriage, however, did not always run smoothly; they went through some rough patches, which began when the 48-year-old reality TV star accused her partner of the infidelity for the first time.
Kevin, who works as an actor, was accused of having an extramarital affair and fathering an illegitimate child. In 2013, Traci even demanded that her husband take a paternity test to prove that the rumors were false.
Although it is unclear whether Kevin had a child outside of his marriage, allegations that he cheated on his wife on multiple occasions were proven to be true. Traci, on the other hand, was not completely blameless in this case.
Putting their differences aside, the couple decided to give their marriage one last chance by enrolling in the third season of the popular We TV show “Marriage Boot Camp.” It was an admirable attempt, but the couple’s plans did not pan out.
In 2014, the truth about Traci and Kevin’s long-running marriage was finally revealed in the media during an episode in which they were tasked with saying mean and derogatory things to each other. Traci began the conversation by accusing her husband of not prioritizing his family and spending too much money on himself.
The exact words she uttered were,
“You never spend any time with me. You’re always gone. You always wanna hang around fellas all the time. You keep spending money that you’re not even supposed to be spending. You never asked me, Tracy let’s go and let’s think about buying something. But you just go ahead and you just take it yourself. Ok I’m gonna spend this money I guess cause this is what I want. You never discussed with me.”
Kevin continued the blame game instead of defending himself, saying,
“You don’t want to listen to me tight. I don’t say things the way you want me to say it. You degrade me like I’m less than you.”
Traci went on to say,
“You treat me like a child. You just tell me what to do all the time.”
Kevin decided to play the ultimate card in order to avoid losing the argument and blamed her for drinking too much. Traci defended herself by claiming that she enjoyed her breakfast beer.
Traci later discussed the incident on the We TV show “Braxton Family Values” with her sisters Trina and Towanda. She stated,
“I was so mad with Kevin because he whispered to me, you drinking too much. I told him I think we should have a divorce.”
She also attempted to justify her drinking habits by claiming that, while she enjoyed drinking, she was not a drunk.
It was clear that the friendship that had turned into marriage was hanging on a thread that could snap at any time. The ‘Marriage Boot Camp,’ which started out as a disaster for the partners, eventually led to their redemption.
They previously discussed how their marriage was losing intimacy in an interview with Lenny Green. They also talked about how ‘Marriage Boot Camp’ helped them bridge their communication gaps by forcing them to open up to one another.
Traci and Kevin appear to have faith in their marriage despite going through some difficult times. The marriage, which had previously been plagued by infidelity, alcoholism, and a lack of communication, is now on the mend.
Traci and her husband have welcomed the newest member of their family, in addition to maintaining a healthy marriage despite going through a terrible marital crisis. Traci’s son Kevin Jr. has recently become a father, and Traci has recently become a grandmother. Olivia Haaron, Kevin Jr.’s girlfriend, gave birth to a baby boy in May 2018.
Despite being a proud grandmother, Traci dislikes the term and prefers to be referred to as a “Duchess.”
Traci had previously mentioned the reason for Olivia’s preference for the term “Duchess” over the more traditional term “grandmother” when Olivia was pregnant with the baby in late March 2018. The reality star said in an interview with The Grio,
“My sisters and I…when we were younger, we said if we ever have kids, and our kids have kids, our names would be duchess. That’s royalty, thats what they call the Queens when they have grandkids. So, I’m royalty.”
The birth of a grandson has brought the Braxton family closer together and taught them the value of staying together as a family.
Traci’s Weight Loss, and a Death in the Braxton Family
The Braxton family has recently suffered a tragic loss of life. Lauren Braxton, Traci’s niece and the daughter of the reality star’s brother Michael Braxton, died of a heart condition on April 29, 2019.
Lauren’s death broke hearts, but fans were outraged when they learned that Traci’s sister Tamar did not attend the funeral.
Tamar had claimed that her absence was due to a busy schedule in Atlanta for the filming of Braxton Family Values, but fans didn’t think the excuse was valid.
Lauren’s death isn’t the only one in the Braxton family; Trina Braxton’s husband Gabe Solis died in December 2018. Traci’s sister is engaged for the second time in less than a year, and she and her fiance, Von Scales, maybe married soon.
Traci has become more interested in maintaining her physical health as a result of all the deaths. She’s also shed a lot of weight in the last few months.
Bio of Traci Braxton
Michael Conrad Braxton Sr. and Evelyn Jackson raised Traci Braxton in Severn, Maryland. Her father worked for a power company and was a Methodist minister, while her mother was a pastor, a cosmetologist, and a former opera singer. Traci, who was born in 1971, has a brother named Michael Conrad Braxton Jr. and celebrates her birthday every year on April 2.
Toni, Traci, Towanda, Trina, and Tamar Braxton began their singing careers in 1989 when the Braxton sisters (Toni, Traci, Towanda, Trina, and Tamar) signed their first record deal with Arista Records. ‘Good Life,’ their first and only single as a fivesome, was released in 1990. The song, on the other hand, was a flop.
Despite the fact that her sister Toni left the band in 1991, Traci and her other sisters continued to perform with their original band, ‘The Braxtons.’ ‘So Many Ways,’ the band’s debut studio album, was released in 1996. The album debuted at #2 on the Heatseekers chart in the United States.
The Braxtons’ second studio album, ‘Braxton Family Christmas,’ debuted at #1 on the US Heatseekers chart in 2015. ‘So Many Ways,’ the group’s single, peaked at #22 on the US R&B chart.
In New Zealand, their single ‘Only Love’ reached #3, and their single ‘The Boss’ reached #1 on the US Dance chart.
Traci Braxton hosted her own radio show, ‘The Traci Braxton Show,’ which was a hit in 2013. In 2011, Traci and her sisters co-starred in the We TV show ‘Braxton Family Values.’ The show has already aired 115 episodes across five seasons. The show’s sixth season is currently airing, and it has already become a hit thanks to the addition of a non-family member and the Braxton sisters’ ongoing feud.
Despite Tamar’s objections, reality star Phaedra Parks joined the show as one of the main characters in the most recent season. Traci and her new BFF are even traveling to South Dakota and Wyoming to live among the cowboys and get a taste of the cowboy lifestyle.
The feud between the sisters began when Traci’s siblings felt overshadowed by her appearance on the show and refused to film some episodes. Traci, on the other hand, has Phaedra to help her gain viewers for the season, and she has stated in her own words that having a dollar maker is far more important than the hatred of a broke person.
Traci, who has an estimated net worth of $800,000, has struggled with obesity in the past. She developed diabetes and high blood pressure as a result of her eating disorder, but she was able to recover after reevaluating her diet and losing 64 pounds in two years.
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