Absolutely not. But you know, he has a… Hell, I think everyone knew that Tina and Richard Lawson’s marriage wasn’t going to last when Mama Tina decided to keep the last name of her serial cheater ex-husband.
When you told Matthew Knowles that you were pregnant with his child, how did he react?
“Um, very much like, ‘Well, you can’t get pregnant by me. You know this can’t be my child.’ Can it get more disrespectful than a woman keeping such a man’s last name? Well, apparently, it can. Tina has put poor Richard through more than you could ever imagine.”
“I envisioned the type of man I wanted. I prayed for the type of man I wanted, and I pretty much got that. Is he perfect? Absolutely not. But, you know, he has a lot of the qualities that I love. And we’re having a really good time, and I’m enjoying life. So there is hope, women.”
Did y’all see the look of disappointment on that man’s face? Now, I know no one is perfect, and Tina wasn’t wrong in telling Richard that he’s not perfect. But it’s the way she said it. She embarrassed the hell out of her husband, and he was visibly upset.
That interview happened back in 2018, and in the years since, fans have noticed moments where Tina seemed disrespectful to Richard. Could it be that he finally got fed up and decided to leave? If you’ve been paying attention, you might have seen some hints over the past few months. But if not, here are some signs that people have picked up on.
First off, Tina and Richard used to regularly post about each other on social media, but the last time Tina shared a photo with her second husband on Instagram was at the Vanity Fair Oscar party in mid-March. She even changed her Instagram bio from Tina Knowles Lawson to just Tina Knowles, dropping Richard’s last name. Plus, Richard was noticeably absent from Jay-Z’s mom’s wedding, even though the entire family was there. Tina also skipped her husband’s screening of his new film, “Black Terror,” at the Essence Festival in New Orleans. The biggest clue came when Richard was seen without his wedding ring. On top of that, they didn’t share their usual sweet anniversary posts on social media, making it clear to some that they are no longer together. Tina has also been deleting comments and blocking people who ask about Richard on her Instagram, which definitely suggests something is up.
If you need more evidence, Tina and Richard didn’t go on Magic Johnson’s annual summer Friends cruise this year, an event they usually attend and take lots of photos at. It’s clear they’re no longer together. Looking back, there were red flags in their relationship that we might have ignored. One big red flag was how Richard was reportedly obsessed with Tina when he first met her, even though she was still with Matthew at the time.
“You know, I’ve known Richard for 40 years, and when we reconnected, it was like a blessing from above. I truly believe that because I had prayed for it.”
Richard himself was blown away when he first laid eyes on Tina. Reflecting on their initial encounter, he wrote, “What struck me was not just your beauty, but also your incredible heart, compassion, empathy, generosity, and philanthropy. You were pregnant with Beyoncé and married back then, so my admiration for you remained a silent admiration.”
But it’s worth noting, Richard was married too at that time and had a two-year-old daughter named Bianca. Though he kept his feelings for Tina to himself, they stayed close as friends. Eventually, Tina went through a divorce, and that’s when Richard decided to make his move. Although there are whispers that he didn’t wait for her to be single.
And about Tina’s situation with Matthew Knowles, well…
“Matthew Knowles invited me to his hotel.”
“Did he try anything with you?”
“Well, I haven’t met too many people in my life who didn’t like me. Let’s just say it like that.”
In 2009, Tina and Matthew went their separate ways after it came out that Matthew had fathered a child with Alexandra Wright. Tina initially dropped the lawsuit in 2010 but reopened it the next year, citing “conflict of personalities” as the reason for their inability to reconcile. And it wasn’t just about Alexandra; there were rumors of Matthew cheating with other women for quite some time. The timing of Jacoby’s pregnancy overlapping with Alexandra Wright’s raised questions about Matthew’s marital status with Tina.
But here’s the twist: Allegedly, Matthew wasn’t the only one straying. According to David Lee Brewer, Beyoncé’s childhood vocal coach, in his tell-all book “Beyoncé: Raising Genius – A Teacher and His Prodigy,” Tina also had her fling with Richard. Brewer first spilled the beans about Matthew’s drug abuse, claiming he had moved on to harder substances like crack cocaine. Then, he dropped the bomb about Tina and Richard, recalling an awkward encounter where he caught them in a compromising position at the main house.
So, it seems Tina and Richard might’ve had a thing going on long before walking down the aisle. But you know what’s also being whispered about their split? Word has it that Tina’s been quietly yearning to reconnect with Matthew, especially given how she still talks about him like he’s family.
“I mean, this is my family we’re talking about. My ex is still family. So, I’m not about to dive back into that mess. But yeah, it stings a bit, you know? It’s a hit to the pride.”
No wonder she held onto his last name even after everything they went through. And like I mentioned earlier, to a lot of folks, that was a major warning sign. And it wasn’t the only one. Another clue that there might still be some unresolved feelings came up in 2021 when Matthew got diagnosed with breast cancer.
“My first sign was some weird discharge, and I knew something wasn’t right. Having dealt with mammography gear, I wasted no time getting to a doctor. A mammogram, a biopsy later, and we found out it was cancer, thankfully caught early.”
Guess who Matthew reached out to first when he got the news? Yep, his ex-wife, Tina. Also, in January 2023, during Beyoncé’s Dubai gig, there were sightings of Matthew and Tina grabbing a meal together. It’s nice to see they’re on good terms, but given their history, it wouldn’t be surprising if there’s more going on than just catching up. And hey, maybe it’s not all on Tina. Maybe Richard’s got a part to play too. But one thing’s for sure: there’s a lot happening between Tina and Richard, and whether it’s a bump in the road or the end of the line, only time will tell.
Naturally, their fans have been reacting, and a lot of them aren’t exactly shocked. Like this tweet I saw: “I had a hunch Tina and Richard wouldn’t last, just like I knew Solo and Alan were doomed. You win some, you lose some.” Some folks even suggested Tina might’ve been a handful, especially for a traditional guy like Richard. One user said, “She must’ve been a handful. He’s aged like 20 years during their marriage. Hats off to Richard.”
Do you reckon Richard’s had his fill of Tina’s disrespect, or do you suspect there’s more to their split? Could Tina be eyeing a reunion with Matthew? And what’s up with all these Hollywood breakups lately? Seems like love’s on the rocks for everyone. Share your take on Richard and Tina’s breakup down below.
