I got a chance to chat with Tameka to find out how she’s preparing for her upcoming stint on VH1’s Atlanta Exes, and while she’s a bit nervous about the show’s launch, she’s looking forward to proving that she’s more than just “Usher Raymond’s Ex-Wife’.
[WATCH: Sneak Peek – Atlanta Exes Premiere Episode (FULL VIDEO)]
We talked about several things including her decision to dive into reality television, her battles with ‘the blawgs’, how she hopes to be perceived, and I even asked about the odd timing of Usher Raymond’s recent O Magazine statement.
[READ: Quick Quotes: Usher Has ‘No Regrets’ About Marrying Tameka Raymond… ]
Check out my exclusive one on one with Tameka Raymond below…
VIDEO: EXCLUSIVE: One on One With Tameka Raymond
Tameka Raymond on if she feels her reality TV will affect her life…
You know why I don’t think it’s going to change? Cause I’ve been somewhat in the spotlight for the past 7/8 years due to my marriage, and… the demise of it… the custody case and this and that.
I’ve already been in the limelight… I’ve already been under the microscope (so to speak) so I don’t see it changing much.
What Tameka hopes to gain about being on the show…
I hope to clear up some misconceptions.? People have so many things wrong about me.
I’ve already heard every rumor under the sun, so what more can they come up with about me?
I look at it as a free commercial, so many people tune in to our network (VH1) just to watch all kinds of different things… why not launch some of the things I’m working on and hopefully clear up some misconceptions.
Tameka on Usher’s O Magazine Quote:
I haven’t seen it… but I think it’s kind of hard for him NOT to talk about me.
The fans try to sweep it under the rug, but that is my baby daddy (laughs)… he’s my ex-husband.
We’re cooler than people would like to think (or that even he would like to think).? We’re cool. We co-parent.? We have two amazing off the hook… busy children to raise.
He has one that looks like him, I have one that looks like me. We’re kind of joined at the him.? We’re stuck with each other for a while.
Tameka on Usher’s response to her decision to do ‘Atlanta Exes’
He honestly thought that it was beneath me… he thought ‘you’re much more than my ex-wife.? You should stand alone.’
The name is a hook and I think it will get more people to watch but I hope that people will see that I AM more and that are layers to me.
I can be mean at times and they’ll be like ‘that’s why he left her!’ (laughs)…? but I’m also a jokster.
I’m always clowning, I will bag on you when you walk in the door and for the sake of tv they will make it look like I’m being mean and I’m really being funny… but that’s tv.
‘Atlanta Exes’ premieres next week (August 18th) on VH1.