Raphael Saadiq NEVER FORGAVE ‘Tony! Toni! Toné!’ Members After This…**

Raphael Saadiq, born in Oakland, California, grew up in a large family and found solace in music from a young age. He started on bass guitar at six, sang gospel by nine, and by his teens was performing with The Gospel Hummingbirds.

His big break came when he joined Sheila E.’s band for Prince’s Parade tour, where he first used the name Raphael.

Returning to Oakland, he formed Tony! Toni! Toné! with his brother Dwayne Wiggins and cousin Timothy Christian. The group found massive success in the late 1980s and 1990s, blending R&B with soul and funk. But beneath the hits, trouble was brewing. As the group’s lead singer, Saadiq wanted to grow as an artist, but financial mismanagement and industry pressures created tension.

When the money started coming in from their successful records, Saadiq and other members felt cheated. They never received their agreed-upon percentages—Saadiq was supposed to get 12%, Carl Wheeler 16%, but the money was controlled by others. Band members alleged that Dwayne and Timothy kept the lion’s share, only giving out what they wanted. This financial betrayal caused deep rifts.

The problems went beyond money. Saadiq also felt sidelined in credit for major projects, such as Alicia Keys’s “Diary,” where only the other two members were credited as the full band. Even the band’s name, Tony! Toni! Toné!, eventually became the legal property of his brother Dwayne, further alienating Saadiq.

As the band’s popularity grew, so did outside influence. Record executives and managers tried to control the group, even considering replacing Saadiq with another singer. The president of Polygram, Ed Eckstein, made bold moves to push Saadiq out, even trying to bring in Stockley Williams from Mint Condition. These betrayals and power plays made it impossible for Saadiq to stay.

After a VH1 live show, Saadiq quietly left the group, never calling anyone back. He didn’t plan it, but the split was inevitable. The group’s chemistry was lost, and fans noticed the difference.

Saadiq’s departure didn’t end the drama. Lawsuits followed, with former members Elijah Baker, Antron Hailey, and Carl Wheeler suing for unpaid royalties. They claimed they never saw their share from albums like “The Revival,” which went double platinum. The group’s leaders allegedly fired their manager and lawyer, leaving others unprotected and in the dark about finances.

Despite these setbacks, Saadiq built a successful solo career and formed Lucy Pearl with Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Dawn Robinson. He found new creative freedom, though even Lucy Pearl was short-lived due to members’ solo ambitions.

Saadiq’s story is one of resilience. He turned personal pain and industry betrayal into music that resonated with millions. While he learned to forgive some former collaborators, the wounds from Tony! Toni! Toné! ran deep. The combination of financial betrayal, loss of creative credit, and the group’s name being taken from him meant that Saadiq likely never fully forgave his former bandmates.

His legacy, however, is secure—not just as a founding member of Tony! Toni! Toné!, but as an influential solo artist and producer whose music continues to inspire.

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