The Braxtons (2024) s01e05 Episode Script
Happy Birthday, Traci!
1
♪♪
So Tay, what are you working
on these days?
What are you excited
about? I am [Clears throat]
wrapping up my album.
Tamar: I haven't put out
a album since Bluebird.
Bluebird.
How long ago was that?
Five years ago.
I'm so nervous about it.
Look who I have.
What's been going on?
Towanda: We've all been
concerned about Kevin.
We just need to let
him know ASAP
that he doesn't have
to go through this alone.
My father, he feels as though
maybe she wasn't
in her right mind
in her will.
Like, it was an influence
on my mother's condition.
She knew exactly
what she was doing
about who she wanted to be
her executor.
It was me.
It was you.
Toni:
She didn't want a funeral.
She wanted to stay private
for that part of her passing.
But Tracy's husband decided
to have a funeral anyway
and put it on
the internet.
She said, "I don't want people
to have to grieve that hard,
looking down on me."
I think y'all
maybe should talk to his dad.
Trina: He chose what he wanted
for himself personally
over what she wanted.
By no means do I ever want
that individual
to have any type of platform
on our platform
ever again.
Don't push me.
♪♪
Trina: Oji!
Yo! Oji!
Oji: I'm coming!
I'm coming! I'm coming!
What he don't want me
to do is really tell the truth.
You see what I'm saying?
Don't push me.
And we didn't notgo
to her funeral.
We did not attend
that thing that
he set up
Towanda: That she
did not want.
That she did not want.
She said it,
and she put it in her will,
that she did not
want a funeral.
Right.
Are you kidding me?
But you want him
to be on the [Bleep] show?
Never.
I think that the audience
and the fans need to understand
that this platform
is not for anyone else
other than the people
who respect Traci's wishes.
Y'all didn't want
the scene to happen?
Hell no.
No.
And it didn't happen.
Good.
No.
So that's what we do.
Will it happen?
It won't happen.
Okay.
It won't happen.
I always fought for Traci.
And I'm gonna continue
fighting for Traci
till the day I die.
Absolutely.
And beyond.
There's so much
We didn't leaveour sister.
This situation is facts.
When we did
"Braxton Family Values",
when we signed in 2009
and then we came out in 2011,
everybody gave Traci that
they called her The Wannabe.
whatever
said about you.
That was That
was her name.
And then it was
it was played upon,
is what I'm saying.
It was played upon,
and then it was fed.
Traci: Okay, Trina,
let's put it down.
I ain't worth [Bleep] to
y'all. That's what I feel.
I'm not worth [Bleep]
to y'all
'cause of the choices
I made.
I feel Okay,
Trina had a child
way before me.
She was pregnant.
I got pregnant.
Trina got to sing.
I couldn't sing.
But it was told to me
I had to
"Well, Traci,
you made that decision."
Come the freak on!
The whole time,
everybody has a narrative
of "we left Traci behind."
We signed without Traci.
Right.
Now that part is true.
We did sign without Traci.
But the fact is this,
we signed in August.
Traci was pregnant
with Little Kevin.
Back in the 90's,
you could not be a female
and be pregnant.
And what they said is they want
every woman
to want to be like you,
and for every man
to want to be with you.
That was it.
And honest to God,
me and Trina was like,
"Damn, we don't wanna sign."
Traci was like, "Go ahead."
So we signed it.
It's true.
So after that,
we toured with Luther.
We didn't do the second half
with God dadgum Luther.
Yeah.
'Cause Toni said we were
gonna go overseas with her.
So when it was time for
being on that stage to perform,
guess who was there?
Traci.
We left our sister.
Get the [Bleep] out of here.
We left our [Bleep].
No.
Right.No, [Bleep],
we left you.
Oh, no.
It's not Yes.
Okay. Okay.
Yes.
I don't usually see Towanda
go off in that way.
Actually. Towanda
Towanda is not that person
like that.
'Cause
This part of the narrative
was never told.
The truth was never told.
Normally, I wouldn't put
our business out there,
but our issues
are always made public.
So we wanna clear them up.
And this difference in opinion,
not even an opinion,
it's a fact,
because it was written
about Traci's funeral
is just one example
of how our family has
had to defend itself publicly.
And later on,
Traci became a very successful
solo artist and actress,
and we were in her corner
the entire time.
You know, I just want
Traci to be celebrated.
Mm-hmm.
Amen.
She was funny, independent,
and she was fighting.
She was fighting
every day.
She fought
until the very end.
Very last breath.
Amen.
[Exhales deeply]
Rest in peace, Traci.
Rest in peace, Traci.
♪♪
♪♪
Hey, friend.
How are you feeling tonight?
Mad about failing.
I'm mad at the world.
Yeah.
I don't want to feel sad.
I don't want to feel memories.
Yeah.
I don't want to feel nothing.
You ever felt like that?
Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah, that's how I feel.
And I'm pissed
'cause I have feelings. Yeah.
Tamar: Traci's birthday
is this week.
Of course
I'm gonna have feelings
about it being my sister's
birthday.
It's only the second year.
Back in 2020
when we had our first session,
I talked to Traci
and I told her,
"I had a had a session today
with your sister."
She's like, "No,
my sister is super talented.
She's super sweet.
You better make
some dope ass songs on her
and you better treat her sweet,
or I'm-a kick your ass."
She always talked about
how much she loved you.
The fact that "Notice Me"
did what it did,
it's on purpose.
This is her.
You know that's her.
I know you tearin' up.
I see.
My single "Notice Me"
going number one
is very bittersweet.
On one hand,
I'm excited about,
you know,
the success of my new record.
But on the other one,
I'm just so sad
that my sister is not here.
It's almost like I feel guilty
about being happy
'cause I don't wanna be happy.
I want to remember
my sister,
and I don't know,
it's it's a lot.
Tamar: "Walk Away"
Can I hear that?
Yeah.
'Cause I just be
going back and listen to stuff
and see what I can change.
[Sighs deeply]
[R&B music plays]
♪♪
Is this the live version?
Mm-hmm.
It's the li Yeah.
My next album
is just a continuation
of amazing R&B music,
but the good thing
about the Love and War tour
and the success of it,
is that every single night,
I got to pay homage to Traci
and her music
that she started
and didn't get a chance
to finish.
Every single night,
I play "Last Call"
so everyone can be reminded
of her journey musically.
I don't want them
to forget about that.
When we had that call,
you had had the person
add the strings to it,
I
That wasn't me.
That was my baby daddy.
Okay.
Vince is still Vince.
He still has one
of the most magical ears.
Now, I don't know
about everything else.
It's really not my business.
However, there's not a record
that I had
that I don't play for him.
He and I called "Notice Me".
We would walk around the house
like this
and play it and just be
walking around, just like this.
I swear to God, he'll tell you.
Where my phone at?
Robin Thicke says something
to me, every time I see him,
he'd be like, "You know, there's
only a couple of people ears
that I trust, is Andre Harrell",
God rest his soul.
"It's Ellie
and your hus"
Everybody still calls him
my husband.
That's fine with me.
What you got on my 40,
homie? Vincent: Where you
at?
I'm in the studio.
How the [Bleep] you know
where I'm at?
You don't have
no [Bleep] GPS on me.
I know the bad wall.
That's in Atlanta.
Yeah, that's the studio.
You don't know everything.
Okay?
First of all,
you look at my page today?
Look at my page right now.
What's on your page?
Bitch, you be on my page
anyway.
You be in my story
all the time.
Catch you in my story.
[Laughs]
I don't be in your story
all the time.
Yeah. I catch you
in my stories all the time.
Tamar, congratulations.
How you feel?
I don't feel anything today.
Maybe tomorrow.
You should be happy
for yourself.
You did it by yourself.
No record labels. All you.
I'm Congratulations.
I'm very, very proud of you.
Very happy for you.
Vince has and will always be
an intricate part of my life.
My parents did a great job
at showing us
that even if you are not still
romantically involved
with someone, you can
still have a respect for someone
and come together
for the right reasons.
Can't just have one record
out like we did 10 years
ago.
You got to work multiple
records at one time.
Stop being so nervous.
You got this.
Just put the music out.
Right.
Send me a CashApp.
No, you send me a CashApp.
[Laughter]
Bye.
So Vince is a record company
person and a manager.
His conversations with me
in regards to my records
that I'm putting out
is coming from that place,
you know, stop getting
in your way
artists think too much,
you know,
just believe in the music
that you make
and put it out and step aside.
So "Make sure we did
our best to hurt each other."
[Singing] Make sure we did
our best to hurt each other ♪
Make sure we d
Make sure ♪
I can't hear
because it's like a reverb.
Make sure we did our best
to hurt each other ♪
What do you think about that?
I thought it was fine.
I know said you wanna redo it.
It sound good to me.
For now ♪
I didn't say
I said "Oh, now ♪
Yeah. So get that
[Singing] For now ♪
It's okay to walk away ♪
For now ♪
I like that one. Yeah.
Okay. I like that. I like that.
♪♪
Y'all don't know something
about this Toni Braxton.
She's funny as hell.
Okay, guys, I have a joke.
[Booing]
Please don't tell nobody
you comin'.
Kevin: I'm-a try not to.
Unh-unh.
It's a surprise.
Yes, it's a surprise.
His father
is seemingly thinking
that she wasn't
in her right mind.
Some of these conversations
should not be happening
in front of my mother.
That is her child.
I'm just gonna do
a little tribute to Tra.
Traci would be so happy
to see everyone.
We were all in the living room
with the hospice doctor.
That's when I found out.
Yeah, because at the time,
you and Traci
were kind of at odds, though.
Do you know something
I don't know?
♪♪
Towanda:
Hey, Trini-Weenie.
Your nails look nice.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
Thanks. They're not
press-ons, either.
They look nice.
Did you talk to Mommy and Tamar
and tell 'em about what
happened when we went to DC?
Or you gonna wait
for all?
No, we just waitin'
for everything.
What would you
have changed?
Hmm.
I would have changed
that I wasn't really able
to sit and enjoy my crabs.
[Laughs]
Oh, I was thinking
the same thing.
Look at Baltimore.
Hey.
Hey, Towanda.
Hey.
Hey.
What's poppin?
Hey, baby girl.
You look like Easter.
Towanda: I'm excited
to see Mommy and Tamar,
but I haven't seen Tamar
since we filmed
grief counseling.
Obviously, we're gonna
have to meet with you again.
Reconvene for what?
Why you say that?
Because I don't think
we're open
to receiving
anything right now,
but maybe she can talk to you
individually.
I-I went to grief counseling.
Listen, I'm all here
for advocating
for a healthy mental health.
It's always important
to respect a person's boundary.
However, I love my sister
immensely.
If she calls me,
I'm going to answer.
If she texts me,
I'm going to answer.
If she needs me,
I'm gonna be there.
And that's just a fact.
[Cellphone ringing]
Miss E: Hey, you. Look.
Hey, look.
Toni: Hey, girls.
All: Hey.
Are you gone already?
I'm on my way
to Marseilles.
Oh, Marseilles.
The south of France.
Okay, I'm in France, Okay?
I have a show,
so I'm here for just a few days.
But I have to be honest, I do
miss my family and my sisters.
And I remember
when we would tour together.
Traci, too. And I've been
thinking about her
even more lately,
since her second
heavenly birthday
is coming up soon.
Well, you enjoy yourself.
Yes, have fun.
Are you gonna visit
the castles over there?
No.
Trina said, "No."
[Laughter]
I'm gonna need proof.
I don't know what Trina's
talking about.
I just might get out there
and tour Castle.
There's a chance, however,
that Trina is correct
and I don't find the time.
But no, I am not the fun police.
I am the fun headquarters.
Whoo! Funners. Funners.
Funners.
Au revoir! Mm.
Wha What'd you say?
Oprah?
Unh-unh.
[Laughter]
She said, "Au revoir."
Towanda: Au revoir. Au revoir.
I thought she said "Oprah".
[French accent] Oprah.
Miss E: Okay, baby girl.
[Normal voice] Love you.
Have a safe flight.
Tamar: Bye, Toni.
Have a good day.
Bye.
Trina: She boardin'.
She the only one that do,
when you say bye,
she keep talkin'.
Yes. [Laughs]
Yes.
Stay with it.
Okay. So what happened?
So we went
to the DMV area
to lay our eyes
on Scratchy.
You know, let 'em know that
we eat there to support 'em.
I mean, he was really,
really happy to see us.
So you meet him at his house?
He's not there.
Oh, okay.
Yeah. [Clears throat]
So And he was talking about
how he really wants his family
around him right now.
This is a really
hard time,
and he's fighting for his wife.
He's fighting
for his marriage.
He's confused
about some stuff.
And he said
that his father,
um, is is seemingly
thinking that the will
that Traci put together,
she wasn't in her right mind.
♪♪
Traci knew exactly
what she was doing.
She did.
Yeah.
And she knew
that her son
was gonna get
some type of
Yes.
She knew that because
we talked about that.
Mm-hmm.
Me and Traci
talked about that.
And I said, "Traci do you think
Kevin is strong enough
to fight against his father?"
Guess what Traci said?
"Mommy,
this will give him some balls."
[Laughter]
That's what she said.
My son have to grow up
when it come to his dad.
Is this conversation
too much for you?
No, not too much for me at all.
It's just that I remember
the intimate times
when we talked about it,
you know what I mean?
I said, "Well, you know
what you're doing, baby girl.
You do what you need to do."
Tamar: I just feel
like some of these conversations
should not be happening
in front of my mother.
'Cause you have to understand,
this is our sister,
but that is her child,
you know?
And as parents,
we view things differently.
You know, there is no other side
when it comes to our children
and whatever has happened.
And that's more pressure
and stress to the parent.
No.
Well, Traci's birthday
is coming up.
Trina and Towanda: Yes.
So what are we doing
for her heavenly birthday?
I don't know, you know,
she loved crabs.
You wanna have a crab feast?
Yes.
We should have
a birthday party.
Yes. That'll be fun.
I think so.
That would be so much fun,
you guys.
What's she up to?
She can't come?
Um, I can see.
I talked to her today
on the way here.
I'll call her.
Miss E: Who? Denise?
I initially met Denise
when I was 12 years old.
We went to college together,
and Traci and Denise
became really close.
So when Traci got sick,
Denise was there,
every single day,
every step of the way.
I can call Denise,
make sure she can come.
Miss E: She'll come.
Tamar: My single?
[Cackles]
Thank you, thank you.
All: Yay!
Thank you.
You broke down
the fourth wall again.
Again.
He in a hurry. Yeah.
Yay!
Tamar: Thank you.
I was It's crazy that I
I just thought about this
driving up here.
Even with all the drama that's,
like, surrounding, you know,
all the kind of Traci stories,
like,
there's amazing Traci stories
as well.
Like, I feel like the way that
Nye and I are coming together,
making amazing music,
like, I didn't know Nye,
and I had no idea that Nye
was a good friend of Traci's
until Mommy told me.Mm-hmm.
All All of this time
that they've known each other,
um, he had been trying to, like,
you know, get a break.
And it just so happens that
I'm about to cry.
Miss E: That's alright.
Towanda: Good.
Crying is healthy.
It's okay.
What you What's wrong?
Okay. Go ahead. Get it out.
Yeah.
[Sobbing]
No. 'Cause you know what?
She shows up.Mm-hmm.
You know.
Undoubtedly.
And that's the truth.Mm-hmm.
And I'm just so grateful,
you know.
Yeah. She shows up.
Yeah. It's just
She does show up.
Like, even on the other side,
she's just as kind
and looks out for people.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
Yup.
I'm just so grateful, like
[Sniffles]
I don't know.
She just don't like that.
[Sniffles]
I am extremely blessed.
"Notice Me" was one
of the most incredible records
that I've written
in a long time,
and I knew it was her
showing up for people.
And, you know, it was
just a testament of who she was
and who she still is today that,
you know,
it doesn't have to be
her family.
If she loved you,
if she cared about you,
she's gonna always show up
for you.
Alright. It's getting cold.
It's 9 o'clock.
The street lights is on.
And Tamar need to go home.
I'll take care
of the bill.
We We ain't drink nothing.
You the one got a drink.
You should be taking care
of the bill.
Agreed.
[Crowd cheering]
Nye: Tamar Braxton!
All your dreams
are coming true.
But did you feel like it was
at the cost of your marriage?
Towanda:
Let me get the surprise.
It's a surprise.
Y'all gonna love it.
Oh, my God!
Surprise!
Both of your sons are adamant
about not having kids.
I told them you need to take
matters into their own hands.
You told my children
get vasectomies?
If they don't want kids,
then yeah.
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
Oh, my God.
That was worse than mine.
If I hit the bull's eye,
I get a grandbaby.
My sonsand
Von and I,
we decided that we
were gonna do something fun
together as a family.
And so, we decided
to go axe throwing.
Grandbaby for me.
Eric: Oh, man.
Now, mind you,
I don't have the best
coordination in the world.
And that's something
that I can live with.
Grandbaby! Oh!
Hey!
Eric: Okay.
♪♪
Okay, if Caleb
hits the bullseye,
I get a grandbaby.
Oh, man!
That was purposeful.
Look at my babies.
Yeah, it's nice
to see them hangin'.
Come and sit.
Sure.
Let's take a break
from the axe throwing.Please.
Get you a beer
if you want one.
Eric doesn't
drink anymore.
So what's this
no drinking for how long?
For a year.
[Laughs]
You gonna make it?
I'm three months in.
You know, it's really good
for your SC, though.
What?
Oh. In that case
We wanna get that
as low as possible.
It'll be two
years married.
You guys have been together
for seven
before you even got married.
This would be nine years.
Where's my grandbaby?
In the ether,
where they will remain.
[Laughs]
Eric's a little tree hugger,
but I want him to take that tree
and remove the tree
and hug his wife
and give me a grandbaby.
But they are not tryna
do that right now.
They have dogs.
Yeah, we got dogs.
Traci, which is so amazing
with her grandbaby,
she lovedbeing
a grandmother.
I want that experience.
I really, really do.
Not just for me,
but for my son
and for his brother
to be an uncle.
I wanna be a grandfather,
but not at the expense
of your happiness.
You know what I mean?
But I will tell you this.
That decision isn't really up
to either one of you two at all.
True.
It's up to them.
If you really don't want kids,
like, you're sure
you don't want kids,
you better take that part of
the decision out of her hands.
So And that's that's
I mean that wholeheartedly.
Good luck to you.
I'm glad I'm done.
Well, for the record,
I'm just really proud of
the men that you both have
become.
Amen.
I'm still gonna harass you.
I'm not gonna lie.
'Cause I really want to be
a duchess or a mumsy.
I'm not gonna lie. Um
You know what?
She just gave you
another reason not to have kids.
A mumsy? What ?
Yeah.
Mumsy.
That's dreadful.
[English accent] Oh, mumsy.
Where are you?
[Laughs]
Really?
That's what you wanna be?
Whatever.
♪♪
Towanda: You stayin' in?
Oh, no.
Okay.
♪♪
♪♪
Call Scratchy.
Automated Voice:
Calling Scratchy.
Scratchy iPhone.
[Phone line trilling]
Kevin: Hey, Auntie.
[Sing-song voice]
Hey, nephew.
What are you doing?
Nothing much.
How about you?
Um
You know that your
mama birthday is coming up,
so I thought
as a surprise,
I could have you flown
out to Georgia
and have you be here
for a little, you know,
a little family,
a little small,
little quaint celebration
for her for her birthday.
What do you think about that?
Oh, yeah, I love that.
Okay.
And I know you gotta be back,
like, soon
because you have court,
so I'm gonna make sure that,
you know, you're back
before court, okay?
We decided to have Traci's
second heavenly birthday party
at a hall, and it's going to be
really, really small and quaint.
And we decided that we should
get some crabs and some drinks.
Do you think that Tamar
took care of the crabs?
No.
I don't think so either.
Well, I don't think that
she didn't take care of the
crabs.
Honestly, I don't think
that there are places here
that have crabs like that.
Especially not last minute
when they're off season.
You gotta get 'em shipped in.
And Scratchy
is a surprise.
He's the biggest surprise
as the cherry on top.
Well, good, I'm gonna
go ahead and book the flight.
Yay! I'm excited.
And please don't tell nobody
you comin'.
I'm-a try not to.
Unh-unh. Unh-unh. Ain't no try.
You cannot tell nobody
that you comin', for real.
So it's a surprise?
It's a surprise.
Yes, it's a surprise,
even for my mom.
Please. Don't tell nobody.
Alright. I'm not.
I'm-a send you
all the information. Love you.
I love you, too.
Okay, bye.
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
Ooh. Excuse me.
Yawned all big.
My mouth was, like, real big.
♪♪
Such a pretty day.
Yeah. It's beautiful.
[Sighs] I haven't spoken to Eric
since we went axe throwing.
Mm-hmm.
You know how Eric is.
Eric is all about family.
Yeah.
And he would be such
an amazing dad.
Well, that's probably
not going to happen.
They're adamant,
both of your sons are adamant
about not having kids
and they make good points.
But what if something happens,
you know what I mean?
'Cause he is married,
he's a married dude.
And sometimes that just happens
when you're married.
I told I
told them both,
whether or not you have
a baby with your wife
is really not up to you.
It's gon' be up to her.
If you don't want her
to have 100% of that power
and that decision making,
then you need to take
matters into your own hands.
What does that mean?
That means get a vasectomy.
That's what it means.
You told my children
get vasectomies?
If they don't want kids,
then yeah.
Von has absolutely
overstepped his boundaries.
You can't tell my sons
to get vasectomies.
Didn't you have children?
Maybe I would like to see
what my grandbabies
are gonna look like.
That's not fair.
Not only
was your advice not sound,
that's a big negative, soldier.
We're talking about the kids.
If they both know
they don't want kids,
wear a condom.
Or have one procedure
and not worry about that
for the rest of your life.
I'm just saying.
But that's what I'm saying,
the rest of his life?
No, no.
Then I won't have a grandbaby
for the rest of my life
because he has
his vas deferens cut?
He doesn't want children.
Right now.
He doesn't want children.
Right now.
Stop pushing.
Leave him alone.
You can't influence this.
I'm not trying to
influence Yes, you are.
Okay, but you know
how you give advice?
I get to give advice.
And when I understand
that they're not listening,
I shut up.
Hmm.
These dudes have decided.
I leave 'em alone.
Even though Eric and Caleb
right now
say that they don't want
children,
I think they're gonna change
their minds one day,
because we all know pillow talk
is a M-Fer.
When a woman feels
like her biological clock
is ticking like that,
she could talk a man
into anything.
It's the truth.
At least, I'm hoping that it is.
[Stomping]
[Laughter]
This dog park is really
dog parking right now.
What does that mean?
The smells,
the "scenturization",
the odoriferousness.
It's odoriferous, though.
Alright, let's go.
I need something stronger
than water today.
Do you want me to drive?
No. I wanna actually
make it home.
Ha!
It's supposed
to be a blind date.
And, guys, he has to have a bag.
And not a colostomy bag.
[Laughter]
No one would tell me.
There was a time that
Tamar and Traci were at odds.
You remember that?
Because then you and Traci
got into it for a second.
Towanda: Not my business.
I have nothing
to say about that.
♪♪
Hey!
[Indistinct chatter]
Towanda: Hey, y'all!
Woman: Hey, you!
Hey, stinky face.
It's so great to see me.
Hey, everybody. Hey!
I'm feeling very heavy
coming into this party.
Hey, you.
Mwah!
Her first
heavenly birthday
was only a few weeks
after she passed,
and it felt like a funeral,
actually.
Where's the shots?
Man: Well, there's a bar.
This is a birthday party.
This year, I'm still sad,
but it's more like
a life celebration for her.
And, you know,
Traci was the party girl.
You know,
she liked to get everybody,
you know, in a good mood
and have fun.
♪♪
Somebody send
the harp player home.
What is bothering you?
This is blowing me.
Why is it?
[Laughs]
It's just soso sad.
LikeI'm gon' snap
one of them things.
[Laughs]
Traci would be like,
"This harp is sad."
[Laughs] "And it's wrong.
Turn it off."
She wanted a party
and do the Electric Slide.
Excuse me, Mr. Harpist.
You play whatever you like,
whatever's on your playlist.
But But it was a little sad,
though.
Very at the gates of heaven.
Please.
It's Traci's
heavenly birthday party,
and Toni's unable to make it
because she's in France
and she's doing a show.
It's gonna be an emotional
night, and that's okay.
I'm just so glad we're
together and doing this.
Towanda: Let me get
the surprise.
You want me?
No, I said let me get
the surprise.
What's the surprise?
It's a surprise?
Huh?
Towanda said she has a
surprise. We got a surprise?
So 2 minutes?
So yeah, I'm-a bring in
the surprise in one second.
Towanda, how long
for the surprise?
You know I don't like surprises.
Trina, just hold
your little bit of horses.
Let's do more action,
less talk.
Well, why don't we sit and
wait for the surprise, surprise.
Y'all gonna love it.
Come on.
Surprise!
[Laughing]
I don't feel connected to
this whole production again.
Because at the time,
you and Traci
we're kind of at odds,
though.
She was upset for a second.
You remember that?
Tamar:
It's shedding season, baby.
It's time to let go
of some things.
We're sisters.
Were sometimes at odds.
And sometimes we're not.
Trina: Well, why
don't we sit and wait
for the surprise,
surprise.
Come on.
Towanda: Surprise!
[Laughing]
Oh, my God!
My God!
Oh, my God!
Hey! [Laughing happily]
My boy.
Hey, Ziggy, baby!
Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh!
Kevin: Cousin!
I missed you.
Aunt T!
Tamar: Hey!
Tamar: It's so cool
seeing the Little Kevin.
I just think it's
important for him to be there,
to watch people celebrate
his mom.
You know,
because that's my sister.
But that's his mother.
Trina: Alright, I'm 'bout to
tear into some crabs, y'all.
Towanda: Awe!
And they're not crabettes.
Except for that one.
Trina, a little bit.
[Stammers]
I didn't do this, though.
I didn't do it.
I guess I'll get
a little crabette.
Trina: Towanda, you know what?
Now, a crabette is a crab
that's very small.
It's so small that you have
to eat, like, so many of 'em.
Not even to be filled,
to be satisfied.
You can't really get
any meat out of it, you know?
you're just pickin',
and pickin', and pick,
pick, pick,
pick, pick, pick.
It's like you can't enjoy it.
Are those crabs good?
I mean, we are
Marylanders, and we are all crab
snobs.
I'm such a connoisseur,
I can tell.
I mean, they are as good
as they can be for some Georgia,
you know, last
minute crab.
You have to be passionate
about your crabs.
Or else don't call yourself
a Marylander.
End scene.
Do y'all remember the last time
we had those big old
colossal crabs?
Miss E: They're delicious.
Big and juicy.
Your mom was in her chair
crocheting.
We were talking and
having beer and having crabs.
And I promise, you would, like,
not know
that she didn't have a crab.
[Laughs] Remember that?
Trina: She was living her life
vicariously.
Towanda: Just wanna watch us.
'Cause she couldn't eat it.
She would always say,
"Eat some for me."
Trina: Yep. Exactly.
Yeah.
That's how she used to do.
Right here.
She was enjoying the moment.
Tamar: Denise,
can I ask you a question?
And it might be too personal
to answer now.
But what made you stop your life
and just be there for her
24 hours a day?
I mean, it's something
about when she tells you
she don't wanna be
by herself,
and you're like,
"I'm not gonna let you."
Miss E: Right.
'Cause I got there
when I found out.
So that's late in the game,
so I wasn't
I didn't show up because
I didn't wanna show up.
I didn't find out until then.
I found out by mistake.
No one sat me down
and told me anything.
I was at home in Encino,
and she helped me
put my closet together.
Miss E: Mm-hmm.
And maybe like
a couple weeks after that,
mommy was in the kitchen
cooking.
But then I heard, like,
um, the stress.
Does that make sense?
Mm-hmm.
Have you ever seen
your parent not cry, but weep?
Mommy was weeping.
And I was like, "What's wrong?"
I was like, "What, what, what?"
And Mom said, "Well,
I'm not at liberty to tell you."
I was like
I don't know what that means.
And I called everybody,
and nobody would tell me.
I called Trina.
I called Towanda.
I called my brother.
I called my dad.
No one would tell me.
And I remember we were all
in the living room with the,
um, hospice doctor and
nurse. Denise: Mm-hmm.
That's when I found out.
He said that she had
about two weeks.
Y'all remember that?
Yep.
You know, for me,
there's something
that I still struggle with.
Because I don't understand
why I was the last to know.
I still feel
like it was a bit unfair for me
because I lost time
with my sister,
and I feel like
anybody would feel that way.
I-I couldn't tell you
because Traci asked me not to.
Traci said, "I will tell her."
And what could I do?
Just me?
Not you.
Toni, too.
No, Toni knew.
No, no, no.
Not at that time.
Yeah, because at that time,
you and Traci
were kind of at odds,
though.
It wasn't
No, we wasn't at odds.
Oh.
Do you know something
I don't know?
Yeah, because at that time,
you and Traci
we're kind of at odds,
though.
It wasn't
No, we wasn't at odds.
Oh.
Do you know something
I don't know?
I just told you she came,
and she
she and I
did my closet together.
[Stammers]
I'm not talking about that time.
But like you said,
your timeline is different.
So what what were you saying?
Well, no,
you said that we were at odds.
What do you mean?
I'm talking about
when you guys were at
odds, especially from that show.
Remember in D.C.?
Nye will remember that.
You should call Nye,
because I wasn't at odds
with Traci at that show.
Nye, come here.
She opened up for me at my show.
Towanda: I want
something to drink.
Towanda: I have no idea
what Tamar's talking about.
That's why I got up
and excused myself.
Because that's
Tamar's story.
That's Tamar's journey,
and that's it.
That's her truth.
I have nothing
to say about that.
Nye, remembers,
because Tamar was like
that she didn't know,
at the time,
when Traci was
sick and stuff.
And I said,
well, there was a time
that Tamar and Traci
were at odds.
You remember that?
Because then you and Traci
got into it for a second.
Talkin' 'bout that
Howard University
Howard Theatre Show?
Yes.
Oh, yeah.
Something happened?
Oh, you're talkin'
about Yeah.
Yeah, but Trina, that was,
like, a year before.
But what I'm saying is
that she was upset for a second.
You remember that?
♪♪
We're sisters.
We're sometimes at odds.
And sometimes we're not.
It's just what happens
in our family.
And for me to say that
Traci and Tamar were kind of at
odds,
it was a
statement of fact.
When was that?
Thank you.
The Trina situation
is a little difficult, right?
Because on one hand,
she's right.
Traci and I
did have a lot of disagreements,
if I'm honest about it,
but we still very much
loved each other.
I just would have liked to have
more time
being in the space
that we were in when she passed,
and that is what I hold on to
more than the times than
when we didn't get along,
the times that it was
beautiful and sisterly
and and the laughs
that we had
and the understanding
that we shared.
I would have liked
to have more time with that.
Trina: Why do you feel
like Traci didn't tell you?
I don't know
why she didn't tell me.
[Stammers]
I don't have that answer.
I can tell you
on the end
being at the
house with her,
she did not
wanna bother you all.
'Cause I kept saying,
"Traci, call your sisters,
have 'em come in
and have 'em"
So she, in her way,
was was expressing love
by not burdening anybody.
Yeah.
Truth be told, Traci and I
got quite close.
I got to know
a different side of Traci
than to how our relationship was
on television.
It was very adult.
It was very sister-like.
And the closer
that we got,
did I realize how much of this
relationship that I would miss.
I'm just gonna do
a little tribute to Tra.
How about that?
You gonna dance for it?
I'm-a dance for this.
Today
Is about Tra.
is about Tra.
Keith: At the end of day,
mom-mom,
you did a wonderful job
at your daughter's.
Thank you, baby.
And let me tell you
that you have been
a great mother,
and my mother cherished you.
Thank you.
I appreciate you.
You're welcome.
Okay.
after that, we're gonna do
Electric Slide.
Tamar: Electric slide?
Come on, guys.
Let's go.
♪♪
Come on guys,
come on, come on, come on.
We can do it
in front of Tra's picture.
Get that.
Hey! Hey! Hey!
The grandchildren
don't know how to do this?
Trina: Of course
they don't.
All: [Shouting, cheering]
[Laughter]
Miss E: Oh!
Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh!
Towanda: Trina!
Trina! Trina! Trina!
Miss E: [Laughing]
You watch
too much television.
You watch too much TV.
[Laughing]
[Cheering]
We gon' be alright,
we gon' be alright ♪
Miss E: Don't
play with me.
[Laughter]
Where the kids?
Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh!
Hey! Come on, guys.
We can do it
in front of Tra's picture.
Get that.
We gon' be alright ♪
Happy birthday, Traci.
Trina: You know,
life is just way too short.
And I'm learning to be grateful
for the wonderful family
I have today.
So thank you, Traci.
Traci's birthday is a day
of remembrance for me.
I-I want nothing more
than to celebrate her.
Happy birthday, Traci.
You are so missed by so many.
I think you're even missed
by your enemies, baby,
because you got it
and had it like that.
Mwah.
Toni: I get happy
when I think of Traci's memory,
or I just crack up
laughing at some of the things
she says, and it helps.
I'm definitely
there in spirit.
Happy birthday, Tra.
To Traci!
[Cheering]
[Vocalizing]
We gon' be alright ♪
Miss E: Traci is
a strong woman.
♪♪
Man: The Braxtons are back.
[Cheering]
How has filming been so far?
It's messy Monday, huh?
Aren't you setting something up
for me?
I'm-a get you a date.
It's supposed
to be a blind date.
You haven't seen him?
Denim: I'm always gonna be
Toni Braxton's son.
But Denim Braxton, I want
that to mean something as well.
You know what I mean?
What?
I feel, like, betrayed.
They were talking, and then
the phone blacked out.
♪♪
So Tay, what are you working
on these days?
What are you excited
about? I am [Clears throat]
wrapping up my album.
Tamar: I haven't put out
a album since Bluebird.
Bluebird.
How long ago was that?
Five years ago.
I'm so nervous about it.
Look who I have.
What's been going on?
Towanda: We've all been
concerned about Kevin.
We just need to let
him know ASAP
that he doesn't have
to go through this alone.
My father, he feels as though
maybe she wasn't
in her right mind
in her will.
Like, it was an influence
on my mother's condition.
She knew exactly
what she was doing
about who she wanted to be
her executor.
It was me.
It was you.
Toni:
She didn't want a funeral.
She wanted to stay private
for that part of her passing.
But Tracy's husband decided
to have a funeral anyway
and put it on
the internet.
She said, "I don't want people
to have to grieve that hard,
looking down on me."
I think y'all
maybe should talk to his dad.
Trina: He chose what he wanted
for himself personally
over what she wanted.
By no means do I ever want
that individual
to have any type of platform
on our platform
ever again.
Don't push me.
♪♪
Trina: Oji!
Yo! Oji!
Oji: I'm coming!
I'm coming! I'm coming!
What he don't want me
to do is really tell the truth.
You see what I'm saying?
Don't push me.
And we didn't notgo
to her funeral.
We did not attend
that thing that
he set up
Towanda: That she
did not want.
That she did not want.
She said it,
and she put it in her will,
that she did not
want a funeral.
Right.
Are you kidding me?
But you want him
to be on the [Bleep] show?
Never.
I think that the audience
and the fans need to understand
that this platform
is not for anyone else
other than the people
who respect Traci's wishes.
Y'all didn't want
the scene to happen?
Hell no.
No.
And it didn't happen.
Good.
No.
So that's what we do.
Will it happen?
It won't happen.
Okay.
It won't happen.
I always fought for Traci.
And I'm gonna continue
fighting for Traci
till the day I die.
Absolutely.
And beyond.
There's so much
We didn't leaveour sister.
This situation is facts.
When we did
"Braxton Family Values",
when we signed in 2009
and then we came out in 2011,
everybody gave Traci that
they called her The Wannabe.
whatever
said about you.
That was That
was her name.
And then it was
it was played upon,
is what I'm saying.
It was played upon,
and then it was fed.
Traci: Okay, Trina,
let's put it down.
I ain't worth [Bleep] to
y'all. That's what I feel.
I'm not worth [Bleep]
to y'all
'cause of the choices
I made.
I feel Okay,
Trina had a child
way before me.
She was pregnant.
I got pregnant.
Trina got to sing.
I couldn't sing.
But it was told to me
I had to
"Well, Traci,
you made that decision."
Come the freak on!
The whole time,
everybody has a narrative
of "we left Traci behind."
We signed without Traci.
Right.
Now that part is true.
We did sign without Traci.
But the fact is this,
we signed in August.
Traci was pregnant
with Little Kevin.
Back in the 90's,
you could not be a female
and be pregnant.
And what they said is they want
every woman
to want to be like you,
and for every man
to want to be with you.
That was it.
And honest to God,
me and Trina was like,
"Damn, we don't wanna sign."
Traci was like, "Go ahead."
So we signed it.
It's true.
So after that,
we toured with Luther.
We didn't do the second half
with God dadgum Luther.
Yeah.
'Cause Toni said we were
gonna go overseas with her.
So when it was time for
being on that stage to perform,
guess who was there?
Traci.
We left our sister.
Get the [Bleep] out of here.
We left our [Bleep].
No.
Right.No, [Bleep],
we left you.
Oh, no.
It's not Yes.
Okay. Okay.
Yes.
I don't usually see Towanda
go off in that way.
Actually. Towanda
Towanda is not that person
like that.
'Cause
This part of the narrative
was never told.
The truth was never told.
Normally, I wouldn't put
our business out there,
but our issues
are always made public.
So we wanna clear them up.
And this difference in opinion,
not even an opinion,
it's a fact,
because it was written
about Traci's funeral
is just one example
of how our family has
had to defend itself publicly.
And later on,
Traci became a very successful
solo artist and actress,
and we were in her corner
the entire time.
You know, I just want
Traci to be celebrated.
Mm-hmm.
Amen.
She was funny, independent,
and she was fighting.
She was fighting
every day.
She fought
until the very end.
Very last breath.
Amen.
[Exhales deeply]
Rest in peace, Traci.
Rest in peace, Traci.
♪♪
♪♪
Hey, friend.
How are you feeling tonight?
Mad about failing.
I'm mad at the world.
Yeah.
I don't want to feel sad.
I don't want to feel memories.
Yeah.
I don't want to feel nothing.
You ever felt like that?
Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah, that's how I feel.
And I'm pissed
'cause I have feelings. Yeah.
Tamar: Traci's birthday
is this week.
Of course
I'm gonna have feelings
about it being my sister's
birthday.
It's only the second year.
Back in 2020
when we had our first session,
I talked to Traci
and I told her,
"I had a had a session today
with your sister."
She's like, "No,
my sister is super talented.
She's super sweet.
You better make
some dope ass songs on her
and you better treat her sweet,
or I'm-a kick your ass."
She always talked about
how much she loved you.
The fact that "Notice Me"
did what it did,
it's on purpose.
This is her.
You know that's her.
I know you tearin' up.
I see.
My single "Notice Me"
going number one
is very bittersweet.
On one hand,
I'm excited about,
you know,
the success of my new record.
But on the other one,
I'm just so sad
that my sister is not here.
It's almost like I feel guilty
about being happy
'cause I don't wanna be happy.
I want to remember
my sister,
and I don't know,
it's it's a lot.
Tamar: "Walk Away"
Can I hear that?
Yeah.
'Cause I just be
going back and listen to stuff
and see what I can change.
[Sighs deeply]
[R&B music plays]
♪♪
Is this the live version?
Mm-hmm.
It's the li Yeah.
My next album
is just a continuation
of amazing R&B music,
but the good thing
about the Love and War tour
and the success of it,
is that every single night,
I got to pay homage to Traci
and her music
that she started
and didn't get a chance
to finish.
Every single night,
I play "Last Call"
so everyone can be reminded
of her journey musically.
I don't want them
to forget about that.
When we had that call,
you had had the person
add the strings to it,
I
That wasn't me.
That was my baby daddy.
Okay.
Vince is still Vince.
He still has one
of the most magical ears.
Now, I don't know
about everything else.
It's really not my business.
However, there's not a record
that I had
that I don't play for him.
He and I called "Notice Me".
We would walk around the house
like this
and play it and just be
walking around, just like this.
I swear to God, he'll tell you.
Where my phone at?
Robin Thicke says something
to me, every time I see him,
he'd be like, "You know, there's
only a couple of people ears
that I trust, is Andre Harrell",
God rest his soul.
"It's Ellie
and your hus"
Everybody still calls him
my husband.
That's fine with me.
What you got on my 40,
homie? Vincent: Where you
at?
I'm in the studio.
How the [Bleep] you know
where I'm at?
You don't have
no [Bleep] GPS on me.
I know the bad wall.
That's in Atlanta.
Yeah, that's the studio.
You don't know everything.
Okay?
First of all,
you look at my page today?
Look at my page right now.
What's on your page?
Bitch, you be on my page
anyway.
You be in my story
all the time.
Catch you in my story.
[Laughs]
I don't be in your story
all the time.
Yeah. I catch you
in my stories all the time.
Tamar, congratulations.
How you feel?
I don't feel anything today.
Maybe tomorrow.
You should be happy
for yourself.
You did it by yourself.
No record labels. All you.
I'm Congratulations.
I'm very, very proud of you.
Very happy for you.
Vince has and will always be
an intricate part of my life.
My parents did a great job
at showing us
that even if you are not still
romantically involved
with someone, you can
still have a respect for someone
and come together
for the right reasons.
Can't just have one record
out like we did 10 years
ago.
You got to work multiple
records at one time.
Stop being so nervous.
You got this.
Just put the music out.
Right.
Send me a CashApp.
No, you send me a CashApp.
[Laughter]
Bye.
So Vince is a record company
person and a manager.
His conversations with me
in regards to my records
that I'm putting out
is coming from that place,
you know, stop getting
in your way
artists think too much,
you know,
just believe in the music
that you make
and put it out and step aside.
So "Make sure we did
our best to hurt each other."
[Singing] Make sure we did
our best to hurt each other ♪
Make sure we d
Make sure ♪
I can't hear
because it's like a reverb.
Make sure we did our best
to hurt each other ♪
What do you think about that?
I thought it was fine.
I know said you wanna redo it.
It sound good to me.
For now ♪
I didn't say
I said "Oh, now ♪
Yeah. So get that
[Singing] For now ♪
It's okay to walk away ♪
For now ♪
I like that one. Yeah.
Okay. I like that. I like that.
♪♪
Y'all don't know something
about this Toni Braxton.
She's funny as hell.
Okay, guys, I have a joke.
[Booing]
Please don't tell nobody
you comin'.
Kevin: I'm-a try not to.
Unh-unh.
It's a surprise.
Yes, it's a surprise.
His father
is seemingly thinking
that she wasn't
in her right mind.
Some of these conversations
should not be happening
in front of my mother.
That is her child.
I'm just gonna do
a little tribute to Tra.
Traci would be so happy
to see everyone.
We were all in the living room
with the hospice doctor.
That's when I found out.
Yeah, because at the time,
you and Traci
were kind of at odds, though.
Do you know something
I don't know?
♪♪
Towanda:
Hey, Trini-Weenie.
Your nails look nice.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
Thanks. They're not
press-ons, either.
They look nice.
Did you talk to Mommy and Tamar
and tell 'em about what
happened when we went to DC?
Or you gonna wait
for all?
No, we just waitin'
for everything.
What would you
have changed?
Hmm.
I would have changed
that I wasn't really able
to sit and enjoy my crabs.
[Laughs]
Oh, I was thinking
the same thing.
Look at Baltimore.
Hey.
Hey, Towanda.
Hey.
Hey.
What's poppin?
Hey, baby girl.
You look like Easter.
Towanda: I'm excited
to see Mommy and Tamar,
but I haven't seen Tamar
since we filmed
grief counseling.
Obviously, we're gonna
have to meet with you again.
Reconvene for what?
Why you say that?
Because I don't think
we're open
to receiving
anything right now,
but maybe she can talk to you
individually.
I-I went to grief counseling.
Listen, I'm all here
for advocating
for a healthy mental health.
It's always important
to respect a person's boundary.
However, I love my sister
immensely.
If she calls me,
I'm going to answer.
If she texts me,
I'm going to answer.
If she needs me,
I'm gonna be there.
And that's just a fact.
[Cellphone ringing]
Miss E: Hey, you. Look.
Hey, look.
Toni: Hey, girls.
All: Hey.
Are you gone already?
I'm on my way
to Marseilles.
Oh, Marseilles.
The south of France.
Okay, I'm in France, Okay?
I have a show,
so I'm here for just a few days.
But I have to be honest, I do
miss my family and my sisters.
And I remember
when we would tour together.
Traci, too. And I've been
thinking about her
even more lately,
since her second
heavenly birthday
is coming up soon.
Well, you enjoy yourself.
Yes, have fun.
Are you gonna visit
the castles over there?
No.
Trina said, "No."
[Laughter]
I'm gonna need proof.
I don't know what Trina's
talking about.
I just might get out there
and tour Castle.
There's a chance, however,
that Trina is correct
and I don't find the time.
But no, I am not the fun police.
I am the fun headquarters.
Whoo! Funners. Funners.
Funners.
Au revoir! Mm.
Wha What'd you say?
Oprah?
Unh-unh.
[Laughter]
She said, "Au revoir."
Towanda: Au revoir. Au revoir.
I thought she said "Oprah".
[French accent] Oprah.
Miss E: Okay, baby girl.
[Normal voice] Love you.
Have a safe flight.
Tamar: Bye, Toni.
Have a good day.
Bye.
Trina: She boardin'.
She the only one that do,
when you say bye,
she keep talkin'.
Yes. [Laughs]
Yes.
Stay with it.
Okay. So what happened?
So we went
to the DMV area
to lay our eyes
on Scratchy.
You know, let 'em know that
we eat there to support 'em.
I mean, he was really,
really happy to see us.
So you meet him at his house?
He's not there.
Oh, okay.
Yeah. [Clears throat]
So And he was talking about
how he really wants his family
around him right now.
This is a really
hard time,
and he's fighting for his wife.
He's fighting
for his marriage.
He's confused
about some stuff.
And he said
that his father,
um, is is seemingly
thinking that the will
that Traci put together,
she wasn't in her right mind.
♪♪
Traci knew exactly
what she was doing.
She did.
Yeah.
And she knew
that her son
was gonna get
some type of
Yes.
She knew that because
we talked about that.
Mm-hmm.
Me and Traci
talked about that.
And I said, "Traci do you think
Kevin is strong enough
to fight against his father?"
Guess what Traci said?
"Mommy,
this will give him some balls."
[Laughter]
That's what she said.
My son have to grow up
when it come to his dad.
Is this conversation
too much for you?
No, not too much for me at all.
It's just that I remember
the intimate times
when we talked about it,
you know what I mean?
I said, "Well, you know
what you're doing, baby girl.
You do what you need to do."
Tamar: I just feel
like some of these conversations
should not be happening
in front of my mother.
'Cause you have to understand,
this is our sister,
but that is her child,
you know?
And as parents,
we view things differently.
You know, there is no other side
when it comes to our children
and whatever has happened.
And that's more pressure
and stress to the parent.
No.
Well, Traci's birthday
is coming up.
Trina and Towanda: Yes.
So what are we doing
for her heavenly birthday?
I don't know, you know,
she loved crabs.
You wanna have a crab feast?
Yes.
We should have
a birthday party.
Yes. That'll be fun.
I think so.
That would be so much fun,
you guys.
What's she up to?
She can't come?
Um, I can see.
I talked to her today
on the way here.
I'll call her.
Miss E: Who? Denise?
I initially met Denise
when I was 12 years old.
We went to college together,
and Traci and Denise
became really close.
So when Traci got sick,
Denise was there,
every single day,
every step of the way.
I can call Denise,
make sure she can come.
Miss E: She'll come.
Tamar: My single?
[Cackles]
Thank you, thank you.
All: Yay!
Thank you.
You broke down
the fourth wall again.
Again.
He in a hurry. Yeah.
Yay!
Tamar: Thank you.
I was It's crazy that I
I just thought about this
driving up here.
Even with all the drama that's,
like, surrounding, you know,
all the kind of Traci stories,
like,
there's amazing Traci stories
as well.
Like, I feel like the way that
Nye and I are coming together,
making amazing music,
like, I didn't know Nye,
and I had no idea that Nye
was a good friend of Traci's
until Mommy told me.Mm-hmm.
All All of this time
that they've known each other,
um, he had been trying to, like,
you know, get a break.
And it just so happens that
I'm about to cry.
Miss E: That's alright.
Towanda: Good.
Crying is healthy.
It's okay.
What you What's wrong?
Okay. Go ahead. Get it out.
Yeah.
[Sobbing]
No. 'Cause you know what?
She shows up.Mm-hmm.
You know.
Undoubtedly.
And that's the truth.Mm-hmm.
And I'm just so grateful,
you know.
Yeah. She shows up.
Yeah. It's just
She does show up.
Like, even on the other side,
she's just as kind
and looks out for people.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
Yup.
I'm just so grateful, like
[Sniffles]
I don't know.
She just don't like that.
[Sniffles]
I am extremely blessed.
"Notice Me" was one
of the most incredible records
that I've written
in a long time,
and I knew it was her
showing up for people.
And, you know, it was
just a testament of who she was
and who she still is today that,
you know,
it doesn't have to be
her family.
If she loved you,
if she cared about you,
she's gonna always show up
for you.
Alright. It's getting cold.
It's 9 o'clock.
The street lights is on.
And Tamar need to go home.
I'll take care
of the bill.
We We ain't drink nothing.
You the one got a drink.
You should be taking care
of the bill.
Agreed.
[Crowd cheering]
Nye: Tamar Braxton!
All your dreams
are coming true.
But did you feel like it was
at the cost of your marriage?
Towanda:
Let me get the surprise.
It's a surprise.
Y'all gonna love it.
Oh, my God!
Surprise!
Both of your sons are adamant
about not having kids.
I told them you need to take
matters into their own hands.
You told my children
get vasectomies?
If they don't want kids,
then yeah.
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
Oh, my God.
That was worse than mine.
If I hit the bull's eye,
I get a grandbaby.
My sonsand
Von and I,
we decided that we
were gonna do something fun
together as a family.
And so, we decided
to go axe throwing.
Grandbaby for me.
Eric: Oh, man.
Now, mind you,
I don't have the best
coordination in the world.
And that's something
that I can live with.
Grandbaby! Oh!
Hey!
Eric: Okay.
♪♪
Okay, if Caleb
hits the bullseye,
I get a grandbaby.
Oh, man!
That was purposeful.
Look at my babies.
Yeah, it's nice
to see them hangin'.
Come and sit.
Sure.
Let's take a break
from the axe throwing.Please.
Get you a beer
if you want one.
Eric doesn't
drink anymore.
So what's this
no drinking for how long?
For a year.
[Laughs]
You gonna make it?
I'm three months in.
You know, it's really good
for your SC, though.
What?
Oh. In that case
We wanna get that
as low as possible.
It'll be two
years married.
You guys have been together
for seven
before you even got married.
This would be nine years.
Where's my grandbaby?
In the ether,
where they will remain.
[Laughs]
Eric's a little tree hugger,
but I want him to take that tree
and remove the tree
and hug his wife
and give me a grandbaby.
But they are not tryna
do that right now.
They have dogs.
Yeah, we got dogs.
Traci, which is so amazing
with her grandbaby,
she lovedbeing
a grandmother.
I want that experience.
I really, really do.
Not just for me,
but for my son
and for his brother
to be an uncle.
I wanna be a grandfather,
but not at the expense
of your happiness.
You know what I mean?
But I will tell you this.
That decision isn't really up
to either one of you two at all.
True.
It's up to them.
If you really don't want kids,
like, you're sure
you don't want kids,
you better take that part of
the decision out of her hands.
So And that's that's
I mean that wholeheartedly.
Good luck to you.
I'm glad I'm done.
Well, for the record,
I'm just really proud of
the men that you both have
become.
Amen.
I'm still gonna harass you.
I'm not gonna lie.
'Cause I really want to be
a duchess or a mumsy.
I'm not gonna lie. Um
You know what?
She just gave you
another reason not to have kids.
A mumsy? What ?
Yeah.
Mumsy.
That's dreadful.
[English accent] Oh, mumsy.
Where are you?
[Laughs]
Really?
That's what you wanna be?
Whatever.
♪♪
Towanda: You stayin' in?
Oh, no.
Okay.
♪♪
♪♪
Call Scratchy.
Automated Voice:
Calling Scratchy.
Scratchy iPhone.
[Phone line trilling]
Kevin: Hey, Auntie.
[Sing-song voice]
Hey, nephew.
What are you doing?
Nothing much.
How about you?
Um
You know that your
mama birthday is coming up,
so I thought
as a surprise,
I could have you flown
out to Georgia
and have you be here
for a little, you know,
a little family,
a little small,
little quaint celebration
for her for her birthday.
What do you think about that?
Oh, yeah, I love that.
Okay.
And I know you gotta be back,
like, soon
because you have court,
so I'm gonna make sure that,
you know, you're back
before court, okay?
We decided to have Traci's
second heavenly birthday party
at a hall, and it's going to be
really, really small and quaint.
And we decided that we should
get some crabs and some drinks.
Do you think that Tamar
took care of the crabs?
No.
I don't think so either.
Well, I don't think that
she didn't take care of the
crabs.
Honestly, I don't think
that there are places here
that have crabs like that.
Especially not last minute
when they're off season.
You gotta get 'em shipped in.
And Scratchy
is a surprise.
He's the biggest surprise
as the cherry on top.
Well, good, I'm gonna
go ahead and book the flight.
Yay! I'm excited.
And please don't tell nobody
you comin'.
I'm-a try not to.
Unh-unh. Unh-unh. Ain't no try.
You cannot tell nobody
that you comin', for real.
So it's a surprise?
It's a surprise.
Yes, it's a surprise,
even for my mom.
Please. Don't tell nobody.
Alright. I'm not.
I'm-a send you
all the information. Love you.
I love you, too.
Okay, bye.
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
Ooh. Excuse me.
Yawned all big.
My mouth was, like, real big.
♪♪
Such a pretty day.
Yeah. It's beautiful.
[Sighs] I haven't spoken to Eric
since we went axe throwing.
Mm-hmm.
You know how Eric is.
Eric is all about family.
Yeah.
And he would be such
an amazing dad.
Well, that's probably
not going to happen.
They're adamant,
both of your sons are adamant
about not having kids
and they make good points.
But what if something happens,
you know what I mean?
'Cause he is married,
he's a married dude.
And sometimes that just happens
when you're married.
I told I
told them both,
whether or not you have
a baby with your wife
is really not up to you.
It's gon' be up to her.
If you don't want her
to have 100% of that power
and that decision making,
then you need to take
matters into your own hands.
What does that mean?
That means get a vasectomy.
That's what it means.
You told my children
get vasectomies?
If they don't want kids,
then yeah.
Von has absolutely
overstepped his boundaries.
You can't tell my sons
to get vasectomies.
Didn't you have children?
Maybe I would like to see
what my grandbabies
are gonna look like.
That's not fair.
Not only
was your advice not sound,
that's a big negative, soldier.
We're talking about the kids.
If they both know
they don't want kids,
wear a condom.
Or have one procedure
and not worry about that
for the rest of your life.
I'm just saying.
But that's what I'm saying,
the rest of his life?
No, no.
Then I won't have a grandbaby
for the rest of my life
because he has
his vas deferens cut?
He doesn't want children.
Right now.
He doesn't want children.
Right now.
Stop pushing.
Leave him alone.
You can't influence this.
I'm not trying to
influence Yes, you are.
Okay, but you know
how you give advice?
I get to give advice.
And when I understand
that they're not listening,
I shut up.
Hmm.
These dudes have decided.
I leave 'em alone.
Even though Eric and Caleb
right now
say that they don't want
children,
I think they're gonna change
their minds one day,
because we all know pillow talk
is a M-Fer.
When a woman feels
like her biological clock
is ticking like that,
she could talk a man
into anything.
It's the truth.
At least, I'm hoping that it is.
[Stomping]
[Laughter]
This dog park is really
dog parking right now.
What does that mean?
The smells,
the "scenturization",
the odoriferousness.
It's odoriferous, though.
Alright, let's go.
I need something stronger
than water today.
Do you want me to drive?
No. I wanna actually
make it home.
Ha!
It's supposed
to be a blind date.
And, guys, he has to have a bag.
And not a colostomy bag.
[Laughter]
No one would tell me.
There was a time that
Tamar and Traci were at odds.
You remember that?
Because then you and Traci
got into it for a second.
Towanda: Not my business.
I have nothing
to say about that.
♪♪
Hey!
[Indistinct chatter]
Towanda: Hey, y'all!
Woman: Hey, you!
Hey, stinky face.
It's so great to see me.
Hey, everybody. Hey!
I'm feeling very heavy
coming into this party.
Hey, you.
Mwah!
Her first
heavenly birthday
was only a few weeks
after she passed,
and it felt like a funeral,
actually.
Where's the shots?
Man: Well, there's a bar.
This is a birthday party.
This year, I'm still sad,
but it's more like
a life celebration for her.
And, you know,
Traci was the party girl.
You know,
she liked to get everybody,
you know, in a good mood
and have fun.
♪♪
Somebody send
the harp player home.
What is bothering you?
This is blowing me.
Why is it?
[Laughs]
It's just soso sad.
LikeI'm gon' snap
one of them things.
[Laughs]
Traci would be like,
"This harp is sad."
[Laughs] "And it's wrong.
Turn it off."
She wanted a party
and do the Electric Slide.
Excuse me, Mr. Harpist.
You play whatever you like,
whatever's on your playlist.
But But it was a little sad,
though.
Very at the gates of heaven.
Please.
It's Traci's
heavenly birthday party,
and Toni's unable to make it
because she's in France
and she's doing a show.
It's gonna be an emotional
night, and that's okay.
I'm just so glad we're
together and doing this.
Towanda: Let me get
the surprise.
You want me?
No, I said let me get
the surprise.
What's the surprise?
It's a surprise?
Huh?
Towanda said she has a
surprise. We got a surprise?
So 2 minutes?
So yeah, I'm-a bring in
the surprise in one second.
Towanda, how long
for the surprise?
You know I don't like surprises.
Trina, just hold
your little bit of horses.
Let's do more action,
less talk.
Well, why don't we sit and
wait for the surprise, surprise.
Y'all gonna love it.
Come on.
Surprise!
[Laughing]
I don't feel connected to
this whole production again.
Because at the time,
you and Traci
we're kind of at odds,
though.
She was upset for a second.
You remember that?
Tamar:
It's shedding season, baby.
It's time to let go
of some things.
We're sisters.
Were sometimes at odds.
And sometimes we're not.
Trina: Well, why
don't we sit and wait
for the surprise,
surprise.
Come on.
Towanda: Surprise!
[Laughing]
Oh, my God!
My God!
Oh, my God!
Hey! [Laughing happily]
My boy.
Hey, Ziggy, baby!
Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh!
Kevin: Cousin!
I missed you.
Aunt T!
Tamar: Hey!
Tamar: It's so cool
seeing the Little Kevin.
I just think it's
important for him to be there,
to watch people celebrate
his mom.
You know,
because that's my sister.
But that's his mother.
Trina: Alright, I'm 'bout to
tear into some crabs, y'all.
Towanda: Awe!
And they're not crabettes.
Except for that one.
Trina, a little bit.
[Stammers]
I didn't do this, though.
I didn't do it.
I guess I'll get
a little crabette.
Trina: Towanda, you know what?
Now, a crabette is a crab
that's very small.
It's so small that you have
to eat, like, so many of 'em.
Not even to be filled,
to be satisfied.
You can't really get
any meat out of it, you know?
you're just pickin',
and pickin', and pick,
pick, pick,
pick, pick, pick.
It's like you can't enjoy it.
Are those crabs good?
I mean, we are
Marylanders, and we are all crab
snobs.
I'm such a connoisseur,
I can tell.
I mean, they are as good
as they can be for some Georgia,
you know, last
minute crab.
You have to be passionate
about your crabs.
Or else don't call yourself
a Marylander.
End scene.
Do y'all remember the last time
we had those big old
colossal crabs?
Miss E: They're delicious.
Big and juicy.
Your mom was in her chair
crocheting.
We were talking and
having beer and having crabs.
And I promise, you would, like,
not know
that she didn't have a crab.
[Laughs] Remember that?
Trina: She was living her life
vicariously.
Towanda: Just wanna watch us.
'Cause she couldn't eat it.
She would always say,
"Eat some for me."
Trina: Yep. Exactly.
Yeah.
That's how she used to do.
Right here.
She was enjoying the moment.
Tamar: Denise,
can I ask you a question?
And it might be too personal
to answer now.
But what made you stop your life
and just be there for her
24 hours a day?
I mean, it's something
about when she tells you
she don't wanna be
by herself,
and you're like,
"I'm not gonna let you."
Miss E: Right.
'Cause I got there
when I found out.
So that's late in the game,
so I wasn't
I didn't show up because
I didn't wanna show up.
I didn't find out until then.
I found out by mistake.
No one sat me down
and told me anything.
I was at home in Encino,
and she helped me
put my closet together.
Miss E: Mm-hmm.
And maybe like
a couple weeks after that,
mommy was in the kitchen
cooking.
But then I heard, like,
um, the stress.
Does that make sense?
Mm-hmm.
Have you ever seen
your parent not cry, but weep?
Mommy was weeping.
And I was like, "What's wrong?"
I was like, "What, what, what?"
And Mom said, "Well,
I'm not at liberty to tell you."
I was like
I don't know what that means.
And I called everybody,
and nobody would tell me.
I called Trina.
I called Towanda.
I called my brother.
I called my dad.
No one would tell me.
And I remember we were all
in the living room with the,
um, hospice doctor and
nurse. Denise: Mm-hmm.
That's when I found out.
He said that she had
about two weeks.
Y'all remember that?
Yep.
You know, for me,
there's something
that I still struggle with.
Because I don't understand
why I was the last to know.
I still feel
like it was a bit unfair for me
because I lost time
with my sister,
and I feel like
anybody would feel that way.
I-I couldn't tell you
because Traci asked me not to.
Traci said, "I will tell her."
And what could I do?
Just me?
Not you.
Toni, too.
No, Toni knew.
No, no, no.
Not at that time.
Yeah, because at that time,
you and Traci
were kind of at odds,
though.
It wasn't
No, we wasn't at odds.
Oh.
Do you know something
I don't know?
Yeah, because at that time,
you and Traci
we're kind of at odds,
though.
It wasn't
No, we wasn't at odds.
Oh.
Do you know something
I don't know?
I just told you she came,
and she
she and I
did my closet together.
[Stammers]
I'm not talking about that time.
But like you said,
your timeline is different.
So what what were you saying?
Well, no,
you said that we were at odds.
What do you mean?
I'm talking about
when you guys were at
odds, especially from that show.
Remember in D.C.?
Nye will remember that.
You should call Nye,
because I wasn't at odds
with Traci at that show.
Nye, come here.
She opened up for me at my show.
Towanda: I want
something to drink.
Towanda: I have no idea
what Tamar's talking about.
That's why I got up
and excused myself.
Because that's
Tamar's story.
That's Tamar's journey,
and that's it.
That's her truth.
I have nothing
to say about that.
Nye, remembers,
because Tamar was like
that she didn't know,
at the time,
when Traci was
sick and stuff.
And I said,
well, there was a time
that Tamar and Traci
were at odds.
You remember that?
Because then you and Traci
got into it for a second.
Talkin' 'bout that
Howard University
Howard Theatre Show?
Yes.
Oh, yeah.
Something happened?
Oh, you're talkin'
about Yeah.
Yeah, but Trina, that was,
like, a year before.
But what I'm saying is
that she was upset for a second.
You remember that?
♪♪
We're sisters.
We're sometimes at odds.
And sometimes we're not.
It's just what happens
in our family.
And for me to say that
Traci and Tamar were kind of at
odds,
it was a
statement of fact.
When was that?
Thank you.
The Trina situation
is a little difficult, right?
Because on one hand,
she's right.
Traci and I
did have a lot of disagreements,
if I'm honest about it,
but we still very much
loved each other.
I just would have liked to have
more time
being in the space
that we were in when she passed,
and that is what I hold on to
more than the times than
when we didn't get along,
the times that it was
beautiful and sisterly
and and the laughs
that we had
and the understanding
that we shared.
I would have liked
to have more time with that.
Trina: Why do you feel
like Traci didn't tell you?
I don't know
why she didn't tell me.
[Stammers]
I don't have that answer.
I can tell you
on the end
being at the
house with her,
she did not
wanna bother you all.
'Cause I kept saying,
"Traci, call your sisters,
have 'em come in
and have 'em"
So she, in her way,
was was expressing love
by not burdening anybody.
Yeah.
Truth be told, Traci and I
got quite close.
I got to know
a different side of Traci
than to how our relationship was
on television.
It was very adult.
It was very sister-like.
And the closer
that we got,
did I realize how much of this
relationship that I would miss.
I'm just gonna do
a little tribute to Tra.
How about that?
You gonna dance for it?
I'm-a dance for this.
Today
Is about Tra.
is about Tra.
Keith: At the end of day,
mom-mom,
you did a wonderful job
at your daughter's.
Thank you, baby.
And let me tell you
that you have been
a great mother,
and my mother cherished you.
Thank you.
I appreciate you.
You're welcome.
Okay.
after that, we're gonna do
Electric Slide.
Tamar: Electric slide?
Come on, guys.
Let's go.
♪♪
Come on guys,
come on, come on, come on.
We can do it
in front of Tra's picture.
Get that.
Hey! Hey! Hey!
The grandchildren
don't know how to do this?
Trina: Of course
they don't.
All: [Shouting, cheering]
[Laughter]
Miss E: Oh!
Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh!
Towanda: Trina!
Trina! Trina! Trina!
Miss E: [Laughing]
You watch
too much television.
You watch too much TV.
[Laughing]
[Cheering]
We gon' be alright,
we gon' be alright ♪
Miss E: Don't
play with me.
[Laughter]
Where the kids?
Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh!
Hey! Come on, guys.
We can do it
in front of Tra's picture.
Get that.
We gon' be alright ♪
Happy birthday, Traci.
Trina: You know,
life is just way too short.
And I'm learning to be grateful
for the wonderful family
I have today.
So thank you, Traci.
Traci's birthday is a day
of remembrance for me.
I-I want nothing more
than to celebrate her.
Happy birthday, Traci.
You are so missed by so many.
I think you're even missed
by your enemies, baby,
because you got it
and had it like that.
Mwah.
Toni: I get happy
when I think of Traci's memory,
or I just crack up
laughing at some of the things
she says, and it helps.
I'm definitely
there in spirit.
Happy birthday, Tra.
To Traci!
[Cheering]
[Vocalizing]
We gon' be alright ♪
Miss E: Traci is
a strong woman.
♪♪
Man: The Braxtons are back.
[Cheering]
How has filming been so far?
It's messy Monday, huh?
Aren't you setting something up
for me?
I'm-a get you a date.
It's supposed
to be a blind date.
You haven't seen him?
Denim: I'm always gonna be
Toni Braxton's son.
But Denim Braxton, I want
that to mean something as well.
You know what I mean?
What?
I feel, like, betrayed.
They were talking, and then
the phone blacked out.