W. Morris, who shot to fame in the ’90s with Boyz II Men, had a major impact on the music scene. But there’s one part of his story that remains a bit of a mystery: his past relationship with R&B singer Brandy Norwood. There’s a lot of buzz and confusion around their romance, so let’s clear things up and take a closer look at Brandy’s dating history.
W. Morris has shared that he and Brandy were incredibly close. He says that their bond grew into something more intimate once Brandy reached adulthood. He mentioned that when Brandy was about 15, their relationship had to be kept under wraps due to her age, but by the time things got serious, she was around 16 or 17.
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In a recent Instagram Live, W revealed that Brandy’s mom, Sonia, had reached out to him and his manager because Brandy was a huge fan of his music. It’s worth noting that W was born on July 29, 1973, and Brandy was born on February 11, 1979—so there’s almost a six-year gap between them. W described Brandy as having become like a little protégé to him over time.
W proudly claimed he was the one who helped Brandy land her role on the 1993 sitcom Thea. At the time, Brandy was just 14, and W was 20, though he insisted they were just friends. In 1994, Brandy released her debut album, which was simply titled Brandy. It featured the hit song “Brokenhearted,” and the album went quadruple platinum in the U.S., selling 6 million copies worldwide. The following year, 15-year-old Brandy, along with the R&B group Subway, opened for Boyz II Men on their national tour. W took credit for getting her on that tour, saying he played a big role in her career launch during her Behind the Music episode.
As they toured together, Brandy developed feelings for W, who was 21 at the time. She was nervous about sharing her feelings but eventually found the courage to tell him. Brandy said, “I just told him that I loved him and thanked him for making me feel the way I feel because I had never felt that way before.” Their relationship blossomed, and Brandy described it as a euphoric experience, saying it was “real love.”
They kept their relationship under wraps, but Brandy eventually told her mom, Sonia, about it. Sonia wasn’t thrilled about the age difference. W acknowledged that Brandy’s parents were very involved in their lives, saying, “Her mother and father were a part of our relationship. They allowed me to guide Brandy and help her with her career. They understood that we had grown close.”
While they were still on tour, W fell in love with Brandy’s debut album and suggested they turn “Brokenhearted” into a duet. The remix was released in August 1995. Years later, a blogger named Hollywood Street King alleged that Brandy had become pregnant and ended the pregnancy. We haven’t been able to verify this claim, but it’s certainly raised some eyebrows.
In January 1996, Brandy made a comeback to acting as the star of Moesha. At that time, I was particularly close to her because my mom and I had written the theme song for The Brandy Show. A few months later, in April 1996, high school senior Kobe Bryant met Brandy at the Essence Awards. Kobe’s mom told the Philadelphia Daily News that when Kobe came home from the event, he said, “I met such a nice, beautiful, intelligent, sweet person.” According to E! News, Kobe wanted to ask Brandy to prom but was a bit shy. One of his classmates even mentioned that Kobe used to bring a teen magazine featuring Brandy to class and kept saying, “I’m going to bring this girl to prom,” even though his friends thought he was crazy.
Eventually, Kobe had someone in the industry reach out to Brandy. When she got the call, she told the Philadelphia Daily News, “I thought he was cute. I read about him after I met him, and then I saw he was going somewhere in life, and I thought I would love to go to the prom with him.” Brandy mentioned needing to check with her mom first, but later, W revealed in an Instagram Live session, “Kobe Bryant was graduating from high school that year. Brandy was my girlfriend, and her mom and I—we both made it so that Brandy was able to go to the prom with Kobe Bryant.” Since Brandy was still with W at the time, some speculated that the prom was a strategic move to draw attention to Moesha.
In May 1996, Brandy went to prom with Kobe. After the event, they had a late dinner together, and Brandy later told the Philadelphia Daily News, “I pecked him twice. His lips were soft.” This left people wondering if Brandy was being unfaithful or not being truthful about her relationship with W. Brandy and Kobe also attended the premiere of the Arnold Schwarzenegger film Eraser in the summer of 1996, and Kobe made a guest appearance on Moesha in September 1996, right before starting with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1997.
Kobe’s dad, Joe Bryant, told People magazine that Brandy and Kobe were just friends, adding, “She comes to the games and she’s friends with his sisters, but it’s nothing romantic.” Despite this, Brandy kept her true relationship under wraps. She told V Magazine that while Kobe was cute, she had her eye on someone else—most likely her secret boyfriend, W.
During her time with W, Brandy’s relationship with her mom, Sonia, became quite strained. Sonia mentioned in an interview with V Magazine that Brandy still believes Sonia stood in the way of her relationship with W. Maybe the real issue was the age difference—Brandy was a teenager while W was in his twenties.
At the same time, R&B singer Adina Howard was still riding high from the success of her debut album Do You Want a Ride, which featured the hit “Freak Like Me.” As she began working on her second album, she crossed paths with W. Even though Brandy was still in the picture, Adina and W started seeing each other. It seems Brandy’s mom was right about W being too old for her. Once Adina met him, things quickly heated up.
Atlantic Records executive Sylvia Rhone advised Adina to focus on her career and avoid W, but Adina didn’t listen. She kept seeing him, leading to a complicated situation. On her Behind the Music special, Adina revealed she was heartbroken when W fell for someone else—Adina herself. It’s tough not to think that this new relationship was the cause of her pain. W didn’t seem to take any responsibility for his actions.
In her Unsung episode, Adina shared that Wendy Williams discovered the drama and reached out to her. Adina didn’t hold back, letting loose about Sylvia and Brandy. This didn’t sit well with Sylvia, who then canceled the release of Adina’s second album. It was a tough blow for Adina.
Brandy talked about her two-year relationship with W falling apart in 1997 when he started seeing Adina. Despite the breakup, Brandy had to continue filming Moesha. The pressure to maintain a perfect appearance led her to stop eating, causing her weight to drop to 105 lbs. Brandy said, “It was destroying me, but I looked great, and that’s what mattered.”
Back in the ’90s, a grown man dating a teenager didn’t raise many eyebrows. As more people became aware of Brandy and W’s past romance, W tried to defend himself in a 2021 Instagram post…
During a live session, W talked about his past relationship with Brandy as if it was just a part of their youthful journey. He explained that they were very close friends and that their relationship only became romantic after Brandy reached the age of consent. “Brandy and I were super close. Once she was old enough, and we’d been spending so much time together, we ended up falling in love. We were young, and our friendship turned into something more. There’s no lie here; you can ask Brandy herself. She’ll tell you the same thing. Don’t worry about what you think—because we lived it. We just grew apart over time. Breaking up was tough, but that’s what happens in relationships. People change and grow, sometimes faster than others. It’s just part of being young.”
But there was a mix-up in an earlier interview with The Breakfast Club. W admitted that Brandy was 15 when they first started dating. “She said she was 15 and had to keep it a secret because she was so young,” he recalled. “But we were together when she was about 16 or 17. I was young too—nowhere near 38. I was old enough, and she was old enough to understand.”
When asked if their relationship was legal where they were, W said, “We were always in different states.”
As of this video, some sources say W has about eight kids with different women, and his sons are following in his footsteps with their own singing group called One More.
W’s relationship with his kids and their mother seems strained. He commented, “Sounds like you dodged a bullet, Brandy. Your mom knew—Sonia knew. Miss Sonia? Yeah, she’s no joke.”
Brandy’s quest for love took some unexpected turns. She gave it a shot with rapper Mase, but it didn’t pan out. She told VI Magazine, “He couldn’t take me seriously, and I couldn’t take him seriously.” After that, she dated a guy outside the industry, but that relationship was even worse. According to VI Magazine, his jealousy was a major problem. Brandy felt, “I felt like he hated me for being me.” The situation got so bad that during one troubling incident, he verbally abused her and even physically assaulted her. Brandy confessed, “I blamed myself for everything. I thought that no one else would want me.”
Despite these personal struggles, Brandy’s career was booming. But in 1999, things came to a head. During a Moesha taping, she announced she needed a break and headed home. She started feeling dizzy and nauseous and ended up hallucinating. She told ABC, “I think I kind of snapped.” Brandy was hospitalized for three days, and while some reports attributed her breakdown to exhaustion and dehydration, The National Enquirer claimed diet pills were the culprit. According to the tabloid, Brandy started taking the pills after gaining weight, which led to her extreme thinness.
After Moesha wrapped in 2001, Brandy made some big changes. She ended her toxic relationship, became a vegetarian, and even replaced her mom as her manager. She began working on her third album with producer Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins and soon found herself romantically involved with his cousin, Robert Smith. VI Magazine reported that Brandy and Robert quickly got married after meeting. Brandy felt truly cherished, saying, “I felt like to him nothing else mattered but me.” It’s worth noting she’d said similar things about past relationships, though.
In 2002, Brandy released her album Full Moon and welcomed her daughter the same year. But by 2003, Brandy and Robert had called it quits. She then moved on with basketball player Quinton Richardson. While promoting her fourth album, Robert spilled some tea about their relationship. On Wendy Williams’ Radio Show in July 2004, he revealed they were never legally married and referred to Brandy as a “jump off.” He claimed Brandy’s mom orchestrated a fake marriage to protect Brandy’s image. Robert eventually got back with his previous partner and now has a family with five kids.
Just two weeks after Robert’s revelations, Brandy announced her engagement to Quinton Richardson with an impressive 11-and-a-half-carat diamond ring. Sadly, the wedding was called off just 15 months later. Since then, Brandy has had more relationship ups and downs, including with rapper Sir the Baptist and Ryan Press. She shared with Singer Room, “I’ve been in relationships before. I’ve been the heartbreaker. I’ve had my heart broken into pieces. I just want to know the secret of making it work ’cause time is ticking.”
“If you’re happy with yourself, clap your hands. If you’re happy with yourself, clap your hands. If you’re happy and you know it, you don’t need anyone else to show it. If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands. Be happy with yourself, Brandy. Be happy with yourself, and you will attract happiness.”
So, what do you think about all the twists and turns in Brandy’s love life? Drop your thoughts below,