Kandi's Reign

Kandi Burruss - Tucker the Candy-coated Mogul

Amber Riley

The entertainment industry has benefited from 20 years of a candy-coated reign; candy with a K, that is. Kandi Burruss-Tucker is indeed every woman. Anything you want done, she’ll do it, has done it, and is most likely thinking of yet another way to tweak it. Her business savvy has been grossly understated but having a reported net worth in the millions…the proof is in the dollar signs.

MONARCH MAGAZINE: There has been great feedback from the Xscape reunion...how has it been being back on stage with the ladies?

KANDI BURRUSS-TUCKER: Ummm…being on stage with the ladies is great. You know, I feel like when we started to sing together it was like we never missed a beat. Now when it comes to doing business... that’s a whole other story! But, you know, I feel like overall we still like have the chemistry on stage when we sing together.

MM: What is the dynamic between you all now that it has been some years, everyone in the group has lived life…is the chemistry the same?

KB: Nah…I mean…well…okay…let me just say Tiny and I, we have still been friends over the years so it’s not like, you know, it’s that much different with she and myself. But even in doing business together I don’t think any of us think the same. Yeah, I feel like everybody, you know, we’ve all been our own boss for all these years and to have to compromise on a lot of things is just…you know…sometimes they can be a little…a lot to have to deal with.

MM: Xscape introduced you to the world...since then you have become this multi-faceted force to be reckoned with. You are indeed every woman...wife, mother...those two things alone are a lot to handle for the average woman…singer, award-winning songwriter, producer, actress, entrepreneur...What kind of mental shape does one have to be in to accomplish and maintain your life?

KANDI BURRUSS-TUCKER: Hmmm…Well I’m part of team “No Sleep” right now and I’m just going to keep it real. Like sometimes, especially during the time that when we were first rehearsing. Earlier this summer we would rehearse and we were taping the Xscape show, and outside of that I was starting to tape the Housewives and so I was taping two shows at the same time and trying to get prepared for our concerts and all this stuff. And outside of that, dealing with the stuff for my restaurant, keeping that going, my Bedroom Kandi stuff, and TAGS, it was like at certain point I was like, okay I’m used to having a lot on my plate, but even for me, I started wanting to pull my own hair out, like wait a minute. Am I doing too much? But I just think it’s a thing of first of all you have to really want something so badly, like I want for all my businesses to be successful. I have so many more dreams and goals that I want to achieve. And with that being said, I can’t ever get comfortable. I can’t get comfortable in, you know, Oh okay, I’m doing good. No. I’m always trying to figure out, Okay, what’s my next move? How can I take things to the next level? I think anybody who wants to do the same, it’s like you’ve got to be willing to work long hours, team “No Sleep,” and, you know, sacrifice a lot.

MM: Since you mentioned it, congratulations on the opening of your restaurant, Old Lady Gang. Where does the courage and initiative to do something else… something different…something new…come from? Especially when the risk is to fail and there are those waiting for you to do so?