20 Years of “He Wasn’t Man Enough”

20 Years of “He Wasn’t Man Enough”

Today in 2000, Toni Braxton released “He Wasn’t Man Enough,” the lead single from her third album, The Heat.

Produced by Darkchild and recorded just weeks before its release, the song was a bit of a departure from what we were used to hearing from Ms. Braxton. But somehow, it worked.

Darkchild was the producer du jour and had the Midas touch, and Toni proved that her voice could ride any beat.

“He Wasn’t Man Enough” peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and would later win a Grammy for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance — one of the categories that no longer exist because the Recording Academy didn’t like that Beyoncé was winning so many awards. But I digress.

Even though she was yet to experience any career failures, “He Wasn’t Man Enough” marked a bit of a comeback for Toni Braxton. Just two years prior, fresh off the heels of her blockbuster sophomore album, Secrets, Toni filed for bankruptcy. This happened partly because she was blowing cash on Gucci flatware — I kid — but mainly because the ’90s were wild and major artists would somehow end up broke even after their greatest successes. Just ask TLC (who were signed to the same label and filed for bankruptcy just a few years prior and months after the release of their biggest album).

The video for “He Wasn’t Man Enough” features Robin Givens, who plays the wife of Toni’s ex-boyfriend (played by Toni’s real-life husband at the time, Keri Lewis). It starts with Robin flaunting her man and ends with her realizing that he isn’t man enough for her either. Click play.

1 Comment
  • KT S. Akinrolabu
    Posted at 06:54h, 25 October Reply

    I love this song. Because Toni Braxton help all of the women around theU.S. to think before saying yes to any man. Because they have to get to know everything about the man and make sure that he is not playing behind all of the women back, and he is not flirting with another woman behind their back. That’s why it is bot good to get married so fast to some one you just met and have not been together for a year yet.

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