Rapper Babyface and his third wife, Nicole Pantenburg, have called it quits after a seven-year-long marriage. In a joint statement on Tuesday, July 13, the 62-year-old singer and the 48-year-old actress announced that they were divorcing.
“After much thought and with great sadness, we have decided to end our marriage. We continue to care and have respect for one another and share eternal love for our daughter and her well-being,” Babyface, real name Kenneth Brian Edmonds, and Nicole said in a statement to TMZ. “We ask for personal privacy for ourselves and our daughter as we navigate these new steps as a family." Other rappers who have filed for divorce this year include Kanye West and Xzibit.
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Nicole is Babyface's third wife. He married his first wife, Denise, before moving on to Tracey, who he met in 1990 when she auditioned for a role in one of his music videos. They wed two years later and welcomed two children together before divorcing in 2005.
Who is Nicole Pantenburg?
According to Nicole Pantenburg's IMDB page, she was born on May 10, 1973, in San Dimas, California, USA. She is best known for her work on 'Longshot' (2001), 'Chasing Papi; (2003) and 'That '70s Show' (1998).
Babyface began dating Nicole, a backup dancer who is reportedly a good friend to Janet Jackson, and in 2014, they got married. The Edmonds’ wedding ceremony was a lavish event that included such famous guests as Oprah Winfrey and singer-songwriter Carole B Sager. The couple shares a 12-year-old daughter.
Fans want Babyface to marry Toni Braxton
Fans have been pushing Babyface and Tony Braxton to have more than just a work relationship ever since the former discovered her in 1990s and signed her to LaFace Records. The pair have sung together and been on tour together, and he wrote several of her hits, including, 'Another Sad Love Song,' 'Breathe Again,' 'You’re Makin’ Me High.' Braxton has even called him her "work husband" and "musical husband" but nothing ever happened between them real-life romance-wise.
When Braxton divorced her husband, Keri Lewis in 2013, Babyface was already in a relationship with Pantenburg. In a 2014 interview with Power 105’s ‘The Breakfast Club‘, while promoting their album ‘Love, Marriage & Divorce’, Braxton revealed she had an old-school crush on Babyface. "He probably knew…I was like his baby sister," she said, adding that he was her "musical husband. "He is my husband, he just doesn’t know it yet," she said. However, Babyface apparently never felt the same way. When asked if they had been intimate, Braxton repleid, "No, he won’t even look at me that way."
Last year Braxton got engaged to rapper Birdman. Nevertheless, loyal fans who ship Babyface and Braxton urged them to get together after the rapper announced his divorce. "Maybe my fave is low key problematic. It’s his third one. Maybe he’d finally get with Toni Braxton. Tired of that 'Babyface is my work husband' steez," one fan wrote, while another said, "I hope Toni left that man so her and Babyface can finally be single at the same time."
A third commented, "It’s funny how the first album, Babyface was engaged and Toni was going through a divorce and now if they work on LM&D pt 2……Toni is engaged and Face is going through a divorce. This is crazyyyy" One more added, "Babyface getting a divorce?! Toni it’s your time baby" The next remarked, "SAY SWEAR TO GOD FINALLYYYY! It’s time for Toni & Babyface to finish what they started."
Maybe my fave is low key problematic. It’s his third one. Maybe he’d finally get with Toni Braxton. Tired of that “Babyface is my work husband” steez.
— Bibi (@boluxxxx) July 14, 2021
I hope Toni left that man so her and Babyface can finally be single at the same time pic.twitter.com/8RizdihhUO
— 𝐶𝑎𝑟𝑝𝑒 “𝐷𝑒-𝑦𝑖𝑚“♥︎ (@Deimxo) July 14, 2021
It’s funny how the first album, Babyface was engaged and Toni was going through a divorce and now if they work on LM&D pt 2……Toni is engaged and Face is going through a divorce. This is crazyyyy😂🤦🏾♀️
— Nicole💛 (@TheeTonibraxton) July 14, 2021
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