How ‘The Breakfast Club’ Host DJ Envy and Mary J. Blige Ended Up In Court
Mary J. Blige just scored a small victory in her ongoing financial crisis. Following her split from her longtime husband, Blige sought to restructure her career and personal life – which included digging herself out of the financial ruins she says happened during her marriage. She’s now one step closer to achieving that goal after the public heartache.
Blige recently got rid of her former New Jersey mansion, thanks to the help of radio host, DJ Envy. But before the settlement, the two battled it out in the courtroom after Envy claimed Blige wasn’t holding up her end of the deal.
Mary J Blige begins experiencing financial issues
Money trouble started almost immediately following Blige’s divorce filing from her husband of 13 years, Kendu Isaacs. She alleged that not only was Isaacs unfaithful, with her protegee, but he also spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on his mistress…with her money!
Reports later surfaced that Blige had mountains of debt, including a large bill owed to the IRS. A few years prior to her divorce, Page Six reported that she owed over $3 million to the IRS, something said she was unaware of. The report claimed that she skipped out on paying taxes for three years, beginning in 2009.
It was also made public that blige was in danger of losing her homes – one in New Jersey and another in New York. Bank of America claimed that she and Isaacs stopped paying their mortgage. They listed the home for sale in 2011 but remained and attempted to create payment arrangements to save the home to no avail.
One she filed for divorce, it became more difficult for her to make payments on her own, especially after she was ordered to pay $30,000 monthly to her estranged ex in spousal support. She began looking to rid herself completely of the home and start anew.
DJ Envy purchases Mary J. Blige’s former mansion in bargain sale after brief court battle
The purchase of Blige’s home came from a surprise celebrity buyer. According to an exclusive report from Bossip, the popular radio host and his wife Gia scored big by purchasing Blige’s former New Jersey home for nearly half the price the singer paid for it. Blige purchased the home in 2008 for $12.3 million. Envy and Gia snagged the home for $5.5 million.
The home is nearly 13,000 square feet equipped with eight bedrooms, 13 baths, a movie theater, wine tasting room, a fitness center and an indoor basketball court set on more than four acres. They closed on the home on Jan. 22
Despite Blige’s financial hardship, at one point, she refused to honor the terms of the agreement set forth by Envy. The media outlet claims that a housing inspection of the estate determined the home required serious repairs to its heating, water filtration, and lighting systems.
Upon discovery, Envy asked Blige for a $300,000 credit on the sale price to fix them. Blige refused and Envy agreed to purchase the home as-is. Blige abruptly backed out of the sale last month, and Envy sued the star in an effort to force her to honor their contract. The case was withdrawn after all parties reached an agreement.
It’s unclear where the relationship between Blige and Envy stands today following the court battle but Blige opened up about her divorce and money struggles during an appearance on The Breakfast Club.
While Envy’s purchase may come as a shock, he has spoken and advocated about generating wealth outside of entertainment, mainly with real estate. Envy has made it a mission to invest in urban neighborhoods. He began his investing journey in Detroit, Michigan and quickly became part of rebuilding one of the areas worst hit by the financial crisis.
In addition to Detroit, Envy now owns in Paterson, New Jersey, and other major cities. He currently owns over 90 rental units. He partnered with Cesar Piña, known for rehabbing and flipping homes. The two host real estate seminars across the country.
