Talk about a rough summer. Just a month after she lost her 11-year-old son Kile in a freak jet-ski accident, Tameka Raymond then lost custody of her other two children to her ex-husband, R&B singer Usher.
Now Raymond is slamming her estranged partner for those "gold digger" claims he made about her to Oprah -- and fighting back for custody over their two boys, Usher Raymond V, 4, and Naviyd, 3.
Raymond and Usher were married in August 2007 and divorced less than two years later, in 2009. A lengthy and bitter custody battle over their two children ensued until a judge awarded primary physical custody to Usher on Aug. 24, 2012.
In a three-part interview with "Entertainment Tonight," beginning Tuesday night, Raymond says that losing Kile "will probably be the greatest pain I will ever experience, losing him. But, it gave me strength beyond measure and it made me determined to fight for my other [children]."
Raymond, a hairstylist and wardrobe stylist in Atlanta, also defends herself on Usher's claims that she was only after money. She tells "ET": "[This] is the typical stereotype. If a woman who has lesser means -- even if she is successful and hard-working, does her thing in her own right -- marries someone, what they'll call 'marrying up,' who has more money, they're automatically a gold digger."
Raymond also confirms that Usher cheated on her with not just one, but two of her bridesmaids from their wedding. "I hate to say it, but I somewhat empathize with her. I feel that she was vulnerable. She fell into somewhat of a trap… We all know how charming he can be," she says of one.
CORRECTION: A previous version of this article incorrectly named Kile Foster as Kyle, and Tameka Raymond as Tameka Foster. We regret the error.
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