Home : Celebrity Justice, Music : Brown's Will -- From Silver to Appliances

Brown's Will -- From Silver to Appliances

Posted Jan 19th 2007 10:50AM by TMZ Staff

TMZ has obtained a copy of James Brown's will, and it reads like the will of a guy who didn't have much -- other than knickknacks.

The will, which begins by noting that Brown is also known as "The Godfather of Soul," leaves his six children "furniture, appliances, furnishings, pictures, silverware, china, glass, books, jewelry, wearing apparel, boats, automobiles, and other vehicles..."

The document, signed in 2000, does not mention how much cold hard cash the estate is worth.

Brown did not include his partner, Tomi Rae Hynie or their 5-year-old child. Hynie is expected to contest the will and could end up inheriting 1/3 of the estate.

Tags: James Brown, JamesBrown

Comments [45]

SHARE |

Email 4ie6

Reader Comments

(Page 3 of 3) Previous 15 Comments

31. I think Rosie O Donald is a big fat c**t
she is a big fat bully
I LOVE DONALD TRUMP
GO DONALD GO

Posted at 6:57AM on Jan 21st 2007 by Larry Chavez

32. well, what`d she expect? The guy`s a Sex Machine! That her goal was to get knocked up by the Godfather is proof she`s just a money-grubbing slut...waaaaaa! Poor me! Give me some money! If he really loved her, she`d have been in the will asap, thats what you do when you are married. She deserves nothing. Maybe she can move in with Anna Nicole. I hear she has a room open now...

Posted at 9:55AM on Jan 21st 2007 by waggs

33. PEOPLE READ HIS SON WAS BORN IN 2001 WILL WAS 2000. She can fight it. Come on how can you put a child in a will when you did not know if they were going to born.

Posted at 9:32AM on Jan 21st 2007 by KittyKami

34. Since the will was written prior to the birth of James Joseph, Jr. I don't think Tomi Rae and their son was deliberately "left out." I'm sure the attorneys will do what is necessary legally to make sure this little boy shares in his father's assets. This is the man this child knew as his father. The child resided with him, shared in the family home, was even locked out, could not get his belongings or toys, uprooted from his stability and is grieving the death of his father. You can dislike his mother, but where is the compassion for this child? When do we stop "punishing" children or saying they get NOTHING, because people don't like their mother? There is a child involved here....he's 5 years old. Of course he should share in his father's estate as equally as the other children!

Posted at 12:48PM on Jan 21st 2007 by Joy

35. What is more important is that the will is a "pour-over will." This means that his residuary estate, including all of his monetary assets, were left to an already established trust. The trust itself would not have to be shown to the public, so you'll probably never know who was left what. It is entirely possible that his child is provided for as a trust beneficiary, so it might be better just to accept the fact that no one knows how Mr. Brown left things and to not speak ill of the dead.

Posted at 2:57PM on Jan 21st 2007 by PJ

36.
What the hell do we know about any of this stuff. Let the woman have her say but remember she knew what she was getting into. How can you live with a man like The Godfather of Soul and not look out for yourself and your kid for that matter. In these days and times you have to have it on "PAPER", where the hell is the paper. Let her talk and she has donea lot of talking but if she had any brains at all she would have gotten everything in writing. I could just as easily say that James Brown was my father and he told me that I could live in his house for the rest of my life. None of us were there when any of this took place how do we know what went on.....let's just see how it plays out in court because this is just where it's headed.

Posted at 5:58PM on Jan 21st 2007 by Helen

37. I guess it's ok to say you are divorce and marry the godfather of soul. Then come to find out that you were never divorce from your real husband. When he was on his death bed his supposed to be wife was away relaxing she said. I wonder if this was a white man with money and his wife/girlfriend was black would their be a problem? No it wouldn't.

If she had brain she would have made sure at least her son would have been taken care of. And where does it say that he was the father? Let's wait on the blood test. If she lied about being divorce she could have lied about the boy's father!!!

Posted at 1:32AM on Jan 22nd 2007 by Bertha

38. BURY THE SMELLY GUT ALREADTY................PLEASE

Posted at 9:28AM on Jan 22nd 2007 by oseph Seiders

39. What all of you need to remember is the fact that the will was dated in what? 2000... if his son is only five years old, well do the math. HE WASN'T BORN YET when the will was written. Therefore Brown could have had every intention of putting the little boy in his will but never got a chance to.

Posted at 9:52PM on Jan 23rd 2007 by Holly M.

40. that 5 year old looks just like him. shame on the lawyer.

Posted at 2:10PM on Jan 23rd 2007 by joanne

41. What kind of man would intentionally leave his baby boy and the mother of the child (his significant companion of many years) out of his will? Perhaps James Brown expects the mother of his child to live off welfare and goverment subsidies? If the grown children have a shred of decency, they will provide financially for this child and show him the love brothers and sisters share.

What a jerk! dja

Posted at 12:07PM on Jan 25th 2007 by dja

42. What kind of man would intentionally leave his baby boy and the mother of the child (his significant companion of many years) out of his will? Perhaps James Brown expects the mother of his child to live off welfare and goverment subsidies? If the grown children have a shred of decency, they will provide financially for this child and show him the love brothers and sisters share.

What a jerk! dja

Posted at 12:02PM on Jan 25th 2007 by dja

43. What kind of man would intentionally leave his baby boy and the mother of the child (his significant companion of many years) out of his will? Perhaps James Brown expects the mother of his child to live off welfare and goverment subsidies? If the grown children have a shred of decency, they will provide financially for this child and show him the love brothers and sisters share.

What a jerk! dja

Posted at 12:03PM on Jan 25th 2007 by dja

44. I THINK ITS WRONG THAT TOMMY RAE AND HER CHILD IS BEING TREATED THAT WAY.JAMES BROWN KNEW SHE WAS STILL MARRIED AND YET HE CONTINUED THE RELATIONSHIP.THEY LIVED TOGETHER AS MAN AND WIFE . IT WAS WRONG HOW THEY TREATED HER AT THE FUNERAL.GO AHEAD TOMMY RAE GET WHAT YOU DESERVE. AS FOR AL SHARPTON YOU THE ONE WHO ISN'T HIS SON.

Posted at 9:06PM on Mar 8th 2007 by SHONTA FAULKNER

45. First off I wanna say.. I freaking love Jessica Hill!! OKOK!! I am not really shocked about Mr. Brown not having alot.. When you are dealing with someone with soo much money... It's always a battle.. when they are younger.. but the God Father of SOUL's bank account was on "E"!!

Posted at 12:19PM on Mar 27th 2007 by Dominique Lewis

Previous 15 Comments