Honestly, if you ask Toni Braxton about her 2002 album More Than a Woman, she might cringe. She’s famously compared the project to a one-night stand that you wake up and immediately regret.
But history is a funny thing. Looking back from 2026, that "regrettable" era feels more like a misunderstood masterpiece that got caught in a corporate crossfire.
It was late 2002. The R&B landscape was shifting. The lush, operatic ballads that made Toni a household name—think "Un-Break My Heart"—were being pushed aside for grittier, hip-hop-inflected beats. Toni wanted to evolve. She was done with the "formulaic" stuff. She wanted to be edgy.
Then, life happened.
The Pregnancy "Problem" and the Arista Feud
Toni Braxton was pregnant with her second son, Diezel, during the rollout for Toni Braxton More Than a Woman. Today, that sounds like a beautiful life milestone. In 2002? Arista Records treated it like a catastrophe.
Toni has been vocal about how the label basically "punished" her for being pregnant. She asked them to push the album back to 2003 so she could actually promote it properly after giving birth. They said no. They forced it out in November 2002 while she was literally on bed rest due to health complications.
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Imagine being one of the biggest stars on the planet and having your label stop the music because you’re having a baby. It was cold.
Because she couldn't travel or perform, the promotion was basically non-existent. No big TV specials. No world tour. Just a single music video for "Hit the Freeway" where she had to hide her baby bump. It's no wonder the album debuted at number 13 on the Billboard 200. For a woman used to number one spots and multi-platinum plaques, 98,000 copies in the first week felt like a flop.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Sound
There’s this lingering myth that Toni Braxton More Than a Woman failed because she "went too hip-hop."
That’s just not true.
If you actually sit down and listen to the tracklist, the hip-hop stuff is mostly at the front. Yeah, "Hit the Freeway" has that quintessential Neptunes sound—staged handclaps and funky synths—but the rest of the album is actually quite experimental.
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- "Let Me Show You The Way (Out)" is a fierce anthem about infidelity.
- "Lies, Lies, Lies" features a gritty rock guitar solo by Stokley Williams.
- "Selfish" and "Always" are gorgeous, sophisticated R&B tracks that bridge the gap between her old self and her new direction.
- "A Better Man" is a "futuristic" ballad that still sounds fresh today.
She was working with her husband at the time, Keri Lewis, and her sister Tamar. It was a family affair. Tamar’s background vocals on this album are arguably some of her best work—she and Toni together create this thick, soulful wall of sound that most modern artists can't replicate.
The "Me & My Boyfriend" Controversy
We have to talk about the Tupac sample.
Toni recorded "Me & My Boyfriend," which heavily sampled Tupac’s "Me and My Girlfriend." She was excited about it. Then, Jay-Z and Beyoncé dropped "'03 Bonnie & Clyde" using the exact same sample.
Toni was devastated. She felt like her idea had been snatched. Whether it was a coincidence or an industry "leak," it took the wind out of her sails. When your lead-up to an album is marked by stolen thunder and a label that won't let you rest, the music often gets overshadowed by the drama.
Why It Actually Matters Now
While the album only went Gold in the U.S. (selling about 800,000 copies worldwide), it has become a cult favorite.
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Music critics at the time were lukewarm, but R&B purists in 2026 often cite this as her "slept-on" gem. It was the last time we saw Toni really try to compete with the "younger" sound before she transitioned into the legacy act/adult contemporary lane.
It’s an album about a woman taking control of her artistry, even if the suits in the boardroom were trying to wrestle it away from her. She proved she could handle Neptunes beats, Rodney Jerkins production, and Mannie Fresh features without losing that "gravelly," signature alto that makes her Toni.
Actionable Insights for R&B Fans
If you haven't revisited this era, you're missing out on a pivotal moment in 2000s music history. Here is how to actually appreciate it:
- Skip the Singles: Don't just listen to "Hit the Freeway." Go straight to "Rock Me, Roll Me" or "Tell Me" to hear the vocal depth.
- Listen for Tamar: Pay attention to the layering. The Braxton sisters' harmonies on this record are a masterclass in vocal arrangement.
- Context is Everything: Listen to this album while remembering she was recording most of it while physically struggling with a high-risk pregnancy. The "calm but commanding" tone makes much more sense.
The story of this album isn't about low sales. It's about an artist being "More Than a Woman"—a mother, a wife, and a boss—in an industry that only wanted her to be a product.