Eric Benet Shares "An Amazing Relationship" with Daughter

While his ex-wife Halle Berry stays busy with new daughter Nahla Ariela Aubry, 4 ½-months, singer Eric Benet has been keeping busy too — recording his new album Love & Life, due in stores Sept. 9. The project was a family affair, Eric recently told US magazine, for the track ‘Still I Believe’ features his 16-year-old daughter India singing background vocals. "India is quite the producer and songwriter herself," Eric revealed. "She has a beautiful voice and she plays guitar."

Eric, 41, says he enjoys "an amazing relationship" with India, whose mom Tami Marie Stauff died following an automobile accident in 1993. Eric and Halle were married in 2001, and divorced in 2005.

Source: US; Photo by Michael Buckner/Getty Images for WMG.

Comments

Why did they ever divorce? His daughter is very pretty and it sounds like she is following in her fathers footsteps with her musical abilities.

- dsmom on August 3rd, 2008

that’s wonderful for India. But what would be even more wonderful for her is to have a father who didn’t betray his (now ex)wife, and set an example of how a man should treat a woman.

- d on August 3rd, 2008

Did Halle Berry adopt India? I seem to remember her talking about it but I don’t know if she actually did it.

- phoebe on August 3rd, 2008

What a beautiful Daddy-Daughter Pose! Very tragic that the mother has passed away, but it seems that he’s done a wonderful job raising his daughter. He’s not only given her his striking looks, but apparently, he’s passed on his appreciation for music.

- Angie L. on August 3rd, 2008

Yes she had adopted her I remember seeing some pictures of them after she divorced Eric. I wonder if she is still involved

- Carine Sturgeon on August 3rd, 2008

No, Halle did not officially adopt India. It’s too bad Eric cheated like he did, but it seems that both he and Halle are in better places now.

- Erica on August 3rd, 2008

From what I remember Halle was in the beginning stages of formally adopting India when she found out that Eric was cheating on (with multiple women, no less). She didn’t leave him right after this, he went to rehab for sexual addiction, but a little while later she found out he was cheating again and just couldn’t put up with it anymore. It’s very sad that India had to be caught in the middle of all this, her and Halle seemed extremely close.

- Erica on August 3rd, 2008

I remember reading another poster (back when Halle was pregnant) saying that Eric doesn’t want Halle having a relationship with India anymore, not since the divorce.

- MB on August 3rd, 2008

ugh. What a selfish guy….first he cheats all over the place on his wife. Then he doesn’t allow his daughter to see the mother figure she was so close to. Hopefully, India has other positive role models in her life.

- carie on August 3rd, 2008

If India doesn’t see Halle now (if not allowed by him), she can when she turns 18 and I hope she will. I have an ex stepfather and even though my mom didn’t like it, I still kept in contact with him. So, India, I hope you do, too.. It is very sad that Eric cheated on Halle..

- Judith on August 3rd, 2008

i remember when eric benet first came out, he used to always say, if india didn’t like it, it wasn’t a hit… and whenever he didnt listen to her, and put the song on the record anyway, he was always dissapointed…

i’m glad she’s working w/ him in a greater capacity… lol

- fay on August 3rd, 2008

It’s not Eric who doesn’t want Halle to see India, it’s Halle who stopped seeing the child after the divorce. No reason given, she just didn’t want to see India anymore. And, Halle NEVER began adoption proceedings for India. She said she was going to, over and over again, but never got around to it. In my opinion, the two of them not seeing each other is for the best. That child has been through enough. Also, India has gotten to be very pretty!!

- mslewis on August 3rd, 2008

It is amazing how many of u keep saying Halle adopted India when she didn’t. If she had she’d be paying child support. Plus, in 2005 (Hurricane album) while on Access Hollywood w/ Lara Spencer he said Halle is not involved in India’s life and that it is not because he is preventing her. Google his statement from NY post in 2006 and u’ll find the article where he said (after Halle made disparaging remarks about him…again) Halle always said she’d be in India’s life & how much she loved her, but has nothing to do w/ her because the state of their (E & H)relationship. Get yo gossip straight. U all think bc Ms. Thing is pretty, Eric must be the bad one. Every man is bad right. U misandry (men-hating female need to get some help). U cannot imagine that Berry used her marital status and motherhood to further her career. Exploitation to the max. She exploited her pregnancy.

- Lynnett on August 3rd, 2008

you all act like u know exactly what happened btwn halle and this child, unless u have first hand information it is all speculation. Halle has never spoken about what happened with her stepdaughter, after the divorce so people should refrain from passing judgement. I wish halle well with her child and eric wiht his.

- msj on August 3rd, 2008

India has grown into a pretty young lady. I hope Eric has otten past his demons.

Lynnett get a grip & RELAX!! Also get your damn facts straight. How did she use being married to a cheater to further her already great career?? That makes ZERO sense. Being married to a singer that she was already more famous than had no impact on her getting movie roles. She also didn’t exploit her pregnancy, we’ve never even seen her kids face.

Nobody in this post is “man-Hating”. Just stating facts on Eric being a bad husband. He treated Halle like crap, so ofcourse she didn’t have great things to say about him. Funny how you forget to mention all his cheating & lying.

I think it’s you that needs to dial down the Halle Hate!!

- SeanJay on August 3rd, 2008

I agree, SeanJay.

- terri on August 3rd, 2008

Are people really defending an acknowledged cheater? A man who not only cheated, but was given another chance by his wife, sought help and still cheated, with multiple women. I would imagine that in a case like that it would have been almost impossible for Halle to keep up a relationship with India. Regardless of his relationship with Halle, it’s great that his child has a good relationship with him, hopefully she doesn’t end up with a man like her father.

- Haylo on August 3rd, 2008

Message to India: Audition for American Idol…they’ll love you.

- Chicago48 on August 3rd, 2008

While Eric has made mistakes, he obviously has a great relationship with his daughter and I say good for him. A Black man caring and raising his child and getting recognition is a nice media moment rather than all the stereotypes that played all over CNN’s so-called Black in America ridiculously one-sided documentary. Most parents aren’t perfect and some screw-up royally, but it looks like Eric has tried the best he could to minimize the damage of his divorce with Halle would have on India and she’s seems to be doing well.

People tend to bash Eric for his affairs, but I say Heath Ledger made bigger mistakes, but because he’s White and dead he gets a pass. The man chose doing drugs over his woman and his child and all I ever read on this site is nothing but praise which I find ridiculous. Heath’s drug use when he moved to Soho was out of control which is what caused the break up between him and Michelle. He chose his drugs over his daughter.

Eric chose to cheat on Halle and paid with a very public bitter divorce. But Halle & Eric have very much moved on and I say good for both of them.

- sheba on August 3rd, 2008

Nobody’s even talking about Heath Ledger – the situations are apples and oranges.
As a Black woman raised lovingly by a Black mom and dad, I think one of their greatest gifts to me was the example of their marriage. I saw teamwork, I saw compromise, I saw fidelity, I saw love.
Yes it is wonderful that Eric has such an active role in his child’s life, but he doesn’t get a medal for being a responsible and loving parent. That’s what a man is supposed to be. He had the opportunity to show his daughter a loving committed relationship and he chose otherwise.
I’m sure Halle Berry shares some responsibility for the demise of her marriage, but honestly she really took it on the chin with Eric.

- SweetDiva on August 4th, 2008

SweetDiva. I’m not saying Eric should get a medal. I’m saying the media should portray loving Black fathers more often and here is an example of a loving Black father who made some mistakes in his marriage. It doesn’t matter no one was talking about Heath. I’m talking about Heath and can make a comparison to what I read on this site. If you disagree fine, but I will continue to state my respectful opinion. I will always defend loving Black fathers and I happen to Black woman who has never met her Black father ever. But still I think it’s important for me to point out when I see a Black father doing well by his children. This whole sites commends parents for “doing what they are suppose to be doing” so I’m not stating something out of the ordinary.

- sheba on August 4th, 2008

Seriously, how did this turn into a race issue? Totally unrelated to the post…

- anonymous on August 4th, 2008

anonymous, Eric is a black father, conseqeuntly the topic is open to discussion.

- Sarah on August 4th, 2008

Halle has nothing to do with this post, but her name is in the title. She’s with another man and had his baby. She did not have a child with Eric and depending on who you believe, has no contact with India. But look, she’s the first name in the post. As far as I’m concerned she totally unrelated to a post about Eric and his beautiful daughter’s music ability.

Why not mention Billy Bob in an Angelina post. He did almost adopt Maddox and was married to Angelina.

Halle’s name was simply mentioned because it stirs up controversy.

I say leave her name out of any of Eric’s sightings and leave his name out of an Halle sightings. Until that happens, NOT, I will mention what I feel is related to the topic and discuss race if I believe it’s warranted. Don’t want to read anything about race…keep it moving. It’s what I do when I’m not interested in a particular comment. Skip right over it.

- sheba on August 4th, 2008

Sheba, good observations. I happen to agree with all of them. Unfortunately, the article intro put halle at the forefront rather than as a footnote, which is where she belonged in this regard, at most. Consequently, focus was on her relationship with him and not his relationship with the daughter. Also, I would say that a lot of celebrities get a pass. Nobody takes issue with Chris Rock cheating on his wife, or Will Smith with his first wife. Seems to me those two got a pass b/c they are high profile. And, Heath, well, you know how it is: don’t speak ill of the dead. Etc.

- Lenny on August 5th, 2008

She’s so adorable.. I love how Eric Benet has such a good relationship with his daughter through all the divorces and heartbreaks he’s been through. And on top of that he still makes really good music. I love his new single “your the only one” Its the perfect love song. Soul music is back

http://www.myspace.com/ericbenet

- filthyphil on August 11th, 2008

I am very happy for Eric and his daughter India. They seem to have a strong and close relationship especially when it comes to their love for music. Check out their duet of his single “You’re the Only One”.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CQH_FHSRYc

- VivaciousDivah on August 26th, 2008