Business And Pleasure – Who Will Win?

IIt is a general perception that we artists are a temperamental and impulsive lot. Well, in my opinion ninety seven percent of that perception is true. Artists are mostly dreamers who work with business men and women who are realists. What can one expect from a marriage between a dreamer and a realist? Business or pleasure?

To put this question in perspective permit me to draw from five examples of couples who somehow have mixed business and pleasure, and let us see how many came out as winners in either of the two games.

1. Ike and Tina Turner

We all know the story of Ike and Tina. It is quite easy to clearly state that this was a case of business wins and pleasure loses. But now, at the age of 73, and a newly married woman, Turner has achieved a new kind of contentment as she faces the next stage of her life. As she puts it, she’s done the work – she’s earned her money, purchased her homes, taken care of her family and performed all over the world. “Now it’s pleasure,” explained the retired singer. “I’ve got great friends, I’ve had a great man in my life (who is not Ike) – now I have a great husband. And, I’m happy!”

2. Beyonce and Jay-Z

Image credit: TONY Nguyen 9119 on Flickr

As Zack Greenburg puts it, “Jay-Z and Beyoncé‘s union has plenty of financial perks. Though they’ve never endorsed a product together, a commercial appearance by one suggests the approval of the other. If Beyoncé shows up on TV enjoying a Pepsi, there’s at least a subliminal suggestion that Jay-Z likes it, too, and vice versa. Says media buyer Ryan Schinman: “It’s a case of one plus one equals ten.”

The value of synergy isn’t lost on the lovebirds. Both make note of it in Beyoncé’s 2006 song “Upgrade U“. At one point, she outlines how she’ll help him earn more money: “I’m help you build your account,” she says. “When you’re in the big meetings for the mil[lions], you take me in just to complement the deal / Anything you cop I split the bill. Believe me, I can upgrade you.”

3. The Dream and Christina Milian

The singer and hitmaker were engaged in July 2009 and eloped in September to Las Vegas, renewing their vows in Rome in 2009.

In 2010 the couple separated. Photos of The Dream cavorting with another woman surfaced not long after a statement of his rep announcing the separation from Milan. Christina Milian‘s scheduled album definitely didn’t come out (or did it?) as majority of the album was produced by Tricky and Dream plus Christina Milian had a venture with radio killa records. The Dream did her dirty!

4. Tim McGraw and Faith Hill

“Tim McGraw and Faith Hill have spent the last 17 years completely intertwined as the first couple of country music. Together they are a brand and it’s pretty hard to imagine how their careers would do if they were to split up. I guess they think that as well because after months of knock-down drag-out fights it seems that Faith and Tim have finally reached an agreement. Rather than spending part of their $140 million fortune on attorney’s and a messy divorce they struck a deal between themselves.” (Celebdirtylaundry.com)

According to the March 24th print edition of National Enquirer Faith realized that all of the screaming and yelling in the world wasn’t going to change Tim’s bad behaviour so she went back to the proverbial drawing board. She figured out a deal that she thought that they could both live with and presented it to him. Part of it included Tim needing to sober up but he decided to finally just do it. As long as he’s sober he’s a better father and husband which means there is far less fighting in the family home.

As of now the divorce that was so hotly rumored and readily anticipated is actually off. Instead Tim and Faith have managed to get to a place in their marriage where they are happier than they have been in years. Let’s wait and see if it will last.

5. Mickey and Minnie Mouse

And finally for good measure perhaps we can drop that Mickey and Minnie Mouse have had and still enjoy quite a successful business and pleasure relationship.

Christine Ben-Ameh is a recording and performing artist. Her music is found on iTunes. Find out more about Christine at www.christinebenameh.com.