On Fire

Here's a Cinderella story: Six years ago, Houston native LeToya Luckett went from Destiny's Child to Destiny's Orphan. After a heated management dispute and rising group tensions, Beyoncé's childhood pal found herself unceremoniously dropped from the world's biggest R&B franchise after helping them sell over 8 million records. But Sally Jesse Raphael won't be critiquing the 25-year-old on The Surreal Life. LeToya, whose single "Torn” was at press time number 10 on BDS' R&B Mainstream 100, has a life. Running a clothing store in H-Town and studying to become a real-estate agent, this single girl has money on her mind. Still, her mind isn't always on her money. "Altogether, I've spent a couple hundred thousand dollars on shoes,” says 'Toya matter-of-factly. Talk about a happy ending.

You own and help run a clothing store in Houston. Quick cashier's test: my total is $18.72. I give you $50, what's my change?
I don't ring customers out. My mom takes care of the business part, and I'm the buyer and the salesgirl.

I can tell you're a slick salesgirl—you dodged that math question like a pro.
Oh, I won't lie to you and say I know the answer!

What was Beyoncé like in elementary school?
Oh, she was funny. She was popular because she was beautiful, but she was also very quiet. Once you got to know her, she was goofy and smart.

Continue reading this feature in the July/August 2006 issue of KING (#32).