Um as far as Chilli of TLC, there was definitely talks and negotiations to sign her. We never got a chance to officially sign her, you know. Um. Of course she has a lot of things that she's doin personaly now outside of music that she chose to focus on. But I think those conversations could definitely, we probably can have those conversations again in the future depending on where she wants to go with her career, but I think that's more of where Chilli's goin'.

ESSENCE.COM: We need more T-Boz sightings! The last time we saw you was in Times Square during a taping of Donald Trump’s “Celebrity Apprentice” raising money for a charity. How have you been?

T-BOZ: I’m doing great. I’m healthy and happy. And I love raising awareness and money for kids. The show was interesting and I loved experiencing new things, but I wouldn’t do it again.

ESSENCE.COM: And how’s motherhood treating you?

T-BOZ: Wonderful. My daughter, Chase Anela, is 8 years old, and she’s the sweetest thing and makes me the happiest. She makes me breakfast in bed. She’ll make me scrambled eggs or oatmeal in the microwave and serve it to me. She’s my world.

ESSENCE.COM: (Laughs.) That is so sweet! Well, there have been reports that a Georgia property of yours is going into foreclosure. Is that true?

T-BOZ: No, I’m not homeless. During my last marriage [to Mack 10], I had a bunch of things that were put in my name. If one of those properties is going into foreclosure then I don’t know. Although I’ve been divorced for five years, there are still a lot of things I’m dealing with on getting straight in that regard. All I know is that the house I live in with my daughter is not. When you pull up my name, my real house doesn’t show up because it’s not in my real name, because I enjoy my privacy and I’m not trying to have people be able to find me that easily.

ESSENCE.COM: There were also reports of you losing a home in Houston?

T-BOZ: I’ve never owned a home in Houston. I closed a store in Houston, Chase’s Closet, where I sold girls and boys clothing from infants to 12 years. The store is named after my daughter, Chase. For now, I only have the online store (chasescloset.com).

ESSENCE.COM: That explains the locale. Did you see the photos they had of you that were allegedly in front of your Houston home begging for donations?

T-BOZ: It’s almost a waste of energy to give an explanation, but I’ll just say that the [blogosphere] loves to make up things. I remember that photo and it was on Craiglist.com showing me in front of some house with a sign claiming I was asking for donations. The only thing that irritated me was that they said that the proceeds would be donated to St. Jude’s [Children’s Research Hospital]. I can take people talking about me all day, but don’t use my name to make fun of sick children because that’s beyond low and sick. I was a sick kid for a long time, in and out of the hospital most of my life battling my sickle cell, so I don’t find anything funny about that kind of joking. Why would anyone target innocent sick children to make fun of? That’s not cool at all. I mean someone actually took the time to make up all this stuff and post a picture they had me in front of a house talking about I’d take donations to save my home. They even went so far as to have an address and I thought, I feel sorry for the person who lives there. I was there helping to raise funds for another charity.

ESSENCE.COM: How do you think the rumor began?

T-BOZ: Honestly, I don’t know. Ever since the news that TLC went bankrupt back in the day, I suppose everyone wants to believe that we are all struggling, but we’re doing fine. And if it were true, does it really matter? All those things are material. I get that negativity and violence sells, so people just stick to that formula. I’m just trying to live life and raise a little a girl that I was told I couldn’t have because of my sickle cell disease. I’m trying to do something that matters and make a difference with diseases. When I think about having my organs fail, my heartbeat stop and then begin again, this stuff is so trivial and I’m shocked that people believe everything they read because so much of it is far-fetched. My friends call me a miracle, and I am because there were so many times I almost didn’t make it when I was dealing with my sickness, but I’m doing so much better and I can only thank God.

ESSENCE.COM: Wow! So how do you combat the rumors?

T-BOZ: I let people say what they want to say. I really don’t care. At the end of the day, none of these people are ever going to pay my bills or help get me out the hospital bed when I’m sick. That stuff is a waste of energy to me. You have to wonder if some of these bloggers lives are so bad that you have to harp on other people’s problems and fabricate stories. If some of the things are true about people losing their homes, have some compassion because it could be any one of us one day. It’s so ridiculous that you have to ask what is going on and half the battle begins with us as Black folks. If we don’t sit together and make change and start to treat each other with more respect, then how are we going to help our President? He can’t do this alone, so we have to come together and do better.

T-Boz, who was once married to Mack 10, becomes the latest celeb to have her real estate problems put on public view. A sprawling, five-bedroom, nearly 10,000-sq. ft. house in her name is set to go on the auction block in January 2009 because she defaulted on the original principal of her mortgage (around $530,000), according to public records obtained by TMZ. This isn't the house the singer lives in with her daughter though and she told ESSENCE.com that this property is one of many things put in her name without her knowledge during her marriage.

She joins Fantasia, whose housing woes in Charlotte, N.C., were reported on this blog earlier this week, and Wyclef Jean, whose unfinished Miami Beach mansion is scheduled to be sold by Miami-Dade county officials today at 11 a.m. Wyclef bought the mansion in 2004, taking out a $1.9 million mortgage through a corporation he owns with several friends. But the property was never completed after a myriad of legal problems with the construction. Now his corporation owes $2.4 million, according to the judgment filed. Fantasia's home wasn't her main residence but is still in her name, the same as T-Boz.

And then there’s Damon Dash. In August, Eastern Savings Bank foreclosed on the $7.3 million mortgage for two of his trendy Tribeca condos where the monthly $78,504.26 bill went unpaid for months, according to the New York Daily News.

I’m sure there will be more in the months to come.

T-Boz tells ESSENCE.com "I'm Not Homeless"

Not trying to be funny but I can't keep giving stories for everyone everytime something crazy comes out. I've said it before and this is my last time, you can't believe everything you read. I'm fine and my real home is too! If your really concerned thank you. But I'm sure more lies will come out when my album comes, it's already starting so I won't keep putting energy into things that shouldn't require any of my precious time that can be used to focus on things that really matter. Take Care!

I appreciate that you all care and are concerned, it means a lot. I am fine I'm not loosing my home. From the horses mouth!

According to an inside source privy to the intimate details of Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas’ new show on VH1, Rashan Ali was one of hundreds of hopefuls who auditioned for the role as Chilli’s “best friend.” Ali is the midday host on Atlanta’s popular Hot 107.9.

You’re probably wondering why would anyone audition as Chilli’s best friend? I’m sure she has friends who could have easily fit the role. But apparently, none of Chilli’s friends appealed to the producers of the show.

So Rashan Ali was one of the hopefuls who received a private invite to audition for the role.

Rashan and Chilli go way back to the TLC days. Rashan was the personal assistant to the late Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes, according to Rashan’s Myspace page.

This same scenario played itself out on the surprise hit show ‘Real Housewives of Atlanta’. Word is, Kim Zolciak and Dwight Eubanks also auditioned for roles as NeNe Leakes’ best friend on the show.

The new show is produced by VH1 and the producers of American Idol. In the show, Chilli goes on a quest to find a new man — preferably one who isn’t married or gay.