found lil’ Rick when he was about eight and his sister, Ty, was eleven. And Rick [Sr.] looked at me and Penny and he said “I, I, I can’t take both of ’em!” and I was like ‘Huh?!!’ I was like ‘I just met these kids, what are you talking ’bout?’ [Rick said] “Listen I can’t take both of them T, you gotta take one.” I was like “What do you mean I gotta take one (laughs)?!! He said “I’ll take the girl.” ‘I was like ‘I’ll take the boy.’

When asked what was her inspiration behind “Cassanova Brown?” Teena confessed it was Rick James. Go ‘head Rick! That’s real love when a woman is writing songs about you and more importantly, raising your child!

WATCH TEENA MARIE TALK ABOUT RAISING RICK’S KID HERE:

Now we understand why Teena and Rick were so deeply connected for decades after they actually broke up. It was no secret that Rick was a “Cassanova Brown” who loved the ladies, even while he was in a relationship with Teena and it takes a very patient and amazing woman to be able to handle a wild dude like Rick. Teena obviously loved Rick to the core, even after she was no longer ‘in love’ with him and it’s evident that those feelings were mutual from Rick.
I remember when I saw them perform “Fire and Desire’ at the BET Awards in 2004, I was thinking, ‘they shol’ look like there’s still some “fire and desire” hidden deep down for each other, LOL’…but I digress. Anyways, Teena and Rick’s story reminds me of what a wise man once said: ‘If a woman unconditionally loves your kids as if they were her own, that’s the woman to keep.’ I’m not sure if Rick had a chance to hear that wise man’s words, but unfortunately he didn’t ‘keep’ Teena (or maybe she dumped him, who knows) but in his heart he ‘kept’ her close for not just unconditionally loving him, but also loving his son, Rick Jr.. May Rick and Teena both continue to rest peacefully.

By the way, as of 2011 Teena’s daughter, Alia Rose and Rick James’ son, Rick Jr. were actually still living together in Teena’s home, the same home she raised both of them in. We’re not sure if they still live together now, but check out this video of Alia and Rick Jr. showing Teena’s home and how they live after their parents’ death.