Dawn Robinson’s ex-husband, Andre “Dre” Allen, is extending a helping hand to the former En Vogue singer after she revealed that she has been living out of her car for three years.
During an interview with TMZ Hip Hop that was published on Thursday, Allen, 49, who was married to Robinson, 58, from 2003 to 2010, shared that he is offering her a job in the hospitality industry.
Allen, who is also a singer-songwriter and former member of the 1990s pop and R&B group IV Xample, currently works full-time in hospitality, and he told TMZ that he believes Robinson would be a “perfect” addition to the sales department at Hilton Brands.
He predicted that Robinson would be successful in a sales position due to her “charisma and personality” and doesn’t believe that the entertainment industry will not “pay her what she’s worth.”
EN VOGUE MEMBER DAWN ROBINSON HAS BEEN LIVING OUT OF HER CAR FOR THREE YEARS
Allen launched his music career in 1992 when he formed the IV Xample with fellow members Robert “Bobby C” Chevis, his brother Raymond “Runni Rae” Chevis, and Bryant “Lucious” Woodert. The group’s debut album “For Example,” which featured their hit single “I’d Rather Be Alone,” sold over 500,000 copies.
After the group split up in 1998, Allen released two solo albums and wrote songs for a number of recording artists. He told TMZ that he helped facilitate Robinson’s return to En Vogue when she reunited with the group in 2008 before she departed again in 2011.
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While speaking with TMZ Hip Hop, Allen told the outlet that he has left the music industry behind, which he said saved his “life and finances.” He explained that he has found greater financial success working in the hospitality industry than he was able to achieve over his years in the music business.
Allen claimed that he has loaned money to “dozens of notable music industry friends” and said he knows others who died due to poverty, which motivated him to try to help Robinson after learning of her current circumstances.
He told TMZ Hip Hop that he previously offered the opportunity to Robinson and hopes she will accept the position. Allen said that his ex-wife would receive “free medical from day one” as well as “PTO to juggle her career.”
In a video posted to YouTube on Tuesday, Robinson, who found mega success alongside En Vogue band members Cindy Herron, Terry Ellis and Maxine Jones in the 1990s, opened up about living in her car since 2022.
She explained why she chose to pursue “car life” and expressed her hopes that her vulnerability can help inspire others who are in dire situations.
“People are like, ‘You shouldn’t talk about it, because you’re a celebrity, and what if they judge you?’ So what? What if they judge me? Life is life. . . . part of being human is being vulnerable,” she said.
“You guys, for the past three years, I have been living in my car,” she added. “I said it, oh my gosh, it’s out.”
Robinson said her aim is to “inspire” others and let people know that they are “capable of anything, no matter what the odds are against you.”
While explaining how she got to where she was, Robinson said she had been living with her parents in Las Vegas about five years ago. After being at odds with her mom, the singer made the decision to leave and ended up sleeping in her car for about a month.
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A co-manager at the time urged her to move to Los Angeles, telling Robinson he’d help her find a place to stay. However, after eight months of living in a hotel, Robinson cut ties when she realized he was “playing games.”
“Sometimes I think people want to trap you and keep you in a situation when you’re vulnerable,” she said. “So, I got out of there.”
Afterward, Robinson packed her car up and drove to Malibu, Calif., to begin her “car life.”
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“I don’t regret anything,” she said. “That first night was scary.”
Robinson quickly learned the ins and outs of car life, like “cover your windows” and avoiding talking to “certain people.”
“I felt free,” she said. “It was so different. I felt like I was on a camping trip. It just felt like it was the right thing to do.”
“I’m learning who I am as a person, as a woman,” she continued. “We say we can’t do certain things before we even know that we’re capable. . . . I’m glad that I made this choice, because I needed to go through this fire.”
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“I wouldn’t trade my experiences and what I’ve gone through for the world,” she added. “I miss my family. I miss everyone I was connected to. But I needed to do this alone. . . . But I needed to do this for me. It’s not easy for me by any means.”
Robinson said she’s”really proud” of how far she’s gone and urged her followers to face their fears.
“I challenge you to do the things that are scary,” she said. “People are going to call you crazy, and that’s okay. You feel a sense of freedom, and you push yourself.”
“Be spontaneous,” she added. “Do the scary. F— fear.”
En Vogue, which was formed in 1989, earned six Grammy nominations. Robinson left in March 1997, but reunited with the group in 2005 and 2008.
