Another mega-group, another dramatic lineup story.
Destiny’s Child was arguably successful when Roberson and Luckett left in January 2000. They had already recorded Writing’s On the Wall, which included “Say My Name,” “Bills, Bills, Bills” and “Jumpin’ Jumpin'” with Beyoncé Knowles and Kelly Rowland, but both left the group to find new management after increasing financial disputes and unhappiness with manager Mathew Knowles’ favoritism of his daughter and Rowland.
What they thought was an amicable split turned sour quickly. The “Say My Name” video that debuted a month after they left conspicuously cut out Roberson and Luckett, splicing in instead new members Michelle Williams and Farrah Franklin in their place. The track solidified Destiny’s Child’s R&B superstar status and served to all but sever the bands connections with the two former founding members.
Legal battles and a public war of wars ensued. When the drama died down, both attempted to continue music careers, but neither could amount to the same success as the group they’d been part of or its eventual breakout star, Beyoncé.
Franklin didn’t fare much better than Roberson and Luckett. She found out she was fired while watching MTV News only six months after joining the group.