All posts by ilosm

Here is a cool fun fact that may surprise some SWV fans– lead singer, Coko Clemons, was in a relationship, and had a child with a rapper who was very popular in the ’90s. He’s a member of a legendary rap group; and for a while, they dominated the airwaves with their hits…they even won a Grammy after selling millions of records. Their music is timeless and classic to old school hip hop heads.

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Coko and this rapper seemed like an unlikely match back in the day, because they seemed to be so different at that time. But it’s true, they were a couple and their union produced a child. How they managed to keep this out of the public’s eye back when both of them were in two of the hottest groups of the ’90s, is beyond us. Scroll down to check out who Coko’s child calls ‘Dad’…

Digable Planets Rapper, Ishmael “Butterfly” Butler (Memba’ Him?)

Tuh-dahhh!!! The father of Coko Clemons’ eldest son, Jazz, is none other than “Mr. Cool Like Cat”…Ishmael “Butterfly” Butler, of the ’90s rap group, Digable Planets!

If you were bobbing your head to rap classics back in the day, you definitely know his group. For those of you who aren’t familiar with Digable Planets, they were one of the main groups to fuse a jazz sound with unique hip hop vocals and their hit, “Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)” sent them into another stratosphere in the ’90s. Below is the video for that song…

Here is a pic of Coko’s and Ishmael’s son, Jazz, who is a splitting image of his Pops…

As far as Ishmael and Coko’s relationship, Coko admitted that they weren’t together for long, but that they were in love. Their son was born in 1997, and here is what Coko revealed about them in a 2000 interview with Honey Magazine:

“People would ask us, ‘What do y’all talk about?’ because we’re really different,” says Coko of her ex. A shy laugh gets caught in her voice. “I watch TV, he doesn’t. I eat fried food and pork. He doesn’t. So some things were really weird, but he taught me a lot and he learned some things from me. But I think we were too different for it to really last.” Coko smiles as she talks of him, and though she initially claimed she was mad at Ishmael at the time of the interview, it’s clear the two are still good friends.

“He’s a good father,” she continues, “and he was special. We have a special bond, a special relationship.” Raising her eyebrows and lightening her tone, she adds, “He’s a good man. He’s going to make somebody a good husband.”

Ishmael wasn’t the only artist who Coko dated, she was also in a relationship with another popular 90’s entertainer who was also a member of a popular group, only this time he was an R&B cat, not a rapper.

Coko Also Dated…

Coko and Garfield Bright of the ’90s group, Shai, were a couple back in the day too!

Remember Shai? They had EVERYBODY singing the lyrics to their ’90s love song: “And if I ever fall in love again. I will be sure that the lady is my freeing, and if I ever fall in love so true baby, I will be sure that the lady’s just like you-ooo-ooo.” Okay I couldn’t resist singing that line just now, but I digress.

Karyn Parsons is totally different from her role as the materialistic and sometimes not-so-swift “Hilary Banks” character that she played on Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. She recently revealed that for a while after she was starring on the show, that she refused to quit the REAL-LIFE job that she had before landing the role.

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The Job She REFUSED To Quit & How Her Co-Stars Clowned Her

Karyn Parsons was a restaurant hostess at the exact same time she was “Hilary Banks!” Could you imagine going to the restaurant where she was working at the height of her career, and having “Hilary” escort you to your table?!! Crazy right? She’s smart though, because here’s what she explained about why she did that:

Before she got her break on that hit ’90s sitcom, Parsons was living in Hollywood — working as a restaurant hostess, taking acting classes and going on lots of auditions. When she first got the audition for The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, she wasn’t sold on the show’s concept. “I remember my first reactions being, ‘Oh, God, it’s a sitcom with a rapper? Like, what’s that?’ ” she recalls.

She says the Hilary character was originally written as a polished, cool model. “My first reaction to it was, ‘Oh, well, this is ridiculous, I’m not gonna get this, I’m not a model type. This is silly,’ ” Parsons says. Parsons says she decided to make the character her own. “I did what I could do, which was, I kind of turned in her into a little bit of a real brat,” she says. “It was fun to play that girl. It was fun to just be so self-absorbed that you just say ridiculous things.”

Parsons got the part, but she still went back to her hostessing job. “I didn’t know what was gonna happen with that show,” she says.

She remembers Will Smith and others from the show coming by the restaurant while she was working and teasing her outside the window. -via NPR

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As you can see, Karyn Parsons is obviously way smarter than her character, “Hilary Banks.” She made sure not to throw all of her eggs in one basket. Some people just go all in and have no plan B, while others choose to play it safe. Karyn chose the latter.

Nowadays she spends time raising her kids with her husband, director Alexandre Rockwell, whom she married in 2003. Together they have a daughter, Lana (born in 2003), and a son, Nico (born in 2007).

Ever since her “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” era, Karyn has focused on her own projects, including Sweet Blackberry, in which she’s producing a line of animated films about unsung black heroes. It was the first in the series, and it tells the story of Henry “Box” Brown, a slave who mailed himself to freedom.

Source: NPR

Steve Harvey discussed what Lenny Williams (“Cause I Love You” singer) told him when they first met years ago…and it’s a really cool story to witness…

What Steve Harvey Revealed About Meeting Lenny Williams

In 2014, Steve Harvey revealed — on his radio show — that the legendary Lenny Williams and his wife approached him at a public event…with Lenny telling him, “Man thank you SO much for saving my life…you really saved my life.” Then Lenny’s wife said, “We thank you so much.”

Steve confessed that at that time he had no idea why Mr. and Mrs. Williams were thanking him. However, Lenny then explained to Steve that after the comedian consistently played his 1975 hit, “Cause I Love You,” during his iconic “Kings Of Comedy Tour” routine, the sales for that song shot through the roof. Because Lenny owns the rights to his song, those sales are what pulled him and his wife out of a bad financial position, according to Steve’s recollection of what Lenny explained to him. Lenny said he also started getting booked for shows a lot more.

Steve Harvey later stated on his radio show, that it wasn’t him, but rather “the grace of God” … because he had no clue Lenny Williams was going through financial troubles at that time. Harvey also expressed that Lenny’s story really touched him, and that Lenny probably has no idea how much he, in turn, affected his life too.

Wow, Lenny did what many artists from back in the day haven’t been able to do – retained the ownership of his own music…and decades later, it paid off for him.

Things were seemingly all good just a week ago…but fast forward to present-day, and the loving marriage of Tina Knowles-Lawson and her husband/actor, Richard Lawson, has gone from good to non-existence, apparently.

It’s now been discovered that Mama Tina a.k.a. –Beyonce’s and Solange’s moms– has just filed divorce papers as of Wednesday, July 26, 2023. And get this…she listed the date of separation as Tuesday, July 25, 2023, sighting “irreconcilable differences” as the reason for her divorce request. This comes after the soon-to-be ex-lovebirds’ eight years of marriage and two years of dating prior to.

According to reports, Tina is asking the judge to deny any potential requests for spousal support from both sides. She’s also reportedly requesting that her name be legally changed from Celestine Lawson (Celestine is her first name since birth name), to Celestine Knowles- the same surname as her ex-husband/father of her kids, Matthew Knowles.

Many Fans Shocked…Some Not, Here’s Why

To some, Tina’s latest divorce filing isn’t a shock. However, for most of Tina’s and Richard’s fans the divorce news is on ‘I-know-you-lying!!’ levels. And there are valid reasons for both.

For those who aren’t surprised about the divorce filing, it’s likely due to the months-long speculation that some of Bey’s most devoted fans began stirring up after realizing that not only hadn’t they seen Richard and Tina together in any photos in recent months; but they also noticed that Tina was attending her daughter’s “Renaissance Tour” alone lately…a move that’s apparently out of character for the Lawson couple. There’s more…

In a June 2023 post, Richard Lawson shared a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson, which read, “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment. — Ralph Waldo Emerson” Richard captioned the post with, “One of my favorite quotes. Emerson is a genius. #wisdom #empower #selfrespect #selfreminder.”

After peepin’ his post, one fan asked Richard why he wasn’t “overseas” attending the European leg of Beyonce’s Renaissance Tour” alongside his wife, who was already there having a blast:
“Why aren’t you with Mrs. Tina overseas? Concerned fan.”

Richard replied back to let the fan know everything was supposedly ‘good’ with he and the Mrs.:

“@crms*** I’m doing a series here in LA and working on my film. Thanks for your concern. It’s all good.”

By June 5, 2023, more fans took to Richard’s Instagram to voice their concern:

“Where is Ms. Tina? I never see pictures of you two together anymore,” one fan wrote…which the prompted another fan to reply, “I was thinking the same.”

From Tina’s side of things, many keen-eyed fans of her Instagram page noticed that a few weeks ago, she’d discreetly changed her IG name from Tina Knowles-Lawson, back to Tina Knowles. Peepin’ the low-key name change, many took to Twitter to express their concern about Beyonce’s mom and stepdad once again:

Is Miss Tina still married to Richard Lawson?

— I’m that Birl (@AseMahle_) July 17, 2023

“I think Tina Knowles and Richard Lawson called it quits too,” wrote one commenter.

“Is Miss Tina still married to Richard Lawson?” another wrote.

Mixed Signals: They Seemed Happy A Week Ago

 

 

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As if Richard’s and Tina’s mixed signals weren’t already confusing enough…then came even more confusion. After neither of them have shared photos of themselves together online in months…just a week prior to the divorce filing on July 17, 2023, they made a rare appearance together at the LA Premier of actor, Glynn Turman’s, documentary, “The Life Of Glynn Turman”…and they looked happy as hell together!

Their LA outing seemingly shut down the prior separation rumors altogether. But clearly, that move was just a ‘happy front’ for the cameras, because obviously ‘everything ain’t all good’ in their marriage. If it was, then Tina Knowles-Lawson wouldn’t have jetted over to divorce court to legally tell Richard *in the words of her daughter, Bey’* ‘To the left, to the left…everything you own is in that box to the left’…well, not in those exact words of course, but y’all catch my drift.

Hopefully they’ll be able to patch their marriage up in due time…but if not, wishing them a stress-free, amicable divorce process.

We have sad news to report today I Love Old School Music family…Sinéad O’Connor – the Irish born singer best known for her Prince-penned hit, “Nothing Compares 2 U” – has passed away. She was only 56 years young.

The Irish Times first reported the heartbreaking news of Sinéad O’Connor’s passing on Wednesday, July 26, 2023. Her family has released the following statement:

“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Sinéad. Her family and friends are devastated and have requested privacy at this very difficult time.”

Details surrounding Sinéad cause of death haven’t yet been released.

Sinéad’s passing comes on the heels of several tragic events she’d experienced in the last few years of her life. One of the most devastating incidents was the suicide of her 17-year-old son, Shane, in January 2022. Before his death, Shane was under suicide watch in an Irish hospital, but he had gone missing from the hospital just two days prior. After Shane’s passing, Sinéad released a statement expressing her grief and love for her son.

Sinéad also revealed her own struggles with mental health, including being reported missing and suicidal in Chicago in 2016. Sinéad even revealed in an interview with Dr. Phil that she had attempted suicide eight times in one year.

Sinéad’s music career took off with the release of her first album, “The Lion and the Cobra,” in 1987. This album earned her a Grammy nomination for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance and achieved gold status. However, it was her 1990 album, “I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got,” that brought her immense fame. The album featured her biggest hit, “Nothing Compares 2 U,” written by Prince, and won her the Video of the Year award at the MTV Video Awards.

Sinéad is survived by her three children, Jake, Roisin, and Yeshua.

Of course Sinéad will forever be remembered for her beautiful voice and classic music…but her fans will also always remember her for her devoted commitment to standing up for her personal beliefs; as well speaking out against various forms of oppression or injustices that she deemed to be wrong, no matter how controversial they may have seemed. She was a strong woman indeed.

Our condolences to her family and loved ones at this time. May Sinéad O’Connor rest peacefully. 😔

Lionel Richie and his daughter, Nicole Richie, share a common personality trait- their openness with the public about their personal lives…even the not-so-pretty-details. And the time that they both opened up about how Lionel ultimately was able to get Nicole to kick her addiction to cocaine and heroin, is no different…

LIONEL GAVE NICOLE RICHIE A MUCH NEEDED WAKE-UP CALL

Lionel Richie’s method to get Nicole off of heroin took a great deal of persistence and an equally terrifying amount of patience as a parent. In 2003, Nicole was arrested for heroin possession. In a prior interview with Piers Morgan, Lionel explained how he used the drug-fueled death of three of his friends and two of Nicole’s friends to finally wake her up:

Lionel Richie: “I went to [Nicole] and I said, ‘When I was growing up I lost three friends, they were the hippest friends I ever knew in life . . . I said, ‘It’s going to happen to your generation. I don’t want you to be in that list of three.’ Three months later her friend died of an overdose and I went back to her and very quietly, I said, ‘I am sorry to hear that, that’s one.’ And sure enough, one year later the second one died and I said, ‘That’s two’ and I got a phone call and she said, ‘Dad I need help, I don’t want to be the third one.'” -Lionel Richie

LIONEL AND BRENDA RICHIE LEAPED INTO ACTION TO HELP THEIR BABY

Lionel was about to kick off a huge tour at the time Nicole called him for help and this is what he and then-wife Brenda Richie, did next to help their child:

LR: “I said [to Nicole], ‘I am with you’ and I canceled [my] tour. I said, ‘Me and your mother [Brenda Richie]’ — who didn’t get along that well — ‘Me and your mother are checking into rehab with you.'”

In a People Magazine interview, Nicole detailed what it was like for her to make the decision to quit drug usage altogether:

“I got so much so fast that nothing really excited me anymore. I kind of took matters into my own hands and was creating drama in a very dangerous way. I think I was just bored, and I had seen everything – especially when you’re young, you just want more. At 18 I had just been doing a lot of cocaine.”

By her early 20’s she was addicted to heroin and this is what she says she told herself:

“This isn’t the life … this was heroin.” …”[Now] I’m happy for the things I have accomplished. I’m happy I’m not in that state anymore.”

Lionel Richie admitted that he once thought the role of a dad was to be a provider, so he always made sure he performed and toured to bring home the bread. But after seeing what Nicole went through, he confessed “I think I wasn’t a good dad.”

In response to Lionel’s confession, Nicole stated:

“I never blamed him. I think he blamed himself. It was very humble of my dad to come forward and say, ‘I made a mistake.’ I love him for that.”

This is so inspirational to any parents out there who may be disconnected from their children. It’s never too late to admit your wrongs and try to do right by your child. We applaud Lionel and Nicole Richie for their willingness to share their flaws and vulnerabilities from both ends of the spectrum.

“Kiss my Converse.” If you can name who said that classic line, then you’re probably a fan of the 1985 classic movie, The Last Dragon — which starred actors Taimak Guarriello, who played ‘Bruce Leroy Green’; and Julius J. Carry III, who played the villain ‘Sho’nuff.’ The cult classic is about martial artist, ‘Bruce Leroy,’ who aspires to be legendary martial artist, Bruce Lee. While searching for ‘Master Sum Dum Goy,’ a man that can unlock his ‘glow,’ he was faced with another martial artist, ‘Sho’nuff.’ I know my true Old School heads out there remember how ‘Sho-nuff’ was on his bullying stance so hard, he terrorized the whole damn neighborhood, LOL.

Although Sho-nuff was just a character, what most of us would be surprised to know is that Taimak and Julius had a lil’ beef off screen too, according to what Taimak revealed. See why, below….

Real Life Tension:

Sadly, Julius J. Carry III passed away on August 19, 2008 from pancreatic cancer, but his love for acting and dedication to his craft forever lives on. In fact, because Julius was so committed to his role as ‘Sho-nuff,’ he reportedly created tension with  Taimak, as well as other people on the set. In a Last Dragon reunion panel at the D-Lux Entertainment Expo a few years ago, Taimak shared fond memories of the man who had everybody saying the classic line,”Who’s the baddest mofo in town?”

According to Taimak, Julius would walk around in costume on the set all the time, never coming out of character. To create authentic tension, Taimak said Julius would walk up to people and stare them down as only ‘Sho’nuff’ could. He would apparently rip stuff off the wall to maintain his mean persona. In the video below, Taimak shared how he often laughed at Carry III’s antics to which Julius responded. He also said that Julius constantly pushed his buttons to create anger between them because Julius knew that Taimak didn’t have any animosity toward him in real life, so to get the best out of him on film, Julius created tension on set, with the hopes that it would eventually translate on camera. Although Taimak had much respect for Julius, there was one time where Julius’ tactics worked and lo and behold, Taimak let the real ‘Bruce Leroy’ step up…

See Taimak talk about that moment below:

What is Taimak doing now?

Thirty-eight years later, the man lovingly known to us as Bruce Leroy Green still has that glow. In an interview with the Tom Joyner Morning Show, he discussed his new autobiography, TAIMAK: The Last Dragon. What many people may not know is that Taimak practices martial arts in real life. As a child, he would watch martial movies all the time and he fell in love with the arts.  At the age of eighteen, he won the New York State Kickboxing Championship and was inducted into the Martial Arts Hall of Fame in 2010.

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At the age of 19, Taimak’s life was forever changed as he starred in a movie that people are still talking about many years later. To inspire young people, Taimak started an organization called Unfolding Dream where he encourages young people to follow their passions. Just as Taimak hasn’t strayed away from martial arts, he hasn’t strayed away from acting as well. ‘Bruce Leroy’ has starred in television shows including A Different World, Alley McBeal, Red Shoes Diaries and Malcolm and Eddie as well as performing in plays.

Julius J. Carry III died at the young age of 56. Carry didn’t have any children and he was survived by his wife, Naomi. Despite the fact that he died so young, his spirit will live on forever as the man we loved to hate, Sho’nuff.

Days after the recent raid on a Las Vegas home that cops seemingly suspect of being connected to Tupac’s murder investigation was conducted, law enforcement officials have now revealed what was taken from the residence on July 17, 2023.

According to reports, the property records of the search warrant indicate that a house connected to the investigation into the killing of Tupac Shakur belongs to Paula Clemons, the wife of Duane Keith Davis, also known as “Keefe D” (seen in the video interviews below). Keefe D. claims to be a witness to Tupac’s fatal shooting in 1996. The search warrant reveals that the police were searching for items that could provide evidence of motive, or the identity of the suspect…such as photos, undeveloped film, insurance policies, letters, address and telephone records, diaries, and other documents.

During the execution of the warrant, it’s now being reported that the police seized several items from the home, including tablets; an iPhone; five computers; USB and hard drives;  photos; “purported marijuana”; a copy of a “Vibe” magazine about Tupac; and a copy of the book, “Compton Street Legends,” authored by Keefe D with Yusuf Jah. The affidavit requesting the warrant also mentioned the search for notes, writings, ledgers, and other documents related to TV shows, documentaries, YouTube episodes, book manuscripts, and movies about Pac’s murder.

Keefe D.’s memoir, which was also found in the Las Vegas home, reveals details about reported street gang life and Pac’s murder. In the book, Keefe claims to be one of only two living witnesses to the shooting, with the other being Marion ‘Suge’ Knight, the former CEO of Death Row Records– as a result of Suge the driving the BMW that Tupac was killed in at that time. Knight is currently serving time in prison for manslaughter in an unrelated case.

Keefe D. says he’s the uncle of Orlando Anderson, who has long been suspected of involvement in Tupac’s murder. However, Anderson denied the allegations prior to his death in a gang-related shooting in 1998. Although Keefe D. has done multiple interviews in recent years, discussing his self-proclaimed spot as a witness to Pac’s murder, many folks missed the 1998 interview he did with BET, making those same claims– that he reportedly was in the front seat of the car that pulled up alongside Tupac Shakur’s vehicle when shots were fired from the backseat.

As y’all know…three hours before the fatal 1996 shooting, surveillance video from the MGM casino captured Tupac, Suge Knight, and their entourage attacking Anthony Anderson, an L.A.-area gang member. Many speculate that Anderson and his associates sought revenge by shooting Shakur. However, just this week retired police lieutenant, Chris Carroll — the first officer at the scene of the shooting — told KSNV News that he believes Anderson was actually the one who pulled the trigger.

Carroll was also surprise about the search warrant that came 27 years after Pac’s death, because he believed that any hope of prosecution was a done dada long ago:

Via CNN- “I think it’s pretty significant,” Carroll said of the search warrant. “You know, I don’t think anybody saw this coming. It, it’s been 27 years. I think anybody had given up hope on any type of prosecution and this, you know, kind of changes the game and open things up.”

Carroll’s optimism is tempered. “I would be surprised if they even found anything in that home that is usable as evidence, but you know, maybe, maybe they did,” he said. “It’s 27 years later, it’s going to be tough to find evidence.”

Tupac was shot multiple times while leaving a Mike Tyson boxing match at the MGM Grand hotel in Las Vegas. Authorities initially believed that ‘Pac was the intended target, but the investigation has remained unsolved since 1996. We’ll keep you all posted as new info about this case unfolds.

Source Source

In the unfortunate, ongoing family drama within “Good Times” legend, John Amos’s, family…things have gotten turned way up within the past week or so. As y’all have probably heard, the Amos fam’ is making headlines left n’ right over the beef between John’s kids, Shannon Amos and K.C. Amos. This past weekend, Shannon had K.C. arrested for reportedly making terroristic threats against her life, which also exposed new details about their apparent family tension. And now Shannon is speaking out about her brother’s recent arrest.

What John Amos’s Daughter, Shannon Amos, Said After Brother, K.C. Amos’s Arrest

In a statement shared by People Magazine, here’s what Shannon shared:

[Shannon Amos] noted in a statement provided to Parade on July 19, “My family and I continue to advocate and fight for the proper care of my father,” referencing the elder abuse claims she made back in June.

As for her brother—who, according to a complaint obtained by People, was arrested over the weekend after allegedly sending Shannon seemingly threatening messages—Shannon said she’s “pleased that Kelly is being held accountable for his actions which have put my father’s health at risk, and look forward to resolving this matter in private with the proper authorities.”

Shannon Claims K.C. Amos Made Her ‘Fear For Her Life’

Prior to Shannon’s July 19, 2023 statement, legal docs surrounding their case revealed what she told West Orange, NJ police at the time of calling in K.C. Amos’s alleged threats to her:

Via TMZ- Shannon told West Orange, NJ police her brother texted about his supposed gang affiliations, showing a handgun and a rifle. She claims he also sent her videos of him firing a handgun in an open field, and wrote, “Gonna sleep much better tonight big sis.”

According to Robert Florida, a spokesperson for the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office … Shannon said K.C. suffers from bipolar disorder, which has led him to believe she hired someone to kill him — and now she’s worried he might retaliate.

John Amos’s Daughter Clarifies GoFundMe Page She Started For Dad

In her latest statement, Shannon also addressed the controversial GoFundMe page she’d started for their pops in June of this year, to raise funding for his ‘medical care.’..which John Amos later claimed he did not need and was perplexed by. Here’s what Shannon had to say about it:

Via People- “Despite false accusations and defamatory statements being made against me, I remain committed to ensuring that he receives the best medical care. John Amos may be known as ‘America’s Dad’, but for me, he is my father.”

After Shannon created the GoFundMe page, John Amos released a video – from his hospital – bed claiming that his “main issues” were with his daughter, Shannon, and further adding, “who I feel has taken advantage of me and she would be the primary suspect if you would. … She’s the one that I would attribute my elderly abuse to.”

Needless to say…after John rejected the GoFundMe donations, the page was taken down.

So uh…yeah…this story has many odd twists and turns, where the math just ain’t ‘mathing’ at times 🤷🏾‍♂️. But nevertheless, only time will tell what the actual truth is, as more details emerge about this heartbreaking Amos family dynamic. Wishing them all the best going forward.

Diana Ross’ first born, 51-year-old Rhonda Ross-Kendrick, did an interview a while back, where she discussed how she eventually discovered that her Dad was not a tall, Jewish-American man, but rather an African American Motown Records head honcho. For those who don’t know, Rhonda had often been referred to as Diana’s and Berry Gordy’s “love child” throughout the years. She was the product of their undercover relationship that lasted for many years while ‘The boss’ Ms. Ross was with the Supremes and also during her solo career.

The identity of Rhonda’s real father was kept a secret, although we’re not quite sure why. My guess is that it was because the public didn’t know about Berry’s and Diana’s relationship and maybe they thought it would have tainted Diana’s rep, although many people in the music industry knew. Diana and Berry didn’t completely hide their relationship, but they didn’t publicize it to the world either.

Any person on the face of this earth can take one look at Rhonda and clearly see that she is Berry Gordy’s baby, but I guess it’s much harder to notice that just by looking in the mirror, when you’ve been lead to believe that someone else was your dad all of your life.

Anyways, here’s what Rhonda explained about how she learned Berry Gordy was not “Uncle Berry” but he was ‘Daddy’…

Via NYPost:
“The bottom line was, I looked just like [Gordy], and my sisters looked just like their father, a 6-foot-tall Jewish American man,” [Rhonda Ross] says. Even so, she’s still close to the man who raised her as his daughter, “though he knew I wasn’t his when my mother was pregnant.” 

The oldest of the diva’s five children, Rhonda was nearly 13 when she was told the man she knew as Dad — her mother’s husband and manager, Robert Ellis Silberstein — wasn’t.

Discovering who she really was came as a relief, she says. Gordy was already so close to the family that she and her sisters called him “uncle.” And while it took her awhile to learn the truth, others had guessed it long ago. “I’d meet fans on the street who’d say, ‘Oh child, we knew you were Berry Gordy’s daughter — you look just like him!’ ”

Diana was preparing for “Lady Sings the Blues” while pregnant, and Rhonda thinks that experience led to her own lifelong love of Billie Holiday.

She’s amazed at how her mom juggled five kids and a career. “We were not raised by nannies,” she says. “She’d do a gig in Atlantic City and helicopter back and forth to be there in the mornings to get us off to school. My grandmother was around till I was 13, so we had that support, but my mother didn’t work on Christmas, New Year’s or any of our birthdays.” […]

She’s never lacked for advice, and it’s Gordy who gave her the impetus she needed to sing again. “Recently, he’s advised me that direction is more important than speed,” she says. “I’ve been at this for a while, and now I feel I’m finding my voice and my purpose, and the music I really want to share.”

So as you can see ILOSM family, Diana, Rhonda, Berry and the rest of the Ross clan are all one big happy family now…all’s well that ends well.