ILOSM fam’ the late former Vanity 6 lead singer, Denise “Vanity” Matthews, has two beautiful sisters. As if that wasn’t already surprising enough to those of us who had no clue Vanity had siblings at all, we have another shocker to share. It was brought to our attention, a while back, that one of Vanity’s sisters is an actress who was in Coming To America. *SCROLL DOWN TO SEE BOTH OF VANITY’S SISTERS*

Although I’ve watched Coming To America more times than I can count, I never put two and two together, that Vanity’s sister was actually in the film. If you’ve seen Coming To America, you will probably be like ‘Say what? SHE is Vanity’s sister?’ Well, at least that was the response of some of us, here at ILOSM.  See who she is below…

Meet Vanity’s “Coming To America” Actress Sister, Patricia Matthews

Her Coming To America Role: “I Worship The Devil” Actress

Vanity’s sister is actress, Patricia Matthews, the woman who played the devil worshipper in Coming To America. Although her role was brief, it was still hilarious. She’s the woman who Eddie’s and Arsenio’s characters (“Akeem” and “Semmi”) met when they went to a nightclub to try to find Eddie’s character a “Queen” to take back home to Africa. They struck out big time and Patricia’s character ran them away as soon as she said her line, “I’ve got a secret, I worship the devil.” LOL.

Patricia was also a model and she didn’t have a long stint in the acting world. She’s most known for her roles in Coming To America (1988),  She Cried No (1996) and The First of May (1999). We have no idea what Patricia is up to nowadays, but we found an Old School interview she and her beloved sister, Vanity  being interviewed on the Arsenio Hall Show in 1986.

She Was Eddie’s Girlfriend…

Another Old School fun fact about Patricia, is that she dated Eddie Murphy back in the day, prior to him marrying his now ex-wife, Nicole Murphy. They were even photo’d in Jet Magazine together back in the day.

Watch Vanity and Patricia reveal that info to Arsenio, as Vanity attempts to explain her short jail stint, this is too funny…

Check Out Vanity’s Other Sister

One other Old School fun fact about Vanity and Patricia Matthews is that they actually have one more sister named Renee. You can pics of her below…

Renee paid homage to her beloved sister, Denise, on Twitter after she passed away in 2016…

Allegations Regarding Vanity’s Will & Her Sisters

Denise’s sisters were also the talk of the internet for a brief second, soon after Denise’s unfortunate February 15, 2016 passing at the age of 57, from kidney failure. The reason some people were kind of talking about the sisters was because of reports regarding Denise’s will. There were unconfirmed reports that the sisters were allegedly left little in Vanity’s will, while the bulk of it went to the church.

However, we’re not sure if the whole ‘will rumor’ is true, or not, so y’all can take that part with a grain of salt. However, if it is true, it wouldn’t seem far fetched because by the time of her passing, Denise was already 20+ years deep into her changed life as a devout Christian and evangelist.

Denise was very close with her sisters, who seemed to always have her back through the ups, the downs, and the in between times of uncertainties throughout her life. Denise “Vanity” Matthews is sorely missed. The impact she made both in entertainment and in her personal life – as someone who in later years, dedicated herself toward helping others and feeding the homeless- will never be forgotten. Rest on Ms. Matthews.

The post Denise “Vanity” Matthew’s Sister Is A “Coming To America” Actress Who Dated Eddie Murphy appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

Many entertainers have left great impacts on our culture, but the roads they traveled to get there, weren’t always peaches and cream. Actress, Madge Sinclair, is one of them. She laid a helluva foundation through her may roles in film and television and at times, her personal life was a roller coaster.

We best know her for her roles as “Queen Aoleon” in Coming To America and as “Belle,” the wife of “Kunta Kinte” in Roots, among many others. Later in life, she became the voice of of “Sarabi,” “Simba’s” mother, in The Lion King film. What many didn’t know though, is that Madge Sinclair sadly passed away years ago. Before her passing, she made other accomplishments that most were not aware of and she also had her fair share of ups and downs.

Details Of Her Passing, Her Interracial Marriage, Family Issues & More

Before She Was An Actress, She Taught…Literally

Madge Sinclair was born and raised in Kingston, Jamaica, where she was a school teacher up until 1968, before moving to America with nearly no money.

Details On Death After Coming To America

Two years after miniseries, Roots, aired, Madge Sinclair was diagnosed with Leukemia in 1979, which ultimately claimed her life. Her diagnosis made her more determined. She continued to work and married her actor husband. She passed away seven years after Coming To America, in 1995, at approximately 57 years young.

Her Diagnosis & Cause Of Death

Two years after Roots, Madge was diagnosed with Leukemia in 1979, which ultimately claimed her life. Her diagnosis made her more determined. She continued to work and married her actor husband.

She Married Interracially, Meet Her Husband

Madge Sinclair married actor, Dean Compton, in 1982 and they remained married up until her passing. She previously married Royston Sinclair (from 1956-1969) in her hometown, Kingston, Jamaica, and they have two children.

Meet Her Famous Cousin, Marcus Garvey

Madge was proud of being the cousin of iconic political leader, Marcus Garvey, who was also from Kingston, Jamaica.

But Her Family Was Once Unhappy With Her Moves

In a 1985 article, Madge’s cousin was quoted as calling her ‘greedy’ for leaving her kids behind in Jamaica for years, to move to America and pursue her acting dreams.

She Had ‘No Regrets’…Here’s Why…

Orlando Sentinel reported that Madge had no regrets about leaving her children, because: ”We’re very good friends. I feel fortunate I was smart enough to keep the lines of communication open so that, even when upheavals came, we could discuss everything,” said Madge.

She Also Owned 3 Businesses

Business #1: Madge was a very successful businesswoman. She owned three business that she developed after her move to the U.S.. She was an art dealer.

Business #2: Uniform/Garment Manufacturer. She owned a women’s clothing manufacturing company, Madge Walters Sinclair Inc., which specialized in making nurses’ uniforms. They were distributed in 100+ stores.

Business #3: Madge Sinclair was also the owner of the Action Income Tax Service.

She Confessed To Being Broke Despite Her Then Thriving Career & Businesses

Even though she was on a successful TV series, Trapper John M.D., at the time, Mrs. Sinclair said: 

”I put two boys through college, and I put my money into art and clothes — and they aren’t making me any money.”

Her Life Came Full Circle

Madge Sinclair’s career came full circle when she made her mark as a slave in Roots, and then a decade+ later,  as an African Queen in Coming To America. She was cremated and her ashes were spread in a Jamaican ocean- her home. Rest easy Queen.

The post Before “Coming To America” Actress Died, Her Personal Life Caught Many Fans By Surprise appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

We all remember the royal wedding scene in Coming To America, right? That was when “Prince Akeem” (Eddie Murphy) was about to marry the princess (Vanessa Bell Calloway), who only liked “What-ever it is” he liked and barked ‘like a small dog’ on command. If you recall that scene, then you probably also remember the tall ‘woman’ who barged through the wedding crowd to announce the bride. “Prince Akeem” was about to pass out when he thought ‘she’ was his new bride and his reaction was priceless. That ‘woman’ was actually actor, Billi Gordon. After the film, Billi became a neuroscientist, but went through very tumultuous struggles in his life. Sadly, he passed away in 2018, but prior to his passing, what he became is nothing short of applause-worthy.

Billi Gordon’s Life Was Filled With Major Tribulations & Triumphs

First Came His Weight Loss Pill Addiction. In a past interview, Billi Gordon revealed that he was severely addicted to a weight loss drug in the ’80s and that he’d eventually moved from his home state of Michigan, to Los Angeles, CA to sober up. But Things Took A Horrific Turn For The Worse…

Prostitution Before Acting. In an LA Times article, Billi described his life as “tumultuous,” prior to becoming an actor. The publication also stated, ‘He worked as an escort, a male prostitute, a female prostitute — in that order.’ Then He Made A Discovery…

Discovered His Love For Drag & Comedy. ‘It wasn’t until the mid-80s that he discovered his talent for comic writing and performing as a woman.’ -via LA Times What Happened To His Health In The Following Years Is Heartbreaking…

His 700 Pound Weight Struggle. In 2009 Billi’s health plummeted. He was admitted into Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, standing 6’1″ and weighing 701 pounds. He had a massive skin growth on his thigh, extending to his foot. Doctors couldn’t immediately evaluate if it was cancerous, because he exceeded the 550 lbs. weight limit to fit into the MRI machine. Then Came A Better Day…

The Weight Loss
Billi Gordon eventually dropped about 175 pounds, with the assistance of his doctors. His Husband Voiced Concern At That Time…

Gordon’s Husband Spoke Out. In 2009, Gordon’s husband of 30+ years, Robert, said:

“I accept him for all he is. My greatest hope for him would be to lose weight that would free him. …He can’t get to places where he wants to go. He has this synthetic life — it’s TVs and computers and a room.” -via LATimes

After “Coming To America” Here’s How Gordon Amazed Everyone Billi Gordon became a neuroscientist in the 1990s. He earned a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan in 1997 and by 2004 he earned his Ph.D. in neuroscience. Billi completed his post-doctoral training in functional neuroimaging and brain research at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.

Gordon still had his same comical personality though: “Do you know how hard it is to go from being a legendary diva to being a brain doctor?” But Neuroscience Wasn’t His Only Specialty…

Billi Gordon Was An Author And Writer

Gordon also became an author and writer. In his latter years, he wrote a daily blog for Psychology Today titled, ‘Obesely Speaking,’ where he researched ‘overeating, obesity, food addiction, and the generic human issues that surround them.’

The “Coming To America” alum passed away on February 22, 2018. He was 63 years young. Continue to rest well Billi Gordon, after a job well done.

Sources: LATimes, Source2, Source3, Source4

The post “Coming To America” Actor Became A Neuroscientist…Where He Ended Up Is So Heartbreaking appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

ILOSM fam’ the late former Vanity 6 lead singer, Denise “Vanity” Matthews, has two beautiful sisters. As if that wasn’t already surprising enough to those of us who had no clue Vanity had siblings at all, we have another shocker to share. It was brought to our attention, a while back, that one of Vanity’s sisters is an actress who was in Coming To America. *SCROLL DOWN TO SEE BOTH OF VANITY’S SISTERS*

Although I’ve watched Coming To America more times than I can count, I never put two and two together, that Vanity’s sister was actually in the film. If you’ve seen Coming To America, you will probably be like ‘Say what? SHE is Vanity’s sister?’ Well, at least that was the response of some of us, here at ILOSM.  See who she is below…

Meet Vanity’s “Coming To America” Actress Sister, Patricia Matthews

Her Coming To America Role: “I Worship The Devil” Actress

Vanity’s sister is actress, Patricia Matthews, the woman who played the devil worshipper in Coming To America. Although her role was brief, it was still hilarious. She’s the woman who Eddie’s and Arsenio’s characters (“Akeem” and “Semmi”) met when they went to a nightclub to try to find Eddie’s character a “Queen” to take back home to Africa. They struck out big time and Patricia’s character ran them away as soon as she said her line, “I’ve got a secret, I worship the devil.” LOL.

Patricia was also a model and she didn’t have a long stint in the acting world. She’s most known for her roles in Coming To America (1988),  She Cried No (1996) and The First of May (1999). We have no idea what Patricia is up to nowadays, but we found an Old School interview she and her beloved sister, Vanity  being interviewed on the Arsenio Hall Show in 1986.

She Was Eddie’s Girlfriend…

Another Old School fun fact about Patricia, is that she dated Eddie Murphy back in the day, prior to him marrying his now ex-wife, Nicole Murphy. They were even photo’d in Jet Magazine together back in the day.

Watch Vanity and Patricia reveal that info to Arsenio, as Vanity attempts to explain her short jail stint, this is too funny…

Check Out Vanity’s Other Sister

One other Old School fun fact about Vanity and Patricia Matthews is that they actually have one more sister named Renee. You can pics of her below…

Renee paid homage to her beloved sister, Denise, on Twitter after she passed away in 2016…

Allegations Regarding Vanity’s Will & Her Sisters

Denise’s sisters were also the talk of the internet for a brief second, soon after Denise’s unfortunate February 15, 2016 passing at the age of 57, from kidney failure. The reason some people were kind of talking about the sisters was because of reports regarding Denise’s will. There were unconfirmed reports that the sisters were allegedly left little in Vanity’s will, while the bulk of it went to the church.

However, we’re not sure if the whole ‘will rumor’ is true, or not, so y’all can take that part with a grain of salt. However, if it is true, it wouldn’t seem far fetched because by the time of her passing, Denise was already 20+ years deep into her changed life as a devout Christian and evangelist.

Denise was very close with her sisters, who seemed to always have her back through the ups, the downs, and the in between times of uncertainties throughout her life. Denise “Vanity” Matthews is sorely missed. The impact she made both in entertainment and in her personal life – as someone who in later years, dedicated herself toward helping others and feeding the homeless- will never be forgotten. Rest on Ms. Matthews.

The post Vanity’s Sister Is A “Coming To America” Actress Who Once Dated Eddie Murphy appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

Remember Shari Headley, also known as “Lisa McDowell” of the ‘McDowell family’ on Coming To America? Well our girl, “Lisa” may have married “Prince Akeem” (Eddie Murphy’s character) and became the ‘Princess of Zamunda’ in the movie, but in real life she was married to an artists from back in the day who was dominating 80’s hip hop for a while.

We’re not quite sure how they kept this one on the hush back in the day, but somehow they did.

Shari Headley Was Married To…

Her ex-husband is Play of the rap group, Kid N’ Play! Who knew?!! Sing it with me now: “Oh la-oh-la-aye-aye! Rollin’ rollin’ roll with Kid N’ Play now!” Christopher “Play” Martin and Shari Headley are no longer married. They married in May 1993, divorced in 1995, and have one son together, Skyler Martin.

By the way, Shari is now 57 years young and looking just as beautiful as she did back in ’88. Check her out below, rapping a in a behind-the-scenes video from the Coming To America sequel…

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Shari Headley (@shariheadley)

And cheesin’ it up with co-star, Eddie Murphy…

Here’s an Old School Fun Fact about Play

He was a hip hop teacher at North Carolina Central University until budget cuts forced the school to lay him off in 2009. After students learned about his firing, they began a petition to demand that Martin be given back his teaching position. Play also serves as a professional-in-residence with the Institute for Hip Hop and Music Industry Studies that Clemons directs at Florida A & M University, and he devotes time to the non-profit group Campaign for Change.

Word on the Old School curb is that Play was also preaching at one point in time, but we couldn’t get that confirmed as of yet, so that’s still in our stash of rumor mill stories…not verified facts. We’ll keep you posted on that one though.

Christopher “Play” Martin is now 59 years young…and every now n’ then, he and his fellow group member, Kid, reunite. It would be cool to see an Old School concert with them doing their signature dances that everybody used to try to mimic at the clubs and school dances back in the day.

-ILoveOldSchoolMusic, Old School news with a new point of view

The post “Coming To America” Star Married & Has A Kid With Rap Legend Who Turned His Life Around appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

We all remember the royal wedding scene in Coming To America, right? That was when “Prince Akeem” (Eddie Murphy) was about to marry the princess (Vanessa Bell Calloway), who only liked “What-ever it is” he liked and barked ‘like a small dog’ on command. If you recall that scene, then you probably also remember the tall ‘woman’ who barged through the wedding crowd to announce the bride. “Prince Akeem” was about to pass out when he thought ‘she’ was his new bride and his reaction was priceless. That ‘woman’ was actually actor, Billi Gordon. After the film, Billi became a neuroscientist, but went through very tumultuous struggles in his life. Sadly, he passed away in 2018, but prior to his passing, what he became is nothing short of applause-worthy.

Billi Gordon’s Life Was Filled With Major Tribulations & Triumphs

First Came His Weight Loss Pill Addiction. In a past interview, Billi Gordon revealed that he was severely addicted to a weight loss drug in the ’80s and that he’d eventually moved from his home state of Michigan, to Los Angeles, CA to sober up. But Things Took A Horrific Turn For The Worse…

Prostitution Before Acting. In an LA Times article, Billi described his life as “tumultuous,” prior to becoming an actor. The publication also stated, ‘He worked as an escort, a male prostitute, a female prostitute — in that order.’ Then He Made A Discovery…

Discovered His Love For Drag & Comedy. ‘It wasn’t until the mid-80s that he discovered his talent for comic writing and performing as a woman.’ -via LA Times What Happened To His Health In The Following Years Is Heartbreaking…

His 700 Pound Weight Struggle. In 2009 Billi’s health plummeted. He was admitted into Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, standing 6’1″ and weighing 701 pounds. He had a massive skin growth on his thigh, extending to his foot. Doctors couldn’t immediately evaluate if it was cancerous, because he exceeded the 550 lbs. weight limit to fit into the MRI machine. Then Came A Better Day…

The Weight Loss
Billi Gordon eventually dropped about 175 pounds, with the assistance of his doctors. His Husband Voiced Concern At That Time…

Gordon’s Husband Spoke Out. In 2009, Gordon’s husband of 30+ years, Robert, said:

“I accept him for all he is. My greatest hope for him would be to lose weight that would free him. …He can’t get to places where he wants to go. He has this synthetic life — it’s TVs and computers and a room.” -via LATimes

After “Coming To America” Here’s How Gordon Amazed Everyone Billi Gordon became a neuroscientist in the 1990s. He earned a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan in 1997 and by 2004 he earned his Ph.D. in neuroscience. Billi completed his post-doctoral training in functional neuroimaging and brain research at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.

Gordon still had his same comical personality though: “Do you know how hard it is to go from being a legendary diva to being a brain doctor?” But Neuroscience Wasn’t His Only Specialty…

Billi Gordon Was An Author And Writer

Gordon also became an author and writer. In his latter years, he wrote a daily blog for Psychology Today titled, ‘Obesely Speaking,’ where he researched ‘overeating, obesity, food addiction, and the generic human issues that surround them.’

The “Coming To America” alum passed away on February 22, 2018. He was 63 years young. Continue to rest well Billi Gordon, after a job well done.

Sources: LATimes, Source2, Source3, Source4

The post “Coming To America” Actor Became A Neuroscientist…Where He Ended Up Is Incredibly Sad appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

Many entertainers have left great impacts on our culture, but the roads they traveled to get there, weren’t always peaches and cream. Actress, Madge Sinclair, is one of them. She laid a helluva foundation through her may roles in film and television and at times, her personal life was a roller coaster.

We best know her for her roles as “Queen Aoleon” in Coming To America and as “Belle,” the wife of “Kunta Kinte” in Roots, among many others. Later in life, she became the voice of of “Sarabi,” “Simba’s” mother, in The Lion King film. What many didn’t know though, is that Madge Sinclair sadly passed away years ago. Before her passing, she made other accomplishments that most were not aware of and she also had her fair share of ups and downs.

Details Of Her Passing, Her Interracial Marriage, Family Issues & More

Before She Was An Actress, She Taught…Literally

Madge Sinclair was born and raised in Kingston, Jamaica, where she was a school teacher up until 1968, before moving to America with nearly no money.

Details On Death After Coming To America

Two years after miniseries, Roots, aired, Madge Sinclair was diagnosed with Leukemia in 1979, which ultimately claimed her life. Her diagnosis made her more determined. She continued to work and married her actor husband. She passed away seven years after Coming To America, in 1995, at approximately 57 years young.

Her Diagnosis & Cause Of Death

Two years after Roots, Madge was diagnosed with Leukemia in 1979, which ultimately claimed her life. Her diagnosis made her more determined. She continued to work and married her actor husband.

She Married Interracially, Meet Her Husband

Madge Sinclair married actor, Dean Compton, in 1982 and they remained married up until her passing. She previously married Royston Sinclair (from 1956-1969) in her hometown, Kingston, Jamaica, and they have two children.

Meet Her Famous Cousin, Marcus Garvey

Madge was proud of being the cousin of iconic political leader, Marcus Garvey, who was also from Kingston, Jamaica.

But Her Family Was Once Unhappy With Her Moves

In a 1985 article, Madge’s cousin was quoted as calling her ‘greedy’ for leaving her kids behind in Jamaica for years, to move to America and pursue her acting dreams.

She Had ‘No Regrets’…Here’s Why…

Orlando Sentinel reported that Madge had no regrets about leaving her children, because: ”We’re very good friends. I feel fortunate I was smart enough to keep the lines of communication open so that, even when upheavals came, we could discuss everything,” said Madge.

She Also Owned 3 Businesses

Business #1: Madge was a very successful businesswoman. She owned three business that she developed after her move to the U.S.. She was an art dealer.

Business #2: Uniform/Garment Manufacturer. She owned a women’s clothing manufacturing company, Madge Walters Sinclair Inc., which specialized in making nurses’ uniforms. They were distributed in 100+ stores.

Business #3: Madge Sinclair was also the owner of the Action Income Tax Service.

She Confessed To Being Broke Despite Her Then Thriving Career & Businesses

Even though she was on a successful TV series, Trapper John M.D., at the time, Mrs. Sinclair said: 

”I put two boys through college, and I put my money into art and clothes — and they aren’t making me any money.”

Her Life Came Full Circle

Madge Sinclair’s career came full circle when she made her mark as a slave in Roots, and then a decade+ later,  as an African Queen in Coming To America. She was cremated and her ashes were spread in a Jamaican ocean- her home. Rest easy Queen.

The post Before “Coming To America” Actress Died, Her Rocky Life, Interracial Marriage Stunned Fans appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

But most of us never knew who the actor behind all that makeup really was. Now you’re about to find out, because we found him and he did an exclusive interview with us to let us in on some unknown info about him.

He’s Eddie Murphy’s REAL LIFE Best Friend!

Clint Smith: He’s (Eddie Murphy) my best friend. We met in the 7th grade. We had just graduated to junior high school and it was the first day of gym and I jumped on his head and he said “Hey man!” and I said ‘Shut up man, just shut up!’ He said “I like this guy” and we’ve been best friends ever since…LOL…we’re still best friends.

ILOSM:  Was that you who Charlie Murphy was talking about in his interview when he was describing how one of his friends used to get drunk and wild out and  and curse folks out in public back in the day when you him and Eddie used to hang out at the clubs? Charlie called his friend “Darryl” but he slipped a couple times and said the real name of his friend, which was ‘Clint.’

That’s me! And look it’s not a true, true story, Charlie embellished it a lot. And me and Charlie are cool again, so I don’t wanna go into what really happened, because it was a comedy routine. But at first I was pissed off when I heard it you know, because it didn’t happen like that, but there is a lot of truth to it…it’s just not totally true. But I love Charlie, that’s my brother, you know.

And there you have it ILOSM family. Mr. “That Boy Good!” is still doing his thing and in the words of his Coming To America character and in honor of the MLK holiday, Happy “Martin Luther The King” Day to you!

-ILoveOldSchoolMusic, Old School news with a new point of view

The post This “Coming To America” Barber’s True Identity Surprised Everyone appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

We all remember the royal wedding scene in Coming To America, right? That was when “Prince Akeem” (Eddie Murphy) was about to marry the princess (Vanessa Bell Calloway), who only liked “What-ever it is” he liked and barked ‘like a small dog’ on command. If you recall that scene, then you probably also remember the tall ‘woman’ who barged through the wedding crowd to announce the bride. “Prince Akeem” was about to pass out when he thought ‘she’ was his new bride and his reaction was priceless. That ‘woman’ was actually actor, Billi Gordon. After the film, Billi became a neuroscientist, but went through very tumultuous struggles in his life. Sadly, he passed away in 2018, but prior to his passing, what he became is nothing short of applause-worthy.

Billi Gordon’s Life Was Filled With Major Tribulations & Triumphs

First Came His Weight Loss Pill Addiction. In a past interview, Billi Gordon revealed that he was severely addicted to a weight loss drug in the ’80s and that he’d eventually moved from his home state of Michigan, to Los Angeles, CA to sober up. But Things Took A Horrific Turn For The Worse…

Prostitution Before Acting. In an LA Times article, Billi described his life as “tumultuous,” prior to becoming an actor. The publication also stated, ‘He worked as an escort, a male prostitute, a female prostitute — in that order.’ Then He Made A Discovery…

Discovered His Love For Drag & Comedy. ‘It wasn’t until the mid-80s that he discovered his talent for comic writing and performing as a woman.’ -via LA Times What Happened To His Health In The Following Years Is Heartbreaking…

His 700 Pound Weight Struggle. In 2009 Billi’s health plummeted. He was admitted into Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, standing 6’1″ and weighing 701 pounds. He had a massive skin growth on his thigh, extending to his foot. Doctors couldn’t immediately evaluate if it was cancerous, because he exceeded the 550 lbs. weight limit to fit into the MRI machine. Then Came A Better Day…

The Weight Loss
Billi Gordon eventually dropped about 175 pounds, with the assistance of his doctors. His Husband Voiced Concern At That Time…

Gordon’s Husband Spoke Out. In 2009, Gordon’s husband of 30+ years, Robert, said:

“I accept him for all he is. My greatest hope for him would be to lose weight that would free him. …He can’t get to places where he wants to go. He has this synthetic life — it’s TVs and computers and a room.” -via LATimes

After “Coming To America” Here’s How Gordon Amazed Everyone Billi Gordon became a neuroscientist in the 1990s. He earned a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan in 1997 and by 2004 he earned his Ph.D. in neuroscience. Billi completed his post-doctoral training in functional neuroimaging and brain research at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.

Gordon still had his same comical personality though: “Do you know how hard it is to go from being a legendary diva to being a brain doctor?” But Neuroscience Wasn’t His Only Specialty…

Billi Gordon Was An Author And Writer

Gordon also became an author and writer. In his latter years, he wrote a daily blog for Psychology Today titled, ‘Obesely Speaking,’ where he researched ‘overeating, obesity, food addiction, and the generic human issues that surround them.’

The “Coming To America” alum passed away on February 22, 2018. He was 63 years young. Continue to rest well Billi Gordon, after a job well done.

Sources: LATimes, Source2, Source3, Source4

The post “Coming To America” Actor Became A Neuroscientist…Where He Ended Up Is Heartbreaking appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

ILOSM fam’ the late former Vanity 6 lead singer, Denise “Vanity” Matthews, has two beautiful sisters. As if that wasn’t already surprising enough to those of us who had no clue Vanity had siblings at all, we have another shocker to share. It was brought to our attention, a while back, that one of Vanity’s sisters is an actress who was in Coming To America. *SCROLL DOWN TO SEE BOTH OF VANITY’S SISTERS*

Although I’ve watched Coming To America more times than I can count, I never put two and two together, that Vanity’s sister was actually in the film. If you’ve seen Coming To America, you will probably be like ‘Say what? SHE is Vanity’s sister?’ Well, at least that was the response of some of us, here at ILOSM.  See who she is below…

Meet Vanity’s “Coming To America” Actress Sister, Patricia Matthews

Her Coming To America Role: “I Worship The Devil” Actress

Vanity’s sister is actress, Patricia Matthews, the woman who played the devil worshipper in Coming To America. Although her role was brief, it was still hilarious. She’s the woman who Eddie’s and Arsenio’s characters (“Akeem” and “Semmi”) met when they went to a nightclub to try to find Eddie’s character a “Queen” to take back home to Africa. They struck out big time and Patricia’s character ran them away as soon as she said her line, “I’ve got a secret, I worship the devil.” LOL.

Patricia was also a model and she didn’t have a long stint in the acting world. She’s most known for her roles in Coming To America (1988),  She Cried No (1996) and The First of May (1999). We have no idea what Patricia is up to nowadays, but we found an Old School interview she and her beloved sister, Vanity  being interviewed on the Arsenio Hall Show in 1986.

She Was Eddie’s Girlfriend…

Another Old School fun fact about Patricia, is that she dated Eddie Murphy back in the day, prior to him marrying his now ex-wife, Nicole Murphy. They were even photo’d in Jet Magazine together back in the day.

Watch Vanity and Patricia reveal that info to Arsenio, as Vanity attempts to explain her short jail stint, this is too funny…

Check Out Vanity’s Other Sister

One other Old School fun fact about Vanity and Patricia Matthews is that they actually have one more sister named Renee. You can pics of her below…

Renee paid homage to her beloved sister, Denise, on Twitter after she passed away in 2016…

Allegations Regarding Vanity’s Will & Her Sisters

Denise’s sisters were also the talk of the internet for a brief second, soon after Denise’s unfortunate February 15, 2016 passing at the age of 57, from kidney failure. The reason some people were kind of talking about the sisters was because of reports regarding Denise’s will. There were unconfirmed reports that the sisters were allegedly left little in Vanity’s will, while the bulk of it went to the church.

However, we’re not sure if the whole ‘will rumor’ is true, or not, so y’all can take that part with a grain of salt. However, if it is true, it wouldn’t seem far fetched because by the time of her passing, Denise was already 20+ years deep into her changed life as a devout Christian and evangelist.

Denise was very close with her sisters, who seemed to always have her back through the ups, the downs, and the in between times of uncertainties throughout her life. Denise “Vanity” Matthews is sorely missed. The impact she made both in entertainment and in her personal life – as someone who in later years, dedicated herself toward helping others and feeding the homeless- will never be forgotten. Rest on Ms. Matthews.

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