The post When The SWV Checks Stopped, LeLee Revealed She Did The Unimaginable appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

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.

Embed from Getty Images

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…

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.

The post SWV’s Coko Has A Child With A ’90s Rap Legend, Many Fans Never Knew appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

In 2007, shortly after SWV reunited, LeLee did an interview with Jamie Foster, the owner of Sister 2 Sister magazine, to reveal some very personal details about what it was really like for her throughout the years, after SWV broke up and what she revealed will leave you in shock and shedding a tear.

LeLee is known to be a very straight up woman who has no problem speaking extremely candidly, so when revealing these truths about her life, she held nothing back and for her bravery and her honesty, we salute her to the fullest. For the record, we would like to note that LeLee and her group members, Coko and Taj have all confirmed that LeLee never revealed how bad things were for her to Coko nor Taj…in fact, she did a great job at hiding it from them.

Okay with that said, you have to see what LeLee revealed about herself…

Lelee on where she came from…

My story is a long story. It’s just being in the neighborhoods I was in. Just being in the Bronx and just settling. I can’t speak for all the girls in the Bronx, but when I was in high school, everything…was a struggle and it was about survival.

My father left when I was 10. I was rebellious after that. I didn’t understand why he left and he was dating all these different women. Like, I’ve actually gone with my father to other women’s houses and I’m like, ‘oh that’s what that was.’ He was cheating.

Cheating on your mom? Were they married?
Yeah they were married and it was just really bad. I had a really bad childhood. So even now I still live out of a bag because…as a child I would come home, I didn’t know whether or not I was going to be able to get in the door; if my mom had paid the rent or not. And even now it’s affecting me as an adult because I’m so scared that I’m gonna get evicted or get put out or somebody’s following me. It’s crazy. It was just my mind-frame being that we came from a very unstable household.

How many kids were there?
There was five. … So my hustle was the local drug dealer, you know? How I ate lunch was to go on a date with them. I worked. I had my first child at 15.

So you would go on a date with the local guy?
Yeah, you know, ’cause I was kinda cute when I was younger.

You’re cute now.
I would be walking down the street. I was fascinated with the cars and stuff, so I got a few beeps-a few horn beeps. I was looking at it as survival, as my next meal. It was that.

What was your mom doing?
My mom had a job. She was a housekeeper making $8.50 an hour. She made no money. When my mother passed away, the little money I made from being in the group or whatever, I paid for my mom’s funeral. She had no insurance-nothing. Absolutely nothing. I didn’t know this as a child.

When the group stopped, what did you do to eat?
Well it was very, very difficult because I went through a whole lot of emotional issues because it was almost like-when we broke up-like a marriage (breaking up). I mean I have worked jobs, I went to school, and I did what I had to do. And it was hard but I had to separate the woman from the entertainer. The woman in me said I had to get off my ass and take care of my kids. So I had to deal with all the BS-people looking at me like, “She’s a has-been”- and I dealt with all of that. That actually helped me become the person that I am today, because I am so delivered from people. It’s nothing anybody can say to really get me to that falling point.

What kind of jobs did you have?
Accounting. I went to school and got my associate’s degree in accounting. I thought I was pretty good.

LeLee on how things started to get bad while SWV were still together…
When we were out, our team sucked. I mean from lawyers to accountants, I ain’t gonna tell you how much money they done ripped me off for, you know? And all of that stuff affected my kids, I mean, it was bad. I was living in my truck and it was so bad. I would go to different clubs just to meet people so I could have a place to stay for the night. But nobody knew. … I would go to gay clubs and meet girls just to have someplace to sleep.

Where were the kids? [LeLee has two children]
My sister was taking care of them. It was so hard for me to tell this story, but I am comfortable with telling it now. But it was crazy.

We got ripped of so bad; we didn’t now what to do. We had a tax ID-we had a company account-but we didn’t even know the tax ID number. That’s how bad it was. This accountant we had, he was horrible. I enjoy the stage; I love the people, and it’s the people that make you really want to keep doing this. But I don’t know if being in this business was good or a curse.

I would think that you would go on a speaking circuit. You can tell your story to get young girls to change their lives.
Well, Taj has a foundation, and I have done that actually. She had me come out and speak to teen mothers in shelters and I really enjoyed it because it brought me back. I was pregnant at 15 with my first child. I had a second child at 17, so you had my father’s side that was so educated ad they looked so down (on) me and told me I would be nothing-be on welfare and all those things. I was working since I was 14; I dropped out of school to work.

 

How did you get in the group (SWV)?
I started the group, I put everything together. I saw Shanice Wilson on “Star Search,” I was like ‘wow, I wanna do that.’

So nobody came out of the group with any money?
I don’t know what they had. I really don’t now. Once the group disbanded, the record company gave me $25,000 and that was it.

You all [hadn’t] really talked to each other?
We were so screwed up. I mean we were all messed up.

Were you promiscuous?
I was very promiscuous as a kid. I was bad.

Why was that?
My mom had me at 45, so as I grew up, my mom was old. So if you ask my mom about a condom she’s like, “What you want to know about that for?” I had to learn everything on my own from men.

On how she seriously contemplated suicide: (via the Bethenny Show)
“I was very depressed. I mean I got to the point where I was just going to end my life. It was that bad. If I couldn’t have, what I had before, if I couldn’t have SWV and be who I was, as the world knew me as, I wanted to die,”

How she overcame her most crucial suicidal thought: (via the Bethenny Show)
“I was at the Marriott Marquee on 42nd Street and umm, I was up to my last $150,” Lyons shared. “I was like, ‘Damn, I can’t afford to be in here another night. So, I called my sister, one of my sisters and she didn’t answer the phone. I called my other sister. It was no conversation. This is how the spirit works. I’m telling you because, all she said was, ‘Just come home.’ And we just was crying. I went in that hotel, looked in the mirror and I just cried. I’m like, ‘What were you thinking?’ Had she not answered that phone, I probably wouldn’t be here today.”

On being homeless and broke at her group member, Taj’s wedding to her husband, former NFL player Eddie George
When I was a bridesmaid at Taj’s wedding, I was homeless. It was just a pride thing. It was so much pride. As long as my kids were taken care of, I can always go from one apartment to another to shack with people. As long as I have someplace to stay for the night. it was crazy.

So what it like being back with Coco and Taj?
I love it, it’s like everybody’s so renewed. Everything that happened between us-all the bickering-it was meant to happen.

LeLee is a great example that not everything is what it seems on the surface. She’s proven to have been a misguided child, who grew up to be a woman of strength, a woman of character, a humble spirit and one of the realest personalities in the music game, because many people would be far too embarrassed to publicly reveal their weaknesses and hardships, like she has. She overcame many adversities and soared to the top; then dropped down to what probably felt like a bottomless pit; and now in her 40’s she has managed to climb out of it and rebuild once again.

Thank you Leanne “LeLee” Lyons, job well done…keep building your legacy Queen.

The post After SWV Fame, Lelee, Sadly Recalled Being Homeless…’Using’ Women And Men To Survive appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

In 2007, shortly after SWV reunited, LeLee did an interview with Jamie Foster, the owner of Sister 2 Sister magazine, to reveal some very personal details about what it was really like for her throughout the years, after SWV broke up and what she revealed will leave you in shock and shedding a tear.

LeLee is known to be a very straight up woman who has no problem speaking extremely candidly, so when revealing these truths about her life, she held nothing back and for her bravery and her honesty, we salute her to the fullest. For the record, we would like to note that LeLee and her group members, Coko and Taj have all confirmed that LeLee never revealed how bad things were for her to Coko nor Taj…in fact, she did a great job at hiding it from them.

Okay with that said, you have to see what LeLee revealed about herself…

Lelee on where she came from…

My story is a long story. It’s just being in the neighborhoods I was in. Just being in the Bronx and just settling. I can’t speak for all the girls in the Bronx, but when I was in high school, everything…was a struggle and it was about survival.

My father left when I was 10. I was rebellious after that. I didn’t understand why he left and he was dating all these different women. Like, I’ve actually gone with my father to other women’s houses and I’m like, ‘oh that’s what that was.’ He was cheating.

Cheating on your mom? Were they married?
Yeah they were married and it was just really bad. I had a really bad childhood. So even now I still live out of a bag because…as a child I would come home, I didn’t know whether or not I was going to be able to get in the door; if my mom had paid the rent or not. And even now it’s affecting me as an adult because I’m so scared that I’m gonna get evicted or get put out or somebody’s following me. It’s crazy. It was just my mind-frame being that we came from a very unstable household.

How many kids were there?
There was five. … So my hustle was the local drug dealer, you know? How I ate lunch was to go on a date with them. I worked. I had my first child at 15.

So you would go on a date with the local guy?
Yeah, you know, ’cause I was kinda cute when I was younger.

You’re cute now.
I would be walking down the street. I was fascinated with the cars and stuff, so I got a few beeps-a few horn beeps. I was looking at it as survival, as my next meal. It was that.

What was your mom doing?
My mom had a job. She was a housekeeper making $8.50 an hour. She made no money. When my mother passed away, the little money I made from being in the group or whatever, I paid for my mom’s funeral. She had no insurance-nothing. Absolutely nothing. I didn’t know this as a child.

When the group stopped, what did you do to eat?
Well it was very, very difficult because I went through a whole lot of emotional issues because it was almost like-when we broke up-like a marriage (breaking up). I mean I have worked jobs, I went to school, and I did what I had to do. And it was hard but I had to separate the woman from the entertainer. The woman in me said I had to get off my ass and take care of my kids. So I had to deal with all the BS-people looking at me like, “She’s a has-been”- and I dealt with all of that. That actually helped me become the person that I am today, because I am so delivered from people. It’s nothing anybody can say to really get me to that falling point.

What kind of jobs did you have?
Accounting. I went to school and got my associate’s degree in accounting. I thought I was pretty good.

LeLee on how things started to get bad while SWV were still together…
When we were out, our team sucked. I mean from lawyers to accountants, I ain’t gonna tell you how much money they done ripped me off for, you know? And all of that stuff affected my kids, I mean, it was bad. I was living in my truck and it was so bad. I would go to different clubs just to meet people so I could have a place to stay for the night. But nobody knew. … I would go to gay clubs and meet girls just to have someplace to sleep.

Where were the kids? [LeLee has two children]
My sister was taking care of them. It was so hard for me to tell this story, but I am comfortable with telling it now. But it was crazy.

We got ripped of so bad; we didn’t now what to do. We had a tax ID-we had a company account-but we didn’t even know the tax ID number. That’s how bad it was. This accountant we had, he was horrible. I enjoy the stage; I love the people, and it’s the people that make you really want to keep doing this. But I don’t know if being in this business was good or a curse.

I would think that you would go on a speaking circuit. You can tell your story to get young girls to change their lives.
Well, Taj has a foundation, and I have done that actually. She had me come out and speak to teen mothers in shelters and I really enjoyed it because it brought me back. I was pregnant at 15 with my first child. I had a second child at 17, so you had my father’s side that was so educated ad they looked so down (on) me and told me I would be nothing-be on welfare and all those things. I was working since I was 14; I dropped out of school to work.

 

How did you get in the group (SWV)?
I started the group, I put everything together. I saw Shanice Wilson on “Star Search,” I was like ‘wow, I wanna do that.’

So nobody came out of the group with any money?
I don’t know what they had. I really don’t now. Once the group disbanded, the record company gave me $25,000 and that was it.

You all [hadn’t] really talked to each other?
We were so screwed up. I mean we were all messed up.

Were you promiscuous?
I was very promiscuous as a kid. I was bad.

Why was that?
My mom had me at 45, so as I grew up, my mom was old. So if you ask my mom about a condom she’s like, “What you want to know about that for?” I had to learn everything on my own from men.

On how she seriously contemplated suicide: (via the Bethenny Show)
“I was very depressed. I mean I got to the point where I was just going to end my life. It was that bad. If I couldn’t have, what I had before, if I couldn’t have SWV and be who I was, as the world knew me as, I wanted to die,”

How she overcame her most crucial suicidal thought: (via the Bethenny Show)
“I was at the Marriott Marquee on 42nd Street and umm, I was up to my last $150,” Lyons shared. “I was like, ‘Damn, I can’t afford to be in here another night. So, I called my sister, one of my sisters and she didn’t answer the phone. I called my other sister. It was no conversation. This is how the spirit works. I’m telling you because, all she said was, ‘Just come home.’ And we just was crying. I went in that hotel, looked in the mirror and I just cried. I’m like, ‘What were you thinking?’ Had she not answered that phone, I probably wouldn’t be here today.”

On being homeless and broke at her group member, Taj’s wedding to her husband, former NFL player Eddie George
When I was a bridesmaid at Taj’s wedding, I was homeless. It was just a pride thing. It was so much pride. As long as my kids were taken care of, I can always go from one apartment to another to shack with people. As long as I have someplace to stay for the night. it was crazy.

So what it like being back with Coco and Taj?
I love it, it’s like everybody’s so renewed. Everything that happened between us-all the bickering-it was meant to happen.

LeLee is a great example that not everything is what it seems on the surface. She’s proven to have been a misguided child, who grew up to be a woman of strength, a woman of character, a humble spirit and one of the realest personalities in the music game, because many people would be far too embarrassed to publicly reveal their weaknesses and hardships, like she has. She overcame many adversities and soared to the top; then dropped down to what probably felt like a bottomless pit; and now in her 40’s she has managed to climb out of it and rebuild once again.

Thank you Leanne “LeLee” Lyons, job well done…keep building your legacy Queen.

The post After SWV Fame, Lelee, Sadly Recalled Being Homeless…’Using’ Women And Men To Survive appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

WHO’S THAT GIRL? SHE’S TAJ GEORGE OF SWV!

The little cutie in the above photo with her bros is none other than Taj from the legendary SWV. She shared the below then-vs-now pic on Instagram, writing:

“I’m going back to the braids🙌🏾. #TBT #howitstartedvshowitsgoing #fyp #howitstarted #howsitgoing”

Homegirl was beautiful then and still a beauty to this day. Go ‘head Taj!

TAJ & HUSBAND/FORMER NFL BALLER-TURNED HEAD COLLEGE FOOTBALL COACH, EDDIE GEORGE!

As we previously mentioned, Taj and her husband, Eddie George, have been ride-or-die for each other for the past 27 years. They met at a mall in 1994, before Eddie had fame and money…and when Taj was at the height of her career with SWV. Eddie was still in college at the time and eventually became the Heisman Trophy winner before playing in the NFL from 1996 to 2004. Through it all, they stayed together and are still rockin’ today. In fact, 2021 will mark their 17th wedding anniversary (they officially wed in 2004). They have one son together and Eddie has one older son from a previous marriage…

MEET THEIR SON

Taj posted the following photo of herself with the son, Eriq George, whom she shares with husband, Edie George. She captioned the pic with:

“My God, I can’t live without this guy💙💙💙💙. @er1q.0, you outshine the morning sun, my son. When you smile, I fall apart🥰. #hamilton #myson #mylove #myheartbeat #fyp #stubborn #gentle #determined #dope”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Taj George (@tajgeorge)

TAJ ON HER FITNESS JOURNEY

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Taj George (@tajgeorge)

If you follow Taj on Instagram then you probably have seen the workout regimen she’s been doing and how she’s been toning up and slimming down like the Incredibly shrinking woman. That hard work is paying off. Looking good Taj!

The post This Cutie Is A ’90s R&B Legend We Love, With A Famous Husband…Together For 27 Years appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

In 2007, shortly after SWV reunited, LeLee did an interview with Jamie Foster, the owner of Sister 2 Sister magazine, to reveal some very personal details about what it was really like for her throughout the years, after SWV broke up and what she revealed will leave you in shock and shedding a tear.

LeLee is known to be a very straight up woman who has no problem speaking extremely candidly, so when revealing these truths about her life, she held nothing back and for her bravery and her honesty, we salute her to the fullest. For the record, we would like to note that LeLee and her group members, Coko and Taj have all confirmed that LeLee never revealed how bad things were for her to Coko nor Taj…in fact, she did a great job at hiding it from them.

Okay with that said, you have to see what LeLee revealed about herself…

Lelee on where she came from…

My story is a long story. It’s just being in the neighborhoods I was in. Just being in the Bronx and just settling. I can’t speak for all the girls in the Bronx, but when I was in high school, everything…was a struggle and it was about survival.

My father left when I was 10. I was rebellious after that. I didn’t understand why he left and he was dating all these different women. Like, I’ve actually gone with my father to other women’s houses and I’m like, ‘oh that’s what that was.’ He was cheating.

Cheating on your mom? Were they married?
Yeah they were married and it was just really bad. I had a really bad childhood. So even now I still live out of a bag because…as a child I would come home, I didn’t know whether or not I was going to be able to get in the door; if my mom had paid the rent or not. And even now it’s affecting me as an adult because I’m so scared that I’m gonna get evicted or get put out or somebody’s following me. It’s crazy. It was just my mind-frame being that we came from a very unstable household.

How many kids were there?
There was five. … So my hustle was the local drug dealer, you know? How I ate lunch was to go on a date with them. I worked. I had my first child at 15.

So you would go on a date with the local guy?
Yeah, you know, ’cause I was kinda cute when I was younger.

You’re cute now.
I would be walking down the street. I was fascinated with the cars and stuff, so I got a few beeps-a few horn beeps. I was looking at it as survival, as my next meal. It was that.

What was your mom doing?
My mom had a job. She was a housekeeper making $8.50 an hour. She made no money. When my mother passed away, the little money I made from being in the group or whatever, I paid for my mom’s funeral. She had no insurance-nothing. Absolutely nothing. I didn’t know this as a child.

When the group stopped, what did you do to eat?
Well it was very, very difficult because I went through a whole lot of emotional issues because it was almost like-when we broke up-like a marriage (breaking up). I mean I have worked jobs, I went to school, and I did what I had to do. And it was hard but I had to separate the woman from the entertainer. The woman in me said I had to get off my ass and take care of my kids. So I had to deal with all the BS-people looking at me like, “She’s a has-been”- and I dealt with all of that. That actually helped me become the person that I am today, because I am so delivered from people. It’s nothing anybody can say to really get me to that falling point.

What kind of jobs did you have?
Accounting. I went to school and got my associate’s degree in accounting. I thought I was pretty good.

LeLee on how things started to get bad while SWV were still together…
When we were out, our team sucked. I mean from lawyers to accountants, I ain’t gonna tell you how much money they done ripped me off for, you know? And all of that stuff affected my kids, I mean, it was bad. I was living in my truck and it was so bad. I would go to different clubs just to meet people so I could have a place to stay for the night. But nobody knew. … I would go to gay clubs and meet girls just to have someplace to sleep.

Where were the kids? [LeLee has two children]
My sister was taking care of them. It was so hard for me to tell this story, but I am comfortable with telling it now. But it was crazy.

We got ripped of so bad; we didn’t now what to do. We had a tax ID-we had a company account-but we didn’t even know the tax ID number. That’s how bad it was. This accountant we had, he was horrible. I enjoy the stage; I love the people, and it’s the people that make you really want to keep doing this. But I don’t know if being in this business was good or a curse.

I would think that you would go on a speaking circuit. You can tell your story to get young girls to change their lives.
Well, Taj has a foundation, and I have done that actually. She had me come out and speak to teen mothers in shelters and I really enjoyed it because it brought me back. I was pregnant at 15 with my first child. I had a second child at 17, so you had my father’s side that was so educated ad they looked so down (on) me and told me I would be nothing-be on welfare and all those things. I was working since I was 14; I dropped out of school to work.

 

How did you get in the group (SWV)?
I started the group, I put everything together. I saw Shanice Wilson on “Star Search,” I was like ‘wow, I wanna do that.’

So nobody came out of the group with any money?
I don’t know what they had. I really don’t now. Once the group disbanded, the record company gave me $25,000 and that was it.

You all [hadn’t] really talked to each other?
We were so screwed up. I mean we were all messed up.

Were you promiscuous?
I was very promiscuous as a kid. I was bad.

Why was that?
My mom had me at 45, so as I grew up, my mom was old. So if you ask my mom about a condom she’s like, “What you want to know about that for?” I had to learn everything on my own from men.

On how she seriously contemplated suicide: (via the Bethenny Show)
“I was very depressed. I mean I got to the point where I was just going to end my life. It was that bad. If I couldn’t have, what I had before, if I couldn’t have SWV and be who I was, as the world knew me as, I wanted to die,”

How she overcame her most crucial suicidal thought: (via the Bethenny Show)
“I was at the Marriott Marquee on 42nd Street and umm, I was up to my last $150,” Lyons shared. “I was like, ‘Damn, I can’t afford to be in here another night. So, I called my sister, one of my sisters and she didn’t answer the phone. I called my other sister. It was no conversation. This is how the spirit works. I’m telling you because, all she said was, ‘Just come home.’ And we just was crying. I went in that hotel, looked in the mirror and I just cried. I’m like, ‘What were you thinking?’ Had she not answered that phone, I probably wouldn’t be here today.”

On being homeless and broke at her group member, Taj’s wedding to her husband, former NFL player Eddie George
When I was a bridesmaid at Taj’s wedding, I was homeless. It was just a pride thing. It was so much pride. As long as my kids were taken care of, I can always go from one apartment to another to shack with people. As long as I have someplace to stay for the night. it was crazy.

So what it like being back with Coco and Taj?
I love it, it’s like everybody’s so renewed. Everything that happened between us-all the bickering-it was meant to happen.

LeLee is a great example that not everything is what it seems on the surface. She’s proven to have been a misguided child, who grew up to be a woman of strength, a woman of character, a humble spirit and one of the realest personalities in the music game, because many people would be far too embarrassed to publicly reveal their weaknesses and hardships, like she has. She overcame many adversities and soared to the top; then dropped down to what probably felt like a bottomless pit; and now in her 40’s she has managed to climb out of it and rebuild once again.

Thank you Leanne “LeLee” Lyons, job well done…keep building your legacy Queen.

The post After SWV Fame, Lelee, Sadly Recalled Being Homeless…’Using’ Women And Men To Survive appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

ILOSM family, the adorable little girl in the above photo was a little diva the and later became a grown diva who can SANG! Matter of fact, she will sing circles around many of these new R B singers nowadays…on any day of the week. She’s now 50 years old and is still doing her thing in the music industry and beyond. Oh…and by the way, did we mention that she has an adult child with a very well-known rap legend? Think you guessed who she is correctly? Scroll down for the details on this songstress and her child’s father…

Who Is She?

She’s none other than Coko Clemons of SWV!

Here is some info that will probably surprise quite a few people. Coko was in a relationship and had a child with a rapper who was very popular in the 90’s. He is a member of a rap group and for a while, they dominated the airwaves with their hits…they even won a Grammy and sold millions of records. Their music is timeless and is classic to old school hip hop heads.

How the two of them managed to keep their past relationship and child out of the public’s eye back when both of them were in two of the hottest groups of the 90’s, is beyond us! See who Coko’s child calls ‘Dad’ below…

Digable Planets rapper, Ishmael (Remember Him?)

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

You may not have known his name, but 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 90’s. Here is the video for that song…

As far as Ishmael and Coko’s relationship, Coko admitted that they weren’t together for long, but they were in love. Their son was born in 1997 and here is what Coko revealed about them in a 2000 interview she did 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 A Shai Singer…

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

Remember Shai? They had EVERYBODY singing the lyrics to their 90’s 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.

The post This Lil’ Diva Grew Up To Become An R&B Legend Who Has A Child With A ’90s Rap Legend appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

In 2007, shortly after SWV reunited, LeLee did an interview with Jamie Foster, the owner of Sister 2 Sister magazine, to reveal some very personal details about what it was really like for her throughout the years, after SWV broke up and what she revealed will leave you in shock and shedding a tear.

LeLee is known to be a very straight up woman who has no problem speaking extremely candidly, so when revealing these truths about her life, she held nothing back and for her bravery and her honesty, we salute her to the fullest. For the record, we would like to note that LeLee and her group members, Coko and Taj have all confirmed that LeLee never revealed how bad things were for her to Coko nor Taj…in fact, she did a great job at hiding it from them.

Okay with that said, you have to see what LeLee revealed about herself…

Lelee on where she came from…

My story is a long story. It’s just being in the neighborhoods I was in. Just being in the Bronx and just settling. I can’t speak for all the girls in the Bronx, but when I was in high school, everything…was a struggle and it was about survival.

My father left when I was 10. I was rebellious after that. I didn’t understand why he left and he was dating all these different women. Like, I’ve actually gone with my father to other women’s houses and I’m like, ‘oh that’s what that was.’ He was cheating.

Cheating on your mom? Were they married?
Yeah they were married and it was just really bad. I had a really bad childhood. So even now I still live out of a bag because…as a child I would come home, I didn’t know whether or not I was going to be able to get in the door; if my mom had paid the rent or not. And even now it’s affecting me as an adult because I’m so scared that I’m gonna get evicted or get put out or somebody’s following me. It’s crazy. It was just my mind-frame being that we came from a very unstable household.

 

How many kids were there?
There was five. … So my hustle was the local drug dealer, you know? How I ate lunch was to go on a date with them. I worked. I had my first child at 15.

So you would go on a date with the local guy?
Yeah, you know, ’cause I was kinda cute when I was younger.

You’re cute now.
I would be walking down the street. I was fascinated with the cars and stuff, so I got a few beeps-a few horn beeps. I was looking at it as survival, as my next meal. It was that.

What was your mom doing?
My mom had a job. She was a housekeeper making $8.50 an hour. She made no money. When my mother passed away, the little money I made from being in the group or whatever, I paid for my mom’s funeral. She had no insurance-nothing. Absolutely nothing. I didn’t know this as a child.

When the group stopped, what did you do to eat?
Well it was very, very difficult because I went through a whole lot of emotional issues because it was almost like-when we broke up-like a marriage (breaking up). I mean I have worked jobs, I went to school, and I did what I had to do. And it was hard but I had to separate the woman from the entertainer. The woman in me said I had to get off my ass and take care of my kids. So I had to deal with all the BS-people looking at me like, “She’s a has-been”- and I dealt with all of that. That actually helped me become the person that I am today, because I am so delivered from people. It’s nothing anybody can say to really get me to that falling point.

What kind of jobs did you have?
Accounting. I went to school and got my associate’s degree in accounting. I thought I was pretty good.

LeLee on how things started to get bad while SWV were still together…
When we were out, our team sucked. I mean from lawyers to accountants, I ain’t gonna tell you how much money they done ripped me off for, you know? And all of that stuff affected my kids, I mean, it was bad. I was living in my truck and it was so bad. I would go to different clubs just to meet people so I could have a place to stay for the night. But nobody knew. … I would go to gay clubs and meet girls just to have someplace to sleep.

Where were the kids? [LeLee has two children]
My sister was taking care of them. It was so hard for me to tell this story, but I am comfortable with telling it now. But it was crazy.

We got ripped of so bad; we didn’t now what to do. We had a tax ID-we had a company account-but we didn’t even know the tax ID number. That’s how bad it was. This accountant we had, he was horrible. I enjoy the stage; I love the people, and it’s the people that make you really want to keep doing this. But I don’t know if being in this business was good or a curse.

I would think that you would go on a speaking circuit. You can tell your story to get young girls to change their lives.
Well, Taj has a foundation, and I have done that actually. She had me come out and speak to teen mothers in shelters and I really enjoyed it because it brought me back. I was pregnant at 15 with my first child. I had a second child at 17, so you had my father’s side that was so educated ad they looked so down (on) me and told me I would be nothing-be on welfare and all those things. I was working since I was 14; I dropped out of school to work.

 

How did you get in the group (SWV)?
I started the group, I put everything together. I saw Shanice Wilson on “Star Search,” I was like ‘wow, I wanna do that.’

So nobody came out of the group with any money?
I don’t know what they had. I really don’t now. Once the group disbanded, the record company gave me $25,000 and that was it.

You all [hadn’t] really talked to each other?
We were so screwed up. I mean we were all messed up.

Were you promiscuous?
I was very promiscuous as a kid. I was bad.

Why was that?
My mom had me at 45, so as I grew up, my mom was old. So if you ask my mom about a condom she’s like, “What you want to know about that for?” I had to learn everything on my own from men.

On how she seriously contemplated suicide: (via the Bethenny Show)
“I was very depressed. I mean I got to the point where I was just going to end my life. It was that bad. If I couldn’t have, what I had before, if I couldn’t have SWV and be who I was, as the world knew me as, I wanted to die,”

How she overcame her most crucial suicidal thought: (via the Bethenny Show)
“I was at the Marriott Marquee on 42nd Street and umm, I was up to my last $150,” Lyons shared. “I was like, ‘Damn, I can’t afford to be in here another night. So, I called my sister, one of my sisters and she didn’t answer the phone. I called my other sister. It was no conversation. This is how the spirit works. I’m telling you because, all she said was, ‘Just come home.’ And we just was crying. I went in that hotel, looked in the mirror and I just cried. I’m like, ‘What were you thinking?’ Had she not answered that phone, I probably wouldn’t be here today.”

On being homeless and broke at her group member, Taj’s wedding to her husband, former NFL player Eddie George
When I was a bridesmaid at Taj’s wedding, I was homeless. It was just a pride thing. It was so much pride. As long as my kids were taken care of, I can always go from one apartment to another to shack with people. As long as I have someplace to stay for the night. it was crazy.

So what it like being back with Coco and Taj?
I love it, it’s like everybody’s so renewed. Everything that happened between us-all the bickering-it was meant to happen.

LeLee is a great example that not everything is what it seems on the surface. She’s proven to have been a misguided child, who grew up to be a woman of strength, a woman of character, a humble spirit and one of the realest personalities in the music game, because many people would be far too embarrassed to publicly reveal their weaknesses and hardships, like she has. She overcame many adversities and soared to the top; then dropped down to what probably felt like a bottomless pit; and now in her 40’s she has managed to climb out of it and rebuild once again.

Thank you Leanne “LeLee” Lyons, job well done…keep building your legacy Queen.

The post After SWV Fame, LeLee Sadly Detailed Being Homeless, Using Men/Women To Survive, And More appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

SWV will always be regarded as iconic voices of R&B, and they still continue to entertain audiences all over the world with their catalog of outspoken hits, tight harmonies and sisterly bond. And as OG’s in the game they have a certain authority and wisdom to offer the new class of performers who were inspired by their career. Well, in a recent interview that has sparked hilarious commentary Lelee, Taj and CoKo (especially CoKo) offer their opinions on a few artists from the current roster of R&B stars.

Honest Opinions

Embed from Getty Images

News One reports that during an interview with Cocoa Butter on Twitter the sistahs of SWV were asked to listen to a few newer stars and give their honest opinions about how their music made them feel. Though the three of them came to agreements on certain artists the ones CoKo disagreed with made for some hilarious commentary.

Coko listened to the vocals of Teyana Taylor, Queen Naija, H.E.R., Kehlani, Jhene Aiko and The Internet. Some of her comments included: “I don’t live for her, I live for Jesus;” “I feel like I’m lost;” and “Nowadays, these girls all sound like a computer.” Also, this gem, “They were cool, I thought they all sounded like one long song.” Plus, there were tons of facial expressions.

Next Page: CoKo, And Twitter, Have Their Say.

The post CoKo From SWV is Undefeated: Roasts Current Wave of Female R&B Singers and It’s Hilarious! appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

Last year BET network revealed that En Vogue, Salt, Pepa, Spinderella and SWV have landed a new docu-series titled ‘Ladies Night’. The new docu-series follows the personal and professional drama of the iconic 90’s girl groups as they embark on a national tour.

Fast forward to the current promos launched today, one group, in particular, is absent from the promotions–En Vogue.

Here’s the original synopsis from The Hollywood Reporter

The 10-episode docu-series follows the personal and professional drama of the iconic 1990s girl groups En Vogue, Salt-n-Pepa, Spinderella and SWV as they embark on a national tour. With a run of shows across the U.S., these iconic artists must create, choreograph and execute a night featuring all of their famous hits. With major money on the line, the OGs will need to put their pride to the side in order to launch something truly memorable. Produced by Entertainment One’s Tara Long; Mark Herwick and Madison Merritt serve as executive producers.

Here’s the current synopsis:

Rap and R&B royalty holds court with the BET premiere of “LADIES NIGHT,” starring Salt-N-Pepa (SNP), DJ Spinderella and SWV. With a legacy spanning over three decades, Salt-N-Pepa has landed their biggest career accomplishment to-date, a Las Vegas residency. While simultaneously preparing for their opportunity of a lifetime, the trio has made the ambitious decision to launch the “Ladies Night” national tour in collaboration with SWV.

The stakes are high and reputations are on the line as everyone scrambles to meet expectations and deadlines. We follow along as individual personalities, group egos, personal conflicts and professional obligations all take center stage to discover whether or not the ladies can push it to greatness together.

Watch the promo excluding En Vogue next >>>

The post En Vogue Gets Removed from BET “Ladies Night” Docu-series with Salt-N-Pepa & SWV, Promo Video Drops appeared first on I Love Old School Music.