SWV has finished the first season of its reality series The Queens of RB and, if theres one takeaway fans can gather from the show, its that it was never about social media hype for the Sisters With Voices.
After its March debut, a series that began as a chance to capitalize on the female empowerment of SWV and Xscapes clash transformed into a social status competition, as the two groups went toe-to-toe for the title of headliners. The added drama of Xscapes internal issues also took center stage as fans attempted to keep up with the building tension between sisters LaTocha and Tamika Scott.
The season concluded Sunday night, as the groups finally came together to perform in Ontario, Calif. Despite being on a time crunch with several issues unresolved, the two sets of singers put together a performance that left their audience and each other satisfied.
However, the fate of Xscape remains up in the air as the group continues to perform without LaTocha. In the finale, tension came to a head as Tamika confronted her sister about questionable business dealings. LaTocha recently released her solo gospel album, The Invitation: A Conversation With God, on April 7.
As the group continues to tour, now in the 30th year after releasing their debut album Its About Time (1992), the three women opened up about the series and how online fan conversations pushed a diva riff between the two groups.
There seems to have been a lot of fallout since the show began airing. What did you all make of the fans reactions and everything that went down?
Coko: I honestly was not expecting all that. People are so disrespectful, but we did get a lot of love as well. I definitely was not expecting to be hit the way that weve been being hit lately. Its just crazy.
This whole show started with female empowerment. There were so many people who loved both SWV and Xscape. For it to end like this, where are you thinking that that comes from?
Taj: It came from interaction. When whatever happened on the show, if both groups had stepped back and let the fans talk, that would have been fine. But when you engage the fans, you give them reason to talk and you make them believe the things that you say because you spoke. Thats just unnecessary. I know Im not gonna spend all day sitting on social media arguing with somebody that I dont know, who aint paying my bills.
Lelee, I noticed you have been pretty active on social media, especially after the show. Where did your Twitter fingers come from?
Lelee: One thing I hate is a bully. I feel that about me most of the time because people will poke me. Sometimes that monster in me will lie dormant for a long time and its scary when it finally comes out. It really is bad. So I just got tired. I said, Okay, I was told to engage, just talk about the show, whatever. Then I get all this crazy stuff, like now it aint about the show? Now its me and you. This is personal now so I dont like to get to that point. But Im not gonna let you just say what you want to say about me and Im just gonna sit there like a Chia Pet because this is not that at all.
Then the crazy thing is when the smoke clears, you find out that they was just doing internet shit. But I have to just kind of get off of it for a minute because Im not on that. Ill be 50 years old. I aint got time to be fighting no kids. At the same time, Ill call the kid up. Dont get it twisted. Like, Im gonna take the high road. Its just how you respond. But listen, we are here. We got real careers. We aint got no business going back and forth with no one and nobody.
Throughout the season, SWV and Xscape clash over issues like co-headlining and deciding who would close the final performance. Can you tell me where some of the tension came from and why the conversations seemed to upset you all?
Taj: When we were approached about doing this show, we were told SWV and Xscape would do an extension of Verzus. Going off Verzus, which there was no headliner, we were co-headlining on the show. Thats what we were told going into this show. We never said we had to headline. We never said that. We said co-headline and thats when it went left, I guess. Because co-headlining is just unacceptable, apparently.
Fns were reminded of the sheer magnitude of sales that you have accomplished as a group. How do you all feel about people coming to this realization now?
Coko: Theyre speaking about our numbers that we sold, but its still like were less than because we dont have millions of followers on social media. Thats what its being turned into. I didnt even know that was a thing.
Taj, you seemed to play a peacemaker role between SWV and Xscape. Where does that come from?
Taj: Being mature. I had no intention of arguing with nobody over some dumb shit. That was not in my plan. I told everybody, the producers, Im not arguing over nothing that doesnt pertain to my family. Id rather go in and sit back and be the mediator than sit in there arguing because somebody said my bootys too small or because I cant get the headliner here. Thats just unnecessary. All of those things can be worked out with a conversation. As a 52-year-old woman, I refuse to argue about some dumb shit.
Coko, you also brought your son on the show. How did that affect you alls relationship?
Coko: It hasnt affected our relationship at all. Hes still my baby. Hes going to be my baby and thats just it.
Is he still pursuing music?
Coko: Hes still pursuing music. Its doing well. Hes got invited to a lot of prides here. Hes doing well with it. Im proud of him, but I still want him to stay in school.
Youre one the few groups thats managed to stick together and continue to perform after decades. What can you tell us about this anniversary tour?
Lelee: This is a celebration, for not only us as SWV and and our accomplishments, but it definitely will be for the fans too. We have so many amazing fans that have stuck in there with us. Theyve held us accountable for a long time and theyve just been at it. They love our music. Even when we didnt do music anymore, we would just go and do shows and when we come on or their favorite song, it kind of took them to a certain place that they were at at that particular time in their life.
So were celebrating them for being there for us. We dedicate everything that we do from this point on to the fans. We dont know how long were gonna be here. Were so grateful that people even want to be bothered with us because we havent done a lot of new music, but they love our earlier offerings, which is Weak and Im So Into You, so you know just continue to support us.
This interview has been edited and condensed.