September 22, 2006 @ 5:43 pm

Coko Goes To Church

by: Coryn Brown

After SWV split in 1998 following four top selling albums and a string of hit singles like “Weak,” “Right Here,” and “I’m So Into You,” Coko landed a solo deal with RCA Records and in 1999 released her debut album, Hot Coko. But when RCA shut down its black music division, the New York born singer who first belted in the industry as a teenager in Hezekiah Walker’s Love Fellowship Crusade Choir decided to make a big return to gospel. Grateful, Coko’s first release on Light Records, debuts October 31, boasting work with some of gospel’s hottest contemporaries, J. Moss included, and even a few of R&B’s own. Vibe: I heard you got Faith Evans, Lil Mo’ and Fantasia to do a track on this album. How did that go? Coko: We actually didn’t go in the studio together, everybody did her part separately. It was one of those things. But I’m a big Clark Sisters fan and “Endow Me” was one of my favorite songs. For years I had been thinking about who I would want to be on the record. It was always Faith and Lil’ Mo and then I got a surprise—‘Tasia wanted to do it and she was put on. Vibe: When did you decide to take your music into gospel? Coko: When I first got signed to RCA they always knew that I was going to make a gospel record. I always wanted to sing gospel. R&B was just something that came out before this album, but I was singing gospel before R&B. I just decided it was time to go back to my roots, to what I’ve always known. Vibe: I know you joined SWV when you were singing in Hezekiah Walker’s choir. Was there ever a spiritual conflict going from gospel to R&B? Coko: To me, that’s like asking somebody if there’s a conflict after you’ve done drugs but now you’re in church. So I don’t even look at it like that. Vibe: How do you feel about R&B’s evolution since SWV? Oh, R&B has just gone over and beyond crazy. The music’s not about talent anymore, it’s all about looks, how sexy you are and it’s sad that it’s gotten to that point. I don’t even listen to it anymore. Vibe: Has the definition of happiness for you changed since the 90’s? Coko: I don’t even think I knew what happiness was in the 90s. I was feeling my way. I’ve always asked myself about that. But I’m very happy right now with the woman that I’ve become. I love who God has created me to be and I’ve learned to accept who I am. I’ve always had a problem with just being who I was. I had issues with my skin color and all of that. Vibe: Being dark skinned was an issue? Coko: Yeah. That was a big issue for me. It’s kind of a big thing in the industry. They try to make it likes it’s not, but it is. Vibe: How did it become an issue with you? Coko: They favored light skin a lot and I remember when we first got signed to RCA, they really didn’t want to sign us I was told because there were two brown skin girls in the group. So that stuck. Vibe: How do you feel about your skin now? Coko: I’m brown, I’m beautiful and I’m loving it. I learned to get past all that. Vibe: Speaking of appearances, what do you think when you see old SWV videos on VH1 Soul with the long finger nails, red lipstick— Coko: [Laughs] I think that’s crazy, I’m always like, what was I thinking with those nails? How did ya’ll let me do that? But that’s what was out at that time. We were cool back then. We wore the baggy jeans, the Timberland boots. We were the tomboys. Vibe: What happened to the group? Did you guys officially split? Coko: We did split but we reconciled. Vibe: What caused it? Coko: Just technical difficulties. Vibe: In the business realm or with each other? Coko: The business. The business was crazy. Vibe: Do you feel like being in the industry as teenagers was like an Achilles heel? Coko: Not really so much for being young. Just not having the proper guidance. left Vibe: I know guys started off as friends first before you actually did the group. Coko: Right. We were friends first. But coming into a business like this, you could be friends first but if you don’t have people around you to keep you together and keep you on one page, it’s not going to work. The people that we had around us were basically pulling us apart. Vibe: Do you guys still talk now? Coko: Yeah, we’re tight. Vibe: Is it true that you’ll be putting out a reunion album in 2007? Coko: I don’t know. We want to do a reunion record but its not written in stone. We just did the Tom Joyner Sky show and we did the New Jack Tour with Teddy [Riley]. Vibe: So it sounds like ya’ll are positioning to do a little something… Coko: There are a lot of songs that we don’t sing anymore because that’s just not who I am anymore. I’m a married woman and so when I sing what I sing, I’m singing from that point of view. Maybe [we’ll do] a little something, but it will be totally different. Right now, I’m happier than I’ve ever been. Read more vibe.com online exclusives.

Article tags: Coko, SWV 

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