Back in 2011, 90’s R&B trio, SWV (Sistas With Voices) asked VIBE to join them on their two-city tour of Japan’s Billboard Live venues in Tokyo and Osaka. Over the course of seven days, the New York City natives (by way of The Bronx and Brooklyn) Cheryl “Coko” Gamble, Tamara “Taj” George and Leanne “Lelee” Lyons wowed their fans in the land of the rising sun as if it were a crowd in Harlem, N.Y…they gave their souls to them every night.
The trip started in Tokyo, with multiple sold out shows amid the rather cool, dark and purple hued venue, which has a Times Square billboard sized window overseeing a lit at night park scene outside as the stage’s backdrop. All three ladies would walk out, strutting with hair and make-up (usually done by them and very well I might add) framing wide smiles that made their audience immediately show them love right back.
Every performance ran through the hits that they are so known for like, “Right Here (Human Nature Remix),” “You’re The One,” “I’m So Into You,” and the finale tune that brought the house down with “Weak.” Having such a storied run of R&B tracks (especially from their 1992 triple platinum selling debut album It’s About Time), signature fashion styles like when Coko used to rock those famously extra long fingernails and the latest hairstyles that spoke street but looked chic…these ladies epitomized the glam that around the way girls graduated to from the the streets to the stage.
Our time with the funny, cool, take-no-shit, but hug-ya-later sisters was nothing short of amazing and mind blowing…as even ten years ago, they reunited as a unit to keep their legacy as a top tier talented trio in-tact half way around the world. As the tour ended in Osaka, Japan, the laughs and jokes gave way to exhales and the new memories made with fans that could sing every word of their songs, but couldn’t speak English. Yet, the language barrier couldn’t stop the feeling of love they received from each and every Japanese fan they encountered.
True sisterhood was on display and we are sure we’ll see more of it today when they go up against fellow 90’s R&B hit makers, Xscape in the latest match up on Verzuz. Check for the event on Verzuz’ Instagram Live page or on the Triller app, tonight at 8pm ET/5pm PT.