Appearance, Interview, News, Television

T-Boz Reveals Her Thoughts on COVID-19 Vaccines, Good As Burgers, Trolls and Why She Has Been Single For 8 Years!

The beautiful Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins was the latest guest on the Cameron Newton YouTube podcast ‘Funky Friday‘ on May 5.

T-Boz reminisced about her time starting out and forming TLC with Left Eye and Chilli, and was surprised at the lack of girl group’s out today. “You don’t see a lot of girl groups anymore. There’s not a lot of new groups out, and the one’s that were out have broken up”, T-Boz admits. She reveals that being in a girl group can be hard, and a lot of the reasons that girl groups don’t survive is down to egos and cattiness. “Women are usually so envious of one another. Catty, jealous and ego’s like that can break up a group.”

T-Boz mentioned the big age gap between her 22 year old daughter, Chase Rolison, and her 7 year old son, Chance. “Its a big gap like a crazy person. Yes, I started over, but it keeps me young, so I love it. I wanted a boy, so I was like, I don’t care how old I am, I’m about to have this baby boy”, T-Boz admits. “Chase and Chance, those are my world. And my two nieces are my babies, too”.

T-Boz touches on the vegan fast food venture, Good As Burgers, or GAB’s, that she partly owns with her brother Carnoy ‘Kayo’ Watkins who founded the business. “It’s Good As Burgers, but it sounds like, ‘ohh that’s a Good Ass Burger’, because they are good”, she said. T-Boz reveals that she plans on expanding the business when they open more food trucks with 4 locations to date.

Cam asked T-Boz about her Irish heritage, along with her Native American and African American heritage. “I was in my house one day, and I’ve got this really pretty frame. You can tell that they made it, decorated it, it was beautiful”, T-Boz says. “There was this old white lady in the picture, so I asked, who is this old white lady and they said that it was my great grandmother, and that she was Irish. So, yeah, I’m a little mixed up, but I claim El Negro”.

When the topic of Rihanna‘s Super Bowl halftime performance came up, T-Boz was reluctant to comment and reminded Cam about the drama the press created between TLC and Rihanna back in 2014, after being misquoted which led to angry trolls attacking her on social media.

T-Boz reveals that she continues to use her own CBD brand, ‘TLCBD‘, to help with her symptoms of arthritis and sickle cell Thalassemia (Sickle Thal). However, ever since she received the Pfizer jab to vaccinate herself against the COVID-19 virus, her sickle cell symptoms seemed to have worsened. “I honestly think that the [COVID-19] vaccinations — after my last three crisis’ that I had, I haven’t had anything like that — but after that shot — I honestly think it messed me up, I really do.”

T-Boz has mixed emotions over how she feels about the COVID-19 vaccines and admits that she most likely would not have had it if it wasn’t for her job that required her to be vaccinated. “I felt bullied into it, because without it you can’t get paid, you can’t go to work, yeah, that’s how it was for me”, T-Boz admits. “And then I still got COVID anyway, twice — on the massage table, my massage therapist gave it to me, and then recently overseas on tour in Sydney, Australia. I have no earthly idea how I could have gotten it besides the quick change on stage that we share with other artists because they don’t wipe that down. But I have a very low immune system because of my sickle cell”.

On the topic of self beauty, T-Boz recalls why she wrote the 1999 number one TLC single, “Unpretty“. “I thought it was cool to have individuality and be your own woman. It shows you how many insecure women there are in the world. I’m not saying there is anything wrong with fixing something you don’t like, but if you do it, make sure it’s for you”, T-Boz admits. “But I also think there is a stopping point where you can take it too far. You’re starting to look like lions and characters, and you look crazy. Men come and go, getting your asses and titties done, that’s not keeping your man at home”.

Cam discussed the socially acceptable differences between men and women when it comes to enhancing physical features. T-Boz admits that she’d be honest with a man that tried to hide baldness with a wig and tell him to shave it all off. But she wouldn’t accept a man actively seeking a penile enlargement, “hell no, if I saw that in the beginning, I ain’t got no time to be waiting for him to get a fake penis. I don’t want a man into all that crap”.

So, what kind of man will win the heart of Ms Tionne Tenese Watkins? “Dirty nails on men and dirty shoes, I don’t like that. I’m not talking to a man with dirty ass hands. It’s a pet peeve, I don’t like it”, T-Boz states. “These days men are just not men, so we women sometimes have to do stuff that we didn’t always want to do. I am single on purpose, because I don’t want to deal with another grown ass baby. I haven’t talked to nobody in about 8 years! I haven’t even dated in those years”.

“When I’ve tried to talk to someone regular, they are very insecure. Even men that are supposed to be secure with money are insecure in my business, because I’m around a lot of guys”, T-Boz continues. “I’ve been celibate in those 8 years, I’m not a ho, I don’t do booty calls and all that. I’m more of a relationship person. I had a lot of life stuff happening honestly, with my mom’s health and my daughter almost passed away with Lupus, and then the pandemic happened — it’s cool if God brings somebody who is really a man. Because I’m a real alpha, so it takes somebody special to deal with me. If he’s not coming to me as a man, then why am I playing my role if you’re not playing yours?”

So, how can a man add value to the life of T-Boz, a woman who has everything that she needs? “Come home at night, don’t lie, be a good, honest person. It’s not about money all the time. Been there, done that, got that. I’ve had all the cars, the houses, I’ve done all that”, T-Boz admits. “I’m really simplistic. It’s the attention to detail, like the small things, the things that I like. I’m a real logical open minded person, I’m a very fair person and I’ll do my part, but if you’re not doing your part then I don’t see the reason for you to be here. I pay manly bills, I do manly things, so if you’re not going to be a man, move out the way, I’ve got kids to take care of and things to do. That’s just how I am”.

Watch the full episode below:

Announcement, Appearance, News, Television, Tribute

Chilli Accepts TLC Legacy Award at 2023 Variety Power of Women Ceremony with Full Speech

The beautiful Chilli was honored to accept the Variety 2023 Power of Women Legacy Award on behalf of TLC on April 4, 2023 in New York.

Her TLC sister, Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins was unable to attend the event due to sinus infection she was still recovering from. Chilli joked that they do not like to share one award, so hopes the event provides them each with the prestigious award.

Chilli started off her acceptance speech for TLC’s Legacy Award by giving thanks to God for her talents. “When I say that he has been there for us — and still is — I’m just so thankful to him”, Chilli said. “You always want to be sure you’re doing what’s right — and we always should — but I just want to make sure that I’m being a good daughter to my Lord and Savior, that’s very important to me”.

Chilli then got emotional as she recalled some of the group’s hardest moments and their biggest triumphs as women of color in the music industry.

“When you are a woman of color, it’s real hard — it’s a huge struggle,” she told the audience. “I’ll always remember when ‘No Scrubs’ came out and it was actually our first number one entering in. I always wanted to be on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine…we didn’t get the cover. I won’t say who got it, it’s okay because he deserved it too but we also did. The message was ‘the last time we had someone Black on the cover, it didn’t really sell well.’” To clarify, the Rolling Stones cover went to Eminem that month.

She continued, “I have to say that just because you hear many ‘no’s’ does not mean that you don’t have the talent because you do — we never stopped believing in ourselves and each other.”

Chilli took a moment to give TLC’s long-term manager, Bill Diggins, his flowers for sticking around with the ladies through their highs and lows, since the loss of Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes in 2002. “Bill Diggins believed in us when we were on top of the world. And when everything happened — losing our sister — and no one believing in us anymore, thinking that it was over…he never felt like that, ever”, Chilli reveals.

Chilli vowed to “forever keep our sister Lisa ‘Left Eye’ Lopes’ memory alive through everything that we do.” Whilst addressing the rumors that the group had been on the lookout for a replacement after their reality talent show, UPN’s ‘R U The Girl‘ in 2005, Chilli joked, “We never ever even thought about replacing her — even after she burned the house down…by the way it was an accident!”

Announcement, Appearance, News, Television

Chilli’s Son Tron Austin to Star in Docuseries ‘Family Legacy’ on Paramount+

Paramount+ announced via press release on April 4, 2023 that the new music docuseries ‘Family Legacy‘ will premiere Tuesday, April 25 exclusively on the service in the U.S. and Canada.

The series will also premiere internationally on Wednesday, April 26 in the U.K., Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, LATAM and Brazil, and on Saturday, April 29 in Australia. An official trailer and key art for the series were also released.

Narrated by actor and music artist Quincy Brown, each half hour of the five-episode series will feature the children of legendary music artists and bands including Linkin Park, Van Halen, Backstreet Boys, *NSYNC, Boyz II Men, TLC, Biggie Smalls, Sean “Diddy” Combs, Brandy and Melissa Etheridge reliving some of entertainment’s most iconic moments and giving viewers an intimate look at their favorite artists.

Featured in the series are:

  • Tron Austin (son of TLC’s Chilli)
  • Bailey Cypheridge (daughter of Melissa Etheridge)
  • Baylee Littrell (son of Backstreet Boys’ Brian Littrell)
  • Briahna Fatone (daughter of *NSYNC’s Joey Fatone)
  • Christian “King” Combs (son of Sean “Diddy” Combs)
  • C.J. Wallace (son of Notorious B.I.G.)
  • Draven Bennington (son of Linkin Park’s Chester Bennington)
  • Justin Combs (son of Sean “Diddy” Combs)
  • Nathan Morris II (son of Boyz II Men’s Nathan Morris)
  • Quincy Brown (son of Sean “Diddy” Combs)
  • Sy’Rai Smith (daughter of Brandy)
  • Andrew Hagar (son of Van Halen’s Sammy Hagar)

Through thousands of hours of exclusive MTV footage and brand-new interviews with the children of our favorite stars, ‘Family Legacy’ takes fans on a tour of iconic musicians’ most celebrated moments, with perspectives and untold stories only their kids could provide!

‘Family Legacy’ is produced by MTV Entertainment Studios, with Bruce Gillmer and Jeremy Davies as executive producers. Nancy Glass, Eric Neuhaus and Lauren Flowers serve as executive producers for Glass Entertainment Group.

Watch the trailer below:

Interview, News, Television

Coko: “I Would Love SWV to Tour with TLC and En Vogue Together… and They Can Headline!”

The world has been tuned in to the latest girl group reality show airing on Bravo, ‘SWV & Xscape: The Queens of R&B‘, documenting the journey of the two legendary girl groups as they find a way to put on a concert together.

SWV and Xscape were born in the early 90’s and both achieved a ton of success throughout the decade before they both disbanded around the same time in 1998. They experienced a huge revival when they agreed to participate in a Verzuz event in 2021, celebrating their most loved hits back and forth with each other.

The Verzuz episode led to television producer Mona Scott Young offering the ladies an opportunity to continue their working relationship with their own reality television show, leading to them both co-headlining a concert together for their fans.

The groups were both excited about the opportunity and already had formed a close friendship with each other over the years. Frictions occurred when Xscape member Kandi Burruss raised concerns over which group would be the headlining act the show, and felt that her group has a bigger following than SWV, so should headline the show.

This did not go down well with the ladies of SWV, who refused to be an opening act for Xscape and reminded the viewers that they have sold millions of more records than Xscape, so they felt insulted at the suggestion as they were informed it was to be a co-headlining show, a collaborative effort.

SWV (Coko, Taj & Lelee)

Time will tell if the groups were able to fix their differences on the show, which airs every Sunday night on Bravo and streaming on the Peacock app.

Cheryl “Coko” Gamble, the lead singer of the group SWV, took some time out this week to chat with reality television producer Carlos King about her thoughts of the show. Although Coko was not interested in being an opening act for Xscape, she was completely open to doing a tour with, and opening for, En Vogue and TLC!

“Oh, we would love that, but TLC is on tour with En Vogue now. They took En Vogue and they did not ask SWV, like girls, come on!”, Coko exclaims. “I would love that though — I would be an opener for that! We ain’t trying to co-headline, we’ll be an opener. Give us a good 30 minutes! That’s TLC!”, Coko laughs.

SWV has toured with both TLC and En Vogue separately in the past. During an episode on their current television show, Taj George recalls having a blast doing shows with both groups and being treated fairly. “We have toured with tons of girl groups, and none of them have treated us the way those gals have treated us”, Coko said during the episode, referring to Xscape’s demands to headline the show.

“It was a pleasure working with En Vogue. It was a pleasure working with TLC. And both of them have outsold both of us [SWV and Xscape]”, Taj admits. “Xscape can learn a lesson from En Vogue — with their 7 million records!”, Coko adds. For the record, SWV has sold over 30 million records to date.

“That’s the thing about us, we are honest. We know what it is, I do not mind”, Coko says about opening for TLC and En Vogue. “TLC is huge! Are you crazy? I don’t want to come on after no TLC! No, no, no, we ain’t stupid!”, Coko continues humbly.

“We don’t want to come behind TLC, and we respect En Vogue to the upmost. Like I said, if there were no En Vogue, there would be no SWV. So, if you want us to go on before you, we’re going to do that, because that’s how much love and respect we have for both of them”.

Coko with Chilli and T-Boz in 2015

It is beautiful hearing Coko be so open and honest about how she feels about working with other girl groups, especially TLC and En Vogue. A joint tour with all three groups would be a dream come true for many fans of 90s R&B girl groups — so let’s hope it can happen one day!

Alicia Keys would be the first person in line at such a show. These three aforementioned girl groups were amongst her favorites, and she invited all three groups to join her on stage at the BET Awards 2008 to perform their greatest hits with her during her performance.

TLC with En Vogue at the BET Awards 2008

Check out the full Coko interview with Carlos King and tune in to watch ‘SWV & XSCAPE: THE QUEEN’S OF R&B’ on Bravo.