Shows like Love & Hip Hop and Basketball Wives have more honest reactions because they set up cast members into situations they know they will react, explode and fight. These VH1 shows manipulate cast members so they react.
Also R &B Divas takes the moral high ground and wants to 'help' and 'reach out' to other women so it's more planned about what 'female issues' they are going to tackle and therefore loses the spontaneity and the realism the other shows have.
It's a difficult one but the show does dragging on.
Syleena with dredlocked vocal coach
Starts off with Syleena Johnson telling us about her father being famous and how he thinks her a rival. A lot of talk with her getting stuff off her chest and then they hug.
Now Syleena not only has money issues she also has established she has father issues.
Church and generational curse
Then we get to church where Keke Wyatt and family are going for bible study. They invite Monifah and Syleena. Monifah rocks up late and starts about her alternative lifestyle. I'm not sure what that has to do with church. My own issue (yay my issue hahaha..) is that they make like all Christians are judgemental.
Church is about going to commune, pray, praise and have fellowship with others. Not about yapping about alternative lifestyles and what exactly is alternative? A lifestyle is a lifestyle. And it's normal whatever it is. Monifah behaves like it's some sort of exclusive club that makes her special.
Keke goes on about abusive relationships in her family. Her grandmother and then her mother. She fails to say which grandmother that was (ok, I'm being annoying but was it her maternal or paternal). Then the pastor leading brings in his own issues about boozers well alcholics in his family. Really? I feel a 'Testimony, testimony! I need to testify about' moment coming on.
Something about generation curse which Monifah tries to explain but I don't really listen.
Monifah and Syleena do a duet in the studio
Syleena is putting an album together and she is doing some vocals with Monifah. Monifah comes in a bit late and starts to sing. Syleena complains that Monifah forgets words. Monfah is like it doesn't matter and Syleena can sing over it.
We don't really care because it's not as if the song is hot anyway. And as Monifah maybe if she practised more they lyrics would stick.
Monifah and Keke
Keke goes to see Monifah without handbag Micheal. I'm starting to think this Keke and Micheal tag-team thing was only for the show.
Anyway Keke opens up about her abusive relationship with her ex-husband. It got so bad that her baby daughter got involved in the clashes. She said she didn't even leave him after the stabbing incident. She just wanted all the kids to have the same daddy. Made her feel guilty and crazy. Well done, Keke but I feel that a part of this was done to reach out to other women in those relationships.
This is my thing about how 'real' or sincere all this is. It's like there is a bird/producer whispering in Keke's ear that she has to reach out to other women in same situation. This then makes the confessional more staged and preachy as if she is lecturing others. What might have been more effective was what made Keke leave.
She can talk about leaving him for her children/daughters (which I doubt) and doing for them but in these relationships women only leave when a man crosses a line. Now everyone had a line or a limit. It can be something very silly, or simple or complex. And whatever that line was (Keke is not telling us) the bastard ex-husband crossed it.
Evelyn Lozada's bottom line was probably Chad trying to violate her beauty and she realised what a monster Chad Johnson could become. Chad crossed the line when head-butted her and tried to take away her beauty. That's how Evelyn survives and makes her money. Her face and body have always being her fortune and ticket to a better life. Chad tried to mess that up.
You see those crazy guys who throw acid at a woman or mash up their faces. And maybe if Chad didn't go for her face Evelyn would be still with him. But to harm Evelyn's face is to violate her and not even she can put up with that. Because her beauty is her fortune. So everyone has line and it's subjective from person to person.
I digress so with Keke Wyatt staying with the man so long sometime must have triggered her leaving and it's not as simple as the whole 'my daughters' thing. Look at Mimi Faust. Stevie J may not be physical but it's sort of an emotional/mental abuse. He humiliates her in front of 4 million viewers and she takes it. Yet Mimi keeps on preaching the 'my daughter line' and is still in there with Joseline and whichever other hoe Stevie J Jordan is sleeping with.
Anyway Keke says she is going for therapy.
Group meeting at Faith's Appartment
Faith Evans, Keke Wyatt, Baby Wyatt, Syleena, Nicci and Monifah are all drinking - not sure why the plastic cups. Keke tells the group she is going for therapy.
Nicci tells Keke to keep it private and not to discuss there since they are all boozing and it can do more harm than good. I agree because everyone has an opinion but Keke is grown women with like seven children. Even Keke is confused over Nicci's behaviour - do we smell another Nicci Gilbert issue coming up? After all we have resolved the singing without passion issue.
Anyway somehow it all goes down and Nicci starts to screaming with baby Wyatt in her arms about getting over emotional - defeats the point as she is the emotional one. And poor baby Wyatt's ears listening to some big woman yell. Maybe Nicci should be going for therapy instead of Keke.
People enjoy this because this is as close as it will come to in ratchetness. Alcohol, Liquor and not fights. Oh well we do have a screaming Nicci so I guess that will do.
Therapy with Keke and Micheal
Micheal and Keke Wyatt rock up without Baby Wyatt to see some therapist - some doctor Marcia something. She looked more nervous and chaotic than Keke. Why didn't they get Dr Jeff?
Keke describes herself as a singer/celebrity and says she is misunderstood - aren't we all? She goes on to the issues. Her work and home balance. A working mother struggling with seeing her kids and baby.
She thinks about her conflict of work and motherhood. She keeps on going about her craziness. She talks a lot Micheal tells he maybe she had abandonment issues as a child.
Keke is like so you understand and honestly it's like every other reality show therapy session apart from Love and Hip Hop Atlanta which was unique.
Boring same old conversation.
Micheal and Keke discuss therapy
The show cuts to the Wyatt household and Keke asking Micheal why he isn't understanding all the time like in therapy. He says she is always barking - probably means angry. So he can't talk to her. To be honest it's the same old bullcrap there. She feels bad and says she will change. Micheal says he loves her. I mean what about Saint Micheal's issues.
Syleena's Acoustic Show
Syleena and her entourage march up to a venue to find nothing is set up. No mic stands, no sound system. Chaotic.
As I see more of the venue I feel more uncomfortable and see how far Syleena has fallen from her career. That is like an open mic venue that was more of a karaoke joint. - I thought she'd be singing in a jazz club or proper venue (theatre). At this point despite all the jokes I've being making I can see Syleena has put her pride on the line for a comeback and she is grabbing her opportunity. She has humbled herself so if you like her check out her website. http://www.syleenamusic.com/
It get worse after all the complaining the promoter comes with attitude. That is not a proper promoter that is just a woman who hustles and throws events. She starts to argue with Syleena's sister. But we are disappointed because no rachetness or punches are thrown.
Syleena does Royce Reed impersonation of 'Daddy, Daddy.'
Like in the beginning of the show Syleena goes on about her father. He shows up for some reason but I'm not sure why.
She goes on about her father and her have an 'Ike and Tina' relationship but she means volatile. He also comes with his guitar like he wants to crash Syleena's show.
Maybe he just wants a duet with his daughter anyway to my disappointment they never show him perform so I just had to go on Youtube.
Johnson Family Affair with Embarrassing Dad Sydrome with Syl Johnson
Most parents are embarrassing and famous ones are no different. Anyway Syl Johnson does the embarrassing dad syndrome. He seems all a bit of it for whatever reason. It's uncomfortable but I'm not sure why he's there. Anyway he on about Syleena lack of prep work etc but it's pathetic. Then her two other sisters lay into him and start to argue with him. It is a tense time especially with the cameras there so tempers will fuel and telling Syleena to go wash dishes wasn't too nice.
There seemed a lot of criticism from her father but no real advice or guidance - I'm not sure if it was edited that way to show her father in a bad light. However it's not uncommon for parents to compete with their children. So whatever let's not make a big deal out if it. Syleena is still talented with or without a mic, or sound system - the woman can sing.
Anyway Syleena gets upset and starts to cry which is unacceptable as she going to preform. Thanks giving and Christmas at the Johnson Household must be all fun and games.
Monifah comes to offer her support back stage. As I mentioned before overall you can see how far Syleena has fallen in her career. They didn't even want to give her free or complimentary water. She is a singer and needs to keep her thoat hydrated so she had to buy it. She had to get changed in the close off area - no dressing room or private area. It just seemed a closed part of the bar. Syleena definitely had no rider.
Syleena's Performance
She goes the stage and makes light of the situation about the venue charging for water. She has already being humbled, embarrassed and humiliated by all this. This is a far cry from when she had her own rider list of demands.
Even her team are family members but at least Syleena is trying. Even Faith Evan comments about sometimes you have to make light of situations.
She sings with Monifah and it's a bit off key but the sound system doesn't help.
Then she introduces her father who pays her the biggest compliment regarding her talent.
It get worst and the sound systems really starts to play up. It's cringeworthy but Syleena just sings on.
The promoter and her beef
At the end the promoter goes all ratchet and hood talking about disrespect and black women not coming together. If not for the show I think probably Syleena's sister would have popped the promoter one.
However what the promoter failed to understand was Syleena had a lot riding on this gig. She might have had industry people who had come to see her perform and for some reason she could not give her best. So a lot a shade thrown however Syleena did her best.
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