R&B Divas Season 2: Reunion Part 1 - Nicci Dresses in White, Angie Stone had Clipboard, Syleena talks DVD contracts

Knowing the messy nature of the show Faith Evans decided it was in her best interest to skip the reunion and take a vacation - I don't blame her. Her excuse was spending time with in New York with her family. OK, Faith Evans we feel you. Probably the real reason is you care about your brand and image and don't  want to be associated with such negativity.

Nicci Glibert looked like a missing fairy off a Christmas tree. Yes, big girls can wear white but hers had too much detail and her pants were tight round her crotch so it was very near a camel toe.

Keke was wearing white as well but a simpler design which came over elegant. But as I said Nicci Gilbert looked like something off a Christmas cake or tree.

The tension was so tight you could smash it with a hammer and still have some. The women did not want to be there.

Syleena Johnson was so tense that her face was stone bone cold. She must get some kinda headache from tensing up so much. And she betrayed her nervousness by shaking her leg and foot. You know when people are nervous or angry or both the tend to release by shaking a part of their body. With Syleena Johnson it's her foot and leg.

Nicci Gilbert just looked angry and sulky. And the rest seemed to be passengers on the show.

The Problem 

The main problem seems that Nicci Gilbert had a concept for a show and reached out to Faith Evans in order to get it picked up by a TV station. Faith Evans who is well connected came on board as an executive producer adn subsequently it was picked up. It was Nicci's vision for the show to be an engine-vichle for the women to go a tour.

So we understand Nicci Gilbert's concept. Season one is the preparation with singing at Essences Festival and season two is that we the women go on tour.

However in real life that doesn't get ratings. The show was too boring and needed a bit of heating up.  So it seems there was some behind the scenes action and conflict - new executive producers added - it's now about six instead of the original two Faith and Nicci.

So it's pretty much a divide and conquer situation with all these women who are desperate for attention. It's so easy - they tell Syleena and her management one thing, Angie's management another etc. The build upon conflict behind the show. All the women are used as pawns against each other. Syleena Johnson is slightly immature in that she doesn't think before she speaks. She uses heavy words - she goes biblical and bible talk with words like hell, devil, evil, hate - just like she is doing some revivial stuff.  That is more damaging than saying bitch, muthafucka, hoe because it's real and most of us were bought up in church.

So maybe they probaly told Syleena she was the breakout star and they would give her more screentime then decided to edit it to make Nicci Gilbert look the bad person.  And Syleena is so inflammable that it takes very little to make her angry - she's a bit like Evelyn Lozada but without Evelyn's loyalty.

Angie Stone

When an adult woman has to keep on reminding us that she is grown it probably shows she is reminding herself that she is grown.  Too many times Angie Stone had come out with her high and mighty ways.  Angie had been more of an instigator then she probably knows in the show.  And the high of immaturity was bringing on a clip board to write her swearwords on. Who does that?  She contradicts herself by not cussing and cussing at the same time. I'm confused.

There is Angie Stone the singer image and there is another side of her she revealed on this show which isn't too flattering.

So Nicci took offend at Angie's 'first class and coach class' mentality comment and I understand her comment about Angie taking a ride on her plane. A bit like the Stevie J bus to fame. Angie got annoyed and said Nicci keeps flinging that she is Executive Producer on the show. But Nicci has a point. Angie came on the show for exposure because it reaches a different audience. I highly doubt she was approached I think her manager would have hustled for the role.

Also when Angie got the place on the show, the wizard or powers behind the show knew Angie's real character and that she would cause conflict. Common people you know if you Grandmother is trouble maker, gossip etc. Just because one is older doesn't mean anything. Angie is Angie - bossy, opinionated and thinks highly of herself - only she does not move record units in itunes.

So all Nicci was pointing out was how dare she comes on a show and say the other women - some who'd had bigger careers than Angie had a second class mentality. It was disrespectful.

Keke Wyatt

She applogised to Angie Stone for behaving like a bratt only because her mother told her too. Probably getting folk coming up in the gorcey store telling her now disrespectful Keke was by calling Angie an 'old ass bitch' which was uncalled for.  Then again Keke is probably the most honest of all the women.

She took the Entertainment Tonight joke about stabbing her husband well - in the end it was exposure - and Keke makes good TV.

Monifah

Not much to be said that wasn't on screen. Getting married to Terez in a marriage her daughter Akemi opposes and there was also her substance abuse. To be fair Monifah is doesn't really say or do much in terms of drama. Monifah tends to keep out of messiness unlike the others. So there isn't anything to say about her.

Some fun. Could Terez stand for Teresa? Is Terez really a southern belle from Chattanooga, Tennessee? Has anyone noticed how Terez does not mess with her makeup foundation and blusher? Even the morning scenes where Monifah is barefaced Terez is fully made-for the camera. Finally what extactly does Terez do?


Syleena Johnson and Nicci Glibert

Despite all the drama this show as Nicck Gilbert said had helped everyone in their carreers and I think Syleena had probably gained the most. I think the problem with Syleena is her mouth. She is so quick to jump into conflict and drama with her mouth.

She has a lot of supporters on blogs and Internet but to be that hot-headed and opinionated in real life means you lose out. And Syleena probably has lost out along the way till this show.  So she is the star of this show but all it shows other executive producers is that she basically had no loyalty to those who originally gave her the platform.

Her dealings with Nicci Gilbert became very messy and I think it's probably due to jealousy on Nicci's part because Syleena's part became a lot bigger this season.  Also Syleena's ego grew and her sister got involved and there were no clear lines of communications.

Also it's true that Nicci did reach out to Syleena with the promoter last season which Syleena disrespected on the at her show case.  You remember the who mic situation. At one point Syleena was an up and coming star who went to zero and I think it has more to do with attitude than her talent.

The fitness DVD could have easily being resolved behind the scenes instead of making it into a 'hate Nicci Gilbert' campaign story line. And I think watching back Syleena probably sees she might have gone too far. So the whole show has been about this DVD and non-tour with Nicci being painted as fraudulent.

In the end Nicci who reached out the all these women and bought them on a show otherwise Syleena will be singing clubs as a has-been, Keke doing church vocals - cause she stabbed her husband and Monifah just hanging about trying to get back on the music scene.

And whatever it is Syleena and her management needs to acknowledge and respect that because they have used the show to expand Syleena brand.  I can appreciate Angie Stone and Latocha not doing it since they were bought in by others.

 Latocha

It's never her fault - a bit like Scrappy in Love and Hip Hop Atlanta. The thing with Latocha from Xscape is that while she is talking sisterhood and friendships - she is constantly indirectly casting shade on the other ex-members of Xscape on the Kandi Buress and Tiny Cottle Harris.

A lot of internal conflict happened in Xscape some of which was allegedly caused by LaTocha which lead to the band splitting up.  The others have moved on. Latocha needs to move on too or maybe she wants to bring that messiness to R&B Divas.

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