The ’90s were a time of great possibilities and innovation when it came to both hip-hop and R&B. Rappers were on the rise, and girl groups were taking great strides in the mainstream, despite the quarrels that may have been taking place behind the scenes.
Young girls sang along to the songs of 702, parted their hair to the side like Aaliyah, and longed for a rap affair as unique as Faith Evans and Biggie Smalls.
But that was then…the music of yesteryear has been replaced with dance-hip-hop blends from acts like Rihanna and Beyoncé, and the slots formally filled with solid voices of women have been filled by the few R&B acts of men like Miguel and Frank Ocean. A new tide has rolled in, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for some new excitement courtesy of R&B Divas: LA.
The show’s next round at the rodeo is for R&B Divas: LA and some fresh faces are taking center stage to make sure that the industry hasn’t forgotten their talent. The new R&B Divas: LA cast includes Lil Mo, Chante Moore, Kelly Price, Claudette Ortiz, Michel’le and Dawn Robinson, a power group sure to be worth tuning into.
Get to know a little more about the cast below.
Lil’ Mo:
You may know Lil’ Mo from her “Superwoman” days alongside Fabolous, Tupac and the like, but after two marriages, the diva, who is currently married to Gospel recording artist Phillip Bryant; is back for a new start.
Kelly Price:
Kelly Price got her start as most people with a voice of her caliber have: singing in her church’s gospel. But that same small girl who got her start in a choir would soon bless the airwaves with a number of tracks exemplifying her strong vocal range. Music aside, Kelly has also been an active activist for breast cancer awareness.
Chante Moore:
Chante Moore had her run with tracks like “Love’s Taken Over,” “It’s Alright,” “I’m What You Need,” and “Old School Lovin,” but her most prized work may just be the Things That Lovers Do, an album of duets with her now ex-husband Kenny Lattimore, which would later be picked up as the name of a stage play.
Claudette Ortiz:
Claudette was known as the smooth female voice that worked with the male vocals of City High from 1999-2003. The group’s greatest success was their tack “What Would You Do” and her duet with Wyclef “Two Wrongs.”
Dawn Robinson:
Dawn entered the R&B realm with En Vogue and had quite the successful run with the girl group prior to her departure in 1997. She then had a short run with Lucy Pearl before making her comeback this season.
Michel’le:
This singer-songwriter, known for her small speaking voice and strong singing voice, and also as ex-girlfriend to hip-hop legend Dr. Dre, was a soul voice in a rap world back in the late ’80s and early ’90s.
Now that you’re all caught up, the eight-episode first season will premiere tonight on TV One, and you don’t want to miss it.
