Coko
Encyclopedia
Cheryl Elizabeth "Coko" Clemons (born June 13, 1970) is an American
gospel
and R&B
singer, and lead singer of R&B group Sisters With Voices (SWV)
.
's Love Fellowship Tabernacle Choir.
. Altogether the group issued 6 albums. After their 1998 Christmas album SWV disbanded. Two compilation albums were release after the disbanding; Greatest Hits (1999) and the Best of SWV (2001). Though many stories circulated as to why SWV disbanded, it was Coko herself who made the final decision. In an interview, she said it was not a mutual decision and that many people tried to convince her to stay. She states that her reason for leaving was that the group was not communicating well and that she felt she would do better with a solo career.
, titled Hot Coko, released August 1999. The first single, "Sunshine," which was dedicated to her son Jazz, reached the Top 40 position in the R&B charts that summer. However, both the album and singles did not gather the same mainstream success as Coko once did with SWV. Meanwhile, Coko was working on a second solo album titled Music Doll in early 2001, but RCA closed the black music division and the project was shelved. Since then, she has concentrated more on her family, and eventually married gospel producer and drummer for Israel and New Breed, Mike "Big Mike" Clemmons, the father of her second son, Jaylon. She currently resides in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
In 2001, Coko and her Mother Lady "Clyde" Tibba Gamble did a remake of the song "Tears in Heaven
" (originally recorded by Eric Clapton
) on the album Rhythm and Spirit: "Love Can Build a Bridge". The album featured other artists such as Jennifer Holliday
, Patti Labelle
, and Tramaine Hawkins. Clemons sang on the Brent Jones & TP Mobb single "Midnite" in 2002. She also appeared on Youthful Praise's 2003 gospel album Thank You for the Change singing lead on "Up There".
Coko's full gospel solo debut, Grateful, was released in the United States on October 31, 2006 and debuted at #5 on Billboard's Top Independent albums chart. Grateful includes an all-star cover of The Clark Sisters
' "Endow Me" which features R&B singers Faith Evans
, Fantasia Barrino
and Lil Mo. An alternate version, minus Faith Evans was performed on BET
's Celebration of Gospel '07. A special edition of Grateful only available through Wal-Mart
includes two bonus tracks "I Wish" and Brent Jones' "Midnite" featuring Coko on lead vocals.
Coko was reported to have joined an all-black touring cast performing the critically acclaimed play The Vagina Monologues
, along with Sherri Shepherd
, Star Jones
, Vanessa L. Williams
, and others. In June 2008, Coko performed in Japan for the Billboard Live Tour. She sang some of her solo hits "Sunshine", "Clap Your Hands", and the SWV song "Right Here/Human Nature".
for urban radio station KKBT 100.3 "The Beat"'s Summerjam concert on August 20, 2005. They also appeared on the 2006 New Jack Reunion Tour. SWV was featured in the XXL
where they discussed single releases from their debut album It's About Time. In the interview, Clemons mentioned that the group would no longer perform sexually-explicit songs such as "Downtown" and "Can We" anymore out of a new respect for her beliefs as a Christian
. The group's final performance took place in Toronto in late June 2007.
On April 4, 2008, Coko returned with SWV to perform some of their hits for the local DJ Kid Kutts' birthday.
As SWV was in the midst of new shows for early 2011, Coko posed for a shoot in Jackson, Mississippi with photographer Will Sterling. The photos show off the singer's curvaceous figure in fashionable gowns, set against the natural beauty of the Mississippi Delta.
1U.S. Airplay charts
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
gospel
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
and R&B
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
singer, and lead singer of R&B group Sisters With Voices (SWV)
SWV
Sisters with Voices, better known as SWV, is an American female R&B trio from New York. Formed in 1990 as a gospel group, SWV became one of the most successful R&B groups of the 1990s. They had a series of hits, including "Weak", "Right Here/Human Nature", "I'm So Into You", and "You're the One"....
.
Musical career
Clemons began her recording career as a choir member in Hezekiah WalkerHezekiah Walker
Bishop Hezekiah Xzavier Walker, Jr. is a Grammy Award-winning gospel music artist, founder and leader of the Love Fellowship Choir , and Pastor and Bishop of the Love Fellowship Tabernacle, with locations in Brooklyn, New York, and Bensalem, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
's Love Fellowship Tabernacle Choir.
Sisters With Voices
From 1990 to 1998, Coko sang with the platinum recording group, Sisters With Voices (SWV)SWV
Sisters with Voices, better known as SWV, is an American female R&B trio from New York. Formed in 1990 as a gospel group, SWV became one of the most successful R&B groups of the 1990s. They had a series of hits, including "Weak", "Right Here/Human Nature", "I'm So Into You", and "You're the One"....
. Altogether the group issued 6 albums. After their 1998 Christmas album SWV disbanded. Two compilation albums were release after the disbanding; Greatest Hits (1999) and the Best of SWV (2001). Though many stories circulated as to why SWV disbanded, it was Coko herself who made the final decision. In an interview, she said it was not a mutual decision and that many people tried to convince her to stay. She states that her reason for leaving was that the group was not communicating well and that she felt she would do better with a solo career.
Solo career
After SWV disbanded, Coko went on to release her first solo album under RCARCA
RCA Corporation, founded as the Radio Corporation of America, was an American electronics company in existence from 1919 to 1986. The RCA trademark is currently owned by the French conglomerate Technicolor SA through RCA Trademark Management S.A., a company owned by Technicolor...
, titled Hot Coko, released August 1999. The first single, "Sunshine," which was dedicated to her son Jazz, reached the Top 40 position in the R&B charts that summer. However, both the album and singles did not gather the same mainstream success as Coko once did with SWV. Meanwhile, Coko was working on a second solo album titled Music Doll in early 2001, but RCA closed the black music division and the project was shelved. Since then, she has concentrated more on her family, and eventually married gospel producer and drummer for Israel and New Breed, Mike "Big Mike" Clemmons, the father of her second son, Jaylon. She currently resides in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
In 2001, Coko and her Mother Lady "Clyde" Tibba Gamble did a remake of the song "Tears in Heaven
Tears in Heaven
"Tears in Heaven" is a ballad written by Eric Clapton and Will Jennings about the pain and loss Clapton felt following the death of his four-year-old son, Conor. Conor fell from a window of the 53rd-floor New York apartment of his mother's friend on March 20, 1991. Clapton, who arrived at the...
" (originally recorded by Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE, is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. Clapton is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist, and separately as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream. Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and...
) on the album Rhythm and Spirit: "Love Can Build a Bridge". The album featured other artists such as Jennifer Holliday
Jennifer Holliday
Jennifer-Yvette Holliday is an African-American singer and Tony Award-winning actress. She started her career on Broadway in musicals such as Dreamgirls, and later became a successful recording artist...
, Patti Labelle
Patti LaBelle
Patricia Louise Holte-Edwards , better known under the stage name, Patti LaBelle, is a Grammy Award winning American singer, author and actress who has spent over 50 years in the music industry...
, and Tramaine Hawkins. Clemons sang on the Brent Jones & TP Mobb single "Midnite" in 2002. She also appeared on Youthful Praise's 2003 gospel album Thank You for the Change singing lead on "Up There".
Coko's full gospel solo debut, Grateful, was released in the United States on October 31, 2006 and debuted at #5 on Billboard's Top Independent albums chart. Grateful includes an all-star cover of The Clark Sisters
The Clark Sisters
The Clark Sisters are an American gospel vocal group consisting of four sisters:Jacky Clark Chisholm, Elbernita "Twinkie" Clark, Dorinda Clark-Cole, and Karen Clark Sheard. A fifth sister, Denise Clark Bradford, no longer performs with the group. The Clark Sisters are the daughters of legendary...
' "Endow Me" which features R&B singers Faith Evans
Faith Evans
Faith Renée Evans is an American singer-songwriter, recording artist, record producer, actress and author. Born in Florida and raised in New Jersey, Evans relocated to Los Angeles during 1993 for a career with the music business. After working as a backing vocalist for Al B...
, Fantasia Barrino
Fantasia Barrino
Fantasia Monique Barrino commonly known as Fantasia, is an American R&B singer, Broadway and television actress who rose to fame as the winner of the third season of the reality television series American Idol in 2004. Following her victory, she released her debut single, "I Believe", which...
and Lil Mo. An alternate version, minus Faith Evans was performed on BET
Bet
Bet or BET may refer to:* A wager in gambling* Basic Economics Test * Bet , the second letter in many Semitic alphabets, including Aramaic, Hebrew, Phoenician and Syriac* Brunauer-Emmett-Teller isotherm. See BET_theory...
's Celebration of Gospel '07. A special edition of Grateful only available through Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
includes two bonus tracks "I Wish" and Brent Jones' "Midnite" featuring Coko on lead vocals.
Coko was reported to have joined an all-black touring cast performing the critically acclaimed play The Vagina Monologues
The Vagina Monologues
The Vagina Monologues is an episodic play written by Eve Ensler which ran at the Off Broadway Westside Theatre after a limited run at AFRICA in 1996. Ensler originally starred in the production which was produced by David Stone, Nina Essman, Dan Markley, The Araca Group, Willa Shalit, Mike Skipper...
, along with Sherri Shepherd
Sherri Shepherd
Sherri Evonne Shepherd is an American comedienne, actress, and television personality. She is one of five co-hosts on the ABC daytime talkshow, The View, as well as being the current host of the Newlywed Game and having a recurring role as Angie Jordan on the NBC series 30 Rock...
, Star Jones
Star Jones
Star Jones is an American lawyer, journalist, writer, and television personality. She is known for her role as a co-host of the ABC weekday morning talk show The View...
, Vanessa L. Williams
Vanessa L. Williams
Vanessa Lynn Williams is an American pop-R&B recording artist, producer, dancer, model, actress and showgirl. In 1983, she became the first woman of African-American descent to be crowned Miss America, but a scandal generated by her having posed for nude photographs published in Penthouse magazine...
, and others. In June 2008, Coko performed in Japan for the Billboard Live Tour. She sang some of her solo hits "Sunshine", "Clap Your Hands", and the SWV song "Right Here/Human Nature".
Reuniting with SWV
Coko reunited with SWV and performed during their first live performance in eight years in Los AngelesLos Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
for urban radio station KKBT 100.3 "The Beat"'s Summerjam concert on August 20, 2005. They also appeared on the 2006 New Jack Reunion Tour. SWV was featured in the XXL
XXL (magazine)
XXL is a Hip-Hop magazine, published by Harris Publications.In 1997, XXL was founded by former Source staffers as well as other Harris Publication employees, who wanted to create their own magazine about the hip-hop music and culture using the model developed by the founders of The Source...
where they discussed single releases from their debut album It's About Time. In the interview, Clemons mentioned that the group would no longer perform sexually-explicit songs such as "Downtown" and "Can We" anymore out of a new respect for her beliefs as a Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
. The group's final performance took place in Toronto in late June 2007.
On April 4, 2008, Coko returned with SWV to perform some of their hits for the local DJ Kid Kutts' birthday.
As SWV was in the midst of new shows for early 2011, Coko posed for a shoot in Jackson, Mississippi with photographer Will Sterling. The photos show off the singer's curvaceous figure in fashionable gowns, set against the natural beauty of the Mississippi Delta.
Albums
| Year | Album | Chart positions | Release notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
U.S. R&B Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999... |
U.S. Gospel Billboard charts The Billboard charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs or albums in the United States. The results are published in Billboard magazine... |
|||
| 1999 | Hot Coko
|
68 | 14 | — |
|
| 2006 | Grateful
|
— | 40 | 5 |
Warryn Campbell Warryn Campbell is an American record producer. He specializes in gospel music and R&B.-Career:His work includes production and songwriting credits for Kanye West, Alicia Keys, Xzibit, Yolanda Adams, Dayna Caddell, Mos Def, Missy Elliott, Kierra Sheard, Brandy, Dave Hollister, Men of Standard,... , Donald Lawrence Donald Lawrence Donald Lawrence is an American gospel music songwriter, record producer and artist.-Early years:Donald Lawrence was born on May 4, 1961. He studied at Cincinnati Conservatory, where he earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in music. While in Cincinnati, he was also the Minister of Music at the... , Alexander "Asaph" Ward Asaph Ward -Background:Ward came to the forefront of the gospel music industry as producer of the groundbreaking 1998 album Everlasting Life for gospel jazz singer Kim Burrell. Since then, Ward has also produced the self-titled debut of Dorinda Clark Cole, as well as the recent 2004 release from Twinkie... , "Big Mike" Clemons, Tony Homer |
| 2008 | A Coko Christmas
|
— | — | — |
|
| 2009 | The Winner In Me The Winner in Me The Winner in Me is the 2nd solo contemporary Gospel album by former SWV member Coko.-Track listing:# Make a Way # The Joy of the Lord # Rescue Me# The Winner in Me... |
— | 55 | 4 |
|
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart positions | Album | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Hot Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
U.S. R&B |
U.S. Gospel Gospel A gospel is an account, often written, that describes the life of Jesus of Nazareth. In a more general sense the term "gospel" may refer to the good news message of the New Testament. It is primarily used in reference to the four canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John... |
UK | |||
| 1997 | "Men in Black Men in Black (song) "Men in Black" is a song by Will Smith from the movie Men in Black, in which he also starred. The song plays during the movie's closing credits... " (with Will Smith Will Smith Willard Christopher "Will" Smith, Jr. , also known by his stage name The Fresh Prince, is an American actor, producer, and rapper. He has enjoyed success in television, film and music. In April 2007, Newsweek called him the most powerful actor in Hollywood... )1 |
— | 1 | — | 1 | Men in Black: The Album Men in Black: The Album -Sample Credits:*"Men in Black" featuress a sample from "Forget Me Nots" by Patrice Rushen written by Patrice Rushen, Terry McFadden and Fred Washington... |
| 1999 | "Sunshine" | 70 | 19 | — | — | Hot Coko |
| "Triflin'"(with Eve Eve (rapper) Eve Jihan Jeffers , is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer and actress. Her first three albums have reached a total of over 8 million albums sold worldwide. She has also achieved success in fashion as she started a clothing line titled "Fetish." She won a Grammy Award in 2002 for the... ) |
— | 69 | — | — | ||
| 2006 | "I Get Joy" (with Kirk Franklin Kirk Franklin Kirk Dwayne Franklin is an American Gospel music musician, choir director, and author, and is most notably known for leading urban contemporary gospel choirs such as The Family, God's Property and One Nation Crew .- Early years :... ) |
— | — | 20 | — | Grateful |
| "Clap Your Hands" | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Endow Me" (with Fantasia Fantasia Barrino Fantasia Monique Barrino commonly known as Fantasia, is an American R&B singer, Broadway and television actress who rose to fame as the winner of the third season of the reality television series American Idol in 2004. Following her victory, she released her debut single, "I Believe", which... , Faith Evans Faith Evans Faith Renée Evans is an American singer-songwriter, recording artist, record producer, actress and author. Born in Florida and raised in New Jersey, Evans relocated to Los Angeles during 1993 for a career with the music business. After working as a backing vocalist for Al B... , and Lil' Mo Lil' Mo Cynthia Loving , also known by her stage name Lil' Mo, is an American R&B singer, Washington, D.C. radio personality, songwriter & record producer. She is best known for collaborating with artists such as Ja Rule, Angie Martinez, Sacario, Missy Elliott, Ol' Dirty Bastard and Fabolous, and for her... ) |
— | — | — | — | ||
| 2009 | "Wait" (featuring Youthful Praise Youthful Praise Youthful Praise is an American gospel choir led by James "J.J." Hairston who directs the choir and composes most of their material.-Biography:... ) |
— | — | — | — | The Winner In Me |
| 2010 | "The Winner In Me" | — | — | — | — |
1U.S. Airplay charts
Other performances
- Will SmithWill SmithWillard Christopher "Will" Smith, Jr. , also known by his stage name The Fresh Prince, is an American actor, producer, and rapper. He has enjoyed success in television, film and music. In April 2007, Newsweek called him the most powerful actor in Hollywood...
: "Men In Black (featuring Coko)" Men In Black Soundtrack (Columbia, 1997) - LSG: "All The Times (featuring Faith EvansFaith EvansFaith Renée Evans is an American singer-songwriter, recording artist, record producer, actress and author. Born in Florida and raised in New Jersey, Evans relocated to Los Angeles during 1993 for a career with the music business. After working as a backing vocalist for Al B...
, Coko, & Missy ElliottMissy ElliottMelissa Arnette "Missy" Elliott , is an American rapper, singer-songwriter, record producer, and actressA five-time Grammy Award winner, Elliott, with record sales of over seven million in the United States, is the only female rapper to have five albums certified platinum by the RIAA, including one...
)" (Elektra, 1997) - Johnny Gill & Coko: "Fire and Desire" Booty Call Soundtrack (Jive, 1997)
- Coko: "He Be Back" Why Do Fools Fall In Love Soundtrack (Elektra, 1999)
- Tevin CampbellTevin CampbellTevin Jermod Campbell is an American R&B singer-songwriter and actor. He scored a string of R&B chart hits as a teenager in the early to mid-1990s.-Music career:...
: "Everything You Are (featuring Coko)" (Qwest, 1999) - Brent Jones & TP Mobb: "Midnite (featuring Coko)" (EMI Gospel, 2002)
- Coko: "Easy Lover" Urban Renewal: The Songs of Phil Collins (Atlantic, 2003)
- Youthful Praise: "Up There (featuring Coko)" (Evidence Gospel, 2003)
- Onitsha: "My Life" (featuring Mary MaryMary MaryMary Mary is an American gospel music duo, consisting of sisters Erica Atkins-Campbell and Tina Atkins-Campbell . The duo are often credited along with Kirk Franklin for broadening the fan base of urban contemporary gospel in the 2000s by introducing elements of soul music, hip hop, funk and jazz...
and Deborah CoxDeborah CoxDeborah Cox is a Canadian R&B singer-songwriter and actress. Her 1998 song "Nobody's Supposed to Be Here" held the record for longest-running number one single on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart , a record held for nearly eight years. She has achieved ten number-one hits on...
) (Stillwaters Records, 2007) - Case & Coko: "Face To Face" Tyler Perry's Meet the BrownsMeet the Browns (film)Meet the Browns is a 2008 romantic comedy-drama film released by Lionsgate on March 21, 2008. The film was based on the play of the same name by Tyler Perry.-Plot:...
soundtrack (Atlanta Records, 2008)