Tamara Johnson-George
Encyclopedia
Tamara "Taj" Johnson-George (born April 29, 1971) is a singer, actress, and author. Best known as one-third of the singing group SWV
, she was also a contestant on Survivor: Tocantins.
When Johnson-George was 14 years old, her mother died, which caused Johnson-George and her siblings to be parceled amongst several relatives; Johnson-George wound up with a cousin who molested her, adding to the sexual abuse she had experienced over the years with other male relatives. Johnson-George graduated with honors from high school, and was accepted to Baruch College to study accounting. However, she left college – as well as a physically abusive boyfriend - to join singing group Sisters With Voices, better known as SWV.
, who would become SWV's lead singer. Johnson-George was known for her bubbly, upbeat personality. This caused friction between the group members - primarily between Johnson-George and Gamble, who felt that Johnson-George's cheerful demeanor shielded her from criticism from the press.
Originally, Johnson was both a singer and an emcee; she can be heard rapping the bridge over the original version of Right Here and I'm So Into You
, and is the primary female performer on the song Blak Pudd'n. Johnson-George also co-wrote a number of SWV songs, including Right Here from their debut album, It's About Time
, and You're the One, which also features Gamble as a co-writer. Johnson-George ceased rapping when New Beginning was released in 1996, shortly after the end of the new jack swing
era, and began to sing leads (It's All About U, Give It Up) and co-leads (Lose My Cool, Use Your Heart).
, whom she'd met at a shopping mall in 1994. Johnson-George contributed to the anthology Souls of My Sisters: Black Women Break Their Silence, Tell Their Stories and Heal Their Spirits, which was published in 2000.
In 2002, Johnson-George enrolled in Belmont University
in Nashville, earning a Bachelor's of Business Administration in May 2004. The following month, Johnson-George married Eddie George in Rockleigh, New Jersey. Their son, Eriq Michael, was born in 2005 after a difficult pregnancy that left Johnson-George bedridden for the first five months of her pregnancy. Johnson-George is also the stepmother of Eddie's first son, Jaire David, whom she refers to as her oldest son, and the godmother of Coko's
oldest son, Jazz.
Along with her friend Katrina Chambers, Johnson-George wrote the book Player hateHER: How to Avoid the Beat Down and Live in a Drama-Free World in 2007. That same year, Johnson-George and husband Eddie George starred in the reality TV show I Married a Baller, which depicted five weeks in the George household over a course of nine shows. The show focused on Johnson-George and her marriage to Eddie George, her struggle to lose her "baby weight," and performing with SWV, who came together to perform the theme song of the show. Baller also highlighted Visions with Infinite Possibilities, the Georges' not-for-profit charity for survivors of domestic violence and their children.
in the fan favorite vote. Despite letting it be known that she was married to Eddie George, blowing up at her tribe mates and locking horns with Survivor host Jeff Probst
, Johnson-George was one of only four Jalapao members (out of 8), as well as the only woman from her tribe, to make it to the merge. At the final episode Johnson-George was blindsided by her tribe and became the 6th member of the jury. In the end she voted for J.T., who won in a unanimous 7-0 vote.
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"....
, she was also a contestant on Survivor: Tocantins.
Background
The youngest of six children, Johnson-George was raised in Brooklyn. Her father died of pancreatic cancer when she was nine. Johnson-George grew up in an abusive household; her mother, who was sick with bone cancer, was beaten regularly by her drug-addicted stepfather. When Johnson would intervene on her mother's behalf, she was also beaten.When Johnson-George was 14 years old, her mother died, which caused Johnson-George and her siblings to be parceled amongst several relatives; Johnson-George wound up with a cousin who molested her, adding to the sexual abuse she had experienced over the years with other male relatives. Johnson-George graduated with honors from high school, and was accepted to Baruch College to study accounting. However, she left college – as well as a physically abusive boyfriend - to join singing group Sisters With Voices, better known as SWV.
SWV
Johnson-George was recruited into SWV (then known as Female Edition) by Cheryl “Coko” GambleCoko
Cheryl Elizabeth "Coko" Clemons is an American gospel and R&B singer, and lead singer of R&B group Sisters With Voices .-Musical career:...
, who would become SWV's lead singer. Johnson-George was known for her bubbly, upbeat personality. This caused friction between the group members - primarily between Johnson-George and Gamble, who felt that Johnson-George's cheerful demeanor shielded her from criticism from the press.
Originally, Johnson was both a singer and an emcee; she can be heard rapping the bridge over the original version of Right Here and I'm So Into You
I'm So Into You
"I'm So Into You" is a song by R&B female trio SWV. Released in late 1992 from their debut album, It's About Time, it became their first top-ten song, peaking at number six on the Billboard Hot 100. It also reached number two on the Billboard R&B singles chart. It went on to sell more than one...
, and is the primary female performer on the song Blak Pudd'n. Johnson-George also co-wrote a number of SWV songs, including Right Here from their debut album, It's About Time
It's About Time (SWV album)
*Initially issued without track 15, but was added to all subsequent CDs in April 1993*Copies of the album with the catalog number BMG 66074 contain "Right Here " , as the final track-Credits and personnel:* Coko...
, and You're the One, which also features Gamble as a co-writer. Johnson-George ceased rapping when New Beginning was released in 1996, shortly after the end of the new jack swing
New jack swing
New jack swing or swingbeat is a fusion genre spearheaded by Teddy Riley and Bernard Belle which became extremely popular from the late-1980s into the mid-1990s. Its influence, along with hip-hop, seeped into pop culture and was the definitive sound of the inventive Black New York club scene...
era, and began to sing leads (It's All About U, Give It Up) and co-leads (Lose My Cool, Use Your Heart).
Life after SWV
After SWV officially disbanded in 1997, Johnson-George was signed to a two-year contract with the Ford Modeling Agency. Shortly after this contract ended, Johnson-George began dating Tennessee Titan Eddie GeorgeEddie George
Edward Nathan "Eddie" George, Jr. is a former American football running back in the National Football League. He played for the Tennessee Titans both in Tennessee and in Houston when the franchise was known as the Houston Oilers, and spent his final season with the Dallas Cowboys...
, whom she'd met at a shopping mall in 1994. Johnson-George contributed to the anthology Souls of My Sisters: Black Women Break Their Silence, Tell Their Stories and Heal Their Spirits, which was published in 2000.
In 2002, Johnson-George enrolled in Belmont University
Belmont University
Belmont University is a private, coeducational, liberal arts university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. It is the largest Christian university in Tennessee and the second largest private university in the state, behind nearby Vanderbilt University.-Belmont Mansion:Belmont Mansion...
in Nashville, earning a Bachelor's of Business Administration in May 2004. The following month, Johnson-George married Eddie George in Rockleigh, New Jersey. Their son, Eriq Michael, was born in 2005 after a difficult pregnancy that left Johnson-George bedridden for the first five months of her pregnancy. Johnson-George is also the stepmother of Eddie's first son, Jaire David, whom she refers to as her oldest son, and the godmother of Coko's
Coko
Cheryl Elizabeth "Coko" Clemons is an American gospel and R&B singer, and lead singer of R&B group Sisters With Voices .-Musical career:...
oldest son, Jazz.
Along with her friend Katrina Chambers, Johnson-George wrote the book Player hateHER: How to Avoid the Beat Down and Live in a Drama-Free World in 2007. That same year, Johnson-George and husband Eddie George starred in the reality TV show I Married a Baller, which depicted five weeks in the George household over a course of nine shows. The show focused on Johnson-George and her marriage to Eddie George, her struggle to lose her "baby weight," and performing with SWV, who came together to perform the theme song of the show. Baller also highlighted Visions with Infinite Possibilities, the Georges' not-for-profit charity for survivors of domestic violence and their children.
Survivor: Tocantins
Johnson-George was recruited to Survivor after answering a casting call specifically looking for an NFL wife. Prior to casting, Johnson-George had never watched Survivor and could neither swim nor fish. However, she turned out to be one of the strongest competitors of the season, and came in second to James "J.T." Thomas, JrJames Thomas, Jr.
James "J. T." Thomas, Jr. is the US$1,000,000 winner of the American television show Survivor: Tocantins.-Early life:Thomas was raised in Samson, Alabama and he currently resides in Mobile, Alabama...
in the fan favorite vote. Despite letting it be known that she was married to Eddie George, blowing up at her tribe mates and locking horns with Survivor host Jeff Probst
Jeff Probst
Jeffrey Lee "Jeff" Probst is an American game show host, executive producer and a reporter. He is best known as the host of the U.S. version of the reality show Survivor.-Biography:...
, Johnson-George was one of only four Jalapao members (out of 8), as well as the only woman from her tribe, to make it to the merge. At the final episode Johnson-George was blindsided by her tribe and became the 6th member of the jury. In the end she voted for J.T., who won in a unanimous 7-0 vote.