SWV Was Initially Named TLC, Says Group's Singer Coko Clemons

BY Erika Marie 5.2K Views
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SWV, TLC
She laughed as she revealed they got hit was a cease and desist "real fast."

We're often confronted with tales of Rap beefs in the industry, but some of our favorite R&B girl groups weren't as friendly as we think. We recently watched as SWV and Xscape shared the Verzuz stage to relive some of those classic hits that fans have loved for decades, and because many of those ladies have been longtime friends, their performances were filled with celebratory moments.

SWV singer Coko Clemons recently chatted with Carlos King and during the interview, he asked if there were girl groups that had beef with one another. Coko said, "Yeah, of course, we all had beef with somebody." The host wanted the details.

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"You, know, when SWV first came out, our name was TLC. Honey, we got a cease and desist real fast," she revealed while laughing. "So, we had to change our name... We had to change our names so fast, so, you know, we weren't too happy about that. That's how we went from TLC to SWV." For them, TLC would stand for their names, Taj (Tamara Johnson), LeLee (Leanne Lyons), and Coko. However, that name was obviously already taken.

That wasn't the only run-in they had with a girl group. "We had a little something with Jade back in the day," Coko added of the "Don't Walk Away" hitmakers, noting that none of these small beefs never got physical. "We were so ghetto," she joked. "So ghetto! So I don't really think—but it wasn't that deep that we would throw hands or something like that."

Check out Coko's full interview below.

About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.