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“R&B Divas” recap (2.4): Here Comes Momma

While there weren’t any huge all-diva shindigs this week as there have been in previous episodes so far this season on R&B Divas, I found myself beginning to really fall in love with the show all over again during this episode. As we backed away from the pure diva dramatics and started to dig into Big Issues in the women’s lives in Atlanta, we’re reminded that realness is what these women do best. There was talk about family, talk about love, and talk about making it as women in a tough industry. The only sad thing was that we didn’t see a ton of Mo’s lovely face, but considering she stole the show last week, I suppose leveling it out more this week is only fair.

We begin with a meeting about The Tour, which only Mo, LaTocha, and Syleena show up to, seemingly because Keke and Nicci don’t want to do it, and Faith probably wasn’t in town, although I think Faith is just going to sit back and see where the dust settles on this. Syleecia vents some of her hurt feelings over things people said about her during the last episode, which I think is fair, but I mainly think that’s the end of that e-blast hullabaloo, thank goodness. There is one awkward moment when Rocky (LaTocha’s husband/manager) calls Michael (who isn’t present) a “bitch.” Because you see, when a guy does something you perceive as immature, you call him a bitch, because only women (who are bitches) are immature. You know? This disturbed me because up until this point I really liked Rocky. But Syleecia puts him in his place pretty quickly, and I’m going to give him time to make up for it.

And more importantly, I also realized this during this meeting: Would I rather go see a tour that also includes Keke and Faith? Hell yeah. But would I go see a tour of just Monifah, LaTocha, and Syleena? The answer is still hell yeah.

From this point on, let’s take the episode diva by diva:

While Keke doesn’t have a huge role this week either, we do see her and Michael out for a fancy dinner for their two year wedding anniversary, and I find myself wanting to take back all the harsh things I said about her antics in previous recaps. Because here, both she and Michael are nothing but adorable and heartwarming. Yeah, she makes a few weird voices and funny faces, but she also speaks seriously about both her life and her career. She shows her genuine affection for Michael instead of just rolling her eyes at him, and he makes her smile by telling her it’s been the best two years of his life, dented green beans and all. Shucks, but I love these two again!

We also get a good deal more of LaTocha in this episode. We first see her chatting with Nicci over some tour business, because I think LaTocha is still trying to feel all the divas out. It’s also become clear that LaTocha has bonded a little with Syleena at this point, so that when Nicci dishes about all of Syleena’s evil ways, LaTocha begins to believe her less and less. Which makes me like LaTocha even more. And when Nicci adamantly says once again that she doesn’t want to go on any tour that involves Syleena or Syleecia, I just think, eh. Shrug. We get it. If you don’t want to do it, don’t do it. And divas, stop asking her.

But the main event for LaTocha this episode is an Xscape reunion performance for So So Def Record’s 20th anniversary party, the record label founded by Jermaine Dupri in the early ’90s that’s based in Atlanta. Xscape was their first signed artist and also one of their most successful ones, along with other ’90s classics like Ghost Town DJ‘s (My Boo!), Da Brat, and Kriss Kross, whom Dupri discovered at an Atlanta shopping mall back in the day. (This episode of R&B Divas was dedicated to Chris Kelly, the 34 year old Kriss Kross member who died earlier this month. RIP!)

And when I say that Xscape is going to be performing at this So So Def party, it’s really just LaTocha and her sister, as the other members of the group are apparently not going to show up. But this is alright, since LaTocha and her sister Tameka are mighty fine by themselves. I loved watching LaTocha get her serious face on as she fussed over the music being just right at rehearsal, and giving Jermaine guff over his suggestions. When it came to show time, there was a packed house at the Fox Theater, including some pretty heavy hitter names, and LaTocha gave it her all while also wearing the teeny tiniest shorts! Seriously though, seeing some of these ladies really starting to reinvigorate their careers again is a crazy wonderful thing to watch.

While LaTocha was full of success and hope this week, Nicci’s storylines, on the other hand, were all real sloppy. First we see her daughter Brandi again, who has apparently had her own job and her own place to live for approximately two seconds. But surprise! She lost the job and is gonna move back in with Nicci again. Nicci says she can work for her at Curvato while Brandi works on her real dream, which is starting a nonprofit for youth, something she had also mentioned last season. This is all good and everything, but if you actually want to start a nonprofit, girl, you best be taking some business classes while you’re there living with your momma.

Later, they rush around for a fashion shoot for Curvato before Nicci realizes that they don’t have any clothes for said fashion shoot, which she yells at Brandi a lot for before she realizes that it’s actually her fault. Oh man. Sloppy sloppy sloppy.

And finally, the most heartbreaking storyline o’ the week is Syleena’s. Her sister Sylette comes over to her house to discuss their mom, who apparently is not doing well. She’s struggled with addiction her entire life, and seems to be at a point now where, if her kids don’t go in and drag her out of it, she’ll die. Sylette believes the best place for her to be is at Syleena’s house, because Syleena has the space and also the most stuff going on, which will help keep their mom busy and not thinking about drugs and alcohol and such. This prompts a whole lotta tears streaming down Syleena’s face, for a few reasons:

1) She doesn’t think her mom likes her. Actual words: “I don’t think she likes me.” Which is perhaps the literal saddest thing one can say about their mother.

2) Syleena believes she is a bad mother because she’s away from her kids so much. (Although the fact that she missed Monifah’s show last week because it was her son’s birthday proves that she in fact is not.) Accordingly, she doesn’t think she can be a good daughter when she’s already busy being a bad mom. Frowny face.

3) This also makes me think of the tough episode with Syleena’s dad from last season, all of which paints a not so happy picture of her and her sisters’ childhood. Syleena! Stop it with this heartache!

Since Monifah has experience with overcoming addiction, and since she’s the “life coach” of the group, Syleena decides to hit her up for advice, which ends up being one of my favorite scenes of the episode. When Syleena shares the news that her mother may be moving in with her, Mo reacts like this:

Syleena shares some of her fears, which Mo assures her are understandable. Mo tells her what she needs to know: that she can’t let anyone–even when it’s your momm–shake the foundations of your family that you’ve built so hard to build. She then says this, which I absolutely love: “[Your mom] made her choices. And I’m not saying you can’t love her through. But you ain’t gotta take her baggage on.” This is such valuable advice for so many people in so many situations. You can still love them through without ruining yourself. WORD.

When Mom does indeed show up at Syleena’s, things get off to a predictably rocky start. Syleena begins to lay down some ground rules, which makes Mom defensive immediately. And when Mom is prompted to tell Syleena that she really does love her, I can tell that Syleena still doesn’t quite believe her. Which continues to break my heart. Ack!

But they then move into the bedroom where Mom will be staying, and a rough progress begins to be made. Everyone admits that living together and working through old wounds isn’t going to be an easy process, but it’s a process that might end up being good for all of them. And they start the process right there and then, with Syleena explaining that her mom calling her and her sisters bitches as they were growing up was damaging. (You think?) Mom admits that she can hardly remember saying the things she did but that she’s sorry for them, and she sounds genuine about it. She also admits that bringing this type of stuff up only makes her want to go and drink even more. Basically I think everything everyone is saying is brave and true and hard and I really hope they continue showing us this storyline throughout the rest of the season. Again, like a lot of the best storylines on this show, I think it’s one that could help a lot of people.

What were your thoughts on this week’s Divas?

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