K-Ci & Jojo "Come Clean"

K-Ci and Jojo new show Come Clean is scheduled to premiere on TV One this month. The brothers began their careers in 1990 with the group Jodeci. They had success as one of the number one R&B groups of the '90s. Then in 1996 they launched their solo careers. As a duo brother group they were nominated for three Grammy Awards and one MTV Award. They eventually stopped singing in 2002, with K-Ci trying unsuccessfully to launch a solo album in 2006. 

There were always stories about K-Ci and his addiction, whether drugs or alcohol. They were making wrong decisions and getting a lot of negative press. K-Ci even passed out on stage during a live concert, while his brother continued to perform. Jojo is said to have an addiction to alcoholism. Now they are cleaning up and trying to re-launch their careers.

My first thought when I saw the preview was: I hope it's real. While I really want them to clean up and deal with their habit, I wonder at their motives. I find myself questioning if it's just another reality show stunt. When they were with the group Jodeci, I was one of their biggest fans. They were a product of my childhood. I was an even bigger fan of their solo careers, always first in line when their new CD dropped.

The reality show is just the tip off, as they also plan to release a new CD this month. Come Cleanwill air on TV One October 19 as a documentary consisting with nine episodes. We will get to view their daily struggles while recovering alcohol from abuse and trying to recapture their fans.

This show should be enlightening to say the least. It has good company with the many other shows about celebrities or ex-celebrities dealing with problems and letting the world watch. We've seen it with shows showing celebrities recovering from drugs before, trying to re-launch old careers, looking for love, losing weight, getting married and going bankrupt. 

The true question is: "Will they pull it off?" As a former fan of their music, I hope so. We need some real R&B singers around again, no offense to the new age R&B.

Article first published as K-Ci and Jo-Jo "Come Clean" on Blogcritics.