2 months ago
7
R&B singer Cheryl “Coko” Gamble, lead singer of SWV, is clearing the air after Steve Stoute recently offered his own version of events surrounding the classic 1997 hit “Men In Black”—and according to her, much of what he said is simply untrue.
In a detailed and candid breakdown, Coko refuted the claim that SWV declined to appear in the music video due to creative differences. She explained that not only was the group never intended to sing on the track, but she alone recorded the vocals, thanks to manager Blue Williams, who secured the opportunity on her behalf.
“I did the song by myself.”
Coko revealed that SWV as a group was not involved in the record at all:
“SWV is not on the song at all. I did the song by myself. Shout out to Blue Williams for making that happen.”
Stoute revealed on Emma Grede’s Aspire podcast that when Men in Black was being made, Will Smith’s music career was actually struggling, despite his later reputation as a late-’90s superstar. Hip-hop at the time had shifted toward harder, more “credible” artists like DMX, Biggie, Nas, and Wu-Tang, making Will’s “happy rapper” image seem out of touch.
Stoute helped craft the Men in Black soundtrack as a way to rebuild Will’s relevance—but he shared that SWV sang the hook on “Men in Black,” yet they refused to appear in the music video because they felt Will’s family-friendly image clashed with their R&B credibility. They took the check but didn’t want the association on screen.
According to Coko, it was Blue Williams handled everything—from booking to business—and she went into the studio with the Trackmasters to lay down her vocals. When Will Smith heard her version, he loved it but wanted edits—prompting her to be flown to Los Angeles to work with him directly.
Inside the studio with Will Smith
Coko describes a collaborative and energetic session with Will Smith and a room filled with industry heavyweights, including Randy Jackson. She made it clear that Steve Stoute was nowhere to be seen:
“I didn’t see the guy in the video that’s talking about the song. I never saw him. I don’t even ever remember seeing him for real.”
Will Smith gave specific direction on certain lines—including the famously debated “defender” lyric—and encouraged her to add ad-libs, vocal accents, and the memorable “slide, slide, slide” moment that fans still recognize.
Why she wasn’t in the video—her label said NO
Coko says the idea that she or SWV refused to appear in the video over creative issues is flat-out false. She wanted to be in it, especially knowing how huge the movie and soundtrack were.
But RCA Records shut it down.
“I wanted to do the video. I couldn’t do the video.
It had nothing to do with creative differences.
That is a bold-faced lie.”
The Men in Black music video, released alongside the film in July 1997, became one of the most iconic visuals of the decade. Despite Will Smith’s rising movie-star status after Independence Day, the video itself came together under intense pressure and at a massive cost—$1 million, a huge budget for the era.
Director Robert Caruso, then working with Industrial Light & Magic, was brought in to create a darker, behind-the-scenes take on the MiB world according to Hollywood Reporter. With the movie’s release date approaching fast, the production rushed through storyboards, choreography, and visual effects. Smith himself championed the video’s signature idea: dancing with the CGI alien “Mikey.” This moment became the heart of the video.
Choreographer Buddha Stretch crafted the dance routine, while Smith learned the moves on an extremely tight schedule. Early motion capture technology helped animate Mikey’s performance, combined with hand animation for more detailed actions.
The video was shot in four days, with three more weeks devoted to post-production. It became a cultural phenomenon—earning Smith a Grammy, sending the soundtrack triple platinum, and becoming a defining pop-culture moment of summer 1997. The buzz continues in the streaming era as the YouTube upload in March 2014 has surpassed 160 million views.
Coko stated that SWV’s label historically restricted the group from doing features or cameo appearances, even at the height of their success. Being in a major Will Smith video would have been a career boost, especially at a time when the group’s momentum was slowing.
“If I would have been in that video, that would have been major.
SWV was on the decline. That video would’ve helped us.”
Coko confirmed she received a solid check, retains royalties, and still appreciates being part of such an iconic hit.
“I still get my royalties. I got my plaque.
I’m grateful for the opportunity to be a part of such a big record.”
But she’s exhausted by the narrative being rewritten, resurfacing in interviews, books, and podcasts:
“I’m so tired of hearing this lie. Let it go. That’s not it. This is my truth.
I don’t want to talk about this ever again.”
“If you know my voice—you know it’s me.”
For years, many listeners didn’t realize the female vocals belonged to Coko at all—something she found humor in when visiting theme parks like Disney and hearing her own voice playing on rides.
Only during her VERZUZ appearance did many fans finally connect the dots.
English (US) ·