And indeed when Missy Elliott rapped that line in the opening of Total’s 1998 hit “Trippin’,” the trio was undoubtedly one of music’s baddest R&B groups to be birthed in the 90s. Signed to Bad Boy Records, New Jersey natives Kima Raynor,Keisha Spivey and Pamela Long had a successful five year run, pumping out two successful albums and a string of Billboard Top Ten hits including, "Can't You See" featuring The Notorious B.I.G., "No One Else" featuring Da Brat, "Kissin' You", "What About Us?" and "Sitting Home." They were the gold standard. However, in 2000, at the height of their popularity they disbanded.
Nearly 14 years have passed, and now the group is plotting a reunion. Two weeks ago, Kima and Pam hit the stage of London's Wembley Stadium as a duo for a special Valentine’s Day concert alongside Changing Faces, Tony! Toni! Tone!, En Vogue, Blackstreet and Mint Condition.
In two UK radio interviews, the pair dished on what they have been up to in their time out of the spotlight, the state of R&B music, the possibility of them doing reality TV, and who’s the real Diddy (or Puffy as they call them). Peep the excerpts below:
On being off the scene…
Pam: Kima will say a while, but [I’m going to] say we haven’t been off the scene. The music we did in the 90s is still being pumped today. It’s like you [haven’t] seen the face, but we haven’t been on the scene.
R&B Music of the 90s vs. R&B Music of Today…
Kima: I think music now---and no disrespect to any artists out there because there’s a lot of artists that I like---but it lacks originality. I don’t think they put a lot into what they are doing. When we recorded, and we did our album, we put everything into it. We weren’t rushing to put anything out. We made sure we could follow up with hits. We didn’t want to put out one hit, and then not have anything else to put out. So I just think the work ethic is a little different. I think people are just rushing to throw stuff out there and not really putting that artistry behind their project like a lot of the 90s artists did. We wanted longevity and our music is still rocking.
Being signed to Bad Boy Records…
Kima: We had a lot of fun. There were times when we didn’t. The ups and downs [were] apart of it. Biggie, Mase---we were all were close. We never [didn’t] have fun.
Pam: Bad Boy was a family. It was something that you did every day. It was consistent. We had our ups and downs when we didn’t agree with Puffy. And then it was like telling the kids you can’t do X-Y-Z. But for the most part it was a ball.
On if they ever had to walk to get cheesecake…
No! I always tell everybody that I think that we gave Puffy such a hard time, that he was tarnished [after us]. Everybody asks us that question about the [Making the Band contestants] walking to Junior’s [in Brooklyn]. I’m like, why didn’t they catch a cab? We would’ve been looking at Puffy like you done bumped your head. It’s not that much of a contract in the world.
On Total doing reality TV…
Kima: We’re definitely considering it.
Pam: [We've had offers!] A lot of them.
Kima: It’s like no matter how positive you try to be, it [will go] left. I don’t want to be like that on TV. So, I don’t know, but we’re considering it.
On marriage and family…
Kima: I’m married. There are six kids.
Pam: Last year, [I] married the man of my dreams so I’m grateful. No babies yet. Soon, but not too [soon], because we [have] things to do right now. Of course Keisha is married to Omar Epps. She’s happily married and has three babies.
[Kima has been married for 17 years, and has a family that includes six kids. Pam married J. Long, a singer/songwriter, who was formerly a member of the R&B/hip hop group Pretty Ricky for three years.]
On social media…
Kima: Keisha called me one day last year, and she was like, ‘Kima, You need to get on Twitter because the fans are asking about you.’ So that was my first time on Twitter last year. I’m not a big talker or texter. [But] I feel like Twitter will benefit us now [and] in the future promoting what Total is doing.
Pam: I’m a talker. I’m the complete opposite. [I am] a talker so I love to interact with people in general. I hit everybody back. If they took the time to get at me, let me take the time to get back at them.
Kima: The one thing social media made me realize was how much people really love Total. After all these years to still know we have a fan base---it really put things in a different perspective. Social media, is good for that. I think it’s good to get out there and mingle with your fans and just market yourself.
On knowing that they still have fans after all of these years
Pam: I’m grateful! I give God praise for it…to have the opportunity to be back in a place that I love to be in and to be received by people, that were fans and [are] new fans, that [to me] is one of [those] blessings that I can’t even [describe with] words.
On why they are returning now…
Kima: I’ve been home being mommy and raising my [six] kids. Right now, with this Total situation. We’re going to re-emerge. Now is the time.
Where is Keisha?
Right now, she is taking care of a couple of things…but she’s doing well.
On their contribution to music…
Pam: Total…we were the around the way girls, with the shades on---we were true to that
Kima: No disrespect to any other girl groups. Nothing was fabricated. We got into the studio, did sung our songs, and that was our sound. That’s why it can’t be replicated, duplicated---none of that.
Can fans expect new music?
Kima: Yes, absolutely!
