That is one bad ass heffa lol one of the best female impersonations in RnB/Soul. I saw her back in 1999 and she did a perfect impersonation of Patti and Michael singing "On my own", that was a hoot because she sounded just like both of them. Vesta has always been a bit of a comic, she's a trip, I love her though. She also did an impersonation of Regina Belle / Billie Holiday and Regina was not happy. Someone told me that Regina got on BET and said "she don't know me"....Vesta also said that she used to do an impersonation of Chaka , rolling around the stage floor clutching a bottle.

She started her career as a back-up vocalist 4 Antia Baker & Chaka Khan. Sadly, the career thang wasn't ment 2 be 4 this sista becoz the similarities between her & Chaka damaged her career instead of improving it, the word "Chaka's clown"(image-wise and mostly vocally) passed my the critics mouths more than once which is the reason why there used to be a serious tension going on between the 2 sistas. Vesta for YEARS tried to downplay her association with Chaka and Chaka's influence on her. Vesta wanted credit for having her own sound and in the process of doing it may have rubbed Chaka the wrong way. It got to a point where Vesta became irritated by the mere mentioning of Chaka's name and the comparison. it was also during a time when Vesta herself was doing lots of Cocaine and drinking?

I imagine that her frustration may have had alot to do with the reality of exactly how much she was influenced by CK. not only vocally,but all the way down to gettin' high and having that long, big fake ass hair. the drugs had both of their ego's soaring. however, to this day, Vesta knows as well as CK, that she(Vesta) graduated with TOP honors from the school of CHAKA. They're cool now tho!

But its not about Chaka, its about this bad ass sista. Vesta could've been the 3rd diva along with Whitney & Mariah if the label's headmasters were GOOD to her, she had her own sound(something that got overlooked by the masses over her similiar LOOKS with Chaka) but sadly she was a great talent born in the WRONG ass time.

I've been giving this album a heavy listen these days(Highly recommended ya'll)



Another note, do you know that she got auditioned 4 Prince's NPG band after Rosie left? At the last minute, Vesta declared and went on with her solo recording career.

Any fans?

Congratulations is tha shit!!

Vesta could be CRUEL to normal folks, too... LOL

I'll never forget, when she did a performance at my HBCU back in the '90s, she started crackin' on my then-girlfriend, who had the misfortune of being in the front row. Apparently, my g/f didn't like Vesta but had won tickets and decided to go anyway.

Well, Vesta lit into her somethin' fierce about not clapping or looking like she was having a good time.

I felt for my girl, of course, but it's actually kinda funny to hear that she cracked on everybody. That Chaka-impersonation joke was a hoot. I used to love "Congratulations."







my/by edit
[This message was edited Wed Feb 18 10:28:05 2004 by ThreadBare]

TheOrgerFormerlyKnownAs said:

aw man...that song put me through HELL when I was in high school....this guy that I was obsessed with had just graduated and was engaged to this other girl...exactly at the same time that song came out....made me sick to my stomach everytime that damn song came on, I had to turn it...

ThreadBare said:

You're a punk 4 letting her get-away with it ThreadBare lol be glad I wasn't you THEN-GIRLFRIEND,,,brotha, I would've let you have it REAL good

J/K

I swear you'll hold yo stomach if you heard her interview with Wendy Williams back in 2000, Wendy went through hell interviewing that funny bitch. "Somebody told me that you're related to Mr.Ed. Child, I couldn't believe it till I saw you in a close-up with my very own eyes,,,like oh my god(impersonating a white girl)".

Damn her, just goddamn her lol

Harlepolis said:

You mean, somebody got Wendy's panties all in a bunch? Go, Vesta!
btw, she's been looking really slim and trim these days.

UptownDeb said:

Nah,,she ment that she(Wendy) looks like MR.ED lol!

I used to dig that song "Special." Did you get some of this info from Chaka's book, Harley (which you will not be surprised in knowing that I still have not picked it up from Wal-Mart! )

okaypimpn said:

Nah, no info whatsoever about Vesta from that book. It wasn't really a "celeps-dirty secrets-tell all" ya know? She didn't do what Gladys & Aretha did with their books(talking shit about other people).

*SMH* Nigro, I would've put yo "southern"(not country lol) cheap ass on blast but I'm seriously PMSing nowadays so you're safe 4 now

FUNNY I was about to do a thread on Vesta(but I exceeded my thread limit for the day)

Right before I clicked on this thread...I had just listened to a song from Vesta called "Don't You Blow A Good Thing" from the album Vesta her debut record which is a great record(even though bits of it is dated}.

Thr jam off of that record is the ballad "You Make Me Want To Love Again"....OOOOO-WEEEE that slow jam was blazing.

A shame she didn't follow up her 1988 record because it was sucessful. It sold over 500,000.
My jam off of Vesta 4 U was "Sweet Sweet Love". Another superb slow jam....

Last time I saw her in Jet Magazine, she had lost weight and got fine!!!!

Harlepolis said:

I'm gonna pick it up...seriously!

I didn't know that Vesta sang backup for Chaka. I remember seeing her on one of Donnie Simpson's shows on BET back in the day and she was actin' a damn fool...like she was seriously on some shit (but I now know that she was). I remember thinking to myself "why is this lady laughing at her own jokes?" and Donnie was just looking at her like "can we please cut to commerical?"

BRO915 said:

She's always been a foxy lady despite her thick meat:

okaypimpn said:

Its kinda sad hearing about that!

My cousin who WAS a fan, stopped fantasizing her whe she went to her conncert back in 1990. She(Vesta) was soooo drunk that night, she couldn't remember the words 4 her lyrics, nobody pulled her off-stage(which is ugly 4 them to do) then it one point, she threw up all over the audience who were sitting on the front row.

After she wiped her mouth, she looked at the audience with the saddest look ever, apoligized and left the stage.

I hate hearing the story from my cousin but I laugh when I hear its end, only the reason why she hates Vesta now is becoz she was ONE OF THOSE people on the front row who got drowned by Vesta's lol,,,well

"I cannot believe that hoe UGH! I spend half of my sallary pay-check on this dress that I was suppose to wear 4 her concert."

My cousin was one of the 3 who were closest to Vesta's stage at that night lol My cousin's hair, neck and dress were all YELLOW by Vesta's throwing-up after that night

It was sad,,,,but seeing my cousin come through the door and my grandma telling her to "get her black ass up to the shower quickly" was one of the FUNNIEST moments of my life

Vesta oh yes!! She did remind me of Chaka Khan.Use to get those two mixed up a lot back in the day.

Harlepolis said:

Hey, heeeeyy!!! I didn't go with her! She went with her girls!!! (At least, that's what she told me. She could get scandalous.... ) No, I would've stood up for my baby. B'lee dat!

Harlepolis said:

Oh my goodness. That was foul, yo. And I couldn't believe Vesta actually did that. That's more of a Courtney Love thing, right?
But anyways, I know very little about Vesta, but I know my Mom liked here back in the day. I think she had a song called "Special" or something?
Anyways, the thing that popped into my head when you brought this up was this old McDonald's ad that she did with Al Jarreau. They were both scatting the lyrics to the ingredients of a Big Mac or something. It was cute at the time.

Harlepolis said:

Oh, hell naw! I would've had to jump right on that stage and beat her drunk ass! They would've carried my ass off in handcuffs because Vesta would've been a broken b!@#h after throwing up on me!

I have her debut album.Remember the first single "Once Bitten,Twice Shy"? That was my jam.

The hurl story is just fucking awful

Used to dig Vesta's songs, great voice. I might pick that one up, I have it on cassette somewhere

Don't You Blow AGood Thing is one of the best Vesta songs ever in my opinion... Don't you Blow A Good Thing Babay..don't you know a good love when it's staring you right in your face...

Vesta actually started her career as a stand up comedian. I saw her back in the 80's (the mind is foggy on this one) and she was a f*ckin' riot! She is one of those people who are so funny that you almost piss your pants...She is still around and fine as ever. She lives somewhere in my neighborhood. I see her frequently at the grocery store near my house. She did lose alot of weight years ago and she has kept it off, she looks incredible. Next time I see her I'll have to ask what is happening. I see celebrities almost everyday (this is Hollywood) but I tend to leave people alone. They don't want to be bothered and I don't want to impose. But I have when it's someone I really just have to say something to (when it's a once in a lifetime situation.) Like running into Sade, or Terence Trent D'Arby, Lenny Kravitz, Seal to name only a few...I mean how can you pass up artists like these and not say anything. I am always careful in approaching them, you have to asses the situatuion before you proceed. I have never had a problem and when I approach them they always think that I am either a musician or someone they know and haven't seen in a long time...I do tend to ramble and digress. My apologies.

Peace, Serveitupfrankie*