Keep it Positive, Sweetie - Breaking Out Of The Box w/Coco Jones

Episode Date: February 2, 2025

At only 26-years-old, Coco Jones has mastered various arenas in entertainment. With chart-topping hits like, “ICU” and “Here We Go (Uh-Oh)”, and her widely popular role of Hillary Banks on the breakout drama, “Bel-Air,” Coco seems to only be scratching the surface. In a heartfelt and hopeful one-on-one, Crystal and Coco will discuss navigating relationships, growing into womanhood in the public eye, work-life balance, financial literacy and more.

Coming up on Keep It Positive, sweetie. Speaking of performances, you just did the Usher Tribute at the BET Awards this year. Phenomenal. The way you crawled up on that stage, I said only a tall girl could do that. Because I had been like, you did it so gracefully. Thank you. That is so sweet because literally in my mind I felt like I was like, no, you look, it was good. That is hilarious. Thank you. That is so funny. Yeah, I felt like I was like, no, you look, it was good. That is hilarious, thank you. That is so funny, yeah, I love that. I think that was such a really dope opportunity

to show all the R&B girls in different ways that we all shine and uplift Usher, who is of course iconic. So I really loved that concept in general. But yes, girl, so when I was walking down, like you know I'm trying to give sex with me. I'm trying to give that. But like it's a literal ramp. So I had these heels on and I was like, I felt like Shrek but I was really trying to give sex. I'm Chris Renee Hazlett and this is Keep It Positive, sweetie. A safe space to heal, laugh, grow and love.

Today's show is brought to you by BET and I'm discussing sisterhood and much more with Grammy award winning and one of the stars of Bel Air, Coco Jones. And only 26 years old, Coco Jones has mastered so much in the entertainment industry. With top charting hits like I See You and Here We Go, along with the wildly popular role of Hillary Banks on Bel Air, Coco seems to only be scratching the surface. I am so excited she's here to chat about her personal life,

professional evolution, and work-life balance, and her love life. Well, at least I hope so. Coco, thank you so much for being here. Of course. I am a huge fan of all your work. I love you on Bel Air. I love your music. Thank you. And then you were like a childhood actor as well.

How has that evolution been going from being a childhood actor to now like being a grown woman doing your thing? I think you have a lot more perspective on the business side of things. As a child, it's just like a dream and you don't really notice any of the entertainment business side of it. So I think that's the good and the bad of it because I do like the challenge of growing

as a business woman while also growing as an actress, but sometimes it can take the passion away. Yep, yep. So it's like pros and cons. That's good. So when you were a kid, who was like handling everything? Was it your parents telling everything? It was my mom. Yeah. Your mom. Are you more hands-on now as an adult? Oh, absolutely. I mean, I learned a lot from my mom because she's had multiple companies that she's run and she's my business manager currently. She just taught me a lot about being a business woman and fact checking things and holding people accountable to their word and being your biggest advocate.

So yeah, she taught me a lot, but it was her. I love that, you literally stole your mom's face. Like y'all look, I was like, oh my goodness. No, for real. She says that when I was a baby, she would show me pictures of her as a baby and she'd be like, that's mommy. And I was like, no, that's me.

And she'd be like, no, it's mommy. And I'd be like, it's me. If you, if you, if you, if you, if you. Like that is me. That is funny. No, when I saw you all during Grammy week this year, I was like, wow. I was like spitting image, literally.

She cannot deny you. No, literally the tweets were like, the father was not in the room. That is so funny. As you're growing up and evolving in this industry you've become a role model but you're still so young what does that feel like do you feel like I'm not there yet or do you feel like okay I can take on this role as a role model. I mean, humbly, I feel like I don't really know nothing. I just got here too. But I think that even like I'm an older sister, so I look at my younger siblings and to them,

I've learned more than them in some areas, even when I feel like I still have so much more to go. Somebody's looking at it as, wow, I'm learning from you. So I don't really, I don't know, I guess it at it as, wow, I'm learning from you, you know, so I don't really, I don't know, I guess it is just is what it is and I want to, you know, continue to inspire young black girls and if they're watching me and they're looking up to me, I want to be, you know, worth that. Yeah, speaking of Sisterhood, I'm a sister on Tyler Perry's Sisters, but also a big sister in real life and you as well, you portray a big sister on TV. How has that been?

I love you and Ashley's relationship. I love, and I also love how they, at a young age, she's going through trying to figure out her sexual identity. She likes men or women or boys or girls. And I love how you're so supportive of her. How has it been playing big sister and then being on such an iconic show as Bel Air? Because I grew up to, we both grew up to watching Fresh Prince and now you're on the spinoff.

How does it feel and playing that role as a Big Sister? Playing a Big Sister is so fun because that's me. It very much is so authentic to me and Akira who plays Ashley in real life. She is such like this little bambi you know just looking at me and Simone who plays Lisa looking at all of us, Cass who plays Aunt Viv like just looking up to us and I see myself in her because I was always the youngest wherever I was at where I was always working so I was always the youngest like how do I what do I do like you know so to me I feel that natural

like protective instinct with her that I have with my own sister feels very like, how do I, what do I do? You know? And so to me, I feel that natural, like protective instinct with her that I have with my own sister. It feels very authentic. And I think playing such an iconic role on such an iconic show, that's such a black classic, is, it's an honor, you know?

And to be able to represent Hillary the way she is, she's educated, driven, she's dark skinned, and she has choices. She says no, driven, she's dark-skinned, and she has a choice that she says no. She makes mistakes. She asks for help. Like all of those things are such a well-rounded perspective on what a black girl can be. And I just know that that representation for me when I was a kid changed the course of my life. So it just feels like an honor to be able to do that. I love that saying. Now being in the industry and having sister circles, have you been able to find your own sister circle within industry?

Because we get flack for not being, you know what I'm saying, girls, girls. Yeah, that's real. Yeah. That's real. It can get a little shady. Yeah. Very shady. How's your experience been?

Because there are some good girls in the industry. Absolutely, absolutely. It's hard wherever you are because, you know, people have been through their own journeys and I kind of feel like, especially with girls, it's like, are you gonna hurt me? Yeah. I heard you first, girl, don't even try it.

Right, right. I know you, you know? And then it's like, everybody's gotta slowly let their guard down. For me, it takes a long time for me to treat you. I'm like, it's been decades and I'm still like questionable. But that's me though. That's my you know like that's the I'm the product of literally being in this industry and so for me the trust is like

it's like ooh hard to get. But because I started so young I one had friends who didn't care about all that at all. They didn't know what that even meant. Like, going to LA, girl, where? Where even is that on the map? You know? And I met girls, like I met my best friend through a TV show that we both were guest starring on. And we've been best friends since.

We've been friends for like, I don't know, 10 years. But I think for me, I'm grateful that my family too was like a big source of support because for a lot of the time, like I said, I was still like kind of holding my breath on people, expecting them to disappoint me because of my experiences, but like through therapy, through therapy, I've healed from that.

And I have found my circle. A couple, I mean, honestly, half my circle is my siblings. I ain't even gonna hold you. I love it. Those are my dwarves. But I also have some girls that like, I really, really feel get me. Yeah, that's beautiful. You did start this industry at a very young age.

What were some of the pressures? I know you said you were the one always looking up to the older girls because you were the youngest. What are some of the pressures that you dealt with? And then even some of those things that kind of broke your trust where you had to be more guarded. Just this pressure to be marketable. I didn't even know what that meant,

but I knew the girls that were getting the opportunities and they didn't look like me. So how do I change? Like, what can I change to look like them so I can do what they're doing, you know? I'm grateful that I had and have my mom who always told me, you're beautiful. I don't know what they thinking,

I don't know what they, they don't know, we know. Just because it's so much to mess with your head at that time. And I felt like too, the way I sang was too much. That's what I had been told sometimes, like, just do it like in the demo, like, just do it like that. But like my natural instincts were to be doing this and do that.

And I felt like I had to be in some sort of box for a really long time, just so I could be employed. Yeah. And as a kid, I didn't even really know. I was just like, okay, okay. But you know, as you get older, you don't have an identity. You don't even know what you like. Yeah, no you don't.

Because you just have been studying what works. So I did have to break out of that. And then there was the other part of your question, what did you say? What were some of the experiences that happened that made you garden yourself? I literally cannot with the amount of times that like people told me, oh my gosh,

you are perfect for this. We are doing this for you and you are a star and I would literally never hear from them again. Like it would just go the complete opposite way and it just makes you feel like everybody's lying. Just like it's a waste of your time to even get excited literally. It'd be like, like if every Christmas you are expecting gifts and then there's no gifts, but a certain amount of Christmas, I'm not even gonna feel nothing no more.

Not even looking forward to it. So yeah, it took a while for me to really, I still be looking at words like, you gonna have to show me something. But the people that are meant to be in my life, they do what they say. And it's just a good, for me, it's a good way to like be able to tell, you know,

because people could be chatting, but when you got to walk with you talk, it'll show you who people really are. Yeah, for sure. You talk about being put in a box. At what point were you like, I'm breaking out of this box, I'm gonna be fooling me and I'm gonna do this thing? That's a great question.

So when I moved to LA, I was 17 and I just started to live, you know? I had been super focused on work. So I didn't do anything. I didn't rebel at all. I wanted to be hired. So I wasn't trying to party. I wasn't trying to be no boys, no thinks.

We're the jobs. So I got to live and make mistakes and I got to like find myself I met these girls like I like this one guy and he had all female friends and I was like And I loved the friends though. I love the girls. I was like dropping you these girls Yeah, right it literally and so we would have so much fun We go to parties girl take j shots, and I just got to live. I got to talk the way I wanna talk and learn lingo, what's cute, like new artists and what they talk about.

And I just felt like, wait a minute, this is who I am. So how do I make this translate on music? Why do I feel like I have to perform to write? If I really wanna write what I, if I'm really an artist, then it all needs to correlate. So that means I got to talk on these records the way I talk with these girls, like the way I really am. So yeah, around like 18.

I love that. And it translates because we have a big age gap. I'm not gonna tell you. We have a big age gap, but the things that you talk about, I'm like, girl, me too. No, for real. I really feel like we're all humans

living the same experience in different ways. That's why with my music, I try to really bare my soul, because I'm like, somebody going to feel this. Oh, honey. Well, if nobody, I know the numbers prove that everybody feels it, but I feel it. Thank you. Thank you so much.

I appreciate that. I listen. I love, here we go. I see you just won a Grammy for that. How was that? I don't even know. It was like a blur. I don't even know how, yes, cause I'm like, y'all get serious.

Please, what are we talking about? It's just hard to like really process it, that really happens, you know? Cause I also feel like, in my own head, I'm like, I haven't even put out an album yet, I have way more work to do. I didn't this but I'll be like girl not too much on yourself yeah it's actually been decades. Hello yeah you have been working towards this for a very long time yeah yeah but it's still crazy still crazy that it's at my mama's house yeah I'm like girl I can't look at that I can't believe this. That's awesome. In the middle of all this is so much happening do you ever find yourself having a hard time

balancing your work life and your personal life? Yeah, sometimes it is hard to feel like you wanna say no, but you're like, but what if that event was the one where I met the girl who made me introduce me to the, ugh, whatever, whatever, whatever, you know? And then it's like, but I'm tired, you know? Listen. So yes, then it's like, but I'm tired, you know? Listen.

So yes, sometimes it is hard, but I feel like that's where I'm like, am I operating out of fear or faith? Because if I truly believe that I'm gonna be good, then I can go to sleep today. I can say no to that opportunity and trust that there will be something else on the back end. So there's not really balance,

but you gotta listen to yourself. Cause if you're burnt out, you're So there's not really balance, but you got to listen to yourself. Because if you're burnt out, you're not going to be given your job. What you need to get in. That's real. Tasha Cobbs said something that was so profound to me. She said that rest is trust. So, you know, because she ate, you know, eight. I was like, OK, OK, OK, period. Go to sleep. Yes, there's so much power in.

No. Yeah. And I'm 42, so I'm gonna join. Oh my God, you look great. Thank you. I love that for you. Thank you, but I was such a people pleaser. Yes. And a yes, yes, like you. Okay, this is the one event, if I don't go to this,

I'm gonna miss something. And it's so funny, this is like a joke, but Bad Boys for the latest Bad Boys came out. And Jacob, the guy who played Will's son fine but Alicia Keys I got invited to this event during BT award weekend yeah and I ended up getting like this migraine I was like I just I'm so tired I can't go woke up the next morning and Jacob was there I said I should have got up but I was so tired. I was literally fighting for my life.

But it's moments like that where I was like, I had to listen to my body. But then you wake up and you're like... No, for real, girl. I won't even look it up. I don't even want to know how it went. I don't want to know who was there because I cannot. I cannot. But that is so real. Rest is stress.

I love that. For self-care, when you do have time, what are the things that Coco Jones likes to do to take care of herself? Yes. Okay, so I love to get all my favorite foods and get one of my favorite movies and just stay in the bed and eat. Just stay, eat, chill, sleep, wake up, eat again. Yes! That was me Saturday. My birthday was Friday and I did not leave the bed unless it was to go get food from the door. Hello? I really don't get up unless that Uber man is there.

And he better not ask for that code. I'm like, sir, come on, make the snappy. Make the snappy. I'm not trying to see you, you not trying to see me. I look crazy. Yep, I'll put it in the chat like the code. Okay, no for real, yeah. Yeah, because I'm like, I can't.

I'm like, you head the door, I'll tell you the code as you exit. I'm like literally. That is so me. I love doing that. like okay no for real yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah i'm like literally um i love doing that um i love journaling me too i feel like that is such a good way to like empty your brain of like whatever is heavy um i might get a massage girl if i can rest my brain i will get that massage yes because i love a good massage because that's like that 90 minutes or however long you get it that's where I literally put my phone down. Yes.

Don't answer anything. Girl, yes. For real, for real. And last thing I love is I love going on walks. Really? I really do. If the weather is nice and like it's somewhere nice that you might have to drive somewhere

so you can walk somewhere. Yeah. That's good. But once it's like a nice area, I can just walk forever and think. I just love that. Yeah, I love that. You need that time. So you said you like to eat your favorite foods. I could just walk forever and think. I just love it. Yeah, I love it. You need that time.

So you said you like to eat your favorite foods. I'm curious, what are your favorite foods and your favorite movie? Girl, ramen, crab legs, fried fish. Ooh, I love that. Okay. I mean, they're chaotic on their own. Chaos.

That buffet, he's feeling me in the back. He's feeling me in the back. But to see them all in a ray, I'm like, this could bring me to tears. That is hilarious. Literally hilarious. I love it. And your favorite movie? My favorite movie. Okay, this is a little embarrassing. Not too much on me y'all, but I do love Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. Just let me explain. I think it's because my inner child, me therapying myself, my inner child, she had to work so hard. No, but really, I love cartoons.

I think they're so cute. And like, the little jokes they'd be doing, like, you know the jokes for the adults that are watching, cause the kids are watching. Oh, I'm the adult watching, but the kids should be watching, but I'm watching, so I just love that. I love how they do that now, where like, adults can enjoy it too,

the kids have no idea what they're laughing at. No, for real, the kids have no idea, but I'm like, y'all ate that. It's for everybody. It's so cute, it's so cute. Have you ever seen Inside Out? Yes, yeah. I'm like, this kids have no idea, but I'm like, y'all ate that. It's for everybody. It's so cute. It's so cute. Have you ever seen Inside Out? Yes, yeah. I'm like, this is kind of deep, because I'm crying in the club.

No, seriously, it is. For real. Beyonce had even quoted that movie in a recent interview. And I was like, wow. Wow, I'm so like, me and her. So let's see. Mm. Yeah, literally.

But yeah, I love those. What's your favorite movie? I'm curious. The Devil Wears Prada. Oh my God, that's a good one. Tell my fashion girl I can watch that movie any day. If I'm sad, I can watch it and quote it, word for word. I love that movie.

Oh my gosh. And they're coming out with a part two. Hello. You want to be in that? I do want to be in that. Come on, book her. Yes, please. That's iconic.

It's such a, I love Meryl Streep. Oh my gosh, she's good. It's just a beautiful movie. Wow. That's fire. I love Meryl Streep. Oh my gosh, she's good. It's just a beautiful movie. Wow. That's fire. I love that. Now you love cartoons. Is there any cartoon that you would love to play? You look, it's given Disney Princess already.

I felt that on the horizon. I mean of course I would play a Disney Princess. Who wouldn't? To be able to show my future daughter that one day and be like, that's your mom. That's me. It's iconic. I would love to do like a Pixar one. Those would be timeless for real. No, seriously.

Like for real. Or something like Shrek or something. Please. I want to be like, I want to put on my funny goofy voice and be like a literal like rabbit or like something random and cute, but like have an attitude. Oh my God. Oh my God. I would live for that so bad. I love it. It's going to happen.

I can already see that. It's written already. I can see that. Amen. I love it. So you're grown, you're running your businesses. I love talking about financial literacy. And you said your mom taught you a lot of things.

What are some things that you can give young women who are also like growing up, and we have so many entrepreneurs now at a very young age. What are some things or some tips that you could give them to say, hey, these things need to watch out for financially? Watch out for, I mean, everybody knows the ends versus the outs of what you're making versus what you're spending. I don't want to

say anything like too obvious but I do think one of the biggest things that I knew is I would hold on to money so tight because I would be so scared. I don't want to lose this. Yes literally and my mom was like if your hands are tight nothing can go out but nothing can go in there either. You know? Yeah. So having that type of mindset, I do also believe that giving away increases your storehouse. Come on. Come on. But I do. I see that in my own life. Like I'll be that I'll give things away now that I'm like, it'll come back to me. And it does. In different ways. In different ways. And lastly, invest in yourself. I really do feel like there's a noticeable increase in my brand and in me when I invest in

hair, makeup, glam, acting classes, fitness instructor, food, better food. I see the payoff, you know, instead of cutting corners somewhere. Or instead of sometimes being in my mind like, I'll buy that later when I, when I deserve that later, you know, like investing in yourself, investing in your happiness, investing in like, you know, filling up your cup, go places, don't just wait to travel. Like, you know what I'm saying? Like that all increases who you are, which increases your brand. You know?

Yeah, no increases your brand. You know? Yeah, no it does. Speaking of brands, what are some things that Coco wants to get into outside of what we've already seen? Yeah, well I feel like, I think to myself like, what stuff do I really like? Or what do I really feel like I need?

And I think one thing I always be like looking for is pants that are long enough. Cause you are tall honey, yes. I am a giraffe. And I'm like, okay, not too much on it. Y'all don't even make them. Don't make them. I'll make them.

I see that for myself. That's right. And I love chapstick girl. I hate when my lips are chapped. I really do. That's the first thing I tell them about it. I'm like, chappy. No, for real.

I can't. I can't. When I'm staring at somebody I'm like,appy. No for real. Yeah, I can't I can't when I'm staring at somebody. I'm like, are you parched? I can't I don't like this theater like to feel it. So I can see myself doing something like that In this area I'm an artist as well, I love music. So I would love to talk to you about your creative process. You said you speak from your real life experiences, and we feel it.

I think me and Big West are talking about this, about how people can write songs for you, and then the artist gets in the booth and they have a hard time singing it because they can't really relate to it. But we feel it. So what is your creative process when you're starting to create music or is there like a thought and you just call someone like hey we got to get in the booth so we can do this? Well I like to have like a concept in mind but I'm very very hands-on. Dare I say picky? I don't really live for that but I'm trying to be specific because I feel like eventually I want them to be like, oh, that's a Coco song. Oh, like if you hear that, that's Coco. But that comes with me being involved in every part of it. So I mean, we, girl, sometimes I start from the beat. I'm like from scratch, there's no, there's no sound, there's silence in the room with us. And like, we just go with what tempo?

What are you even feeling tempo wise? I wanna be like here. Okay, cool. So then it's like, all right, are we starting to write with a piano? Are we starting to write with a guitar? Do I have an idea? And we're writing to that. We're building around this idea. So my process is kind of all over the place,

but the overall theme is nothing gets added if I don't feel, if it doesn't feel right to me, you know? Cause I gotta sell it. Yep. And I want it to be so authentically me that it doesn't compare to anybody else's product. It doesn't. Yeah, no, you're doing it. Thank you. You are. You are. Thank you, Grille. I tried. You're like. At least take a long time. The sessions be eight, eight hours. I'll be sick. Listen, I love the live performances. Yeah. It's that studio process that is draining. Girl, and then you'd be like, by the end,

you'd have heard so many times, you're like, is this even good? Right. What the hell is going on? Yes. No, but seriously, I'm such a like weirdo after, after I make music, I like cannot, like, I don't, I don't know, girl, I don't know.

Like my family will be like, we don't hear anything you make. I'm like, oh my God, I can't, I don't know. I just feel so uncomfortable. Like I'll send it to my manager and family will be like, we don't hear anything you make. I'm like, oh my god, I can't. I don't know. I just feel so uncomfortable. Like I'll send it to my manager and I'll be like, don't say anything. Don't say anything. But how do you, what do you think? Like give me all your constructive criticism with those anything. Girl, I cannot. I cannot. A lot of actors are like that. They can't watch their work. Like they'll go, but for me it's like watching film. So I can see where I can get better. Yeah. Yeah. They're like, oh I should have taken a longer beat there.

I should have did something different there. Yeah. I feel that too. I like to study my own performances. I like to watch those like, mm, okay, okay. You could have done that better. The spacing was off there, da da da da da. I'll watch my acting too.

I'm not searching for it, but if it comes around like on socials, I'll be like, let me see how she did. I'll be like, she ate a touch. She ate it. Literally, just a crumb. I like that for her. I love you. I love you. You are so funny.

Just a crumb. I love that. Speaking of performances, you just did the Usher Tribute at the BET Awards this year. Phenomenal. The way you crawled up on that stage, I said, only a tall girl could do that. Cause I'd have been like, that you did it so gracefully.

Thank you. That is so sweet. Cause literally in my mind, I felt like I was like, no, you look, it was good. That is hilarious. Thank you. That is so funny. Yeah, I loved that.

I think that was such a really dope opportunity to show all the R&B girls in different ways that is so funny. Yeah, I love that. I think that was such a really dope opportunity to show all the R&B girls in different ways that we all shine and uplift Usher, who is of course iconic. So I really loved that concept in general. But yes, girl, so when I was walking down, like, you know, I'm trying to get sex with me. I'm trying to give that, but like, it's a literal ramp.

So I had these heels on and I was like, I felt like Shrek, but I was really trying to give sex. And so literally when I watched this, nobody knows what's going on in my head, but I can't, I'm just literally like, ah, because I know what's going on. And head, but I can't, I'm just literally like, ah! Cause I know what's going on and oh my God, it was so hilarious. But thank you so much for thinking it was great school

cause I was like, I'm sick. Cause I was like, I would have looked crazy trying to get up on that stage. No, literally. So my mom was also, my mom was also watching it intensely and she, she's like me. So we know all the things like she taught me a lot about performing. My mom was like,

she had her mom's. Okay, she knows she's that girl. She did not cut anything dry. She would tell me exactly boring, didn't believe you, do it better. You know what I'm saying? And I appreciate that, that truth. You needed honesty, yeah.

So girl, she was watching it and she was like, was that a slant coming down? Yeah, yeah. Because she looks at all the details just like me, because I'll be like, what did you think? Like, you know, she going to give me the real. Yeah. And I was like, girl, yes. And she was like, how did you do that?

Yeah. I'm like, they'll never know. They'll never know. Oh my goodness. But it was amazing. It was amazing. That's the performer in you. Like, we definitely did know.

The show must go on. The show must go on. The show must go on. As I climb down Mount Everest towards Usher. That is hilarious. That was so dope. I love Usher. He's also from Tennessee.

Is he? I thought he was from Atlanta. No, he was born in Chattanooga. What? Yeah, Chattanooga, yeah. Wow, I did not know that. I had no idea. Yeah, so we all got, we're all great.

Period. When is your birthday? January 4th. Okay, cause he's a Libra too. So if you were Libra, I'd say oh my gosh. Now that would be crazy. That would be crazy. When's your birthday?

What's your sign? It was October 18th, Friday. Oh yes, yes, yes, you did say Friday. Period. Libra. I love that. Yes, yes, that's awesome. I thought that was so dope,

especially with all the women doing it. That was really dope. Yes, thank you so much. Yes, you're welcome. I thought that was amazing too. especially with all the women doing it. That was really dope. Yes, thank you so much. Yes, you're welcome. I thought that was amazing too. Yeah. You talked about therapy, and I know in this industry it can have such a strain on our mental.

Yeah. At what point, or can you pinpoint some things that you were like, you know, I need to talk to somebody? Because you've been doing this for a very long time, and it's also a lot of pressure from a childhood actor being famous all these years. And we've seen it happen. You've maintained and done so well for yourself. Thank you.

Yeah, no, serious, I'm proud of you for that. Thank you. When was the point where you were like, I need to talk to somebody? Well, I was in this situation ship and I just hated it there. But I was like, you know what? Maybe this is just hated it there. But I was like, you know what? Maybe this is just how life is.

You don't get what you want. You don't. I was just like kind of bitter. And I remember that the guy was talking to me about this therapist that he was seeing. And I was like, who you letting tell you about yourself? I was like, I wanna talk to her. And so I talked to her and I just felt so challenged.

Like my thoughts, the thoughts that I had about myself for years, like the baggage that I carried for years, the things that I've done my whole life. I felt challenged to question where that came from, where that was rooted in, Is that even my truth? I just felt like it made me, it just expanded my mind so much that I was like, oh my God, this is crucial. This is crucial. And now literally all my family has their own therapy because they saw the growth in me. Because you just really never know what you're holding on to, What stories you've told yourself so much that they are

literally, they're your world. Yeah. And you believe them. Yes. Yeah. That is so true. Our mind is so powerful. Yes. There's things that we can literally forget that happened

until you start talking to someone. Yes. You're like, wait, what? I lived through that? Yes. That happened and I've been holding onto this. Girl. Yeah, it's real.

It's really crazy. But yeah, I'm a huge advocate of therapy. I just feel like before you go and get your eyelash extensions and your nails, girl, are you well? Are you well? Inside. Before you look sickening, are you healthy? True.

That is so true. That's good. You talk about, we bobbing in situationships. How is it dating as Coco Jones? You are this big figure now. I know for me, I find it hard to, I always wanna keep everything private and low key and protect that.

We're not hiding, but if you see it, you see it, so I'm not gonna put it out there. How is that for you in this time? I agree with that. I think honestly, the same core elements that all my girls go through, I have girls that are in the industry, I have girls who are not and everybody wants to be fully understood and feel safe in their decisions. Like it's the

it's the uncertainty for me. You know I can't do that in my job and in my career and in my relationship. I needed to be certain. So I think the only difference is I have a different world of people around me. So maybe it's somebody that I also know maybe it's somebody who has a brand, you know, but really it's just about finding somebody who you can be off with. I don't want to have to be on all that. Baby, I want to take these lashes off, Baby, I want to take these lashes off, like this makeup, put my scarf on in my bonnet and be all right. And be loved just the same.

Exactly. No, it's real. It's definitely real. But I've told my girls, I'm like, y'all not outside enough. Cause I also, I also feel like if you want a relationship, if you want those things, you got to work on yourself and you got to work for it.

Hello. Get outside. Who you gonna date, the mailman? Get out your house. They used to make fun of me because I would not leave the house. And they were like, Krista, who's gonna be your door dash? Who are you to me?

I was like, I don't even go to the door for him, so no. I'm serious, I'm serious. I do feel like a lot of it is like, God will help you, but you also need to help yourself, you know? I don't really agree with like the it'll all happen when it. I don't know. This is magic. Yes, it's real. It's real life. Yeah, I like that.

That's good, because, yeah, I wasn't leaving the house. My friends are you need to put yourself in positions and in places to meet the type of man you want exactly. Then you have to look at like, well, I keep meeting all these type of guys. But where are you going? Girl, you at the club. Exactly. Because then you have to look at like, well I keep meeting all these type of guys, but where you going? Girl, you at the club. Exactly. Nothing good comes of the club.

Well, one thing. I met somebody in the club. Oh my God, you did? Yeah. Are y'all still together? Yeah. Okay, something good comes of the club. It wasn't wild.

Don't stop going to the club. But it's so funny because that was the, both of our initial thoughts were like, who we gonna really take this seriously when we're in the club? Yes. Like they don't know how to take, yeah. And his mom was like, he said his mom used to tell him like,

whatever you meet in the club, leave it there. Oh my God. And I was like, mom, the next morning I woke up and I was like, oh, he doesn't think because of where he met me that that's how I am. And he like, he said, he said, I thought the same thing. He said, but then I talked to you one time and I was like, no, she's different.

And then he got to know me and he was like, okay, yeah, she's real. I mean, he was doing the Olympics, I was out having fun. Like if you're not in the club during the Olympics, like what are you doing? No facts, facts, it's literally a time to celebrate. That is so cool. I love that.

So that's the one. Okay, there are exceptions. Yeah, there are. I actually had another friend who met her husband in the club. Girl, you gonna have everybody going to the club now. Going to the club another friend who met her husband in the club. Girl, you're gonna have everybody going to the club now. Going to the club, looking for love in the club, that's what I'm saying. Facts.

But no, you do have to put yourself in spaces where you want to be for sure. Absolutely. I love it. Coco, is there anything you have coming up that we need to know on the horizon? Well, my debut album will be out at the top of the year. I'm going to go on tour this summer. OK, I'm coming to see you on tour. I cannot wait. I love to put on a good show.

I love you do put on a good show. I can't wait. I'm excited for you. Thank you so much. Yes, you are such a, oh my gosh, just a joy and a light. Thank you. Thank you, you too. I really enjoy talking to you.

Yes. Cocoa Jones, everybody. You too, I really enjoyed talking to you. Yes, Coco Jones everybody. My conversation with Coco was so much fun, and one of the things that she shared that really stuck with me was being authentically her. She said that when she was doing music, a lot of times her voice did not match

what she was singing, but she was really going through those things. When those two came together and she was authentically Coco, that's when it all came together. So that was my main takeaway. Thank you all so much for spending time with me today. Coco Jones came through with all the love, laughs, positivity, and it was so needed. You guys can follow me on all platforms at Love, Chris, and Renee, and you can also follow our show at Keep It Positive, Sweetie.

If you wanna run right into our positive outcomes listener letter, you can send us an email at keepitpositesweetieatgmail.com. In the meantime, in between time, you know what to do. Keep it positive, sweetie. I'll see you guys next time.