The season premiere of Frankie & Neffe, the BET reality show featuring Frankie Lons and Neffeteria Pugh, otherwise known as singer/songwriter Keyshia Cole’s mother and sister respectively, debuted August 25. There is a LOT of back story here, even more so than Tiny and Toya!
Keyshia Cole is not one to mess around with. Coming from Oakland, it’s apparent she knows what hard work and dedication is, having three successful albums and a reality show (funny how success is measured by shows nowadays, but I digress.) But as much as Keyshia’s life is a story of triumph, her dysfunctional family plays a crucial role in why and possibly, how she overcame.
Keyshia’s latest role is executive producer of “Frankie and Neffe”, a reality show revolving around her own mother and sister. Are we ready for this?
Frankie Lavern Lons is from Oakland, CA, comfortable in her own skin and loves being the life of the party, consistently seen in the hot spots of Atlanta yelling out her signature pick up line, “Holla!”
Frankie admits that for almost 20 years she abused drugs and alcohol throughout most of her life but doesn’t blame her surroundings for her pitfalls. She in fact claims drugs got her through her troubling times. But after being in and out of jail, living in the streets, and at the same time trying to take care of her kids, Frankie eventually had no choice but to send her oldest daughter Keyshia to live in foster care.
Neffeteria Pugh, her second oldest child, transferred to numerous group homes until she was old enough to live by herself. Frankie lost touch with her other five kids until they reunited on the set of “The Way It Is.”
