Saturday, July 08, 2006

BET To Present Reality Series KEYSHIA COLE: THE WAY IT IS

The Newest Princess of R&B Reveals Her Soul in BET′s Original Docu-Drama, KEYSHIA COLE: THE WAY IT IS

Reality Series Debuting July 12 at 9:00 p.m. EST

BET and Interscope A&M Records join forces this summer to debut its newest reality venture, KEYSHIA COLE: THE WAY IT IS. This six-part series chronicles the turbulent past and promising future of one of R&B′s true success stories. Starting in Keyshia′s hometown, we discover how the singer escaped the pressures of the inner city, and later returned to sell out venues and headline her own cross-country tour at the tender age of 21. Scheduled to premiere on BET on Wednesday, July 12, 2006 at 9:00 pm (ET/PT), the show presents intimate details of the star′s upbringing and how her struggles were the inspiration behind her music and new found status.

In this candid look into the life of Keyshia Cole, stories pour from the singer as she discusses her mother′s battles with drug addiction and the childhood spent in and out of foster care. The premiere episode, set in Oakland, focuses on her return back home since beginning her tour some months prior. As Keyshia reflects on this whirlwind time, she must deal with the events that ripped her family apart, current family issues and her own personal struggles. Viewers will take interest as the singer engages in touching reunions, drama-filled interviews and Keyshia′s no nonsense business attitude as she cements her standing in the entertainment industry and forms her own music label.

"It′s simple -- her passion stems from her complicated past," said Reginald Hudlin, President of Entertainment, BET. "Not a modern day Cinderella tale, but the story of a survivor with all the love and talent in the world. I defy anyone to watch the first 15 minutes of this show and not be hooked."

"I′m thrilled that Byron Phillips and Reginald Hudlin have validated Keyshia Cole as a real life character that truly belongs in the fabric of the BET Network," commented Ron Fair, who signed Keyshia Cole while President of A&M Records and produced her platinum debut album, The Way It Is.

KEYSHIA COLE: THE WAY IT IS takes a heartfelt glimpse into what multi- platinum success looks like after an arduous road of trials and tribulations. Tune in as Keyshia Cole shows how the roots of a troubled past flourished into opportunity and the launch of a rising star.