Kenecia “Kee Kee” Taylor, the voice on the band CCB’s hits “My Phatty” and “Classy,” has been dating keyboard player Mike Arnold for just over a year. Kee Kee’s vocals can now be heard with legendary band Rare Essence, and Mike who has played with Raw Image, Northeast Groovers and Lissen makes music with Familiar Faces these days. Kee Kee and I talk all the time, but Mike was a little nervous because he didn’t know what to expect. However, he loosened up by the end of the interview and started to have some fun, as did Kee Kee’s daughter Khalani who was talking in the background and responding whenever her name came up.
Bobbies Beat: How did you meet?
Kee Kee: At a show that we both played on at Ibiza with Lissen, Suttle, Essence and Black Alley.
BB: (to Mike) Were you playing with Lissen at the time?
Mike: Yes.
BB: Have you ever had to deal with outside forces trying to come between you?
Kee Kee: Maybe some ex’s. I don’t really get the groupie thing. Maybe one or two, but nothing ever out-of-hand to where I felt like I needed to set anything straight. We definitely get the outside forces all the time, but nothing too extreme.
BB: Mike, do you have anything to add?
Mike: Nope.
Kee Kee: Nothing?
BB: Maybe he thinks you covered it all.
Mike: Yep.
BB: Do you go to each other’s shows?
Kee Kee: Sometimes. Not every show. Even though I have free time, I just don’t always go. That’s his man time. And I don’t want to always be on the scene.
Mike: Yes, I go to them. Sometimes.
Kee Kee: He used to come all the time, but he doesn’t come no more.
Mike: That’s because I play.
BB: Do you get jealous?
Kee Kee: (Laughs) Me? Jealous as far as what?
BB: Like if you see some girls talking to him, even if he’s not talking back.
Kee Kee: I wouldn’t say I become jealous, but do I become inquisitive? Yes. But, never jealous. It’s not that type of relationship. I don’t have a reason to be jealous.
BB: Now Mike, Kee Kee’s a pretty girl and I know a lot of guys are interested in her.
Mike: I’m never jealous.
Kee Kee: (Laughs out loud) You’re never jealous?
Mike: Nope, never jealous
BB: How are you able to find alone time and family time? (Mike has a 12-year old son Tyson, and Kee Kee has a 2-year old daughter Khalani.)
Kee Kee: Every weekend, since Rare Essence hasn’t been playing on Saturdays, we spend all weekend together. But even when we were [playing on Saturday] I’d go to his show or he’d come to mine or I’d go by myself and he’d go by himself and we’d meet up at the end of the night. Every weekend since last year, every weekend since we met, we’ve been together. Except when he went to Miami with Familiar Faces last year. And that’s only because of the distance and our schedules. (Mike lives in Annapolis, while Kee Kee lives in Clinton, MD.)
Mike: On weekends we’re always alone. Right after her shows, she comes over and we pretty much barricade ourselves in the house unless we got a show or something
Kee Kee: Barricade meaning movies, drinks, etc.
BB: Which one of you is the most romantic?
Mike: She is.
Kee Kee: Me. I’m the most romantic. I’m the card-giver. I’m the crier. I’m the long text messager.
BB: Mike, do you appreciate these little things?
Mike: Yes, I do. All the time.
BB: Is that what made you fall for her?
Mike: Yes.
BB: Kee Kee, what’s the most romantic thing that Mike has ever done?
Kee Kee: One time he took me to this… We were driving in the woods and I was confused about where we were going because we were getting deeper and deeper. So, we got out the car and he was making me walk in the woods. I was like ‘where am I going?’ There was this tall grass and then when he opened the grass there was this private beach and there was just us and there was a bench. He used this application on his phone to find the planets and stuff. We climbed the rocks and listened to the water. Sipped some wine. It was very romantic.
BB: Did you think he was going to kill you or something?
Kee Kee: I was nervous because first, I was out of my element and it was dark. He kept saying, ‘I got a surprise for you.’ I was like ‘Surprise? Surprise?’ It was one o’clock in the morning and it was dark and I didn’t know where I was at and it was in the cut.
Mike: Don’t forget about the fine wine.
Kee Kee: (giggles and sighs) And the wine. Alright Mike.
BB: So Mike, how did you find that place?
Mike: I live in Annapolis and it’s water all around me and I love water.
BB: So Mike, what’s the most romantic thing Kee Kee’s ever done for you?
Mike: She took me to Miami on my birthday and every time I went to pull out any money, she was like, “Nah. Nuh uh.” She treated the whole weekend.
BB: Mike, what do you love most about Kee Kee?
Mike: Romantic things she does. She seems to be all about me. She can sing.
BB: Does she ever serenade you?
Mike: No, never. Never. I can’t get her to sing.
BB: What you waiting for Kee Kee?
(Though I asked Kee Kee what she was waiting on to serenade him, she thought I was asking what she was waiting on to answer the question.)
Kee Kee: Girl, I wrote this down and I can’t find the notebook. Oh, here it is. I had wrote all this stuff down secretly when I met him. Go ahead and put me on blast Bobbie. What was the question again?
BB: You’re about to sing, right?
Kee Kee: No, I ain’t about to sing.
BB: I thought you were about to sing from your notebook?
Kee Kee: No, you asked a question and I had the answers written down already.
BB: Oh, what do you love most about Mike?
Kee Kee: I love the fact that he’s supportive. He’s understanding. He moves slowly with me because of coming out of something so bitter. He complements me. He accepts the fact that I’m spoiled and he tries to find ways to help me improve that because I get carried away.
BB: Doe he spoil you at all?
Kee Kee: Yeah, emotionally. He’s calm, and most of all because he loves my daughter.
Song Dedications
Mike to Kee Kee – “Someone” by Musiq Soulchild
Kee Kee to Mike – “Weak” by SWV and “Beautiful Surprise” by India.Arie
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