Adrienne Bailon Details Reunion With 3LW Member Naturi Naughton
It’s been years since Adrienne Bailon released music. The former Cheetah Girl got her start as a member of the female R&B/pop trio 3LW alongside Kiely Williams and Naturi Naughton. But a bad breakup married with allegations of colorism and even a physical altercation put a near-permanent estrangement between Naughton and Bailon. The two women eventually made amends and recently met for a reunion to discuss their friendship going forward.
3LW’s split was acrimonious
The group had hits such as “No More (Baby I’mma Do It Right)” and Playas Gon’ Play,” as well as a chart-topping album. News first broke of a split between the group when Naughton spoke with Wendy Williams alleging she was forced out of the group. She elaborated in an interview with MTV News and revealed that she left the group after being physically assaulted. According to Naughton, an argument between her and their manager, who is also related to Williams, ended with a plate of food being thrown in her face. She told the outlet:
There was an argument between me and our manager, Michelle Williams. And Kiely and Adrienne are cursing me out, and before I know it, Kiely throws her plate of food all in my face — mashed potatoes, macaroni all in my hair, down my clothes, messing up my [hair]do! Nobody has the right to hit me. That’s not what I’m here for, … to be physically abused. So I said, ‘Get me a flight back to Newark, New Jersey,’ and they wouldn’t even help me get a ticket.
The two recently enjoyed dinner together in which they discussed their time in the group
Bailon recently shared a photo of her after a one-on-one dinner with Naughton. The former co-host of The Real said the dinner came about when Naughton realized Bailon moved back to New York and invited her out.
“And that’s what that was, and she was like, ‘Let’s take a pic’ and I was like, ‘Yeah,'” she explained in a recent interview with Entertainment Tonight. “I think that even the hashtag, ‘Let the healing begin,’ I think that that’s key. I think that so many of us have had experiences in our lives that are just like, ‘Wait, what was all that about?’ And you let them go but at the same time you almost want to revisit them when you get older, to actually be like, ‘What was that?’ and move forward. And I think that’s where we’re at.”
Bailon says the two spoke about the impact they made in a group. Through that, she realized it was time to move on and fully forgive from past trauma.
“I think our youth and our childhood and the experience of being in 3LW for sure is something that we both have to heal individually from and come together and heal what honestly was a dope, beautiful friendship and rekindle that,” Bailon said. “There are things that her and I will share forever that no one will ever know or understand, and that’s just the truth of it.”
There is no plan for a 3LW reunion
With the two women recently joining forces, fans of the beloved girl group are hopeful a full reunion is on the way. But Bailon says nothing is in stone. Instead, she’s happy with the legacy they created together and doesn’t count one out overall. Bailon however does have new music on the way. She has an upcoming gospel music live project with her husband Israel Houghton and New Breed.
