Co-Ed

Life`s law of reciprocity teaches us that what we give, we get. What we

absorb, we become. What we put in, pays off in the final analysis. It`s a concept that the

members of Co-Ed, the latest seeds to sprout from the fertile soil of Atlanta, GA, have

made their own.



"We feel that music is such an important part of your spiritual

growth and your spiritual wealth," says member Jeffrey Coleman. "We like to say,

`You are what you listen to.` Whatever you put in your system, that`s what you`re gonna

give out - whether it`s the type of friends you keep or the type of music you listen to -

it`s all an integral part of who you are." It is that philosophy that pushes Co-Ed to

strive for musical perfection or - UTOPIA.



Coleman is one-fourth of the mixed-gender R&B phenom Co-Ed. The

group, also comprised of Jeffery Bowden, Kanika "Nikki" Gresham, and

Bianca Spear, has been lighting fires in and around their hometown, Atlanta, since

late 1999, when a copy of their 3-song demo landed in the hands of Rubicon Entertainment

Group record executive BJ Kerr. After shopping the group to virtually every major label to

no avail, Kerr and the group decided to release the independent single "Roll Wit

Me," an urban ballad that pays homage to Atlanta. The tune instantly caught fire at

local radio, and within 2 weeks became the 1 requested song for 8 weeks straight.



"We got out in the streets and did all our own promotions,"

recalls Jeff B."We hit all the cars, all the clubs. It was a song we did mostly as a

shout-out to our Atlanta folks. God picked it up and did something else with it."



By mid-summer "Roll Wit Me" had spread throughout the entire

southeast region, selling over 30,000 units. It peaked on Billboard`s Hot R&B/Hip Hop

Single`s chart at 23 and was dubbed by the magazine as "the summer`s ghetto

anthem."



The success of "Roll Wit Me" initiated an industry bidding war

and led Co-Ed to Universal Records. Once signed the group recorded their debut album, the

forthcoming UTOPIA. Co-Ed`s first major label single, "Sumthin On You," is a

fun, uptempo interplay between the group`s male and female members. The girls - sweet and

coy -- carry the hook, singing "Spend a little sumthin on you/Trip to the mall on

you/Eat a little sumthin on you/If it`s cool." The song represents the kind of clever

and innovative musical exchange that characterizes UTOPIA.

But Co-Ed is not all light and airy. "We sing from our soul," says Bianca.

"We want the music to touch other people emotionally and let them feel exactly what

we`re talking about." Nikki adds, "Our music is soulful, kind of like gospel

because we all come from a gospel background. We`ve got churchchords going through all of

our songs on the album. And the music has a southern swing to it."



The songs on UTOPIA run the gamut, from fun loving and light-hearted

("Roll Wit Me," "Sumthin On You," "It`s On"), to romantic

and provocative ("The First Time," "Anywhere"), to sensual

("Fantastic Fantasy," "Just Between Us") and, finally, to classic

ballads ("Been Around," "My Place"). UTOPIA represents the ideal state

of harmony and bliss that the group strives to achieve and spread through its gift of

song. The members wrote or co-wrote every song on UTOPIA. Their music explores love and

relationships absent of the gender bashing and sorrowful themes so common in today`s

popular music.



While they shun explicitness, Co-Ed endeavors to stay true to the reality

of life as they know it. "We don`t want to mislead anybody by saying all of our songs

are clean because we all livereal lives. We`re realists," says Jeff B. "I would

say we sing about what`s real to us."

At the heart of Co-Ed`s realness and creativity is a profound, sharedspirituality, which

the group members believe led them to one another.



"We came together through Track Team (producers for Jagged Edge,

Destiny`s Child, Dr. Dre) under the leadership of Carl Breeding," recalls Jeff C.

"We all worked with Carl in the past, furthering our individual singing careers, and

through that we had a relationship. When we initially put together Co-Ed, we felt it was a

spirit-led thing because we all kind of fell back into the relationship with Carl and with

each other. Thus Co-Ed began."



And the chemistry that bound the members years ago still envelops them

today - personally and professionally. Onstage their movements are fluid and synchronized,

accented by a kinetic energy that leaves their audience happily and emotionally spent.

Vocally, their nuances merge to alternately arouse, entrance, titillate and enlighten.

Together, they`re an incomparable unit (there hasn`t been a similar R&B combination in

recent years), yet they`re as different as, well, boys and girls. Jeff B. is the cool,

confident, musical foundation of the group, while Jeff C. is the consummate showman who

claims every inch of the stage. Nikki is the sultry soulstress adept at wielding her

womanly wiles, and Bianca is the hyper-charged showstopper bubbling with boundless,

engaging energy.



It`s been some time since rhythm and blues has delivered such a perfect

combination to the entertainment world. With supercharged live shows, impeccable

harmonies, and writing and productions talents, Co-Ed not only raises the musical bar, the

group sets a new standard for its peers and fans.



"We`ve learned that it takes a total package," says Jeff B.

"In order for you to be on top of your game, you really have to come out doing your

best at everything. You have to give them the dancing, you have to give them the singing,

you have to give them the theatrics, and you have to be able to do it in a believable way.

You have to have confidence within yourself when you get on the stage, so people believe

you know what you`re doing."

They rekindle the best of the old: "I would say we`re like a cross between New

Edition, Shalamar and Jodeci," says Bianca.



They dig down deep for their fans: "The stage is really about

giving," says Jeff C. "Anybody can sing and dance, but can you get up there and

deliver it with emotion? It`s all about being the ultimate giver."



They strive for creative breadth: "We don`t set any boundaries,"

says Bianca. "We`re not afraid to mess with pop. We`re not afraid to do a little

country, or whatever comes our way. We`re not afraid to do it. That`s what this group is

about - just being able to sing no matter what, and being able to give your gift no matter

what."



That is what Co-Ed is all about: Keeping the music in their soul.and the

soul in their music.



After all, "You are what you listen to!!!"