"They transitioned us out of the boy band stage into the men you see today." "Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis' production gave the group an extra gear in the studio that we didn't know that we had in us," says Tresvant. Most significantly, Philadelphia's Boyz II Men owe their roots to a management and development deal with Bivins' Motown-distributed Biv 10 Records in 1990. "Yeah, we went through and were deeply inspired by our Jackson 5 and Temptations-eras there for a bit (alluding to the group's inspirations for the first decade of existence), but when we really thought about it, we wanted the girls," joked DeVoe.Įven deeper, the girls, like seemingly everyone in the late 1980s, were obsessed with the same thing that the current era's country and R&B fans are - the intersection of society's mainstream and hip-hop culture.īy 1988, rap music was 15 years old and had achieved multi-platinum album sales, successful major film releases, global tours and increased renown via television programs like MTV's "Yo! MTV Raps." Blend the rise in rap's popularity with young Black men singing soul songs, and the potential for a shift in the genre feels obvious. They were a boy band at the cusp of manhood, and their sound and style did not fit with their desires to expand their inspirations. In 1988, the group of men, now each nearing 60, were between 19-22. Gone were the days when the rock stars causing hysteria on television only looked like Elvis Presley and Mick Jagger, or even Van Halen's David Lee Roth or hair metal icons like Guns' n Roses' Axl Rose, Jon Bon Jovi or Poison's Bret Michaels. ![]() ![]() The sextet's rise to success occurred during an era where, because of the rise of music videos and race-blind crossover marketing principles, an unprecedented premium was placed on hyper-sensualized Black masculinity. When seated onstage at the NMAAM's Roots Theater on the afternoon of the 16th and queried about their chief interest when headed into the studio to create the record that would become their breakout 1988 album "Heartbreak," Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, Bobby Brown (who had left the group at that point to pursue solo success), Johnny Gill (who replaced Brown) Ronnie DeVoe and Ralph Tresvant all replied with one word, in unison. Telephone Man") were followed by a fourth album, "Under The Blue Moon," made up of mainly of classic soul covers. 1 singles ("Candy Girl," "Cool It Now," and "Mr. Ten years into their time as a group, New Edition had achieved a crossroads as Black "urban" music crossed over to pop's predominantly white rock mainstream. New Edition's decade of R&B-to-pop crossover success When compared to Nashville at present, it's better served as a lesson worth learning for the modern era's country-to-R&B intersection. Telephone Man' to 'Can You Stand The Rain?' when they were older - could all easily cross over as incredible country covers," Lucas adds.īackstage before their recent opening for Kane Brown at Bridgestone Arena, as they have for the better part of nearly two decades, New Edition's greatest hits served as the soundtrack, hyping them up to take the stage in front of nearly 20,000 people.Īs much as New Edition selling-out Bridgestone Arena on April 16 (alongside other four-decade-old throwbacks like Guy and Keith Sweat, plus 90s and 2000s-era soul hitmaker Tank) proved nostalgic. "New Edition's songs - from their younger era stuff like 'Mr. Along with his collaborator Preston Brust, the duo's Nashville existence post-dates the end of 90s country and R&B, plus births the start of the "bro-country" era. "Whether you're making R&B and rap hits or you're country to the bone, we've all been singing to the ladies for quite some time" jokes LOCASH's Chris Lucas. ![]() The group's success led to a similar evolution for country music in the 2010s.īefore acts like Florida Georgia Line and LOCASH - or even the Backstreet Boys and NSYNC, plus every manner of smooth-crooning soul-stirrer from Kane Brown to Morgan Wallen and beyond - New Edition set a standard. ![]() The city's fortunes changed two decades ago when New Edition's R&B blend of boy band appeal, hip-hop swagger, timeless vocals and massive hit songs redefined the pop industry at the turn of the 1990s. New Edition was honored at the National Museum of African American Music April 16 for selling 20 million records worldwide in the group's four-decade mainstream musical career.Īs the museum's home, Nashville is at a unique crossroads when it comes to the intersection of race and pop culture.
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