Guy Groups Through The Years
Let's Hear it for the Boys: Guy Groups Through the Years
African American guy groups have played a significant role in creating the soundtrack of America. From Curtis Mayfield-penned black pride songs like 'People Get Ready and 'Keep on Pushing' to the Temptations sugary 'My Girl,' the work of these boy bands continues to impact new generations. Blackvoices.com pays homage to these groups. Let's hear it for the boys.
Guy Groups Through The Years
B2K
Notable Members: Lil' Fizz, J-Boog, Raz-B, and Omarion
Formed: Managed and founded by Chris Stokes, B2K hit the music scene in 2001 topping the charts their debut gold selling self-titled album followed by the platinum selling 'Pandemonium!' The urban boy band went on to disband in 2004 due to internal disagreements.
Notable Songs: 'Uh Huh' and 'Bump, Bump, Bump'
Factoid: Omarion along with Marques Houston and Chris Stokes has a production company called, Franchise Boys.
Guy Groups Through The Years
Az Yet
Notable Members: Marc Nelson, Dion Allen, Shawn Rivera, Kenny Terry and Tony Grant
Formed: Shawn Rivera and Dion Allen originally created Az Yet in 1989 as a quartet. After adding Kenny Terry, Darryl Anthony, and Boyz II Men founding member Marc Nelson to the lineup, Kenneth Edmonds booked them to perform with After 7 and El Debarge before signing them to his imprint, LaFace Records.
Notable Songs: 'Last Night' and 'Hard to Say I'm Sorry'
Factoid: Az Yet's biggest song, "Last Night,' was featured on the soundtrack ofthe 1996 Eddie Murphy flick 'The Nutty Professor.'
Guy Groups Through The Years
Boyz II Men
Notable Members: Nathan Morris, Wanya Morris, Shawn Stockman, Michael McCary
Formed: Boyz II Men came together as a quintet at the Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts in 1988 and after auditioning for New Edition member Michael Bivens after a Bell Biv DeVoe concert, the Grammy Award-winning R&B group signed to Bivens' Biv Ten Records and Motown Records.
Notable Songs: "It's So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday,' 'End of the Road,' 'MotownPhilly,' 'I'll Make Love To You,' and 'On Bended Knee'
Factoid: After Elvis and The Beatles, Boyz II Men are only the third act to ever replace itself at number-1 on the Hot 100 chart, when their hit 'On Bended Knee' replaced 'I'll Make Love To You' in 1994.
Guy Groups Through The Years
Dru Hill
Notable Members: Tamir "Nokio" Ruffin, Mark "Sisqo" Andrews, Larry "Jazz" Anthony and James "Woody Rock" Green
Formed: This Baltimore-based quartet, which at its height amassed seven Top 40 hits and a string of No. 1 R&B songs, formed in 1992 while working employed at fudge factory. There, the guys sang and performed to entertain guests while they made fudge before being signed to Island Records.
Notable Songs: 'In My Bed,' 'Never Make a Promise,' 'Tell Me,' 'Beauty,' 'We're Not Making Love No More' and 'How Deep is Your Love'
Factoid: Sisqo, the group's breakout star, was the second to leave Dru Hill after Woody decided to quit and go back to his gospel roots. Sisqo made a name for himself in 2000 with the summer hit 'Thong Song.'
Guy Groups Through The Years
Guy
Notable Members: Teddy Riley, Aaron Hall, and Damion Hall
Formed: After penning Bobby Brown's 'My Prerogative' and Johnny Kemp's 'Just Got Paid,' Harlem childhood friends Teddy Riley and Aaron Hall created the group Guy in 1987 and signed with Andre Harrell's Uptown Records in 1988.
Notable Songs: 'Groove Me,' 'Teddy's Jam,' 'I Like,' 'Round and Round (Merry Go Round of Love),' 'Piece of My Love,'
Factoid: By the time the New Jack Swing trio found success with the theme song to the 1991 film 'New Jack City,' they group disbanded, but Riley continued producing other artists, like Michael Jackson, Heavy D and even formed another boy band, Blackstreet.
Guy Groups Through The Years
Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes
Notable Members: Harold Melvin, Teddy Pendergrass, John Atkins, Bernard Williams, Roosevelt Broadie, Jesse Gillis, Jr., and Franklin Peaker
Formed: Though initially they called themselves The Charlemagnes, and then The Original Blue Notes, but they settled on the name Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes in the late 60s.
Notable Songs: 'If You Don't Know Me By Now,' 'Wake Up Everybody,' ' Bad Luck,' and 'I Miss You'
Factoid: Teddy Pendergrass unsuccessfully attempted to have the group named Teddy Pendergrass & the Blue Notes in 1976. But, quitting the group proved the best move for the Philly soul singer, who went on to have a successful solo career.
Guy Groups Through The Years
H-Town
Notable Members: Keven 'Dino' Conner, Soloman 'Shazam' Conner and Darryl 'G.I.' Jackson
Formed: In 1992, twin brothers Keven 'Dino' Conner, Soloman 'Shazam' Conner and their long-time friend Darryl 'G.I.' Jackson signed a record deal with 2 Live Crew rapper Luther 'Luke' Campbell's Luke Records. They named themselves H-Town in homage to their hometown of Houston, Texas.
Notable Songs: 'Knockin' Da Boots,' 'Emotions,' and 'A Thin Line Between Love and Hate'
Factoid: On January 28, 2003, Dino and his girlfriend Teshya Rae Weisant were struck by an SUV that read a red light and killed in an automobile accident in Houston, Texas. The platinum-selling group had just finished recording what would have been their fourth studio album.
Guy Groups Through The Years
The Isley Brothers
Notable Members: O'Kelly Isley, Jr., Rudolph O'Kelly Isley, Ronald Isley, Ernie Isley, Marvin Isley and Chris Jasper
Formed: The elder sons of O'Kelly Isley, Sr. and Sally Bell Isley formed The Isley Brothers in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1954. Their younger brothers, Ernie and Marvin and their brother-in-law, Chris Jasper joined the fold in 1973 and the trio became a six-member line-up.
Notable Songs: 'It's Your Thing,' 'Fight the Power (Part 1),' 'Don't Say Goodnight (It's Time For Love)' and 'Down Low (Nobody Has to Know)'
Factoid: The Grammy Award-winning Isley Brothers, who at one time were backed by late legendary guitar player Jimi Hendrix. They are the only act to chart in the Top 40 in six separate decades.
Guy Groups Through The Years
The Jacksons
Notable Members: Michael Jackson, Randy Jackson, Jackie Jackson, Tito Jackson, Jermaine Jackson and Marlon Jackson
Formed: Arguably the biggest pop group of the 1970s, Joseph Jackson put his three eldest boys together to form a singing group and called them The Jackson Brothers. Michael and Marlon were added to play the tambourine and congas, and the group was called The Jackson 5, but Michael quickly became the standout star and lead singer.
Notable Songs: 'ABC,' 'The Love You Save,' 'I'll Be There,' 'I Want You Back,' 'Can You Feel It,' 'Never Can Say Goodbye' and 'Dancing Machine.'
Factoid: Motown founder Berry Gordy decided to tell press that Diana Ross discovered The Jackson 5, to have a bigger impact on the public perception of the group, but it was really his assistant Suzanne de Passe, who as a teenager discovered them, helped to groom the boys and convinced her boss to sign The Jackson 5 to the storied record label.
Guy Groups Through The Years
Comments: (87)
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By: "DimePiece" on 10/29/2010 5:44PM
@ clarke,
You are funny :-)
I Don't understand how someone thought my comment was "Personal"? WOW? Thanks for havin my back. Check the first page, like you said I seen a person jumpin on you over your comments. Everybody has a right to their own opinion and it's not called HATE, ya feel me. I did have ya back on that page. My motto is, "If ya don't like my comments, than READ THE HELL OVER THEM AND KEEP IT MOVING"!
"Happy Halloween" and have a good weekend. :-)
Peace!
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By: ADMR on 10/29/2010 11:28AM
" The Only help he will NEED Is JESUS CHRIST " - AMEN - Keep Talkin', Keep Tellin'...
With GOD All Things Are Possible
This Is Sick.
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By: patti777 on 10/29/2010 11:47AM
There is so much shame associated with being molested by another man, I don't believe that anyone would make this up. Molesters generally do not stop with one victim, after one gets too old to suit their tastes, they are off looking for another youngster. So if this "confession" sets up a caution flag for parents of young "talent" working with these guys, then it has accomplished something important. GOOD FOR YOU DE'MARIO!
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By: mike on 10/29/2010 1:02PM
I beleive that something happened, when you are molested you go through a lot of different emotions, even questioning yourself, even wondering. I beleive that because look at the rumor about omarion and bow wow. I beleive they all have some tendencies, and just need to come to grip with it.
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By: ADMR on 10/31/2010 4:10PM
NEED...Said The KING - SEE
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By: Ceyae on 10/29/2010 1:19PM
If you Ask Me: The Whole Group Seemed "Suspect" To ME! I Was Never A Fan Of That Group. As Far as Rat-B or ?, eventhough he seems to switch his story more times than a defendant in Court, I Believe "Ratz Got Served"!!!
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By: "DimePiece" on 10/29/2010 5:58PM
ROTFL :-) That was a good one!
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By: ree on 11/09/2010 10:52PM
If you have ever been molested, then you know how easy it is to keep it a secret. It is a very hurtful, lonely, sad place, and you lock it away so you don't have to remember the shame, and ugly-ness of what happened to you. If this is true, and Raz-B was molested, then I can understand why he didn't say anything, when you are a kid, you don't even begin to know how to start the conversation of someone is doing something sexual to me.... Even at 13 years old, cause you just want it to go away... I hope he wouldn't lie about something like this... for a stupid album... I hope he wouldn't lie for any reason....but I again with tongie24 we can judge this situation because we don't know the whole truth and nothing but.
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By: Del on 10/29/2010 3:16PM
This is how I see it, and I have been saying this for years, people who think it's a joke when someone comes out about being sexually abused, when they say, the victims are not telling the truth, people really need to watch your kids around people like that, because when you support the child molester, your probably or you probably have been molesting kids. There is no way that anyone could support that kind of behavior, unless your doing it yourself. People need to think before they speak, I'M JUST SAYING Or can someone be that cold hearted, to support that kind of behavior.
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By: clarke on 10/30/2010 11:26AM
THIS RIGHT HERE IS EXACTLY THE REASON WHY WE DON'T. JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE DOESN'T BELIEVE EVERY STORY OF WHAT SOMEONE SAYS IS ABUSE HERE YO DUMB ASS COMES CALLIN PEOPLE MOSLESTERS. THIS ARTICLE GIVES NOTHNG THAT COULD REMOTELY BE CALLED A FACT, JUST SOMEONES CLAIM. YOU DO KNOW THAT PEOPLE CAN AND DO LIE DON'T YOU? I"M NOT SAYING THIS YOUNG MAN IS LYING I'M JUST SAYING IT IS POSSIBLE AND IT HAS BEEN DONE BEFORE. YOU DO KNOW THAT THERE ARE MEN WHO HAVE BEEN KILLED OVER FALSE ACCUSATIONS OF RAPE DON'T YOU. THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT RAPE DOESN'T HAPPEN BUT ANY INTELLIGENT PERSON WAITS AND GETS THE WHOLE STORY BEFORE THEY JUMP TO CONCLUSIONS. YOU CAN'T JUST BELIEVE ANY AND EVERY DAMN THING DEL. PEACE.
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