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: clarke on 10/30/2010 11:32AM
WHAT'S UP DIME, YOU KNOW I DON'T PAY THESE FOOLS ON HERE NO MIND. I'M LIKE FRANK SINATRA "I GOTTA BE ME, WHO ELSE CAN I BE" LOLOLOL YOU HAVE A HAPPY HALLOWEEN TOO, BUDDY. PEACE
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By: ADMR on 10/31/2010 4:19PM
White Folks Condone This...SEE Their Obvious Reactions - SOH
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By: No1'sname on 10/29/2010 3:27PM
Raz B please I don't believe a word that is being said, he is just scorned because of the break-up of the group. He recanted his story once & now he is back saying it did happen. At first I heard that he was being threatened because of the allegations, Raz B if you are gay then admit it but don't blame anyone else because of it, you get no sympathy from me!
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By: aj on 10/29/2010 4:38PM
if a preacher could be accused of it, why not an
R & B super star?
why leave all that success at its height? why make such an accusation? man thats way too bad for everyone involved.
hope you young people find some peace in your life, fast!
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By: jemimah on 10/29/2010 5:48PM
Black folk need to wake up and smell the coffee. The powers that be (like in control) have a 'thing' for black boys - there are some exceptions among the politicians and other so-called community leaders but it has been well documented in several instances to be the case. We have inherited a generational curse - male and female slaves were sexually abused by some masters, straw bosses and the like. This is real - modernly, so called scientific sex studies have caused the indiscriminate abuse of babies and children. Google Kinsey Institute, Franklin Cover-Up and Micro-City Government for proof. I would bet real money that Chris and the other guy are victims themselves - which does not excuse them for abusing this young man but is consistent with the pattern of abused children becoming abusers unless they admit their victimization, get help, etc.
I dare say it would take a rare breed of man (especially a young man) to falsely report being the victim of 2 different perps! Leave this young guy alone and thank God he has gotten help!
Plus, nothing irritates me more than illiterate non-spelling,ignorant people spouting off like they know something! Go buy a dictionary or at least use spell check before dumping your comments.
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By: It's not that SERIOUS? on 10/29/2010 6:21PM
This is the blogs, it is slang that is use, it's not that SERIOUS! This is not the Spelling Bee? Maybe we are feeling some type of way today. We can do that. It's ENTERTAINMENT, "Josh YARN it"?
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By: ADMR on 10/31/2010 4:27PM
Illiterate & Ignorant...Deep is Not for The Dumb - SEE
EARTH ANGEL
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By: "DimePiece" on 10/29/2010 6:10PM
@ No1'sname,
Look, "The Truth Will Set Ya Free"! Look, he's desperate, broke,lookin for a way back in the spotlight again, and getting some $$$$!
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By: deb on 10/29/2010 6:23PM
Why is it so hard to believe this could have happened? Negative comments like the one's I'm seeing here are probably why some many people who are being molested never tell. This is such a big secret in the black community. People need to open their eyes!
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By: ADMR on 10/31/2010 4:31PM
AMEN...I Got PEOPLE Talkin & Tellin
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