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
A few years back, former B2K singer De'Mario Thornton, better known as Raz B, made allegations that his ex-manager and cousin Chris Stokes, and fellow singer Marques Houston sexually molested him. And, two years ago, Vibe magazine did an investigative report to uncover the truth behind whether molestation really did cause both the hitmaking group and the Marques Houston-led group IMX to break up.
