Old School Friday: Boyz II Men Stand the Test of Time in Cooleyhighharmony by Nick Law - November 8, 2008 Whenever I think about Boyz II Men, I’m always reminded of that episode of Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. You know, the one where Will brags to his friend Jazz about being friends with the group back in Philly and makes up a story about how he plans to get them to sing at his cousin Nicky’s baptism. Long story short, Will’s cousin Ashley accidentally overhears and now Will is forced to go through with the plan. Hilarity ensues. Those that truly love the group and know more about them than just their Fresh Prince cameo will tell you that the group was originally know as Unique Attraction and consisted of two friends from the Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts, Nathan Morris and Marc Nelson. The two had tried to put together several R&B singing groups, none of which seemed to last. It wasn’t until the addition of Wanya Morris, Shawn Stockman and Michael McCary that the group started attracting attention as a legitimate R&B group of the late 80’s and early 90’s. The group idolized New Edition and found inspirations in their harmonies and routines, including a song, which earned the group their present name. It was during a backstage event at a Bell Biv DeVoe (remember them?) concert that the newly named quintet impressed New Edition/Bell Biv DeVoe member Michael Bivins with an a cappella rendition of New Edition’s “Can You Stand the Rain.” Bivins was truly impressed and made a deal with Motown Records through a production deal with his own company to sign Boyz II Men on the spot. Due to personality conflicts, however, founding member Marc Nelson decided to leave at this time and Boyz II Men became the group we now know and love. The quartet’s first album, Cooleyhighharmony, was released on Motown in 1991 and executive produced by Michael Bivins with the first single appropriately titled “Motownphilly.” The single, featuring a rap cameo by Bivins, soon became a huge hit on the radio and was followed by a music video that presented the group in hip hop style. Cooleyhighharmony was a tremendous success, selling over nine million copies and winning the 1992 Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. The album had two major tracks, “Motownphilly and G.C. Cameron’s “It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday,” both of which were #1 R&B hits and top 5 U.S. pop hits. Listening to this album seventeen years later not only brings back great memories. It also gives you a chance to hear some really good music. Sure some of the tracks may be outdated. I’ve been to my share of parties where “Motownphilly” will inexplicably start playing and everyone in the room will laugh, but then start dancing. That’s what makes Boyz II Men so great. Sure the group did as they were told and released commercially viable music to the mainstream American public of the times. Unlike M.C. Hammer, however, some of their songs are timeless and can still be seriously introduced to a brand new audience today as some of the best R&B music ever written.  Subscribe to Latest Articles

1 Response

Nick Law May 9, 2009 2:46 AM All of their music is phenomenal, there is no other group like them, they remind me of the Temptations (Oh yeah I am old School) their ballads are the best. I have all of their music except the Christmas CD. They not only reach the young but also the old. I listen to them all the time, they are professional and the USto me does not give them the cedit due them.

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