Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins and Ronnie DeVoe of BBD

Performance pictures: Hope West/Additional event pictures: Kimberly Charles

Hola my GFM family!!!

Last week, our team got a chance to check out Atlanta’ V-103′s For Sisters Only for their 20 year anniversary. Bring a number of big names like Cee-Lo, Tyrese, Marsha Ambrosius, Monica, Melanie Fiona, Eric Roberson, Kindred the Family Soul, Johnny Gill, BBD and much more, we were exhausted from all the excitement. If you missed this milestone event or just want to relive it again, here are some great pics taken from that experience.

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This song is more than a powerful Jam & Lewis ballad, it really tells the story of Ronnie, Bobby, Ricky, Mike, Ralph and Johnny. For 33 years we’ve followed the tale of five young boys inspired by the legacy of the Jackson 5 and The Temptations turn into six men who’ve created a legacy of their own. While I enjoy the individual projects of BBD, Johnny Gill, Ricky Bell, Ralph Tresvant, Bobby Brown and will probably equally enjoy Heads of State but nothing, and I mean nothing, can compare with the solid and unified force of New Edition……..home again.

Poison “Never trust a big butt and a smile” You know we still use this quote, am I lying? Thank you! What can one say about this classic anthem? Throw it on in any club today and I guarantee a full to capacity crowd on the dance floor. If you weren’t wearin’ this one out in the summer of 1990. you must have been in a coma. Bell Biv Devoe was comprised of New Edition members Ricky Bell, Michael Bivens and Ronnie DeVoe. “Poison” was the first single taken from their debut album as its’ title track. This single was huge for BBD landing at number one on the Billboard Hot R&B Hot singles and number three on the Hot 100. The song samples Kool G. Raps’ “Poison” of 1989 with his voice being heard saying poison throughout the song. With everybody jumping on the “New Jack Swing” style, with”Poison” BBD delivered a hard-edged, raw blend of R&B/funk and hip-hop. “Poison” is without doubt a new jack swing classic and among the best the style has to offer. While all the cookie cutters were trying to immulate Guy, Bell Biv Devoe proved to be one of the few real innovators of “New Jack Swing.”

“Something About You” is the third single from the groups sixth studio album “Home Again.” Released in 1996, “Home Again” marked the return of Bobby Brown and the first album with he and Johnny Gill recording together. “Home Again” went on to be certified double platinum, with sales of over two million, and became the groups greatest commercial success. I thought “Something About You” was a pretty decent track with Ralph Tresvant singing lead and Bobby co-lead. By the time this single generated steam the bigger news was how the group was falling apart during their reunion tour. After an altercation on stage between Brown and Ronnie DeVoe that brought a halt to a concert, Brown left the tour as did Michael Bivens. That pretty much explains the video for “Something About You.” It was put together with clever editing using old footage from the “Still In Love With You” video that was shot on location at Villa Vizcaya in Miami. The song more than made up for the video which was not all bad considering it was a recycle with no real willing participants.