BET’s “The New Edition” story traces the dramatic rise of Boston’s New Edition. But the group’s legacy goes way beyond its string of hits.
Bobby Brown went solo after being ejected from the group in 1985, though he would later reunite with his bandmates. He did fine on his own, knocking out hits like “My Prerogative” and “Every Little Step.”
After Brown’s exit, Michael Bivins recruited solo artist Johnny Gill to join the group in 1987. Gill was the only member of New Edition who wasn’t from Boston.
When Ralph Tresvant went solo, he ushered in an era of R&B gentility with his 1990 self-titled solo record, which included the masterpiece “Sensitivity.”
Nothing prepared the world for the New Jack mastery of Bell Biv Devoe, featuring Ricky Bell, Bivins and Ronnie DeVoe. If you were in junior high in 1990, you definitely air-drummed to “Poison,” blushed at the forwardness of “Do Me” and slow-danced to “When Will I See You Smile Again?”
Hot off of Bell Biv Devoe, Bivins introduced the world to the kids group Another Bad Creation, aka ABC. Hits “The Playground” and “Iesha” played up their child-prodigy brilliance.
After discovering New Edition, producer Maurice Starr decided to try his luck with another group of Boston kids — but this time they were white. He created New Kids on the Block in 1984.
NKOTB spawned another act: Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch, starring Mark Wahlberg, the brother of New Kid Donnie. We wonder whatever happened to Mark?
Bivins also mentored Boys II Men, who debuted in 1991. And it all comes full circle: They’re going on tour with NKOTB.
