The music industry has changed dramatically over the past decade. The advent of technology (read: illegal downloading) has rendered many industry staples extinct. The R&B Guy Group is one such dinosaur. Sure, K-Ci and JoJo still record when they're not busy passing out onstage. Jagged Edge might still be together. Boyz II Men are performing Motown covers in the Poconos. I suppose you could technically call Day46 or whatever Diddy's "group" is called a Guy Group, but they're no Guy. Hell, they're not even Intro-quality. It goes without saying that the pickins is slim.
By contrast, the 90's had a gang of Guy Groups, from Levert, to Toni! Tone! Tony!, to Shai. Not all these groups made it big though. Some were consummate one-hit wonders. See if you remember these dudes.
H-Town - "Knockin' The Boots"
G.I., Shazaam, and Dino. Who the hell comes up with these names? Whatever happened to Eddie, and Lawrence, and Don'Trevious? Keep it simple, fellas. This video is all types of early 90's tackiness. The already-by-then-outdated high top fades. The pelvic thrusting. The oversized BetaMax Fisher Price My First Camcorder. Rockin' Timbs and shirtless vests. Still, give these guys credit, they could actually sing, and this song was a hit. It'll still be blaring during Quiet Storm mix hours 50 years from now. And R.I.P. to Dino, who died a few years ago in an unfortunate hit and run.
Silk - "Freak Me"
I know I usually use this forum to clown groups, but reality is, Silk's debut album Lose Control was actually very good. Unfortunately, this group of Keith Sweat proteges suffered the fate of many guy groups, the dreaded disease called OnlyOneOfUsCanSingAndTheLadiesDon'tThinkHeLooksVeryGood-itis. Let's be real, Lil' G looks like one of the missing Torry Brothers, and that's prolly not a good thing career-wise.
After 7 - "Heat Of The Moment"
Okay, it's probably not fair to consider After 7 one hit wonders. They had a relatively decent career that spanned much of the 90's, and former frontman Kevon Edmonds still continues to record and perform in chitlin' circuit "plays" today. But let's keep it honest, they also suffered from the same "Only One Guy Can Actually Sing" disease as Silk. This group will be forever remembered as Babyface's lightskinnded brother, Babyface's darkskinnded brother, and that other guy. I still have no idea what that other guy does, or if he even has a real gubb'ment name, but I remember seeing this group in concert once. Babyface's lightskinnded brother did a solo where he sang and brought the house down. Babyface's darkskinnded brother also did a solo where he sang and got pity applause when done. That other guy came out and... wait for it.... rapped. And rapped poorly. I wonder what Sizzler he's working at now.
Question: Got any other 90's Guy Groups that I missed?
