HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Boyz II Men (pronounced ''boys to men''), also known as B2M, is an American vocal harmony group from
Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
,
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; (Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, Ma ...
, best known for emotional
ballad A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads derive from the medieval French ''chanson balladée'' or '' ballade'', which were originally "dance songs". Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and ...
s and a cappella harmonies. They are currently a trio composed of baritone Nathan Morris alongside tenors Wanya Morris and Shawn Stockman. During the 1990s, Boyz II Men found fame on
Motown Records Motown Records is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. It was founded by Berry Gordy, Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on June 7, 1958, and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmant ...
as a quartet, including bass Michael McCary, who left the group in 2003 due to health issues which were eventually diagnosed as
multiple sclerosis Multiple (cerebral) sclerosis (MS), also known as encephalomyelitis disseminata or disseminated sclerosis, is the most common demyelinating disease, in which the insulating covers of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord are damaged. This d ...
. During the 1990s, Boyz II Men gained international success, beginning with the release of top 5 singles " Motownphilly" and " It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday" in 1991. Their number one single " End of the Road" in was released in 1992, and reached the top of charts worldwide. "End of the Road" set a new record for longevity, holding the number one spot on ''Billboard'' Hot 100 for thirteen weeks. Boyz II Men broke this record with the subsequent releases of " I'll Make Love to You" and " One Sweet Day" (with
Mariah Carey Mariah Carey (; born March 27, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and record producer. Referred to as the " Songbird Supreme", she is noted for her five-octave vocal range, melismatic singing style and signature use of the whi ...
), which, at fourteen and sixteen weeks, respectively, each set new records for the total number of weeks at number one. "I'll Make Love to You" topped the charts in Australia (for four weeks) and garnered international success. Consequently, Boyz II Men is among the music industry's elite with regard to time spent at number one in ''Billboard'' history with 50 cumulative weeks. They rank sixth behind Drake, the Beatles,
Rihanna Robyn Rihanna Fenty ( ; born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, actress, and businesswoman. Born in Saint Michael and raised in Bridgetown, Barbados, Rihanna auditioned for American record producer Evan Rogers who invited her to the ...
,
Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...
and Carey. Furthermore, when " On Bended Knee" took the number one spot away from "I'll Make Love to You", Boyz II Men became only the third artists ever (after the Beatles and Presley) to replace themselves at the top of the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. These achievements were enough to earn Boyz II Men recognition as '' Billboard'' magazine's biggest boy band during the period of 1987 to 2012. Boyz II Men has received four
Grammy Awards The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
. Boyz II Men continue to perform worldwide, as a trio. Their most recent studio album, ''Under the Streetlight'', was released in 2017. In June 2017, a section of Broad Street (from Christian to Carpenter Streets) in Philadelphia was renamed "Boyz II Men Boulevard". This section of the street is near the
Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts The Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts, commonly known as CAPA, is a magnet school in South Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at the edge of the Christian Street Historic District. It is a part of the School Distri ...
, where the members once attended.


History


1985–1990: Group formation and beginnings

The group, originally named Unique Attraction, was formed in 1985 by Michael Grimaldi, Nathan Morris, and Marc Nelson at the Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA) along with fellow schoolmates
George Baldi George William Baldi III (born August 29, 1970) is an American singer best known as the bass singer of the a cappella singing group Rockapella from 2002 to 2014, and then returned to the group since 2022. Early life Baldi grew up in Philadelphi ...
, Jon Shoats, and Marguerite Walker. In 1987, Wanya Morris, who sang in the school's choir along with the members of Unique Attraction, joined the group and became a permanent member as a freshman. In 1988, Baldi, Shoats and Walker all left the group due to graduation. They then recruited Shawn Stockman after seeing him perform a solo in the school's choir. After an encounter in a school bathroom, Michael McCary started singing along with the group and eventually became the group's new bass singer. With a permanent lineup of members, the group rehearsed in the high school's bathrooms, on the corners of their schools, and in other local areas. At CAPA, they were mentored by LaDeva Davis. Finding inspiration in New Edition's harmonies and routines, they eventually renamed the group "Boyz II Men", after New Edition's "Boys to Men", from the 1988 album '' Heart Break''. After performing at a Valentine's Day party at school in 1989, they snuck into a concert put on by local radio station Power 99 at the Philadelphia Civic Center. Their plan was to find Will Smith backstage and perform for him. However, while looking for Smith, they happened to cross paths with New Edition member Michael Bivins, who along with fellow band mates Ricky Bell and Ronnie DeVoe, just announced they were forming a New Edition spin-off trio Bell Biv DeVoe. After they sang New Edition's " Can You Stand the Rain" for him, Bivins and everyone in attendance, including other celebrities, were impressed. He then gave the group his number and told them to give him a call. Nate eventually called him, and he agreed to manage and helped produce the group. The delay before recording their own material and reported personality conflicts led founding member Marc Nelson to leave the group, making Boyz II Men into the quartet that found international fame: Michael McCary, Nathan Morris, Wanya Morris and Shawn Stockman.


1991–1993: ''Cooleyhighharmony'' and "End of the Road"

Boyz II Men's first album, '' Cooleyhighharmony'', was released on Motown in 1991 and was produced by Michael Bivins. ''Cooleyhighharmony''s drum-heavy
new jack swing New jack swing, new jack, or swingbeat is a fusion genre of the rhythms and production techniques of hip hop and dance-pop, and the urban contemporary sound of R&B. Spearheaded by producers Teddy Riley and Bernard Belle, new jack swing was mos ...
sound and multi-layered sampled backdrops were similar to that of Bell Biv DeVoe's own work, but featured classic-soul styled vocals in place of BBD's
rapping Rapping (also rhyming, spitting, emceeing or MCing) is a musical form of vocal delivery that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and street vernacular". It is performed or chanted, usually over a backing beat or musical accompaniment. The ...
and brassier singing. This style was dubbed " hip hop
doo-wop Doo-wop (also spelled doowop and doo wop) is a genre of rhythm and blues music that originated in African-American communities during the 1940s, mainly in the large cities of the United States, including New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Chica ...
" by the group and Bivins, who presented Boyz II Men and adolescent R&B group Another Bad Creation to the public as BBD's protégés. From the beginning, Boyz II Men featured all four members as leads, avoiding the usual R&B group arrangement of one or two lead singers and a team of background singers. The multiple-lead arrangement became a Boyz II Men trademark, and it became typical to hear Wanya Morris' vibrato-heavy
tenor A tenor is a type of classical male singing voice whose vocal range lies between the countertenor and baritone voice types. It is the highest male chest voice type. The tenor's vocal range extends up to C5. The low extreme for tenors i ...
, Shawn Stockman's tenor voice, Nathan Morris' baritone, and Michael McCary's
bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in the bass range: ** Bass (instrument), including: ** Acoustic bass gui ...
(often used in spoken-word sections of many Boyz II Men hits) trading bars in each song. The album's liner notes identified unique nicknames for each member of the group. These nicknames were devised in collaboration with Bivins in an attempt at marketing. Wanya was "Squirt", Shawn was "Slim", Michael was simply "Bass", and Nathan assumed the name "Alex Vanderpool", after a soap opera character who brandished a nerdy style. Boyz II Men's first single, the Dallas Austin-produced " Motownphilly" featured a rap cameo by Michael Bivins that gives the story of how he met Boyz II Men. The single's release was accompanied with a music video that presented the group in hip hop style. (The video also included cameos from fellow Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts alumni Black Thought and
Questlove Ahmir Khalib Thompson (born January 20, 1971), known professionally as Questlove (stylized as ), is an American musician, record producer, disc jockey, filmmaker, music journalist, and actor. He is the drummer and joint frontman (with Black Tho ...
of
The Roots The Roots are an American hip hop band formed in 1987 by Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter and Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The Roots serve as the house band on NBC's ''The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy F ...
.) ''Cooleyhighharmony''s second single was an a cappella cover of a classic Motown tune, G.C. Cameron's " It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday" from the 1975 film '' Cooley High'', while "Uhh Ahh" served as the third single. ''Cooleyhighharmony'' achieved major success, eventually selling over nine million copies and winning the Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals at the
1992 Grammy Awards The 34th Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 25, 1992, recognizing accomplishments by musicians from the previous year (1991). Natalie Cole won the most awards (three), including Album of the Year. Paul Simon opened the show. Performers ...
. Boyz II Men were also nominated for Best New Artist, along with British singer-songwriter Seal, fellow R&B group Color Me Badd, as well as dance group C+C Music Factory, but the Grammy was awarded to singer-songwriter Marc Cohn. "Motownphilly" and "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday" were number 1 R&B hits and top five U.S. pop hits. In 1992, Boyz II Men joined MC Hammer's high-profile
2 Legit 2 Quit "2 Legit 2 Quit" is a song by Hammer featuring Saja (a.k.a. Sonia Moore), released on September 5, 1991 as the first single from his fourth studio album, ''Too Legit to Quit'' (1991). Music video The music video was directed by Rupert Wainwright ...
Tour as an
opening act A opening act, also known as a warm-up act, support act, or supporting act, is an entertainment act (musical, comedic, or otherwise), that performs at a concert before the featured act, or "headliner". Rarely, an opening act may perform again a ...
. While traveling the country, their tour manager Khalil Rountree was murdered in
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...
, and the group's future performances of "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday" were dedicated to him. As a result of this unfortunate experience, the song helped advance their success. While touring during 1992, Boyz II Men returned briefly to the studio to record the single " End of the Road", co-written and produced by Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, for the soundtrack to
Eddie Murphy Edward Regan Murphy (born April 3, 1961) is an American actor, comedian, writer, producer, and singer. He rose to fame on the sketch comedy show ''Saturday Night Live'', for which he was a regular cast member from 1980 to 1984. Murphy has als ...
's film '' Boomerang''. This song, released as a single on June 30, 1992, became Boyz II Men's biggest hit. It reached the number one position on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 on August 15, remaining there for a record-setting 13 weeks, until November 14, 1992. The success of "End of the Road" instantly transformed Boyz II Men from up-and-coming R&B stars into mainstream music celebrities. A revamped ''Cooleyhighharmony'' was reissued during 1993, with "End of the Road" added as a special bonus track, but "End of the Road" initially appeared only on the ''Boomerang'' soundtrack. Later, the track was included on a collection of singles produced by Michael Bivins called "East Coast Family, Vol. 1". Shortly after the release of this compilation, Boyz II Men and Michael Bivins parted ways professionally. Boyz II Men continued to work with Babyface and other high-profile record producers over the next several years.


1994–1996: ''II'' and "I'll Make Love to You"

After releasing a Christmas compilation, '' Christmas Interpretations'' in 1993, Boyz II Men returned to the studio for their highly anticipated sophomore effort. In 1994, '' II'' was released. ''II'' sold more than copies in the United States alone, becoming one of the best-selling albums ever released by an R&B group act, and one of the biggest albums of the decade. ''II'' later won two awards at the 1995 Grammy Awards, including Best R&B Album. Most of the tracks on ''II'' were written and produced by Tim & Bob—Tim Kelley and Bob Robinson (5), Babyface (2) and the successful team of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis (2). Several of ''II''s tracks became major singles, among them Jam & Lewis's "On Bended Knee", and Babyface's " I'll Make Love to You" and " Water Runs Dry". "I'll Make Love to You" broke "End of the Road's" 13-week record at number 1, by spending 14 weeks at the top of the chart (a feat equaled earlier that year by Whitney Houston's cover of "
I Will Always Love You "I Will Always Love You" is a song written and originally recorded in 1973 by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. Written as a farewell to her business partner and mentor Porter Wagoner, expressing Parton's decision to pursue a solo career, ...
"). "On Bended Knee" replaced "I'll Make Love to You" at number 1, making Boyz II Men only the third act ever to replace itself at number 1 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart, after Elvis Presley and the Beatles. In 1995, the group appeared as backing vocalists on "
HIStory History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the History of writing#Inventions of writing, invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbr ...
" from Michael Jackson's Grammy-nominated ninth album of the same name. In 1995, Motown issued '' The Remix Collection'', a compilation of
remix A remix (or reorchestration) is a piece of media which has been altered or contorted from its original state by adding, removing, or changing pieces of the item. A song, piece of artwork, book, video, poem, or photograph can all be remixes. The o ...
es of various Boyz II Men songs from ''Cooleyhighharmony'' and ''II''. The group itself had opposed the release of the collection because they felt the compilation did not represent Boyz II Men's best work. After the label released the album without their permission, there was a dispute between the company and the group. Boyz II Men initiated their own recording company Stonecreek (which released material by artists such as Uncle Sam), and they arranged for Stonecreek's distribution by
Epic Records Epic Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese conglomerate Sony. The label was founded predominantly as a jazz and classica ...
, not Motown.


1997–1998: ''Evolution'' and label conflicts

Boyz II Men's third studio album, ''
Evolution Evolution is change in the heritable characteristics of biological populations over successive generations. These characteristics are the expressions of genes, which are passed on from parent to offspring during reproduction. Variation ...
'', was released during 1997 to mixed reviews and sold three million copies, far below the stratospheric success of ''II''s ( copies) and ''Cooleyhighharmony'' (). Only one of ''Evolution''s singles, the Jam/Lewis-penned " Four Seasons of Loneliness", reached number 1 on the Hot 100 chart. The second single, the Babyface-helmed " A Song for Mama" (the theme song to the Babyface-produced film '' Soul Food,'') was a Top 10 success, but the follow-up "Can't Let Her Go" underperformed. The global tour began in 1997 to promote ''Evolution'' was successful in terms of ticket sales, but behind the scenes, Boyz II Men was wracked by conflicts, with their record label and internal conflicts among the members of the group. Making matters worse, health problems began to take their toll on the group. While on tour to support the ''Evolution'' album, Wanya Morris developed a polyp on his
vocal cords In humans, vocal cords, also known as vocal folds or voice reeds, are folds of throat tissues that are key in creating sounds through vocalization. The size of vocal cords affects the pitch of voice. Open when breathing and vibrating for speech ...
, and the group was forced to postpone part of the tour until he recovered. McCary's multiple sclerosis meant that he was unable to participate in most of the group's dance routines. Boyz II Men were nominated for 2 Grammys in 1998: Best R&B Album for ''Evolution'' and Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group for "A Song for Mama".


1999–2001: ''Nathan Michael Shawn Wanya''

In 1999, Motown's parent company,
PolyGram PolyGram N.V. was a multinational entertainment company and major music record label formerly based in the Netherlands. It was founded in 1962 as the Grammophon-Philips Group by Dutch corporation Philips and German corporation Siemens, to be a ...
, was bought by Universal Music Group. Amidst the major corporate restructure, Motown was merged with UMG's Universal Records, where Boyz II Men found themselves reassigned. Their only studio LP album for Universal, 2000's '' Nathan Michael Shawn Wanya'', was chiefly written and produced by the group itself, in an attempt to update their sound and ward off critics who questioned the group's reliance on Babyface's hit-making songcraft. While the critics were more receptive to ''Nathan Michael Shawn Wanya'' than they had been to its predecessor, the LP sold only 500,000 copies in the US, copies worldwide, and although its two singles, "Pass You By" and "Thank You in Advance," received media attention, neither became hits. Boyz II Men departed from Universal in 2001, ending their relationship with the company that brought them to international stardom in 1991. The label released a very successful greatest hits compilation, '' Legacy: The Greatest Hits Collection'', to close out their contract.


2002–2003: ''Full Circle'' and "The Color of Love"

Signing a new deal with Arista Records in 2002, Boyz II Men began recording the '' Full Circle'' album, and recruited Babyface for a new single, "The Color of Love". In an attempt to recapture the massive success the group had enjoyed a decade earlier, the album received a significant promotional budget. Arista commissioned a high-budget music video, shot in four different locales by four different directors: supervising director Little X filmed scenes featuring Michael McCary in India, Hype Williams filmed Shawn Stockman in
Tokyo Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and List of cities in Japan, largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, ...
, Benny Boom filmed Nathan Morris in
Ghana Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in Ghana–Ivory Coast border, the west, Burkina ...
, and Chris Robinson filmed Wanya Morris in Puerto Rico and finally all were filmed in New York. The resulting music video had a debut on BET, but failed to have a great effect, and ''Full Circle'', like ''Nathan Michael Shawn Wanya'' before it, sold slightly more than 500,000 copies in the US and copies worldwide. ''Full Circle'' became Boyz II Men's final album as a quartet, and their last effort to receive extensive promotion from a major record company. On , 2003, Michael McCary left Boyz II Men due to chronic back problems resulting from
multiple sclerosis Multiple (cerebral) sclerosis (MS), also known as encephalomyelitis disseminata or disseminated sclerosis, is the most common demyelinating disease, in which the insulating covers of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord are damaged. This d ...
(MS) and personal problems. Arista terminated Boyz II Men's contract on , and the remaining three members took a temporary hiatus from the music industry.


2004–2006: ''Throwback, Vol. 1'' and ''The Remedy''

After a year out of the spotlight, Boyz II Men created the independent label MSM Music Group (distributed through Koch Records), and released the ''Throwback, Vol. 1'' LP in 2004. The album is a collection of covers of classic R&B and soul songs such as The Dazz Band's "
Let It Whip "Let It Whip" is a 1982 single by the Dazz Band and their biggest hit, peaking at number one on the R&B chart for five non-consecutive weeks. The single also reached number two on the Dance chart and number five on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 c ...
", Michael Jackson's "
Human Nature Human nature is a concept that denotes the fundamental dispositions and characteristics—including ways of thinking, feeling, and acting—that humans are said to have naturally. The term is often used to denote the essence of humankind, or ...
", and, as the single, Bobby Caldwell's "What You Won't Do for Love". For this record, Nathan took on the bass lines as well as the baritone vocals that he sang when Boyz II Men was a quartet. ''Throwback, Vol. 1'' reached number 59 on the Billboard 200. The group launched an independent tour of North America and Asia in support of the ''Throwback'' series. The album sold over 200,000 copies with little to no promotion aside from the group's independent tour. In 2005 Boyz II Men recorded a CD with Anderson Cameau called "Apocalypse", a project meant to benefit
Haiti Haiti (; ht, Ayiti ; French: ), officially the Republic of Haiti (); ) and formerly known as Hayti, is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean Sea, east of Cuba and Jamaica, and ...
. In 2006, Boyz II Men's seventh studio album, ''The Remedy'', was released exclusively in Japan, where they found a thriving fan base. In other regions, ''The Remedy'' was made available online through the group's website on , 2007.


2007–2009: ''Hitsville USA'' & ''Love''

In mid-2007, the group re-signed with Universal Records and released the LP '' Motown: A Journey Through Hitsville USA'' through the
Decca Records Decca Records is a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis (Decca), Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934 by Lewis, Jack Kapp, American Decca's first president, and Milton Rackmil, who later became American ...
label. The LP is a cover album featuring songs from the Motown Records catalog, co-produced by
Randy Jackson Randall Darius Jackson (born June 23, 1956) is an American record executive and television presenter, perhaps best known as a judge on ''American Idol'' from 2002 to 2013. Jackson began his career in the 1980s as a session musician playing bas ...
of '' American Idol'' fame. The ''Motown'' album includes covers of songs by The Temptations (" Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)"),
Marvin Gaye Marvin Pentz Gay Jr., who also spelled his surname as Gaye (April 2, 1939 – April 1, 1984), was an American singer and songwriter. He helped to shape the sound of Motown in the 1960s, first as an in-house session player and later as a solo ar ...
(" Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing", " Mercy Mercy Me"), Smokey Robinson & the Miracles (" The Tracks of My Tears"), and even Boyz II Men themselves (an a cappella version of "End of the Road"). Commercially, ''Motown'' found some success. It peaked at number 6 on the US R&B chart and was certified Gold in the UK. The album was also a critical success. For the 51st Annual Grammy Awards in 2009, Boyz II Men received two nominations for the album ''Motown: A Journey Through Hitsville USA'' (Best R&B Album and Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for "Ribbon in the Sky"). In 2008, Boyz II Men's three members appeared on Celebrity '' Don't Forget the Lyrics'' and created a sensation with their performance. They earned $500,000 for their two nominated charities; the appearance also generated interest in their next release. In 2009, Boyz II Men announced plans for a new cover album that covers "artists I don't think people would expect us to cover!" according to Shawn Stockman. Entitled '' Love'', the album was released on , 2009. The album contains remakes of love songs from outside the R&B genre.


2010–2012: Love Cruise and ''Twenty''

Boyz II Men headlined a "Love Cruise" in honor of their 20th anniversary and in observance of Valentine's Day. The cruise took place –14, 2011, and traveled from
Miami, Florida Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at th ...
, to
Nassau, Bahamas Nassau ( ) is the capital and largest city of the Bahamas. With a population of 274,400 as of 2016, or just over 70% of the entire population of the Bahamas, Nassau is commonly defined as a primate city, dwarfing all other towns in the country. ...
. Cruise passengers received a Boyz II Men welcome cocktail party, a concert performance by Boyz II Men, an additional fan appreciation concert by Boyz II Men, a photo session with Boyz II Men (in small groups), a formal prom night, a
poker Poker is a family of comparing card games in which players wager over which hand is best according to that specific game's rules. It is played worldwide, however in some places the rules may vary. While the earliest known form of the game w ...
tournament, a deck party with Boyz II Men and a guest DJ, a singles mixer, a gift bag, and onboard drawings for other Boyz II Men events. Couples were able to renew their wedding vows in a special ceremony with Boyz II Men. '' Twenty'', named in recognition of Boyz II Men's twenty years in the music business, is a double CD album with thirteen original songs and eight rerecorded Boyz II Men classics. It was released on October 25, 2011. ''Twenty'' is the group's fourth release through MSM Music Group. It was released in Japan 13 days before its official US release date with the help of Avex Group, the biggest Japanese
independent record label An independent record label (or indie label) is a record label that operates without the funding or distribution of major record labels; they are a type of small- to medium-sized enterprise, or SME. The labels and artists are often represented ...
. Originally, Boyz II Men announced a reunion with original member Michael McCary for the ''Twenty'' album. On September 6, 2009, at a concert in Virginia Beach, Virginia, Stockman announced that their upcoming 20th anniversary album would "include all 4 members", sparking a tremendous applause. But soon after that announcement, McCary declined and did not join the project. As a trio, Boyz II Men performed as special guests on
VH1 VH1 (originally an initialism of Video Hits One) is an American basic cable television network based in New York City and owned by Paramount Global. It was created by Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment, at the time a division of Warner Commun ...
's highly rated '' VH1 Divas Celebrate Soul'' concert. Boyz II Men contributed a cover of Japanese rock band L'Arc~en~Ciel's song " Snow Drop" to their 2012 tribute album.


2013–present: The Package Tour, ''Collide'' and Geico commercials

On January 22, 2013, the group appeared on '' The View'' along with New Kids on the Block and 98 Degrees to announce their joint tour that took place in summer 2013. As of February 20, 2013, Boyz II Men announced that beginning March 1, 2013, they will stop touring and begin performing shows at the Mirage Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. On January 13, 2014, the trio appeared at the end of an episode of ''
How I Met Your Mother ''How I Met Your Mother'' (often abbreviated as ''HIMYM'') is an American sitcom, created by Craig Thomas and Carter Bays for CBS. The series, which aired from September 19, 2005 to March 31, 2014, follows the main character, Ted Mosby, and his ...
'' titled " Slapsgiving 3: Slappointment in Slapmarra", performing an a cappella version of the show's song "You Just Got Slapped". Their eleventh album, titled ''Collide'', was released on October 21, 2014. In 2016, the trio appeared in '' Grease: Live'' as the Teen Angels and sang '' Beauty School Dropout''. Wanya placed 4th for the 22nd season of the ABC reality competition series '' Dancing With The Stars''. They also did music for an animated adaptation of ''
The Snowy Day ''The Snowy Day'' is a 1962 children's picture book by American author and illustrator Ezra Jack Keats. It features Peter, an African American boy, who explores his neighborhood after the season’s first snowfall. Keats’ illustrations helped ...
''. In 2017, the group began starring in television commercials for
GEICO The Government Employees Insurance Company (GEICO ) is a private American auto insurance company with headquarters in Chevy Chase, Maryland. It is the second largest auto insurer in the United States, after State Farm. GEICO is a wholly owne ...
Auto Insurance. On June 24, 2017, a section of Broad Street in Philadelphia, from Christian to Carpenter Streets, was renamed “Boyz II Men Boulevard” by the city council. Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts, where the members of Boyz II Men were once students, is on this section of Broad Street. In August 2017, it was announced they were releasing a new album titled ''Under the Streetlight'' in the Fall. It was released on October 20, 2017. On January 4, 2018, the group was featured in a new track released by Charlie Puth, titled "
If You Leave Me Now "If You Leave Me Now" is a song by the American rock group Chicago, from their album ''Chicago X''. It was written and sung by bass player Peter Cetera and released as a single on July 30, 1976. It is also the title of a Chicago compilation alb ...
", created for Charlie Puth's album ''Voicenotes''. On September 6, 2018, the group performed at the NFL 2018–2019 season kickoff at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, PA. On October 2, 2018, the group performed "Ladies Man" on ABC's ''Dancing with the Stars''. DeMarcus Ware and Lindsay Arnold danced a quickstep to the song. The group is featured on a re-imagined version of Take That's song '' Love Ain't Here Anymore'' from their number one selling album Odyssey. Howard Donald revealed during an interview with Magic Radio that "he fulfilled a dream when they recorded this song". On December 15, 2018, the group staged a concert at the Smart Araneta Coliseum with Filipino girl group DIVAS—a group composed of
Kyla Kyla may refer to: * Kyla (given name), including a list of people with the name **Kyla (Filipino singer) Melanie Alvarez (born Melanie Hernandez Calumpad), better known by her stage name Kyla, is a Filipino R&B singer and occasional actress ...
, Yeng Constantino,
KZ Tandingan Kristine Zhenie Lobrigas Tandingan-Monterde (born March 11, 1992), mononymously known as KZ, is a Filipino singer and rapper hailed as Asia's Soul Supreme. She rose to prominence following her win on the first season of ''The X Factor Philipp ...
and Angeline Quinto titled Boyz II Men with DIVAS. On September 18, 2019, it was reported that the group would play themselves on the ABC comedy series '' Schooled''. On September 30, 2019, Boyz II Men announced their Asia Tour, which is slated to take place after returning from their US tour and residency in Las Vegas. They will be visiting cities such as Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok (December 7), Singapore (December 9) and Manila.


Style and influence

Boyz II Men is among the biggest names in a cappella and R&B. With what was called "crossover appeal", Boyz II Men found themselves at the vanguard of the 1990s movement to take R&B back into the mainstream, where it had been back in the 1970s. Their use of hip-hop beats in combination with R&B was not unique, but it was Boyz II Men's enormous success with mainstream audiences in "putting harmony over the hip-hop tracks" that helped usher in the near-total dominance of the R&B genre on the pop charts in the 2000s and 2010s. On January 5, 2012, Boyz II Men were awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. They were featured on the first episode of the 2021 Netflix series ''This Is Pop'', called "The Boyz II Men Effect", about their impact on the boy band scene in the 1990s.


Members

;Current * Nathan Morris (1985–present) * Wanya Morris (1987–present) * Shawn Stockman (1988–present) ;Former * Michael McCary (1988–2003) * Marc Nelson (1985–1990) *
George Baldi George William Baldi III (born August 29, 1970) is an American singer best known as the bass singer of the a cappella singing group Rockapella from 2002 to 2014, and then returned to the group since 2022. Early life Baldi grew up in Philadelphi ...
(1985–1988) * Jon Shoats (1985–1988) * Marguerite Walker (1985–1988) Timeline


Discography

; Studio albums * '' Cooleyhighharmony'' (1991) * '' Christmas Interpretations'' (1993) * '' II'' (1994) * ''
Evolution Evolution is change in the heritable characteristics of biological populations over successive generations. These characteristics are the expressions of genes, which are passed on from parent to offspring during reproduction. Variation ...
'' (1997) * '' Nathan Michael Shawn Wanya'' (2000) * '' Full Circle'' (2002) * ''
Throwback, Vol. 1 ''Throwback, Vol. 1'' is the seventh studio album by American R&B group Boyz II Men, released by Koch Records, and featuring covers of classic R&B songs (hence the album title) from such artists as Teddy Pendergrass, The Isley Brothers and Mich ...
'' (2004) * ''
The Remedy Remedy, Remedies, The Remedy or Remediation may refer to: Computing and gaming * Remedy Corp, an American software company * Remedy Entertainment, a Finnish video game developer Law, politics, and society * Environmental remediation, the removal ...
'' (2006) * '' Motown: A Journey Through Hitsville USA'' (2007) * '' Love'' (2009) * '' Twenty'' (2011) * '' Collide'' (2014) * ''
Under the Streetlight ''Under the Streetlight'' is the fifteenth studio album by American R&B group Boyz II Men. It was released by Tango Entertainment, Masterworks and MSM Music Group on October 20, 2017. A collection of interpretations of songs from the 1950s, along ...
'' (2017)


Filmography

* "Going Home" (1995): A
Disney Channel Disney Channel, sometimes known as simply Disney, is an American pay television channel that serves as the flagship property of Disney Branded Television, a unit of the Disney General Entertainment Content division of The Walt Disney Compa ...
concert special filmed during Boyz II Men's "All Around the World Tour" live from the
Alamodome The Alamodome is a 64,000-seat domed indoor multi-purpose stadium in San Antonio, Texas. It is located on the southeastern fringe of downtown San Antonio. The facility opened on May 15, 1993, having been constructed at a cost of $186 milli ...
in San Antonio, Texas. * The group makes a guest appearance in fourth season episode "Twas the Night Before Christening" of '' The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air'' in which they sing at
Nicky Nicky is a diminutive form of the name Nicholas, Nicola and Nicole, occasionally used as a given name in its own right. It can also be used as a diminutive of Dominic. It may refer to: People Sports * Nicky Adams (born 1986), English-born Welsh ...
's christening (1993). * "Living In Paradise?" (2000): They appeared as themselves on the hit show ''
Moesha ''Moesha'' () is an American television sitcom that aired on UPN from January 23, 1996, to May 14, 2001. The series stars R&B singer Brandy Norwood as Moesha Denise Mitchell, an African-American teenager living with her upper middle class famil ...
''. * '' Long Shot'': They appear as themselves performing at a charity event. * ''This Is Pop'' (2021): They are featured on the episode "The Boyz II Men Effect". * ''Celebrity Wheel of Fortune'' (2021): Wanya and Shawn play to win money for charities of their choice. * ''A Very Boyband Christmas'' (2021): Wanya and Shawn join members of 'Nsync, 98 Degrees and other boy bands to celebrate the holidays. * '' Live in Front of a Studio Audience'' (2021): The group performs the theme song of '' Diff'rent Strokes'' as the intro to the special’s reenactment of "Willis’s Privacy".


Awards and nominations

American Music Awards , - !scope="row" rowspan="5" , 1992 !scope="row" rowspan="3" , Boyz II Men , Favorite Soul/R&B New Artist , , - , Favorite Pop/Rock New Artist , , - , Favorite Soul/R&B Band/Duo/Group , , - , " Motownphilly" , Favorite Soul/R&B Single , , - , '' Cooleyhighharmony'' , Favorite Soul/R&B Album , , - !scope="row" rowspan="2" , 1993 , " End of the Road" , Favorite Pop/Rock Song , , - !scope="row" rowspan="3", Boyz II Men !scope="row" rowspan="2", Favorite Soul/R&B Band/Duo/Group , , - !scope="row" rowspan="4" , 1995 , , - , Favorite Adult Contemporary Artist , , - !scope="row" rowspan="2", " I'll Make Love to You" , Favorite Soul/R&B Single , , - , Favorite Pop/Rock Song , , - !scope="row" rowspan="5" , 1996 !scope="row" rowspan="2", '' II'' , Favorite Soul/R&B Album , , - , Favorite Pop/Rock Album , , - !scope="row" rowspan="4", Boyz II Men , Artist of the Year , , - , Favorite Pop/Rock Band/Duo/Group , , - !scope="row" rowspan="2", Favorite Soul/R&B Band/Duo/Group , , - , 1998 , , - Billboard Music Awards , - !scope="row" rowspan="2" , 1992 , Boyz II Men , Top Hot 100 Artist , , - , " End of the Road" !scope="row" rowspan="2" , Top Hot 100 Song , , - , 1994 , " I'll Make Love to You" , , - !scope="row" rowspan="3" , 1995 , '' II'' , Top Billboard 200 Album , , - !scope="row" rowspan="2" , Boyz II Men , Top Artist , , - , Top R&B Artist , , - !scope="row" rowspan="2" , 1996 !scope="row" rowspan="2" , " One Sweet Day" (with
Mariah Carey Mariah Carey (; born March 27, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and record producer. Referred to as the " Songbird Supreme", she is noted for her five-octave vocal range, melismatic singing style and signature use of the whi ...
) , Top Hot 100 Song , , - , Billboard Music Special Hot 100 , , -
Grammy Awards The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
, - !scope="row" rowspan="2" , 1992 , Boyz II Men , Best New Artist , , - , ''Cooleyhighharmony'' !scope="row" rowspan="4", Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal , , - , 1993 , "End of the Road" , , - , 1994 , " Let It Snow" , , - !scope="row" rowspan="3" , 1995 , !scope="row" rowspan="2", "I'll Make Love To You" , , - , Record of the Year , , - , ''II'' , Best R&B Album , , - !scope="row" rowspan="2" , 1996 , !scope="row" rowspan="2", " One Sweet Day" (with
Mariah Carey Mariah Carey (; born March 27, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and record producer. Referred to as the " Songbird Supreme", she is noted for her five-octave vocal range, melismatic singing style and signature use of the whi ...
) , Record of the Year , , - , Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals , , - !scope="row" rowspan="2" , 1998 , " A Song For Mama" , Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal , , - , ''
Evolution Evolution is change in the heritable characteristics of biological populations over successive generations. These characteristics are the expressions of genes, which are passed on from parent to offspring during reproduction. Variation ...
'' !scope="row" rowspan="2", Best R&B Album , , - !scope="row" rowspan="2" , 2001 , '' Nathan Michael Shawn Wanya'' , , - , "
Pass You By "Pass You By" is a song by American R&B quartet Boyz II Men, released from their fifth studio album, '' Nathan Michael Shawn Wanya'' (2000), on July 11, 2000. "Pass You By" was commercially unsuccessful, failing to appear on the US ''Billboard' ...
" !scope="row" rowspan="2", Best R&B Performance By a Duo or Group with Vocal , , - !scope="row" rowspan="2" , 2009 , "Ribbon In The Sky" , , - , '' Motown: A Journey Through Hitsville USA'' , Best R&B Album , , -
MTV Video Music Awards The MTV Video Music Awards (commonly abbreviated as the VMAs) is an award show presented by the cable channel MTV to honour the best in the music video medium. Originally conceived as an alternative to the Grammy Awards (in the video category) ...
!Ref. , - , 1993 , " End of the Road" , rowspan=2, Best R&B Video , , rowspan=4, , - , rowspan=2, 1995 , rowspan=2, " Water Runs Dry" , , - ,
Best Cinematography This is a list of categories of awards commonly awarded through organizations that bestow film awards, including those presented by various film, festivals, and people's awards. Best Actor/Best Actress *See Best Actor#Film awards, Best Actress#F ...
, , - , 1996 , " One Sweet Day" (with
Mariah Carey Mariah Carey (; born March 27, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and record producer. Referred to as the " Songbird Supreme", she is noted for her five-octave vocal range, melismatic singing style and signature use of the whi ...
)
, Best R&B Video , Soul Train Music Awards , - , 1992 , Boyz II Men , Best New R&B/Soul Artist , , - !scope="row" rowspan="3", 1993 !scope="row" rowspan="2", "End of the Road" , Song of the Year , , - , Best R&B Music Video , , - , " Please Don't Go" , Best R&B Single – Group, Band or Duo , , - !scope="row" rowspan="2", 1995 , ''II'' , R&B/Soul Album Group, Band or Duo , , - , "I'll Make Love to You" , R&B/Soul Single Group, Band or Duo , , - , 1996 , Boyz II Men , Entertainer of the Year , , - , 1998 , ''Evolution'' !scope="row" rowspan="2", Best R&B/Soul Album – Group, Band or Duo , , - , 2003 , '' Full Circle'' , , -


See also

*
List of best-selling music artists The following list of best-selling music artists includes those music acts from the 20th century to the present with claims of 75 million or more record sales worldwide. This information cannot be listed officially, as there is no organization t ...
* List of artists who reached number one in the United States


References


External links

* * {{Authority control African-American musical groups American contemporary R&B musical groups American vocal groups Ballad music groups American boy bands Grammy Award winners Motown artists Musical groups established in 1988 Musical groups from Philadelphia Sony Music Publishing artists Vocal quartets Vocal trios Avex Group artists 1988 establishments in Pennsylvania