90's Till Infinity

After breaking away from the synchronized, supersmooth moves of New Edition, Ricky Bell, Mike Bivins and Ronnie DeVoe formed Bell Biv DeVoe and forged a new, grittier path that took them all the way to the White House.

- Janelle Harris

If you want to know what age bracket a Black woman falls into, pay attention to the way she responds when a New Edition song comes on. Play “Mr. Telephone Man” or “Can You Stand the Rain?” and wait to see if it mentally transports her back to a time when she recorded songs from the radio onto cassette tapes and watched Video Soul with ardent religiosity. The question is usually not if she is a New Edition fan but rather which member she staked passionate claim to: Ronnie, Bobby, Ricky, Mike, Ralph or Johnny. They are forever the heartthrobs of a generation, the boy band descendants of supergroups such as the Jackson 5 and the Temptations, progenitors who mixed classic R&B with the flavor of early hip-hop to create a sound uniquely their own.

Because of New Edition’s longevity as a group, its fandom rarely dies inside of anyone who’s ever nurtured it. And it’s not only Black women, though our adoration certainly shaped and propelled their fame. Black men, White folks, even teens and 20-somethings despite having been in vitro when the group rose to popularity connect to the N.E. magic, too. The proof is in ticket sales and the tour schedule the group maintains, annually headlining some 30 shows and festivals around the country. People still go crazy for New Edition: the smooth choreographed dance steps, the dapper, satin-lapel suits, the songs they know word for word.

How to multiply a legend