Boyz II Men

Boyz II Men represents one of the last great Rhythm and Blues groups. The genre has taken a HUGE downward dip since the 1990s. No one modern group can match or better this Philadelphia group. This is a group that I often call "the Isley Brothers of the '90s." These guys sing beautifully and infuse lots of emotion and romantic energy into their songs. They may have have some suggestive material, but NEVER have they gone into the realm of raunchy and sexy material. Also, it's rare that you've heard of these guys getting into any trouble with the law. Boyz II Men was a quartet, but are nowadays a trio. The trio of today's Boyz II Men are Nathan Morris, Wanya Morris, and Shawn Stockman. This blog post concerns one of the all-time greats in the genre of Rhythm and Blues.

By the way, Happy Valentine's Day! :) I don't believe in Valentine's Day, but this is somewhat my offering for Valentine's Day.

--- Boyz II Men and Why Should You Care ---

^ from: www.rnbhaven.com (best I could find) - the original quartet of Boyz II Men.


^ from: www.soulbounce.com (best I could find) - today's Boyz II Men is now a trio.


The genre of rhythm and blues is basically dead (or near dead) in the 2000s. Only one who's really made a dent in this time is probably the beautiful Jennifer Hudson. Remember when there were more groups? Well, Boyz II Men was one group that made some outstanding music.

Boyz II Men represents perhaps one of the last great MoTown-style groups. When you hear Boyz II Men sing, you are introduced to great singing. It wasn't about one guy standing out among others. It was about all the members singing beautifully. The reason why I call Boyz II Men as "the Isley Brothers of the '90s" is because this group reminds me a whole lot of what the Isley Brothers brought back in their day- harmony, heart-felt lyrics, passion, emotion... just something very few artists or groups have these days in any genre of music. I am not meaning any disrespect to the Isley Brothers because I absolutely LOVE the Isley Brothers. I'm just saying that Boyz II Men has a persona and a style that REMINDS me of the Isleys.

I will be sharing with you some of my all-time favorite Boyz II Men songs in my next section.

--- Boyz II Men: Personal Favorite Songs ---

These are all my personal favorite Boyz II Men songs. If I find videos on each, you'll see them here so you can hear for yourself. If not, there's always YouTube searching. NOTE: I will not add any videos to this blog post in this initial posting of this blog entry. Videos MAY be added in future edits.

"Motownphilly"

As a preview, this is the only upbeat song I will feature here. This is old school hip-hop with a nice kick of cool vocals. The song is basically sort of a backstory of how Boyz II Men came along. Respect is paid to Another Bad Creation and Bell Biv DeVoe in this song. This song is catchy as heck.

"End of the Road."

I remember I was a 3rd Grader at Mading Elementary here in Houston when "End of the Road" was a hit song from the movie "Boomerang."

Here is the official video to this song:

"I'll Make Love to You."

"I'll make love to you,
like you want me to,
and I'll hold you tight,
baby all through to the night

"I'll make love to you,
When you want me to,
And I will not let go
'til you tell me to."

This song has lovely background music, passionate lyrics, and really exemplified the full range of talent for this group. Boyz II Men hit a home run with this one. A romantic night with the girl you love most can be made reality with this song.

Here is the video to this romantic classic:

"On Bended Knee."

A beautiful melody along with smooth vocals personifies this song. This song is basically about trying to repair a once-strong relationship, trying to ask for forgiveness and a second chance.

"Water Runs Dry."

This song is very mellow and smooth. It is a beautiful song to listen to.

"One Sweet Day."

My mother used to be a fan of Mariah Carey back in the mid-late 1990s. Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men collaborated to make "One Sweet Day." This is probably my favorite song of Boyz II Men that involved a featured artist. Smooth vocals by both Boyz II Men and Mariah Carey made this a totally beautiful song to listen to. Still a beautiful song to this day.

Enjoy the combination of Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men in this video:

"4 Seasons of Loveliness."

This is really my all-time favorite song of Boyz II Men. It was a modern-style song that still had the same flow and charm Boyz II Men has brought for years. The music is lovely along with Boyz II Men's singing.

Have a listen to this song:

"A Song for Mama." (Honorable Mention!)

I don't really like this song, but I wanted to pay Honorable Mention because it is always great to make a sweet song about your mother (or some other family member). The lyrics are wonderful as well as the general concept of paying tribute to such an important figure in your life.

--- What I Would Tell Boyz II Men (if they were to read this) ---

Boyz II Men, you all are some of the all-time finest in the genre. You defined '90s Rhythm and Blues to me. You're the only other favorites of mine in the genre for the '90s besides Toni Braxton. I don't think anyone else even comes close (as far as modern singers/groups are concerned) to what you've brought. I have to hand serious props and respect to you all for your great music. The emotion, the passion, the singing... you had the total package that I don't think could have been one-upped by any other group past or present. If you aren't in anybody's Hall of Fame, you should be because you all are absolutely fantastic. The group may be called Boyz II Men, but you all are men- gentlemen with outstanding vocals and great music. I don't think we'll ever see another great rhythm and blues group (or maybe even another singer) that provides the same amount of passion and charm that you all provided. You all have my full respect.

Would I Want to Meet Boyz II Men (if given the chance)?

Absolutely. When you look to someone so highly, would YOU want to meet him/her/them too?

--- Legacy: The Greatest Hits Collection ---

In 2001, Boyz II Men released "Legacy: The Greatest Hits Collection" featuring 13 of their greatest songs. All of the songs I mentioned as my personal favorites were from this CD. This is a must-buy to me if you are a fan of Boyz II Men. You have my endorsement here. Here is the CD on Amazon:


^ "Legacy: The Greatest Hits Collection."

And here is where you can find more Boyz II Men music on Amazon:




Thanks for reading my blog post on Boyz II Men! But first, here is one more extra section:

--- Will There EVER Be Another Boyz II Men or a Successor? (Bonus Section) ---

This is a bonus section on the genre of rhythm and blues. I have regarded Boyz II Men as the Isley Brothers of the '90s and the last great MoTown-style group. One criticism I've had about today's music scene is that there are too many who seek individual success. It seems like not as many want to be part of a group. I know groups are tough to stay with (unless you're in rock, where there are plenty of bands and groups), but for Boyz II Men to stay together for as long as they have is an accomplishment. Only Michal McCary and Marc Nelson (a Boyz II Men original member) have left the group for some reason. I don't think we'll ever see another great rhythm and blues group that brought to the table what Boyz II Men brought through the '90s and even in the late '80s (as Unique Attraction back in 1988).

Second Bests.

Only Jagged Edge and 112 have been the only two other groups I've liked among rhythm and blues groups of the 1990s and early 2000s. They didn't have the charm and passion that Boyz II Men have, but their singing were nothing short of amazing. What Boyz II Men was able to accomplish in the genre was expressing love without going to any seriously raunchy or annoying extremes. These guys were more class acts. These days, it just seems like you have to go to the extremes of raunchy sex and scandalous topics to express love. Maybe Boyz II Men's music is a bit too deep for most people today, but when you listen to what this group provided to the genre, Boyz II Men was about love. They were about great singing. It wasn't about one singer trying to stand out while everyone else was in each others' shadows. Boyz II Men was the epitome of "one team, one dream." One singer wasn't the best- they all were.

Future Revival/Resurgance of Rhythm and Blues?

The genre isn't as hot in the 2000s as it has been in the 1990s. It has mostly been phased out to pop, rock, and hip-hop. No one today seems to really provide as much of a punch anymore to make the genre seriously relevant. Here is something I want to see for the future of rhythm and blues- either one individual that comes along and gets people to care about the genre again, or a rhythm and blues group that really delivers great vocals and passionate singing like what many of the genre's greatest groups (like Boyz II Men) have provided.


That's what I think about this whole issue. What are your ideas on either Boyz II Men or the future of the rhythm and blues genre? Feel free to comment!





Thanks for reading! Here are some links for you to visit if you are a fan of Boyz II men:

* Boyz II Men official home page
* Boyz II Men on Myspace
* Boyz II Men Facebook Fan Page
* Boyz II Men on YouTube
* Boyz II Men on YouTube (VEVO)
* Follow Boyz II Men on Twitter!
* Boyz II Men on Amazon
* Boyz II Men on last.fm


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