Bell Biv DeVoe

Bell Biv DeVoe, known for their signature blend of "hip-hop smoothed out on the R&B tip with a pop-feel-appeal-motto to it," emerged as a spinoff from the iconic group New Edition after the conclusion of the parent group's tour in support of the 1988 album, "Heart Break." The trio, consisting of Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, and Ronnie DeVoe, all original members of New Edition, heeded the advice of the album's producers, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, and embarked on a fresh journey with a more street-oriented approach to contemporary R&B.
For their debut venture, titled "Poison," Bell Biv DeVoe collaborated with various producers, including Dr. Freeze, Hank and Keith Shocklee, and Eric Sadler, the latter three renowned for their work with Public Enemy. The sound of "Poison" was a departure from New Edition's earlier Pop-R&B repertoire, marking a new era. The title track soared to the top of the Billboard R&B/hip-hop chart, reached number three on the Hot 100, and eventually achieved multi-platinum status. The album itself sold over five million copies in the U.S. "Do Me," the second single, also made a significant impact by reaching #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart.

In parallel, Bivins cultivated the East Coast Family, a collective that achieved mainstream success with debut albums from Another Bad Creation and Boyz II Men. In 1992, BBD and Tresvant were featured on Luther Vandross and Janet Jackson's number one R&B/hip-hop single, "The Best Things in Life Are Free," recorded for the "Mo' Money" soundtrack. The subsequent year saw the release of BBD's second proper album, "Hootie Mack." Following a break from BBD to anticipate New Edition's reunion, the trio made a comeback in 2001 with their album "BBD." New Edition also reemerged, primarily as a touring act. In 2011, all six members celebrated New Edition's 30th anniversary and received a Soul Train Lifetime Achievement Award the following year. The year 2017 witnessed BBD's return with "Three Stripes," coinciding with the airing of the mini-series "The New Edition Story" on BET.

Despite creating only four albums of original material over a span of 31 years, the group has maintained a consistent presence through extensive touring, headlining arenas, fairs, festivals, and embarking on New Edition reunion tours.

Bell Biv DeVoe remains a cultural icon, recently achieving an Emmy Award for their Documentary "BBD @ Fenway" in 2023, performing with The Boston Pops at the NHL’s Winter Classic, and unveiling the first single from the soundtrack of Mike Bivin’s #1 Streamed Docufilm, “The Hustle of @617Mikebiv.”