About Bell Biv Devoe
BBD, also known as Bell Biv DeVoe, is an American music group from Boston, Massachusetts, formed by members of New Edition, Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, and Ronnie DeVoe.
Bell Biv Devoe was born in Harlem, New York, in 1955. He was born with a congenital heart condition that led to the death of his mother. At the age of 13, his father died. Devoe's life began to spiral out of control. He dropped out of school and spent much of his time in jail or on the street.
At the age of 17, he met David Porter, a producer at Motown Records. Porter gave Devoe a job and a chance to become an artist. He changed his name from Bell Biv Devoe to Bell Biv DeVoe. He was signed by Motown Records and released his first single, “Love and Happiness,” in 1978. The song became a hit and made him one of the most famous musicians of the 11980s. He went on to record nine more Top 40 singles, including “Slow Jamz,” “I Need A Woman,” “Baby Love,” and “Got To Get You Off My Mind.” Bell Biv Devoe was nominated for six Grammy Awards during his career.
The group has continuously toured and performed live, independently, and as part of several reunion tours, despite only releasing four albums of original material over 31 years.
Bell Biv Devoe was one of the first groups to gain notoriety in the ’80s and 90’s with hits like “Poetry In Motion,” “You Make Me Wanna Holler,” and “When I Think About You.”
They were also one of the first groups to introduce rap music into their music. Their hit “Take Me For A Ride” was sampled by many artists, including Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey, and Jennifer Lopez. The group disbanded in 1998 after Bell Biv Devoe had a falling out.
Today, Bell Biv Devoe is still very active in the music industry. They have reunited several times since they broke up. They have also appeared in several movies, including “Gang Related” and “Notorious.”
Studio Albums
- Most people know them from their debut album, Poison, an essential album in the new jack swing movement of the 1990's that fused traditional soul and R&B with hip hop. Several songs from the album reached the top three on the Billboard Hot 100, including “Poison” and ”Do Me!”
- Immediately following the album's release, the group released two more albums, All 4 Love (1988) and Bell Biv DeVoe III (1989).
- Even though they never released another album after Bell Biv DeVoe III, the group has continued to tour and perform live independently and as part of several reunion tours.
- BBD has continuously toured and performed live, both independently and as part of many reunion tours, despite only releasing four albums of original material over 31 years.
- BBD is currently one of the most successful groups of the 1990s. They have released four studio albums, Poison, All 4 Love, Bell Biv DeVoe III, and Three Stripes, which were released in 2013.
- In addition to their releases, BBD has collaborated with other artists on projects such as the single "I Want U Back" with Lil' Kim.
- In recent years, BBD has begun collaborating with younger artists, releasing a remix of Beyoncé's “Halo” and collaborating with Lil Wayne on the track “Big Tyme,” released in 2012.
Awards
- BBD has been nominated for eight Grammy Awards and won two, including Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for” You Make Me Wanna Holler” in 1993.
- BBD was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2015.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, Bell Biv Devoe is an American pop music duo that consists of the brother's Mark Anthony and Jason Webb. The duo succeeded during the late 1980s and early 1990s with their singles “Poetry in Motion” and “What About Us?”. The duo was formed in 1986 and was initially called Bell Biv DeVoe. He changed the name to avoid confusion with the similarly named band Bell Biv DeVoe.