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| NewEdition |
Why the world still need New Edition….
By Charles
“iamBranded” Madison
Seems like many moons ago, looking back at 1983 when I first
got to know the music of New Edition. Candy Girl was the first release for an
album that changed my childhood, which I will explain later. The musical sounds
of Ralph Tresvant, Ronnie Devoe, Bobby Brown, Ricky Bell,
and Michael Bivens that formed the
group New Edition and gave this
inner city child some encouragement. We’ve seen acts from children, like the Jackson
5 and others, but New Edition was different. Different because I was
growing up with them, from the first school crushes with the pretty girl
sitting next to me, to my first pimple and my first bout with puberty. There
was a sense of attachment to the group New Edition because they started where I
started from; they had the god given talent to show an inner city child like
myself that hard work does pay off.
So the music came, and so did the memories that I will carry
for the rest of my life. A lot of people say that music can not only carry a
tune, but also carry a lifetime of memories and it does for a lot of reasons,
good, sad, and in-between. So as New Edition evolved and as the boys became
men…the group was still relevant and needed. The addition of Johnny Gill during the release of the
still classic N.E Heartbreak release in June of 1987, the best was yet to
come…or so we thought…. With the group in hiatus after the Heartbreak album,
we started to see history form in different directions. Bobby Brown was already making history with his solo projects; Johnny Gill’s album in 1990 took off
and reaches platinum status. Ralph
Tresvant’s solo debut also released in 1990 was a success with a platinum
project, and the 3 man team of BellBivDevoe
took the world by storm with their release also in 1990 reaching platinum
status. We experienced New Edition
separate, but still united and matured making historic music that will forever
withstand the test of time.
The reactivation of the now 6 man team of New Edition
resurfaced in 1996 and again…music that is timeless and memories resurfaced.
This group has accomplished something that the world has never seen. N.E embarked
on solo projects and reached platinum success & also returns and pick up
like it was back in 1983 again. Now I gave you a span of music that changed my
life, as I stated so let me tell again why New Edition is so important to me
and what I have done in my career. Every member of New Edition is talented,
with god given abilities, and as I stated earlier, this inner city child was
encouraged and inspired by working extra hard and making some memories myself.
Not singing and performing, but by refining my craft of journalism, but also in
other career paths I have embarked upon.
Music is that kind of tool with tremendous power, and as a man then a
child back then, I had no idea that we were listening to and watching music
history unfold.
Why do we still need
New Edition? Well, the answer to this question is obvious. N.E is more than
just 6 individuals making music together, N.E
is a global brand that has transcended generation after generation. My
daughter is a New Edition fan. Other fans across the globe of all ages are
still inspired by New Edition. A Baltimore group of 4 young individuals Mac Four -- Kevin "K.J”., 13; K'von, “Mr.Cool”
11; Kaliv, "Dancer," 9;
and Keith, "Duck," 6 --
practice every day studying the music and movements of this iconic group. New
Edition isn’t just for adults who grew up with them, New Edition is now a group
where parents can teach and show their younger children, “this is how you can work together”. New Edition is still needed because all 6
members are still blessed to be on this earth. When so many iconic group
members are missing members due to death, sickness etc….. N.E is still
functioning doing shows together still making magic. It’s rare to find, and should be taking advantage of the
moment because the growing fan base still need and want to hear from N.E
We need New Edition because the music industry needs them.
As fans, we have taken a group like N.E for granted due to lack of supporting
them at concerts, purchasing music, and social media neglect on some occasions.
What’s important to us as fans is to show New Edition that this business of
entertainment can change with a dedicated fan base, and all 6 members of New
Edition reactivated once again to show the world that new music can last 100
more years is a realistic goal. The road started with Candy Girl, and the
journey has not come to a conclusion because with all 6 members alive and
kicking, New Edition is still needed.
Follow all 6 members on twitter
