{"id":78367,"date":"2017-01-25T22:41:33","date_gmt":"2017-01-25T22:41:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/0de2709a84.nxcli.net\/0-kjasnb\/2017\/01\/25\/backdrop-new-edition-story\/"},"modified":"2018-12-18T02:42:18","modified_gmt":"2018-12-18T02:42:18","slug":"backdrop-new-edition-story","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.blackfilm.com\/read\/backdrop-new-edition-story\/","title":{"rendered":"The BACKDROP to The New Edition Story"},"content":{"rendered":"

The BACKDROP to The New Edition Story<\/strong>By Dominga Martin<\/p>\n

January 25, 2017<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Egos and Superstardom Collide as New Edition Rise to the Top. Ain\u2019t Nobody Smiling.<\/p>\n

116 Eustis Street. Apt 771\/772. The Brown Family lived there\u2014they had what was called a \u201cbreak thru.\u201d A break through was two apartments joined together, which connected like a hotel suite from one side of the project building, to the other. Orchard Park offered these apartments to large families. The Brown Family was a family of 6, a two parent home lead by MA and POP Brown\u2014they had a rare nuclear family. In tact, like my grandparents.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

By New Edition\u2019s self titled 2nd album, the tour buses were still dropping them off in OP (Orchard Park), a project located in Roxbury, MA. Growing up, those of us in the neighborhood thought it was exciting; what we did not know was\u2014they weren\u2019t getting paid! Watching The New Edition Story on BET is such an eye opening experience for those who were close to the group, and also for aspiring entertainers who do not know about the \u201cbusiness.\u201d Night 2, takes us inside the tumultuous rise of a super group transitioning from boys to men, while learning hard lessons affecting their personal growth.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The New Edition Story, part 2 introduces us to the cast playing New Edition as adolescents into adulthood: Bryshere Gray<\/strong> of EMPIRE who channels Michael Bivens, Elijah Kelly<\/strong> (Ricky Bell), Luke James<\/strong> (Johnny Gill), Woody McClain<\/strong> (Bobby Brown), Keith Powers<\/strong> (Ronnie DeVoe) and Algee Smith<\/strong> (Ralph Tresvant).<\/p>\n

Night 2 of this mini-series begs the question: \u201cWhat happened to their money?\u201d If the single \u201cCandy Girl\u201d beat out Michael Jackson on the Billboard Charts, shouldn\u2019t they have been paid 100 times over, and most importantly\u2014shouldn\u2019t they have moved out of the projects?\u201d<\/p>\n

Disheartening.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

In 1984, while Bobby was recording his 2nd album with the group, the Brown family was getting excited and my mother and I were let in on a secret. I remember one night specifically, while my mom hung out at his older sister (Tina Brown\u2019s) apartment, my younger cousin and I were in the back room watching all of the New Edition music videos from the 1st album.<\/p>\n

Bobby was at the studio, finalizing what would be his first big solo\u2014to our surprise, Tina had the demo to \u201cMr. Telephone Man\u201d which we heard for the first time. I just remember Ma Brown and all the adults, including my mother saying: \u201cThis is a HIT!\u201d That night, the song played throughout the house on heavy rotation.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cIt was an amazing feeling for family,\u201d says Tina Brown, one of Bobby\u2019s older sisters. \u201cWe were all like, \u2018is it real? Is this really happening?\u2019 We were just so proud of him. Before \u201cMr. Telephone Man\u201d came out, I played it for the family and he (Bobby) would get mad that I played his songs [but] I played it everywhere\u2026he was like: \u2018you\u2019re not supposed to play it yet!\u2019 She laughs, and continues; \u201cI was just so excited to hear his little squeaky voice on there.\u201d<\/p>\n

By 1985, the group heads to Beverly Hills where they meet Jheryl Busby, head of the Black Music Division at MCA Records, and viewers discover collectively with a big gasp that, they have been ripped off again, by their new manager:<\/p>\n

\u201cNone of the managers were no good and my mother knew it.,\u201d<\/strong> says Tina\u2014she continues: \u201cWe were going to seriously hurt this man, and around that time; the label put a bug in my mother\u2019s ear about Bobby going solo.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

As I watched the 2nd episode, I had a memory that impacted all of our lives at 116 Eustis Street. In 1981, my cousin James \u201cJimmy\/Jimbo\u201d Flint, who was Bobby\u2019s best friend was murdered at the age of 15, over his bicycle. Bobby dedicated his first two albums \u201cKing of Stage\u201d and \u201cDon\u2019t Be Cruel\u201d to him.<\/p>\n

I heard lots of stories on how my cousin Jimmy was in line to be an original New Edition, perhaps he was one of the names Bobby mentioned when he suggested Travis [as he was] formulating the group, in episode !. The stories are conflicting, however, one thing is true; when Jimmy was stabbed to death, his body was brought back to our hallway at 116, Bobby was just 13. That night, as the ambulance road off silently with Jimmy\u2019s body inside, Bobby gazed into darkness and bounced his basketball outside for what seemed like the whole night. I remember watching him out the window and hearing the bounce of the ball hit the concrete, over and over.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cBobby and Jimmy had a makeshift basketball hoop outside,\u201d<\/strong> says Jimmy\u2019s mother Sarah, and continues; \u201cAfter they came back from the hospital, Bobby tore it down that night\u2026Jimmy\u2019s death affected Bobby a whole lot [because] no one gave him any type of therapy\u2026he was there when Jimmy was killed\u2026he was one of the ones who brought him back to the hallway and was at the hospital when he was pronounced dead.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tina states: \u201cThere was a mob of us at the hospital. The doctors had to be escorted by the police to tell us Jimmy had passed.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The next morning, my grandmother and all the neighbors came outside to clean the blood from the hallway in the building so that my Aunt, Sarah Flint would not see the carnage. Can you imagine what it must\u2019ve been like for an adolescent who just witnessed his friend killed, to have to buckle up and become a superstar? To go on with New Edition, without Jimmy? My cousin had Bobby Brown and BBD edge, with Ralph Tresvant\u2019s good looks and swag. If he was the 5th member of New Edition, watch out world!<\/p>\n

I know Jimmy\u2019s tragic death changed Bobby forever.<\/p>\n

The next year, New Edition had a hit song on the radio and Bobby was heading to tour, without his friend and expected to adjust. There is a moment when the new manager \u201cGary\u201d (Michael Rapaport) states: \u201cThe bottom line is, Bobby Brown is bad for business!\u201d As I watched that scene, with the 4 original members conflicted about making a decision to vote Bobby out the group, I asked myself, \u2018was he bad for business or acting out because he could not be contained in the recipe of New Edition any longer? And was his acting out, part of his grief?\u2019<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Tina adds: \u201cWe know he was acting out that way because of Jimmy. That was his idol. Jimmy was a little older than him. but that was his boy\u2026they\u2019d been through hell and seen a lot at their young age.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

By mid story, Bobby is voted out of the group, and even though I know the story, I am wondering what happens next, or better yet\u2014-what really happened?<\/p>\n

\u201cThe record label came to my mother and wanted Bobby by himself.\u201d<\/strong> Tina reveals. \u201cAll of that (voting him out\u201d was planned to put Bobby out the group because they wanted to launch Bobby as a solo artist\u2026being on stage was Bobby\u2019s life. He wouldn\u2019t behave and he\u2019d go out of step, but he got the crowd going!\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

New Edition is a set recipe, with measured ingredients, and Bobby was the added spice, going off menu. At some point, it was inevitable\u2014-Bobby had to leave the group, whether he was voted out or not. His sister reveals that a check was immediately sent to Ma Brown after his departure, so fans don\u2019t worry, he was not left in the cold!<\/p>\n

As The New Edition Story progresses, tensions escalate as Bobby becomes more addicted to the adrenaline of being a true entertainer. We see the persona of the \u201cKing of Stage\u201d developing. The Bad Boy of R&B birthing before our eyes, and we love it. Everyone loves a bad boy, but the truth is, all of the New Edition were bad boys. OP Originals. It is who they are, because of where they\u2019re from. They are from the hood in Roxbury, and it is evident in one scene, after group members go to blows, where Mike Bivens says: \u201cI\u2019mma keep my respect, even if I have to take it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

And New Edition as a collective took the world by storm.<\/p>\n

By 1988, Bobby is officially solo ready to launch his second album. His older brother Tommy is managing his singing career. New Edition fires their manager, and Ralph yearns to go solo. Unbeknownst to Ralph, Johnny Gill, an adolescent crooner with a hit is added to the group, and unless Bobby is coming back Ralph does not want to split his money 5 ways again! New Edition is imploding and fans everywhere are forced to accept Johnny Gill.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cTo this day, I still feel like I\u2019m the new guy,\u201d<\/strong> says Johnny Gill. \u201cAnd to be honest with you, I still don\u2019t feel like a New Edition\u2026and I still feel sometimes an offsetting energy from their true hardcore New Edition fans\u2026but God has really blessed me and I\u2019ve been able to build my hard core Johnny Gill fans\u2026I\u2019m the guy who understands that I am a team player.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

While becoming Ralph Tresvant, actor Algee shares: \u201cRalph makes a lot of sacrifices [as you see] throughout the movie\u2026he puts everyone before himself which sometimes hurts him\u2026that\u2019s one thing that helped me throughout the scenes, I was like: \u2018OK, I can\u2019t dominate this scene, this scene has to be a sacrifice seen.\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

As we lead into night 3, New Edition has hit their stride in all directions, they are finally making money and out of the bubble gum pop category, but we learn that they are falling apart and not even their hometown bond is holding them together.<\/p>\n

Stay tuned for the finale of The New Edition Story. Tomorrow at 9PM on BET.<\/strong><\/p>\n

This article dedicate in loving memory to Ma and Pop Brown and James Jimbo Filnt, who\u2019s mom Sarah has started the organization Mothers for Justice and Equality, which she brought all the way to the White House, in addition to launching a scholarship fund to help students buy books who are heading to college, in the loving memory of her son.<\/p>\n

The New Edition Story airs for 3 nights on BET beginning January 24th. 9PM<\/p>\n