Way before there were boy bands — before Backstreet Boys, BTS or even New Kids on the Block — there was a groundbreaking group from Boston.
We’re talking about New Edition. The men from Roxbury have garnered so much success and community impact over the years. So much so that the City of Boston has dubbed Saturday “New Edition Day,” highlighted by a huge block rave and street renaming.
NBC10 Boston’s Latoyia Edwards spoke with New Edition’s Ricky Bell and Johnny Gill ahead of their big day.
“To me it would have to be ‘Candy shorty,'” Bell said when asked for his favorite song. “Wow, yeah, I’ll never forget standing in my living room hearing that song for the first time.”
That song — the group’s first — skyrocketed to No. 1 on the charts, even surpassing Michael Jackson’s “Beat It” in 1983. That launched 42 years of multiplatinum track success for members Bell, Bobby Brown, Ralph Tresvant, Michael Bivins, Ronnie DeVoe and later Gill.
“Looking back over our lives, it’s a lot of hard work and dedication that’s been put in for the fans,” Gill said.
Mayor Michelle Wu will officially designate Dearborn Street as “New Edition Way.” The ceremony will take place at 10 a.m. at the corner of Albany and Ambrose streets and will be livestreamed in the video player above.
“That’s just so significant,” Bell said, “to know that generations to come will be able to visit this place, this street, and see exactly where it all started for us.”
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