1992 on the heels of Bell Biv Devoe, Michael Bivins brought us Boyz to Men, then Another Bad Creation, and just when you thought he was done 1994 he dropped the single and video
1-4-All-4-1 and introduced us into the East Coast Family. The East coast family consisted of a collection of artists or Biv Protégés who we assumed would be all releasing albums soon, making it seem like Biv had a mini empire going on over on Motown
Outside of 3 or four acts the roster were pretty unknown (and stayed that way)
I loved that song and that era so I figured why not break it down as much as I can.
(Ironically the East Coast Family video was shot in Houston (and recorded in Towson Maryland)
Fruit Punch
The Video started off with Fruit Punch … he comes from the sewer (Through a manhole) and tells us “I don’t get out much” LOL
He’s identified as Biv’s cousin, and is basically our narrator for this epic journey
We never heard much from ole Fruit Punch since that video, but again … he doesn’t get out much.
Another Bad Creation
ABC was up next in the video … rhyming to us from a men’s restroom … with bleached hair, leather vests with no shirts … ok. And they are rhyming like Das EFX
We do remember ABC though, they had success with Iesha, and Playground … their first album had some hidden gems on them, they had the battle with Kriss Kross … the second and third albums didn’t do as great but they were a known commodity at the time
TomBoyy
Next up a female group Tomboyy they were united as one, because it was time LOL They seemed like they could’ve been something and I’m sure they went on to great things, just not as Tomboyy … never heard from them again.
Cale’
Don’t forget that accent on the e! This guy was more of a diet Montell Jordan with a pointy head, I’m sure women could’ve gotten into the guy, and hey in the video he seemed to be really cool with Hayden, maybe that could’ve been a thing, again. Never heard from him again.
And speaking of Hayden…
Hayden
This cross between Bubba Sparks and Kevin James was going to show us what the B-I-V crew could do … with his incredible moves and buttery voice.
I’m sure he went on to sing at birthday parties or sale siding or something, but I for one wish he would’ve stuck around so I could see him rock, alas … never heard from again.
Whytgize
To keep the diversity going the White Boyz II Men (or so we thought) Whytgize (Formerly Sudden Impact) Could feel what was going on … Sudden Impact was a group Biv signed on his 3 group deal (Boyz II Men, BBD, Sudden Impact) … which makes me think NO ONE else in this video were signed lol
… anyway when they were out, people would ask who were the White Guys in the Boyz II Men video (Motown Philly)
And the name stuck … anyway, we never got a Whytgize album BUT what we DID get was an Outsiders 4 Life Album (Their 3rd name) they even did a song with Aaliyah!
Now after we got Whytgize and went to the hook, there was a brief flash of a name “Kahlil” with no face no verse or anything … guess he was the ghostface of the family LOL
10/10
I guess taking their name from Biv 10? Anyway, these two kids were rappers and even though ABC had a beef with Kriss Kross these two seemed to be exactly that … maybe it was Bivs answer to them … either way.
They argued about wont and will on their verse while blinding each other with flashlights and I guess won’t won, since we never heard from them again.
Mark Finesse
Next up was an older version of 10/10? Mark finesse was a group in white shorts, combat boots and fruity pebbles shirts … not sure if they also sang because they never made any music.
MC Brains
Hey we know MC Brains, he said he was 3rd in line … he wasnt, not very brainy of him, anyway … everybody’s talkin bout MC Brains! He made Brainstorming … he made Oochie Coohie (La La La) so that’s somewhat of an established act in the family … went on to make at least 2 albums. Ohio’s own!
Tam Rock
Tam Rock was the next in line, who also worked with MC Brains (See Oochie Coochie) good thing she didnt burn herself or knock herself unconscious with that light. …s o we had some people who at least released music. See her 1992 video for Listen closely
Big Ant
Big Ant shows up and gets a few lines in but this post wouldn’t be worth anything if I didn’t draw attention to that hairstyle he was rockin, it was like a hightop capital Y, curl with a rattail … magnificent!
Anyway, we didn’t hear anything from him again either … maybe he went into cosmetology?
Yvette
Now Big Ant shares a verse with Yvette who didn’t make any more music BUT we know her better now as Yvette Nicole Brown, as in Shirley Bennett on Community Yvette Nicole Brown!
So she’s come a long way, pretty voice … but acting is suiting her.
Rico
Who knows what Rico’s purpose was … he played the piano. Great.
Lady V
See, most people didn’t know what was up with Lady V, even if she said we did … complete with scrunch down grind sway movement … LOL Lady V is also known and Val Young, Val Young worked with Parliament, Rick James, El Debarge, Eddie Murphy, Gerald Levert, Snoop … heard the song by Tupac “To Live and Die in LA”? That’s Lady V on the hook!
Boyz II Men
Boyz II men wraps up the song explaining to us how they stress to impress and progress and not to regress … so that’s a thing.
We know what happened to them, clearly the most accomplished of the family so …
Anyway, that’s the East Coast Family more or less … it looked to be a bigger deal in the making, but then again Biv didn’t even make it to the video shoot, so how big could it have been to him? LOL
HEY it’s The Whytegize with Jodeci!
Whytgize lead singer solo
LOL!!!!!
