It’s Inauguration Day.
Our First Lady’s “Evolution of Mom Dancing” series has met its untimely end, Malia is finally sifting through that big-ass pile of Black applicants vying for her friendship, and the kleptocratic reign of Cheeto Satan (a.k.a. Fanta Fascist a.k.a. Toupée Fiasco) has arrived at Lady Liberty’s doorstep. So if you haven’t done so already, now would be the opportune time to fine tune your self-care regimens over inconsolable tears and wine.
But even in the face of imminent doom, all is not lost. Because even though Sweet Potato Saddam might’ve botched his cabinet, our collective ability to resist his tyranny falls just outside of his jurisdiction. But before we march on Washington and slay Melania’s baby daddy, we gotta get our minds right.
And with beautiful moments such as these no longer an option, there’s no better way to do so than music.
So without further ado, in the spirit of BET’s upcoming Blackstravaganza The New Edition Story dropping next week, we present The Top 5 New Edition music videos (in no particular order):
New Edition – “You’re Not My Kind Of Girl”
Are we crediting this video with kickstarting the White Party craze? Black folks went from being terrorized by white linen, to terrorizing dance floors in it. Shoutout to Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis for creating a funky-ass bassline for The Five Bellhops to high top and crotch thrust to.
New Edition – “Cool It Now”
After years of indentured servitude, Ronnie and Mike finally got their moment in the sun. For a glorious sixteen seconds, they pop-locked, struggle-rapped, and Jheri-curled their way into our hearts. But not to be outdone, Ralph dropped the mic after achieving the impossible: Name dropping his other four bandmates. A feat still credited today for saving niggas with bad memories from the shame and humiliation of getting their Black cards revoked.
New Edition – “If It Isn’t Love”
Allen Iverson might not be too fond of practice, but New Edition loved rehearsal so damn much they made a music video about it. That being said, these iconic visuals belong in the Library of Congress. I’m sure Beyoncé would agree.
Bell Biv Devoe – “Word To The Mutha!” (Feat. Bobby Brown, Ralph Tresvant, and Johnny Gill)
Despite Johnny looking hilariously out of place, with the exception of Bobby, this was the first time we saw the rest of the group adapt Bell Biv Devoe’s sound, style, and aesthetic. Though the imagery was jarring, and a sharp departure from New Edition’s traditional suit-and-tie approach, the song itself was one of the best from that era. It’s also important to note that this family reunion was the first song to feature all six members on the same track. Glory be to God.
Bobby Brown – “Every Little Step”
Well yeah, this list was supposed to be solely New Edition videos but fuck that. This video had every last one of our bird-chested asses begging our barbers for a Gumby and doing The Running Man in our momma’s living rooms. Shit, I spent so many hours perfecting my Running Man to this song my parents thought my imaginary friend was a treadmill. But as great as this video is, watching Wayne Brady (yes, that Wayne Brady) and Mike Tyson (yes, that Mike Tyson) attempt to replicate it might be even better.
And if this trip down memory lane doesn’t satiate your taste for nostalgia, join us and the big homies VerySmartBros next Thursday in DC for “The New Edition Story: A Very Extraordinary Watch Party” .
Additionally, check out Alex’s thoughts on Bobby Brown’s messy ass memoir.
After a stint in the military and an extended crusade shepherding all of God’s children as a social worker, Jay Connor conceded to fate and relocated to Los Angeles in 2014 in order to chase the dream. When he’s not changing his son’s diapers or losing his grip on sanity while enduring 405 traffic, he’s a writer in the entertainment industry. Where currently he’s working on a number of projects, the most prominent being “Strange Angel”, a historical drama series produced by Ridley Scott’s Scott Free Productions that is set to air on the AMC Network in the near future. More Jay: Twitter | Instagram
