The definition of the word Legacy is the long-lasting impact of particular events, actions, etc. that took place in the past or of a person’s life. That’s exactly what New Edition’s Legacy Tour represents. The tour has three legendary artists and one that’s in the midst of becoming a legend.
The Legacy tour returned to Washington DC’s Capital One Arena. Which was a great place for this tour. Everyone was dressed to impress or representing their favorite NE member(s) in various t-shirt styles. DJ Kool was warming up the crowd with popular R&B, rap songs and a few Go-Go favorites –you HAVE to make sure you play go-go when in DC, it’s a given. Despite Kool’s technical difficulties the set was on point.
Soul crooner Tank who is a from the DMV area, started the night off and by the third or fourth song was in a tank top and teasing the crowd with which section was going to get the shirt off of his back. Tank also brought out J. Valentine to perform “Slow”, which had a deafening round of screams. Beyond Tank’s sexiness, his vocals were exquisite. Furthermore, stamping his legacy in the halls of R&B’s finest.
One thing that most people don’t know about me is that the NEW JACK SWING music genre is my FAVORITE. Back in my younger years, you would find me doing all the latest dances and blasting Al B. Sure!, Wreckx-N-Effect, Heavy D and of course the group who started it all GUY! So, it’s 100% safe to say that I was anxiously awaiting their set. Now, there was no way that they would be able to fit all of their hits and the hits that Teddy Riley produced for others, but they gave the audience what they came for. During their high energy set, a good majority of hits from their catalog were performed, “Dancin’”, “Teddy’s Jam”, “Groove Me” as well as the killer slow jams “Let’s Chill” and “Goodbye Love” which lead singer Aaron Hall performed the song shirtless while in the audience, while his brother Damion –also shirtless held down the accompanying vocals on stage.
After Guy’s set was over, Teddy Riley stayed on stage to talk to the audience and to perform his rap verse on the 1992 hit, “Rump Shaker.” Teddy used his verse from Wreckx-N-Effect’s 1989 song “New Jack Swing” to introduce Keith Sweat. Sweat and his dancers ran through a bevy of hits starting from “I Want Her” from his 1987 debut album, as well as songs from his former group LSG. There were so many songs from his 13 solo albums (2 with R&B supergroup LSG) that he didn’t get around performing, but he did fit in “Make It Last Forever”, “Nobody”.
After a brief intermission, it was time for New Edition. It’s great seeing all six members (Ralph Tresvant, Mike Bivins, Ronnie DeVoe, Ricky Bell, Bobby Brown and Johnny Gill) touring together. This tour represents their 40 year career, further preserving their legacy as a group and as solo artists. Slightly after 10pm New Edition rose from under the stage rocking long blue leather jackets and fedoras. The group started the show with “Crucial” from the Heart Break album, then quickly went into a medley including Johnny Gill’s solo hit “Rub You the Right Way” –which Brown sat out on, but re-immerged to perform his mega smash “My Prerogative” before exiting while the group sang “If It Isn’t Love.” And if you know anything about a New Edition show, you will hear all of their hits, as well as the ones from BBD, Gill, Brown and Tresvant.
As this tour travels across the country, best believe that it will be one of the best shows from start to finish, with all four acts proving that their legacy is secured.
