Ricardo Bell (born September 18, 1967) is an American singer best known as one of the founding members of
R&B/
pop group
New Edition
New Edition is an American Contemporary R&B, R&B/Pop music, pop group from the Roxbury, Boston, Roxbury neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, formed in 1978 by singer/rapper Bobby Brown. Their name is taken to mean a new edition of the Jackson ...
, and the lead singer of
Bell Biv DeVoe. As a solo artist, Bell released the album ''Ricardo Campana'' in 2000.
Early life and career
The youngest of eleven children, Bell was born in
Roxbury,
Boston, Massachusetts
Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
and grew up in the
Orchard Park Projects
Orchard Park, also known as "Home of New Edition," was one of Boston's most notorious housing projects, located in Roxbury, Massachusetts. It is also the former home of New Edition members Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, Bobby Brown and Ralph Tres ...
. He began his career singing with close friend
Ralph Tresvant in the group Ricky and Ralph. Later, Bell, along with
Michael Bivins
Michael Lamont Bivins (born August 10, 1968) is an American singer, rapper, manager, and producer, and a founding member of New Edition and Bell Biv DeVoe.
Biography
Bivins was born and still lives in Boston. He and his wife, Teasha, have four ...
,
Bobby Brown
Robert Barisford Brown Sr. (born February 5, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, and dancer. Alongside frequent collaborator Teddy Riley, he is recognized as a pioneer of new jack swing: a fusion of hip-hop and Contemporary R&B, R ...
,
Ralph Tresvant, and
Ronnie DeVoe
Ronald Boyd DeVoe Jr. (born November 17, 1967), is an American singer and rapper known as one of the members of the R&B/ pop group New Edition, and the R&B/ hip hop group Bell Biv DeVoe. He was born in Roxbury, Massachusetts.
Career
DeVoe wa ...
formed
New Edition
New Edition is an American Contemporary R&B, R&B/Pop music, pop group from the Roxbury, Boston, Roxbury neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, formed in 1978 by singer/rapper Bobby Brown. Their name is taken to mean a new edition of the Jackson ...
. The group began a career in 1978 that has spanned more than 40 years.
After the departure of Brown,
Johnny Gill joined the group in the mid-1980s. Before Gill joined the group, Bell was originally the oldest member of New Edition. After the group recorded the album "Heartbreak", Bell was given the chance to go solo but opted instead to form
Bell Biv DeVoe, with Bivins and DeVoe.
The "best kept secret" originally gained the respect of the industry when record producer
Jimmy Jam had the idea for the spin-off group
Bell Biv DeVoe with Bell as the lead singer. BBD, as the group is commonly known, was the first to integrate elements of
Rap and R&B consistently, calling their style "Hip-hop smoothed out on an R&B tip with a pop feel appeal to it." BBD's 1990 debut established Bell as a lead singer capable of
chart topping success. Though Bell had primarily performed as a backup vocalist with New Edition, he emerged as one of the most utilized voices on
singles released by the group in the 1990s. With the exception of the ensemble songs "Hot2Nite" and "
Hit Me Off", and the Brown-led "
You Don't Have to Worry," Bell performed lead or co-lead on the remainder of the group's
charting singles.
With Bell Biv DeVoe and New Edition, Bell has over two dozen TV and film performances including ''
Knight Rider'', ''
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air'', ''
New York Undercover'', ''
Family Matters'', the movie ''
Krush Groove'', and numerous music, variety and awards programs.
Bell sang the BBD hit "Poison" along with Ne-Yo at the 2009 BET Awards.
In 2008, Bell, as a member of New Edition, was the recipient of the Golden Note Award at
ASCAP's 21st Annual Rhythm & Soul Music Awards. In 2017, Bell Biv DeVoe released a new album called ''
Three Stripes
Three stripes is a trademark of Adidas consisting of three parallel lines, which typically feature along the side of Adidas apparel. Adidas was known for this branding early in its history, with its owner, Adolf Dassler, describing it as "Th ...
''; it was the trio's first album in 15 years.
Personal life
In 2004, in a double wedding with Tresvant, Bell married actress Amy Correa. Bell is a fan of the
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NBA), Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), ...
.
In
The New Edition Story miniseries released in 2017, it was revealed that Bell had struggled with substance abuse in the mid-1990s, using marijuana, cocaine, ecstasy, alcohol, and oxycontin to the point of losing his house and selling his personal property to satisfy his addictions. Eventually, he overdosed on cocaine and nearly lost his life, prompting him to enter rehab. Bell has maintained sobriety since checking out of rehabilitation. In contrast to fellow
New Edition
New Edition is an American Contemporary R&B, R&B/Pop music, pop group from the Roxbury, Boston, Roxbury neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, formed in 1978 by singer/rapper Bobby Brown. Their name is taken to mean a new edition of the Jackson ...
member
Bobby Brown
Robert Barisford Brown Sr. (born February 5, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, and dancer. Alongside frequent collaborator Teddy Riley, he is recognized as a pioneer of new jack swing: a fusion of hip-hop and Contemporary R&B, R ...
, whose drug struggles were covered prominently in the media during this time period, Bell's struggles with addiction were not publicized until the release of the miniseries in 2017.
Discography
;New Edition
* ''
Candy Girl'' (1983)
* ''
New Edition
New Edition is an American Contemporary R&B, R&B/Pop music, pop group from the Roxbury, Boston, Roxbury neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, formed in 1978 by singer/rapper Bobby Brown. Their name is taken to mean a new edition of the Jackson ...
'' (1984)
* ''
All for Love'' (1985)
* ''
Under the Blue Moon'' (1986)
* ''
Heart Break'' (1988)
* ''
Home Again'' (1996)
* ''
One Love'' (2004)
;Bell Biv DeVoe
* ''
Poison
A poison is any chemical substance that is harmful or lethal to living organisms. The term is used in a wide range of scientific fields and industries, where it is often specifically defined. It may also be applied colloquially or figurati ...
'' (1990)
* ''
Hootie Mack'' (1993)
* ''
BBD'' (2001)
* ''
Three Stripes
Three stripes is a trademark of Adidas consisting of three parallel lines, which typically feature along the side of Adidas apparel. Adidas was known for this branding early in its history, with its owner, Adolf Dassler, describing it as "Th ...
'' (2017)
;Solo
* ''Ricardo Campana'' Genre: R&B (October 24, 2000)
Track listing
# Spanish Fly - 5:06
# My Body - 4:47
# Can't Stay Away - 5:11
# It's All About You - 4:30
# Come Back - 4:51
# Struggle ft. Johnny Gill (Urban mix) - 3:44
# Have Ya Cake ft. Ronnie DeVoe - 4:52
# If I Had My Way - 4:41
# Still I See ft. Ronnie DeVoe & Greg Lawson - 8:04
# Down 4 Life - 4:16
# Sunday ft. Ronnie DeVoe - 4:35
# Struggle ft. Johnny Gill (Smooth edit) - 3:28
References
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bell, Ricky
1967 births
African-American male singers
African-American male rappers
21st-century American male rappers
20th-century American male rappers
American male pop singers
American rhythm and blues singers
Bell Biv DeVoe members
Living people
New Edition members
Singers from Boston