New Edition is hitting the road this summer as promised — but not all members will be going on tour.
A new flyer promoted by several members reveals Ronnie Devoe, Bobby Brown, Ricky Bell and Michael Bivins will perform under the name RBRM during a national tour beginning May 18th in Atlanta. The group name stems from the first initials of the quartet’s first names.
“Come holla at your boys…. #BostonBred,” Devoe, Brown and Bell included on the caption of the flyer they promoted on their respective Instagrams. Notably, Johnny Gill and Ralph Tresvant — who own the trademark for the name “New Edition” — are absent from the promo.
According to The Boombox, Gill and Tresvant have allegedly refused to add their group members to the trademark and so they cannot tour as New Edition without them.
NE has long promised they’d be going on tour ever since their show-stopping reunion performance at the 2017 BET Awards, where they were honored with a Lifetime Achievement trophy.
However, just a week ago, Bivins went on Instagram and hinted at some tensions among group members, indicating not everyone would join their next endeavor.
“We all felt like the victim at times in our long career and sometimes, it rears its head at the wrong time and last year was God’s time for us to smell our roses and to do what we do best — entertain,” he said in part in a Wednesday, May 2 IG post. “Family business is family business and I know y’all need answers on why ish is not going down (the Big Tour, Part 4,5,6 [or] more of the movie, or anything else you do to celebrate with your fans).
“I’m on record this morning on behalf of Orchard Park Projects, Boston, [founder] Maurice Starr, ‘Candy Girl’ and all that have participated and worked for this organization,” he added. “I will do my part and talk and open up communication to get this ish back on track Ralph, Ricky, Ronnie, Bobby, Johnny & [choreographer] Brooke [Payne]. With love and honor and respect at the table, God can do his work Good am & God Bless Michael L. Bivins #Bivfam and my big brothers.”
And while many fans are eager to see some NE members performing in a town near them, others are fired up over the fact that it’s not a true reunion.
“C-O-U-N-T me IN! 🤩,” an excited fan said.
“@krandolph69 Look at our boys! I wanna go! I always miss them! Haven’t seen them since ’96!,” someone else said.
“NO [JOHNNY] NO RALPH … NO ME!! NO ONE IS INTERESTED IN HEARING ‘POISON’ AND ‘DO ME BABY ALL NIGHT’ AND WATCH BOBBY SWEAT THRU THE CLASSICS,” one person fired off.
“Where the heck is Ralph?” another wondered. “I love you all but don’t leave out ya brotha!”
“So, who’s singing leads on ‘Can You Stand The Rain’ ???” another wondered.
“I’m happy but sad at the same time..come on fellas y’all gotta work whatever it is out…,” a conflicted fan commented. “I need to see all 6 of you performing together again…NE💔.”
Meanwhile, neither Gill or Tresvant have spoken about the RBRM tour.
