New Jack Swing Classics Trivia Quiz

Answer: Bell Biv Devoe

The words "That girl is poison...never trust a big butt and a smile" were taken from the ultimate New Jack Swing song of the era. Rickie Bell, Michael Bivins, and Ronnie Devoe were original members of New Edition who also recorded as the band, Bell Biv Devoe.

The group stayed together into the 2020s, but is most known for their debut album in 1990 with songs like "Poison", "Do Me!", "BBD (I Thought It Was Me)", and the ballad "When Will I See You Smile Again".

Answer: Johnny Kemp

"Just got paid, it's Friday night, party hunting, feeling right, body shaking, all around, know one thing: I'm getting down"; with those words Johnny Kemp's song got people out of their chairs and running to the dance floor in 1988. The music for the song was originally intended for a Keith Sweat song but it became Johnny Kemp's signature hit.

Answer: New Edition

The New Jack Swing era was led by artists like Bobby Brown, Ralph Tresvant, Bell Biv Devoe, and Johnny Gill. Well, put those six men together and you've got New Edition. Their slow jam "Can You Feel The Rain" and the dance hit "If It Isn't Love" were smash singles in 1988 from their album "Heartbreak".

Answer: Bobby Brown

You wouldn't have had the explosion of the New Jack Swing era without Bobby Brown's multi-platinum album "Don't Be Cruel". The singles, including "Roni", "My Prerogative", "Every Little Step", and the title track set the stage for the next decade. Babyface, L.A. Reid, and Daryl Simmons all helped write and produce the single and the album.

Answer: Boyz II Men

You'll see that a lot of the songs on this quiz and many of the biggest hits of the New Jack Swing era all were released on artist's debut albums. Same holds true for Boyz II Men's "Motownphilly". You can see it in the name alone, the band combined the smooth sounds of Motown and Philly Soul with some hip hop beats here.

The 1991 single name-checked Another Bad Creation and Bell Biv Devoe, two pioneering groups of the New Jack Swing era.

Answer: Michael Jackson

The King of Pop was one of the first artists to embrace New Jack Swing. His album "Dangerous" was loaded with hits like "In The Closet" and the title track that embraced the new style. The music video for "Remember The Time" included cameos by comedian Eddie Murphy and super model Iman.

Answer: Johnny Gill

Prior to joining New Edition, Johnny Gill got us on the dance floor with his huge solo hit "Rub You The Right Way". The song reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in 1990. The song was written and produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, both formally with The Time.

Answer: En Vogue

The four woman group, En Vogue, topped the 1990 Billboard Dance chart and reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100 with "Hold On". The song opened with an a cappella version of Smokey Robinson's "Who's Lovin' You" before they dropped the hip-hop beat. It was their debut single and set the stage for a huge career in the 1990s for En Vogue.

Answer: Whitney Houston

Whitney Houston is known for her incredible voice and powerful ballads but even "The Voice" jumped onto the New Jack Swing train with her dance single "I'm Your Baby Tonight". The title track from her 1990 album was a departure for Whitney and featured production by the legendary team of L.A. Reid and Babyface.

Answer: Guy

When you talk about the New Jack Swing era, you've got to start with Teddy Riley and his band, Guy. Teddy is credited with inventing the New Jack Swing sound and "Groove Me" was the ultimate combination of hip-hip meets R&B. The song was the second single on their debut album in 1988.

Answer: Janet Jackson

"Miss You Much" was written by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis and released on the album "Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814" album. Recorded in Minneapolis, Minnesota, "Miss You Much" became Janet's second song to top the Billboard Hot 100 and the second biggest selling song of 1989 behind Phil Collins' "Another Day In Paradise".

Answer: R Kelly and Public Announcement

Before Robert Kelly went solo, he and his group, Public Announcement, put out a full album of R&B slow jams and New Jack Swing hits. "She's Got That Vibe" was released in 1991 on the Jive Records record label and was their debut single. The uptempo beat and harmony breaks instantly got the party started on the dance floor.

Answer: Tony! Toni! Tone!

The Oakland, California R&B trio, Tony! Toni! Tone! rode "Feels Good" to the top of the Billboard R&B Singles chart in 1990. Take about mixing genres, you've got bluesy riffs, heavy percussion, jazzy transitions, and even a sample of Lyn Collins' R&B single "Think (About It)" all combined here.

Answer: Keith Sweat

Widely considered the first major song to introduce the New Jack Swing style was "I Want Her" by Keith Sweat. His debut album "Make It Last Forever" is a great compilation of slow jams and dance hits that all mixed R&B with hip hop. The lead single "I Want Her" dominated the dance charts in 1988 and reached number five on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart.

Answer: Montell Jordan

While Bruno Mars brought back the New Jack Swing sound with his 2020s hit "Finesse", "This Is How We Do It" was one of the last songs to use that style in the 1990s. The unforgettable chorus and the heavy bass sounds of the single pushed Montell's debut single to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 pushing out Madonna's "Take A Bow".