"We were a group before we were friends," says Nathan Morris of Boyz II Men, the R&B quartet in which he croons with Michael McCary, Shawn Stockman, and Wanya Morris.

Long before they were the Boz responsible for such hits as "I'll Make Love to You" and "On Bended Knee," they were just magically-gifted boys from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. "We were all in the same choir at school," explains Nathan, 24. That's how we met, though we didn't know each other at first."

Three CDs-including 1994's II - and a few years worth of touring behind them, Boyz II Men are no longer simply just bandmates to one another. "Now," Nathan points out, "we are like a family."

And like familiar old friends who think of themselves as family, the guys admit that they indulge in their share of teasing. "We know each other so well that we can push exactly the right button if we want to do some teasing," says 24-year-old Michael of Nathan, 23-year-old Shawn, and Wanya, 22. "But it's all in fun. We're never trying to pierce someone's heart. But if your socks don't match, watch out."

Matching socks or not, fun is definetly something these four friends have a lot of whenever possible. "We do a lot of goofing off," Michael says, "playing video games, hanging, playing music, working on new songs, cracking jokes."

Yet the Boyz have also nutured a special, unbreakable bond that extends beyond playtime. "We listen," Wanya explains. "We keep together-open with each other. That way nobody can break us apart."

But while these four are the best of friends, they're also Boyz II Men from beginning to end. "It is good not being solo," Wanya tells Bop, "but having a unit, you know? That can help you out if you are having problems-not just about music, but about life."

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