Boyz II Men is incredibly gifted. They truly love to sing and are dedicated to the success of their group. It is because this commitment and their unique bond that the foursome, all in their late 20s, have remained together for more than ten years. With the release of their fourth album - the first on Universal Records - comes the rawness of manhood, and the hope that their fans will get a special piece of each of them.

Four guys from Philly. Four witty friends. Four truly beautiful voices. It's been three years since we've heard an album from Nathan Morris, Michael McCary, Shawn Stockman, and Wanya Morris. Due to the popularity of such heart-tugging hits as "I'll Make Love to You" and "On Bended Knee," the wait for their return hasn't seemed so long. You see, the long hours spent recording (and, of course, their trademark harmony) created believable and meaningful songs. Since the release of Cooleyhighharmony in 1991, Nathan, Michael, Shawn, and Wanya have enjoyed more than five #1 hit singles, four Grammys, numerous other awards, and mountains of praise from devoted fans across the globe. All the while the have remained committed to one cause: the ultimate success of Boyz II Men. Although three group members are pursuing other projects, (Shawn has a film production company and recently produced and co-scored a Showtime original documentary called "17 Again" featuring TV actresses Tia and Tamera Mowry; Michael's production company, Sure II Hit, has worked with actor/singer Joey Lawerence and a few country artists; and Wanya's WanMor Entertainment is preparing to sign an act soon), each wants to be a part of Boyz II Men.

"In ten years, we've only had four albums, whereas other groups may put out twelve or thirteen records in that time," says Nathan, the quartet's baritone. "We're fortunate that our songs have lasted." Also, Boyz II Men, who are excited that listeners can meditate, make love to and vibe to their new record, continues to serve as masters of their own destiny. Though they've always contributed to their own projects, they wrote and produced the majority of their new album Nathan Michael Shawn Wanya.

"We really put ourselves out there...we went over the album, and went over it. I think we changed the album's sequence about four or five times. We think we took it to a whole new level," Shawn offers. The group's manager of six years, Qadree El-Amin, agrees. "I saw all the hard work they put into it. These guys feel their songs," he says. "You have to figure out if it's you or your producers who make you," Shawn adds.

At a time when many R&B acts are folding after being together for only a few years, Boyz II Men, who on past albums worked with Puff Daddy, Babyface, and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, is back to burn more fuel. "We're a group," says Nathan, who with the group also released the albums Christmas Interpretations ('93) and The Remix Collection ('95). "We are a group that came together on our own. Some others didn't." And now that they've dazzled fans as a group, they yearn for people to know them individually, hence the album's title. After all, they're men now and maturity comes with age, as do lessons learned in love.

"Our vocals have matured, our sound alone has changed over the last three years," Nathan says. "On this album, we wanted to make music that appeals to our fans and reaches a new generation of fans," Michael adds.

And they've done just that. On past albums, Boyz II Men may have helped pull you though the passing of a loved one with "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday," helped you to see the light after a painful breakup with "End of the Road;" or put you in the mood for love with "I'll Make Love to You."

On Nathan Michael Shawn Wanya, the infamous trend continues with such songs as "Pass You By," the album's first single, "I Do," and "Dreams." Written by Shawn, "Pass You By" is a classic ballad that urges a woman to not miss out on true love. The lyrics "You don't have to stay with someone that makes you cry....," say it all. "If you stay in a relationship that hurts you, you kill the rest of the love that you have for the future," explains Wanya about the track. "You make it bad for the brother who is willing to love." What very well could be next year's wedding anthem is "I Do," which the group wrote with Mervyn Warren. "It's from a man's point of view. It gives women relief, like 'Oh wow, my man could actually be thinking this way," Wanya says. "It's something for a guy to play, if they're really feeling something about a specific woman and can't say it," adds Shawn. "This song can hopefully be used to express it." And then there is "Dreams," a mellow, "dreamy" track that the four produced with Sure II Hit. "This song is incredible for an artist. When you get involved in a relationship with someone who is far away, you can't be with him or her. So if a strong bond is developed, you can see them in your dreams," Wanya says.

Just where do such sensual and captivating lyrics come from? Are the guys influenced by significant others? "The love comes from within," says Wanya laughing. Shawn opts for a slightly more direct approach saying, "Some of us are involved, some of us aren't. Yes, we do have personal lives." Hmm. Well, in the industry the group is known for their unique approach to song writing. "We could be on the toilet," says Wanya jokingly. "There's really no set way to write. It's just what we feel, how we feel at that moment."

Don't begin to think that the guys who produced with She'kspere (Destiny's Child, Pink), Shep Crawford (Deborah Cox, Montell Jordan) and others this time around, neglected to bust a move on this album. "Bounce, Shake, Move, Swing" has the house vibe." "It's definitely club," asserts Wanya. "It's after you propose and do all the dreamy stuff...then go to the club and let it all hang out," adds Shawn, who with the group recorded Nathan Michael Shawn Wanya at the group's state-of-the-art Stonecreek Studios in Gladwyne, PA.

The four vocalists have come a long way since making their way backstage at a New Edition concert in '89. As vocal music majors at Philadelphia School for the Creative and Performing Arts, where Nathan formed the group's initial members (the final members were in place in '88), they sang a cappella the night of the show before Michael Bivins. Bivins eventually became the helping hand that landed them a contract with Motown. Following Cooleyhighharmony, which sold over 12 million copies, the group made pop history with their single "End of the Road" that appeared on the 1992 Boomerang soundtrack album. The tune ranked #1 for 13 weeks on Billboard's Hot 100 Pop Chart, surpassing a record previously held be Elvis Presley's "Don't Be Cruel"/"Hound Dog."

Boyz II Men's career was far from reaching the "end of the road," but was headed toward supreme status. Their name quickly became synonymous with "#1 hit." "I'll Make Love to You," from their second album, II, lasted 14 weeks at the top spot, only to be axed by the quartet's duet with Mariah Carey, "One Sweet Day." The duet stayed at #1 for a whopping 16 weeks. With a bounty of other accomplishments to their name, Boyz II Men also released Evolution in '97. The album spawned the platinum singles "4 Seasons of Loneliness" and the Babyface-produced "A Song for Mama."

Now at the dawn of a new century, Boyz II Men, who wish to collectively launch their own record label one day, aim to outdo themselves once again. And why not? Their certainly seem to have the master plan for success. So what advice do they lend to their followers? "Never give up," Michael says. He also suggest reading books about to thrive in the music industry. And above all, Wanya advises, "Be real with your craft." Sage advice that the fellas have obviously taken seriously.

"No matter what else we may be doing, at the end of the day we want to see what the whole group can do," Nathan says. "You haven't seen the full extent of Boyz II Men yet."

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