Boyz II Men's Wanya Morris used his annual birthday celebration to mark the launch of his own record label, WanMor Entertainment, with a party at Egypt nightclub in Philadelphia.
Biz Markie spun the records as partygoers including Allen Iverson, Case, Outkast, Goodie Mob, middleweight boxing contender William Guthrie, and New York-based artist Leroy Campbell all "got their party on."
Arriving in hip-hop gear-a change from his more conservative Boyz II Men look-Wanya performed with two of his artists, giving a taste of what we will hear from his label. Yep, it will be hard rap and hip-hop in addition to the romantic ballads traditionally associated with him and the Boyz.
But will his fans accept his new image? Wanya addressed those concerns offstage. "They're used to me being on stage with Boyz II Men in a more subtle, traditional type vibe," said Wanya, "but my spirit called something else out of me. It's like a different person and I feel that person trying to fight out every now and then. But I'm always going to be Wanya from Boyz II Men."
WanMor's first release, Millennium Renaissance, is a compilation effort featuring Wanya, singer and songwriter Will Guice and rapper Freddie Fingaz. Both artists performed with Wanya at the party with assistance from the three-man group Deadly Snake.
Nate Morris, Shawn Stockman and Michael McCary with his new wife were there to support Wanya on his big night. All the Boyz expressed high hopes for Wanya's new venture while reassuring fans that this project would not interfere with the ongoing existence of Boyz II Men. In fact, they are scheduled to release their next album in the beginning of 2000. They currently have 30 songs from which they will pull a dozen or so for the album.
On his recently reported marriage, Michael McCary said, "It's beautiful. It's a true blessing. It's give and take. Sharing at all times no matter what. And it's always going to be compromises and you have to communicate." He described the biggest benefit as being "Each other. Waking up and seeing her every day." And for others who might be thinking about taking the plunge he said, "Well, first of all I would tell people that's not even thinking about marrying to start thinking about it. You know what I'm saying? Because there's a lot of things you think that you're going to miss out there and you end up being with that person 10, 12 years and not even marrying them yet and then you say after 15 years, 'Oh, I might as well get married.' No, no, no. Enjoy those 15 years that you're with them under God's eye in marriage. You know what I'm saying? Walk hand in hand with Christ with your marriage and everything and it'll be fine, man. You're not missing a thing." His wife's name is Venus.