Watch New Edition’s Career Retrospective at 2017 BET Awards
After receiving a Lifetime Achievement award at the 2017 BET Awards, New Edition proved their status as one of the most iconic, influential vocal groups in R&B history with a medley of songs. Prior to their acceptance speech, the young actors who played the group in their BET biopic performed their various hits and solo tracks for the audience.
An awkward transition during the group’s quick-change preceded the group’s time on stage, but the mishap was quickly forgotten given the pristine quality of the group’s performance. Beginning with the sweet “Mr. Telephone Man,” the group showcased their ability to still stay in sync while dancing and harmonizing live. Tender takes on “Can You Stand the Rain” and “If It Isn’t Love” followed, and for the latter, the cast of The New Edition Story joined them on-stage, creating a sea of white suits as they all kept in step with one another.
Prior to New Edition’s time on stage, they sat in the audience and watched as their biopic counterparts powered through various hit songs from their careers together and as solo artists, including “Candy Girl,” Bell Biv DeVoe’s “Poison” and Bobby Brown‘s “My Prerogative.”
Ecstatic (Xscape), messy (New Edition) reunions, Leslie Jones, technical snafus, crowd-rousing stints defined night of highs, lows of 2017 BET Awards. Watch here.