Explosive Trailer for ‘Tales of a Boy Band – The Story of TROOP’ | New Music from Steven Russell Harts
TROOP was without a doubt one of the baddest R&B groups in the 80s/90s.
The group had the whole package, singers who could actually sing and harmonize, on top of dancing and hitting top chorography in their videos, not to mention Steve and Allen were beasts with their pen games. Writing and producing some of the groups biggest hits.
Now it’s time for their story to be told, in the new documentary/film “Tales of a Boy Band – The Story of Troop.” The explosive trailer has been released via Homestead Entertainment. It’s the real story of what happened, behind the scenes of R&B Boy Band Troop. Narrated by Steven Russell Harts.
Today, Steven Russell Harts also released his new single co-written with Chuckii Booker & Harvey Mason Jr. entitled “So Close,” stream it below.
TROOP is an acronym for “Total Respect Of Other People.”
Last year Reggie Warren, an original member passed away at his California home on March 14th, 2021. He was 52, Steve Russell mourned his death on Instagram, saying, “Job well done my brother I will see you on the other side.”
Troop began as a teen group that won $1000 on the 80s hit TV music competition series Puttin’ on the Hits.
They won by dancing and lip-synching to New Edition‘s “Cool It Now.” The Pasadena, California quintet were then signed to Atlantic.
The group is most notable for a series of #1 R&B hits, including two popular covers; “All I Do Is Think of You” and “Sweet November”, originally performed by the musical acts, The Jackson 5 and The Deele respectively.
Troop, consisting of childhood friends Steve Russell, Allen McNeil, John Harreld, Rodney Benford and Reggie Warren. Their 1988 debut single, the Gerald LeVert-produced “Mamacita,” taken from their self-titled album, reached #2 on Billboard’s Hot Soul Singles chart.
After the release of their debut album, in 1989 Troop released their classic album “Attitude,” which featured two #1 R&B singles; including the Chuckii Booker collaboration “Spread My Wings.” “Attitude” was certified platinum in 1990.
The group had five #1 singles and ten top 10 singles on the Billboard R&B Charts. Troop has five albums, which include three certified gold and one certified platinum album.
“Deepa,” released in 1992, was a creative step forward and contained yet another R&B chart topper in “Sweet November.”
The group subsequently went independent with two more full-lengths released later in the decade. “A Lil’ Sumpin’ Sumpin’” in 1994 and “Mayday” in 1998, both of which were re-released in 2005.
After releasing “Mayday” in 1998, Troop took a hiatus as individual members worked behind the scenes on various writing and producing projects, collaborations, and other business endeavors.
Troop went inactive for several years but occasionally recorded and toured. In 2013, they released a single titled “Forever.” Within the music industry, Steve had the most success outside the group as part of the songwriting and production team the Underdogs.
Troop has been showcased on the Late Show with David Letterman, Soul Train, The Arsenio Hall Show, Showtime at the Apollo, and appeared in the feature film “New Jack City” singing a cappella.
Additionally, the group appeared on the “New Jack City” soundtrack with Queen Latifah and LeVert, in a medley featuring featuring cover versions of The O’Jays’ “For the Love of Money” and Stevie Wonder’s “Living for the City.”
Steve Russell wrote “Take You Down” for Chris Brown and “No Air” for Jordin Sparks, Grammy award winning “Invisible Invisible” for Jennifer Hudson. In February 2010 he released his debut solo CD entitled, “So Random” which is the first release from his own label Motel Music Media.
Allen McNeil released his debut solo album titled “Hybernation” in January 2010. Allen McNeil released his sophomore solo album titled “Send For Me” in November 2011. Last year he dropped the album “Quarantined.”
In 2014, John “Jon Jon” Harreld released a single covering Luther Vandross’s “Never Too Much.”
