Black Music Spotlight: Celebrating Tony Thompson and Hi-Five

Today June 1st is the kick off day of Black Music Month 2025! As with every year UB is gearing up to launch some exciting new features!

To lead off this years celebration, we celebrate a talent that was taken from us far too soon, Tony Thompson.

Tony Thompson passed away on this day in 2007.

This year marks the 30th Anniversary of his solo debut album “Sexsational.”

Tony Thompson was the lead singer of the multi-platinum, string of hits group Hi-Five, which launched in 1989.

He was born Anthony Ulysses Thompson, Jr. on September 2nd, 1975, in Waco Texas.

Tony Thompson was always known the singer with a unique voice.

Hi-Five first came to the attention of Jive through Vincent Bell, who then managed the group with hip-hop veteran Robert Ford.

After being introduced to talent-contest winner Tony Thompson by a cousin, Vincent Bell slowly fleshed out Hi-Five. “Tony told me about Toriano,” he stated, “and from there the group started falling into place.”

Bell and William Walton proceeded to record “I Know Love,” which got Hi-Five its deal, in Texas.

The following summer, the group completed its album in New York.

The group was originally a trio: childhood friends Tony Thompson, Russell Neal, and Oklahoma native, Toriano Easley.

Jive Records suggested adding childhood friends, Roderick “Pooh” Clark and Marcus Sanders, to the ensemble.

Jive Records released their first album, in 1990.

This album went multi-platinum and was produced by award-winning legendary hit maker Teddy Riley; it included the singles “I Just Can’t Handle It”, “I Can’t Wait Another Minute”, and their biggest hit, “I Like the Way (The Kissing Game)”, which went to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.

The brooding, melodious “I Just Can’t Handle It,” hit immediately!

Relating a charming and refreshingly respectful tale of a young man’s crush on an older woman, the tune was funky yet clean and pure, the first of many; according to Jive then, “We signed Hi-Five instead of other teen-oriented groups we were introduced to because we feel there is long-term potential here,” stated former Jive senior VP of artist development Ann Carli. “We didn’t want to sign a group just to buy into a trend, then when the trend switches drop them. We feel Hi-Five can be around for 20 years or more, as long as they take care of their voices.”

Tony and the group enjoyed mainstream success and received comparisons to many of their R&B counterparts, namely legendary New Edition.

During the release of their debut album, Toriano Easley was charged with a crime, rendering him unable to continue with the group. The record label recruited New York native Treston Irby, as a replacement member.

Hi-Five‘s sophomore album release, “Keep It Goin’ On,” was released in 1992.

Many singles from the album, including “She’s Playing Hard to Get” and “Quality Time” received major airplay and appeared on Billboards Top 100 songs.

After the release of their second album, Russell Neal left the group after financial conflicts with the label.

Unfortunately while the four members of the group were continuing to tour, Roderick “Pooh” Clark was injured in a vehicle collision, leaving him paralyzed from the neck down, resulting in his departure from the group.

Roderick passed away in 2022.

The label added Shannon Gill and Terrence Murphy as replacement members.

In 1993, Hi-Five produced a third album, “Faithful,” which featured the songs “Unconditional Love” from the film “Menace to Society” and “Never Should Have Let You Go” from Whoopi Goldberg’s’ “Sister Act II.”

Hi-Five had 10 singles reach Billboard’s Hot 100.

When the group decided to accept an offer from Giant Records to change labels, while their Jive contract was still pending, Giant Records, instead decided to focus their attention on lead singer Tony Thompson, neglecting the projects related to the group.

Because of this discrepancy, the group disbanded.

Tony Thompson sang with Hi-Five from 1989 to 1994.

On June 23rd, 1995, 30 years ago this month, Tony Thompson released his solo debut album, entitled “Sexsational.”

Tony took a more mature lyrical approach as a solo artist with his Giant debut, age 19 at the time. “With Hi-Five, we dealt with relationships but never talked about the sexual stuff or making love, but since I’m getting older I wanted to go with more adult themes.”

Giant A&R executive at the time Jeffrey Bowens, stated Tony‘s vocal timbre had also matured. “It’s gotten a lot stronger and has more definition – which all comes with time. Tony has a broader [vocal] range now, too; he can do falsetto or go down to the baritone range.”

To give him his own identity, Bowens remained close to the production process. “I wanted to keep the project consistent and make sure it was the artist’s project and not a producer’s album. Though there are [several] producers, I sort of identified Al B. Sure!’s style and had the rest of the album keep close to that flavor. I also wanted to include some of the things he was beginning to do on soundtracks like “Menace To Society.”

The lead single from the album, was the Babyface penned “I Wanna Love Like That.” A top 20 R&B Billboard hit. Followed by the fan-favorite “Handle Our Business.”

An A-list of artist and producers contributed to the release; Babyface, Mary J. Blige, Faith Evans, Al B. Sure!, Missy Elliott, DeVante Swing, Joe Thomas, and Dave Hollister.

Tony Thompson was later signed to Bad Boy Records in 1997.

Tony Thompson passed away at the age of 31 on June 1st, 2007.

The former members of Hi-Five decided to reunite in Tony‘s honor and tours in the legacy of Hi-Five.

Take A Trip Down Memory Lane with Tony Thompson and Hi-Five!