Guy (band)

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Guy
Genre(s) New jack swing, R&B, hip hop
Years active 1987–1991
1999–2000
2005–present
Label(s) MCA
Members
Teddy Riley
Aaron Hall
Damion Hall
Former members
Timmy Gatling

Guy is a popular 1980s and 1990s hip hop, R&B and soul band that was one of the early pioneers of hip hop/R&B music and which set a trend in the late 1980s and early 1990s in a movement called the new jack swing.

Formed in Harlem, New York in 1987 by young musician/record producer Teddy Riley, the original members of Guy included Riley and R&B singer-songwriters Aaron Hall and Timmy Gatling. Riley and Gatling were childhood friends growing up in Harlem, New York. After signing to Uptown Records, the group released their first self-titled album in 1988. Gatling left after the first album was done and was quickly replaced by Aaron's younger brother Damion. Upon its release, the album went platinum three times over and included classics like "Groove Me", "Teddy's Jam," "I Like", "Piece of My Love", "Goodbye Love" and "Merry-Go-Round of Love". That first album quickly established the group and Riley as musical forces.

After producing music for other artists other than his group, Riley returned to the group after they opened for New Edition and released their second album, The Future, in 1990. The songs "Wanna Get Wit U" and "Let's Chill" gave them a broader, mainstream fan base. However, as soon as The Future's success had dried up, Guy would be album-less for much of the 1990s. In the meantime, Riley went on to produce for artists such as Heavy D and Michael Jackson, and formed another R&B group named Blackstreet. Both Aaron and his brother Damion recorded solo albums, Aaron being a major influence on the style of R&B singer R. Kelly.

In 2000, Riley and the Hall brothers reunited to release their first album in nine years titled Guy III. The album featured the modest hit "Dancin'", which peaked at #22, but was surprisingly their biggest hit, but their label MCA Records had a hard time promoting it. As quickly as it was released, it quickly dropped from the public radar. Since then, Guy has been relatively quiet, but rumors of working on a new album still linger.

In 2006 they were part of New Jack Reunion Tour line up, along with Blackstreet, Tony Toni Tone, After 7, New Edition, and SWV.

Contents

[edit] Trivia

[edit] Members

[edit] Former members

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

Album information
Guy
  • Released: June 13, 1988
  • Label: MCA
  • Last RIAA certification: 2x Platinum
  • Singles: "Groove Me", "Teddy's Jam", "Don't Clap...Just Dance", "I Like", "Spend The Night", "Piece of My Love" and "Round And Round (Merry Go 'Round Of Love)"
The Future
  • Released: November 22, 1990
  • Label: MCA
  • Last RIAA certification: Platinum
  • Singles: "Wanna Get With You", "Let's Chill", "Do Me Right", "Teddy's Jam 2", "Her", "D.O.G. Me Out" and "Let's Stay Together"
Guy III
  • Released: January 25, 2000
  • Label: MCA
  • Singles: "Dancin'" and "Why You Wanna Keep Me From My Baby"
Groove Me: The Very Best Of Guy (Compilation album)
The Millennium Collection (Compilation album)

[edit] Singles

Year Title Chart Positions Album
US
Hot 100
US
R&B
US
Dance
1988 "Groove Me" 4 33 Guy
1988 "Round and Round (Merry Go Round of Love)" 24 Guy
1988 "Teddy's Jam" 5 25 Guy
1989 "I Like" 70 2 Guy
1989 "My Fantasy" (Teddy Riley featuring Guy) 1 Do the Right Thing OST
1989 "Spend the Night" 15 Guy
1990 "I Wanna Get with You" 50 4 27 The Future
1991 "Let's Chill" 41 3 The Future
1991 "Do Me Right" 2 47 The Future
1991 "D-O-G Me Out" 8 The Future
1991 "Let's Stay Together" 16 The Future
1999 "Dancin'" 22 4 Guy III
2000 "Why You Wanna Keep Me From My Baby" 50 Guy III
Languages