

They came in hot with their debut single “Tell Me,” a melodious promise to deliver hot steamy love at all times.

The focus in this introduction, however, is Dru Hill’s best songs from 1996 until 2002.ĭru Hill’s quintessential R&B songs (“Tell Me,” “In My Bed,” “Never Make A Promise,” “5 Steps,” “I Should Be…”)ĭru Hill’s breakthrough was fueled by tantalizing love songs and signature dance moves. Despite the shifts in line up, though, they’re still making music. The quartet became a trio at times, or a quintet, and then eventually back to a quartet. There were label and group member changes throughout the years. Listen to the 25th anniversary edition of Dru Hill’s self-titled album here.ĭru Hill’s road through stardom wasn’t always smooth, especially after their sophomore album in 1998. That’s where many first saw their signature dance moves, like the Dru Hill bounce. Dru Hill also provided unforgettable visuals to match their tunes. They were in their late teens and early 20s when they entered the world stage, but they crooned grownup tales of love and sex. Their debut album, Dru Hill, dropped in 1996 and went platinum on the strength of singles like “Never Make a Promise,” “In My Bed,” “Tell Me,” and “5 Steps.” The group often drew comparisons to Jodeci and Boyz II Men – influences they were happy to claim – and like many of the greats before them, their rich complex harmonies, rooted in soul music, met at the intersection of gospel, blues, hip-hop, and R&B. They created a massive buzz after a few years, and landed a record deal with Island. The quartet got their start at local and regional talent shows.

In 1992, high school friends Mark “Sisqo” Andrews, Larry “Jazz” Anthony Jr., Tamir “Nokio” Ruffin, and James “Woody” Green formed a group eventually called Dru Hill, after Druid Hill Park in their native Baltimore. In 2010, the group signed to Kedar Entertainment Group and released their fourth album, InDRUpendence Day, with new member Tao, after Woody left for the second time.You can not discuss the best 90s R&B songs without mentioning Dru Hill. The album was a huge disappointment which forced the group to be released from Def Jam and go on a second hiatus.

In 2002, by then part of the Def Soul record label, the group reunited and added fifth member Rufus "Scola" Waller to the lineup for their third album, Dru World Order. He is currently working on his third album, Last Dragon. His second album, Return of Dragon, wasn't much of a success. While Woody's Soul Music LP was a moderate success in the gospel music industry, Sisqó's debut album, Unleash the Dragon, and its hit single, "Thong Song", were major pop successes, and established Sisqó as a household name outside of Dru Hill. Signing to Island Records through Haqq Islam's University Records imprint, the group released two successful albums, Dru Hill and Enter the Dru, before separating for a period from late 1999 to 2002, during which time Sisqó and Woody released solo albums. Tamir "Nokio" Ruffin was the group's founder his bandmates included main lead singer Mark "Sisqó" Andrews, Larry "Jazz" Anthony, and James "Woody Rock" Green. Founded in Baltimore, Maryland, and active since 1992, Dru Hill recorded seven Top 40 hits, and is best known for the R&B #1 hits "In My Bed", "Never Make a Promise", and "How Deep Is Your Love". Dru Hill is an American singing group, most popular during the late 1990s, whose repertoire included R&B, soul, and gospel music.
