The Best of Bell Biv DeVoe

• Artist: Bell Biv DeVoe
• Rating:
• Release Date: September 26, 2000
• Type: Compilation (best of)
• Genre: Rhythm & Blues

Review

On the one hand, Bell Biv DeVoe deserves a good best-of compilation -- they were one of the freshest-sounding new jack swing acts to hit the charts during the style's early-'90s heyday. On the other hand, they only recorded two albums during that heyday (not counting a remix album), and their third wasn't released until after this 2000 compilation, The Best of Bell Biv DeVoe. Thus, listeners get five tracks from the group's blockbuster debut, Poison; six from their decent but less-inventive follow-up, Hootie Mack; the non-LP single "Gangsta"; and four tracks from the aforementioned remix album, WBBD-Bootcity!, including the otherwise-unavailable single "Word to the Mutha." Aside from Hootie Mack's "Something in Your Eyes" (an R&B Top Ten), all of the group's biggest hits came from Poison -- the crossover smashes "Poison" and "Do Me!," the R&B chart-topper "B.B.D. (I Thought It Was Me)?," and the R&B Top Tens "When Will I See You Smile Again?" and "She's Dope." As such, casual fans might be just as happy with the mid-priced compilation 20th Century Masters -- The Millennium Collection, which -- even though it features fewer songs -- still has all their major hits, and costs a few dollars less. But for more devoted fans who want a generous BBD compilation, The Best of Bell Biv DeVoe does have all their best moments in one place, and makes for an excellent summary of why they were important to the development of '90s R&B. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
Poison	Elliot Straite, Elliott Strait	Bell Biv DeVoe	(4:21)
Do Me! (Lyrics)	Michael Bivins, Carl Bourelly, Ronnie DeVoe, Ricky Bell	Bell Biv DeVoe	(4:33)
B.B.D. (I Thought It Was Me)	Alton "Wokie" Stewart, Darrol Durant, Roney Hooks, Eric "Vietnam" Sadler	Bell Biv DeVoe	(4:35)
When Will I See You Smile Again? (Lyrics)	Timmy Gatling, Alton "Wokie" Stewart	Bell Biv DeVoe	(5:08)
She's Dope! [AKA Dope!]	Elliot Straite	Bell Biv DeVoe	(3:41)
Gangsta	Elliot Straite, James McCants	Bell Biv DeVoe	(4:29)
Above the Rim	Bell Biv DeVoe, Rico Anderson, Michael Bivins, Mark Wilson, Ricky Bell	Bell Biv DeVoe	(3:37)
Something in Your Eyes (Lyrics)	Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds	Bell Biv DeVoe	(4:52)
Show Me the Way	Michael Bivins, Ronnie DeVoe, Anthony Velasquez, Jay Wright, Ricky Bell	Bell Biv DeVoe	(3:44)
Nickel	Bell Biv DeVoe, Michael Bivins, Anthony Velasquez, Jay Wright, Ricky Bell	Bell Biv DeVoe	(3:17)
Hootie Mack	Michael Bivins, Louie Carr, Jr., Jacques Kennedy, Kenyatta Kelo Williams, Ricky Bell	Bell Biv DeVoe	(3:52)
Ghetto Booty (Lyrics)	Rico Anderson	Bell Biv DeVoe	(4:09)
Word to the Mutha!	Michael Bivins, Ronnie DeVoe, Bret "Epic" Mazur, Richard Wolf, Ricky Bell	Bell Biv DeVoe	(6:37)
Ain't Nut'in' Changed [Remix]	Darrol Durant, Eric "Vietnam" Sadler	Bell Biv DeVoe	(2:21)
Poison [Remix]	Elliot Straite	Bell Biv DeVoe	(6:14)
Do Me [Remix]	Michael Bivins, Carl Bourelly, Ronnie DeVoe, Ricky Bell	Bell Biv DeVoe	(5:26)

Credits

Erick Labson (Mastering), A. Scott Galloway (Liner Notes), A. Scott Galloway (Annotation), Beth Stempel (Project Coordinator), Hiriam Hicks (Producer), Timmy Gatling (Producer), Lionel Caviness (Producer), Anthony Velasquez (Producer), Chris Stokes (Producer), Eric "Vietnam" Sadler (Producer), Louis Silas, Jr. (Producer), A. Scott Galloway (Music Editor), Cyrus Melchor (Producer), L.A. Reid (Producer), Alton "Wokie" Stewart (Producer), Jason Pastori (Photo Research), Howard Hirsch (Producer), Daryl Simmons (Producer), Rico Anderson (Producer), Jay Wright (Producer), Gerhard Yurkovic (Photography), Carl Bourelly (Producer), Barry Korkin (Editorial Assistant), Mike Ragogna (Compilation Producer), David Roth (Photography), D'La Vance (Producer), Bell Biv DeVoe (Producer), Kenyatta Kelo Williams (Producer)