Veteran R&B group New Edition headlines an iconic lineup with the legendary Charlie Wilson, along with special guest Jodeci, the bad boys of R&B. The Culture Tour kicks off a 30-city tour on February 16, 2022, in Columbus, Ga., with stops in Chicago, Atlanta, Detroit and more.
The Chicago Defender spoke with New Edition members, Bobby Brown, Ronnie DeVoe, and Michael Bivens about the tour and getting back on stage together after almost seven years.
In 1983, New Edition released their debut single “Candy Girl” off their self-titled album, hitting No.1 on the Billboard Hot Black Single Charts, jumping ahead of Michael Jackson’s “Beat It.” Since then, New Edition has released more than six studio albums, received multiple Soul Train and American Music Awards, and a Grammy Award nomination. In 2017, BET Network released their three-part Biopic: The New Edition Story, airing over three consecutive nights. The mini-series attracted 29 million total viewers. That same year, the network honored them with the BET Lifetime Achievement Award, recognizing the group as one of the innovators of R&B. New Edition have remained one of the most influential R&B groups of the last 30 years and counting, catapulting the solo careers of Bobby Brown, Johnny Gill, and Ralph Tresvant, and Bell Biv DeVoe.
Viewers experienced a sense of nostalgia during the American Music Awards in November 2021, when New Edition performed alongside 80’s boy band New Kids on the Block. Often credited as the creators of the modern-day boy bands, New Edition will attract fans old and new. Starring all six members, Ronnie DeVoe, Bobby Brown, Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, Ralph Tresvant, and Johnny Gill, this is the group’s first tour in more than five years.
With a career spanning over four decades, Charlie Wilson, also known as “Uncle Charlie,” is one of the few names in music that resonate with multiple generations of music lovers. Beginning as the co-founder/lead singer for The Gap Band (“Outstanding, “Burn Rubber On Me,” “Yearning For Your Love,”) Wilson later embarked on a successful solo career garnering himself thirteen Grammy Award nominations, eleven NAACP Image Awards (including two wins), the BMI Icon Award in 2005, and the 2009 Soul Train Icon Award. His #1 solo hits include “Charlie, Last Name Wilson,” “There Goes My Baby,” and “You Are,” to name a few. In 2020 and 2009, he was named Billboard magazine’s No. 1 Adult R&B Male Artist and remains the Top Adult Male Artist with the most #1s in three decades. Additionally, he was honored by BET with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013 with an all-star tribute by Justin Timberlake, Pharrell Williams, and Snoop Dogg.
Representing the sound that shaped 90s R&B, the iconic group Jodeci joins the tour as a special guest. The group debuted their first album, “Forever My Lady,” in 1991 and has sold more than 20 million records worldwide. They have been the soundtrack to many music lovers’ most memorable moments for over 30 years with hit songs “Forever My Lady,” “Stay,” and “Come And Talk To Me.” After a several-year hiatus, the group has reunited and is ready to show fans why they reign supreme as one of the most iconic R&B groups of all time.
Locations, venues, and dates for The Culture Tour can be found below:
2/16Â Â Â Â Â Columbus, GAÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Civic Center
2/18Â Â Â Â Â Nashville, TNÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Bridgestone Arena
2/19Â Â Â Â Â Birmingham, ALÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Legacy Arena at BJCC
2/20Â Â Â Â Â Atlanta, GAÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â State Farm Arena
2/24Â Â Â Â Â Philadelphia, PAÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Wells Fargo Center
2/25Â Â Â Â Â Norfolk, VAÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Chartway Arena (without Charlie Wilson)
2/26Â Â Â Â Â New York, NYÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Madison Square Garden
2/27     Baltimore, MD                              Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena (without Charlie Wilson)
3/2Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Boston, MAÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â TD Garden
3/4Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Cleveland, OHÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse
3/5Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Chicago, ILÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â United Center
3/6Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Detroit, MIÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Little Caesar Arena
3/11Â Â Â Â Â St. Louis, MOÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Enterprise Center
3/12     Cincinnati, OH                               Heritage Bank Center (without Charlie Wilson)
3/13Â Â Â Â Â Memphis, TNÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â FedEx Forum
3/18Â Â Â Â Â Oakland, CAÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Oakland Arena
3/19Â Â Â Â Â Las Vegas, NVÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Michelob Ultra
3/20     Los Angeles, CA                            Crypto.com Arena
3/24Â Â Â Â Â Dallas/Fort Worth, TXÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Dickies Arena
3/25Â Â Â Â Â Houston, TXÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Toyota Center
3/26Â Â Â Â Â Bossier City/Shreveport, LAÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Brookshire Grocery Arena
3/27Â Â Â Â Â Oklahoma City, OKÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Paycom Center
3/31Â Â Â Â Â Washington, DCÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Capital One Arena
4/1Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Newark, NJÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Prudential Center
4/2Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Greensboro, NCÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Greensboro Coliseum
4/3Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Charlotte, NCÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Spectrum Center
4/6Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Jacksonville, FLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â VyStar Arena
4/7Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Tampa, FLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Amelie Arena
4/8Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Savannah, GAÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Enmarket Arena
4/10Â Â Â Â Â Miami, FLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â FTX Arena
In partnership with The Black Promoters Collective, a 100 percent Black-owned promotions company composed of veteran live entertainment promoters, The Culture Tour tickets are currently on sale. For more information, visit https://www.neweditionlegacy.com/.