What Ever Happened to: Public Announcement

After watching the video for R. Kelly’s latest song, “My Story,” I’m convinced that he’s a once-in-a-lifetime superstar.

Not because that song is good. Lord, no. It sounds like one of those songs my boys and I created in 10 minutes at our middle school lunch table. And considering our biggest hit was a song about spitting on your food so others wouldn’t steal it, that’s not exactly elite territory.

But no matter how much urine-soaked crap Arruh throws at us, he has an equal amount of bonafide R&B classics – songs that have defined a generation and influenced scores of young artists. It kinda makes up for “Sex Zoo” and the struggle symphony knows as “Trapped In The Closet.”

His road to R&B immortality started with his collaboration with Public Announcement. While Kelly was launched into superstardom, his boys settled for obscurity. What ever happened to his renowned backup group? I’ve got the scoop.

Before we begin our story, keep in mind that Public Announcement swapped members as often as the Power Rangers in the ’90s. You might wanna pop some Aleve for the coming onslaught of roster changes.

Things start out simple enough. The original lineup consisted of:

Earl Robinson
Andre Boykins
Ricky Webster

After forming in Chicago in 1990, this incarnation of Public Announcement signed with Kelly to Jive Records as his backup singers and dancers. And it didn’t take long for their 1992 debut, Born Into the 90s, to make an immediate impact.

Dropping at the tail end of the New Jack Swing Era, Born Into the 90s served as a bridge between those umptempo cuts while laying the groundwork for the hypersexual slow jams that would shape Kelly’s career.

“She’s Got That VIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIBE” annoyed the crap out of me in 1992 but even I can’t hate on “Honey Love” and “Slow Dance (Hey Mr. DJ)” – both climbed to No. 1 on the R&B charts. The follow-ups “Dedicated” and “Hey Love (Can I Have A Word)” allowed Arruh and PA to dominate R&B for well over a year off the strength of just one album. That’s absolutely unheard of in 2013, where fans have the attention spans fruit flies. That dedication pushed the album to No. 3 on the R&B charts.

After completing a successful tour in 1993, Kelly weighed his options and decided to go solo. I think that worked out pretty well for him.

Where did that leave PA? Well, they figured they’d keep their momentum rolling.

Their formula for success: New member + new song = $$$$

Earl Robinson
Andre Boykins
Ricky Webster
Big Mel

With the addition of Big Mel, the new quartet signed with Atlantic and dropped the single “Take Advantage of Me.” The video was every lame R&B cliche single you can think of (bald dudes holding their heads and looking sad, rows of chain link fences, cars parked in the middle of the street and LOTS of rain) but the song was OK. Sadly, the song went nowhere, the Atlantic album didn’t materialize and nearly all the group members ran off to pursue solo projects.

Earl Robinson
Andre Boykins
Ricky Webster
Big Mel

Public Announcement looked like like a Private Engagement at this point. But Earl would not be denied and headed back home to Chicago to recruit new blood.

Earl Robinson
Andre Boykins
Ricky Webster
Big Mel
Feloney Davis
Glenn Wright
Euclid Gray

Feloney Davis, who sounds like a street hustler from Good Times, took over as lead singer for the new(er) quartet. Eventually, they linked up with A&M Records and dropped All Work, No Play in 1998. I always thought that was a backhanded shot at R. Kelly’s landmark 12 Play album but maybe I’m just cynical.

Anyway, All Work, No Play birthed PA’s biggest hit sans-Arruh, the obnoxious “Body Bumpin (Yippie-Yi-Yo).” Remember that horrible video? Grown men dressed like garbagemen while making duck faces.

We need to do better.

No matter – that song was inescapable in the spring of 1998 and soared up the pop and R&B charts, peaking at No. 5 and 4, respectably. It was so omnipresent that I barely remember the follow up, “It’s About Time.” It’s not bad but not memorable, which is probably why it didn’t chart.

Whenever Public Announcement goes on tour, chances are there’s a casualty. This time, it was Euclid Gray who decided to leave the group to focus on a gospel career. He was replaced by Ace Watkins.

Earl Robinson
Andre Boykins
Ricky Webster
Big Mel
Feloney Davis
Glenn Wright
Euclid Gray
Ace Watkins

Things got a little weird in 1999. Remember the “No Scrubs”/”No Pigeons” era when singers were constantly complaining about how their mates were spending their money? The hilarious “John Doe” surfaced on radio around that time and fit right in. Then it disappeared, making room for “Mamacia” as the first single of PA’s new album Don’t Hold Back in 2001. Then, a few months later, “John Doe” resurfaced – like it had never left. I never heard the story behind that weirdness. Anyway, “Mamacita,” did well on the R&B charts, peaking at No. 7. “John Doe” likely would have done better a year earlier – by 2001 those whiny scrub songs were old news. This set also contained “Man Ain’t Supposed to Cry,” probably my favorite Public Announcement track.

But don’t get too comfortable, PA fans – it was time for yet another roster change:

Earl Robinson
Andre Boykins
Ricky Webster
Big Mel
Feloney Davis
Glenn Wright
Euclid Gray
Ace Watkins
Mar-K

Following a time-honored PA tradition, Ace left his boys to pursue solo glory, opening the door for new member Mar-K. Huh. I should start spelling my name Edwar-D.

Anyway, the new, newer, newest incarnation of PA quietly dropped When The Smoke Clears in 2006. This set featured the most anticipated sequel since Terminator 2 –“John Doe 2.” Um, yeah. It’s pretty much just like the original, with more liberal use of the Dreaded N-Word. As you might guess, the album didn’t light the world on fire. Afterward, the group decided to take a break to chase those elusive solo checks.

Should They Come Back?: As of last year, the four remaining members have been eyeing a comeback but things have been quiet on their end. I liked Feloney well enough but PA’s revolving door of singers kept the group from sustaining momentum. With every release, it was back to the drawing board. And the world certainly isn’t waiting for “John Doe 3.” It’s probably best to call it a career.

You know who I feel bad for? Earl Robinson. The dude went through group members like Taylor Swift swaps boyfriends. Sadly, he just couldn’t make it stick. I appreciate your perseverance, playa.