Hi-Five

Hi-Five is an American R&B quintet based in Waco, Texas. Hi-Five had a #1 hit on Billboard's Hot 100 in the early 1990s with "I Like the Way (The Kissing Game)". The band was formed in 1989, and consisted of Tony Thompson, Roderick "Pooh" Clark, Marcus Sanders, Russell Neal, and Toriano Easley. Easley was later replaced by Treston Irby.

This article is about the band. For other uses, see High five (disambiguation).
"Marcus Sanders" redirects here. It is not to be confused with Mark Sanders or Mark D. Sanders.
Hi-Five
OriginWaco, Texas, United States
Genres
Years active1989–1994
2012–present
Labels
  • Jive
  • N-Depth
  • Bronx Most Wanted
MembersTreston Irby
Shannon Gill
Marcus Sanders
Billy Covington
Faruq Evans
Past membersTony Thompson (deceased)
Russell Neal
Roderick Clark
Toriano Easley
Terrence Murphy
Ricky Smith
Andre Ramseur aka Dre Wonda

Background

Rise to fame

Hi-Five was originally signed to Jive Records in late 1989 and released their eponymous debut album in 1990.[1] The album went platinum and was produced by Teddy Riley; it included such singles as "I Just Can't Handle It" (R&B #10), "I Can't Wait Another Minute" (Pop #8, R&B #1), and their biggest hit to date, "I Like the Way (The Kissing Game)", which went to number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and the U.S. Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.[2]

The group's second LP, Keep It Goin' On, came out in 1992. Though not as successful as their debut effort, several tracks from this album, including "She's Playing Hard To Get" (Pop #5, R&B #2) and the R. Kelly-penned "Quality Time" (Pop #38, R&B #3) got major airplay in East Coast (US) urban markets. Shortly after this album was released, the group was involved in a vehicular accident, which left Roderick "Pooh" Clark paralyzed from the chest down. In 1993, Hi-Five emerged with a third album, Faithful, which featured the songs "Unconditional Love" (Pop #92, R&B #21) and "Never Should've Let You Go" (Pop #30, R&B #10).[2] "Unconditional Love" was also featured in the multi-platinum Menace II Society soundtrack, and received extensive airplay on urban contemporary stations throughout the summer of 1993 as the movie increased in popularity. "Never Should've Let You Go" was featured in the Sister Act 2 soundtrack.

Later years

HE WAS GAYive album)|The Return]] in 2005.[3] On June 1, 2007, police found Thompson dead near an air conditioning unit behind an East Waco apartment complex.[4] A later autopsy revealed he had died as a result of inhaling freon from an air conditioning unit.[5]

In 2011, Treston Irby released his debut solo single "Everything" under the mantle Tru$ on his independent label, Bronx Most Wanted Ent. In 2012, Irby, Shannon Gill and Marcus Sanders reformed Hi-Five with two new members, Andre Ramseur (aka Dre Wonda) and Faruq Evans. They released a single called "Favorite Girl" also on the BMW label. Ramseur later left the group and was replaced by Billy Covington. On July 2, 2014, former Hi-Five member Russell Neal was charged with murder in the stabbing death of his wife in Houston.[6]

Hi-Five was featured on the TVOne music documentary series Unsung on August 6, 2014, chronicling the quintet's upbringing in Waco, their rise to superstardom, tragedies among group members, and their comeback. [7]


Russell Neal ended up leaving the group at the height of their fame as a result of personal differences. In 2014, police say they found Neal's wife Catherine Martinez, dead. She had been beaten with a blunt object, and had stab wounds from multiple strikes with a sharp object. Neal originally admitted his wrong doings to police. He was charged with first-degree murder and released on a $100,000 bond. Neal has been deemed incompetent to stand trial.

Discography

Studio albums
Year Album details Peak chart positions Certifications
US
[8]		 US
R&B
[8]
1990 Hi-Five
  • Release date: September 25, 1990
  • Label: Jive
 38 1
  • US: Platinum
1992 Keep It Goin' On
  • Release date: August 11, 1992
  • Label: Jive
 82 9
1993 Faithful
  • Release date: October 15, 1993
  • Label: Jive
 105 23
2005 The Return
  • Release date: October 11, 2005
  • Label: N' Depth Entertainment
 — —
2017 Legacy
  • Release date: January 6, 2017
  • Label: Bronx Most Wanted Entertainment
 — —
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

EP
Year Title
2014 The EP
  • Release date: August 5, 2014
  • Label: Bronx Most Wanted Entertainment

Compilation albums
Year Album details
1994 Greatest Hits
  • Released: October 11, 1994
  • Label: Jive

Singles
Year Single Peak chart positions Certifications Album
US
[8]		 US
R&B
[8]		 US
A/C
[8]		 AUS
[10]		 GER
[11]		 NLD
[12]		 NZ
[13]		 UK
[14]
1990 "I Just Can't Handle It" — 3 — — — — 20 — Hi-Five
1991 "I Like the Way (The Kissing Game)" 1 1 42 47 41 47 43 43
"I Can't Wait Another Minute" 8 1 30 — — — — —
"Just Another Girlfriend" 88 41 — — — — — —
1992 "She's Playing Hard to Get" 5 2 — 46 — 76 14 55 Keep It Goin' On
"Quality Time" 38 3 — — — — 36 —
1993 "Mary, Mary" — 50 — — — — — —
"Unconditional Love" 92 21 — — — — — — Faithful
"Never Should've Let You Go" 30 10 — — — — 38 —
1994 "Faithful" — 52 — — — — — —
"What Can I Say to You (To Justify My Love)" (with Nuttin' Nyce) — 13 — — — — — —
2012 "Favorite Girl" — — 36 — — — — — Legacy
2013 "You Never Know" — — — — — — — —
2014 "It's Nothing" — — — — — — — —
2015 "Different Kiss" — — — — — — — —
"Sunshine" — — — — — — — —
"Christmas" — — — — — — — —
2016 "Kit Kat" — — — — — — — —
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Music videos
Year Video Director
1990 "I Just Can't Handle It" Antoine Fuqua
1991 "I Like the Way (The Kissing Game)"
"I Can't Wait Another Minute"
"Just Another Girlfriend"
1992 "She's Playing Hard to Get"[15] Lionel C. Martin
"Quality Time"
1993 "Unconditional Love" Marcus Nispel
"Never Should've Let You Go"
1994 "Faithful"
"What Can I Say to You (To Justify My Love)" (w/ Nuttin Nyce)
2012 "Favorite Girl" Treston Irby
2013 "You Never Know" Christian Marcus & Treston Irby
2015 "Different Kiss" Colin Keith & Treston Irby
"Sunshine" Mark Geohagen & Treston Irby
"Christmas" Mark Geohagen & Hi-Five
2016 "Kit Kat"

References
  1. "Remembering Rhythm & Blues: January 2007". Rememberingrhythmandblues.com. Retrieved 2012-05-22.
  2. "Hi-Five Billboard Chart History". billboard.com. Retrieved 2008-08-30.
  3. "Hi-Five's Tony Thompson Dies At 31". Billboard.com.
  4. "Local Music Icon Found Dead". KXXV.com.
  5. "Family and friends remember Waco singer Tony Thompson at headstone ceremony". Waco Tribune-Herald. 2010-05-05.
  6. "Former R&B singer charged with murdering wife in Houston". CBS News. 2014-07-07.
  7. "Hi-Five documentary to air, revisiting chart-topping Waco hip-hop group | Tv And Radio". Wacotrib.com. 2014-08-01. Retrieved 2017-07-23.
  8. "US Charts > Hi-Five". Billboard. Retrieved 2013-07-12.
  9. "US Certifications > Hi-Five". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 2012-07-12.
  10. "AUS Charts > Hi-Five". ARIA Charts. Archived from the original on 2016-09-14. Retrieved 2013-07-12.
  11. "GER Charts > Hi-Five". Media Control Charts. Retrieved 2013-07-12.
  12. "NLD Charts > Hi-Five". MegaCharts. Retrieved 2013-07-12.
  13. "NZ Charts > Hi-Five". Recording Industry Association of New Zealand. Retrieved 2013-07-12.
  14. "UK Charts > Hi-Five". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2013-07-12.
  15. ""She's Playing Hard to Get" by Hi-Five". VH1. Archived from the original on April 21, 2012. Retrieved September 30, 2011.
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