The Boyz II Men artists Wanya Morris, Nathan Morris (no relation), Michael McCary, and Shawn Stockman formed their group at Philadelphia's High School of Creative and Performing Arts in 1988. Micheal said that, "We were a group before we were friends."

They were all raised by their mothers with little involvement from fathers and stepfathers, with strong influences in the church. Their lives began with the church, while their peers were caught in webs of drugs and gangs. All of them credit their rare survival with God and their family.  Music shaped their lives and brought them together.

1988 was the first time they performed together in public. At a club called the Impulse, in Philadelphia they sang three songs, "Can You Stand The Rain?" "A Thousand Miles Away," and "What's Your Name?". For the next few years, they performed in talent shows in Delaware and New Jersey. In 1989, they attended a radio-sponsored show at the Philadelphia Civic Center where Michael Bivins "Biv" from Bell Biv DeVoe, comprised of former members of New Edition, was performing. As Michael Bivins left the stage - Wanya, Michael, Shawn, and Nathan began to sing. It worked. Michael Bivins invited them to dinner at Sylvia's in New York two months later. Boyz II Men became the second act on Michael's newly formed Biv Entertainment.

Even with such a sweet deal Micheal McCary still based his view on the promise of an entertainment career on his mother's wisdom, "Don't base your life on a chance you might be an entertainer. It's a one-in-a-million shot, like winning the lottery. Have Your Education to fall back on." He stuck to his mother's words and stayed in school, studing accounting and prelaw, until the release of Cooleyhighharmony in 1992, where the album required all his dedication.

In August 1991, Boyz II Men debuted with the R&B album, "Cooleyhighharmony." This album is a mix of hip-hop dance cuts and soulful, harmonic ballads. They pull several top 10 hits from this album including "Motownphilly," which hits number 3 during a twenty-four week stay on the charts. The ballad "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye" reaches number 2 for four weeks.

Wanya said, "We want to make music to ease your mind. We want to give people love songs, to make them feel good, to make them forget their troubles, to make them feel love."

In 1992, the group received an outpouring of critical and popular success. On January 11, Boyz II Men won the Best New Artist Category at the NAACP Image Awards. This wave of awards, including American Music Awards and Grammy Awards continued throughout the year.

They remain forever greatful for all the recognition and try to give back to the community as much as they can by being Big Brothers and contributing to events such as playing charity basketball. They remain humble in the eye of their creator and stay close to their roots. They all live close to the areas where they all grew up in Philadelphia and always give thanks to God for all the blessings.

"With the spiritual background that my family has bestowed on me, I have somewhere else to go, something to lean on, and someone to believe in who is always there. I pray, and it reminds me of the basics," states Nathan.

"Cooleyhighharmony" sold five million copies, making Boyz II Men the biggest-selling R&B group in the pop history. They continue this top hit streak with the single "End of the Road," which is featured in the Eddie Murphy movie Boomerang. This single is number 1 for thirteen consecutive weeks.

Despite the group's successes, Boyz II Men also have low moments in 1992. While on tour in Chicago, tour manager Khalil Rountree and assistant Quadree El-Amin are violently attacked by three assailants.  This attack occured in the elevator on the 26th floor of the Guest Quarters Suite Hotel and proves fatal for Khalil who dies of gunshot wounds. Understandably, Boyz II Men cancel several of their forthcoming concert performances.

Proving that Boyz II Men are here to stay, they rake in even more awards in 1993: Best Vocal Group Category in the NAACP Awards; Best R&B Vocal Duo or Group at the Grammy Awards; Best R&B Group Single, R&B/Soul Song of the Year, and R&B Music Video of the Year at the 7th Annual Soul Train Awards. On January 20, they perform "Cooleyhighharmony" at MTV's "Rock & Roll Inaugural Ball" in Washington, D.C. And in May, they are named International New Group of the Year at the World Music Awards when they performed "End of the Road."

They continued their success with hits like "Let It Snow," "I'll Make Love to You," "On Bended Knee," "Thank You," and "Water Runs Dry" "II" debuts at number 1 on the U.S. Charts. It is the first Motown album to do so since Stevie Wonder's "Songs in the Key of Life." In June 1994, Boyz II Men buy their own recording studio in Gladwyne, Pennsylvania, and rename it "Stonecreek Recording."

Boyz II Men take took success on the road, performing with Babyface to a full house at New York's Madison Square Garden. They joined a crowd of 50,000 to welcome John Paul II as he celebrated mass at Oriole Camden Parks in Baltimore Maryland, and sing the U.S. National Anthem at the Jacksonville Jaguar's NFL debut against the Houston Oilers in Jacksonville, Florida.

At the end of 1995, they are featured on MTV's series Bootleg that lets fans see what goes on backstage at a Boyz II Men concert. They are also on Disney's Boyz II Men: Going Home. Their duet with Mariah Carey, "One Sweet Day," debuts at number 1 and stays there for sixteen weeks, breaking all prior records.

Shawn Stockman went solo with his single "Visions of a Sunset," which is included on the soundtrack of the film Mr Holland's Opus,". But don't fret, he remained a part of Boyz II Men, performing "One Sweet Day" together with Mariah Carey at the 38th Annual Grammy Awards. "One Sweet Day" breaks a previous Boyz II Men record, which they shared with Whitney Houston (for 14 weeks), for 16 weeks of chart topping success.

Boyz II Men began to complete their evolution when they were honored with the Sammy Davis, Jr. Award for Outstanding Achievements in the Field of Entertainment, presented to them by Bill Cosby at the 10th Annual Soul Train Awards.