B2K: heartthrobs of the hip hop scene

Jet, Oct 21, 2002 by Nicole Walker

It's easy to understand why girls lose all self-control when Omari Grandberry, Jarell Houston, De'Mario Thornton and Dreux Frederic--better known as their alter egos Omarion, J-Boog, Raz-B and Lil Fizz--take the stage. Or greet fans while signing autographs. Or simply walk down the street.

The four Los Angeles teens who make up B2K, short for "Boys of the New Millennium," are undeniably handsome and charming. Their synchronized moves and harmonized tunes are silky smooth, and it doesn't hurt that their bodies are buffed beyond belief. A flash of bare chest, a twist of the hips or a kiss from a pair of those sensuous lips can send a pack of adoring adolescent females into a screaming-crying-hyperventilating-fainting frenzy.

A visit to B2K's Web site (www.B2Klovesyou.com) proves just how deep the love goes. A chat room on the site stays jammed with fans who identify themselves with colorful screen names like Raz-B's Pretty Lips, I Sizzle For Fizzle, Omari's No. 1 Hunny and Boogz Princezz. They gossip about who among them was lucky enough to touch or smooch one of the guys during a concert, and engage in lively debates over which B2K member is the finest and which fan has the best chance to become Mrs. Omarion or J-Boog's special lady.

If good looks, moves and grooves are not enough to drive the ladies crazy, the young men possess a maturity that belies their teenage years, which may explain why their appeal reaches beyond the throngs of teens who cram into sold-out B2K concerts. Parents appreciate the quartet's kid-friendly lyrics and their music is hip enough to please even adult palates.

Ever since the 2001 release of the group's platinum-selling, self-titled debut CD, the kickoff of the successful Scream and Scream 2 tours, and a European tour with Destiny's Child this past summer, wherever B2K goes, swarms of fans follow. Quite often, things get out of control.

In March, more than 1,000 teens waiting for an autograph-signing session with B2K stampeded a record store inside a Concord, CA, shopping mall, prompting police to shut down the mall. During a gig at New York's Planet Hollywood restaurant, things got so out of hand that waiters and cooks were drafted to help security handle the unwieldy crowd. Although B2K had to leave without finishing the concert, their early exit didn't douse the enthusiasm of fans, who ran through the streets after the tour bus, stopping traffic.

Obviously, some fans are willing to do wild things for a chance to get close to these cuties. One event in particular stands out in the mind of singer J-Boog, who recently took time out from the group's Scream 2 tour with rapper Bow Wow, the trio IMx and singer Jhene (Lil Fizz's cousin) to talk to JET magazine.

"We came into one venue and when we walked into our dressing room, we went into the restroom. And in the shower, there was a fan," the 17-year-old recalls. "In the shower! And we just all froze, because there was no security in the room and we didn't know if she had something or was going to do something to us. If you could have seen the looks on our faces--it was just crazy."

Of course, that's the price a heartthrob must pay--unceasing attention and adulation from the ladies. Not that J-Boog or the rest of the fellas are complaining too much.

"It feels good," he admits. "Without a doubt, it feels good. But it's crazy. It's overwhelming at times ... Sometimes you're a little tired or something is happening with your family and you don't want to be bothered with anybody. But you're always on the job and you have to be there for your fans. You can't let what's going on in your personal life show in your business life."

Due to the demanding schedule, dating is almost impossible, J-Boog admits. "It's really no time for girls. Plus, it's kind of hard to find a girl and really know that she likes you for you, and not for what you're doing."

Hard to believe that the guys who barely caused a single head to turn when they went out to shoot hoops or ride their bikes two years ago can barely move now without getting mobbed. The group started about four years ago with three members, J-Boog, Lil Fizz and Raz-B, who is the cousin of B2K's manager, industry veteran Chris Stokes. Stokes, who also is the founder, producer and manager of IMx (formerly known as Immature), brought in Omarion, the kid brother of IMx's Batman, to be the group's lead singer. The fledgling trio turned into a quartet and in the process, became a family.

"We're like brothers," J-Boog says. "We get along really, really well. A lot of that has to do with our living together. We're together 24/7. For the last two years we haven't been away from one another for more than two days, so we're really, really close."

It helps that the group has personalities that mesh. "Raz-B is a Gemini, which says it all. He is like two people in one," Lil Fizz jokingly has said. "I am the laid back boy next door. J-Boog is the businessman who knows how to sell us. Omarion has a casual personality and he likes to be wherever there are chickies and checkers."