Food for the soul is what most people would agree music is. 

Over the years music has evolved to be more complex to accommodate the current times and culture.

It is a way of expressing yourself, communicating to others, a way to feel your emotions and a moment of vulnerability "kujiachilia"

Here are the ten musical groups that got our oldies on a choke hold:

1. The Temptations.

In 1960 from Detroit the vocal duo consisting of five men emerged from two groups, The Primes and The Distants.

The boys could move their choreography, their harmony and their style was one to die for.

The duo aimed at addressing issues such as racial injustices through their music. 

In 1968 their member Ruffin was let go because of missing concerts due to his cocaine addiction and later on died in 1991 by overdosing.

Another member, Paul Williams killed himself in 1973 because he was asked to leave the group due to alcoholism. Kendricks died from lung cancer and Melvin Franklin died at 53 as a result to health issues.   

Their single "Just My Imagination" was their number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 and R&B charts in 1971.  

They won four Grammys as well as the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014 and are worth $ 8 million.

2. Kool & The Gang.

Brothers in New Jersey formed the hip hop group in 1964.

They got their name when one of the brothers Robert Bell nicknamed himself "Kool" in order to fit in to the street gangs in his neighborhood.  

Their only single hit was "Celebration" from their 1980 twelfth album. 

The genre of their music was mostly R&B, Soul and Funk and are featured in films such as "Wreck-It Ralph"

Dennis Thomas one of the members passed away in his sleep in 2021. He was 70 years. 

The boy band still performs to date.

3. UB40.

Your former president Uhuru Kenyatta's favorite band, a reggae group that was born in 1978 in England.

They were in Kenya early 2020 for their 40th anniversary tour of the Real labor of love.  

They got their name from the British unemployment benefits card that they replicated as their cover of their 1980 album.

The band are one of the most successful bands in the world. 

"Red Red Wine" was their first hit and it also did well in the American charts. 

After battling with cancer one of the members Astro passed on at the age of 64.

In 2008 one of the men Ali left the group because of being accused of putting out a solo album before the band. 

As of the moment they are touring US, UK and Mexico and have five upcoming concerts from March to September.

4. Salt-N-Pepa.

1985 in New York City the first female rap duo entered the game. The two girls could spit bars.

They met at Queensborough Community College and worked at Sears making sales calls.

The girls were first known as Super Nature. 

They opened doors for other female rappers such as Missy Elliott and Trina. 

Feminism and independency is what this group brought to the table in a genre that was dominated by mostly by men. 

They won their first Grammy for "None of Your Business" in 1994.

The duo sold over 15 million records. 

The original  group disbanded in 2002 after Salt left not wanting to be involved with the music industry anymore. 

5. Boyz II Men.

An American quartet vocal group that started in 1988 in Philadelphia. 

Boyz II Men had four singles reach the top of the Hot 100 and five number one hits on the Billboard R&B chart.

The duo managed to sell more than 30 million albums worldwide, bag four Grammys, nine Soul Train Awards and nine America Music Awards. 

"The End of The Road" soundtrack was in the movie "Boomerang"  

One of its boys McCary left the group in 2003 after his condition worsened. He was suffering from multiple sclerosis, a condition that could lead one to paralysis.  

Currently the group consists of only three members.

6. En Vogue.

An American vocal girl group that was formed in 1989 in California. 

The group had five powerful and beautiful women and was one of  the best female groups of all time.

They have won seven MTV Video Music Awards, three Soul Train Awards and two American Music Awards. 

Their best selling album was FUNKY DIVAS which sold over 3 million copies.

One of the members Robinson in 1997 left the group because of bad contracts and payment.

The group is currently touring in the US.

7. TLC.

"You can buy your hair if it won't grow, you can fix your nose if you say so" had the oldies screaming their hearts out.  

Tionne, Lisa and Crystal from Atlanta formed their group in 1990. 

They have won four Grammys and 56 awards.  

The singles "Waterfalls", "No Scrubs", "Creep" and "Unpretty" were the first on the US Billboard Hot 100.

The girls were the second best selling female group in the world with 65 million albums sold.

The group would wear condoms on their clothes to vocalize the importance of safe sex during a time women's images were sexualized. 

They filed for bankruptcy that was settled in 1996 after they sued their production company because they claimed they could not make money from being signed both a management deal, production deal and recording contract within the same company.

This year the girls are bringing back eight of their hit shows with 88 hours of new content.

8. Bone Thugs-n-Harmony.

A boy band that emerged in 1991. 

The American hip hop group consisting of five members took over the 90's when they were promoting the fast paced style of rap Chopper Rap.

They were related except for Krayzie who was a childhood friend.

The group is worth $ 45 million with 1999 Eternal being their best album and selling more than 30 million records.

Easy-E was the first one to sign the group before he unfortunately died after he was diagnosed with HIV in the year 1995 causing the group to struggle reaching the Ruthless Records founder.

They won a Grammy for the Best Rap Performance by a Group in 1997 and won the best rap artist in 1998 on American Music Awards for "If I Could Teach The World"   

Early 90's the legend Jay-Z got the chance to battle the group and he lost to them. 

They are also the only group to record hits with 2Pac and Notorious B.I.G. 

In 2003 Brizzy Bone got kicked out of the group after it was claimed he appeared intoxicated during their Grey Goose Tour kickoff that was held in New York.

At Snoop Dogg and Bobby Dee's High Hopes Concert in 2022, Bone Thug performed their final show.

9. All-4-One.

An R&B four men duo that originated in the year 1993 in California.

The duo were friends in high school where they began their music journey.

Their hit singles that every oldie grooved to were "I Swear", "So Much in Love" and "I Can Love You Like That"

A group that knew how to write love songs. These ones could make you fall in love with someone that you do not even have.   

In the year 1999 after the release of  the album "On and On" a situation occurred between their Atlantic Records and Blitzz Records leading the group to leave both records. 

The group still stuck together with a net worth of $ 1.3 million.

10. Spice Girls.  

The "Girl Power" mantra girl pop group was created in 1994 by five women.

From London the group was targeting young women with songs that could make you dance all night.

The group formed when they responded to an advertisement in a trade magazine in 1993.

Before being called Spice Girls they were originally known as "Touch"

By selling over 90 million records they were the best selling female group in addition to winning one MTV Video Music Awards and five Brit Awards.

Nelson Mandela was a big fun of the girls, he met them in the year 1997 in South Africa.

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