*R&B group After 7 were founded in 1987 by brothers Melvin and Kevon Edmonds, and Keith Mitchell. The Edmonds brothers are the siblings of pop and R&B singer-songwriter-producer Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds.
This dynamic creative team delivered such enduring hits as “Heat of the Moment,” “Ready or Not,” and “Nights Like This.”
Melvin officially left the group in the early 2000s and his son, Jason Edmonds now performs with them. The circumstances surrounding Melvin’s departure remained a mystery until 2015 when Kevon dropped the scoop, as ILOSM reports.
Kevon said that while Melvin’s drug abuse certainly affected the dynamic of the group, it’s not why he quit.
“Drugs wasn’t the reason why this or that did not happen. But my brother did wrestle with drug abuse from time to time,” he revealed. “It was an issue but it was important to keep our reputation and deliver a solid show and handle the business.”
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Kevon blames the stress of the music industry for Melvin’s departure.
“Melvin grew tired of the business. There are no checks and balances or safety nets or protections for you in this business. He still loves to sing but it’s the extra stuff that he reached his limit with.”
Back in 2015, Kevon said he was content with performing with After 7 on occasion while working on solo material and spending time with his family.
“I am happily married with a family and that’s one of the greatest gifts. So if something good presents itself and it feels right and seems purposeful then I will take a look at it. But I’m good in this space.”
It’s been more than 20 years since After 7 released a new album but the hitmakers reunited last year with Babyface for the release of their album “Timeless.” The leading singles “Let Me Know” and “I Want You” — placed in the top 10 and top 5, respectively, on the Adult R&B chart.
