After 7 was an R&B group, founded in 1988 by brothers Melvin and Kevon Edmonds and Keith Mitchell. The Edmonds brothers are the older siblings of popular pop and R&B singer-songwriter Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds” while Mitchell is the cousin of Babyface’s then-partner, songwriter-producer Antonio “L.A.” Reid.
The band released their first album issued self-titled debut in autumn 1989, which included the hits, “Sayanora”, “Heat of the Moment”, “Can’t Stop” and the quiet storm staple, “Ready or Not”. After promoting the album and seeing it go to platinum, they scored a hit with the Motown-influenced “Nights Like This” on the 1991 soundtrack to The Five Heartbeats. The trio returned with 1992’s Takin’ My Time, which included the hit cover of The Originals’ “Baby I’m For Real”. The trio released their last album, with Reflections, in 1995, which included the hit, “‘Til You Do Me Right”. After Mitchell split from After 7 in 1997, the Edmonds brothers continued performing, releasing the cover of Hall & Oates’ “Sara Smile” before silently disbanding that year.
The brothers continue to perform in venues for reunions. Both Kevon and Melvin Edmonds appear with Babyface in the film Soul Food, as members of the R&B group Milestone and performing the song “I Care About You”. In 1999, Kevon Edmonds released a solo LP, which included the single “24/7.” In 2006 they appeared on the New Jack Reunion Tour. |
