Ricky Bell

Ricky Bell, nicknamed "Slick" (born Ricardo Bell, September 18, 1967, Roxbury, Boston, Massachusetts) is an American R&B singer best known as one of the founding members of New Edition and the lead singer of Bell Biv DeVoe. As a solo artist, his 2000 album entitled Ricardo Campana received favorable reviews, but is not well known due to limited promotion. The youngest of eleven children, Bell grew up in the Orchard Park projects.

The youngest of eleven children, Bell grew up in the Orchard Park projects. He began his career singing with close friend, Ralph Tresvant in a group called "Ricky and Ralph." Later, Bell, along with Michael Bivins, Bobby Brown, Ralph Tresvant, and Ronnie DeVoe became New Edition. The group began a career in 1983 that has spanned twenty five years. After the departure of Bobby Brown, Johnny Gill joined the group in the mid 1980s. Before Gill joined the group, Bell was originally the oldest member of New Edition. After recording the Heartbreak album, Ricky was given the chance to be a solo artist but opted instead to form Bell Biv DeVoe.

The "best kept secret" originally gained the respect of the industry when record producer Jimmy Jam had an idea for a spin-off group called Bell Biv DeVoe with Bell as the lead singer. BBD as the group is commonly known, was the first group to integrate the elements of Rap and R&B consistently, calling their style "Hip-Hop smoothed out on an R&B tip with a Pop feel appeal to it." BBD's 1990 debut established Bell as a lead singer capable of chart topping success.