The Texas quintet known as HI-FIVE graced radio waves in the nineties with their Billboard chart topper “I Like The Way (The Kissing Game).” No longer confined to a decade of music, HI-FIVE returns with a bang. Triumphing over an extended hiatus, death, and label transitions, the R&B staples return with two new members, but with the familiar sound longtime fans fell in love with. With a new EP and single, the group takes us back to the glory days of music past: summer music of love, substance and real content.
HI-FIVE (Marcus, Treston, Billy, Faruq, and Shannon) spoke with UPTOWN in an exclusive interview and revealed why they were gone so long, group turmoil, what’s missing from today’s R&B and what fans can expect from their first album in nine years.
UPTOWN: How have you updated your sound for today while still remaining familiar to your longtime fans?
Treston: We wanted to make sure we didn’t lose any fans, we wanted to give them what they’re used to, with a recipe from our man Tony Thompson who is no longer with us. We wanted to continue to have the HI-FIVE sound but make it relevant to today but with a ’90s twist everybody is begging for.
We added Faruq and Billy who will give a different dimension to the group as well.
U: After commercial and Billboard chart success, what specifically contributed to the group’s disappearance?
Marcus: [There were] a lot of different aspects that contributed to our hiatus. The lead singer wanted to do his solo project and it was well deserved for him to do it. The record company we were signed to at the time were having some business issues that left us hanging. We decided we were going to just sit out and it ended up being some years.
U: What did you do in your off time?
Marcus: We’ve all been in our individual spaces, dealing with families. I’m sure we all have children. We’ve done music in between but now we feel the chemistry is right and this is what we need to do to get ourselves back in the public eye.
U: How did you go about choosing the lead single, “It’s Nothing” from your new album, HI-FIVE, THE EP, set for an August 12 release?
Treston: We go through a process similar to what everybody else goes through. We let certain music execs listen to the whole project and weigh in.
Hi Five: (from left) Marcus Sanders, Shannon Gill, Treston Irby, Faruq Evans and Billy Covington. Credit: TV One
U: Former member of the group, Russell Neal, has been charged with his wife’s murder. Will his trial have a negative impact on the group?
Marcus: It’s definitely going to have an impact. Much respect to Russell, he hasn’t been a member of the group since the ’90s. We want the fans to know we send our condolences to both families. Russell’s not a member anymore and I hope his situations pans out where everyone can understand but we want to continue doing music as the group HI-FIVE.
U: Has anyone spoken with him?
Treston: Nobody has spoken with him and I’m quite sure we won’t speak with him.
U: Usually when groups reunite there’s always a reality show involved. Aside from your episode of TV One’s “Unsung” airing August 6, any other reality shows in the works?
Treston: We’ve been approached by a couple of production companies, but we’re waiting on the right situation. If the situation is right, holla!
U: What are your opinions on today’s music? What’s missing, if anything?
Billy: Writing and production is my thing. Music is missing that mind twist. You hear records on the radio and it’s like, “What can we get away with saying on a record?” They don’t put you in another place where you’re sitting. When I hear a record, I want the record to transcend me, change my attitude or my mood. Music today is lacking substance. It [music] becomes so commercial many writers are forgetting the fans. A lot of it is lost in translation.
Treston: Music these days is missing life. Back in the 90s, music was more alive, you could feel everything. These days music is more mechanical. That’s why with our new EP we want to make sure our music is alive and breathing and not compressed. Fans are missing that sound, our age group want that. We’re not old, we still want to dance, or attend a party with nice music and not worry about hearing foul language all the time and disrespecting women.
Faruq: I’m huge on love and I see none of that any more. I see everything about poppin’ bottles or girls ain’t loyal. R&B made a wrong turn, it’s not dead but it made a wrong turn. We don’t cater to the women any more, everything is about divorce papers or getting over. I feel like the love is missing.
Treston: You can’t dedicate songs to your woman anymore!
Faruq: There’s no relevancy now and that’s where we are coming in. We’re going to bridge that gap. Whatever you want to call it, we’re going to be the band aid to mend it.
Marcus: The auto tune helped some people come off with a better sound but it’s not acceptable for the artists who’re genuine out here. Emotional content is missing.
U: What do you want to be remembered for?
Marcus: As the guys who overcame every trial in the music industry. We’ve had a lot of ups and downs and we’re still here doing music to give the fans.
Faruq: We’re going to be the group to triumph over our tribulations.
Treston: As the group that never quit and never gave up.