Next, a contemporary R&B trio, emerged in the late '90s alongside Dru Hill and Jagged Edge, blending gospel roots, suggestive lyrics, harmonies, and slick production influenced by Jodeci and R. Kelly. Between 1997 and 2000, they achieved four Top 20 singles on the Billboard Hot 100, including the chart-topping "Too Close" and the hit "Wifey." After two albums on Arista, notably the multi-platinum Rated Next in 1997, the group moved to Clive Davis' J Records, releasing a third album before a split in 2003. The original members reunited in 2018 after a lengthy hiatus and lineup changes.
Robert "RL" Huggar and Marlon "Shilo" Benjamin, along with Terry "T-Low" Brown and Raphel "Tweety" Brown, formed Next in 1992 in Minneapolis, mentored by Reverend James Grear and Ann Nesby of Sounds of Blackness. After a demo caught the attention of Keir "KayGee" Gist, the group signed with Arista and debuted with the successful "Butta Love" in 1997. Their debut album, Rated Next, spawned hits like "Too Close" and "I Still Love You." Subsequent albums, including Welcome II Nextasy in 2000, maintained their success before internal issues led to a split in 2003. After various lineup changes, the original trio of Next regrouped in 2018 to release new music.
