The Bad Boys of Atlanta

You’ve got to love the 90’s!  This decade ushered in the reinvention of the male R&B group sound and kicked off an explosion of boy bands in Pop music. You may remember the more well known groups such as Boyz II Men, Dru Hill, Jodeci, and Bell Biv DeVoe; each with their own unique appeal and style. But before these chart topping trios and quartets became household names, there were several male groups that were looking for their big break just a few years earlier.

This decade is responsible for many hip-hop and R&B producers.  Included in this decade of breakthrough producers in Atlanta’s own, by way of Columbus, GA, Dallas Austin.  Who is recognized for his contributions to the success of artists such as TLC, Another Bad Creation (ABC), Boyz II Men to name a few.  As Austin was making a name for himself as a producer, he continued to explore his talents, getting involved with a new jack swing project with the singing group, Glasswurk.

Glasswurk was an early R&B group in Atlanta made up of trio, Boo Boo, Elocc, and Manic, government names, Theophilus Glass, Derrick Culbreath, Melvin Davis, and Manic respectively. Their image was that of the traditional R&B groups, clean cut, suits and of course hair!

After Austin joined the group, he recommended the group take a different approach to their image. Under his advisement, Glasswurk, would rebrand its image by shedding their dress for more “street” attire. The members also traded their government names for their new monikers. The group also changed their name to The Highland Place Mobsters.

Austin has never been known as a singer, but.

Although not known as a singer, Austin joined the group but not really to sing, to be the quartet’s guitar and keyboard player. They released the studio album with a not so usual title 1746DCGA30035. How did they come up with this title? This is actually an address where the group members were all living, located just outside of Atlanta city limits in Decatur, Georgia.

With a new name, look, and armed with aspiring music producer Dallas Austin, the guys felt nothing short of confident that this was finally their big break.  However, to their disappointment their first single, Let’s Get Naked didn’t chart, nor did their album.  Failing to make the mark and with artistic differences between Austin and Clive Davis, the group shortly disbanded.

The Highland Place Mobsters sound was definitely just a few years ahead of its time.  Tracks like Let’s Get Naked and Take a Dip were very suggestive, seductive, and sexual which although were not accepted at the time of release, it seemed to pave the way for the surge of male artists and groups who would change the sound of R&B.