Q+A: John Morrison on Boyz II Men and Chronicling Philadelphia Music History

Plus: details on his next project!

May 19, 2025

Today, we’re excited to share a Q+A with John Morrison, author of the beautiful book Boyz II Men: 40th Anniversary Celebration, which will be released tomorrow (May 20)!

Tamara Palmer/Music Book Club: What was your process like when putting this book together? How did it come about, and how long did it take to write?

John Morrison: Cara Donaldson, the group editor at Quarto Books, approached me with the idea. I thought it was a very exciting project with a ton of potential. As far as the process, I wrote the book throughout 2024, and it involved a ton of research, then writing, editing, and more research, then more writing and more editing.

I love that this book includes a wider musical history that connects a lot of dots. Readers will come away knowing about more than Boyz II Men. Was there some aspect of this story that was new and surprising to you when you were researching it?

I learned so much while writing this book! One interesting thing that surprised me was the fact that Britney Spears recorded an unreleased album at Boyz II Men’s studio before she got famous. Philly R&B legend, Vivian Green, was writing songs for Britney at the time.

You mention in your author bio that you're working on a history of hip-hop in Philadelphia, which sounds exciting! Would you reveal any more details about this project?

Yes! I hope to write a comprehensive history of hip-hop culture in Philadelphia. Of course, the book will cover the golden era of Philly rap in the ‘80s and ‘90s, and everything from the 2000s to today, but I’ve been researching a lot of Philly hip-hop’s “pre-history.” Essentially, I’ve been gathering oral history and accounts of the city’s hip-hop culture in the years before rap records existed (1973-1978). It’s a really fertile and underdocumented time period.

Fun fact: I caught a rose from Shawn Stockman at a Boyz II Men concert at a San Francisco nightclub many years ago, and it is still on my bulletin board above my desk! Do you have any personal stories about seeing them live?

Wow! That’s so dope. I haven’t had the chance to see them live yet, but I hope to catch them next time they come around.

Could you recommend some of your favorite music books (current or classic) to share with our readers?

John A. Jackson - A House On Fire: The Rise And Fall Of Philadelphia Soul

Amiri Baraka - Blues People: Negro Music in White America

Jim Derogatis - Turn On Your Mind: Four Decades Of Great Psychedelic Rock

Frank Kofsky - Black Nationalism And The Revolution in Music

Michael Azerrad - Our Band Could Be Your Life: Scenes From The American Underground 1981-1991

Richard Brent Turner - Soundtrack To A Movement: African American Islam, Jazz And Black Internationalism