Michael Bivins

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Michael Bivins

| image = Michael Bivins.jpg

| caption =

| background = solo_singer

| birth_name = Michael Lamont Bivins

| alias = {{hlist|Biv|M.B.}}

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|mf=yes|1968|8|10}}

| birth_place = Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.

| instrument = Vocals

| genre = {{hlist|New jack swing|hip hop|R&B}}

| occupations = {{hlist|Singer|Producer|CEO of Sportyrich Enterprises|Rapper}}

| years_active = 1978–present

| label = SportyRich Enterprises

| website = [http://sportyrich.com Link]

| current_members =

| past_members =

}}

Michael Lamont Bivins (born August 10, 1968) is an American singer, rapper, manager, and producer, and a founding member of New Edition and Bell Biv DeVoe.{{cite book|last=George|first=Nelson|title=Buppies, b-boys, baps & bohos: notes on post-soul Black culture|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=E1XR7Fz-7gIC&pg=PA63|access-date=13 July 2011|date=2001-07-11|publisher=Da Capo Press|isbn=978-0-306-81027-5|pages=63–}}

Biography

Bivins was born and still lives in Boston.{{cite news |last1=Sennott |first1=Adam |title=Rapper Michael Bivins Starts Basketball League at Roxbury Y |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2019/09/21/rapper-michael-bivins-starts-basketball-league-roxbury/0cgVGh1suOVGP63tEZGmCO/story.html |access-date=12 February 2025 |publisher=Boston Globe |date=21 September 2019}}{{cite news |last1=Rourke |first1=Riley |title=Michael Bivins says New Edition's Las Vegas residency "a dream come true" |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/michael-bivins-new-edition-interview-wbz-tv-las-vegas-residency-roxbury-boston/ |access-date=12 February 2025 |date=10 November 2023}} He and his wife, Teasha, have four daughters: Savannah, Shilah, Starlah, and Sanaah Bivins.{{cite web |title=Photos of New Edition's Michael Bivins and His Wife Teasha |url=https://www.essence.com/celebrity/black-celeb-couples/new-edition-michael-bivins-wife-teasha/ |website=Essence |access-date=12 February 2025}}

Career

Michael Bivins is one of the founding members of New Edition.{{cite web |title=Bell Biv Devoe |url=https://www.mmone.org/bell-biv-devoe/ |website=The Music Museum of New England |access-date=12 February 2025}} When the group broke up he formed Bell Biv DeVoe with Ricky Bell and Ronnie DeVoe. The group is credited with being one of the pioneers of the new jack swing sound.{{cite web |last1=Bowler |first1=Paul |title=It's Got That Vibe: Celebrating New Jack Swing |url=https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/its-got-that-vibe-celebrating-new-jack-swing/ |website=uDiscover |access-date=12 February 2025}} Their debut album, Poison, peaked at number five on the Billboard 200 chart in 1990.{{cite web |last1=Unterberger |first1=Andrew |title=Bell Biv Devoe Perform Lethal Throwback Medley with 'Do Me' and 'Poison' at the 2020 AMAs |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/awards/bell-biv-devoe-poison-do-me-2020-amas-9488226/ |website=Billboard |access-date=12 February 2025}}

=Music Manager=

He also discovers, manages, and produces for other acts, most notably Sudden Impact, Another Bad Creation,{{cite news |last1=Mitchell |first1=Gail |title=Michael Bivins Appointed Creative Head of Harlem Festival of Culture |url=https://www.billboard.com/culture/events/new-editions-michael-bivins-appointed-creative-director-harlem-festival-culture-1235063471/ |access-date=12 February 2025 |date=26 April 2022}} MC Brains, Boyz II Men, and 702, all of whom were signed to his Motown distributed label Biv 10 Records. He serves as the music entrepreneur and A&R man of both of his own acts. Bivins also produced The New Edition Story, a biographical miniseries that ran on BET in 2017.

=Acting=

Bivins' credits include CSR 103.9 in the hit video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Most recently, he appeared in the basketball film Crossover as the character, Heart Attack. Bivins also managed Artist Development on the reality competition show Making the Band 4 and is CEO and founder of Sporty Rich Enterprises record label.