New Edition’s Manager, Brooke Payne, Is The Heartbeat Of The Legendary Group
Brooke Payne is Ron DeVoe’s biological uncle, but he’s the Godfather/ big brother to everyone in New Edition. Originally coming in to choreograph NE’s dance moves in the embryo stage of their careers, Brooke now manages the collective. Ask anyone in the NE circle, Brooke is as important to the group as any of the six singing members.
The world got a first great gaze of Brooke in the video for “If It Isn’t Love.” If you think back, he was a co-star of the video, telling the fellas to step their game up in the rehearsal because what they did in practice, translated on the stage. Admittedly, New Edition haven’t always listened to Brooke’s sage advice when they were younger. Look no further than the late ’90s fiasco Home Again Tour. Incredible album, the stage outings to support the project, not so much. New Edition’s very first full rehearsal for Home Again actually happened opening night of the tour in front of 20,000 ticket buyers. To make matters worst, it was in New Edition’s backyard, Worcester, Massachusetts. Nobody wants to come home unorganized.
Things got so bad during the Home Again Tour that when they reached their Detroit date, New Edition got booed for the very first time careers. They were two and half hours late getting to the stage and not all six members performed at the show. It was all a learning experience and water under the bridge now.
NE is more unified than they’ve ever been and as bankable of commodity you can ask for. With no new group album or even a song, they sold out arenas across the country during last year’s Culture Tour. And if fans came out in droves to celebrate the group’s 39th anniversary in 2022, it was a no brainer that their loyal following—dubbed “NE4Lifers”—would come out enjoy the experience of commemorating the magic number of the 40th.
Bobby Brown, Johnny Gill, Michael Bivins, Ricky Bell, Ralph Tresvant and Ron DeVoe, just finished spinning the block on another successful run, with 2023’s the Legacy Tour. The musical trek also featured R&B greats Guy (yes, Aaron and Teddy were there), soloist J Valentine and the strong vocalist Tank. A lot of acts with streaming numbers through the roof, can’t sell out arenas on tour in one year, let along back-to-back years. Yet, N.E., along with their friends in rhythm did just that.
We caught up with Brooke Payne on the last day of the Legacy Tour in Tampa, Florida, a few hours before showtime. The NE Oracle gave us some exclusive insight on just what it takes to bring New Edition out on the road for months, his outlook on the group’s four decade legacy and he also promised that as long as the people keep coming out, New Edition will keep touring.
VIBE: Brother Brooke. Thank you for your time. This is it. The last day of the Legacy Tour. It’s been really special. New Edition is celebrating 40 years in music. We had a chance to talk to the guys. Now we want to hear from you. In your opinion, what exactly is the New Edition Legacy up to this point?
Brooke Payne: New Edition’s legacy is, and has always been the fans and the impact the group has made on their lives. And in the same breath, the impact the fans have made on the guys. They all grew up together, facing what life brings at every turn. The NE fans are the engine that drives these guys to leave it all on the stage night after night, year after year, for the last 40 years. With that thought, now the guys are pouring that same energy into their own families. They are husbands, fathers, some are grandfathers. They not only can talk about all of what this is; what they’ve seen and experienced in this industry, but they can show what it is because they bring their families on the road with them. The kids not only see their fathers go to work, they have now become part of the movement. And as long as the fans keep coming out, New Edition will be there!
VIBE: That’s great to know. Myself and all the NE4Lifers have enjoyed seeing the guys go out back to years with the Culture Tour and now the Legacy Tour. Can you give us some understanding into what it takes to pull off an outing this caliber?
Brooke Payne: Once conversations begin that a tour is on the table, the blueprint starts to be constructed with the guys and myself. Every detail is outlined; the look, the feel, the band, dancers, stage, lights, wardrobe, personnel, etc. The tour is separated into compartments. There’s the creative side that focuses on capturing what New Edition fans will get from the first strike of the drums, to the explosive flash of the spot lights. Every movement in between is designed to give the fans a nonstop 90 minute party; from the song that opens the show, to the end, the routines, when to highlight the solos or bring in the dancers. There is purpose in every decision.
VIBE: This is all very intriguing and intricate.
Brooke Payne: The second part is the budget, finding balance between what the show looks like and what it cost to pull it off. Lastly, the production. It takes a lot of conference calls with the guys as they weigh in to assess the needs of what a big tour looks like. These conversation are continual throughout the process until each group member reaches their level of satisfaction. It’s equally important to assemble an outstanding group of professionals that’s are respected for their talents to pull it together and bring all those conversations to life.
VIBE: What about all those dance moves? The guys still make everything look seamless. I always think, how in the world do they remember all them steps? There’s constant movement and routines even on the slow jams.
Brooke Payne: The guys begin to put in the work about three months out from the first show date. The days are long, but week by week, it starts to take form. It starts with with New Edition and I going over the song selection and sequence again, seeing what works, what feels right, making changes as needed. The routines come as second nature, all it takes is hearing that first note and it all comes back! At the same time, the band is rehearsing on their own, vibing and getting into their groove. The band is adding the strikes, the breakdowns, matching the tempo of the show that the guys are known for. Then there’s the dancers; I take intentional thought to find the perfect way to accent what the guys are doing, while allowing them to bring the their own signature to the stage.
Once all the parts are working and a show is starting to materialize, I bring everyone together and then we take that work up 10 notches… That’s when the magic starts to happen. We bang out every aspect of the show until we have one cohesive fluid movement. It’s one of those things that you know the path to get there but you gotta work for it. You know you arrived when you have a packed audience standing on their feet from beginning to end, singing every song and cheering for more after the final bow.
VIBE: Well, you guys got the confirmation 10 fold every night on this tour. I told the fellas when we talked that the brotherhood is really apparent with the guys. You can see that they are really enjoying being around each other. How do you feel when you see these guys who you have known their whole lives, be able to withstand so many obstacles individually and collectively, but always find their way back to “The Mothership” and be successful together?
Brooke Payne: I feel Blessed. When I watch the show night after night… I am humbled. I have walked this road as God would have me do. The song [“Boys To Men”] written by Terry Lewis and Jimmy Jam is a tangible reality in my life. I’ve literally watched these boys turn into men. Everything I saw in them has come to life. When I think about obstacles, hurtles, achievements and triumphs…I know it all is a part of God’s plan.
New Edition is a brotherhood. I guess I’m the big brother. I’ve only tried to pull out of them, what God put in them. We don’t always agree, we don’t always travel the same road. But one thing that is undeniable, the destination of this thing of ours. 40 years later, we are all still here, six original members and me. God never fails.
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