Michael Bivins
A foundational figure in R&B and hip-hop who helped shape the boy band era and then forged a harder new jack swing sound.
Born 1968 (age 58)·Musical artist·Birthday: August 10·Generation X
Biography
Michael Bivins emerged from the housing projects of Boston as a teenager with a smooth voice and sharp business mind. He was a cornerstone of New Edition, the group that defined the modern boy band template in the 1980s with hits like 'Candy Girl'. When internal tensions fractured the group, Bivins didn't just move on—he engineered a new direction. Teaming with fellow members Ricky Bell and Ronnie DeVoe, he created Bell Biv DeVoe. With Bivins as the de facto manager and conceptual force, BBD unleashed 'Poison', a track that fused R&B melody with hip-hop grit and became the anthem of the new jack swing movement. His acumen extended beyond performing; he founded Biv 10 Records, discovering and developing acts like Another Bad Creation and Boyz II Men, helping usher in the 90s golden age of vocal harmony groups. Bivins's legacy is that of a dual-threat: a performer who helped soundtrack a generation and an astute businessman who helped build its roster.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Michael was born in 1968, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Michael Was Born
The biggest hits of 1968
#1 Movie
2001: A Space Odyssey
Best Picture
Oliver!
#1 TV Show
The Andy Griffith Show
Michael's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1968Born
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1973Started school
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1981Became a teenager
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1984Could drive
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1986Could vote
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1989Turned 21
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1998Turned 30
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2008Turned 40
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 50
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 58 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Co-founded the groundbreaking group Bell Biv DeVoe, whose debut album 'Poison' sold over 4 million copies.
- Was a founding member of New Edition, one of the most influential R&B vocal groups of the 1980s.
- Discovered and managed the multi-platinum group Boyz II Men through his label, Biv 10 Records.
- Helped pioneer the new jack swing genre, which dominated R&B and pop music in the early 1990s.
Did You Know?
His nickname in the music industry is "Biv".
He was instrumental in securing New Edition's first record deal by persistently calling a producer from a payphone.
He turned down an opportunity to sign the group TLC to his label.
He made a cameo appearance in the film 'Mo' Money' starring Damon Wayans.
“We took the melody of New Edition and added the street edge of the hip-hop that was going on at the time.”
