Ronnie DeVoe, also known as Ronald Boyd DeVoe Jr., R.D., Ron, Big Ron and Ronnie D., is an American singer and rapper. He is a member of the popular pop/R&B groups New Edition and Bell Biv DeVoe. With New Edition, he has released hit albums like ‘All for Love,’ ‘Under the Blue Moon’ and ‘Heart Break,’ and with Bell Biv DeVoe, he has contributed to the success of albums like ‘Poison’ and ‘Hootie Mack.’ In addition to his music career, Ronnie is also a co-owner of a real estate company in Atlanta, Georgia. Born in Roxbury, Massachusetts, he is happily married to Shamari Fears of the multi-platinum R&B group Blaque since 2006. Together, they have collaborated on various music projects, including the single “Love Comes Through” released in December 2018. Ronnie and Shamari are proud parents of twin sons.
Quick Facts
- Also Known As: Ronald Boyd DeVoe Jr.
- Age: 56 Years, 56 Year Old Males
- Family:
- Spouse/Ex-: Shamari Fears (m. 2006)
- Children: Roman Elijah, Ronald III
- Occupation: Rapper, Musician
- Height: 6’0″ (183 cm), 6’0″ Males
- City: Boston
- U.S. State: Massachusetts
Career
Ronnie DeVoe initially joined the R&B/pop group New Edition in the early 1980s. In 1984, he and his band released their self-titled debut album that featured the successful track “Cool It Now”. The album acquired 2× Platinum status. The band then came up with an album titled ‘All for Love’ which was certified Platinum by Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). In 1986, DeVoe and his band mates released their fourth studio album ‘Under the Blue Moon’ which eventually went gold. Two years later, they released the album ‘Heart Break’ featuring the tracks “If It Isn’t Love”, “You’re Not My Kind of Girl” and “Can You Stand the Rain”.
After New Edition’s 1990 breakup, Ronnie DeVoe alongside Michael Bivins and Ricky Bell of New Edition formed another R&B group called Bell Biv DeVoe. Their debut album ‘Poison’ spawned five hit singles including “Poison” and “B.B.D.” and sold over five million copies. In 1993, the group released their follow-up album titled ‘Hootie Mack’. Three years later, the singer and the original members of New Edition released their album ‘Home Again’ which spawned the hits “Hit Me Off” and “I’m Still in Love with You”. While the album peaked at #1 in USA and Canada, the singles charted at #3 and #7 in USA respectively.
In 2001, DeVoe and his band Bell Biv DeVoe came up with their third studio album ‘BBD’. After this, they released ‘Three Stripes’. In 2018, he started featuring in the reality TV series ‘The Real Housewives of Atlanta’ alongside his wife Shamari. The couple together released a song called “Love Comes Through” in December that year. DeVoe still records with both his groups and also co-owns DeVoe Broker Associates, a real estate company in Atlanta, Georgia.
Family & Personal Life
Ronnie DeVoe was born as Ronald Boyd “Ronnie” DeVoe Jr. on November 17, 1967, in Roxbury, Massachusetts, USA, to Ronald Boyd DeVoe and Florence E. DeVoe. He grew up with four siblings and studied at Newton North High School. On March 10, 2006, he married Shamari Fears, the lead vocalist of the group Blaque. The couple welcomed their twin sons Roman Elijah and Ronald III in 2017.