Few teens who one day fantasize about forming a hip-hop group, cutting a record and hitting the road, see that dream become a reality a year later, but that is exactly what has happened over the past two years for Milo Stokes, Marcel Wildy, Chris Cheeks and Myles Cleveland. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that Milo’s cousin is stage and film star Omarion, and that his dad is manager/director Chris Stokes.In relatively a blink of an eye, Milo, Marcel and Chris Cheeks went from dancing and rhyming in each others’ living rooms to cutting songs in a state of the art studio. The group, formed by Monyee Stokes, mentored and signed by Omarion to his O Records label, and is currently recording under the leadership of Chris Stokes, the man behind B2K and writer/director of "You Got Served," starring B2K’s front man Omarion (Milo’s cousin).While hanging with Omarion and B2K as they toured the states just a couple years ago, Milo, Marcel and Chris were eager to start their own group, one that would, like B2K, fuse hot dance moves with smooth R&B and magnetic hip-hop. In New York, during the 33rd stop on the tour, that dream took a giant leap toward reality when Chris Stokes-from the soundboard-spotted a young kid in the crowd with strong pipes and killer moves. After a brief audition backstage for Omarion and Chris Stokes, Bridgeport, Connecticut-native Myles Cleveland, became the missing link to the chain of events that created the group "2 Much"."I saw something special that I’ve never seen in a young boys group before," says producer/manager Chris Stokes. "They’re like the new Jackson Five." Remembering when his son, Milo, expressed interest in following in cousin Omarion’s footsteps, Chris says with a laugh, "I hate it-but he loves the business so whatever my son wants, I want to back him up."Not long after that fateful tour stop, the L.A.-based teen quartet nervously showcased for Music World Music chief executive Matthew Knowles and Senior Vice President of A&R Max Gousse, who immediately signed a deal with the group for its debut released via O Records/ T.U.G./Music World. Ever since, 2 Much has been working up a cool mix of hip-hop and R&B songs produced by veteran producers such as Chris Stokes, Sean Garret and others. While each member boasts sharp dance skills, vocally the group is split down the middle: Myles and Chris handle the rhymes, and Marcel and Milo bring the smooth jams for the ladies.Says Milo: "We have real ghetto, hood stuff, but Marcel knows how to get to the ladies."Says Chris: "We’re here to make music for everybody. We’re not trying to separate hip-hop and R&B and make it into different genres, we’re trying to put it all together to make feel good music.""We have the slow, more sensitive songs for the ladies, like "If You Were Mine" and ’Can I Be the One?’" says Marcel, "They’re slow and hot. And then we got the bangers, the tracks that you can put in your car, and just bump."2 Much is the type of group both destined to be embraced by both teens and their parents. "I know this might be a bit cliché," says Omarion "but I think they’re B2K, a different version-a better version."Together, the four members of 2 Much fuse influences as diverse as B2K and Omarion to Miles Davis and Chaka Khan, plus plenty of gospel and classic soul. All four members have been singing and dancing pretty much all their lives, be it in front of friends, family, classmates or even the public. Performing, says Chris, "is the best feeling, it’s like a rush, a crazy rush, it’s like a totally different experience than what people take it for… I’m like a different person when I’m up there."Says Marcel, "This whole experience has been amazing. It’s a lot of hard work, rehearsing, recording, working out in the gym but when we get on stage and see all the fans enjoying the show, I realize they make it all worth it."The group is working on their new album and is expected to begin touring in the latter part of 2007.
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