Teddy Riley is getting candid about his life and career in a new episode of TV One’s Uncensored.
The singer, songwriter, producer and “New Jack Swing” pioneer sat down with the autobiographical series to discuss his journey from a kid in Harlem with big dreams, to a Grammy and NAACP Image Award-winning music pioneer.
Riley, Aaron Hall, and Timmy Gatling founded R&B group Guy. The trio released their debut album titled “Guy” in 1988 and made New Jack Swing — a fusion of R&B, hip hop and other genres — mainstream with their hit singles “Groove Me,” “I Like,” “Teddy’s Jam,” and “Piece of My Love.” Hall’s younger brother Damion Hall would later join the group.
Related Story: Teddy Riley Thanks His Mom as He Gets Hollywood Walk of Fame Star
In his interview with Uncensored, Riley talked about leaving Guy. In the late 1980s the group was touring with New Edition, but there was tension between the two camps, leading to violence.
On July 9, 1989 in Pittsburgh, New Edition’s production manager Ronald Byrd fatally shot Anthony Bee, Guy’s security chief. Bee was 32 years old.
The concert planned for that evening was canceled and it was at that moment that Riley knew it was time to move on from Guy.
Byrd was convicted of manslaughter in 1990 and sentenced to five to 10 years in prison.
“My friend Anthony Bee got shot three or four times by one of the New Edition guys,” an emotional Riley said, “I don’t want to put his name out there because you know, he’s forgiven. You know he was defending himself, but it was my guy who got shot…. The reason why I quit the group was because I lost my best friend and I couldn’t take the pressure.”
On a more upbeat note, he also discussed collaborating with Michael Jackson on Uncensored.
“I felt like with Michael, I was a big brother and that I was also a little brother,” Riley said in a clip from the episode.
“Anything that I ever needed, Michael, I didn’t have to call him for it,” Riley shared about the late King of Pop. “He would just feel something. He would just call and say are you alright?”
Related Story: Teddy Riley Thanks His Mom for Tough Love as He Gets Walk of Fame Star
Following the release and tour of Guy’s second CD, “The Future” in 1990, Riley co-produced Michael Jackson’s “Dangerous” album.
“Prior to working with Michael, hanging out with him was about a week,” Riley explained. “I was ready to get to the music and he was like, ‘we’re going to go to the studio, I just want to kind of spend some time. You get to know how I am, and I get to know how you are… He was studying me. He was studying everything about me.”
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