#120 Force M.D.'s (+ Stereo MC's bonus)

We've come to another blind spot for me, as I don't recall ever hearing about Force M.D.'s other than from this one MusiCard they got. It's kind of a weird photo, with three of the guys blurry in the background, while the foreground guy has an optical illusion going on where you can't fully distinguish between what's his hair and what's the building behind him. Not sure if that was the photographer's intention or just a funny coincidence.

With a name like "Force M.D.'s" I was expecting aggressive rap (like "Forceful MCs?"), however after giving a listen to some tracks, seems they'd fit nicely into a playlist with the likes of New Edition, Jodeci, and maybe even Wham! Kind of like an early Boyz II Men type group.

Double typo alert: The card back erroneously dates a pair of their records as being from 1986, while in reality Chillin' was released December 15, 1985, and Touch And Go dropped June 11, 1987.

"Tender Love"

Their biggest hit is "Tender Love" from 1985 (originally appearing on the Krush Groove soundtrack), written by hit-makers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. Doesn't ring a bell for me or do much for me hearing it now-- I'm a broken record here saying sappy slow jams generally aren't my thing-- but I dig Force M.D.'s upbeat stuff fine, with nice harmonies over hip-hop beats.

"Walking Into Sunshine"

Their 90s releases didn't generate the same commercial interest as their mid-80s heyday, and other than a reunion album in 2000, they don't seem to have done much in the past 30 years apart from sporadic live performances. Their Wikipedia entry has their current status as active, though several members have unfortunately passed away over the years. In fact, of those featured on the MusiCard, only Stevie D. (far left) is still with us. That's kind of depressing. And unrelated, but did you notice that last month's Custom Corner guy Rob Base died just a few days after that post? Oof. Stay healthy, everybody!

CUSTOM CORNER

Here's a custom pairing inspired not by musical proximity, but rather a similarly structured name. Just tickles me imagining a marquee with Force M.D.'s and Stereo MC's on the bill. Both groups were formed in the 80s and looked to get their audience on the dance floor, but that might be where the similarities end.

Apparently it wasn't enough to get them a real '91 MusiCard, but in 1990, Stereo MC's "Elevate My Mind" became the first British hip-hop single to make the US Billboard R&B chart. 1992's Connected built on that success, with the title track and follow-up single "Step It Up" both doing well internationally.

"Connected"

Another record wouldn't surface until 2001's Deep Down & Dirty, as the guys found themselves distracted by lucrative projects such as remixing tracks for the likes of U2 and Madonna. Their most recent LP is 2011's Emperor's Nightingale, but they're still at it, occasionally popping up with a new collaboration or remix project. Stereo MC's also still perform live from time to time, sounding good despite getting up into retirement age now.

"Elevate My Mind" (live 2025)

 

What do you readers think? Have you listened to much Force M.D.'s or Stereo MC's? Any favorites? Memories? Let me know in the comments. Thanks.