Diary Of A Fan: I Met B2K Backstage At The 'Boys 4 Life' Tour

I was 12 years-old when B2K debuted ‘Uh Huh’ on ‘106 & Park.’ I remember it like it was yesterday. I was sitting in my grandmother’s living room when AJ and Free introduced it on the nostalgic countdown show. When my friends met up at school the next day, we had already claimed which member belonged to us. Me and Shana both loved Boog and bonded over our obsession for the hype man of the group. Tanisha and Yasmin shared Omarion. Leah and Keryce had dibbs on Lil’ Fizz and Tash had Raz. We spent days, hours, thousands of dollars making signs, traveling to concerts, buying CDs and custom spray painted dresses (our “I Need A Girlfriend’ dress goes down in group chat history) living our best teenage life chasing the boy band. It was the best of the 2000s and a bond in our friendship. And when they broke up, it felt like or prepubescent life had crumbled. (If anyone finds the footage of a young me speaking from the audience at 106 & Park, please let me know).

When B2K announced the ‘Boys 4 Life’ Tour, I knew it was my opportunity to finally meet the band. I’m 37 now and much has changed in my life, but my love for the band and what they signify in my life will last forever. The little girl in me, who remembers stationing in the pits of TRL outside the Viacom building in NYC, would be in awe of the woman today whose turned her media career into her dreams.

I had interviewed Omarion before, and I was instrumental in putting him on the digital cover of HelloBeautiful, but I hadn’t met the band in all their glory. Imagine my excitement when I was approved to not only cover the concert with front row seats, but go backstage to capture O, Boog, Fizz and Raz before the lights, camera, action.

O sipped tea to nourish his voice while Boog’s wife and daughter chilled on the couch. They gathered us all around to pray. And there we were all holding hands like a family. It was a career defining and full circle moment that will live rent free in my head for the rest of my life. Catch B2K headlining the ‘Boys 4 Life’ Tour, right now.

Diary Of A Fan: I Met B2K Backstage At The ‘Boys 4 Life’ Tour was originally published on hellobeautiful.com