The Evolution of Mint Condition
Follow the impressive rise of talented R&B band.
1 / 12
Origins of a Supergroup - Friends since they were students at Central High School in Saint Paul, Minnesota, Mint Condition became an official group in 1989 after being discovered and signed by the super production duo Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. (Photo: Perspective Records/A&M)
2 / 12
Pretty Brown Eyes - The multi-talented group of six released their debut album, Meant to Be Mint, in 1991. The beautiful single "Breakin' My Heart (Pretty Brown Eyes)" was a huge success that went gold and rode the charts for more than 30 weeks. (Photo: Perspective Records)
3 / 12
Minty Fresh - Two years later in 1993, the group kept things sweet and released their sophomore album, From the Mint Factory. The single "U Send Me Swingin'" peaked at No. 2 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs Chart for four consecutive weeks during the spring of 1994. (Photo: Perspective Records/A&M)
4 / 12
The Definitive R&B Band - Continuing to grind and produce great songs, the group defined R&B and their performance skills with their third album, Definition of a Band. The 1996 platinum single "What Kind of Man Would I Be" lived on the charts for more than 40 weeks, certified gold in two months, and took the group to new heights. (Photo: UMG Recordings)
5 / 12
Soul Train Awards Nominees - Following the success of Definition of a Band, the sextet received two Soul Train Music Award nominations, including Best R&B/Soul Album by a Group, in 1997. (Photo: Brad Barket/PictureGroup)
ADVERTISEMENT
6 / 12
The Best Of - While their visibility waned for a beat during a quiet spell, Mint Condition's core fans stayed loyal because they produced consistently good albums. In 1998, the super-talented band released their best-of album, Collection: 1991-1998. (Photo: Mark Davis/PictureGroup)
7 / 12
Top Ten Success - Primed for the new millennium, Mint Condition kept fans happy with their first Top Ten R&B album, 1999’s Life's Aquarium. The album featured the Top Five Billboard R&B single "If You Love Me." (Photo: Elektra)
8 / 12
Love and R&B - Romance brewed between Mint Condition’s keyboardist Keri Lewis and '90s singing sensation Toni Braxton when the band opened for her on tour. The couple married on April 21, 2001, and gave birth to their first son, Denim Cole Braxton-Lewis, later that year in December. (Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
9 / 12
Mint Minus One - Following a six-year break from making music together, the group resurfaced in 2005, minus one, and released the No. 1 independent album Livin' the Luxury Brown. Lewis left the group to produce for other artists, including for wife Toni Braxton. (Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
10 / 12
Rocking With Prince - In December 2010, Mint Condition joined Prince’s royal family for his iconic “Welcome 2 America” tour, which featured a musical ensemble of R&B and jazz musicians. (Photo: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)
ADVERTISEMENT
11 / 12
Celebrating 20 Years - Celebrating 20 years together in 2011, the band released their seventh studio album, 7, and appeared as the house band for TV One's Way Black When. The same year, they were also awarded a SoulTracks Readers' Choice Award for Duo or Group of the Year. (Photo: Shanachie Entertainment)