Boy Band B5 Rocks Out

P.Diddy’s newest creation heats up the ThinkQuest awards

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(Left to right) Kelly, Patrick, Bryan, Dustin, Carnell (Photo: Ezra Billinkoff)

the room to find the biggest fans there. A group of five girls huddled together near the front of the stage anxiously awaiting their favorite new musical group. As the event host announced the arrival of B5, the latest boy band to hit the music scene, this group of girls began to scream.

One of the girls, Dashawna, said Dustin was her favorite because "he's so cute." Her friend disagreed and said Carnell was the cutest. Either way, the girls were about to enjoy a great show.

B5 dropped in at this awards ceremony to help honor students who had designed educational Web sites through ThinkQuest New York City, an organization that works to bring technology into city classrooms.

The five singing brothers took the stage to perform their two debut singles, "U Got Me" and "All I Do." They were met with thunderous applause from the more than 500 city students in attendance.

B5 includes Dustin, 17; Kelly, 16; Patrick, 14; Carnell, 13; and Bryan, 10. They first started performing routines around their house about six years ago. They later began performing in talent competitions.

"It was all because of Mom," Dustin said, pointing to his mother who was smiling, as she stood next to him backstage.

They met rap superstar P. Diddy three years ago in a hotel in Ohio. After performing for him, he signed them to his record label, Bad Boy Entertainment. They all agreed that meeting him was "really great."

 

Bryan, Kelly, and Dustin break it down on stage. (Photo: Ezra Billinkoff)

The boys are originally from St. Petersburg, Florida, but now call Atlanta, Georgia, home. They say they love traveling and meeting new people.

Dustin says that even though he and his brothers miss Atlanta, they "rarely get homesick."

While on the road, they have a tutor who helps them with their studies. Carnell says he most enjoys History and Math. Kelly prefers Math and Science. Bryan just likes Math. Patrick, the joker of the group, says his favorite subjects are "P.E. and Lunch."

When asked about their musical idols, all the boys said Michael Jackson was a huge inspiration. They also mentioned 112, Jay-Z, and, of course, P. Diddy. They said that beyond singing, they enjoy fooling around on the piano as a way of strengthening their musical skills.

"We just play around and enjoy it a lot," said Kelly. Carnell said they were able to play by ear.

The boys all agreed that they had no weaknesses, only strengths. Their manager, Jim, said, "Their only weakness is that they always want to keep performing."

And perform they did! Their slick dance moves and sugary melodies wowed the audience in New York.

Dashawna admitted afterward, "I am a huge fan; devoted and loyal."

Ezra Billinkoff is a contributing writer for Scholastic News Online.