Editing Hi-Five

{{Short description|American R&B quintet}}
{{about|the band||High five (disambiguation)}}
{{redirect-distinguish|Marcus Sanders|Mark Sanders (disambiguation)}}
{{use mdy dates|date=March 2022}}
{{Infobox musical artist 
| name                = Hi-Five
| image               = 
| caption             = 
| image_size          = 
| background          = group_or_band
| origin              = [[Waco, Texas]], United States
| genre               = {{hlist|[[Contemporary R&B|R&B]]|[[Soul music|soul]]|[[Pop music|pop]]|[[new jack swing]]}}
| occupation          = 
| years_active        = 1989–1994<br>2005–2007<br>2012–present
| label               = {{hlist|[[Jive Records|Jive]]|[[Giant Records (Warner)|Giant]]|N-Depth|Bronx Most Wanted}}
| current_members     = Marcus Sanders<br>Shannon Gill<br>Treston Irby<br>Billy Covington<br>Faruq Evans
| past_members        = [[Tony Thompson (singer)|Tony Thompson]] <small>(deceased)</small><br>Russell Neal<br>Roderick Clark <small>(deceased)</small> <br>Toriano Easley<br>Terrence Murphy<br>Ricky Smith<br>Andre Ramseur (aka Dre Wonda)
}}

'''Hi-Five''' is an American [[Contemporary R&B|R&B]] quintet from [[Waco, Texas]]. Hi-Five had a No. 1 hit on [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'''s Hot 100]] in 1991 with "[[I Like the Way (The Kissing Game)]]". 

The band was originally formed in 1989 as a trio: childhood friends [[Tony Thompson (singer)|Tony Thompson]], Russell Neal, and Oklahoma native, Toriano Easley. [[Jive Records]] suggested adding childhood friends, Roderick "Pooh" Clark and Marcus Sanders, to the ensemble and later signed these founding members as Hi-Five.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhrNO-LC4OE|title=Hi-Five interview: December 2021 |website=Youtube.com|date=December 15, 2021 }}</ref>

During the release of their debut album, Toriano Easley was charged with a crime, which involved a dispute with his neighborhood friends, rendering him unable to continue with the group. The record label recruited New York native Treston Irby, as a replacement member. After the release of their second album, Russell Neal left the group after financial conflicts with the label. Unfortunately congruently, while the four members of the group were continuing to tour, Roderick "Pooh" Clark was injured in a vehicle collision, leaving him paralyzed from the neck down, resulting in his departure from the group.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2022/04/roderick-pooh-clark-dead-obituary-hi-five-boy-band-1235005553|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220419153048/https://deadline.com/2022/04/roderick-pooh-clark-dead-obituary-hi-five-boy-band-1235005553/|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 19, 2022|title=deadline.com April 2022|website=daedline.com|date=April 19, 2022 }}</ref> The label added Shannon Gill and Terrence Murphy as replacement members.

When the group decided to accept an offer from [[Giant Records (Warner)|Giant Records]] to change labels, while their Jive contract was still pending, Giant Records, instead decided to focus their attention on lead singer Tony Thompson, neglecting the projects related to the group. Because of this discrepancy, the group disbanded. Tony Thompson was later signed to [[Bad Boy Records]]. In 2005, without consulting the initial members of Hi-Five, Tony Thompson put together several new vocalists to form a new incarnation of the band, under the Hi-Five name. This later resulted in a legal battle, between Thompson and former Hi-Five members, which put the band on even more haphazard terms. In 2007, lead singer Tony Thompson, died in drug related circumstances. In 2012, as a result of Thompson's passing, the former members of Hi-Five decided to reunite in Thompson's honor. 

== Early career ==
Hi-Five was originally signed to [[Jive Records]] in late 1989 and released their [[Hi-Five (album)|eponymous debut album]] in 1990.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rememberingrhythmandblues.com/2007_01_01_archive.html|title=Remembering Rhythm & Blues: January 2007 |website=Rememberingrhythmandblues.com|access-date=2012-05-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110424123416/http://www.rememberingrhythmandblues.com/2007_01_01_archive.html|archive-date=April 24, 2011}}</ref> The album was produced by [[Teddy Riley (producer)|Teddy Riley]] and went platinum. It included singles "I Just Can't Handle It" (R&B No. 10), "[[I Can't Wait Another Minute]]" (Pop No. 8, R&B No.1) and "[[I Like the Way (The Kissing Game)]]", which went to number one on the U.S. [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]] and the U.S. [[Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs]] chart (making it their biggest hit to date).<ref name="billboard">{{cite web|url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=hi-five|chart=all}}|title=Hi-Five Billboard Chart History|website=Billboard.com|access-date=2008-08-30}}</ref> 

The group's second LP, ''[[Keep It Goin' On]]'', was released in 1992.<ref name="AllMusic">{{cite web|last1=Wynn|first1=Ron|title=Biography|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/hi-five-mn0000676313/biography|website=[[AllMusic]]|access-date=16 March 2022}}</ref> Though not as successful as their debut effort, several tracks from this album, including "[[She's Playing Hard to Get]]" (Pop No. 5, R&B No. 2) and the [[R. Kelly]]-penned "Quality Time" (Pop No. 38, R&B No. 3) got major airplay in East Coast (US) urban markets. Shortly after this album was released, the group was involved in a vehicular accident, which left Roderick "Pooh" Clark paralyzed from the chest down.

In 1993, Hi-Five emerged with a third album, ''[[Faithful (Hi-Five album)|Faithful]]'', which featured the songs "[[Unconditional Love (Hi-Five song)|Unconditional Love]]" (Pop No. 92, R&B No. 21) and "[[Never Should've Let You Go]]" (Pop No. 30, R&B No. 10).<ref name="billboard" /> "Unconditional Love" was also featured in the multi-platinum ''[[Menace II Society]]'' soundtrack, and received extensive airplay on urban contemporary stations throughout the summer of 1993 as the movie increased in popularity. "Never Should've Let You Go" was featured on the ''[[Sister Act 2]]'' soundtrack.

== Later career ==
On June 1, 2007, Tony Thompson's body was discovered by security officers at around 10 p.m. near an air-conditioning unit outside of an apartment complex in his native Waco, Texas. An autopsy later determined that he had died from "toxic effects of [[chlorodifluoromethane]]", or inhaling a toxic amount of [[freon]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dallasblack.com/entertainment/autopsyresultstonythompson|title=Autopsy Results Are In For Hi-Five Star Tony Thompson|date=July 2, 2007|website=Dallasblack.com|access-date=July 4, 2014|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140707072705/http://www.dallasblack.com/entertainment/autopsyresultstonythompson|archivedate=July 7, 2014}}</ref> He is buried at Doris Miller Memorial Park in Waco.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wacotrib.com/news/family-and-friends-remember-waco-singer-tony-thompson-at-headstone/article_f2c8ea0c-2a8a-50fd-b338-56aa6a90c743.html?TNNoMobile|title=Family and friends remember Waco singer Tony Thompson at headstone ceremony|last=Hoover|first=Carl|date=June 5, 2010|website=Wacotrib.com|access-date=July 4, 2014}}</ref>

In 2011, Treston Irby released his debut solo single "Everything" under the mantle Tru$ on his independent label, Bronx Most Wanted Ent. 

In 2012, Irby, Shannon Gill and Marcus Sanders reformed Hi-Five with two new members, Andre Ramseur (aka Dre Wonda) and Faruq Evans. They released a single called "Favorite Girl" also on the BMW label. Ramseur later left the group and was replaced by Billy Covington. 

On July 2, 2014, former Hi-Five member Russell Neal was charged with murder, over the fatal stabbing of his wife in Houston.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/news/former-r-b-singer-charged-with-murdering-wife-in-houston|title=Former R&B singer charged with murdering wife in Houston|publisher=[[CBS News]]|date=2014-07-07}}</ref>

Hi-Five was featured on the [[TV One (U.S. TV network)|TVOne]] music documentary series ''[[Unsung (TV series)|Unsung]]'' on August 6, 2014, chronicling the quintet's upbringing in Waco, their rise to superstardom, tragedies among group members, and their comeback.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wacotrib.com/entertainment/accesswaco/tv_and_radio/hi-five-documentary-to-air-revisiting-chart-topping-waco-hip/article_ae346912-4951-50be-8c0f-e504ed7d9af6.html|title=Hi-Five documentary to air, revisiting chart-topping Waco hip-hop group &#124; Tv And Radio|website=Wacotrib.com|date=2014-08-01|access-date=2017-07-23}}</ref>

Former member Roderick “Pooh” Clark died on April 17, 2022, at the age of 49.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://icecreamconvos.com/roderick-pooh-clark-original-hi-five-member-passes-away-at-49/|title=Roderick 'Pooh' Clark: Original Hi-Five Member Passes Away At 49|website=Icecreamconvos.com|date=April 18, 2022|access-date=April 18, 2022}}</ref>

==Discography==
===Studio albums===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Album details
! colspan="3"| Peak chart positions
! rowspan="2"| [[Music recording sales certification|Certifications]]
|- style="font-size:smaller;"
! style="width:30px;"| [[Billboard 200|US]]<br><ref name="allmusic">{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/hi-five-mn0000676313/awards|title=US Charts > Hi-Five|website=[[AllMusic]]|access-date=2013-07-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130726035948/http://www.allmusic.com/artist/hi-five-mn0000676313/awards|archive-date=July 26, 2013}}</ref>
! style="width:30px;"| [[Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums|US<br>R&B]]<br><ref name="allmusic"/>
! style="width:30px;"| [[ARIA Charts|AUS]]<br><ref name="Aus2">{{cite web|url=https://www.bubblingdownunder.com/2023/02/week-commencing-3-february-1992.html| title=Bubbling Down Under Week Commencing February 3, 1992|website=Bubbling Down Under|access-date=February 5, 2023}}</ref>
|-
| 1990
| style="text-align:left;"| '''''[[Hi-Five (album)|Hi-Five]]''''' 
* Release date: September 25, 1990
* Label: [[Jive Records|Jive]]
| 38
| 1
| 102
| align=left| 
* US: Gold<ref name="riaa"/>
|-
| 1992
| style="text-align:left;"| '''''[[Keep It Goin' On]]'''''
* Release date: August 11, 1992
* Label: Jive
| 82
| 9
| &mdash;
| align=left| 
* US: Gold<ref name="riaa">{{cite web|url=https://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH_RESULTS&artist=%22Hi-Five%22|title=US Certifications > Hi-Five|publisher=[[Recording Industry Association of America]]|access-date=2012-07-12}}</ref>
|-
| 1993
| style="text-align:left;"| '''''[[Faithful (Hi-Five album)|Faithful]]''''' 
* Release date: October 15, 1993
* Label: Jive
| 105
| 23
| &mdash;
| align=left| 
|-
| 2005
| style="text-align:left;"| '''''[[The Return (Hi-Five album)|The Return]]''''' 
* Release date: October 11, 2005
* Label: N' Depth Entertainment
| &mdash;
| &mdash;
| &mdash;
| align=left| 
|-
| 2017
| style="text-align:left;"| '''''Legacy''''' 
* Release date: January 6, 2017
* Label: Bronx Most Wanted Entertainment
| &mdash;
| &mdash;
| &mdash;
| align=left| 
|-
| colspan="15" style="font-size:90%" | "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
|}

===EP===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|-
!Year
!Title
|-
| 2014
| style="text-align:left;"| '''''The EP '''''
* Release date: August 5, 2014
* Label: Bronx Most Wanted Entertainment
|}

===Compilation albums===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|-
!Year
!Album details
|-
| 1994
| style="text-align:left;"| '''''[[Greatest Hits (Hi-Five album)|Greatest Hits]] '''''
* Released: October 11, 1994
* Label: [[Jive Records|Jive]]
|}

===Singles===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Single
! colspan="8"| Peak chart positions
!rowspan="2"| [[Music recording sales certification|Certifications]]
! rowspan="2"| Album
|- style="font-size:smaller;"
! style="width:30px;"| [[Billboard Hot 100|US]]<br><ref name="allmusic"/>
! style="width:30px;"| [[Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs|US<br>R&B]]<br><ref name="allmusic"/>
! style="width:30px;"| [[Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks|US<br>A/C]]<br><ref name="allmusic"/>
! style="width:30px;"| [[ARIA Charts|AUS]]<br> <ref name="aus"> Australian Charts: 
* For top 50: {{cite web|url=http://australian-charts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Hi-Five|title=AUS Charts > Hi-Five|publisher=[[ARIA Charts]]|access-date=2013-07-12|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160914224933/http://australian-charts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Hi-Five|archivedate=2016-09-14}}
* For 1991 bubbling under: {{cite web|url=https://www.bubblingdownunder.com/2022/09/week-commencing-30-september-1991.html| title=Bubbling Down Under Week Commencing September 30, 1991|access-date=September 30, 2022}}
* For "Quality Time": {{cite web|url= https://www.bubblingdownunder.com/2025/03/week-commencing-15-march-1993.html |title=Bubbling Down Under Week Commencing March 15, 1993|website=Bubbling Down Under|access-date=March 17, 2025}}</ref>
! style="width:30px;"| [[Media Control Charts|GER]]<br><ref name="ger">{{cite web|url=http://www.officialcharts.de/suche.asp?search=Hi-Five&x=6&y=8&country=de|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140707093444/http://www.officialcharts.de/suche.asp?search=Hi-Five&x=6&y=8&country=de|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 7, 2014|title=GER Charts > Hi-Five|publisher=[[Media Control Charts]]|access-date=2013-07-12}}</ref>
! style="width:30px;"| [[MegaCharts|NLD]]<br><ref name="nld">{{cite web|url=http://dutchcharts.nl/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Hi-Five|title=NLD Charts > Hi-Five|publisher=[[MegaCharts]]|access-date=2013-07-12}}</ref>
! style="width:30px;"| [[Recording Industry Association of New Zealand|NZ]]<br><ref name="nz">{{cite web|url=https://charts.nz/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Hi-Five|title=NZ Charts > Hi-Five|publisher=[[Recording Industry Association of New Zealand]]|access-date=2013-07-12}}</ref>
! style="width:30px;"| [[UK Singles Chart|UK]]<br><ref name="uk">{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/27035/hi-five/|title=UK Charts > Hi-Five|publisher=[[Official Charts Company]]|access-date=2013-07-12}}</ref>
|-
|| 1990
| style="text-align:left;"| "I Just Can't Handle It"
| &mdash;
| 3
| &mdash;
| &mdash;
| &mdash;
| &mdash;
| 20
| &mdash;
| style="text-align:left;"|
| style="text-align:left;" rowspan="4"| ''Hi-Five''
|-
| rowspan="3"| 1991
| style="text-align:left;"| "[[I Like the Way (The Kissing Game)]]"
| 1
| 1
| 42
| 47
| 41
| 47
| 43
| 43
| style="text-align:left;"|
* US: Gold<ref name="riaa"/>
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "[[I Can't Wait Another Minute]]"
| 8
| 1
| 30
| 112
| &mdash;
| &mdash;
| &mdash;
| &mdash;
| style="text-align:left;"|
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "Just Another Girlfriend"
| 88
| 41
| &mdash;
| 107
| &mdash;
| &mdash;
| &mdash;
| &mdash;
| style="text-align:left;"|
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1992
| style="text-align:left;"| "[[She's Playing Hard to Get]]"
| 5
| 2
| &mdash;
| 46
| &mdash;
| 76
| 14
| 55
| style="text-align:left;"|
| style="text-align:left;" rowspan="3"| ''Keep It Goin' On''
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "Quality Time"
| 38
| 3
| &mdash;
| 114
| &mdash;
| &mdash;
| 36
| &mdash;
| style="text-align:left;"| 
|-
| rowspan="3"| 1993
| style="text-align:left;"| "Mary, Mary"
| &mdash;
| 50
| &mdash;
| &mdash;
| &mdash;
| &mdash;
| &mdash;
| &mdash;
| style="text-align:left;"|
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "[[Unconditional Love (Hi-Five song)|Unconditional Love]]"
| 92
| 21
| &mdash;
| &mdash;
| &mdash;
| &mdash;
| &mdash;
| &mdash;
| style="text-align:left;"|
| style="text-align:left;" rowspan="4"| ''Faithful''
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "[[Never Should've Let You Go]]"
| 30
| 10
| &mdash;
| &mdash;
| &mdash;
| &mdash;
| 38
| &mdash;
| style="text-align:left;"|
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1994
| style="text-align:left;"| "Faithful"
| &mdash;
| 52
| &mdash;
| &mdash;
| &mdash;
| &mdash;
| &mdash;
| &mdash;
| style="text-align:left;"|
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "What Can I Say to You (To Justify My Love)" <small>(with [[Nuttin' Nyce]])</small>
| &mdash;
| 13
| &mdash;
| &mdash;
| &mdash;
| &mdash;
| &mdash;
| &mdash;
| style="text-align:left;"|
|-
|| 2012
| style="text-align:left;"| "Favorite Girl"
| &mdash;
|&mdash;
| 36
| &mdash;
| &mdash;
| &mdash;
| &mdash;
| &mdash;
| style="text-align:left;"|
| rowspan="7" style="text-align:left;" | ''Legacy''
|-
||2013
| style="text-align:left;"| "You Never Know"
|&mdash;
|&mdash;
|&mdash;
|&mdash;
|&mdash;
|&mdash;
|&mdash;
|&mdash;
|
|-
||2014
| style="text-align:left;"| "It's Nothing"
|&mdash;
|&mdash;
|&mdash;
|&mdash;
|&mdash;
|&mdash;
|&mdash;
|&mdash;
|
|-
| rowspan="3" |2015
| style="text-align:left;"| "Different Kiss"
|&mdash;
|&mdash;
|&mdash;
|&mdash;
|&mdash;
|&mdash;
|&mdash;
|&mdash;
|
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "Sunshine"
|&mdash;
|&mdash;
|&mdash;
|&mdash;
|&mdash;
|&mdash;
|&mdash;
|&mdash;
|
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "Christmas"
|&mdash;
|&mdash;
|&mdash;
|&mdash;
|&mdash;
|&mdash;
|&mdash;
|&mdash;
|
|-
||2016
| style="text-align:left;"| "Kit Kat"
|&mdash;
|&mdash;
|&mdash;
|&mdash;
|&mdash;
|&mdash;
|&mdash;
|&mdash;
|
|-

| colspan="15" style="font-size:90%" | "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
|}

==Music videos==
{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Video
! Director
|-
| 1990
| "I Just Can't Handle It"
| rowspan="2"| [[Antoine Fuqua]]
|-
| rowspan="3"| 1991
| "[[I Like the Way (The Kissing Game)]]"
|-
| "[[I Can't Wait Another Minute]]"
| 
|-
| "Just Another Girlfriend"
| 
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1992
| "[[She's Playing Hard to Get]]"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vh1.com/video/hi-five/59211/shes-playing-hard-to-get.jhtml|title="She's Playing Hard to Get" by Hi-Five|publisher=[[VH1]]|access-date=September 30, 2011|url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120421053224/http://www.vh1.com/video/hi-five/59211/shes-playing-hard-to-get.jhtml|archive-date=April 21, 2012}}</ref>
| [[Lionel C. Martin]]
|-
| "Quality Time"
| 
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1993
| "Unconditional Love"
| rowspan="2"| Marcus Nispel
|-
| "Never Should've Let You Go"
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1994
| "Faithful"
| 
|-
| "What Can I Say to You (To Justify My Love)"<small> (w/ Nuttin Nyce)</small>
| 
|-
| 2012
| "Favorite Girl"
| Treston Irby
|-
| 2013
| "You Never Know"
| Christian Marcus & Treston Irby
|-
| rowspan="3"| 2015
| "Different Kiss"
| Colin Keith & Treston Irby
|-
| "Sunshine"
| Mark Geohagen & Treston Irby
|-
| "Christmas"
| Mark Geohagen & Hi-Five
|-
| 2016
| "Kit Kat"
| 
|-
|}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|http://bxmostwanted.com/newsite/}}
* {{IMDb name|id=3163943|name=Hi-Five}}
* {{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p26514|label=Hi-Five}}
* {{discogs artist|artist=Hi-Five|name=Hi-Five}}

{{Hi-Five}}

{{Authority control}}
[[Category:African-American musical groups]]
[[Category:American pop music groups]]
[[Category:American soul musical groups]]
[[Category:American contemporary R&B musical groups]]
[[Category:American boy bands]]
[[Category:Giant Records (Warner) artists]]
[[Category:New jack swing music groups]]
[[Category:Musical groups from Waco, Texas]]
[[Category:Musical groups established in 1989]]
[[Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1994]]
[[Category:Musical groups reestablished in 2012]]
[[Category:Jive Records artists]]
[[Category:Vocal quintets]]
[[Category:Waco High School alumni]]