Boyz II Men Talk Food, Touring, And Music

At Mohegan Sun Casino, where the romance in the air is piped in through the ventilation system and profound loss occurs at the craps table, we sat down with one of the ultimate boy bands. Fresh off a performance with The Package Tour (co-headlining with 98 Degrees and New Kids on the Block), the Boyz, now very much "men," spoke with The Daily Meal about the role of all things food and drink in their lives and art.

The Daily Meal: So... let's talk about music and food...
Shawn Stockman: Music and food go great together. When you're eating some good food and some really nice tunes are playing, the coordination stimulates the senses. Sound and taste and touch and all that. It augments the whole experience.
Wanyá Morris: Especially when you got a nice young lady at your house. You cook dinner for her. Sets a mood.

TDM: What's the most seductive meal?
WM: (instant response) FETTUCINE. Nice Italian meal. Some bread. Fettuccine.
SS: Fettuccine and bread!
Nathan Morris: I'm going with sautéed peppers, chicken medallions, and green sautéed vegetables.

TDM: So is eating definitely a key date component? Not right to the drinking?
WN: You gotta eat.
NM: See I don't drink, so all I got is the eating.
SS: Still, a nice red wine stimulates the palate. It just makes food taste that much better.

TDM: Does food play a role in your songs?
All: (sing in perfect harmony) Pour the wine, light the fire.
WM: There's a lot of champagne being poured.

TDM: Was Boyz II Men the first to pour out Cristal in their videos?
SS: We didn't pour on anybody.
WM: We were the first R&B group to tip our 40 out, for the brothers who wasn't there.

TDM: Who is the best chef of the group?
SS: Nathan by far.
NM: I took classes. When I moved in by myself, I was like, "All right, nobody is going to be here so I gotta figure it out." I hired a guy to come in twice a week to teach me and then I got custody of my son so I wanted to be able to cook for him too.

TDM: Controversial question: Whose mom cooks the best?
WM: That's tough because he's going to say his, he's going to say his, and I'm going to say mine.
SS: She doesn't do it as much anymore, but I swear she made the best fried chicken I ever tasted in my life.
TDM: Is that how you went from a Boy to a Man?
WM: Fried chicken puts hair on your chest, boy.

TDM: So, let's talk about the food in Philadelphia.
WM: All the cheesesteak you can eat, Italian water ice, salt pretzels, Tastykakes...
NM: All cholesterol-driven stuff.
TDM: How's your cholesterol?
SS: Not bad. Mine is pretty good.
NM: Got mine checked two weeks ago.
WM: Mine tomorrow.

TDM: Do your food habits change as you get older while on tour?
SS: We just want to eat healthier. We do it because we want to.
TDM: So you never slip up?
NM: Depends on how late it is after the show. I try not to eat too late.
SS: But sometimes the only option is pizza and you know...

TDM: Is carbo-loading a thing?
SS: We try to keep it realistic. If you're hungry, you should eat, and if the only option is a thin-crust pizza... you're not gonna let it sit there...