Singing group 112 has been in the lives, and hearts, of millions of R&B fans since dropping their self-titled debut album in 1996 under Sean “Diddy” Combs’ Bad Boy Records. As years passed, the group’s fame only grew bigger, as singles such as “Only You,” “Anywhere,” “Peaches & Cream” and more climbed the charts.

In 2017, 112 released an album titled Q Mike Slim Daron after an almost 12-year hiatus. Fans, nor the group members, knew at the time that this would be the last project 112 would release as a quartet. Now only consisting of Michael “Mike” Keith and Marvin “Slim” Scandrick, 112 is a newly formed duo.

Mike and Slim sat down with REVOLT TV to discuss a number of topics. From clearing the air about their group’s split, the “King of R&B” debate, R. Kelly allegations and more; the two didn’t hold back. “It’s about the legacy. It’s the brand,” Mike said when talking about 112 now being a pair. “And whether it’s three members, two members, one member, 15 members; the brand is what’s most important.”

Check out REVOLT TV’s conversation with the brand new 112 below.

I’m really excited about speaking to you again. I just want to get a clear understanding of why there are now two members in 112.

Mike: A recession (chuckles). No, I’m just kidding.

Slim: Some budget cuts.

Mike: Actually, the other two former members (Q and Daron) of 112 decided to go in a different direction and that’s as layman as we can possibly make it. They decided to go in other directions and we wish them the best. But, we felt it was best that we continue the 112 legacy.

I also remember hearing something about a lawsuit that took place last year. Was there one?

Mike: Well, yeah and no. It was a lawsuit pending, but it wasn’t necessarily towards Slim and myself, and these other two guys (the former members). It was the other two guys, and representation for Slim and myself. So, it wasn’t necessarily he and I. We tried our best. We tried to stay out of the law, as much as we possibly could, so we could avoid this because it never ends. Unfortunately, that could not be avoided and we, Slim and myself, we were actively supportive of the said party that was sued from the other two members.

Slim: But he said, tried to be sued.

Mike: Tried.

Slim: Tried because that situation is a wrap. And somebody lost. You’re not looking at them. So, you know, it is what it is.

Mike: And at the end of the day, in our view, that was unnecessary… But, since y’all wanna play, then let’s play.

Let’s get into your new music. Do you have any coming out?

Mike: Yeah, so the last time that we spoke, we were promoting the last album that we had as four members. With this single that we’re promoting now, it’s entitled ‘Tonight,’ and as much as we love the last album — me personally – [it was] one of my favorites. However, it was a little too slow and if you know 112, you know us for the up-tempo; the ‘Dance With Me,’ the ‘Peaches & Cream,’ the ‘It’s Over Now,’ the ‘Only You.’ So, we wanted to get back to those roots. So, that’s why we did ‘Tonight.’

Speaking of your new single ‘Tonight,’ is your overall sound going to stay the signature 112 sound, or are you experimenting?

Slim: Well, we’re not experimenting too much. We know where our bones lie. The one thing you’re not gonna get from 112 is us being pretentious, being somebody that we’re not. What we do love is the adaptations of the productions that’s out. So, beats and stuff, it changes. But, for the most part, we know how to adapt and make it to where it’s suitable for 112.

Let’s talk about Jacquees’ statement about the ‘King of R&B.’ What are your thoughts?

Slim: Well, we been doing this for 22 years. So, we don’t see ourselves nowhere near these conversations. As far as the younger generation knowing how to bring a lot of attention to themselves, and bring a discussion up, absolutely genius because at the end of the day, R&B — if you look at all the rest of the genres of music — R&B is not up to scale. You know what I mean? And in our society, in our culture, you know we love R&B.

So, I found it enlightening [for] somebody to bring or shine a light to the state of R&B. So, even if you had to be a sacrificial lamb (laughs) for the culture, God bless you, Jacquees. And look what stemmed away from it. We have a ‘Millennial Tour’ that’s about to pop. Now, I don’t know if Jacquees is on that. I think he’s about to have his own…

Mike: No, he’s not on.

So, who would you consider to be the ‘King of R&B’ today?

Slim: Chris Brown.

Mike: Yes, he is the Michael Jackson. I mean, we’re old enough to understand the pinnacle of Michael Jackson, right? So [with] that being said, I look at where Chris Brown is right now. The fact that he surpassed over a hundred million records sales…

Slim: It’s a lot of variables that goes into saying that you’re the ‘King of R&B.’

Mike: True, you gotta have more than one album, number ones. You gotta sell over, you know, ten million records. You have to have something about you that is iconic. Like Slim said earlier, we don’t even consider ourselves in that conversation. Number one, we was a group. And number two — and I say this again with no arrogance and no conceit – but, to put us in a category of kings, it kind of dumbs down what 112 had accomplished because in our minds, we were considered Gods. And that comes from other musicians telling us how dope the 112 sound was.

Did you guys see ‘Surviving R. Kelly’ and if you did, what are your thoughts on it in regards to, not just artists, but celebrities in general being held accountable if they actually committed such alleged actions ?

Mike: I didn’t see it. However, I will say that if those allegations are true, then it is not up to us to figure out what goes on at the end of the day with that. I think the most high has to figure that out. I will say with regards to that, we have to protect our young women better. We have to do a better job of protecting our young women in the music industry and the film industry. We gotta do a better job…

Slim: We don’t protect anything.

Mike: …Of just protecting these young people. I got two daughters. Like my daughter wouldn’t be in that environment to begin with. However, I will say that women, we’ve seen have been materialized, and looked upon as being objects rather than actual people in this industry; whether it be music, whether it be television, and we gotta do a better job of protecting the young women. Not just black, not just white. All young women that are getting into the music industry.

And girls.

Mike: And just little girls, we have to do a better job of protecting them because these guys have years of experience. They know what to say, how to say it, how to make you feel like you’re the next star. If only you do this, if only you sign your life away, and if only you go out to this party with me. And if only you sleep with me and all this other stuff, and these kids don’t know. So, we gotta do a better job of protecting those young women before they get into the industry.

Slim: There is a culture, you know, that needs to be stopped now. So, I’m very encouraged to see movements like the #MeToo Movement where it goes on both sides. It’s not just women being the victim. Men [are] being victims, too. And right now, we just need to protect ourselves and we really just need to just take care of ourselves, and really pay attention. Just change the whole culture. Stop getting used to things that we know is morally not right. So, we kinda need to start morally holding ourselves more accountable to things and just do it that way. Just change. Make sure the culture stays in the right direction. Let’s keep the morality in everything.

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