How New Edition Saved My Life

“If it isn’t love… why do I feel this way?” – New Edition

🎥 The Weekly Journey

Before I was a filmmaker… before I was a director calling the shots or a writer crafting the perfect third-act twist… I was just a little Black girl growing up in Cleveland, Ohio, in the hood. I was surrounded by struggle, survival, and circumstances that could’ve pulled me under. But there was one thing that lifted me above it all. One thing that gave me hope, joy, imagination, and rhythm: New Edition.

Their music wasn’t just entertainment for me, it was escape, therapy… it was church! While other kids were getting caught up in the streets or letting the weight of our world dim their light, I was hoarding every issue of Right On! and Fresh magazine I could get my hands on. Cutting out pictures of Ronnie, Bobby, Ricky, Mike, Ralph, and eventually Johnny… taping them to my walls like wallpaper… rewinding their cassette tapes until the ribbon wore thin. I wasn’t just a fan. I was a believer.

🎶 Memory Lane

I remember sitting in my room with my headphones on, the kind with the foam pads, imagining I was in the music video for If It Isn’t Love. I didn’t have much, but I had my imagination and a soundtrack that told me I could love, dream, and become something bigger than the blocks I walked every day.

One night, I wrote a letter to God. I told Him that before I left this earth, there were two things I needed to do:

1. Meet every member of New Edition.

2. Perform If It Isn’t Love with them on stage.

That little girl didn’t know the “how”, she just knew the what. And now, having written and preparing to direct an entire film inspired by their music, their legacy, and everything they meant to us… I’m one giant step closer to turning that dream into reality. And I’m not stopping until it happens.

💡 Lesson of the Week

Sometimes, the thing that saves your life doesn’t come dressed as a miracle. Sometimes, it comes as a melody, a poster, or a moment of joy when everything else around you feels heavy. New Edition gave me more than music; they gave me a reason to stay focused, stay passionate, and stay alive long enough to tell my story. That story became my book Hood to Hollywood, and now it’s becoming a feature film: If It Isn’t Love: Christmas All Over the World. If you’re chasing a dream, don’t worry about how long it takes. Just hold on to it tight. The little girl in me is still holding on, and now, she has a camera, a production crew, and a calling.

🧡 Call to Action

Did music ever save your life? Drop the name of a song or artist that got you through tough times in the comments, and if you’re an NE4Lifer like me, let me know your favorite memory, lyric, or moment. This blog isn’t just mine… it’s ours.

So, please, subscribe, stay tuned, and walk this journey with me because we’re just getting started.