Movies

Why did Mark Wahlberg leave New Kids on the Block?

BBG News

Back in the 1980s and 90s, New Kids on the Block were one of the most popular boy bands, ruling the music charts and inspiring numerous other groups to follow their footsteps. The primary members included Jordan Knight, Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, Jonathan Knight, and Danny Woods. Interestingly, Mark Wahlberg, who was part of the group for three years, is often overlooked in discussions about New Kids on the Block.

Back in 1984, my younger brother joined New Kids on the Block as a singer, ready to share the stage with the group that was about to be a familiar name across households. However, I found the atmosphere unappealing and decided to part ways with the band just three months into it. The reasons behind this decision were detailed in our memoir, “Five Brothers and a Million Sisters.

Mark Wahlberg departed NKOTB in 1984

According to Donnie, they both moved to a different neighborhood when they joined the band, but Mark quickly made new acquaintances there, which led him to associate with a more troubled group. As Donnie remembered it, “Mark found friends in Savin Hill,” so he preferred to be out and about stealing cars with them rather than being in the studio with me.

By the close of the decade, Mark developed a dislike for producing boy band tunes and opted instead to delve into hip hop. He established Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch in 1990, and their single “Good Vibrations” became a significant hit, reaching number ten on Billboard Hot 100. However, it was their only notable release as the Funky Bunch disbanded in 1993. In an attempt to diversify his musical journey, Wahlberg released the rap/reggae collaborative album Life In the Streets, but it didn’t gain much traction.

He reunited with the band in 2015

Eventually, Mark Wahlberg achieved both modeling success as an underwear model and acting acclaim, earning an Oscar nomination. Today, he’s recognized as one of the most reliable actors globally in cinema. Despite not recording with New Kids on the Block, he joined them for a 2015 performance at Madison Square Garden. In his youth, Wahlberg found it challenging to shake off the New Kids on the Block image, but now he appreciates the accomplishments of his brother and fellow band members.

Wahlberg shared with E! News that he’s spent quite some time trying to distance himself from it, but going back and supporting his family in the process was rewarding. He even found reminiscing about the past, like being on stage, similar to a nostalgic journey.

Read More

2025-03-07 23:00

Previous post Stephen A. Smith says LeBron James confronted him as ‘a daddy’ — not star player — over Bronny comments
Next post Millie Bobby Brown unveiled her full real name. Hint: It sounds really, really similar