New Edition was a legendary act that generated praise and accolades for its music. Yet Bobby Brown claims the group was cheated out of one idea that changed the nation.
During a conversation with The D.L. Hughley Show, Brown stated that the group (specifically himself) gave Nancy Reagan the idea to start her "Just Say No" anti-drug campaign. "She got that from me. She got that from New Edition," Brown says at the clip's 1:35 minute mark.
"She basically asked us what do we say when we're offered drugs," he continued. "We were young, we was 15, 14-years-old, and we just said, 'We just say no.' The campaign just flew from there. The 'Just Say No' campaign. We didn't get no credit."
If this is true, the story is laced with irony. Bobby Brown has been open about his past drug abuse and has struggled with this addiction throughout his life until a 2013 prison sentence gave him the motivation to get clean. Although he only served nine hours of the 55-day sentence, Brown told The Dr. Oz Show it changed his life. "I didn’t want my kids to grow up and see me in that type of light," he said. "I mean, my children mean everything to me, everything. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for them. So I try to be as strong as possible for them every day. And it takes every day for me to do that."
Despite being clean and sober, Hughley took this opportunity to remind Brown that he might not have gotten his writing credits because he wasn't saying no once he got older. "Because you didn't say no later on, by the way," Hughley joked.
