Hi-Five

Hi-Five is an American R&B quintet based in Waco, Texas. Hi-Five had a #1 hit on "Billboard"'s Hot 100 in the early 1990s with "I Like the Way (The Kissing Game)". The band was formed in Waco, Texas in 1989, and consisted of the founding and original memembers from Waco, Texas: Tony Thompson (lead singer), Roderick "Pooh" Clark, Marcus Sanders, Russell Neal, and Oaklahoma City, Oklahoma, native, Toriano Easley.
Background.
Early career.
Hi-Five was originally signed to Jive Records in late 1989 and released their eponymous debut album in 1990. The album went platinum and was produced by Teddy Riley; it included such singles as "I Just Can't Handle It" (R&B #10), "I Can't Wait Another Minute" (Pop #8, R&B #1), and their biggest hit to date, "I Like the Way (The Kissing Game)", which went to number one on the U.S. "Billboard" Hot 100 and the U.S. Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. 
The group's second LP, "Keep It Goin' On", came out in 1992. Though not as successful as their debut effort, several tracks from this album, including "She's Playing Hard to Get" (Pop #5, R&B #2) and the R. Kelly-penned "Quality Time" (Pop #38, R&B #3) got major airplay in East Coast (US) urban markets. Shortly after this album was released, the group was involved in a vehicular accident, which left Roderick "Pooh" Clark paralyzed from the chest down. In 1993, Hi-Five emerged with a third album, "Faithful", which featured the songs "Unconditional Love" (Pop #92, R&B #21) and "Never Should've Let You Go" (Pop #30, R&B #10). "Unconditional Love" was also featured in the multi-platinum "Menace II Society" soundtrack, and received extensive airplay on urban contemporary stations throughout the summer of 1993 as the movie increased in popularity. "Never Should've Let You Go" was featured in the "Sister Act 2" soundtrack.
Later career.
On June 1, 2007, Thompson's body was discovered by security officers at around 10 p.m. near an air-conditioning unit outside of an apartment complex in his native Waco, Texas. An autopsy later determined that he had died from "toxic effects of chlorodifluoromethane," or inhaling a toxic amount of freon. He is buried at Doris Miller Memorial Park in Waco.
In 2011, Treston Irby released his debut solo single "Everything" under the mantle Tru$ on his independent label, Bronx Most Wanted Ent. 
In 2012, Irby, Shannon Gill and Marcus Sanders reformed Hi-Five with two new members, Andre Ramseur (aka Dre Wonda) and Faruq Evans. They released a single called "Favorite Girl" also on the BMW label. Ramseur later left the group and was replaced by Billy Covington. 
On July 2, 2014, former Hi-Five member Russell Neal was charged with murder in the stabbing death of his wife in Houston.
Hi-Five was featured on the TVOne music documentary series "Unsung" on August 6, 2014, chronicling the quintet's upbringing in Waco, their rise to superstardom, tragedies among group members, and their comeback. 
Legal issues.
In a November 4, 2005 promotional radio appearance with then-DJ Wendy Williams, Thompson and re-formed bandmates were confronted with a cease and desist letter, which Williams read aloud. Sent on behalf of two former Hi-Five bandmates, the letter cited their legal ownership of the Hi-Five name. This stopped distribution of album/CD and sales. Shortly afterward on November 22, 2005, a lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York as a third former bandmate joined the initial complaint. The action would prohibit Thompson, an original founding member from using the trademark "Hi-Five" name, that expired 1997 and not renewed; alleging agreement while minors, in connection with recordings not featuring all five original band members. Anthony Thompson was named as lead defendant, along with a former and three new bandmates, several distributors, retail outlet stores including Amazon and Wal-mart and RN'D, his primary distributor. Ultimately the legal case was not dismissed until August 2009, over two years after Thompson's death.
Approximately late 1992 Russell Neal would leave the group; by March 1993, Hi-Five promotions indicated a new replacement member (Terrence Murphy); leaving at the height of their fame as a result of business and financial differences with both record company (Jive) and with group band mates. In 2014, police say they found Neal's wife Catherine Martinez, dead. She had been beaten with a blunt object, and had stab wounds from multiple strikes with a sharp object. Neal originally admitted his wrong doings to police. He was charged with first-degree murder and released on a $100,000 bond. Neal has been deemed incompetent to stand trial.