The legacy of After 7 stretches back to the late ‘80s, and it continues to shape the sound of R&B into the 21st century. With impassioned vocals and moving love songs, the collective homes in on the essence of soul. After 7 layers harmonies like a doo-wop group from the ‘50s, while simultaneously bringing a new-school flavor to R&B. Through balladry on songs like “Ready or Not” and new jack swing on “In the Heat of the Moment” (both from 1989), the group displayed its versatility. But it didn’t stop there: In 2016, After 7 revamped The Stylistics’ amorous 1972 single “Betcha by Golly Wow,” masterfully connecting the past to the present.