For Real secured their
recording contract by accident. "We were picking up our manager from the airport. So we decided to greet him with an acappella song. Someone from A&M Records just happened to be in the airport and heard us perform. Not long after, we were signed," said Latanyia Baldwin. The band released their debut album, ''
It's a Natural Thang, with production from Brian McKnight on A&M Records in 1994, and it became a critical success, including a rare four stars from Rolling Stone'' magazine. Their first
single, "You Don't Wanna Miss" hit #28 on the
Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart; the group's second single, "Easy to Love", peaked at #65 on the same chart. The third single, "You Don't Know Nothin'", peaked at #88 on the
Billboard Hot 100. The song also peaked at #54 in the
UK Singles Chart in July 1995. and lent their voices to the
Martin Scorsese film project
Grace of My Heart. The foursome also forayed into acting with appearances in the film
Shake, Rattle and Rock! starring
Renée Zellweger and
Howie Mandel on
Showtime. They also hit the US Top 20 with the single "
Freedom (Theme from Panther)" featuring
Aaliyah,
TLC,
En Vogue,
BlackGirl,
SWV, and
Vanessa Williams from the film
Panther. They also recorded a duet with
Stevie Wonder called "
Stubborn Kind of Fellow", which appeared on the
Marvin Gaye tribute album,
Inner City Blues: The Music of Marvin Gaye. For Real also recorded songs for the soundtracks of the films
Waiting to Exhale and
Fled. After a label change from A&M to Dallas Austin's
Arista imprint
Rowdy Records in 1996, For Real released their second album
Free. The first two singles were "Like I Do" and "The Saddest Song I Ever Heard". The band also recorded three songs ("I Do", "Born to Love That Boy" and "Unwanted Number") and appeared in the critically acclaimed film
Grace of My Heart. The film's soundtrack won a
Satellite Award in 1997. In January 1997, the band won an American Music Award for their work on the
Waiting to Exhale soundtrack, with their featured song,"Love Will Be Waiting at Home". In Summer 1997, the group earned a
Soul Train Award nomination for Album of the Year (By a Group, Band or Duo) for
Free. In 1999, Wendi Williams lent her voice to the
Emmy-winning film
Introducing Dorothy Dandridge with
Halle Berry, in which Berry plays a singer but Williams is behind her singing voice. In 2007, Josina Elder-Epps began work on a solo album and released two songs "Watcha Gonna Do" and "Doing It On My Own" to her MySpace page. She began work with producer CoryLavel on an album in 2009. In 2010, Necia Bray-Gates released her debut solo album "Love Letters" on an independent label. On July 25, 2018, all four members reunited for a special “Unplugged” show in Los Angeles. ==Discography==