This is the most important part of ‘The New Edition Story’

There are still two nights to go for BET’s (shockingly well-done) “The New Edition Story,” but clearly the screenshot above is the most important part of the film. Clearly.

On the Boston boy band’s first tour to promote the “Candy Girl” album, Detroit was a necessary stop. On the surface, it’s just a random shout-out to a big city; St. Louis and Cleveland are also mentioned as the ballad “Is This The End?” plays. Look deeper, though – there’s a reason why Detroit needed to be mentioned in this film.

Any musical act that plays directly to the ears and hearts of black musical fans needs to have the respect of Detroiters – and other chocolate cities like St. Louis and Cleveland – because we not only set the trends, we put the buying power behind those trends.

Going way back before Motown days when Detroit radio stations were among the first to hire black deejays, the music industry has always counted on Detroit as a barometer of success. The radio DJs break new records here. Listeners judge. Promoters – going all the way back to those working in Paradise Valley establishments – book accordingly. The audience sees for themselves. It’s reminiscent of when years ago, Prince thanked The Electrifying Mojo and Detroiters for helping to put him on the map.

There’s just one, tiny, little, minute, itsy-bitsy thing here: The Candy Girl tour was in 1983, well before the GM logo appeared at the top of the Renaissance Center. GM acquired the skyscraper in 2004. Other than that, magnifique!