Dave Tolliver

Los Angeles, CA - R&B singing duo Men At Large is challenging African American Men to lose 2 Million lbs. before the end of 2007 to improve their health.

The duo (Dave Tolliver and Edgar "Gemini" Porter) were discovered by the late Gerald Levert and were inspired to begin their weight loss efforts after Gemini lost his mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, before age 55, to diabetes, and after Tolliver lost his mother to heart disease at age 38.

This series of family deaths were compounded by Levert's death in late 2006.

"All the people around us dying really had an impact," said Tolliver.

The group, who themselves weigh a combined 750 lbs., found it hard to get back into shape when preparing to go on the road to promote their forthcoming CD Back On Top, due from Couzan/Universal Records in July.

"We realized we aren't as young as we used to be, but obviously being over weight was having a serious impact on us. We knew we needed to lose a lot of weight," said Porter.

According to Tolliver "Our biggest effort has been the simplest: pushing back from the table and eating less. We are walking a lot and rehearsing more vigorously to get in shape. Our personal goal is to lose 100 lbs. each." Tolliver said, "Searching for ways to lose weight on the internet let us know just how big the problem is among Blacks." Porter added "As a child, one of my earliest memories was when I was five years old, I watched my grandmother die while taking her diabetes medicine. Lately, we began to look around at a lot of friends and younger people in our families who were either, overweight, diabetic, or had high blood pressure and we knew we had to inspire ourselves and those around us to make some positive changes."

Tolliver continued, "We knew that on tour we would be before a largely Black audience and that we would be able to speak out on a lot of black radio stations and to newspapers about these problems. It suddenly became clear to us that we would have an audience to really make a difference in an area that is far greater impact than our music. That's when we came up with the idea of a contest to draw attention to this epidemic." Statistically over 69% of all Black Men are over weight and 40% of all African American Men suffer from high blood pressure compared to 27% of White Men. According to the CDC 8% of all African American Men have diabetes, which is nearly twice that of White Men. Tolliver concludes, "People have asked us, 'If this is a contest what is the prize?' I tell them the prize is a longer, healthier life." Men At Large hit the music scene in 1992 with their eponymous debut CD that was followed up in 1994 with their sophomore disc One Size Fits All. The two CD's spawned 3 hit singles "So Alone," "Use Me" and "Mmm, Mmmm, Good." - EURWEB.COM

Couzan Records recording artists Men At Large are back with a new CD titled, Back on Top, which is set to release June 2007. The first single “A YO� is an up-tempo club groove that’s creating a Buzz on the airwaves across the nation. The protégé’s of the late Gerald Levert realized after their mentor passed on it was now or never, “The passing of Gerald was hard on us, he was the one who put us on the map and we’ll forever be grateful for that. We didn’t want to waste any more time and felt the moment for our return is now,� Say’s Dave Tolliver. Men At Large is Cleveland native Dave Tolliver and Chicago’s own Edgar “Gemini� Porter who were best known in the 1990’s for their Billboard hits “So Alone,� “Mmm, Mmmm Good� and “Use Me.� Men At Large is set to perform at the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport on Monday, March 19th, show starts at 12:30PM.

Gerald Levert discovered Men At Large in the early 1990’s after seeing them perform at a music industry event. Not too long after meeting, he signed them to a recording deal through Atlantic Records. Currently signed to Couzan Records, a highly funded independent label that’s distributed through Fanta/Universal, Men At Large is ready to introduce their long awaited fans to their new sound with their first single “A Yo� off their upcoming June release Back On Top. “A Yo� is an up-tempo cut with more of a club groove. “This sound is a little different for us,� say’s Gemini, “We wanted to come back with something people could dance to and “A Yo� was perfect.�

Men AT Large took a break from the music scene to hone their acting skills they starred in a few local plays such as “The Other Woman, �Bound by Blood� and “For Better or For Worse.� Aside from the release of their CD Back on Top, they were scheduled to open for Jamie Foxx and Fantasia in New Orleans March 7th and also performed at halftime for the S.W.A.C. Basketball Championship Game in Birmingham, Alabama March 9th & March 10th. Currently, they are set to perform at the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport on Monday, March 19th, show starts at 12:30PM. - Singersroom News