This singing group was founded in the early 1990s. An initial lineup of the group consisted of Josina Elder-Epps, Phaenicia Grant, Shiro Stokes, and Wendi Williams and their name was stylized as “4 Reel.” This incarnation has their first credit performing handclaps on soul singer Lalah Hathaway’s “U Godit Gowin On.”

By 1993, Grant and Stokes were out of the group and replaced with Latanyia Baldwin and Necia Bray-Gates. They signed with A&M Records sporting their signature barely-there hair cuts.

Their debut album It’s a Natural Thang appeared in 1994 lead by the single “You Don’t Wanna Miss.” That was followed up with Jason Hess-produced “Easy To Love” and the music-free standout “You Don’t Know Nothin'” that went on to become one of their most popular songs.

The following year brought them a high profile appearance on the Waiting To Exhale soundtrack performing the Babyface-penned “Love Will Be Waiting At Home.” That song would be the group’s introduction to Arista Records, where they would release their next and final album Free.

Free boasted a Dallas Austin-produced Motown throwback song called “Like I Do” with a black-and-white music video that featured the ladies of For Real as a vintage 60’s girl group. Their second single was the Diane Warren-penned ballad “The Saddest Song I Ever Heard.”

Though the album won a Soul Train Music Award for Album of the Year (by a Group, Band, or Duo) and their songs also appeared on several movie soundtracks since, they disbanded in 1999.