Boyz II Men have signed with Warner Records Nashville and are at work on their first country album, due in 2027, according to Rolling Stone, which cites The Tennessean. Complex reports the trio has even dubbed this chapter their 'Cowboyz II Men era.'

The project will be the Philadelphia group's first full-length album since 2017's doo-wop set 'Under the Streetlight,' meaning the country pivot doubles as their return to recording after ten years away from new albums.

Shawn Stockman, Nathan Morris and Wanyá Morris are recording the material in Nashville with several award-winning songwriters, whose names have not been disclosed.

This is the best-selling R&B group of all time — Philadelphia Inquirer notes their first two albums, 1991's 'Cooleyhighharmony' and 1994's 'II,' sold over 20 million copies between them, with 'II' RIAA-certified Diamond per Complex — suddenly recording in the genre of Travis Tritt, Vince Gill and The Chicks, artists Stockman says shaped them.

Billboard reports Warner Records Nashville chair and president Cris Lacy said the group's influence on the current country landscape is 'quite profound,' and that growing up listening to Randy Travis was seminal in their desire to work with Nashville's songwriters.

The move is less abrupt than it sounds.

Multiple outlets note the trio performed at the Grand Ole Opry in 2018 for a Ray Charles dedication, joined Brett Young for a 2019 CMT Crossroads episode, teamed with bluegrass group Steep Canyon Rangers on 'Be Still Moses,' and performed with Cody Johnson at Stagecoach in April.

Rolling Stone also reports a 2021 duet with Chris Stapleton at the CMT Artists of the Year special, and USA Today notes they covered John Denver's 'Take Me Home, Country Roads' at Nashville's Freedom Sing! Music City July 4th celebration.

The trio frames the project as joining the community, not changing identity. USA Today quotes Wanyá saying 'We don't want to become country.

We want to be a part of it,' and Nathan explaining that country's melodies, meanings and feelings are so similar to R&B that 'it's almost like we feel at home doing it.'

Stockman calls country music 'the final frontier when it comes to integrity, musicality, real songwriters, real singing, real instrumentation,' and describes Nashville as 'somewhat of an oasis' where working with top writers revitalized 'our minds and our spirits and our pens.'

Inquirer places the move in a long line of R&B and hip-hop artists courting country's massive audience, from Ray Charles through Darius Rucker, Nelly, LL Cool J and Beyoncé's 'Cowboy Carter.'

Lacy, per Billboard, sees history repeating: 'They were pioneers at a time when media brought fans access to all types of music... it's the perfect time for Boyz II Men and those they inspired to make some magic together.'

The album is untitled with no specific release date yet, per Rolling Stone. Billboard reports manager Joe Mulvihill calls them entertainers who 'consistently shown their range and their ability to reshape the traditional artist model.'

As Wanyá told USA Today: 'If you love country, and you love Boyz II Men, then you'll love this album.'