The Deele was a funk and R&B band formed in Cincinnati in the early 1980s, best remembered for launching the careers of Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds and Antonio “L.A.” Reid. Their smooth mix of synth-driven funk, soul, and ballads made them a staple of the 80s R&B scene. The group broke through with the hit “Two Occasions” in 1988, a romantic ballad that remains a quiet storm classic. While The Deele eventually faded, their legacy is massive—Babyface and L.A. Reid went on to shape the sound of mod