Boyz II Men - Motownphilly (1991) - Music Video Filming Locations

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Featured Filming Location Photo

A Place In Philadelphia Unchanged Since The 1990s
A scene from the Boyz II Men music video Motownphilly.

An Iconic Philadelphia Location

This is Penn's Landing on the Philadelphia side of the Delaware River. The view is looking northeast across the river to New Jersey with the Benjamin Franklin Bridge in the background connecting Philadelphia with Camden, New Jersey since 1926.

When Boyz II Men filmed the music video for Motownphilly, Penn's Landing had recently undergone a renovation. That same renovation has lasted over 30 years and that area at the northeast corner of Penn's Landing is largely unchanged today.

Historical Production & Location Reference

Music Video: Motownphilly (1991)
Artist: Boyz II Men
Album Origin: Cooleyhighharmony (Motown Records)
Director: Lionel C. Martin
Featured Historical Landmarks:
  • Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA): The historic building corridor where the group members met serves as a foundational visual setting for the video's narrative.
  • Penns Landing Philadelphia: On the shores of the Delaware River, capturing on film the waterfront piers and Benjamin Franklin Bridge connecting Philadelphia with New Jersey.
  • Center City & South Philadelphia Streetscapes: Captures classic broad brick facades, localized neighborhood backgrounds, and prominent downtown plazas.

Production & Preservation Note: Lensed on location during the summer of 1991, this debut music video stands as a vibrant tribute to the group's hometown geography. Directed by legendary hip-hop and R&B videographer Lionel C. Martin, the production highlights the architectural charm of Philadelphia's academic and urban infrastructure. Remarkably, the featured locations have resisted the sweeping gentrification and urban renewal trends of the early 21st century, maintaining an exceptional level of architectural preservation that looks just as clean and pristine today as it did during MTV's golden era.

The Plot

In the Summer of 1991, you couldn't listen to the radio (remember radio?) or watch MTV (remember when MTV played music videos?) without coming across the song "Motownphilly" by Boyz II Men. The song was the debut single from the group and reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the USA.

In the music video Motownphilly we see Boyz II Men hanging out and dancing in several locations around Philadelphia.

The Filming Locations

Where did Boyz II Men film the music video for Motownphilly? The music video was filmed in the group's hometown of Philadelphia and in this then and now look at the music video filming locations, it's striking how none of the sites have changed and, more notably, how they're just as nice looking today as they were back in 1991 when the music video was filmed.

Among the more notable locations used in the music video are:

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