▁fifth ▁sib ling ▁born ▁in ▁his ▁family , ▁which ▁his ▁mother ▁identified ▁early ▁on ▁he ▁had ▁a ▁musical ▁ac umen , ▁and ▁his ▁mother ▁prompt ly ▁put ▁him ▁in ▁the ▁cho ir ▁of ▁Ple asant ▁Gro ve ▁A ME ▁Z ion ▁Church , ▁where ▁he ▁did ▁sol os . ▁Mal loy ▁is ▁the ▁music ▁minister ▁at ▁M t . ▁Vern on ▁Bapt ist ▁Church ▁that ▁is ▁located ▁in ▁New ark , ▁New ▁Jersey , ▁where ▁Rev . ▁Mil ton ▁Big g ham ▁is ▁the ▁senior ▁past or . ▁He ▁went ▁to ▁Lincoln ▁Business ▁School , ▁where ▁he ▁graduated ▁with ▁a ▁degree ▁in ▁Business ▁Management . ▁ ▁Music ▁career ▁Mal loy ▁first ▁gained ▁recognition ▁as ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁New ▁Jersey ▁Mass ▁Ch oir , ▁who ▁were ▁fresh ▁off ▁of ▁their ▁collaboration ▁with ▁the ▁rock ▁band ▁Foreign er ▁on ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 4 / 8 5 ▁number ▁one ▁hit , ▁" I ▁W ant ▁to ▁Know ▁What ▁Love ▁Is ." ▁ ▁Later ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 5 , ▁New ▁Jersey ▁Mass ▁Ch oir ▁released ▁their ▁own ▁version ▁of ▁the ▁t une , ▁with ▁Mal loy ▁contrib uting ▁as ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁featured ▁vocal ists ▁on ▁this ▁recording ; ▁it ▁was ▁the ▁title ▁track ▁of ▁the ▁group ' s ▁full - length ▁album ▁from ▁that ▁same ▁year , ▁featuring ▁g ospel - inf used ▁record ings ▁of ▁other ▁popular ▁main stream ▁songs ▁from ▁the ▁time . ▁ ▁He ▁began ▁his ▁solo ▁recording ▁music ▁career ▁the ▁following ▁year ▁- ▁ 1 9 8