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First popularized in the 90s by the iconic gym look from Princess Diana, the bike shorts easily slip into a summer trend as it is also spotted in a Chanel fashion show in 1991, which helped them branch out from being an athleisure item to an everyday trend. Now, the biker shorts resurrected more than ever in 2021.
Does someone want to write the author and tell her about Luther Campbell, the first two House Party movies, Do The Right Thing, Yo MTV Raps!, Downtown Julie Brown, A Different World?
Actually, I might switch to Philly since the city is responsible for two of the biggest 90s hits and invented the flat top. Boys II Men probably had more commercial success than anyone in the early 90s as well.
Also, I didn't know this about the origins of the Starter jacket.
Quote:
These pieces were worn by rappers like Run DMC and LL Cool J and became a staple of any kid who grew up in New York or pretty much anywhere on the East Coast between 1985 and 1988.
What may come as a surprise is that although these jackets are now icons of 80s fashion, they didn’t even produce these pieces until 1985 when Darryl DMC McDaniels reached out to Starter founder David Beckerman about making custom jackets for their upcoming tour. What came out of that meeting would forever change the way musicians and athletes approached branded apparel.
And if we're just talking music from all genres, what would the Top 20 or so songs of the early 90s look like by city? I'd submit this list. So many to list. This is nowhere near comprehensive.
Poison by B.B.D. (Boston)
U Can't Touch This by MC Hammer (Oakland)
Summertime by Will Smith (Philly)
Motownphilly by Boyz II Men (Philly)
Ain't 2 Proud 2 Beg by TLC (Atlanta)
The Humpty Dance by Digital Underground (Bay Area)
Feels Good by Tony! Toni! Tone! (Oakland)
She's Playing Hard to Get by Hi-Five (Waco, TX)
This or That by Black Sheep (NYC)
Jump Around by House of Pain (LA)
Can We Talk? by Tevin Campbell (Dallas)
Scenario by A Tribe Called Quest (NYC)
Nuthin But a G Thang by Dr. Dre (LA)
Gin and Juice by Snoop Dogg (LA)
Weak by SWV (NYC)
It Was a Good Day by Ice Cube (LA)
C.R.E.A.M. by Wu-Tang Clan (NYC)
Real Love by Mary J. Blige (NYC)
I Get Around by 2Pac (LA)
O.P.P. by Naughty By Nature (Jersey)
Candy Rain by Soul For Real (Long Island)
T.R.O.Y. by Pete Rock (NYC)
All genres? In that case you have to include Rock, which was absolutely dominated by Seattle Grunge bands in the early 1990s. Videos and songs by Seattle bands were constantly on MTV and the radio, and albums from Seattle bands sold through the roof in the early 90s:
Nirvana - Nevermind - 10 million copies sold domestically (30 million worldwide)
Pearl Jam - Ten - 13 million copies sold domestically (25 million worldwide)
Pearl Jam - Vs - 7 million copies sold domestically
Nirvana - In Utero - 5 million copies sold domestically
Soundgarden - Superunknown - 5 million copies sold domestically
Alice in Chains - Dirt - 5 million copies sold domestically
And tons of other albums from Seattle bands that sold between 2-5 million albums.
Songs like Smells Like Teen Spirit, Evenflow, Jeremy, Come as you Are, Black Hole Sun, Would?, Outshined, Them Bones, etc. were among the biggest rock songs of the decade and in constant rotation.
So if you expand to include Rock, the West Coast clearly dominates the early 90s, largely on the strength of Seattle Grunge. Other big bands from that time - Rage Against the Machine, Metallica, Red Hot Chili Peppers - were from Caifornia, so again West Coast.
All genres? In that case you have to include Rock, which was absolutely dominated by Seattle Grunge bands in the early 1990s. Videos and songs by Seattle bands were constantly on MTV and the radio, and albums from Seattle bands sold through the roof in the early 90s:
Nirvana - Nevermind - 10 million copies sold domestically (30 million worldwide)
Pearl Jam - Ten - 13 million copies sold domestically (25 million worldwide)
Pearl Jam - Vs - 7 million copies sold domestically
Nirvana - In Utero - 5 million copies sold domestically
Soundgarden - Superunknown - 5 million copies sold domestically
Alice in Chains - Dirt - 5 million copies sold domestically
And tons of other albums from Seattle bands that sold between 2-5 million albums.
Songs like Smells Like Teen Spirit, Evenflow, Jeremy, Come as you Are, Black Hole Sun, Would?, Outshined, Them Bones, etc. were among the biggest rock songs of the decade and in constant rotation.
So if you expand to include Rock, the West Coast clearly dominates the early 90s, largely on the strength of Seattle Grunge. Other big bands from that time - Rage Against the Machine, Metallica, Red Hot Chili Peppers - were from Caifornia, so again West Coast.
Um, this thread is about "Black" culture. I didn't think I had to explicitly state that in my post.
Given the direction of the conversation and all the videos being posted, this really should be "hip hop culture" and not just "black culture", many blacks older than the age of 50 today never liked hip hop to begin with. Michael Jordan himself has been said to despise rappers and hip hop.
More like 60. Many blacks in their 50s grew up in the golden era of rap.
Um, this thread is about "Black" culture. I didn't think I had to explicitly state that in my post.
My bad - I thought the heading said black hip-hop culture in the early 90s, so when you said other genres I thought you were just talking music in general.
When I think EARLY 90's I think of 1990-1993. Mid 90s would have to be 1994-1996 and late 90s would have to be 1997-1999.
2 cities come to mind when I think of the early 90's. That's easily New York City and LA. Both cities during that time period had Black entertainment in a chokehold. I'm not just talking musically but film and television wise too. Also both cities had pretty popular Black figures that further help keep their cities culturally relevant well beyond their borders. And did I forget to mention infamous events that took place in both those cities during that time period.
LA- (Westcoast music was the #1 sound during this time, popular movies filmed in LA such as Boyz In The Hood, White Men Can't Jump, Menace II Society, House Party(NY/LA crossover tho), LA Riots, LA popularized Khaki suits and flannel shirts during this time)
NYC-( NY Hip-hop scene took a backseat to LA but still produced a lot of hits in both Hip-hop and R&B during this time period, New Jack Swing was at it's peak during this time period, Showtime at the Apollo was still popular, NYC urban wear was taking over, movies filmed in NYC such as New Jack City, Juice, Boomerang,etc.)
But if I had to rank the top 10 most influential Black cultural cities in the early 90s my list would be like this:
1) NYC- (Black culture was heavily represented and well balanced from a Black perspective during this period)
2) LA- (LA during this period was on top of the Hip-hop Charts, had a heavy presence in film and tv)
3) Chicago- (The Bulls, Oprah Winfrey, Ebony & Jet Magazine, Family Matters)
4) Washington D.C.- (Bet Network, Marion Barry, John Thompson)
10) New Orleans- (Bayou Classic, popular destination even then for Black tourist
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