So, Which Really Took Over? The 90s or 2000s?

Being born in 2001, I lowkey felt like I had the best of both worlds. I was born several years after my older siblings and big cousins– making me the non-negotiable tag along to all of their Rated-R festivities.

But I was also brought into this world years earlier than the youngsters in my family– meaning I had to separate the fights and squash arguments about Disney Channel versus Nickelodeon sitcoms.

Nonetheless, one of the most heated, and never-ending, arguments is the battle of the eras. Whether the debates are fixated around falling in love, the state of the economy or even award shows, most people will agree on one thing– the past was the bomb.

And today sucks.

Let’s take a dive into two of the most talked about, the most relished, the most honored decades of all time. The 90s and the 2000s had the moments, amusement, and don’t forget the affordability that people would love to experience today.

But in what aspects did each of the time periods hail more victorious when it came to Black entertainment? I’ll let you decide.

Fashion

90s:

Self-expression set the tone for clothing in this decade. Everything was bigger, as baggy jeans and oversized t-shirts were the norm. Everything was bolder, because vibrant colors and African prints embodied confidence. While the looks seemed minimalistic and as if they didn’t take much thought, 90s trends are still being duplicated today because of its boldness and creative take.

2000s:

During this time, pop culture became a movement hard to ignore and Black celebs were at the forefront– ultimately, influencing the fashion scene. Velvet tracksuits, two-toned jerseys, dazzling sunglasses, low-rise jeans and fitted caps became hard to keep in stock. Even today, Y2K clothing items are flying off the shelves.

Television

90s:

A lot of sitcoms in this era were centered around family and social issues. Shows like The Cosby Show and Moeshafollowed loved ones grappling with being Black in America while on different ends of the spectrum. Comedies such as Martin and Living Single showed friends trying to find themselves, while cracking plenty of jokes in the process. A Different World casted a whole different light on being young and getting an education.

The fact that a few of these shows had reboots or comeback specials shows that they were ahead of their time.

2000s:

While 2000s television still had comedy, drama and representation, a huge part of the decade was reality TV and urbanization. Flavor of Love, College Hill, I Love New York and Bad Girls Club were just a few of the several series we binged for entertainment. Many celebrities like Diddy, Tiny and Toya, Keyshia Cole and Monica got their own spin-offs that gave us an inside look at their daily lives. The influence of Black culture and music was also heavily shown on television screens. With shows like 106 & Park displaying mainstream music videos and Pimp My Ride giving people massive car upgrades, the flavor we possessed could not be ignored.

Music

90s:

Hard-hitting. Soulful. Impacting. Those words don’t come close to describing the artists, beats and lyrics shared with the masses in this decade.

Lyricists like Nas and Pac used their pen game to let out their frustration with social norms like police brutality and poverty. Poets such as Lauren Hill and Erykah Badu tugged at our heart strings with their in-depth words about love. Both male and female groups were successful, and their topics ranged from bumping and grinding to being the livest people in the function.

And let’s not forget about the face scrunching, note-holding, arms spreading genre that was R&B (which some people claim to be dead today). Artists like Mary J. Blige, Ginuwine, Maxwell, Monica and countless others added to the rhythm and blues soundtracks.

Songs were so goated in this time that many artists still look to these musicians for inspiration and their beats for samples.

2000s:

These were moments that ultimately moved the culture forward. Crunk music, produced by artists like Lil Jon and groups like Crime Mob, made its way to the scene, allowing for house parties to be taken to the next level. And dance music was also a hit– who would we be if we couldn’t shake that “Laffy Taffy” or “Cha Cha now y’all?”

The need to live a superior lifestyle also found its way into lyrics. While rappers like Nelly, Lil Wayne and Drake bragged about their fame and fortune, female artists such as Eve, Keri Hilson and Beyone flaunted their beauty and confidence.

However, impactful rhymes didn’t disappear. From Jay Z and Kanye West to Kenrick Lamar and J. Cole, Black artists refused to shy away from the trauma in society. Likewise with R&B and soul, hot and steamy music stayed relevant thanks to Pretty Ricky and Trey Songz. And ladies such as Jazmine Sullivan and Jennifer Hudson taught us to be strong and independent.

Lastly, with the rise of digital literacy and apps like YouTube and MySpace, different types of music became easily accessible and the art of videos were taken oh-so seriously. Artists like OutKast and Nicki Minaj began putting on full-fledged performances and creating movie-like scenes during their shoots, forcing viewers to latch onto their creativity.