Over the course of history, Black people have been quite the trendsetters. We’re both followers and leaders at the exact same time. For instance, there was the whole slavery problem where so many folks tried to be like their homies who they saw get on the Amistad party boats, only to never return from whence they came.
But then came the amazing trend that had to have been started by the parents of one Harriet Tubman (née Altamina Ross) who decided that they would be uber-creative with her name, which is a trend that lives on in hoods across America as every one of us knows at least one person with three capital letters in their first name. Some of us even know people with more than one apostrophe.
Some of us even know a person named N”DBiane’. (Okay, I don’t personally know her, but I saw her name in the graduation program for Douglass High School (Atlanta, GA) class off 2007 – Panama)
Fact is, Black America has seen its fair share of amazingly omnipresent trends. Today, The Champ and I will discuss some of the biggest nationwide trends in Black America. Get like us.
Panama’s Trendwatch
1) Sprewells/Spinners – Though more people know them as spinners than Sprewells, the guy who choked out PJ Carlesimo is the reason for accidents galore over at least a 2 year span. I can’t be the only person who hit the brakes prematurely as I was driving thru a green light because the idiot with the spinners looked like he was still moving into my path. This trend was so big, K-Mart was even selling knock-off plastic spinners which made their way onto Mexican (no Gem) cars from San Diego to Maine. Except it seems that most Mexicans were on the economy package and only bought 3. Odd.
2) L.A. Gang Culture – Boyz In Tha Hood and Menace II Society sparked a gang surge like none other in the early 90s. I myself joined two gangs. From Dickies to ’64s to the amazing sound of Dr. Dre and Snoop Doggy Dogg in suburbs across America, Black America’s fascination with all things LA sparked possibly one of the riveting HBO documentaries ever: Banging in Little Rock. Every major southern and midwestern city saw gang violence escalate like never before. And jheri curls. Which much like spinners, caused more accidents than it was worth.
3) Throwbacks/Retro Culture/Skinny Jeans - At one point, people were wearing jersey’s of people and teams that never actually existed. I should know, I am the proud owner of at least 20 jersey’s, at least 10 of which are for teams Wikipedia, Encyclopedia Brown, Nancy Drew or the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen have never heard of. But nothing was/is worse than the skinny jean, overly colorful 80s retro vibe permeating Black America right now. Gumbies, thick rope chains, jeans that outline your wheezer – all were bad ideas in teh 80s so they’re even worse now that we have a reference point of the 80s to remind us how bad we all looked. Thankfully Jay killed throwbacks, though that unfortunately led to…
4) Grown-and-sexxy – Jay says button ups, so Kanye throws on a sport jacket over his button up, with some tennis shoes and the next thing you know, metrosexuals everywhere where rocking the Kanye special. Only problem is, striped button ups are pretty hideous by nature so the jacket didnt help at all. But since nobody really knew what grown-and-sexxy meant, and since most of us don’t have daddies, we figured Kanye and Jay-Z were as good a role model as any.
5) Sagging – We’re black. We like jail. Amen.
trends the champ’s noticed and sh*t
1) the iverson effect
while jay-z, michael jordan, tupac, obama, and mr. marcus have each influenced in our community in some way, there’s no one who has altered as many lives as allen iverson, a man responsible for spear-heading two separate trends
a) the ceaser/even steven ***if you remember, fifteen years ago the fade was still the default go-to haircut for the majority of young black men. now, the fade is reserved for preachers, men from los angelos, mike tomlin, virgins, rapists, and retards. this mass eschewing of the fade begin when a.i. started rocking the ceaser his sophomore year at georgetown***
b) the ubiquitous tats ***while there has always been a certain segment of the population with multiple tattoos, people without multiple predicate felonies (basically, people like me) didn’t really start rocking them until after iverson’s second year in philly. now, you’re likely to see both bloods and black nuns rocking “thug life” tats on their necks and wrists
2. the frohawk
while kanye, kanye’s shag, and a few other ambiguously heterosexual contemporary male artists usually get the credit for this, the recent mohawk trend can be traced back to eva pigford on america’s next top model, proving once and for all that straight young black males have a strange tendency to pick and follow the gayest fashion trends possible.
3. the late 80′s-early 90′s black pride boom
i dont know if it was public enemy’s popularity, the airing of “a different world”, or a chemical reaction created by the last remains of jheri curl juice. whatever the cause, black america experienced an extremely sudden and extremely strange boom in black pride for a three year span, with 1990 serving as it’s apex. sudden because it seemed to come and go with the same quickness, and strange because it wasn’t uncommon to see a person walking through the hood with some kinte cloth nikes and two giant african medallions over an all white polo jumpsuit. with that being said, my hbcu alliance hampton university short set and matching X hat was kind of hot.
4. knockoff fashion
anyone doubting the thundergoat’s popularity just needs to remember how much of an influence the “timberland boots” she rocked in her and jay-z’s horrible me and my girlfriend video influenced us. for a four year span, you couldn’t leave the crib without tripping over a bootlegged lime green manolo boot heel. when you combine that with the burberry knock off trend (which snowballed into louis, gucci, fendi, and every other high end label that pittsburgh strippers are likely to name their kids after) she also started in that same f*cking video, you have concrete proof that beyonce’s the brain to our human borg.
i’m sure we’re leaving a few out. people of vsb.com, are there any other transcendent trends that we missed?
—panama jackson and the champ
A.I is responsible for the explosion in cornrows and their subsequent disappearance.
@Stank-0,
you know, i wanted to include that as well, but i remember people tons of people rocking them before a.i. became relevant. i think snoop and l.a. gang culture influenced that more than anything else
@The Champ, i think that snoop and them did it first, but A.I. definitely made it the “in” thing.
just like ‘Pac made stomach tattooes the in thing to do. even my great grandma got one. it said, “old life” on it
@Panama Jackson,
I hate you.
@Panama Jackson,
AI made it cool to not just have cornrows, but to have the designs in them. If you will remember mid 90s cornrows went straight back(Set it Off) or parted down the middle of your head. Once AI got em and did the zigzags and all that…it took off.
Remember the “Quo Vadis” haircut? Yes, it’s old. I guess I’m showin my age…48!
@The Champ, people were rockign ceasars before him too. at least where I from…
@Reecie,
Yeah Caesars been around for as far back as I can remember but maybe it was just in certain regions pre-AI. But I do remember when fades and flattops/boxes were the more trendy thing in the early 90s.
@Stank-0,
Wasn’t Bone rockin cornrows back in 94? And I’m almost positive Snoop was back in 92 or so.
@afterthought, yeah but not everybody and they little brother was rocking em. Wasn’t till AI that every rapper (From Mystikal to Big Boy, Ludacris) RnB Sanga (Trey Songz, Kelz) started rocking cornrows.
The deading of cornrows was due in part to the Grown & Sexy phenomenom. It became a “boy/young man” thing to do. A shorter trim became the “mature” thing to do hence having Mario, Bow Wow, Luda & Trey all cutting them off claiming some mature BS. But When Iverson cut his it was the official burial.
The last stragglers cut their cornrows in 08/09…. the remainders now have dreads or are just out of sync.
@Stank-0,
I would have said this as well.
I also wasn’t aware that AI created the ceasar trend, but I”m from NOLA and we clung to fades for a very, VERY long time.
I also thought Puffy pushed the mohawk during his marathod run, long before Eva made it hot.
Finally, and this is going to seem like the world’s greatest conspiracy theory, I want to discuss the 80s black pride thing.
Has anybody else noticed that the two explosions of “black pride” during the 70s and 80s also coincided with an inlux of two of the most potent drugs known to man in black communities. Seriously, in the 70s it was heroin, which really destroyed most northern black communities before filtering South. And then, just when cats was shaking off that jones and getting some pride, crack cocaine exploded on the scene.
This has always seemed curious to me.
Obama for making intelligence cool again for black folks.
Not sure who gets the credit/blame for the interest in derrieres. At some point in the late 90s, booty went mainstream. Now every women is wonderin if she has an adequate donk. Lemme answer that, prolly not.
@Stank-0,
Obama for making intelligence cool again for black folks.
Chuuuuch preach tabernacle.
@Stank-0,
“Not sure who gets the credit/blame for the interest in derrieres. At some point in the late 90s, booty went mainstream. Now every women is wonderin if she has an adequate donk. Lemme answer that, prolly not.”
Too funny. But I’m sure we can give credit to Sir Mix Alot with “Baby got back”
I remember back in the 80′s when girls didn’t want to have too big of a butt, but now its like an epidemic. Everyone wants a booty even the white and asian women. You see them in the gym on the butt blaster working out that derriere so that they can compete with women like J-lo and Beyonce.
Though Sir Mix-A-Lot talked about baby got back I think the blame for the booty craze to go to J-Lo!!
@Liryc,
No! Not the butt blaster!! LMAO!!
@Liryc,
I think it’s J-Lo’s fault, too. Yeah, us sistas BEEN giving the booty a glorious name, but I think mainstream had to see a non-black chick pull it off. Typical…always stealin’ our shine…lol
@Cheekie,
I agree with this. Once folks started praising Jennifer’s booty, it was a wrap.
@Stank-0, Obama for making intelligence cool again for black folks.
i actually wonder how long-lived that is/was. of course folks were on the Obama bandwagon initally. the newness of his black presidence and what that “meant” for us was still fresh. largely though, the honeymoon of it all seems over and nobody seems overwhelmed with obama fever anymore. basically, he went from being the first Black president to just being the President. the number of articles about his significance seem to be on the wane and its pretty much business as usual.
basically, ninjas are reverting back to ignant ways.
@Panama Jackson,
so true.
@Panama Jackson,
“basically, ninjas are reverting back to ignant ways.”
agreed, although i do see some improvements.
@Stank-0,
“Obama for making intelligence cool again for black folks. ”
YES! I will forever make a place for him at my Thanksgiving table for this. Love him so.
Tracee Ellis Ross made ‘cool’ again big hair. First it was Cree Summer, then Scary Spice. But, still, that particular big, out of control curly fro was usually reserved for hippie chicks, video dancers, NBA groupies and sometime freaks. Thanks to Girlfriends, sistas every where were flocking to beauty supply stores and Google to search for magical products and styling tricks to make their natural curls look more defined or to make their relaxer look like natural curls.
Sux, cuz if your hair has been like this for, say, 17 years, you have to contend with folks thinkin’ you are following some hair trend.
@V.E.G.,
Why does this comment remind me of the scene in I’m gone get you sucka when the black militant’s white son gives a speach about the former president Lincoln…
@WuDaMan,
I dunno.
@V.E.G., perhaps i just dont give Girlfriends its just due (mostly cuz of how damn dumb it got after the first two seasons) but i can’t rightly give tracee ellis ross credit for anything aside from making it okay for neurotic chicks to have friends.
i think freddie from a different world is still responsible for that trend. even now, folks mention her name when they see big hairded chicks.
@Panama Jackson,
I think of Cree when I think of that look, too, but she was a hippie chick and I think a lot of folks identified big hair with that.
Tracee made it cool to wear big hair and couture. lol.
@V.E.G., i’m sorry, but i dont think her reach was that wide. i just don’t. i’ve never heard ANY chick openly reference anything joan did aside from annoy the f*ck out of everybody. Tony got way more reference points.
you may be right, i just dont think i can accept that. i’m gonna need like 3 more chicks tell me they thing joan influenced that for me to be like, okay, its possible.
@Panama Jackson, i’ma chick, and i confirm the statements set forth by V.E.G.
I think we have to combine some of the trends, like the skinny jeans and sagged pants at the same time boy.
Nelly made wearing bandaids and rocking more than one head band poppin.
For the ladies, mya made jersey dresses pop
@Crackberry P,
“For the ladies, mya made jersey dresses pop”
She sure did. I can recall having a Sixers jersey dress (which goes back to A.I.)
@Crackberry P,
“Nelly made wearing bandaids and rocking more than one head band poppin.”
These things are popping?
@Me fail english?, not are but were. Me fail, being from Brooklyn and having went to school in Philly, I know you remember when folks were wearing band aids under their eyes when nothing happened to them
@Peysonic Temple,
I honestly dont. I remember maybe one or two people doing the stupid ish they saw in vids. Like I knew two dudes who tied up paper towels like bandanas after Fab did it (sheesh!) but not enough for ppl to call this ish a trend. In fact I saw more people with the band-aid after TLC came out than circa Nellyville.
@Me fail english?,
Hell yeah ni99as at Temple were all over that my freshman year. It was the first time I remember thinking “wow I’m much better than these ni99as”
*DEAD*
@Me fail english?,
Unfortunately I remember a bunch of my younger cousins doing this ish.
I just used to give them the blank stare.
@Crackberry P, I think we have to combine some of the trends, like the skinny jeans and sagged pants at the same time boy.
though the skinny jeans and sagging are together popular now, there was a LONG stretch during the 90s where folks were just sagging in anything, sans skinny jeans. now, the fact that these ninjas are wearing skinny jeans to me is more appalling than the sagging so i rarely notice that part. in fact, i think thats more functional than anything. its impossible to pull those pants all the way up.
Weave! I’m not really for or against weave, and I know that Black Chicks weren’t the first to wear weave, but I believe we made it cool to be open about it.
@Misskbs, i reallywonder who the first weave queen ever was.
@Panama Jackson,
Sojourner Truth. Which is ironic when you really think about it.
Gold teeth! Not sure who started this. As the jheri curl was faded away so did gold teeth. Then those damn rappers made it resurface with ‘grillz’.
@Strictly Shonta, girl that use to be the shyt.. one open face in the front with a side gold joint with the star or champagne glass? dont let that ninja have the wave nuveau with the v cut fade? that ninja was FIONE!!!! LMAO
@shay_d_lady,
LMAO! I totaly forgot about he wave nuveau and the v cut fade…those were the ninjas that got all the play!
@Strictly Shonta, i was going to put gold teef on there and probalby should have. that damn trend went from the northeast to the northwest and everywhere in between.
though, i dont know that i ever saw, in any way, cats from LA rocking golds. clearly the pimps and players in oakland were doing it.
Stuff ghetto people like? whats the word?
@Panama Jackson,
I’m not Stuff Ghetto People Like , but I’m from LA and I’ma have to say HAYLE naw… the gold teeth trend never caught on out here. Every now and then you see someone with maybe a grill or two, but they’re usually transplants. lol
@Strictly Shonta,
“Gold teeth!”
I give an official “downgrade” to this trend because wearing them makes it look like your breath stank. I don’t care if you model for Crest on the side, you just LOOK like your breath be stankin’. And no one wants to find out the hard way, so…
@Cheekie,
“you just LOOK like your breath be stankin’”
Unfortunately, it’s not a look. “Most” of their breath reeks. Combining bad hygiene with Gold Teeth is a death sentence for whom ever you are conversing with.
@Cheekie,
Lol. Yeah they got special cleaner for the teeth. But Im pretty sure it’s toxic so you gotta take the fronts off to really get em clean. I have no idea what the ppl with actual gold teeth do.
One pants leg up…LL (I think)
@Misskbs, yeah it was LL, and I ‘m glad that trend died as soon as it hit, cause it sure did look stupid!
@Misskbs, for my DC folks…
put ya one leg up…AND PUT YOUR BOOTY ON THE FLOOR…
@Panama Jackson,
LOL!! I must admit. I tried this. I FAILED! I lacked balance. One leg of support did not work for me!
@Misskbs,
HAHA…I just commented on overit’s post that I did this.
one overall strap down! lil overit was doing big thangs!
@overit,
TLC?
@Ivy St.,
I thought that may have been Kris Kross, I could be wrong though. I do remember TLC doing that as well.
@Strictly Shonta,
Nah folks way before Kriss Kross was doing that, I remember some back up dancers for EPMD/Big Daddy Kane was doing that ish too.
@miss t-lee, folks were doign taht way before then.
i swear i saw ninjas in roots with the one strap down.
@Ivy St., TLC and Another Bad Creation. remember them? Kris Kross were about wearing their clothes backwards (something I never did).
@Ivy St., ima just go ahead and say yes!
i wore my hat 2 da back and my pants down real low too.
that’s just the kind girl of i am.
@overit, love it.
@overit,
hands down one of the best girl power songs eva!
@Ivy St., I’m not sure about the one strap fad but I do credit TLC with the loose fit jeans sagged just right to show some cute matching boxers look. It was hot during the CrazySexyCool time and yeah, I rocked it more times than I care to admit.
@overit,
YES on the overall strap. I did that mess.
I also rolled up my one leg pant like LL Cool J. I was a straight FOOL.
acrylics (or just regla manicures)!
black women aren’t the only ones to wear them , but i’m pretty sure manicures and pedicures were only reserved for high brow, money-having women at one point. (i just don’t see 2520 house-moms in the 70′s or 80′s having a standing appt at the manicure salon. i could be wrong, but whatev.) but at a certain point, we as a people realized that you don’t have to be the queen of sheba to keep those hands and feet fly. high school aged kids, your local fast food worker, your family court judge–everybody–gots the fly nails these days. almost like a requirement. hell, even raps songs…..what these negroes know about some, “perfectly manicured nails”? cuz i swear i hear that in every song that talks about “bad chicks.” apparently bad b**ches stay havin a manicure and good credit.
@charli skipp, cuz i swear i hear that in every song that talks about “bad chicks.” apparently bad b**ches stay havin a manicure and good credit.
not “bad chicks”//
Five Star chicks…
YO GOTTI.. throw your thumbs up and rep NORFF MEMPHIS!!!
okay.sorry…I got all off track.
and good credit dont mean what you think..they are referring to “hood” good credit
if you can get a furniture set on terms or a 04 maxima and pay bi weekly you qualify as having “good credit”
@shay_d_lady,
Go ahead and rep that NORFF NORFF!!!
Hood credit = good credit? WoW…thanks for the break down.
@shay_d_lady, shawty walk like, talk like, KNOW DAT SHE DA SH**!
holla!
@charli skipp,
i just don’t see 2520 house-moms in the 70’s or 80’s having a standing appt at the manicure salon. i could be wrong, but whatev.)
That’s not the impression I have. Salons have always been popular in any culture from my understanding. At least, these southern belles have always had mani/pedis… probably not at a “specialized” nail salon but there is always a small town beauty shop where you could get all of that stuff done…
and then, yall remember how lil mama started that whole lip gloss trend? and let’s not even go there with jermaine jackson and this good hair/bad hair controversy.
@charli skipp, naw chile..EVE started the lip gloss….
her and the Mac in her videos? everyone wanted lips
“on beam”..LOL
I still rocks that lip glass with a little carmax underneath and a lip pencil..
she also got the inner thigh and breast tattoo’s on and poppin
@shay_d_lady,
Girl you know that MAC lip glass is on point!
@charli skipp, i dont think we can give lil mama credit for starting any trends except for putting herself in the wrong place at the wrong time and looking like she does.
@Panama Jackson,
“i dont think we can give lil mama credit for starting any trends except for putting herself in the wrong place at the wrong time and looking like she does.”
Now that’s COMEDY!
@charli skipp,
People listened to what Lil’ Mama told them to do? o_O
lets not forget the video vixen club vibe trend…I mean when I came of age in ’96 and started clubbing.. standard club fare was a mid heel, tight jeans, sexy top….but the video vixen trend of the late “90′s new millenium got the stripper club gear on and poppin…the more skin the better ESPECIALLY when its negative 1 degrees outside…
and I cant remember who started it, but maybe Usher? the suede/velvet sports coat. OMG! ninjas was and still is sportin them joints like its hottest thing since ramen noodles…ninja its june and that paisley velvet joint is NOT the bizness…shoo….LMAO
gay a$$ adornments..ala barettes beads and shyt on braids….that shyt was HORRIBLE
and now the new thug dreads trend.before you saw a ninja with dreads you knew he was FOI or rasta..or at least a 5% er….now thanks to wayne..dreads replaced the perm and jerri curl for pimps and drug dealers….
@shay_d_lady,
now thanks to wayne..dreads replaced the perm and jerri curl for pimps and drug dealers…. .
You have never lied. This weekend I looked up like when did locs become so popular. EVERY body and they daddy got some.
@V Renee,
“EVERY body and they daddy got some.”
EVERY body and they daddy don’t look good in them either…just like brothers with the bald head. It doesn’t work for every body. And if homeboy got a bald patch in the middle with some dreads on the side hanging on by a few strands of hair…I be like urgh…for real though. Can’t you just cut that mess off?
@Strictly Shonta,
LOL”And if homeboy got a bald patch in the middle with some dreads on the side hanging on by a few strands of hair”
Looking like Floyd Mayweather Sr! LMAO!!
@Smiley Face,
Floyd Sr. looks like Predator to me with the ‘do.
@Smiley Face,
Yall back up off some Floyd Sr! He got him a young tenderoni and ya boy is DOOIN it!
@shay_d_lady, now thanks to wayne..dreads replaced the perm and jerri curl for pimps and drug dealers….
i actually got into a debate with my girl about the lil wayne impact on dreads. she swears that lil wayne isn’t influenceing poeple that strongly (in DC) where i think its obvious that b/c of lil wayne, dreads have run rampant across the nation.
@Panama Jackson, it was Wayne influence cause practically every dude in his teens and twenties got them joints and its been that way round here for at least the past 3 years maybe more…..if I was a dude I would not want to look like every other negroid…LMAO @ the other comments.
@Panama Jackson,
yah im from the DMV and there are mad dreadheads… not sure if its cuz of wayne tho
@shay_d_lady,
I can’t breathe after the “SHOO”
@shay_d_lady,
I can’t breathe after the “SHOO”
also dont forgt jodeci with the combat boots and the clear jogging suits….LMAO
@shay_d_lady, hahaha! And bodysuits with big jeans and combat boots for the ladies – with a flannel over top. Aaliyah had us ALL rocking that look!
@pgh muse,
OMG! I used to wanna rock a bodysuit sooo bad like my sisters but my mama wouldnt let me. Had to resort to rocking a tight, ashy black shirt.
@Me fail english?, tight, ashy black shirt.
i almost fell outta my chair. *DEAD* girl u wanna see some effed the eff up old school pics – fb friend me. people be pulling them old pics outta the wood works… they don’t like me.
@pgh muse,
Haha! It shall be done. I untag all my pics (mainly cuz my boss added me as a friend…booooo!) but one of the perks is nobody sees my busted pics or steals the cute ones.
@pgh muse,
Shoooo my old skool pics are under locked and key…lol
Until my BFF starts pulling pics of us in jr. high…loud azz colors and poetic justice braids all around.
@shay_d_lady, You took me way back…. I had both of those. lol
@shay_d_lady, I had some clear jogging suit… mh mh mh
@shay_d_lady, we used to call them “jodeci boots” lmao. just like the shiny patent leather shoes were “bobby brown” shoes. aww I miss my childhood. I loved my combat “jodeci” boots!
@Reecie,
Heh, heh I still call em Jodeci boots. Although we called the patent leather ones “club shoes”
@Reecie,
Yep, we called them Jodeci boots back in the ‘D’ too. I sported some in one of my senior pictures…lol!!
@shay_d_lady, i definitely wanted some hi-tek boots b/c of jodeci.
i also though that those sheer white suits were the business until i realized i wasnt a celebrity and nobody wanted to see my scooby-doo drawz.
Hey guys!
More expressive use of language… colorful words, phrases, slang and profanity were copycatted from our culture into the mainstream. Like music, the English language would be utterly boring without our contributions.
@Kit (Keep It Trill), you think colorful language is a trend of Black folks?
@Kit (Keep It Trill),
What up Kit!!
Neverending weaves – with a million techniques to put them in indetectably (sp?) is a huge trend of the past 20 years. And the resurgence of wigs for daily wear.
Rocking natural hair for the ladies / locs for the gentlemen.
Natural hair and skin care products vs old school cocoa butter, vaseline, baby oil, and blue magic lol.
Nikes being the epitome of sneakers – although 20 years ago was 1989 so maybe nike’s had a strangle hold on the game for longer…
@pgh muse,
“And the resurgence of wigs for daily wear.”
Only if you live in Philly. I have never seen so many women wearing wigs in my life until I moved to Philly. These women wear them like it’s their own natural hair.
I like waves on man. There is nothing s3xxier than a man with fresh waves after a cut.
@Ivy St., I like waves on man. There is nothing s3xxier than a man with fresh waves after a cut.
Bwahaha
I’m scared of this 
@pgh muse,
Boooo! I hate waves. Esp. them deep arse 360s they put into their dark Caesars. Gimme a “one” anyday.
@Me fail english?,
eh… i’m kinda feeling the peasy grow out look a lil’ right now like about an inch of hair on his head but lined up all around… I don’t know what this is called – but my babe’s rocking it and i like
@pgh_muse,
I’m actually feelin that kinda unkempt look too.
@pgh muse,
“Rocking natural hair for the ladies”
This trend is actually one that gets on my nerves. Excuse me while I go on a tangent.
First, the nappy nazis have grown out of this trend. There are some naturalistas out here who DOG OUT sistas for wearing their hear relaxed. They even clown sistas with naturals who flat iron every now and then. To them I say: saddown.
Secondly, folks are making up new terms and ish for caring for natural hair. I’ve been natural 17 whole years and, back in the day, conditioning your hair to moisturize it was simply called conditioning. Now folks wanna call it ‘co-washing’. Saddown.
The natural newbies also get on my nerves. Chicks wanna run up on you in Walgreens and ask what you use on your hair. You’re buying tampons and they are asking about hair products. Fool…you guessed it…saddown.
Lasly, the kinky weave has grown really popular cuz of this ‘trend’. Nuff said.
@V.E.G., it might get on your nerves but i love it.
@Panama Jackson,
PJ. I’m natural and have been for years. Just getting on my nerves that nappy nazis and what not are going all crazy cuz of this trend.
@V.E.G., lmao @ co-washing. that’s ugly. i won’t even touch your last point, lol! i will say that i looove when people ask me for natural hair advice. i’m all about de-bamboozledment.
in fact, i wanna turn this into a natural hair care thread right NAH.
@overit,
yeah..i don’t mind the asking so much either, just don’t go patting my ish and going oooooo…keep your hands to yourself please.
@overit,
Someone out there knows what your hair looks like?
@8th Wonder,
lol
@8th Wonder, hush.
1. Unnatural teef (teeth): Golds and diamonds…. even when kids get their teefs capped due to cavities, they get silver.
2. Big Bodies and paint jobs (cars): From Skittles logos to candy coated, etc.
@Nicki Sunshine,
“Unnatural teef (teeth): Golds and diamonds.”
No Limit Studios?
@Ivy St., LMAO!!!! That too.
@Nicki Sunshine,
yeah i was all about gold fronts. i had at least 4 set of gold teeth.
im thinking of breaking out a pair for the NYC VSB Meetup thangy…
@Panama Jackson, make sure you call it “throwback” so they don’t mistake you for a southerner (they are still rocking them HORD below Kentucky). lol
@Nicki Sunshine,
Actually he’ll fit right in with the Jamaican and post-felonious population of NYC. Gold teef never went completely out of fashion up here. Ask Flava Flav, hahahaha!
@Me fail english?, LMAO!!!!
Y’all mentioned jheri curls but forgot finga waves, which lead to push waves!! What?!! And then it was finga waves in the front, hair set on rods in the back!! LMAO!! It’s making a come back…it’s been popping up around DC, I had to do some double takes like ‘for serious’.
@Smiley Face, yeah I see them in New York too.. I didn’t like the whole Fingerwave thing.. Too much gel in the head.. Eww
@Smiley Face,
I think thats only in NE… you can smell them coming. I was in the grocery store behind a lady and it reeeeeked of Soul Glo.
i quit.
@Smiley Face, Are push waves the same as “popcorn” waves? That’s what they say around here?
And what about scrunches???? The finger wave alternative.
@Y’all,
LMAO!!!! I shama you need to shamone over to SE…round bout Alabama and Good Hope and see what you can see! LOL
Nicki…LAWD!! YES!! LMAO!
@Islama,
Dang..I spelled your name all kinds of wrong, apologies
@Smiley Face,
saying the name aloud will get you thrown in Gitmo before its turned into a resort. trust.
i wonder if the ppl bring back the Soul Glo use those plastic caps?
Also, i seen a balding woman with a ‘glo’ and one side was shaved.
@Islama-Loans,
“Also, i seen a balding woman with a ‘glo’ and one side was shaved.
o_O…da hell?
@Smiley Face, YESSS!! I have seen a couple of them in Kentucky too. I am not ready for them to come back. lol
@Smiley Face,
Finger waves ARE making a comeback. iCant. I hope they softened up some, cause them mugs used to be hard than a mofo. And even when they needed to be washed out, people would hang on, hair be all flaky from the gel, don’t resemble any type of wave. smh
@V Renee,
ahahhaha
I remember that tragedy…people would hold on to them waves weeks after they needed to be washed out.
@V Renee,
LMAO!!! Folks be walking around beating the ish out their heads because it itched so bad!!! shaking and asking for a bobby pin..LMAO!!
@Smiley Face,
Just got this visual of this…CTFU!
@V Renee, I remember that too!!!
Remember the two hairstyles??
Fingerwaves in the tops and crimps?
@Smiley Face,
Finger waves are a rip of hair styles from the 20s. Negroes use to conk in the 50s, too.
@V.E.G.,
Yup those waves were much more classy the the brown gel under the dryer for 2 hours cuz that mess wouldn’t dry waves, lol
@Smiley Face, what the hell is a push wave.
and you know, DC is currently home to some of the worst fashion i’ve ever seen. i saw a dude walking around in hammer pants and patent leather shoes.
ironic since DC used to be pretty strictly black/gray/white/blue apparrel, NBs and Tims, cut off shirts, etc.
now its so damn colorful here everybody is feeling gay.
@Panama Jackson,
lol, push waves are raised finger waves.
@Panama Jackson, I miss the old dc. I used to have it bad for a dude wearing 585s and grey sweat pants. slouch socks too, of course.
@Reecie,
Yes ma’am slouch socks=dc!! You remember when people started to color coordinate their socks with their outfits? lol. If you wore black and white, you’d put on a black sock over the white one and do the reverse side?! LAWD!!
@Smiley Face, yes I’m not from dc but we did that also. LOL
@Reecie,
I don’t know what it is about grey sweat pants, but they get me every time.
@Smiley Face,
Finger Waves use to be the official hairstyle of obese women.
@Humble_One aka $5 Footlong,
*cracking up*
WHY is that true. WHY?
Was there an experiment done to determine the reason for this correlation, because I need to know why this just HAPPENED to turn out this way.
@Cheekie, Perhaps it had a slimming effect on the face??
ROFL. I dunno.
@Nicki Sunshine,
oooo…y’all wrong LMAO!!
@Nicki Sunshine,
*snort* STOP.
I seriously wanna know why. Why was that particular hairstyle embraced by our lovely rotund sistas? I mean, they used that have that ish LAID back then…ne’er a day went by without their head looking a perfect 10.
@Cheekie:
LMAO… I have no clue why they rocked them but I do think yaw have a point (thinking back to high school)
@Humble_One aka $5 Footlong,
“Finger Waves use to be the official hairstyle of obese women.”
This was SO true back in the ‘D’.
Dreads (or is it locks). It used to be you couldn’t find anybody with dreads who didn’t have an accent, now its hard to find a friend of mine without em.
This aint necessarily a Black thing but if I see that freakin Hitler video one more time I think I’m gonna scream. It was a funny thing when MJ died, but now everybody’s doing a Hitler remix for anything that happens.
I know Jay put an end to the jersey era, but did Steve Harvey bring about the colorful suit era? I wanna say no cause in those 70′s movies there are a lot of colorful suits too, but its like Steve brought it back.
@afterthought,
LOL! ONLY Steve and Kat Williams are willing to wear a bright a$$ suit in public.
@Ivy St.,
Shiiiddd…this still goes on at Black churches, don’t front.
@afterthought, sorry, gonna have to give southern old school players credit here.
down south we have entire stores dedicated to pimp and overly colorful attire at Greenbriar in Atlanta. its down by the footlocker. its like an even worse version of harold penner.
good thing is that if you go to Greenbriar, you can get your gold fronts.
EDDIES!
@Panama Jackson,
We have a chain of pimp suit stores in the DC area to it’s called something like “Harold Penner: Men of Fashion”.
It’s like wall to wall pimp suits, I had a friend that worked there, I guess that when you work there you have to dress the part because when I saw him I didn’t recognize him because instead of looking like a guy from DC in 2009 he looked like he just got finished doing the lindy-hop, while wearing a zoot suit in the Malcolm X movie.
@Omar,
NOT the lindy-hop, lmao!
Someone in the 80′s (I don’t remember who) brought out the whole leggings thing. Wearing leggings with the oversized shirts, with the big a$$ door knocker earrings was the trend. (Salt -n-peppa)
I saw someone the other day walking around with those big old Rope chains that Mr. T and Slick Rick used to rock.. Its coming back..
Oh and GOLD has made a comeback too.. Er’body is rocking yellow Gold again.
“he started wearing GOLD chains!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
blk people are also responsible for Ha-beans putting diamonds on jesus pieces.
blk people discovered that you can put one or 23 pieces of gold on your teeth.
blk people also discoverd gold rims (maybe a midwest thing).
blk people also made it possible for Jordan to pay his wife almost 300 million because of his sneaker sales. blk ppl skipped school and call off work when the new “jays” came out.
@Islama-Loans,
Damn, Jordan paid his wife $300M? No wonder my homegirl keeps talkin about she wants a baby by 50 cent…
@Me fail english?,
50′ll write the check before the baby comes, so I guess that could be a lucrative endeavor.
@8th Wonder,
LMAO!!
“Urban” gear being worn everyone but Black folks.
(Especially during the Karl Kani, Cross Colours and FUBU hey day)
*Holy ish Panama…I had totally forgotten about “Bangin’ in Little Rock” until I read this post. We used to watch that ish and die laughing…I still don’t know if the gang situation in Little Rock was serious or not, I could’ve swore I was watching a mockumentary.
@miss t-lee,
“I could’ve swore I was watching a mockumentary.”
Girl, they made part 2 and it was even worse! Best part of the show was the 19 year old crip talmbout “I feel like Im the hardest nikka that ever walked’d da Earf an’ sh1t.” Ha! You must dont leave your block much.
I dont remember the updates on all of em but the bloods are still on the same block, just fatter now.
@Me fail english?,
I vaguely remember Pt. 2. Like, I remember it came out, but not that I can actually remember watching it.
@miss t-lee,
That docu/mockumentary had me scared of gangs though. I remember one dude got shot in the thigh or something and his thigh was F*CKED UP!! I can vividly picture it.
@V Renee,
Wow…I’m gonna hafta find that clip, cause I don’t remember that part…hmm.
@miss t-lee,
“FUBU hey day”
I used to roast 2520s that rocked FUBU (I roast anyone who wears it TODAY though). I’d be all, “Um, excuse me sir, but that is For US….not you”*.
*I lie! I didn’t verbally express this mostly because I knew very little white folk as a kid…and I wasn’t ’bout to walk up to strangers and start talking to them. Who am I, Jay Leno?
@Cheekie,
Haha. I remember seeing non-blacks rock Fubu but there were so few blacks rockin it I was just glad the brothas were getting support for that tacky mess! ha.
Remember when LL’s Gap ad got pulled cuz he was rocking a fubu hat and rappin about it. How the hell did that get a green light in the first place?
@Me fail english?,
AHAHAHA. Yeah, about 20 ninjas in a thousand were rockin’ FUBU.
Yeah, the LL thing. I don’t even know how it got a green light. That’s was very bizarre. I mean, folks be black-taping brand names in reality shows so it seems strange an actual brand would showcase another brand in their ad unless it was an affiliate. Lord knows FUBU wasn’t even in the same zip code as Gap, let alone the same family tree. lol
Long time lurker.
I need an asterisk by the high heel Tims to include Jennifer Lopez over Bey. Remember, this was the height of her foray in the religion Diddyology. And thus brought back a rash of the following (that were solely the property of us colored folk) for approximately 14.976 minutes:
1) Fake arse NY accents
2) Bamboo hoop earrings
3) Gelled wavy baby bangs (I see you Chili! Don’t ever let it die!)
Here’s a few trends that I think Hip Hop can be given credit for:
*Young Blacks (and whites) Voting – Although many older cats may give credit to the Civil Rights Movement, there’s no denying the impact that Hip Hop has played in the voting trends this past decade. From artists linking up to hold voter registration drives to cats such as Jeezy and Ludacris participating in Georgia’s last governor’s election, folks have been inspired to get to the polls. Shiiddd..Puffy threatened to kill you if you didn’t.
*Young Entrepreneurship – Before Hip Hop, the goal in life for most people was to just get a good job and slave (I mean, work) for a good company. Not saying it didn’t exist before, but Hip Hop has ushered in a new wave of entrepreneurship that has inspired many to think beyond just working for someone else for the rest of your life. Even though too many people get caught up in the usual suspects such as owning a record label, clothing line, fragrance, night club, etc., the spirit of owning something and being a “boss” is a by-product of Hip Hop.
*Young Black Women’s Over-Confidence – Black women has always been the most beautifulest thing in the world (it’s just like that), but due to European standards of beauty, they have always been slighted by the Barbie’s and white chicks in Cosmopolitan mags and the such. With the surgence of rap music videos, Black women had something to aspire to. They were shown as the covetted prize as oppose to their white counterparts. Whether you consider the negative ramifications of this or not, there’s no hiding the fact that it gave women a boost of confidence to see women their same skin tone and body shape in videos and looked at as being attractive.
Of course this trend has gone too far and has lead to every young girl with a digital camera thinking that she’s a model and having an inflated sense of “ego”.
@Monk, LMAO..video ho’s DO NOT represent black women ….multi-ethnic maybe, and surgically inhanced for sure, extreme mysogony aside o_O
@OrangeStar616,
we >here<
@OrangeStar616,
Girl, say it! Video ho’s do NOT look like me nor do they look like most black women I know. I’ve seen more women thinking they gotta get nekkid to be noticed or forget there’s a fine line between looking sexy and looking like “cheap sex” but lots of confidence???? Thats what you see when a scantily clad young woman posts her bare asz on myspace??
@Me fail english, Monk, et al, This is truth… .
Luv ya Monk, but because of video ho’s being the standard lot’s of regular black women think they best they have to offer is their bodies – which is why they are on myspace with their camera phones taking pics. The Young Berg’s of the world (and there are plenty of them) tell the everyday black chick that her hair and skin aren’t good enough. I think Kim K is a pretty woman, but when men who are in prominence are sporting chicks like this and girls who look like her are populating the landscape it has a trickle down effect on people’s perceptions. I haven’t seen a woman who looked ne thing remotely like me in a vid since Bilal’s Soul Sista – and that is considered neo Soul, weird, alternative music. It’s not just videos – it’s the dominant culture. My 5 year old drew a pic of me for school (the class was told to draw a pic of their famand the pic had hair spilling down the back… ne body who knows me knows that this is the ANTI me lol.
@pgh muse, it has poisoned many minds and rocked quite a few self esteem levels and you are right Muse it starts very early, thats the danger, its sends the message to young girls and women alike by our own black men that black women aren’t good enough unless you mixed or enhanced and then willing to be objectifed…….. thats poison…….
@pgh muse,
If you don’t have an overly-inflated ego and if you are not OVER-confident, then my post obviously doesn’t refer to you.
@Me fail english?,
“but lots of confidence????”
Yep. I see a great deal of over-confidence when you account for all these young chicks thinking that their shyt don’t stink and that their looks trumps ALL.
Again ladies, I’m not sayin’ it’s right or wrong, but if you don’t think that videos haven’t affected the standard of beauty as a lot of people see it (even if it’s people in the hood), you’re sadly mistaken. There was once a time when little Black girls didn’t even wanna play with Black dolls because they thought they were ugly. Now, they see young women looking pretty in videos and (whether right or wrong) these women look more like them than all the white chicks who mainstream America deem as beautiful. It does play a part.
@Monk,
Just cause two things occur at the same time doesn’t mean there’s a causal link.
Firstly, it may have become cool to act like Jay-Z and Khaled and declare yourself “the bess” but if you think this is an indication of ACTUAL confidence you are the one sadly mistaken. More little girls (blacks included) than ever are getting eating disorders, tryna get surgery before the 18th bday and just changing their appearances in general than ever before. When I was 15 we didnt arch our eyebrows, now (according to my neice) you may get made fun of if you dont.
Further, what video you seen where the girls being lusted after look like the avg black woman? The black community always liked black women with big butts. In fact, back in the 80s those video girls looked waaayyy more like me. Between butt shots, implants and photoshop the women in rap videos have never looked more exotic/surgically enhanced than they do now.
Maybe you just started hanging out with more stuck up chicks.
@Me Fail, Further, what video you seen where the girls being lusted after look like the avg black woman?
in Atlanta, all the women look like video chicks.
except for the ones that don’t.
@ me fail english,
I still believe you’re missing my point. Whether or not the women even look like you or most Black girls is inconsequential. The fact that you can go to any music video casting and see a plethora of young busted-looking Black chicks who sincerely believe that they are all that and should be in someone’s video speaks towards the uber level of confidence these women has because of how rap videos have opened the door for the “urban” model. The most busted of busted chicks think that she’s super fine just because she has a backside like Ki-Toi or Buffy. Of course Black men has aleways been attracted to women with curves, but it’s the videos that has influenced the trend to even enhance that regular big butt and make it even bigger. That trend has a direct effect to rap music videos.
@Monk, so if we talking confidence alone then, Hip Hop has contributed to the super uber inflated ego driven hyper “so called” masculinity in alot of dudes… my generation on down, who not only have the wrong ideas about man-hood, what makes a man etc but are often under cover bi sexuals, masking it by being a hardcore b-boy..i.e the homo thug, which came about as a by product of hip hop culture…….. how do you like those oranges LOL
@Monk,
Yeah we’ll just have to agree to disagree then cuz:
a) saying ” [to] see women their same skin tone and body shape” is of consequence to your point and certainly suggests that the women in vids would resemble these “overconfident” girls.
b) I think you’re missing OUR point that most black women are not more confident and damn sure aint overconfident because they looked at an unrealistic ideal of feminine beauty in a rap video. As a matter of fact, a few women from diff regions that have never met are telling you it’s had the OPPOSITE effect. The std of beauty has become LESS attainable. How can you start thinking you’re the isht cuz a chick who looks nothing like you gets all the attn?
c) Thinking your huge asz can get you into someone’s uncut/worldstar-esque rap video aint confidence or ego-inflation. At this point it’s just the truth.
The trend would be “video model” becoming a more popular career aspiration, not black women getting arrogant. Big difference!
@ Me fail english?,
Fact is, these women DO exist. They might not be running around on the subways of NY with the Lil’ Mama look-a-likes, but they are out there. In the ‘A’, I can go to Lenox Mall any given weekend and cast for a rap video because a lot of chicks out there come to the mall camera-ready with their flyest gear, glammed up, and looking like they’re the shyt. Of course this is in addition to the busted ones who think they’re the shyt also.
Of course if you haven’t seen it for yourself, I can see how it may be a difficult concept to grasp.
@Monk,
Video ho’s do not represent black women or at least not THIS black woman. If anything I am embarrassed when I see black women in videos as video ho’s. This just adds to the stereotype of black women being promiscuous and being such sexual beings (lacking any type of education or the smarts that go along with education).
@Ivy St.,
“This just adds to the stereotype of Black women being promiscuous..”
Isn’t this statement perpetuating the same stereotype? I didn’t call those young ladies “hoes”, YOU did. I think they’re just doing a job. Why are you condemning other sistas? Sheesh..
@Monk,
Goooood point. Dancing in a video, even half nekkid, does not a ho make.
@V.E.G.,
Just like “studio thugs” arent real thugs, they just play em in the booth, video ho’s may not be ho’s but they sure do portray em in the videos.
@V.E.G., and Me Fail…*corny commerical intro with TV actor*
“I’m not a doctor but I play one on TV”…LMAO….. seriously tho those images are very powerful and often damaging to us for reasons already stated and how we are perceived world wide.
@all,
They’re not playing the part of hoes either though. For example, a lot of rap videos are set in a night club and these women are just dancing, partying and celebrating with the artists. How does that constitute hoe-dom? Is every girl in the VIP section of a club a hoe? Does going to a club period make you a hoe? Damn, seems like a lot of women love to judge other women and call their sistas hoes based on simple shyt like them showing a little thigh and dancing. Nothing’s wrong with embracing your sexuality and it doesn’t make you a hoe to do so.
Let’s keep it real. Ivy aint talkin about chicks just chillin at the clubs dancin in the VIP. No need to play stupid like the video aint s’posed to be a visual representation of what these dudes rap about. The bottles, cars, cash represent their ballerness, the goons and gritty hood shots represent the street credibility and the girls represent all the hoes on they jock. And if you sittin around half-dressed constantly making eff-me-now eyes at a dude… yes, they put you in a hoe’s uniform. Keep playing dumb.
@Monk, my cau brotha…if you have your legs spread on a pool table and men are taking turns throwing cash at your tw@t, you’re a h0, playing a video h0 in a video. exhibit A: the tip drill video. and that’s just one. i have a dailymotion account and i can keep pulling exhibits out all day long.
What about these silly azz Spike Lee looking glasses that people have been wearing?!?!? Did Spike start that or Jay Z? Spike has been wearing them, so Ima go with Jay Z. I wish it would end. Mofo ain’t got nan’ prescription, just rocking them for show. I can’t stand those Ri-Ri glasses!!!
@V Renee,
For real!!!!!
As someone whose eyes are apparently for aesthetic purposes I will never understand folks wearing glasses when they have 20/20 vision. And wearing ugly glasses to boot? *throat punch*
@V Renee,
lol. Ppl were doing that long before Jay (at least in the northeast they were)! I usedta think it was cute. I was just too cheap to buy the frames
@Me fail english?,
Were they?!?!?! I had no idea. To me, it’s like they popped up outta nowhere.
@V Renee,
Same here. I never noticed it before. Maybe it’s because it’s become an actual trend.
I would like to add,our slanguistics, of which practically all of pop culture looks to as a reference for coolness and flava …from ESPN, to Mc.Donalds …WE set the standard and by the time they adopt it, we have yet again BEEN moved on in our limitless flair and creativity with langauge, dropping terms and adding new meaning to words and phrases like no other.
Ugg boots, which I think are ugly. I’m not sure who started this style.
@Ivy St., broads in california, wearing em with mini skirts and a scarf around their neck in 70 degree weather. LOL
@Ivy St.,
I think that was the Olsen twins or smthg. I definitely saw the rich 2520 girls doing it at least one whole year before I saw it in the hood.
@Ivy St., probably some chick named Ugg no doubt in attempts to sell her big boots.
@Ivy St.,
HATE Ugg boots. Plus they look they’re bad for your feet. I saw some chick walking downtown in them and she was basically walking on the side of them because they’re so mal-formed for the foot.
Also, hate when folks wear them in the summer with mini skirts. Um, care to check your calendar for what season it actually is?
I forgot to mention this in my earlier post.
N”DBiane’
Fail. All around Fail.
My BFF works in claims for an insurance company and we have this game that we play every week. She sends me a name (similar in spelling and jacked-up’edness as the one above) and we take turns on trying to figure out the pronounciation. We never find out the actual names, but hey…it makes our day go by faster.
@miss t-lee, man, you should have seen me looking at these chillens names. i wanted to curse out all their parents.
i wish i still had a copy of that graduation program. i’d scan it in just to prove to you that i aint making that up. worst thing is, it wasnt the worst name. just the one that stuck out to me the most.
@Panama Jackson,
I just realized that that wasn’t even an apostrophe, it was a quotation mark?
Fa sho?! *scrunched up face*
@miss t-lee,
I’m STILL cracking up at some ridic name I saw on SBM’s blog…a commenter said there was some chick named L-a or some mess. Pronounced La-DASH-AH. Yes, the dash was an actual syllable.
*dying at what humanity has come to*
@Cheekie, i aint saying that ain’t true, but the chick named La-a is becoming a sort of urban legend. it’s like the story that Joey tells in friends that will get you laid about backing packing in western europe. too many people tell the story of La-a. she needs more people.
@Panama Jackson,
Yeah, I later heard it was an urban legend. I don’t put it past some folks, though. I mean, he of JAM! gel: Tar Edition, Jermaine Jackson has a kid named Jermajesty for God’s sake…it’s ridic.
@Cheekie,
My ex-boyfriend wanted us to name our first son Yamajesty and our first daughter Yahighness!! See why we broke up?
GHETTO
@me fail,
HAHAHA! Eff his naming capabilities.
@ me fail english?
“My ex-boyfriend wanted us to name our first son Yamajesty”
Were you dating TI? I think one of his son’s has that middle name…lol
@Cheekie,
Let me dig into some of my folders and see if I can find some examples my homegirl has sent…we’ve been truly baffled.
Hmmmm, I’m feeling this one!
How about…
*Leather Medallions with the continent of Africa on them
*Anything with Malcolm X on it-shirts, hats, etc.
*TV’s in the headrest…usually on when no one is sitting back there…
*Cadillac’s…lol!
*Weave
*Spike Lee Jointz…
Another trend:
The Rise of Drama – Nowadays, you’re not doing shyt with your life if you don’t have multi layers of drama going on. People thrive off it. Sure drama has existed since Cain slayed Abel, but it’s the “cool” thing to have in your life now. Every one WANTS haters and some would say you’re doing something wrong if you don’t have ‘em. Reality television has become big business by perpetuating drama and its influence can be seen in how some people live their personal lives and pick up on certain character traits of their favorite reality TV stars. I swear I’d be a millionaire if I had a buck for every time someone has pitched a reality show idea to me involving following them around and documenting the drama and foolery that goes on in their life. Sadly, people have become household names because of this. It’s even trendy to create FAKE drama for free publicity if you’re releasing a new product or trying to promote something.
Of course everything that I just wrote isn’t exclusive to Black folks, but y’all know Black folks love some drama.
*Sidenote: Why is it that folks who claim to be “drama-free” tend to come with the most drama. Am I the only one who has noticed that?
@Monk,
*Sidenote: Why is it that folks who claim to be “drama-free” tend to come with the most drama. Am I the only one who has noticed that?
You’re certainly NOT the only one to notice. This comment made me think of Kim from Real Housewives. That was like the second sentence outta her mouth when she met Kandi. She said “I’m not into drama” and all I heard was “Where da drama at?!”
@Monk, b/c people who claim they are drama free are the ones starting it all. they believe it comes to them, not the other way around.
Frohawks look nice… just not on every man. If you have a large head, stay away from the frohawk!
@Ivy St., what about a brohawk? you know an afro with a big ass landing strip down the middle?
Gold Bamboo earrings/Name earrings..I found it quite amusing to see 2520′s adopt this,almost twenty years after we made it HOttttt
LMAO
@OrangeStar616,
A hustlers gf staple in the late 80′s…I still want some LMAO
@OrangeStar616,
I’m seeing those door-knockers out and about too. That always reminds me of Pepa and her asymetrical cut and those door-knocker earrings.
@Cheekie,
Door-knockers make me think of robberies. I lost count how many aunties, cousins, etc got chased at knife point, ol’ heavy ass earrings weighin em down and ish. ahaha, in retrospect the visual is kinda funny.
@Me fail english?, yeah them sh*ts could split ya ear too……I think these new old style ones are lighter LOL
@OrangeStar616,
True. I do remember a few chicks with the split earlobes. Either they were two heavy, or they was talkin’ junk and got them snatched out.
So. not. cute.
@OrangeStar616,
Yup, just about everyone from that era has split ‘lobes now! The truth.
WAIT! I got a good one!! The razor lines in the eyebrows!! I know a bunch of ya’ll did this like Devante or whoeva it was! And the lines in the back of ur fade, males and females who had short cuts.
@pgh muse,
LMAO!!! Girl!! I am cracking up over this…mainly b/c I remember my big brother coming home with his eyebrow JACKED UP!..He walking around looking like he was asking a question until it grew back!! all o_O and ish!! LMAO!! WHOOO!
@Smiley Face,
LMAO@ this whole comment. Yes, diced eyebrows was the isht. I still think that was a cute trend on dudes. Girls just looked tough wearing it. uuugghh *Mr. Burns shudder*
@pgh muse,
Yep!!! I know I used to love that on a guy…now, not so much…lol
I remember when fatigues used to be the ish!! It was like 94 or 95 and i think Onyx and Boot Camp made this style hot, at least in NY.
It just got way outta hand with the crazy colors. Who the rassclot are you hiding from in bright orange/black army fatigues.?
@Tony,
OKAY!!! I’m like ‘I Seeee yooouuu’…you and your bright azz pink! Who you hidin from playa!
@Tony,
LMAO!!! Yes fatigues, Carhartts, Timbs, Jansports were all popularized by the BCC! By the time the reds and yellows and blues came out isht was officially ridiculous. You can’t look hard in bright red asz fatigues!!
@Me fail english?, i still rock Carharrt. i freakin love that brand. i have three carharrt jackets and a hoodie. that’s some good quality clothing right there.
@Panama Jackson,
I also used to dress like a lumberjack! Hi-five!!
@Tony,
I remember all of that. I remember people rocking the Carhartt pullovers too.
@Tony, It just got way outta hand with the crazy colors. Who the rassclot are you hiding from in bright orange/black army fatigues.?
i’d like to blame us southerners for the ridiculous colors in fatigues. i sure did see some cat in some neon fatigues once. truly a confusing moment in army attire.
@Panama Jackson,
Yeah, I aint wanna say nothing, but I think Timbaland and Magoo was the first people I seen in some bright fatigues.
@Tony,
“I remember when fatigues used to be the ish!! ”
I HATED the fatigue trend…mostly because of the going-too-far with bright colors. You can’t hide NOWHERE with no hot pink arse fatigues. It’s the GREEN that also makes it incognegro, not solely the pattern.
@Tony,
Son Fatigues was the ish in the DMV in 95. I swear like 9 of us used to take the bus to the navy surplus store and buy like 5 pairs. Then it went into windbreakers and sweat pants. o man.
Let’s not forget the Kwame blond streak in the gumby haircut or the Redhead Kingpin dye job.
My older brother and his friends were killing that ish.
@miss t-lee,
I take the train with a dude who rocks a HUGE gumby with the hair at the top dyed orange. Yes, I said “take” and not the past tense “took”. He dances at clubs (for money?) and works at Macy’s as a day job. How do I know all this? Cuz how can you forget the brotha with the orange Gumby?!?! He stay poppin up everywhere I go.
@Me fail english?,
Please take a picture next time you see him. I refuse to believe that in the year of our Lord 2009, there is a kat running around NYC with an orange gumby cut.
Hold my mule!
@miss t-lee,
LOL. Will do! Its too bad cuz he’s cute too. I coulda put him on with one of my single sisters.
@miss t-lee, not the ‘year of our Lord’…miss t-lee, you crack me up.
@Miss Patterson,
Thanks.
I actually made myself laugh typing that…
@miss t-lee, does anybody else find it amazing that redhead kingpin produced eric roberson’s “couldn’t hear me”?
when i found that out i was like…redhead kingpin is still ALIVE?!?!
@Panama Jackson,
Oh snap?! Really…I didn’t not realize he produced that!
I’m with you on the unique first names. When I did my family tree (and this is in 1850-1870 mind you) I found all kinds of interesting first names. My guess is that it was an attempt to claim something of your own that wasn’t influenced by the majority white culture. That’s just my guess. Back then, our ancestors didn’t have apostrophes, and capital letters, but they had some crazy first names ,boy. In fact, I found a Royal and Sippy in my family tree. whoa.
@Miss Patterson, well after today realizing that i have great grandparents named Pony and Fronty…i really shouldn’t be talking about Araminta…
@Panama Jackson, LOLOL!!! That’s for sure…
“But then came the amazing trend that had to have been started by the parents of one Harriet Tubman (née Altamina Ross) ”
Ain’t Harriet’s gubment name, Araminta?
“Every major southern and midwestern city saw gang violence escalate like never before. ”
I know. Dem ninjas had me scared to wear red. Like ANYTHING red. You know what a fearful trend can do to a kid. Exaggerations happen and kids tell you that if you red at all you get shot. I’s was a-scared.
“5) Sagging – We’re black. We like jail. Amen.”
*sigh* I just saw a young brotha sagging to the pits of hell this morning. Ninja was walking all kinds of funny. If your pants hinders you from putting one foot in front of the other properly, those joints are TOO LOW. Besides, why is tucking your pants under your draws and letting your underweared booty get some breeze cool? That ish means you available in jail. Ugh…
“2. the frohawk”
This made me think of that frohawk Derwin (The Game) grew that sorta irritated me. Ah well…mmmm, Derwin.
“4. knockoff fashion”
This is one of my biggest fashion pet peeves. You got the nerve to rock a Goach purse? That looks WORSE than just rockin’ a plain ol’ non-name-brand-but-cute purse. Because you come across as trying too hard and failing. You might as well hold your head up high with your no-name cute purse because it is impossible to rock your head high with a fake. There is ALWAYS someone who can call you out on it. There’s some expert fake-bag decoders walking around in the world. Don’t let someone put you on blast.
Another trend:
I see a lot of Black folks rockin’ the neon colored flannel shirts now. Um, I don’t approve.
@Cheekie,
haha, yes the neon flannel HAS to go. People above the age of 19 rockin Chuck Taylors can ride off wit em!
@Me fail english?,
That’s a good point about the Chucks. They really don’t have a “grown-folk” vibe about them. Screams kid/teen.
@Cheekie,
That’s how I feel. And no, you dont get a pass cuz the year your org was founded is stitched into the back of the shoe!
@Cheekie, Ain’t Harriet’s gubment name, Araminta?
it is. you know what…let me tell you about the “save” button. i rewrote a few of those sections, to include correcting that placeholder i had in for her name so i could look it up. which i did and had the right name. i didnt hit the save button. i originally took out the whole thing about banging in little rock so when somebody mentioned it i was like…da hell??? so yeah, her govt was Araminta, which is still horrendous.
@Panama Jackson,
“so yeah, her govt was Araminta, which is still horrendous.”
HAHA, I think it kinda becomes her. Like her name SOUNDS like someone who would do the things she does. She sounds like an old feisty auntie with the big church hat who don’t play that sh*t with folks or something…
@Cheekie,
NO you didn’t say Goach!!! OMG…Bwahahahahahahaha!!!
@Smiley Face,
LOL…girl, you know those Korean beauty shops STAY selling those “coach” bags with trying-to-be-subtle G’s emblazoned on them. KILLS me dead, I tell you.
*Another sub-addition to the knockoffs is the knockoff perfumes that forever stay in stores like Family Dollar and their ilk.
Like instead of Davidoff Cool Water Perfume, them ninjas had “Cool Ocean”. LMAO Or instead of “Tommy (Hilfiger)”, they had, “Mommy”*
*Ok, the Tommy one? That’s a dayum lie, and you know it.
Addition: Oh, I remember when everyone was rockin’ them fitted denim jumpsuits around the time J.Lo had that video. Love Don’t Cost a Thing, I think? They were doing it a little bit before her, so not sure who exactly started it, but it was around that time when you couldn’t blink without seeing someone wearing one. I remember I always wanted to one, but never bought one. Missed opportunities…
@Cheekie,
Haha. I remember her as popularizing it and I had one. That was my “fresh” party outfit. Yea!
@Cheekie,
MMMhmm..and Mimi was responsible for the cut off top of the jeans..smh. Booty crack all day long
@Smiley Face,
Oh, riiiight! Wow, totally forgot about that. Memories…
Some of the biggest and most popular trends in the black community the past 20 years.
1) Bald fades with waves. This was the haircut from the early to mid 90s. Nas still rocks one today.
2) Rims that cost more than the car they are on.
3) Cartier eyeglasses(I think this is just a Detroit thing) I don’t know if this is a trend b/c dudes been wearing them for over 10 years.
4) Bald heads or baldies
5) Versace shades, belts, and shirts
6)Rockports(Another Detroit thing)
7) White t-shirts
@Humble_One aka $5 Footlong, AF1 were the sh8t way before anybody ever heard of Nelly…
“Miami, Dc prefer Versace” Big….. LOL
@Humble_One aka $5 Footlong,
“Air Force Ones. For the record Nelly did not make these popular. I know in Detroit these were popular at least 10 years before his song.”
Ya know, I vaguely remember stating that he was a little late with the song. I think his song was RESPONDING to the trend, not creating it.
@Cheekie,
Nelly has a secret contract with Nike *Im making this up*. How else can you explain all these bullshet songs bout AF1s and J’s?
@Me fail english?, AF1s definitely did get more expensive after nelly’s song, at least where i’m from. them joints went from $65 to $85 real quick.
@A Plus,
all Nelly did was put BAMAS on to what was already known as a staple in alot of dudes closets LOL
I know diff regions/areas have diff styles, things that are hot etc…..
Like I don’t know if anybody loved New Balance like this area did, esp a fresh a$$ pair of 1300′s, they stopped making em and around that time they changed NB all together it wasn’t as basic and fly anymore…mid to late 90s
for dudes no one mentioned Bush tapers, like early 90′s to bout 95….
@OrangeStar616, or AKA temple tapers
How can anyone forget anything involving Tommy Hilfiger?? I swear TH didn’t make a dime until ninjas started watching NY Undercover and JC and Eddie had on a new yellow or blue bubble jacket every week. They had to be pushing weight on the side to be rockin them clothes on a NYC cops salary. I swear he became rich after 1 episode. Other things that ninjas have made popular:
1) DMV knows about some slouch socks on women AND men.
2) BOSS clothing. Not to be mistaken with Hugo Boss.
3) does anyone remember the week that Oakley goggles were popular? Im thinkin May 17th-24th 1999.
4) HBCU sweaters/t-shirts. I thankfully graduated from Howard U in ’06 and have a few of my own. But to this day I still want one from 1991. If I could get one w/ a X hat and african medallion I’d be set.
@Freaknik,
“does anyone remember the week that Oakley goggles were popular? Im thinkin May 17th-24th 1999.”
That was a look for a WHOLE YEAR up here (from like ’97-98) thanks to Puffy’s no good self (with some credit to LL). You had to rock em to the side for extra coolness. Booooo!
@Me fail english?,
Don’t forget Big Pun was rockin them goggles too…lol
@miss t-lee,
LOL. I forgot about Pun. Like that was one dude you KNEW wasnt skiing NO-HWHEA!
@Me fail english?,
______
You are so silly.
@Me fail english?,
BWAHAHAHA!
@Freaknik,
I was just about to mention Hilfiger. I remember I was KNOWN for wearing his ish. Then that rumor swirled around about him not wanting ninjas wearing his clothese and I boycotted him for YEARS. I even got on my Mama for buying some clearance Hilfier UNDERWEAR. I was like, “NO TOMMY GEAR!” It was difficult. Then he went on Oprah or some mess and all was well. I’m not even all that geeked about his clothes now, though. *shrug*
@Freaknik, I had a fly Hilfiger girl jean outfit. jacket, jeans and shirt. I loved it! We were heavy into Hilfiger, Polo and Nautica in high school.
@ Freaknik
I think the worst part of the whole Tommy Hilfiger fad was the “Grapes of Wrath” overalls that had every ninja in the hood lookin like Tom Joad. (See Ja Rule in DMX’s “How’s it Goin Down” video)
@TPeezy,
Nah, I think the WORST part was the reflectors on the clothing! Like dudes would dress like nighttime construction workers in the middle of the day! Also Hilfiger prob popularized the HUGE logos (..or was that BOSS and Kani?)
@Me fail english?,
LOL nothing like a big Tommy Hilfiger/Nautica Competition jacket shining in the sun.
As far as the big logo’s if Tommy started it then FUBU took it to the next level and killed it…
@TPeezy,
LOL @ Nautica. Wow. Does that company even EXIST anymore?
@Cheekie,
If it does they definately got rid of their “urban” line…
FUBU on the other hand, never recovered. Last time I saw them was on re-runs of “In the House”
@Cheekie,
haha. I still got a pair of Nautica Competition sneakers in my closet from like 8th grade. My feet stopped growing in the 6th grade.
@TPeezy,
*dying* @ reruns of In The House.
@TPeezy,
“Tom Joad”
Bwhahahah!!!!
@miss t-lee,
man i see them joints all the time. NBA’s(New Black Americans/Africans) stay rockin FUBO, Karl Kani, Mecca, etc. I kno I aint the only one who seen that!
Hilfiger was the ish. I had mad Hilfiger gear in high school. Grand Puba made him popular. I remember cats wearing the shirts with the Hilfiger tag still attached. His clothes got wack when he tried to get “urban” with Tommy jeans.
@Humble_One aka $5 Footlong, Hilfiger was never hot in the District area..Polo WAS tho..huge round these parts!!!!!
@OrangeStar616,
Yeah, Ralph Lauren/Polo de-throned my Hilfiger love at one point.
Sadly, I did this too…epic fail.
Apparently I clicked the wrong reply…this was meant for the “one pants leg up” post.
OK! I admit it…I once wanted a gold tooth or two…with my initials on them! No explanation except that I was raised in Oakland and went to public schools…but that is no excuse. (Hiding head in shame)
Same here…gold tooth post.
@Misskbs,
lol. I usedta want gold fronts. I was just too broke to get em tho.
British Knights.
@Cheekie,
I think that was over 20 years ago. Although I do wish they would bring back out the British Knight casual shoe withe the gum sole.
@Humble_One aka Field Ninja,
LOL, yeah it was…but someone just reminded me of it…and wow…
time flies
90′s in the Lou
*starter coats/jackets (you could get killed for one)
*chinese straw hats
*bodysuits that fastened underthere
*patent leather shoes w/ribbon laces (eww)
*jeans with the leather on the front( u had money if you had the zebra ones)
*open face golds (even my grandmama had one)
*every boyfriend i had drove a “cut dog”
*fleece pullovers( i had two tommy ones , though i was the sheeeeiiitt)
*colored contacts
*bookbags made of stuffed animals
*super heavy starched jeans(from the cleaners), creases could cut you
* we creased the middle of our white tees
St Louis Trends
*starter coats/jackets(you could get killed over one)
*Chinese straw hats
*stuff animal book bags
*jeans with the leather on the front (really fly if you had the zebras)
*patent leather shoes with lace ribbons
*bodysuits that fastened underthere
*open face golds(even my grandmamma had one)
*every dude drove a “cut dog”
*calvin klein,nautica,and dkny (oh my im jiggy)
*super heavy starched jeans(from the cleaners-could cut your finger off)
*crease down the middle of our white tees (circa 94)
@flamboyantchiq,
O s*it….Starter Jackets. That was like the first piece of clothing that you could get wet up over. They would have it on the news w/ white parents telling kids to just give it up if a ninja was tryin to rob u! “I wish a n*gga would….”
@Freaknik, for the Dc urea I think that may have been the Eddie Bauer coats, they stopped making those because people were getting peeled back for them joints….
@flamboyantchiq,
Chinese straw hats
ugh! this was up there with them damn cowboy hats as some shet that just never seemed cool to me.
@ MONK……..come on guy, you know dayum well they are showing more than a lil thigh, what club you go to??? The old head joint.
and most act according to the ways in which they dress or worse, in the club freakin other brawds etc in hopes of booking a balla and worse behavior, parched and trying to be seen, alot of them don’t know the diff between dressing sexy and slutty or what it is to be a lady period ..what era are you in??? come on into 2009 and stop playin! Sorry I cannot endorse thirstiness, having NO clue ,self respect ,or standards………lets not even get into what folk call dancing LMAO yousa a funny dude!!!!
I don’t think anyone’s mentioned it but Pagers/Beepers were real hot for a second in the mid 90s. Although we didn’t start the trend, we took it to new levels. They went from the standard black to Cheetah print and Glow in the Dark when it was all over.
The infamous hair swoop over the eye.
I think this can be credited to Aaliyah, maybe Total or one of those girl groups from the period.
Whomsoever it was, I think I didn’t see out of both eyes for years…
Not much of trend as its a “thing”: but the obviously “Older Dude” out in the street or on the train rocking it real hard his “late 90′s” apparel. Dude is no doubt in his forties MAYBE late 30′s…hat to left, some branded rappers clothing label shirt or sweater (I saw a young cat rock a Rocawear thermal and then I saw an older dude rocking the same one on the 4 train like 4 hours a part…a huge NO-NO), baggy jeans, and Timbs sometimes laced up were they dont appear laced..these guys look like fools and you can see their confusion. I dont look like he do and neither do the teens. I cant believe all these older dudes were locked up I just think these guys never developed there own style they just hopped from trend to trend and in the 90′s most trends never involved any real taste beyond; denim-boots/kicks baggy shirt-ballcap, a half dead-crackhead can keep up with this but man listen when the styles upgraded it really makes these cats look goofy.