Get Like We: The Biggest And Most Popular Trends in the Black Community in the last 20 years.

gregoden

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

  • http://twitter.com/Stank_0 Stank-0

    A.I is responsible for the explosion in cornrows and their subsequent disappearance.

    • http://verysmartbrothas.com The Champ

      @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

      • http://verysmartbrothas.com Panama Jackson

        @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

        • 8th Wonder

          @Panama Jackson,

          I hate you.

        • Freaknik

          @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.

          • Robin

            Remember the “Quo Vadis” haircut? Yes, it’s old. I guess I’m showin my age…48!

      • http://musicmakesmehigh.wordpress.com Reecie

        @The Champ, people were rockign ceasars before him too. at least where I from…

        • Me fail english?

          @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.

    • http://thoughtsparadigm.blogspot.com afterthought

      @Stank-0,

      Wasn’t Bone rockin cornrows back in 94? And I’m almost positive Snoop was back in 92 or so.

      • Dangerous

        @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.

    • http://ravingblacklunatic.blogspot.com Big Man

      @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.

  • http://twitter.com/Stank_0 Stank-0

    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.

    • Officer Ricky

      @Stank-0,

      Obama for making intelligence cool again for black folks.

      Chuuuuch preach tabernacle.

    • http://www.strictlyshonta.blogspot.com Strictly Shonta

      @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”

      • http://headedintherightdirection.blogspot.com Liryc

        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!!

        • http://www.strictlyshonta.blogspot.com Strictly Shonta

          @Liryc,
          No! Not the butt blaster!! LMAO!!

        • http://www.sistersoundoff.blogspot.com Cheekie

          @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

          • http://presidentialtelevisionandfilm.ning.com Monk

            @Cheekie,

            I agree with this. Once folks started praising Jennifer’s booty, it was a wrap.

    • http://verysmartbrothas.com Panama Jackson

      @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.

      • http://thoughtsparadigm.blogspot.com afterthought

        @Panama Jackson,

        so true.

      • Anonymiss

        @Panama Jackson,
        “basically, ninjas are reverting back to ignant ways.”

        agreed, although i do see some improvements.

    • http://www.sistersoundoff.blogspot.com Cheekie

      @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.

  • http://stickwithyocat.blogspot.com/ V.E.G.

    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.

    • http://twitter.com/WuDaMan WuDaMan

      @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…

      • http://stickwithyocat.blogspot.com/ V.E.G.

        @WuDaMan,

        I dunno.

    • http://verysmartbrothas.com Panama Jackson

      @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.

      • http://stickwithyocat.blogspot.com/ V.E.G.

        @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.

        • http://verysmartbrothas.com Panama Jackson

          @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.

          • A Plus

            @Panama Jackson, i’ma chick, and i confirm the statements set forth by V.E.G.

  • Crackberry P

    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

    • http://www.strictlyshonta.blogspot.com Strictly Shonta

      @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.)

    • Me fail english?

      @Crackberry P,

      “Nelly made wearing bandaids and rocking more than one head band poppin.”

      These things are popping?

      • Peysonic Temple

        @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

        • Me fail english?

          @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.

          • http://lmbao.org Dorian G.

            @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”

          • Me fail english?

            *DEAD*

      • miss t-lee

        @Me fail english?,
        Unfortunately I remember a bunch of my younger cousins doing this ish.
        I just used to give them the blank stare.

    • http://verysmartbrothas.com Panama Jackson

      @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.

  • http://kadeboteh-makeup.blogspot.com/ Misskbs

    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.

    • http://verysmartbrothas.com Panama Jackson

      @Misskbs, i reallywonder who the first weave queen ever was.

      • 8th Wonder

        @Panama Jackson,

        Sojourner Truth. Which is ironic when you really think about it.

  • http://www.strictlyshonta.blogspot.com Strictly Shonta

    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’.

    • shay_d_lady

      @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

      • http://www.strictlyshonta.blogspot.com Strictly Shonta

        @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!

    • http://verysmartbrothas.com Panama Jackson

      @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?

      • Selah

        @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

    • http://www.sistersoundoff.blogspot.com Cheekie

      @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…

      • http://www.strictlyshonta.blogspot.com Strictly Shonta

        @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.

      • Me fail english?

        @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.

  • http://kadeboteh-makeup.blogspot.com/ Misskbs

    One pants leg up…LL (I think)

    • http://headedintherightdirection.blogspot.com Liryc

      @Misskbs, yeah it was LL, and I ‘m glad that trend died as soon as it hit, cause it sure did look stupid!

    • http://verysmartbrothas.com Panama Jackson

      @Misskbs, for my DC folks…

      put ya one leg up…AND PUT YOUR BOOTY ON THE FLOOR…

      • http://www.strictlyshonta.blogspot.com Strictly Shonta

        @Panama Jackson,

        LOL!! I must admit. I tried this. I FAILED! I lacked balance. One leg of support did not work for me!

    • http://www.sistersoundoff.blogspot.com Cheekie

      @Misskbs,

      HAHA…I just commented on overit’s post that I did this.

  • overit

    one overall strap down! lil overit was doing big thangs!

    • Ivy St.

      @overit,
      TLC?

      • http://www.strictlyshonta.blogspot.com Strictly Shonta

        @Ivy St.,

        I thought that may have been Kris Kross, I could be wrong though. I do remember TLC doing that as well.

        • miss t-lee

          @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.

          • http://verysmartbrothas.com Panama Jackson

            @miss t-lee, folks were doign taht way before then.

            i swear i saw ninjas in roots with the one strap down.

      • http://musicmakesmehigh.wordpress.com Reecie

        @Ivy St., TLC and Another Bad Creation. remember them? Kris Kross were about wearing their clothes backwards (something I never did).

      • overit

        @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.

        • http://musicmakesmehigh.wordpress.com Reecie

          @overit, love it.

        • 8th Wonder

          @overit,

          hands down one of the best girl power songs eva!

      • luvtheshoes

        @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.

    • http://www.sistersoundoff.blogspot.com Cheekie

      @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.

  • charli skipp

    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.

    • shay_d_lady

      @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”

      • http://www.strictlyshonta.blogspot.com Strictly Shonta

        @shay_d_lady,

        Go ahead and rep that NORFF NORFF!!!
        Hood credit = good credit? WoW…thanks for the break down.

      • overit

        @shay_d_lady, shawty walk like, talk like, KNOW DAT SHE DA SH**!

        holla!

    • Sula

      @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…

  • charli skipp

    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.

    • shay_d_lady

      @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

      • http://www.strictlyshonta.blogspot.com Strictly Shonta

        @shay_d_lady,
        Girl you know that MAC lip glass is on point!

    • http://verysmartbrothas.com Panama Jackson

      @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.

      • http://www.strictlyshonta.blogspot.com Strictly Shonta

        @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!

    • http://www.sistersoundoff.blogspot.com Cheekie

      @charli skipp,

      People listened to what Lil’ Mama told them to do? o_O