Here’s What 21 Of Your Favorite ’90s Black Icons Are Up To Today

The ’90s blessed us with so many proficient Black icons, a lot of whom went on to turn out to be even greater stars immediately. Their affect unfold throughout motion pictures, TV, music, and style.

Here’s what 21 ’90s Black icons are as much as immediately:

1.

THEN: Nia Long’s breakout position was Brandi in Boyz n the Hood. She additionally starred in motion pictures like Soul Food and The Best Man.

NOW: In 2022, she reprised her position in The Best Man: The Final Chapters. In 2023, she’s set to star in two motion pictures — You People and Missing.

NOW: Chilli went on to pursue a solo profession alongside her releases with TLC. She additionally starred on a number of actuality reveals, most lately showing on Girls Cruise in 2019. More lately, she made headlines by going Instagram official with Matthew Lawrence.

3.

THEN: After rising to fame as Ricky in Boyz n the Hood, Morris Chestnut went onto play notable roles in reveals like C-16: FBI and flicks like The Best Man.

NOW: In 2022, he reprised the position of Lance Sullivan in The Best Man: The Final Chapters. He additionally acquired a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

4.

THEN: Naomi Campbell was certainly one of solely six fashions to earn the title of “supermodel.” However, she was heralded as “the reigning megamodel of them all.”

NOW: In 2022, the University for the Creative Arts awarded her an honorary doctorate for the worldwide influence she made on the style trade. Then, she rang in 2023 along with her daughter, who was born in 2021.

5.

THEN: Will Smith started his performing profession starring on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and set a private objective to turn out to be “the biggest movie star in the world.” Alongside launching his solo music profession, he starred in motion pictures like Independence Day and Men in Black.

NOW: In 2022, he gained a string of Best Actor awards for King Richard, together with an Oscar, a BAFTA, and a Golden Globe. He additionally started government producing the Fresh Prince reimagined drama Bel-Air. His movie Emancipation premiered on the finish of the yr.

6.

THEN: Karyn Parsons performed Hilary Banks on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

NOW: In 2005, she launched Sweet Blackberry, a content material firm that educates kids in regards to the unsung heroes of Black historical past. In 2019, she revealed her debut novel, How High the Moon. She additionally authored two image books — Flying Free: How Bessie Coleman’s Dreams Took Flight in 2020 and Saving the Day in 2021.

7.

THEN: Halfway by the primary season of Family Matters, Jaleel White visitor starred as Steve Urkel. The character was so well-liked that he grew to become a collection common.

NOW: In 2021, he launched a hashish model known as ItsPurpl, which incorporates variants of the “Purple Urkle” pressure. He additionally continued to behave, showing in motion pictures like Hustle (2022) and reveals like Family Reunion (2021).

8.

THEN: Lark Voorhies performed Lisa Turtle on Saved by the Bell. She additionally visitor starred on Family Matters and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

NOW: From 2020 to 2021, she reprised her position on Peacock’s Saved by the Bell revival.

9.

THEN: In the ’90s, Brandy earned eight Grammy nominations. In 1999, she gained the award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for “The Boy Is Mine” with Monica. She additionally starred within the sitcom Moesha and the film Cinderella.

10.

THEN: In the early ’90s, Queen Latifah earned 4 Grammy nominations for Best Rap Solo Performance, and she or he lastly gained in ’95. Meanwhile, she starred on the sitcom Living Single then launched her discuss present The Queen Latifah Show.

NOW: She’s starred on and government produced the crime drama The Equalizer since 2021.

11.

THEN: After responding to an audition name in {a magazine} advert, Mel B (whose actual identify is Melanie Brown) joined the Spice Girls. Nicknamed Scary Spice, she was a part of the best-selling woman group of all time.

NOW: In 2022, she was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire for service to survivors of home violence. Later that yr, she acquired engaged to Rory McPhee.

12.

THEN: Tia Mowry had a starring position on Sister, Sister alongside her twin sister Tamera.

NOW: From 2019-2022, she starred on the Netflix sitcom Family Reunion. In 2021, she revealed her second cookbook, Quick Fix Kitchen, and launched a houseware line, Spice by Tia Mowry, with Gibson. In 2022, she introduced her separation from her husband, Cory Hardrict, however celebrated their marriage as successful.

13.

THEN: Alongside her twin sister Tia, Tamera Mowry starred on the sitcom Sister, Sister.

NOW: In 2020, Tamera Mowry-Housley signed an total cope with Crown Media, the corporate that owns the Hallmark Channel. Since then, she’s been in Hallmark motion pictures and hosted the discuss present Home & Family till its cancellation in 2021. She’s additionally hosted the HGTV competitors present Table Wars since 2021.

14.

THEN: Already a massively profitable artist, Janet Jackson launched into her Rhythm Nation World Tour in 1990. It grew to become the most profitable debut tour in historical past. She then signed a brand new report cope with Virgin Records, which made her the highest-paid recording artist on the time. She continued to make historical past with a number of chart-topping albums and singles.

NOW: In early 2022, Janet launched a two-part tell-all documentary, wherein she mentioned the unfavourable influence the wardrobe malfunction that Justin Timberlake induced throughout their 2004 Super Bowl halftime efficiency had on her profession. In 2023, she’s embarking on the Together Again tour. She additionally promised that she has new music coming.

15.

THEN: Toni Braxton began her music profession along with her sisters as a member of The Braxtons, however she launched her self-titled debut solo album in 1993. It went #1 on the Billboard charts and gained her three Grammys. Her second album, Secrets, gained two extra Grammys. She additionally made her Broadway debut taking part in Belle in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast.

NOW: In 2020, Toni signed a brand new report cope with Island Records and launched her tenth album, Spell My Name. In 2021, she competed on The Masked Singer, and in 2022, she starred within the Lifetime film Fallen Angels Murder Club.

16.

THEN: Haddaway’s debut single, “What Is Love,” reached #1 on the charts in 13 nations.

NOW: He launched his newest single, “And Now,” in 2021.

17.

THEN: Lauryn Hill rose to musical prominence with the Fugees, whose sophomore album, The Score, topped the Billboard 200 and gained two Grammys. After the band cut up, she launched her legendary solo album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, which gained 5 Grammys. It’s nonetheless celebrated for bringing hip-hop to the mainstream and opening new doorways for girls in music.

NOW: Lauryn famously by no means launched one other album, however she’s sometimes launched singles over time. Most lately, she was featured on Teyana Taylor’s 2020 observe “We Got Love” and Nas’s 2021 single “Nobody.”

18.

THEN: Missy Elliott began her music profession as a part of Sista however launched her acclaimed debut solo album, Supa Dupa Fly, in 1997. She additionally grew to become identified for her frequent collaborations with Timbaland.

NOW: In 2021, she grew to become the primary feminine rapper inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. She additionally obtained a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 2022, her hometown of Portsmouth, Virginia renamed a portion of McLean Street to Missy Elliott Boulevard in her honor.

19.

THEN: Beyoncé rose to fame as a member of Destiny’s Child. The group discovered immense success towards the top of the last decade with singles like “Bills, Bills, Bills” and “No, No, No.”

NOW: As a solo artist, Beyoncé grew to become a cultural icon. Her most up-to-date launch was the extremely anticipated 2022 album Renaissance. It was her seventh album in a row to debut at #1 on the Billboard charts.

20.

THEN: Tyra Banks’s modeling profession began off robust when she booked 25 reveals throughout her 1991 Paris Fashion Week debut. She was the primary Black lady on the covers of each GQ and the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. She was additionally the primary Black Victoria’s Secret contract mannequin and canopy mannequin.

NOW: Since 2020, Tyra’s been internet hosting Dancing with the Stars.

21.

THEN: And lastly, Samuel L. Jackson performed primarily minor roles till 1991’s Jungle Fever. He went on to play key roles in a few of the most iconic movies of the last decade, together with Jurassic Park, Pulp Fiction (which earned him an Oscar nom), and Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace.

NOW: In 2022, he obtained an Honorary Academy Award, a lifetime achievement award that was offered by Denzel Washington. In 2023, he is set to reprise the position of Nick Fury in two Marvel productions — the miniseries Secret Invasion and the film The Marvels.