Rap Rewind: These Black TV Sitcoms From the 90s Featured Rappers as Guest Stars
Plenty of rappers graced the the small screen in the 90s. Read to revisit 90s Black sitcom episodes that featured cameos from hip-hop artists!
By Bleu MagazineDec. 21 2023, Published 2:19 p.m. ET
The 90s were marked by vibrant beats, explosive talent, and good vibes. It was a golden era of hip-hop when many of the greats started making their music.
Back then, hip-hop was more than a genre — it was a cultural movement mirroring the realities of the social issues in the hood, and at the other end of the spectrum, the spoils of success.
Hip-hop reached new heights when rappers began appearing on popular sitcoms and movies — all the while maintaining their authenticity and connection to the streets.
Check out some examples of when 90s rappers made cameos in Black sitcoms below!
Naughty by Nature — “Living Single” (Season 2, Episode 24)
Hip-Hop group Naughty By Nature (l to r: Vinny aka Vin Rock, Vincent Brown; Treach aka Anthony Criss; DJ Kay Gee aka Keir Lamont Gist) appears in a portrait taken on February 10, 1993 in Brooklyn, New York.
In Season 2, Episode 24 of Living Single, Khadijah (played by rapper-turned-actress Queen Latifah) tries to secure an interview with her childhood friend Vinny, who is now in the rap group Naughty By Nature. Vin Rock, Treach, and DJ Kay Gee played themselves in this episode.
Lil Kim — “Moesha” (Season 6, Episode 22)
Lil' Kim and Brandy at Fashion Cafe in New York City, New York, United States
In Season 6, Episode 22 of Moesha, real-life brother and sister duo Ray J and Brandy shared a screen with "Wait a Minute" rapper Lil Kim.
Lil Kim played Diamond, the girlfriend of one of Dorian’s friends from college. In a turn of events, Moesha and Dorian's little brother, Miles, got kidnapped. Lil Kim's character was an accomplice to the crime.
Goodie Mob — “Sister, Sister” (Season 6, Episode 6)
CeeLo Green and Goodie Mob attend the party for Nineth Annual Billboard Music Awards on December 6, 1998 at the MGM Grant Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Tia and Tamera's dad, Ray's career as a politician interfered with his parenting in Season 6, Episode 6 of Sister, Sister.
He saw hip-hop as a troublesome genre for young adults and supported a bill that banned big concerts on campus. Goodie Mob performed at the college as themselves, which ultimately won Ray over.
Goodie Mob group member Cee-Lo explained to MTV: "The show was about the negative aspects of life portrayed in rap music.
"We were there to represent a positive [side], cause the girls' father doesn't like rap music, and he was listening to us and was like, 'OK, I like that.' So, it worked out pretty good," he added.
The Notorious B.I.G. — "Martin" (Season 4, Episode 3)
Season 4 of Martin sees Biggie Smalls play himself as the cast competes to impress him. The friends hilariously perform at their very best for a chance to be signed by Biggie.
Rap duo OutKast also made an appearance on the sitcom during Season 3, Episode 18, titled " All The Players Came." During this episode, Martin hosts a Playa's Ball where Isaac Hayes, Coolio, Pam Grier, and other guests star as themselves.
Lil Zane — "The Parkers" (Season 3, Episode 15)
Rapper Lil Zane (Zane R. Copeland, Jr.) poses for photos on location in Soho in New York, New York in July 2000.
Lil Zane made an appearance in one of the most memorable episodes of The Parkers. In it, T (Ken Lawson) started hanging out with Lil Zane and neglecting his own rap group — Freestyle Unity. This led Nikki Parker (played by Monique) to join in on the episode's shenanigans and get the gang back together again.
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