‘Sister Sister, talk about two-way twister..’

It’s the original theme tune for me!

Sister Sister was introduced in 1994 and gave us six amazing seasons. Thanks to Netflix, we are now able to relive all them great moment.

As summarized by IMDB, identical twins Tamera Campbell (Tamera Mowry) and Tia Landry (Tia Mowry) were separated at birth and adopted by different families. One day while Tamera is shopping at the mall with her father Ray (Tim Reid), she comes face to face with her twin sister Tia as she is on her shopping journey with her mother Lisa (Jackée Harry). Lisa is offered a job in a new city, but the girls don’t want to be separated again so Lisa and Tia move into Ray and Tamera’s home so the girls can remain together.

What made this show so phenomenal was being able to see Tia and Tamera, real life twins, grow up from young girls into incredible young women. By breaking the fourth wall we were able to build an authentic connection with the two girls, which made us feel like family. Sister Sister was a hit, with amazing ratings similar to those of The Cosby show and even surpassing Friends at one point in the charts.

One of the reasons why Sister Sister was so popular was their outfits. Tia and Tamera were able to switch it up in every episode. I must their wardrobe was a bit questionable in the earlier seasons, but hey, that’s the 90's for you. Another reason why Sister Sister was such a hit, was their guest appearances and live performances. They had acts such as 702 ,Goodie Mob, and they even had Tyrese throwing it down in one episode.

Sister Sister was filled with so much talent. The leading cast were a triple threat, In several episodes we were able to watch Tia and Tamera entertain us by singing and dancing. We also got a taste of Marques Houston who played Roger kick start his singing career on the show. The show was also a platform for many up and coming actors. We got introduced to talent such as Taraji P. Henson, Gabrielle Union, Christina Milian in the early stages of their career.

Show business isn't always glitz and glam. It’s hard being young and on television but it’s evidently harder being young and back in an industry that is working against you. Over the years Tia and Tamera both expressed the hardships of being black and growing up in a predominantly white industry. In Tia’s youtube channel Tia Mowry’s Quick Fix, she addresses the struggles of creating a black sitcom on a lower budget than their white counterparts and working twice as hard for half of the recognition.

Further along in the video, Tia touched on the beauty standards regarding her hair. Both have addressed their relationship with their hair while being on the show. We all saw in early seasons both sisters rocking their beautiful natural curls. However, as the seasons went on, both girls decided to have their hair flat iron, to fit into what was socially considered as ‘sexy’. ‘I was insecure about my curly hair, these insecurities came because I didn't see these images... women with curly hair and natural hair being portrayed as beautiful’. But as the years have gone on both Tia and Tamera have gone back to their natural curls, unapologetically rocking different hairstyles and sharing tricks on how to maintain it on their online platforms.

Both their journeys have been truly incredible and up-lifting.

But wait, no Sister Sister reboot

"Ohh, maaaan!”

Videos mentioned;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2t89ZvZ_RT8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdwHcAOfHEg

Up Next:

Moesha

1996- 2001

90’s Sitcom

90’s black sitcoms gave us laughter, fashion, culture and most importantly representation. The 90’s was truly the golden age, it was the decade with the most black sitcom to date. Thanks to the 80’s, that paved the way for more black leads with shows like The Cosby Show.

It’s unfortunate that many sitcoms got cancelled leading up to the 2000s. But it was an era that gave black people an opportunity to introduce the black experience by giving it a platform. Black people were able showcase their talents and challenge many stereotypes fabricated over the years in television. However, there are those who would argue that the 90’s weren't all that great and that many of the sitcoms enforced these stereotypes rather than trying to dismantle them. They have been criticised for falling into the trap of colourism, with many shows dening dark skinned women the lead role while portraying them as angry and ghetto.

Overall, the 90’s was only just the beginning, it gave television a taste of what creative black individuals were cable off. Many 90’s sitcoms laid the foundation in which many black creators now seek inspiration from. It opened the doors for many young actresses /actors that we have grown to love.

It’s amazing to see how growing up in Britain many of us still found familiarity and were able to identify with many of these characters, even though these shows were based on the black American experience. Goes to show how important representation is and how the black experience is universal and by capturing it, we are able to connect with our brothers and sisters across the globe.

Join us as we walk down memory lane and relive all these monumental moments.

Coming up >

Sister Sister

1994 - 1999

Jazmine Sullivan Heaux Tales - Album Review

A well-executed project! Jazmine Sullivan does not miss.

Heaux Tales is the new EP from Jazmine Sullivan. The 14 track project is a collection of songs and spoken-word interludes from different women sharing their experiences and insights into love and Sex. The production and instruments are stripped back with a mellow flow which mirrors the vibe of many songs on the EP, this drives the narrative along, making it the focal point of the project. The titled EP reads (Heaux as Ho) embodying the intimate and rawness of the EP. The first song is called Bodies which sets the tone of the entire project as Jazmine delves into self reflection.

Can we just take a moment to appreciate Jazmine's vocal range.....

The project has some amazing features, one being with Ari Lennox (a collaboration you didn’t know you needed until they put it ’On It’). I don't know about you but I do love a good storytime with Ari. Ari's tale had me pondering on who 'Put it Down' and made our good sis contemplate ruining her career and depriving us of good music? (I'm asking for a friend).

The two ladies strip it back in the track On It to create a more intimate, inviting experience by taking a more smooth and sensual approach. Other features include Anderson.Paak with the song 'Pricetag' which I believe has one of the best hooks in the project, It reminded me of early hip hop infused with robust vocals.

The vocals in this projects is comprise with undoubtedly the best female R&B singers today, with H.E.R in 'Girl Like Me' and Ari Lennox. All three women are truly doing bits and are all icons and will be around for a long time.

The EP is a conversation starter, touching on many points, many of which contradicts one another. There’s no linear message, the project branches out, presenting multiples lenses and food for thought. Antoinette’s Tale explores the idea that women should have agency over their bodies and have the rights to do whatever they want. On the flip side in Donna's Tale states that for the most part women still use their bodies to get what they want even in marriages. While some women may feel empowered through sex, there are others who are left feeling Insecure. That’s what makes Heaux Tales so captivating, it offers different female perspectives that many listeners can relate to. Modern day R&B is heading in a direction where female artists are given the freedom to express themselves unapologetically without the disapproval of men. The days of men thinking they have rights to a woman's body are over! 'Don't forget to come and Pick Up Your Feelings’

In Precious’ Tale, the young woman shares how her childhood impacted how she perceives life, love and relationships and will not settle with a man that does not meet her financial expectations. Don't be mad at a woman who knows her worth. We all perceive love and relationships differently, our mindset steams from different things such as past relationships to personal experiences and traumas. Jazmine is in-tuned with modern day relationships, each track acts as window into women's mind and their realities.

Overall the tales and songs in this EP are presented in a way that is non judgemental and are not over looked. They all have an equal standing, even though not all women may aspire to certain ideals addressed in some of the songs. Jazmine takes a mature and thoughtful approach with no negative connotation or bias point of view. The EP is about acceptance and feeling liberated which is reflected in Jazmine's vocal range and ad libs as she floats between different tones while maintaining a soulful tempo making each song unique and addictive. The stories are brought to life with Jazmine's raw singing approach. She details a person's life experiences and their thought process that stretches far beyond just merely existing but acknowledging different perspectives and bringing them to life.

If you haven’t already check out Jazmine Sullivan's EP Heaux Tales

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeP--wHHiy8