ontd original: Black musicians in the 90s with their own sitcoms

Hello hello hello hello. It is almost time for "Acknowledge Black People" Month for Capitalism, so why not look at some somewhat hidden Sitcoms starring black musicians from the 90s?

I wanted to include the lesser-known ones, so no "Fresh Prince" or "Moesha'. I'm 100% sure I'm missing one or two, but here we go. I'll post the Intros if I can find them.

In The House, starring LL Cool J.

src

From: 1995 - 1999

Plot:
You get 2! First is out of work football player Marion Hill (LL Cool J), who rents out his home to a single mother (Debbie Allen) and her two children while he works at a health clinic with an overzealous woman named Tonia (Kim Wayans). In Season 3, the mother moved to New York and leaves her daughter in Marion's care. A doctor shows up in season 3 (Alfonso "Where The White Women At" Ribeiro) to help with the clinic, and everyone grows as people and shit.

Also takes place in the Fresh Prince Universe for at least the first 2 seasons, as Alfonso shows up as Carlton and Tatiyana as Ashley, but James Avery shows up as a nameless judge with all the qualities of Philip.

Find It On: Youtube, Aspire network.

Out All Night, starring Patti Labelle

src
From 1992 - 1993

While very short lived, it had a host of talent, from Patti Labelle to Vivica A.Fox, Tahj Mowery (Pre-Smart Guy), and Moris Chestnut. Is part of the Fresh Prince of Bel Air universe, despite apparently having none of those stars on any of the 19 episodes.

Find It: On Youtube. But somehow the theme song isn't on YT. Did it have one? I mean, it had to, sung by Ms. Patti, right? oop I found it.

Where I Live with Doug E. Doug

Despite not watching much of this, the theme song lives rent free in my head.
src


From: 1993 to 1993. With 2 seasons. Interesting!

I watched a handful of episodes; The topics were a bit more thoughtful than other sitcoms of the day; I remember one where the children were shocked their mother performed nude on Broadway (?), with the moral being adults having their own lives outside of their relationships to their children.

Find it On: Youtube, I think.

On Our Own with The Smollett Family



From 1994 to 1995.
src

(Tbh I'm just assuming someone in this family made music in the 90s)

Was about the eldest brother pretending to be an aunt in drag to keep together his family of 6 younger siblings after their parents die. Retooled in a second season where he got full custody, so the drag aspect was dropped. I had no idea the majority of the Smollett family were actors, the two most prolific being, of course, Jussie and Jurnee.

Find It: I think Youtube, but I'm not sure.

src: the 90s

General black sitcom nostalgia post. might make another one about that time from the mid 90s to early 00s where UPN was eating the girls up with good black content, and how Girlfriends is apparently in the Frasier television universe.