Gen Z is Bringing the 90s Back. But Can They Sing Along to These 90s Words of Wisdom?

No Diggity by Blackstreet, Dr. Dre

Lyric:
Strictly biz, she don’t play around
Cover much ground, got game by the pound
Getting paid is her forte
Each and every day, true player way

Lesson:
Ladies, go get paid. Decide what you want, and take what’s yours. Handle your business, do what you need to do, and don’t let anyone tell you differently. Anyone who is threatened by successful women is clearly a child. Play on, playettes.

Wannabe by The Spice Girls

Lyric:
Oh, what do you think about that
Now you know how I feel
Say, you can handle my love, are you for real
(Are you for real)
I won’t be hasty, I’ll give you a try
If you really bug me then I’ll say goodbye

Yo, I’ll tell you what I want, what I really, really want
So tell me what you want, what you really, really want
I wanna, (ha) I wanna, (ha) I wanna, (ha) I wanna, (ha)
I wanna really, really, really wanna zigazig ah

Lesson:
Healthy relationships that last forever come from direct, honest, and kind communication!
To develop the friendships and relationships that you want, you need to both share openly and also be a safe person to talk to. Bonus if they understand you when you say “zigazig ah”!

If there’s anything true about Gen Z, it’s that they’re pretty close to understanding this one. Though sometimes a bit blunt, they speak their minds and aren’t afraid to say what they need.

Under the Bridge by Red Hot Chili Peppers

Lyric:
I don’t ever wanna feel
Like I did that day
Take me to the place I love
Take me all the way

Lesson:
Hit your lows, let them suck, and then do what you love. Loneliness is real and life can be really difficult sometimes. But slipping into unhealthy coping mechanisms when we stay in the lows instead of letting them pass without judgment is not how you get to the place you love.

California Love by 2Pac, Roger, Dr. Dre

Lyric:
California knows how to party
California knows how to party
In the city of L.A
In the city of good ol’ Watts
In the city, the city of Compton
We keep it rockin’, we keep it rockin’

Lesson:
Sometimes you just need to keep it rockin’ by having a good time in a great town (and by putting out a classic g-funk rap song.)

1979 by The Smashing Pumpkins

Lyric:
You and I should meet
June bug skipping like a stone
With the headlights pointed at the dawn
We were sure we’d never see an end to it all

Lesson:
Ahh, the restlessness of leaving teendom and heading into adulthood. Both wanting freedom and being unsure of what lies ahead of the bend–driving with the windows down and feeling your world change. This song is telling you to soak in that feeling of the unknown, find joy during the transition phases, and figure the rest out when you arrive.

Dear Gen Z, you got this.
We’ve all been there, and we still don’t really know what we’re doing. Welcome to the party. Play some 2Pac.
Love, Gen X and Millennials

Good Vibrations by Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch

Lyric:
Marky Mark and I’m here to move you
Rhymes will groove you
And I’m here to prove to you
That we can party on the positive side
And pump positive vibes
So come along for the ride
Making you feel the rhythm is my occupation
So feel the vibration
Come on come on
Feel it feel it
Feel the vibration

Lesson:
Other than the obvious lesson to have fun, stay positive, and dance through life–another huge takeaway is that if you stop rapping, a whole new generation will know you as a dad actor instead of Marky Mark. (We’re looking at you, Mark Wahlberg.) Oh, and that everyone needs to get themselves their own “Funky Bunch” to have fun with!

Say My Name by Destiny’s Child

Lyric:
Any other day
I would call and you would say
Baby how’s your day
But today, it ain’t the same
Every other word
Is “uh-huh” yeah “okay”
Could it be that you
Are at the crib with another lady
If you took it there
First of all, let me say
I am not the one
To sit around, and be played
So prove yourself to me
I am the girl that you claim
Why don’t you say the things
That you said to me yesterday

Lesson:
This is like the 3rd warning of red flags. LEAVE THEM. HEAL YOURSELF. It’s not your job to rehabilitate partners with attachment issues.

Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It by Will Smith

Lyric:
Now honey, honey, come ride
DKNY all up in my eye
You gotta Prada bag with a lotta stuff in it (uh, uh, uh)
Give it to your friend, let’s spin
Everybody lookin’ at me, glancin’ the kid
Wishin’ they was dancin’ the jig
Here with this handsome kid
Ciga-cigar right from Cuba-Cuba
I just bite it
It’s for the look, I don’t light it

Lesson:
When you look good, you feel good. Whether you’re still rocking the skinny jeans or bringing it back to the 90s baggy jeans, all that matters is how you feel. Confidence attracts. Cool is a state of mind. And jiggy is all of that rolled into one. (But please, skip the smoking trend. It’s for the look…don’t light it. Those of us who fell into the “coolness” trap have some serious regrets.)

The Sign by Ace of Base

Lyric:
I saw the sign and it opened up my eyes
I saw the sign
No one’s gonna drag you up
To get into the light where you belong
But where do you belong?

Lesson:
It’s hard to recognize a mess when you’re in the middle of it. Open your eyes, dust yourself up, get up, and have fun!

Who Will Save Your Soul by Jewel

Lyric:
Who will save your souls?
When it comes to the flowers now
Who will save your souls?
After all those lies that you told, boy
Now, who will save your souls?
If you won’t save your own?

Lesson:
Do your best every day to stay within your values. Life hurts when you live out of alignment. (P.S. As the self-care generation, Gen Z does a pretty good job of this too– They’re quick to set boundaries and follow their dreams, even if they don’t make sense to everyone else.)

Though some of us may cringe at the 90s making a comeback, Gen X-ers and Millennials are pretty proud to see younger generations learning from our mistakes. Gen Z, you’re allowed to bring certain trends back, but please, always keep emotional healing and personal growth as trends.

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