From ten-year-olds to our teenage years, childhood crushes are sure to brin a sense of nostalgia to anyone. We grow along with them and to see them grow also inspires us. This article reveals how our goddesses are now and the number of wrinkles you can count off their skin. See for yourself how they were then and are now!
Tiffani Thiessen
Tiffani would take part in multiple beauty pageants before landing her first big role as Kelly in Saved By The Bell and its many spinoffs. This gave her reputation a boost which led to her film debut in Son In Law.
After the sequel to Saved By The Bell was announced, Tiffani would reprise her role as Kelly, guest-starring in three episodes. She has also been announced to be the host for MTV’s spinoff comedy show Ridiculousness, Deliciousness.
Keira Knightley
This legend has had many cult classic roles including playing the handmaiden of Padme in Star Wars Episode 1. Her roles in Pirates of the Caribbean and Love Actually have helped her to cement her role as a professional actor.
She is set to appear in two projects with one being a Christmas-based comedy and the other a book adaptation. Keira Knightley is a known philanthropist as she has hosted a live stream to help those dealing with the consequences of the pandemic.
Jennifer Connelly
Jennifer made way as a child model and had many commercial appearances before landing her big role in Once Upon A Time In America. She also played Betty Ross, the love interest of Bruce Banner in earlier MCU movies.
Conelly has been regarded as the face of a few fashion brands including Balenciaga and Louis Vuitton and has done a few adverts for Revlon. Right now, she is the wife of Paul Bettany and they have three children together.
Jennifer Grey
Her role in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is what launched her career into the spotlight. This led to her being able to show off more of her talents in Dirty Dancing, for which she rightly earned a Golden Globe award.
She starred as Judy Meyers in Red Oaks and has also voiced characters in animated projects such as Phineas and Ferb and Duck Duck Goose. She had done a medical checkup for her neck problems but the culprit was cancer. Thankfully, it was treated before it became dangerous.
Britney Spears
The princess of pop needs no introduction as she was the one to influence a new generation of the ‘90s to 2000s kids with her music. She has made a few film appearances and her issues have put her under a peculiar spotlight.
Britney has come out and has spoken up about how her father and management abused her and is now in a legal battle over her conservatorship. This has led to many celebrities rising in support of the #FreeBritney movement.
Sarah Michelle Geller
This heartthrob of the 2000s won all of our hearts with her appearance as the titular character Buffy from Buffy The Vampire Slayer. Her appearances as Daphne in the live-action Scooby-Doo movies made her even more of a fan favorite.
She is now a proud married mother of two but has still found time to maintain her acting career. On the Netflix series, Masters Of The Universe, she voices Teela. She has an upcoming role in the comedy series, Hot Pink and has also released a cookbook.
Marley Shelton
This American actress starred as Wendy Peffercorn in The Sandlot, which brought her into the limelight. Pleasantville, Sugar & Spice, Never Been Kissed are the other teen films that make her career more remarkable.
She is still working on the big screen and maintaining her appearance for her fans. Shelton is said to be working in the fifth sequel of Scream and boy, are we screaming! On the more personal side, Shelton is finally married to Beau Flynn, a film producer whom she has been with for 22 years!
Drew Barrymore
It’s old news that this American sweetheart has gathered all the attention and love with her smile. Despite being a Hollywood royal family member, Drew Barrymore got her fame as a child actress in E.T.
She has been always in the spotlight since she was a little girl. Drew is a person who can literally do anything now that she’s being back in action after ages. Currently, with her new talk show, she is trying to bring inspiration, information, and entertainment to this generation.
Danica McKellar
Danica McKellar is an American actress, an education advocate, and a mathematics writer. She played the most adorable Winnie Cooper role in The Wonder Years from 1988 to 1993 and was and still is a crush of every teen and tween watching the show.
Mckellar is indeed a mathematician and inspires young girls with fun math books. This stunning lady has been the voice of Judy Jetson since 2017. She has published a paper and starred in the Netflix original series Project Mc2.
Christine Lakin
This American actress is popularly known for the role Al on the series Step by Step. Moreover, in Showtime’s Reefer Madness, she performed as Joan of Arc. Speaking of history, guess who was the sidekick in Craig Kilborn’s talk show The Kilborn File.
Christine Helen Lakin mentions that she is happy with her husband Bradon Breault and two kids. Other than acting and offering voice-overs in series such as sitcom Family Guy, she may be found doing blogs being a mom.
Michelle Trachtenberg
A teen favourite, Trachtenberg is known for her role in EuroTrip and Buffy the Vampire Slayer among others. In a nutshell, she did some pretty good films and a score of commercials, a fun actress indeed.
Not being able to go further as an actress, Miss Georgina Sparks decided to focus on writing. She was inspired to be a writer when she performed in Harriet The Spy. After closing the Hollywood door, she is focusing on her new hobby and has quite a fan following.
Kirsten Dunst
In the early ‘80s, beauty queen Kirsten Caroline Dunst gained recognition for her role as Claudia the child Vampire, thus winning a Golden Globe nomination. This little victory led to successes such as hit movies Little Women, Jumanji, and Spiderman.
Kirsten was supposed to appear in the Showtime series On Becoming a God in Central Florida although canceled due to the pandemic. The 39-year old diva has welcomed her second child to the world and is now hopeful about a small wedding.
Alyssa Milano
This American actress started her career at the age of seven. Over the years, Alyssa has been a heartthrob for many and a multitasker. Alyssa got her fame in Who’s the Boss by playing the Samantha Micelli character.
Being a political activist for organizations such as UNICEF and PETA, she took part in the Me Too movement in 2017 to support suppressed women. She is now a happily married woman with two children. Although she tested positive for the virus that is causing the ongoing pandemic, she is healthy now.
Tami Stronach
An inspiring actress, Tami Stronach is half-Israeli and half-Scottish. It was when she was studying that she got the proposal as a child actress in The Never Ending Story.
Aside from working in films and dancing, she is an esteemed professor. Recently she has returned to her acting career. Stronach was involved in the Neta Dance Troop. Now, the 49-year-old professor is a proud mother of a 3-year-old.
Anna Chlumsky
Anna Chlumsky is a popular American actress; who started her career when she was a child. She is popularly known for the lead role named Vada Sultenfuss in the movie My Girl and the 1994 sequel; which brought her fame in Hollywood.
Later she entered the show business at an early age and modeled with her mother in many advertising campaigns. Chlumsky is currently working in different drama series and maintaining her legacy on the big screen. On a personal note, she married an Army officer and this couple has two beautiful daughters.
Madeline Zima
Madeline Zima, the graceful American actress performed as Grace Sheffield on the CBS sitcom The Nanny, and later as Mia Lewis in the Showtime Comedy-drama series named Californication.
Already a star, Zima premiered as Gretchen Berg on the NBC series Heroes. Madeline has continued to make her appearances in movies and TV series. Her recent crime-fighting move Insight didn’t receive the ratings she was hoping for. Yet she pulls off an estimated net worth of a whopping $1.5 million.
Diane Franklin
Initially, she would appear in commercials for Coca-Cola and Trident before moving to the big screen. Her first major role was in The Last American Virgin and she would later appear in Amityville 2.
Afterward, she would play roles in a few comedy films including Better Off Dead. She reprised her role in the 2018 Amityville drama playing the role of Louise Defeo. Franklin is married to Rey De Laurentis and they have two children, one daughter, and one son.
Christine Taylor
Taylor’s most prominent roles include Marcia Brady in The Brady Bunch and its sequel but her first screen appearance was as a lifeguard on the Nickelodeons children’s show, Hey Dude. In 2001, she would go on to star in Zoolander along with her husband.
She reprised her role on Arrested Development after its revival and has also guest-starred in the Cult Classic Disney series, Hannah Montana. She has a recurring role as Gail on Search Party and has so far appeared in 10 episodes.
Christina Applegate
Her chance to shine in the spotlight came after she played the role of Kelly Bundy on Married With Children. People may also remember her guest-starring in Friends as the sister of Rachel.
This earned her a primetime Emmy award for her appearance. She had a role on the critically acclaimed Netflix show, Dead To Me, which she also produced. This earned her another Emmy along with a nomination for a Golden Globe. She has founded Right Action For Women, which assists women with breast cancer.
Gillian Anderson
We have known this charming one previously as a fox and now, well, a cougar. Back in 1993 after her time as a computer analyst, she was a star in every home that owned a TV due to her role as Dana Scully in The X Files.
It’s delightful to see this woman still playing her role in movies and series with the same charisma. She is a fan favorite as Jean the therapist in the funny series Sex Education.
Elisabeth Shue
This star started her career in The Karate Kid as the love interest of Ralph Macchio. Before that, she made appearances in a few Burger King commercials. She also had a few roles in Back To The Future but she had only been chosen to do smaller roles.
She is currently married to David Guggenheim and they have three kids together. One of her newest leading roles features her on the highly-rated superhero show, The Boys. She has also reprised her role in The Karate Kid spin-off series, Cobra Kai.
Kelly Lebrock
This beauty from the ‘80s started her career as a model at the age of 16 and her talents paved the way for a contract with Christian Dior. She later transitioned to film roles where she was cast as the perfect woman in many movies.
Kelly currently resides on a ranch in California and has given birth to three children. She is a loyal spokesperson of a club that aids children who have cancer. After the passing of her brother in 2008, she spent her time helping the sick.
The Spice Girls
The Spice Girls were a cultural icon for many ‘90s kids and females, who were their main target audience. By the 2000s, they seemed on the verge of disbanding after a disappointing number of album sales. This was later disproved by them.
After a long hiatus, they have gotten together for a few tours and their talents have earned them the 2019 Billboard Live Music Award. They have also had the highest-grossing concert tours out of every female group in the last 20 years.
Jennie Garth
If you are a fan of Beverly Hills, the series, then you probably remember her as Kelly Taylor, the role which began her career. She has had many lead roles in many ‘90s movies including and at that time she had been married to Daniel B.Clark.
The actress has opened up about her troubles with a medical condition that requires constant care for life, known as Leaky Heart Valve. She has made an appearance as a contestant on Masterchef.
Jami Gertz
Gertz was a child actor who later went on to study drama at NYU. Her first important role was in the movie, Endless Love which brought her to new heights of fame. This led to her appearing in a few sitcoms in a leading or supporting role.
Her leading role in the ABC sitcom, The Neighbors is one of her recent on-screen appearances and she is also currently filming a new movie. She along with her husband are each part owners of the Atlanta Hawks.
Claire Danes
Claire Danes started showing off her talents when she turned six and became interested in acting by nine. She started as Angela Chase in My Sweet life and despite being canceled, it still managed to gain some ground as a cult classic.
Danes also played a CIA agent on Homeland which has grown to be her biggest role yet. She is currently one of the most influential people alive and sits proudly at the top with two Golden Globes and Emmys.
Kristy Swanson
Swanson has been known for many ‘90s movies, which have grown to gather a large cult following. She had roles in the comedic Hot Shot! Starring alongside Charlie Sheen, Swanson is also known for playing Buffy in the Buffy The Vampire Slayer movie.
The 58-year-old now co-stars with her friend Dean Cain in the new 2021 project, Just Another Dream. She had a cameo in an episode of One Tree Hill. In 2009, she got married to Lloyd Eisler with whom she shares a child.
Melissa Joan Hart
Before she was a big star, Hart had been in multiple commercials. She starred in Clarissa Explains It All, a Nickelodeon comedy that had a successful run. Hart also played the original Sabrina The Teenage Witch in the movie and its series.
She is currently most known for starring in Melissa and Joey alongside Joey Lawrence and has transitioned to the role of director after the second season. She alongside her husband has their fashion line called, King Of Harts.
Soleil Moon Frye
Frye originally began her career as a child actor on Punky Brewster. The show wasn’t greeted very well but the character was a hit. She later joined the Sabrina The Teenage Witch cast as Sabrina’s close friend, Roxie.
Frye is the owner of a children’s boutique, which is known to be environmentally friendly. She has released books focused on raising a child and the issues a woman may face. She is also the co-founder of P.S.XO, which sells party kits.
Lea Thompson
Back To The Future fans will recognize this actress as Lorraine Baines. She also had a role in Howard The Duck for which she also sang for the soundtracks but her first impactful role was in Jaws-3D.
She later went on a break to play some roles on Broadway. In 2014, she was a contestant on Dancing With The Stars. She was also cast in the seventh adaptation of Little Women. Thompson is still married to Howard Deutch with whom she had two daughters.
Alicia Silverstone
In 1995, the classic film Clueless introduced us to Alicia Silverstone. It seemed that she was everybody’s girl crush at that time, and from there, she moved on to so much more. From her success with this movie, she earned many other amazing film opportunities.
In 2001, though, she would strike pay dirt when she landed the role of Sharon Spitz on the television series, Braceface. Over the past few years, she returned to television on series like The Baby-Sitters Club.
Danielle Fishel
It seemed like everybody was in love with Topanga Lawrence from Boy Meets World. Danielle Fishel was the actress who played the role, and when the show ended, she took this fame and continued to work off and on for the next decade.
Though nothing was quite as big or as long-running as her previous show, she took the challenge and ventured into voice work as well. Even though she hasn’t worked in the past couple of years, she did reprise Topanga on the Disney Channel television series, Girl Meets World.
Amy Jo Johnson
In the late 1990s, almost every kid and tween were all about the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. That may well have been because several of those youngsters had crazy crushes on the pink ranger, Kimberly, who was played by Amy Jo Johnson.
Though the series would allow her to have a major Hollywood film credit to her name, she continued to work primarily in television afterward. Recently, though, she hasn’t worked very much in television, but rather more in independent films.
Anna Paquin
A New Zealand-Canadian actress, Anna Paquin stole hearts all over the globe when she made her acting debut in romantic-drama The Piano. For this performance, she won an Academy Award at the age of 11, making her the second-youngest winner in Oscar history.
So, it goes without saying that her career really took off from there, as Paquin continued to perform prominent roles into adulthood. Throughout the 2000s, she starred in several films including the X-Men franchise. She’s also featured in American Underdog, which is set to be released this coming month in December 2021.
Natalie Portman
From the first time that Natalie Portman graced the screen in 1994’s Léon: The Professional, people were crushing on her left and right. Not only was she talented, but also beautiful to boot.
She has been working since the moment she set foot in front of the camera. Most recently, she starred in several big-time movies, including a few in the MCU. She has several movies in post and pre-production, including a new addition to the MCU with Thor: Love and Thunder.
Lacey Chabert
Lacey, like many young stars, started her career out in the daytime world of soap operas. However, it wasn’t until she landed the role of Claudia on Party of Five that she began to capture hearts across the globe.
Over the following few decades, she has continued to work in film and television — and even did a little voice work. Most recently, she can be seen in the series, The Crossword Mysteries. Plus, she gave birth to her first child in December 2020.
Katie Holmes
Katie Holmes was another star that found her fame on the hit television series, Dawson’s Creek. In the role of Joey Potter, she became the feature of many people’s dreams. She would take the fame earned from the show and find roles in several big-time Hollywood films as well.
Over the past few years, she not only starred as Jackie Kennedy in mini-series The Kennedys After Camelot — but she has continued landing film work left and right. She’s currently working on a film entitled Rare Objects.
Mila Kunis
Mila Kunis got her start in the entertainment industry as Jackie Burkhart on Fox’s That ’70s Show — and it’s no secret that she lied about her age in order to land the role. There, she would play alongside Ashton Kutcher’s Michael Kelso (little did these two know that they’d end up together in real life!).
Mila’s breakout film role came in 2008 when she portrayed Rachel in Forgetting Sarah Marshall. From then on, her career has only continued to thrive. She’s starring in an upcoming mystery film called Luckiest Girl Alive, currently in post-production.
Liv Tyler
Hollywood royalty Liv Tyler is an actress, producer, singer, and formal model. The daughter of Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler and former Playboy Playmate Bebe Buell, Liv began a career in modeling at just 14 years old. From there, she tried her hand at acting and made her film debut in Silent Fall.
It wasn’t long after that she achieved critical recognition and became best known for her portrayal of Arwen Undómiel in the Lord of the Rings film trilogy. In 2020, Tyler starred in Fox’s 9-1-1: Lone Star but has since left the show due to the pandemic.
Amanda Bynes
Nickelodeon bred several crush-worthy stars throughout the ’90s and 2000s, and one of those has to be Amanda Bynes. Starring in The Amanda Show and All That, Bynes was quite the comedic talent.
From there, she found her way onto another hit television show — as well as tons of hit movies. Although we haven’t seen much of her since 2010 due to personal issues, she’s still one of the biggest girl crushes we’ve ever had.
Larisa Oleynik
Larisa found her fame on the television series, The Secret World of Mack. There, she played the main character that captivated our hearts for four seasons. But, our crush would live on as she matured and found fame on both the small and big screen.
Continuously working since the ’90s, Larisa has recently been busy with two different series. You can see her both on The Healing Powers of Dude as well as Trinkets.
Alexis Bledel
Now a household name, Alexis Bledel got her start in the entertainment industry during the mid-’90s. It wasn’t until 2000, though, that she’d land her breakthrough role as Rory on Gilmore Girls — a portrayal that earned her numerous nominations.
During her time on the show, Bledel also kept busy with film work, starring in several movies including Tuck Everlasting, Sin City, and The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. Today, you can find her as Emily Malek in The Handmaid’s Tale — a portrayal that has actually earned her one Emmy win and numerous nominations.
Blake Lively
A California native, Blake Lively made her professional debut in her father’s 1998 directorial project, Sandman. Still, it wasn’t until The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants that Blake rose to prominence — to the point that she even landed the part of Serena van der Woodsen in CW’s Gossip Girl.
During her time on the show, as well as after, Lively starred in several films including Green Lantern and The Age of Adaline among plenty others. As of 2021, Lively is set to star in Netflix’s movie adaptation of Reddit’s NoSleep novella, We Used to Live Here.
Gabrielle Union
In all honesty, we really can’t get enough of bombshell Gabrielle Union. Although she began her career in the early ’90s, appearing on different TV sitcoms, Union landed her first big supporting role in 1999 with She’s All That and 10 Things I Hate About You.
Her breakthrough role, though, was in 2000’s Bring it On. Throughout the 2000s, the Nebraska native kept busy, starring on both the big screen and small. Listed as one of the 100 most influential people in the world, Union has also written four books — two of which were released in 2021.
Anne Hathaway
Anne Hathaway is an award-winning actress that took the entertainment industry by storm when she first began acting in the late-’90s. Although her parents weren’t initially keen about their daughter pursuing an acting career, she did eventually land the starring roles in The Princess Diaries as well as The Other Side of Heaven — and, as you guessed it, the rest is history.
From The Devil Wears Prada to Les Misérables, the beloved star has been acting ever since. As of 2022, Anne is set to star in upcoming drama miniseries WeCrashed.
Christina Ricci
She made her acting debut at the age of nine and was known for playing characters who had dark personalities such as Wednesday Adams. She was known for children’s movies such as Casper until she started to target a more adult audience.
Ricci has provided the voice of many video game characters and is also the spokesperson for RAINN. Her role in the thriller, Distorted where she plays a bipolar woman was praised as its biggest asset amongst all the critic reviews.
Robyn Lively
The sister to Blake Lively, she like many began a career as a child actor before taking on bigger roles. She had a prominent role in the third installment of The Karate Kid where her character developed a friendship with Ralph.
Later at the age of 19, she would earn an Emmy. Lively is now married with three children but still makes appearances in many TV shows. Her last role on the screen was in two episodes of All Rise where she played Nancy Frost.
Emma Watson
This British actress is easily one of the most recognizable faces due to her portrayal of Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter series of movies. After her success in the previous movie, she would go on to play another successful role in Perks Of Being A Wallflower.
Currently, the stunning sensation is a force to be reckoned with as she is one of the highest-paid actresses around along with being one of the most influential people in the world. She is a supporting figure in the fight for women’s rights.
Hayden Panettiere
Hayden was only eleven months old when she appeared in her first commercial. Her first big role was in One Life To Live and later she would go on to appear in the fourth iteration of the cult classic horror, Scream.
Panettiere has provided the voice of Samantha in the highly-rated game, Until Dawn along with Kairi and Xion in Kingdom Hearts. She also plays an active role in helping others to speak up about domestic abuse after experiencing it herself.
Alexa Vega
The ultimate crush of many children and preteens, she made herself known to the world as Carmen Cortez in Spy Kids where she has been said to do her stunts by herself. She would later appear as the grown-up version of Carmen in All The Time In The World.
She currently shares a YouTube channel with her husband which they named LexLovesUs. Recently they have welcomed their third child into the family whom they named Rio Rey PenaVega.
These 30+ Iconic Rappers Have Changed A Lot Since They Released The Hits That Made Them Famous
By Veronica Pannell –
It’s always a good sign when an artist’s debut hit is, well, a hit. It’s even more interesting to see what that artist does with their new audience while they grow as an artist. These rappers and hip-hop artists all had exciting starts that left fans hanging on for more. So, what are each of them doing now?
Lil’ Kim
Back in 1996, Lil’ Kim released her debut album Hard Core. Not only did fans love it but the album quickly went double platinum with many hits to follow. Since then, she’s continued to make music as well.
Her latest album, 9, came out in 2019. She has worked on a few reality shows and competition projects as well. This includes her appearances on Dancing With the Stars, Celebrities Undercover, and even a show centered on her, Lil’ Kim: Countdown to Lockdown.
Dr. Dre
Dr. Dre has become a titan in the industry since his debut. It all started when The Chronic was released in 1992 — an album that caught the attention of many. By 1993, he was one of the best-selling artists in the United States.
His albums have all done amazingly well, including 2001, which not only went platinum but managed to do it six times. He also started the company Beats by Dre and helped produce Straight Outta Compton with fellow artist Ice Cube.
Snoop Dogg
Snoop Dogg rose to fame in the early ’90s and has kept fans attention since. His early career really skyrocketed with the release of the album Doggystyle in 1993. Now, the star can be found throughout Hollywood both in and out of music.
As for his music career, he released his 18th album in 2021 titled From tha Streets 2 tha Suites. On top of that, he’s started some unexpected projects as well such as the show Martha & Snoop‘s Potluck Dinner Party, which he co-hosted with Martha Stewart.
Coolio
In 1994, Coolio released It Takes a Thief to high praise. Only a year later, he’d release Gangsta’s Paradise, an album that would quickly become well-known.
Coolio has continued to release music over the course of his career and even released the album Nobody’s Foolio in 2019. The artist has also broken into television and film, portraying roles in Dracula 3000 and Gravity Falls. He even hosted his own show called Cookin’ With Coolio.
Ja Rule
Ja Rule released his first album in 1999, starting things off with the successful Venni Vetti Vecci. He especially enjoyed the success of the single “Holla Holla”. His latest album came out quite a while ago with 2012’s Pain is Love 2.
In 2021, he’s focused on different ventures such as his launch of Flipkick. In worse news, he was the co-founder of the now-infamous Fyre Festival, a music festival that ended in disaster and landed Ja Rule and Billy McFarland in a $100 million lawsuit.
Nicki Minaj
Nicki Minaj didn’t have to release her first album to draw attention. She managed to create mixtapes until she made her way onto Lil Wayne’s record label in 2009.
Previously, Minaj had announced her retirement from music but continued to create music including a single titled “Yikes.” Even more recently, in 2021, she reissued her 2009 mixtape titled Beam Me Up Scotty. She’s announced some TV projects too such as a cameo host appearance on The Real Housewives of Potomac.
Diddy
Diddy started out as an intern at Uptown Records but managed to make his way to the other side of production soon. In 1997, he debuted on the scene as Puff Daddy with the single, “Can’t Nobody Hold Me Down”. He has stayed busy, too.
Not only has he continued to make music but he also stepped out into fashion, business — and even acting and hosting television. He continues to make music on top of it all, even announcing that he’d release a new album, Off the Grid Vol. 1, in 2021.
Nelly
When Nelly released Country Grammar in 2000, it was met with success. It even reached as high as number three when it made its way to the Billboard 200 list.
Since then, Nelly has been busy. He’s won Grammy awards in both 2003 and 2004 before branching out to include acting in his repertoire. In addition to that, he started two clothing lines of his own named Apple Bottoms and Vokal. Yet, the musician is no stranger to controversy either.
Public Enemy
In the 1980s, Public Enemy cemented themselves in music history. The group became known for their lyrics that influenced the genre for a long time to come. The group continues to perform.
As for the individual members, they’ve had their own endeavors too. For instance, Flavor Flav has branched out into reality television over the years and even left the group while Chuck D released solo albums including a 2018 title named Celebration of Ignorance.
LL Cool J
LL Cool J’s first album was Radio in 1985 and a lot has changed since then. However, the musician remains in the public eye. In 2016, LL Cool J received his very own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018.
By the next year, the musician announced that, despite an aforementioned announcement of retirement, he had signed back on with Def Jam with the promise of new music in the future.
Sir Mix-a-Lot
Almost everyone knows the song that shot Sir Mix-a-Lot to a moment of superstardom. After all, who hasn’t heard his 1992 hit, “Baby Got Back”?
Since then, the rapper continued to release music — with his latest full album released in 2003 — before he shifted gears to produce other artists. He’s also seen some other work as well including an appearance on Bojack Horseman and as a host on a radio show. He’s continued to perform over the years as well.
T.I.
In 1999, T.I. signed with LaFace and, two years later, this would yield his debut album, I’m Serious. He quickly became known for his distinctive style. In more recent years, the rapper is no stranger to controversy or legal troubles.
He continues to create music and even released an album, The L.I.B.R.A., in 2020. It was well-received and even made it to number nine on the U.S. Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. He’s also starred in a few reality shows and has taken on some acting roles.
Ye
Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, has become one of the super-famous since he started to gain traction as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the 2000s. He released his own album in 2004.
Since then, Ye has garnered a lot of media attention, and only some of which has been focused on his new music. He’s also gained the attention of joining the Kardashian family for a period of time as Kim Kardashian’s husband. Yet, in 2021, Kardashian filed for divorce after Ye publicly made accusations against his then-wife and her family on Twitter.
Queen Latifah
With hits like “U.N.I.T.Y.” and “Ladies First,” it didn’t take long for the world to notice Queen Latifah. She’s often praised for her feminist approach to hip-hop. Over the years, she’s become known for her music and acting career.
As for music, she released her last album, Persona, in 2009. She’s built up quite the filmography as well including shows like Star, Empire, and, of course, The Queen Latifah Show. She’s also graced the big screen with her presence in a number of films.
André 3000
If you don’t recognize the name André 3000, you’d definitely recognize him for his work as one half of OutKast — with Big Boi filling the other half. Since the release of OutKast’s Southernplayaslisticdillacmuzik, André 3000 has come to be known as an incredibly influential figure in the genre.
He’s also branched out into an acting career including a role in a 2018 sci-fi named High Life with Robert Pattinson. He has continued to work both as a musician, often alongside other artists.
Da Brat
Da Brat had a stellar debut with her first album Funkdafied. In fact, it sold a million copies, making her the first solo female rapper with a platinum-selling album. After legal troubles in 2007, Da Brat’s career did hit a bit of a snag.
However, she came back with a YouTube series titled Brat Chronicles: In Transition and jumped back into a number of reality television projects. As for studio albums, she released The Return in 2018 but it didn’t see quite the same success as earlier albums.
Ludacris
Ludacris’ early success came after he formed his own label in the 1990s. One of his early hits that really took off was the 1999 song, “What’s Your Fantasy”. Since then, Ludacris has tried on a number of hats.
This has included everything from new albums to acting work. Recently, the musician celebrated the 2021 release of Karma’s World, a children’s show that the musician produced. The main character is an homage to his own daughter named Karma.
Ice-T
Ice-T got his start in the limelight after releasing his debut album, Rhyme Pays, in 1987. It was followed by Power, his first platinum album. Today, the musician can be seen everywhere.
Along with Body Count, he released the album Carnivore in 2020 — all whilst maintaining a very busy acting career. You might see him on a TV show like Law & Order, in a movie, and even in video games like Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and Borderlands 3.
Ice Cube
In the ’80s, Ice Cube first gained fame as a member of C.I.A. After that, he’d join up with Dr. Dre and Eazy E to form N.W.A. Since his time with N.W.A., Ice Cube is another rapper that transitioned to the screen.
In 1991, he starred in Boyz n the Hood, which helped to launch his career as an actor and producer. He hasn’t abandoned his music career either and joined Snoop Dogg, Too Short, and E-40 to form Mt. Westmore.
Rihanna
There are few names as recognizable as Rihanna’s. The musician and now-entrepreneur have come a long way since her early hits like the album Good Girl Gone Bad. Since then, Rihanna has continued to release records, often blending styles into a recognizable style.
On top of that, her brands Fenty and Fenty Beauty have been wildly successful. The singer has also used her beauty brand to create a diverse set of shades to suit a wide variety of skin tones.
Kendrick Lamar
Kendrick Lamar was already impressive among hip-hop artists before he released Good Kid, M.A.A.D City. The 2012 album went triple platinum and pushed Lamar to superstardom. As for now, Lamar hasn’t slowed down.
He’s even done some soundtrack work, including on the wildly successful Marvel film Black Panther. The rapper hasn’t gone unnoticed either and critics often laud him as one of the best in the industry in quite some time. Plenty of newer artists have cited him as an influence.
Shaggy
Throughout the ’90s and early 2000s, Shaggy was a name that was hard to miss. If nothing else, you probably recognized songs like “It Wasn’t Me” fairly quickly.
Since then, he’s continued to release albums, including Christmas in the Islands and a 20th-anniversary re-release of Hot Shot in 2020. He recently told Daily Star that he was invited to join Rihanna on her new album as well but the artist turned the chance down.
Missy Elliott
Missy Elliott kicked off her solo career with the album Supa Dupa Fly. Not only was it noticed, but it became the highest-charting debut album that any female rapper had at the time.
She’s continued on her path in music history when she was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame as the first female rapper to get in. Record sales have worked in her favor, too, with more than 30 million records sold over the course of her career.
Lil Wayne
Lil Wayne started his career early — he was only 12 when he signed on with Cash Money Records under Birdman. Since then, we’ve seen the artist create a high output of music over the years.
In 2011, the artist said that he would retire by 35, citing that he wanted to be around for his kids more. It was in 2016 that he finally tweeted about his retirement. However, he still continued to work and create music including a 2021 album titled I Am Not a Human Being.
Lauryn Hill
The 1998 release of The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill caught the attention of almost everyone. In the end, the album ended up going platinum not once but eight times. No follow-up album followed, though, and Hill started to draw away from the spotlight.
Still, that doesn’t mean she didn’t meet her fair share of controversies including accusations of her unprofessional behavior — like the tendency to leave out collaborators in song credits. She also became known for showing up late to her performances, leaving audiences waiting.
Jay-Z
Jay-Z is another artist who started his own label, Roc-A-Fella Records before making his own debut. That came a year before the 1996 release of Reasonable Doubt. Today, Jay-Z isn’t as active as a musician but he’s still in the public eye.
This is helped along by the fame of his wife and occasional duet-partner, Beyoncé. He spends more time as a businessman these days. Forbes even named him the first billionaire rapper for his efforts.
Eve
Eve had a strong start when she released the album Let There Be Eve…Ruff Ryders’ First Lady in 1999. It shot straight to the top of the Billboard 200, cementing her fame.
Since then, she released a slew of other successful albums as well as took on a number of other ventures. This included a clothing line that lasted for six years as well as work as an actress. She’s branched into reality television as well.
Busta Rhymes
Busta Rhymes made his debut with his 1996 album The Coming. The album went platinum and Busta Rhymes was set up for a successful career. He didn’t let the opportunity go to waste either and continues to release music.
Most recently, he released a 2020 album titled Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath of God. In addition, the artist has appeared both in movies like Halloween: Resurrection and shows like Fresh Off the Boat and The Masked Singer.
Nas
With Illmatic, Nas skyrocketed to fame in 1994. He’d turn out three more albums before the turn of the century and he’s widely regarded as an artist with a lasting legacy. His output has stayed high in recent years as well.
In 2018, he released the album Nasir and in 2020 and 2021, respectively, he followed it up with the albums King’s Disease and King’s Disease II. The artist has also shown up in a number of documentaries and even the mockumentary, Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping in 2016.
Chris Smith
Chris Smith started his career as one-half of the popular group Kriss Kross alongside Chris Kelly. Then, the group was well-known for their recent hit, “Jump”.
Sadly, Chris Kelly passed away in 2013, ending Kriss Kross for good shortly after their performance at the So So Def’s 20th Anniversary Concert. As for Chris Smith, he’s started his own business named Urbane Muse. Here, he sells his art, including clothing designs.
Kelis
At this point, there are few people who haven’t heard the hit that made her famous in 2003, “Milkshake”. She released a few more albums but what happened after that?
Kelis is actually still making music. But, she has also kept herself busy in the world of culinary arts. She even graduated from Le Cordon Bleu and has a hot sauce line, a series called Saucy and Sweet, and she’s written a cookbook called My Life on a Plate.
Drake
Drake started his path to music fame in 2009. He found his footing with his third mixtape, especially with the hit single, “Best I Ever Had”. As a result, Drake held the longest reign on the Hot 100, staying on the charts for eight years without break.
The artist continued to break industry records as well, including his 2018 album Scorpion, which broke the Spotify record for most streams in a single day. All in all, he’s been nominated for 42 Grammys and he’s taken home four of them.
Method Man
Method Man came up in fame as a member of Wu-Tang. However, he made a solo debut in 1994 as well with the album Tical. That didn’t mean that Method Man severed himself from Wu-Tang, though, and he even added a few more groups to his portfolio including Method Man & Redman.
He’s branched into acting too including roles in Teenage Bounty Hunters and Concrete Cowboy, both in 2020. His love for comic books has led him to team up with Marvel, too!
Eminem
In 1996, Eminem released the album Infinite, introducing his music to the world. Shortly after, he found himself signing on Dr. Dre’s label, leading to The Slim Shady LP. The rapper hasn’t slowed down much over the years either.
He continues to release music and has even tried out his acting chops, including his 2002 role in 8 Mile. Despite frequent controversies, including legal troubles and criticism of his offensive lyrical content, Eminem is still as popular as he was when he entered the scene. He even released an album titled Music to Be Murdered By in 2020.
Mase
Mase was one of the first musicians under Bad Boy Records founded by Diddy himself. In 1997, he also debuted the album Harlem World and got to see it go quadruple platinum. In 1999, the actor retired, saying that he had a “calling from G-d” and couldn’t continue his career.
Five years later, he returned as an ordained minister and started making music again. His melodic style has had quite the influence, too, with big stars like Kanye West citing Mase as their favorites.
Will Smith
In the 1980s, Will Smith made his debut as half of the group known as Dj Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince. Of course, we can guess which moniker belonged to Smith.
After that, the artist was in the sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and his acting career took off from there. That’s what Smith is mostly doing these days. However, he has started to slip back into music in recent years including a 2017 single with Jazzy Jeff called “Get Lit.”
Slick Rick
Slick Rick cut his teeth in the music industry with Doug E. Fresh & the Get Fresh Crew. Quickly, he became associated with a distinct fashion sense and storytelling musical style.
Slick Rick is still making music, too, with a single named “Snakes of the World Today” released as recently as 2018. He was featured on a Westside Gunn album in 2020. Back in 2008, he was even honored on the show VH1 Hip Hop Honors.
Doug E. Fresh
Of course, we can’t talk about Slick Rick without also mentioning Doug E. Fresh. So, where’s the other part of the Get Fresh Crew? By now, Doug E. Fresh has earned another moniker: “Human Beat Box.”
On top of that, “La Di Da Di” has since become among the most sampled tracks ever. On September 24th, 2021, he released a new album named This One’s for Chuck Brown: Doug E. Fresh Salutes the Godfather of Go-Go.
Mike Jones
Mike Jones was fairly recognizable from his debut album titled Who Is Mike Jones? The single “Still Tippin” really solidified his fame. Jones actually took a hiatus around 2010 for a year. His latest release was in 2015 with the mixtape Money Train.
A month later, he said he was working on a sequel mixtape to Money Train called Money Train: Reloaded. He’s also discussed another studio album that’s yet to be released titled Where Is Mike Jones?
DJ Kool Herc
It’d be an understatement to say that DJ Kool Herc has had a strong influence in the world of hip-hop. Some have even referred to him as the Father of Hip-Hop.
As for music, in 2019 DJ Kool Herc released his very first vinyl record titled Last of the Classic Beats. Other than that, he’s collaborated with artists like The Chemical Brothers, Terminator X, and Substantial. He’s also done a lot in working to preserve hip-hop in the Smithsonian Institution museums.
MC Lyte
When she released Lyte as a Rock in 1988, MC Lyte made history. She became the first solo female rapper to debut her own full-length album. Now, you’re likely to see MC Lyte for her work as a voiceover and actor.
She’s also started speaking publicly and even wrote a book called Unstoppable: Igniting the Power Within to Achieve Your Greatest Potential. However, she still found time to release new albums, including Legend in 2015.
50 Cent
In 2003, 50 Cent was on a fast track to fame after he debuted his first album, Get Rich or Die Trying. The artist even starred in a film by the same name only two years later. In 2014, 50 Cent released Animal Ambition and even appeared in Escape Plan: The Extractors in 2019.
On television, 2020 audiences saw him as Cassius in For Life. He’s branded a couple of video games under his name too! Unfortunately, in recent years he’s wracked up a number of legal issues for himself as well.