Television shows are an integral part of pop culture, and most people's childhoods — if they were lucky enough to have a television and cable in their home.
1. All That
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1990s Nickelodeon was home to some of the best kid's shows — like All That. As exceptional as the show was, the theme song was instrumental in popularizing the comedy sketch series. Growing up as a '90s kid, even if you weren't able to finish a full episode of All That, I'm sure you at least tuned in to hear the theme song, performed by the incomparable R&B/rap group TLC.
2. Cousin Skeeter
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Every '90s kid faintly, or plainly, remembers the 1990s Nickelodeon show Cousin Skeeter and knows how catchy the Cousin Skeeter theme song was. There was no way we as children could sit there and watch Cousin Skeeter and not sing along to 702 singing an altered version of their song Steelo for the intro.
3. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
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Most '90s kids know the full rap to The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air intro by heart. For some of us, this was the first rap we ever learned.
4. Living Single
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As soon as anyone that grew up in the '90s who is Black hears "we are living single," they are hopping in and repeating each lyric every single time, a cappella or with the intro music.
5. Kenan & Kel
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Only rapper Coolio could make the Kenan & Kel intro song epitomize the '90s era. Back when we were growing up in the '90s and 2000s, we were so apt to commit this theme song to memory because that's how much we loved both Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell. When they launched their comedy careers on the Nickelodeon sketch show All That in 1995, they had developed a substantial fanbase that carried over to their breakout show Kenan & Kel. '90s kids, especially Black '90s kids, loved Kenan & Kel just as much as All That, theme songs included. Play the Kenan & Kel theme song for any Black '90s kid and watch how quick they're able to recall it word for word, bar for bar.
6. Moesha
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'90s kids already know what it is when we hear Mo to the, E to the. Brandy Norwood not only starred in a legendary 1990s show, but she also made a theme song that is an essential part of Black '90s culture.
7. The Proud Family
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The Proud Family is a seminal comedic cartoon that had a great theme song due to the performance of Solange Knowles and Destiny's Child. A theme song that is stuck in many '90s kids' minds because The Proud Family was such an integral part of our childhood.
8. Degrassi: The Next Generation
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Degrassi: The Next Generation was like the early 2000s version of Euphoria. The chokehold that Degrassi: The Next Generation had on '90s kids, especially Black '90s kids, is dumbfounding yet understandable, since the show was really that good for the first 10 seasons. With that being said, the Degrassi: The Next Generation original theme song is secured in many '90s Black kids' psyche due to how faithfully we watched this show.
9. Girlfriends
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How could any Black '90s babies, specifically Black '90s girls, not know the Girlfriends theme song? It was only a few lyrics, and the way the songstress sings the theme song makes you want to sing right along with her — and most of us '90s kids have been since the show's debut season. Although some of us had no business watching a show about four grown women navigating sex, love, and life, we watched it anyway.
If we didn't personally tune in as young girls, we sat idly in the background as our mothers tuned in, only paying attention to the theme song because that's the only thing about the show we could comprehend. Either way, the theme song was seeping into our subconscious nonetheless.
10. Smart Guy (The First & Second One)
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Smart Guy's theme songs (the earlier and later version) was one of the great things about the show, hence why many '90s kids know it by heart.
Second Smart Guy Theme Song
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11. The Parkers
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Countess Vaughn singing The Parkers theme song was the cherry on top of an already dope TV show. One of the best parts of watching each episode of The Parkers was singing along to the intro song, trying to mirror Countess Vaughn's vocal runs and adlibs.
12. That's So Raven
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That's So Raven's theme song was everything. Hands-down the best show in Disney history, according to many Black '90s babies.
13. Martin
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Martin reruns stayed on repeat in many Black households; therefore, many Black kids that were born in the '90s know the intro song by default.
14. Sister, Sister (Season 5 & 6 Versions)
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It was something about the revamped Sister, Sister theme song from Season 5 and 6 that just made you want to sing to it, and in doing so, made you memorize it.
15. A Different World (Aretha Franklin's Version)
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Aretha Franklin added some oomph to the opening credits of A Different World, and in turn, she had us '90s kids logging every lyric of the theme song into our minds.
16. One on One
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One on One's theme song is just as iconic as the show is for most Black '90s babies.
17. The Boondocks
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Aaron McGruder held nothing back when he created The Boondocks, and the theme song he chose for the series really set it off. You're not a real Boondocks fan unless you can recite The Boondocks theme song.
18. Family Matters
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The Family Matters theme song is on the list for being one the most known theme songs by Black '90s kids for sure.
19. The Jamie Foxx Show
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Black '90s babies may not remember each episode of The Jamie Foxx Show, but best believe they remember the legendary theme song — which happens to sample the legendary funk band Zapp's song "I Can Make You Dance."