Art in the 1990’s was different. It came in the style of music. Different and unique genres came to rise during this time. Boy bands, grunge rock, rap, and R&B were major in the 90’s. Mariah Carey and Tupac Shakur were big artists during the decade. Their music inspired people and brought on a new scene to the music industry.

            Mariah Carey was a prominent R&B artist of the 1990’s. She was born March 27, 1970 in Huntington, Long Island, New York. Her mother, Patricia Carey, was a former opera singer and started teaching her how to sing at the age of three. Carey graduated from Harborfield’s High School in Greenlawn, New York. She was absent from class because she was a demo singer and recorded for local studios. She had many opportunities to work with musicians and eventually got her start when she met Tommy Mottola. She signed with Columbia Records and recorded her first debut album, self-titled Mariah Carey. It reached number one on the charts and included four number one singles. She then went on to record six more albums, all topping the charts. As the decade passed on, Carey kept making hits into the next decade. Carey’s lyrics talked about many topics: love, racism, death, spirituality, etc. Most of her work is partly autobiographical. Her voice has been dubbed one of the greatest voices in history. Her vocals range in all octaves from an alto to a soprano. She also has the ability to sing in the whistle register. Mariah Carey has often been compared to amazing singers like Whitney Houston and Celine Dion. Mariah Carey was probably one of the greatest singers in the 1990’s.

            Tupac Shakur was another top selling recording artist in the 90’s. His style of music was rap. Born on June 16, 1971 in East Harlem, to a family of criminals called the Black Panthers. He had to live with the struggles and violence at an early age. Tupac started acting at the age of twelve when he audition for a school play and got a major role. He attended Paul Laurence Dunbar High School and later transferred to Baltimore School for the Arts to study acting, poetry, jazz, and ballet. He performed many of Shakespeare’s plays and won most rap competitions at his school. Tupac started off his rapping career titled 2pacalypse Now. It was not his best album but his later albums top most of the charts. Later in the decade, Tupac was sent to prison for sexual assault charges. Death Row Records  soon bailed him out. He recorded three albums with label. Tupac died on September 7, 1996 from a shooting after watching a boxing match in Las Vegas. He was shot four times and died of internal bleeding. Tupac Shakur, through his lyrics, attacked social injustice, poverty and police brutality. Tupac Shakur was considered to be one of the greatest rappers in history.

            Other contributions to the music industry were the Backstreet Boys and Nirvana.
The Backstreet Boys brought out a type of pop that swept across the nation. Their music sold millions and made them the most successful boy band in history. Nirvana created a new style of rock called Grunge. Formed by singer, Kurt Cobain, and bassist, Krist Novoselic, Nirvana made alternative rock a sensation in the 1990’s. They recorded three studio albums, which top charts in the genre of rock.

            The 1990’s brought new styles and genres into the artistic world of music. Boy bands like the Backstreet Boys and Nirvana sold millions and influenced a new generation of music that created new ideas, which followed through into the next decades. We will always remember the 90’s for what it brought.

Bibliography:

"Mariah Carey." Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariah_Carey. 27 April 2009.

"Tupac Shakur." Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tupac_Shakur. 27 April 2009.

"Backstreet Boys." Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backstreet_Boys. 28 April 2009.

"Nirvana." Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nirvana_(band). 28 April 2009.