Two women are standing in a mansion, wearing pinup updo hairstyles with towering curls. One of them taps her gold tooth with super long acrylic fingernails as the other plays with her face-framing loose tousled curls with even longer acrylic nails blinged out in crystal stones. A scene from the 1990s Halle Berry move, B.A.P.S.?
[SEE ALSO: How Female Rappers Influenced The Dark Lip Liner Beauty Trend]
Nope. It’s TiaCorine in the music video for the remix of her latest single, “FreakyT” with featured guest rapper Latto. The duo served some fresh modern beauty looks for their take on ’90s nostalgia with the visuals inspired by the 90s movie known for its unforgettable hair and wardrobe.
A Nod To 90s Pop Culture
Rising rap star TiaCorine is a beauty to behold with her platinum blonde curly updo and magenta pink powder to fill in her full eyebrows. The rapper updated the B.A.P.S. vibe with the “floating crystal” eyeliner trend—where the application of gems is carefully placed like eyeliner—is a standout as it is carefully placed throughout her eyebrows and creases.
The crystal look elevates the 90s country girl vibe played by Halle Berry in the film and makes it high fashion. Her makeup artist’s bold use of magenta with touches of gems is the star of this show. Her left cheek has an airbrushed pink star highlighted with face jewels—the individual crystals give an added pop to the pink on her face. A light pink lip gloss is lined with a dark pink pencil for a fuller lip.
With extra-long acrylic nails, at least 6″ -8″ long, featuring a two-tone marble swirl design in white and magenta with crystal embellishments, it’s evident the Winston-Salem, N.C. native whose self-professed love for animation and video games is a factor in her beauty and style choices.
Sleek and Stylish
Latto enters the scene with a more polished updo—a bun and one or two strands of loose curls to frame her face. The sleek updo is accented with gelled-down baby hairs etched in swirls for an updated version of Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s.
The Atlanta rapper’s kohl-rimmed eyes and dark lipliner with nude gloss contrast her bleached eyebrows. Even the extras are styled and given the 90’s looks inspired by B.A.P.S. in a few scenes.
A Cult Classic
Corine chose the 1997 buddy comedy film starring Halle Berry and the late Natalie Desselle-Reid to inspire this music video. The story follows two best friends who win a contest to appear in a music video. They move cross country from Decatur, Georgia, to Hollywood for a chance at stardom.
The pair end up in a scheme where they try to swindle a millionaire who has turned them into Black American Princesses, hence the acronym B.A.P.S., the title for the film directed by Robert Townsend.
The film, a satirical take on Black culture, was panned by critics, but it has remained a cult classic and fan favorite among hip-hop fans for generations. Earlier this year, Townsend said he has often been asked about a remake or sequel, including Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion. The pair expressed interest, according to the director, after the success of their music video for their 2020 duet, W.A.P., also inspired by B.A.P.S.
The video featured Kylie Jenner, Sukihana, Normani, Rosalia, and Rubi Rose. (Cardi later denied she would appear in a B.A.P.S. remake). With 90s beauty details and Black culture dominating mainstream and modern hip-hop, it’s safe to assume these trends won’t go away anytime soon. We will continue to see updated takes on 90s nostalgia.
What did you think of the 90s glam references in FreakyT? Let us know in the comment section!
