Chris Kelly Death: Why Kris Kross Defined the 90s

4The music world was shocked last week after the tragic passing of Chris “Mac Daddy” Kelly, one of the key members of '90s American rap duo Kris Kross. Kris Kross’ music and style helped shape and influence an entire generation. In honor of Kelly's legacy, I have put together a list of the top five reasons why the '90s wouldn’t have been the '90s without Kris Kross.

1. "Jump":

Kris Kross’ 1992 hit single "Jump" shot the group to instant stardom. The song became #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for eight weeks and was a certified double platinum single. Although some might say that the group was a one hit wonder, everybody who grew up in the '90s loves this song.

2. Backwards Clothing: 

Yes, we all did it. I even wore my overalls backwards, just to be like Mac Daddy and Daddy Mac. Don’t pretend you didn’t do it.

3. Jam: 

Kris Kross appeared in Michael Jackson’s 1992 hit “Jam,” alongside Michael Jordan and Heavy D. They instantly became the hippest kids in the world. Who hangs with the King of Pop and the greatest basketball player of all time? Yep, Kris Kross does.

4. Hooded Sweatshirts: 

No one wore a hoodie better than Kris Kross. They made a hooded sweatshirt “cool,” and it probably made the boys look a lot older than they were. But it definitely made every kid want to be just like them.

5. Rap Music:

A lot of us '90s kids were too young to listen to hard core rap. And Kris Kross’ music was the perfect solution. It let us still be a part of the rap world, without going over the edge. You won’t find scantily clad women or anyone smoking in Kris Kross’ videos. Just plain, good, old-fashioned rap music.

RIP Chris “Mac Daddy” Kelly.