Flashback: September 28, 1995

Welcome Back to The GenX Edit

The mid-90s were sweet spot where pop culture, politics, and technology all seemed to collide. Those of us who graduated in ’88 were settling into careers and apartments with IKEA furniture that wobbled if you looked at it too hard, while younger GenXers were surviving college midterms or those first “real” jobs.

Gas was still under $1.50 a gallon, O.J. Simpson’s trial was captivating living rooms, and America Online chat rooms were starting to buzz.

It was a year of contrasts: grunge was giving way to polished alt-rock, hip-hop was firmly in the mainstream, and Clinton’s budget battles played out in the background.

For one golden moment, the economy hummed, our VCR clocks still blinked 12:00, and we had no idea the World Wide Web was about to flip the script.

So let’s rewind to a week when music, movies, and TV all felt like events you just couldn’t miss.

This Mixtape Memory Lane is sponsored by 50 Ways to Keep Your Lover.

Mixtape Memory Lane 

🎧 #1 – “Gangsta’s Paradise” by Coolio ft. L.V.

Coolio’s anthem didn’t just top the charts… it redefined what hip-hop could sound like on the radio. Borrowing groove and pairing it with hard-hitting lyrics, the song made suburban parents nervous while their kids rapped along word for word.

🎧 #2 – “Fantasy” by Mariah Carey

Sampling Tom Tom Club’s Genius of Love, Mariah delivered a dreamy mix that blurred pop, hip-hop, and R&B in a way that felt brand new. Two days later, it would make history as the first single ever to debut at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

🎧 #3 – “Kiss from a Rose” by Seal

Thanks to Batman Forever, Seal’s ballad went from cult favorite to cultural phenomenon. His soaring vocals made us feel like love could be both epic and heartbreaking… and yes, it was on every mixtape for years after.

🎧 #4 – “You Are Not Alone” by Michael Jackson

Penned by R. Kelly, this single reminded us that MJ still had the power to own the airwaves. Released with a cinematic music video, it marked one of the King of Pop’s last massive chart-toppers.

🎧 #5 – “Boombastic” by Shaggy

Equal parts cheeky and catchy, Shaggy’s reggae-fusion track gave summer ’95 its soundtrack. Whether you loved it or pretended you didn’t, you were humming it by the second chorus.

👆 Watch the full throwback video playlist on YouTube Music.

Screen Time Rewind 

September ’95 was peak viewing season… when “must-see TV” meant exactly that.

At the movies, Seven shocked audiences with its grim finale, while To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar proved Patrick Swayze, Wesley Snipes, and John Leguizamo could bring both camp and heart.

Showgirls had everyone talking (if not admitting they saw it), and Dangerous Minds gave us Michelle Pfeiffer inspiring inner-city students while Coolio’s soundtrack dominated the charts.

On TV, ER was the juggernaut, with George Clooney making stethoscopes look like the hottest accessory.

Friends was settling into its second season, Seinfeld was proving a “show about nothing” could be everything, and The X-Files had us questioning what was real every Friday night.

On HBO, The Larry Sanders Show was quietly rewriting the rules of television. Garry Shandling’s send-up of late-night talk shows wasn’t a ratings juggernaut, but its influence was massive…paving the way for the mockumentary style of The Office and giving GenX its first real taste of what “prestige TV” could look like.

It was the era when missing a show meant you actually had to hear about it secondhand in the cafeteria the next day.

This Life Reboot is sponsored by La’Merde Designs apparel.

Life Reboot: Money

In 1995, money management was less about building wealth and more about making sure your checking account didn’t overdraft. Rent ran $400–600 if you split it with roommates, CDs cost $15.99, and a Friday night could blow half your budget. Credit cards tempted us with Doc Martens and concert tickets, but the 18% interest rate was a hidden monster.

Looking back, even those small decisions, skipping savings for a road trip, maxing out for fashion, added up. That $50 spent on tickets in 1995 could be worth four times as much today with compound interest.

The difference now? We’ve got tools our younger selves couldn’t dream of. Automatic transfers, budgeting apps, and robo-advisors can do the heavy lifting. The first step is just awareness…track your spending for a month, no judgment. Then ask yourself if today’s splurge will still feel worth it next month.

👉 This week’s challenge: give your money a job. Whether that means opening a high-yield savings account, setting up an auto-transfer, or just checking your statements, take one action to move your money from idle to intentional.

Visual Feature is sponsored by Practical Advice from the Scriptures.

Visual Feature: Throwback Ad

In September 1995, Sega unleashed this spot for the Saturn under the bold tagline, “Welcome to the Next Level.” It was more than a sales pitch…it was a statement of intent. At a moment when the PlayStation had just arrived and Nintendo still held sway, Sega wanted to stake a claim to the future of gaming.

Sega Saturn launch commercial, aired September 1995, “Welcome to the Next Level.”

Life Reboot is sponsored by La’Merde Designs.

Mixtape Memory Lane is sponsored by 50 Ways to Keep Your Lover.

Visual Feature is sponsored by Practical Advice from the Scriptures.

“Bye, Felicia.”

That’s our rewind to September 1995…when Coolio ruled the charts, George Clooney ruled Thursday nights, and we all thought rewinding VHS tapes was a noble chore.

It was a moment when pop culture was bold, music was booming, and the internet was still more rumor than reality.

So this week, pass it on! Share this edition with a friend who remembers debating CDs vs. mixtapes, or invite someone new to subscribe. After all, nostalgia feels better when it’s a group activity.

Until next time,