Today & Back in the Day: 21 Jumps From the '80s to Now

21 Jump Street reminds us of what's changed since the '80s.

21 Jumps From the '80s to Now - In honor of 21 Jump Street hitting theatres on Friday, March 16th, BET.com is taking a look back at 21 jumps from the '80's to now.  From Bobby Brown to Chris Brown, shoulder pads to butt pads, see how fashion, music and technology has changed.

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21 Jumps From the '80s to Now - In honor of 21 Jump Street hitting theatres on Friday, March 16th, BET.com is taking a look back at 21 jumps from the '80's to now.  From Bobby Brown to Chris Brown, shoulder pads to butt pads, see how fashion, music and technology has changed.

Back in the Day: Shoulder Pads Today: Butt Pads - If broad shoulders were the symbol of female empowerment in the '80s, then a bodacious booty is it for our generation. Thanks to movers and, well, shakers like J.Lo and Beyoncé, girls around the world can proudly say "baby got back."(Photos from left: Courtesy Island Records, Courtesy Macy's)

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Back in the Day: Shoulder Pads Today: Butt Pads - If broad shoulders were the symbol of female empowerment in the '80s, then a bodacious booty is it for our generation. Thanks to movers and, well, shakers like J.Lo and Beyoncé, girls around the world can proudly say "baby got back."(Photos from left: Courtesy Island Records, Courtesy Macy's)

Back in the Day: Asymmetrical Salt-N-Pepa Hair Cut Today: Weaves and Lacefronts - Angles and geometry were all the rage in the Decade of Excess (some of the hairstyles look like they required a protractor to create), but today, it's all about soft waves in a rainbow of colors — sometimes all on the same head. You know what they say: if you can't grow it, buy it!(Photos from left: Courtesy Next PLateau Records, Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

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Back in the Day: Asymmetrical Salt-N-Pepa Hair Cut Today: Weaves and Lacefronts - Angles and geometry were all the rage in the Decade of Excess (some of the hairstyles look like they required a protractor to create), but today, it's all about soft waves in a rainbow of colors — sometimes all on the same head. You know what they say: if you can't grow it, buy it!(Photos from left: Courtesy Next PLateau Records, Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

Back in the Day: Booty Call Today: Sexting - Remember the days of chivalry, when a guy or girl had to page or actually call you on a land line to come over before putting on the moves? Well, in this era of information technology, time is money. With sexting, you can get all the foreplay out of the way before you even come face to face with your partner. No love songs, candles or wine required!(Photos from left: Getty Images, REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton)

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Back in the Day: Booty Call Today: Sexting - Remember the days of chivalry, when a guy or girl had to page or actually call you on a land line to come over before putting on the moves? Well, in this era of information technology, time is money. With sexting, you can get all the foreplay out of the way before you even come face to face with your partner. No love songs, candles or wine required!(Photos from left: Getty Images, REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton)

Back in the Day: Bobby Brown Today: Chris Brown - With the movie version of '80s classic TV show 21 Jump Street about to hit theaters, we got to thinking about changes in pop culture between then and now. To start with, every era needs a bad boy. Bobby Brown had it on lock back in the day, and Breezy fits the bill for this generation.(Photos: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic/Getty Images; Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

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Back in the Day: Bobby Brown Today: Chris Brown - With the movie version of '80s classic TV show 21 Jump Street about to hit theaters, we got to thinking about changes in pop culture between then and now. To start with, every era needs a bad boy. Bobby Brown had it on lock back in the day, and Breezy fits the bill for this generation.(Photos: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic/Getty Images; Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

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Back in the Day: Spike Lee Today: Tyler Perry - Though these two directors don't appear to have much in common in terms of style or content of their films, both gave a voice to African-Americans in Hollywood, and made a ton of cash doing it.(Photos: Anthony Barboza/Getty Images; Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

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Back in the Day: Spike Lee Today: Tyler Perry - Though these two directors don't appear to have much in common in terms of style or content of their films, both gave a voice to African-Americans in Hollywood, and made a ton of cash doing it.(Photos: Anthony Barboza/Getty Images; Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Back in the Day: Walkman Today: iPad - Personal entertainment devices have come a long way since the time when they carried cassette tapes. The new models not only play music — they could practically record and distribute an album. Yeah, there's an app for that.(Photos from left: by SSPL/Getty Images, EPA/MONICA M. DAVEY /Landov)

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Back in the Day: Walkman Today: iPad - Personal entertainment devices have come a long way since the time when they carried cassette tapes. The new models not only play music — they could practically record and distribute an album. Yeah, there's an app for that.(Photos from left: by SSPL/Getty Images, EPA/MONICA M. DAVEY /Landov)

Back in the Day: Whitney Houston Today: Beyoncé - The hair, the million-dollar smile, the nonstop hits — Whitney was the Beyoncé of her day. And, like her predecesor, we imagine Bey will be influencing the superstars of the next two decades.(Photos: Ebet Roberts/Redferns/Getty Images; Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images)

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Back in the Day: Whitney Houston Today: Beyoncé - The hair, the million-dollar smile, the nonstop hits — Whitney was the Beyoncé of her day. And, like her predecesor, we imagine Bey will be influencing the superstars of the next two decades.(Photos: Ebet Roberts/Redferns/Getty Images; Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images)

Back in the Day: Reaganomics Today: Obama-nation - While only history will prove which is right — trickle down or invest up — Reagan and Obama couldn't have presided over more radically different decades. In the '80s — the era of excess — the stock market reached an all-time high, while Obama inherited a financial system at historic lows.(Photos: Hulton Archive/Getty Images; Saul Loeb-Pool/Getty Images)

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Back in the Day: Reaganomics Today: Obama-nation - While only history will prove which is right — trickle down or invest up — Reagan and Obama couldn't have presided over more radically different decades. In the '80s — the era of excess — the stock market reached an all-time high, while Obama inherited a financial system at historic lows.(Photos: Hulton Archive/Getty Images; Saul Loeb-Pool/Getty Images)

Back in the Day: Shell-Toe Adidas Today: Gucci Loafers - As bank balances grow, tastes get more expensive. While  there will always be a place for Adidas track suits, shell-toe sneakers and Kazals in hip hop, today's stars prefer shopping on Rodeo Drive over Footlocker.(Photos: Oliver Morris/Getty Images; Gucci)

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Back in the Day: Shell-Toe Adidas Today: Gucci Loafers - As bank balances grow, tastes get more expensive. While  there will always be a place for Adidas track suits, shell-toe sneakers and Kazals in hip hop, today's stars prefer shopping on Rodeo Drive over Footlocker.(Photos: Oliver Morris/Getty Images; Gucci)

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Back in the Day: Michael Jordan Today: LeBron James - Jordan was the first true celebrity in professional sports, and James was a star before he took his first shot in the NBA. In the nearly 30 years between them, being a basketball player became more lucrative than running a Fortune 500 company.(Photos: Joe Patronite/Getty Images; Mike Segar-Pool/Getty Images)

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Back in the Day: Michael Jordan Today: LeBron James - Jordan was the first true celebrity in professional sports, and James was a star before he took his first shot in the NBA. In the nearly 30 years between them, being a basketball player became more lucrative than running a Fortune 500 company.(Photos: Joe Patronite/Getty Images; Mike Segar-Pool/Getty Images)

Back in the Day: Car Phones Today: Smart Phones - There was a time when being able to call someone from the car was the ultimate show of status. Since the '80s, the telecom industry cut the cords and gave us the Internet at our fingertips, with 24/7 access and every corner of the Earth reachable by satellite. Not bad for a couple of decades.(Photos: Comstock/Getty Images; Alex Wong/Getty Images)

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Back in the Day: Car Phones Today: Smart Phones - There was a time when being able to call someone from the car was the ultimate show of status. Since the '80s, the telecom industry cut the cords and gave us the Internet at our fingertips, with 24/7 access and every corner of the Earth reachable by satellite. Not bad for a couple of decades.(Photos: Comstock/Getty Images; Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Back in the Day: Synthesizer Today: Auto-tune - The rise of the technology age certainly had its impact on music. Eighties hits are defined by the sound of the synthesizer, and today you can hardly find a song in the Top 40 without auto-tune in it. Amazing how computers can make Britney Spears and T-Pain sound so much alike.(Photos: David Redfern/Redferns/Getty Images; Tom Donoghue/PictureGroup)

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Back in the Day: Synthesizer Today: Auto-tune - The rise of the technology age certainly had its impact on music. Eighties hits are defined by the sound of the synthesizer, and today you can hardly find a song in the Top 40 without auto-tune in it. Amazing how computers can make Britney Spears and T-Pain sound so much alike.(Photos: David Redfern/Redferns/Getty Images; Tom Donoghue/PictureGroup)

Back in the Day: Space Invaders Today: World of Warcraft - Remember when video games were dot-matrix software programs with characters made from pixels as large as nickels? We've come a long way from Pacman and Space Invaders. Today's games are so realistic, players could very well be qualified to launch missiles and conduct covert operations.(Photos: EMPICS /Landov; Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

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Back in the Day: Space Invaders Today: World of Warcraft - Remember when video games were dot-matrix software programs with characters made from pixels as large as nickels? We've come a long way from Pacman and Space Invaders. Today's games are so realistic, players could very well be qualified to launch missiles and conduct covert operations.(Photos: EMPICS /Landov; Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

Back in the Day: Vinyl Today: iPod - The days of collecting vinyl and digging through crates are over. Now, anyone with an iPod can play "deejay." While the tiny little MP3 players give us unlimited access to music at our fingertips, many feel the à la carte attitude toward buying music is killing the concept of the album.(Photo: Yuriko Nakao/Landov; PA Photos/Landov)

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Back in the Day: Vinyl Today: iPod - The days of collecting vinyl and digging through crates are over. Now, anyone with an iPod can play "deejay." While the tiny little MP3 players give us unlimited access to music at our fingertips, many feel the à la carte attitude toward buying music is killing the concept of the album.(Photo: Yuriko Nakao/Landov; PA Photos/Landov)

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Back in the Day: Boomerang Today: Think Like a Man - The fashion, hairstyles, music and even lingo may have changed, but the complications of the human heart remain the same from the '80s 'til now. Boomerang defined man-woman angst of that era, and Think Like a Man gives the old tale a modern spin today.(Photos: Paramount Pictures; Screen Gems Pictures)

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Back in the Day: Boomerang Today: Think Like a Man - The fashion, hairstyles, music and even lingo may have changed, but the complications of the human heart remain the same from the '80s 'til now. Boomerang defined man-woman angst of that era, and Think Like a Man gives the old tale a modern spin today.(Photos: Paramount Pictures; Screen Gems Pictures)

Back in the Day: The Color Purple Today: The Help - Though their portrayals of the Black South are wildly different (one is the height of realistic, the other largely candy-coated), The Color Purple and The Help both created Oscar buzz for their strong female leads and sparked national discussion about race relations. (Photos: Warner Bros.; Touchstone Pictures)

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Back in the Day: The Color Purple Today: The Help - Though their portrayals of the Black South are wildly different (one is the height of realistic, the other largely candy-coated), The Color Purple and The Help both created Oscar buzz for their strong female leads and sparked national discussion about race relations. (Photos: Warner Bros.; Touchstone Pictures)

Back in the Day: Madonna Today: Lady Gaga - With their outrageous outfits, tabloid antics and even an eerily familiar-sounding hit song, there's no doubt Lady Gaga is filling the void Madonna left when she became a mother of four. But is the original Material Girl ready to give up her throne?(Photos: Dave Hogan/Getty Images; Kevin Winter/Getty Images for U Music)

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Back in the Day: Madonna Today: Lady Gaga - With their outrageous outfits, tabloid antics and even an eerily familiar-sounding hit song, there's no doubt Lady Gaga is filling the void Madonna left when she became a mother of four. But is the original Material Girl ready to give up her throne?(Photos: Dave Hogan/Getty Images; Kevin Winter/Getty Images for U Music)

Back in the Day: Eddie Murphy Today: Kevin Hart - In the '80s, Eddie Murphy ruled the world of stand-up and had box-office hits with Delirious and Raw. Today, Kevin Hart's breaking records with his stand-up, especially last year's Laugh at My Pain. (Photos: Ron Galella/WireImage; Anthony Harvey/PictureGroup)

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Back in the Day: Eddie Murphy Today: Kevin Hart - In the '80s, Eddie Murphy ruled the world of stand-up and had box-office hits with Delirious and Raw. Today, Kevin Hart's breaking records with his stand-up, especially last year's Laugh at My Pain. (Photos: Ron Galella/WireImage; Anthony Harvey/PictureGroup)

Back in the Day: The Goonies Today: Attack the Block - White suburban teens getting into trouble while seeking adventure — as inThe Goonies — was a recurring theme in many movies of the '80s. 2011's Attack the Block turned the concept on its head by bringing that adventure to the projects, and slyly wrapping the social issues of the day in a highly entertaining package.(Photos: Warner Bros.; Studio Canal)

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Back in the Day: The Goonies Today: Attack the Block - White suburban teens getting into trouble while seeking adventure — as inThe Goonies — was a recurring theme in many movies of the '80s. 2011's Attack the Block turned the concept on its head by bringing that adventure to the projects, and slyly wrapping the social issues of the day in a highly entertaining package.(Photos: Warner Bros.; Studio Canal)

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Back in the Day: Wall Street Today: Occupy Wall Street - With his suspenders and cigars, Gordon Gekko was a god to '80s capitalists. But as the economy tanked and the stock market crumbled, the 99 percenters of today attempted a historic coup d'etat against the same Wall Street fat cats that were idolized two decades ago.(Photos: 20th Century Fox; REUTERS/Jessica Rinaldi)

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Back in the Day: Wall Street Today: Occupy Wall Street - With his suspenders and cigars, Gordon Gekko was a god to '80s capitalists. But as the economy tanked and the stock market crumbled, the 99 percenters of today attempted a historic coup d'etat against the same Wall Street fat cats that were idolized two decades ago.(Photos: 20th Century Fox; REUTERS/Jessica Rinaldi)

Back in the Day: Gas Prices at an All-Time Low Today: Gas Prices at an All-Time High - In 1989, a dollar would buy you a gallon of gas. Today, you couldn't get your ride down the street for that much. Record-low fuel prices in the '80s ushered in the era of SUVs. Today, we're all getting a lot more use out of our bicycles.(Photos: Dennis Brack/Landov; Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

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Back in the Day: Gas Prices at an All-Time Low Today: Gas Prices at an All-Time High - In 1989, a dollar would buy you a gallon of gas. Today, you couldn't get your ride down the street for that much. Record-low fuel prices in the '80s ushered in the era of SUVs. Today, we're all getting a lot more use out of our bicycles.(Photos: Dennis Brack/Landov; Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)