Tatyana Ali recalls fainting during Tevin Campbell Episode on ‘Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’
Singer Tevin Campbell‘s 1993 single “Can We Talk” often takes music lovers back to a good time.
But he goes back even further with singer and “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” star, Tatyana Ali.
The actress, who played Will Smith’s cousin, Ashley Banks, in the series, shared a clip of the scene on Instagram and Threads where Campbell guest starred as her character’s crush, Little T.
In the 1991 episode titled “Just Infatuation,” Ashley’s parents threw her a birthday party at the house. She was shocked and speechless when artist Little T made a surprise appearance to sing “Happy Birthday” to Ashley.
Ali’s character was so starstruck by Campbell as Little T that after he finished singing she fainted in front of everyone in the living room.
Ali, who turned 46 on Jan. 24, wrote in her caption, “It’s my birfday!!!!Yay! Thank you God for another trip around the sun. Thank you for your grace, your forgiveness and your protection.”
Referencing the clip she said, “Here’s one of my favorite birthday moments. Sure, Tevin was singing to Ashley Banks, but he and I go way back, and in my heart he was singing to me . Love you @tevincampbell!”
On X, the “Always In My Heart” vocalist reposted Ali’s post with the quote saying, “Happy birthday!!! Love u2 @Tatyana Ali.”
Fans reacted in the comments of the Instagram post.
One person said, “We ALL had her same reaction when this happened on our television screens. Happy Birthday, @tatyanaali.”
“I remember when this episode premiered and I was lowkey jealous, I left the room and everything,” wrote another.
A third on Threads wrote, “I remember seeing this episode as a delusional 10 year old and crying HOT TEARS because you ‘stole my boyfriend’!!! Happy Birthday to you, Beautiful.”
While a fourth said, “That faint is what Sent me [laughing emojis]. I’ve always loved this episode Happy Belated Birthday Gorgeous.”
I still remember the episode of Fresh Prince when Tevin Campbell sung happy birthday to Ashley and she fainted 😂😂😂 every young girl was in love with him… how do you not know who he is 🙄 pic.twitter.com/VvxdEE6Lon
— BLAXK QUEEN ✊🏽👸🏽 (@Cam_iamshe) August 17, 2018
Campbell entranced many people with his love songs in the ’90s after he was discovered while living in Waxahachie, Texas, with his mom, brother, and sister. He was thrust into fame at the tender age of 12.
He was signed to Quincy Jones’ label in 1988 and then released his debut album, “T.E.V.I.N.,” in 1991. Two years later, he released his sophomore album, “I’m Ready,” which had “Can We Talk” listed as the first song.
In a 2022 interview with People, Campbell opened up about how he was viewed by fans in comparison to how the industry initially tried to market him.
“I think Warner Bros tried to market me as a sex symbol, which was not a good idea in my opinion,” he said. “I think the most producers that I worked with used me as a muse because they were going through all their relationships and they got this kid that could sing these songs.”
In the same interview, Campbell said he had new music in the works but nothing has been released yet. Additionally, the singer seems pretty private about his personal life only posting some of his outings and messages on social media.
As for Ali, she’s been married to Dr. Vaughn Rasberry since 2016. They share two sons together. Her music career as a singer was short-lived but she has taken on several roles since the 1990s including making an appearance in the “Bel-Air” series in 2023 which is a reboot of “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.” She’s even been on episodes of “Abbott Elementary.”
Off-screen, she’s an advocate for maternal health after creating a line of handmade baby quilts last year. Following a life-threatening birth with her first son, she sought out the help of a Black mid wife for the birth of her second and discovered the reproductive justice movement.