NFL
By: Brock Vierra
To preface this hip-hop article, Team NBS Media nor I condone or support the actions or opinions of the artists below. Unfortunately, the dominant forces in the early 2000s rap/ hip-hop do not have the best track record since these hits were released.
However the music is what we are talking about today and for a kid growing up in Hawaii, all I had was 104.3 FM and a dream. That beautiful radio station was the only thing giving me input into the world of rap/ hip-hop and their tracklist was quite repetitive. With that being said, here are 5 songs that defined my childhood.
Entering the Hip-Hop chart-toppers
Smack That – Akon Ft. Eminem
A collaboration between Akon and Eminem brought forth the pop tone of Akon that shot him to international acclaim and the rapid-fire rap style that gave Eminem the credibility needed in the black-dominated rap game, resulting in this hit and a popular music video starring the always-employed Eric Roberts.
What made this song so great was its blend of contrasting styles to create a song that was digestible by the masses. It’s fun, easy to sing along too and it is able to be enjoyed in a multitude of environments.
Bartender – T-Pain
One of the most recognizable hits of the 2000s, Bartender set the path for what rap and hip-hop would eventually become. Never before had we seen any artist use auto-tune in the way T-Pain did and quite frankly, despite many replicated attempts, we haven’t seen artists use autotune correctly since. The reason is that T-Pain can actually sing.
Like Enya, T-Pain’s unique sound can only be created inside a studio with specific conditions. One of those conditions is that the artist needs to have a powerful voice such as theirs. However that should not take away from their work and for diehard fans like myself, it doesn’t.
In my opinion, T-Pain is one of the most disrespected artists in the modern game. Why? I have my theories but there’s nothing concrete. What is true is that Bartender is a timeless classic that is meant to be enjoyed sober or inebriated.
With Akon wrapping up this hit, Bartender will forever be the soil for which modern rap grew from. Whether that is a good or bad thing remains to be seen.
Kiss Kiss – Chris Brown Ft. T-Pain
Paying homage to his hometown in the opening sequence, Chris Brown’s Kiss Kiss might be better known for its opening and closing sequence of T-Pain pretending he’s a radio DJ than the song itself.
Either way, the only song on “Nappy Boy Radio” was a certified classic. Kiss Kiss left no doubt of who was left in the running against Usher for entertainer of the year. This was prime Chris Breezy. He was a young man against the world. He was a playboy, a phenomenal dancer, and was making Tyra Banks count down the days till he was 18.
Kiss Kiss remains an iconic song but at that time, it helped prove that his debut hits off his debut self-titled album was more than just a one-off. Chris Brown was here to stay.
With You – Chris Brown
Another hit off of Brown’s Exclusive album, this time Chris Brown reminded the world that he had (and continues to have) every female and their wallets (for the under 18 crowd, their parent’s wallets) at his fingertips. With a catchy beat and relatable words, Brown was a one-man boy band.
With You shot Brown to that Usher level of stardom that he has yet to yield. We will never know what would’ve come after this hit as his reputation took a massive hit with his domestic assault incident with Rihanna and his music took a massive turn after that. Once portrayed as the innocent popstar, that facade was no longer believable making With You that much more powerful. It will never be duplicated or replaced by anything Brown produces in the future.
Knock You Down – Keri Hilson Ft. Ne-Yo and Kanye West
Keri Hilson should’ve been bigger than what she is but bad advice from her label and a rumored feud that ended up being false with Beyoncé grinded her career to a halt. Keri Hilson had it all. She teamed up with Timbaland, she had talent, she had the look, she could dance, she could do it all. I would dare say she was a triple threat and I genuinely believed she was on the same track Aaliyah was on before her untimely death.
The biggest piece of evidence I have is Hilson’s Knock You Down. It had a simple message and eloquently expressed Hilton’s single range while giving her much-needed clout by attaching Ne-Yo and Kanye West to the project.
Now with Ne-Yo and Kanye West, it wouldn’t seem far-fetched for them to collaborate despite their contrasting styles as Ne-Yo and Plies teamed up for their hit Bust it Baby Pt. 2. However when Kanye collaborated with a male and a female artist, typically the male would have a similar style to his.
The juxtaposition of the song is what made it so great because their contrasting styles blended and flowed as the beat turned a different corner without drawing attention to the sudden change.
In the music video, Hilson was hot, she was vulnerable and then she was powerful. She was not a sideshow to the more established stars, she was not a contemporary, she was the moment and if we rewind time, that song was clearly meant to be a catalyst to bigger things.
