Best of 2000 Hip Hop & Rap

The year 2000 was a crossroads moment for hip hop. The genre had fully conquered mainstream radio, but the streets were still hungry for substance. Eminem was arguably the biggest name in music, period. The Marshalls Mathers LP dropped in May and sold nearly a million copies in its first week. Dr. Dre's 2001 was still riding high from its late 1999 release, cementing the G-Funk revival and launching Eminem's career. Jay-Z dropped The Dynasty: Roc La Familia, planting his flag as New York's king and expanding the Roc-A-Fella empire. Meanwhile, Nas was rebuilding his legacy and DMX was a force. He dropped two number one albums in '98 and '99 and was everywhere. In October, OutKast released Stankonia, widely considered one of the greatest hip hop albums ever. Blending funk, punk and rap in way nobody had heard before. 2000 was the moment hip hop realized it didn't just belong to the culture, it was the culture.

Best of 2000 R&B, Neosoul, Throwbacks

The year 2000 R&B was lush, smooth and deeply romantic. It blended silky vocals with hip hop rhythms, live instrumentation and polished production. The genre sat confidently at the center of mainstream pop culture, dominating radio, TRL and music video channels like BET and MTV. Neo-Soul was in full bloom, at its peak some may argue. Artists like Erykah Badu, D'Angelo and Jill Scott brought earthy, jazz-influenced textures and lyrics that felt soulful and raw compared to contemporary R&B. Producers like Rodney Jerkins, Missy Elliott and Timbaland were shaping the sonic landscape with innovative beats that blended electronic production with organic soul. Slow jams were everywhere with rich harmonies and layered production that dominated quiet storm radio fronts. A few notable artists that dominated 2000 were Destiny's Child, Janet Jackson, Aaliayh, Joe, Next and Jagged Edge. R&B in 2000 felt aspirational. Music videos were cinematic, fashion was bold and the music radiated confidence and sensuality. It was a time when R&B and Hip Hop were intertwined with so many rap features on R&B tracks.

Best of 2005: Hip Hop & Rap

Best of 2005: R&B

2005 R&B is probably a top 5 year when it comes to R&B testing its time. This year alone brought us new faces in the music world which led them to become some of the biggest names in music still to this day. We were introduced to Chris Brown, Rihanna, Ne-Yo, T-Pain, Trey Songz, Keyshia Cole, Pretty Ricky as new artists in 2005. We can't forget artists such as Bobby Valentino, Pretty Ricky, Jamie Foxx, Ciara, Missy Elliot & Amerie who planted their flag in the music space as well. Over 85 minutes of some of our favorite music from this one year alone, this is the Best of 2005 R&B!

Best of 2004: Hip Hop & Rap