Best of the 00s: Naughty Aughties pt. 1

So me and my facebook friends combed the net for what to call the decade of 2000-2009. The "ooohs," "Ohs," "double-ohs" were all thrown in the mix. But one pointed out that they had a name for it already, "The Aughts."
I've suffered through nearly a month of trying to remember what the heck I played in the first few years of the millennium (other than D'angelo) as there's no Ipod with data from those years. So here's a combo of my highest play counts and songs I think too many missed in the Naughty Aughties.


2000
1. -Girls Dem Sugar (w/Mya)-Beenie Man-Art And Life The Neptunes began the millennium where they ended the nineties…taking over. After Timbaland and Missy, VA Beach represented with Pharrell & Chad producing hip hop, R&B, pop and here, a reggae dancehall star. Mya’s parts were irresistible sing-a-longs as well.

2. -What The Deal-Boyz II Men-Nathan Michael Shawn Wanya-Still fresh as 112 and considering they outlived Jodeci by this point, we should've been listening to this hot one and the album it was on.

3. -You Ain't Right-Carl Thomas-Emotional-Hot track from a still slept on vocalist. I banged this more than "I Wish."

4. -Love's Still Alright-Chanté Moore-Exposed With the help and direction of James “Big Jim” Wright, the angelic songbird composes and delivers hope in love with a gospel icing finish.

5. -What 'Chu Like-Da Brat-Unrestricted-Even using a track already "out there" something about Brat's shit talking and Tyrese made her sexy after all the assumed non-hetero persona she had before.

6. -One Mo' Gin-D'Angelo-Voodoo-rawest soul record released in twenty years. period.

7. -Untitled (How Does It Feel)-D'Angelo-Voodoo-if you could get past the hormone raging the song ignites, you just might find out that the stripped (pardon the pun) instrumentation is killer. Spanky, Ray, & D brilliantly hold the attention without a naked body present.

8. -One Woman Man-Dave Hollister-Chicago '85... The Movie-Finally a bonafide solo hit for Dave. If only "beat" wasn't in the hook, it be a perfect song.

9. -Ooooh (w/Redman)-De La Soul-Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump Post Tommy Boy Records, De La stepped up their game where their younger brothers ATCQ had taken over but then acquiesced to Rule 4080. Independent and even better producers and artists, AOI pt. 1 set off with this jam. Shout out to crazy ass Redman who kills the ending humorously.

10. -Come Back In One Piece-DMX-Romeo Must Die-This is what B & Jay wanted for Bonnie & Clyde. Oh well.

11. -Stan-Eminem-The Marshall Mathers LP Storytelling at its eerie finest. Period.

12. -Booty-Erykah Badu-Mama's Gun-Funkier "I'll Take Your Man." Thing is, she actually won't 'cause she's YOUR sista. Hilarious and funky as hell.

13. -Certified (featuring Jay-Dee and Bilal)-Guru-Jazzmatazz Vol. 3: Streetsoul-One of the few times you'll hear Dilla steal spotlight from the singers and rappers on his track.

14. -I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)-Jay-Z-Dynasty Roc La Familia Neptunes most important moment in the decade (perhaps their career), giving Jigga his first #1, everybody a jam to dance to, and every “too old for the clubs” playa a new anthem.

15. -The Way-Jill Scott-Who Is Jill Scott? (Words And Sounds Vol. 1)-Probably unfair, but it reminded me most of Badu's "Otherside of the Game" mood and save for "Honey Molasses" (which I love for the answering machine), it got most run from her album in my pod and player.

16. -Neon-John Mayer-Room for Squares After turning the Beckies and Amys on, Mayer showed a bit of grit and promise of dimension.

17. -Everyday-Lucy Pearl-Lucy Pearl-The bass, bass guitar, and guitar were killer. The vocal arrangement was irresistible. Best of an already great album.

18. -Southern Hospitality-Ludacris-Back For The First Time-Neptunes' sound dominated the year and made a superstar out of an already local hero in ATL. "Drop bows on 'em."

19. -Oh No-Mos Def & Pharoahe Monch-Lyricist Lounge 2 The East/West hip hop feud was officially over with this Rawkus recording marrying the West Coast gangsta rap singer with Brooklyn’s flagship underground emcee. The end of Rawkus’ independent surge apexed with the Lyricist Lounge vol 2 and MCA buying out the label and Mos Def as an artist.

20. -Love-Musiq Soulchild-Aijuswannasing Carvin Haggins and Ivan Barias’ songwriting brilliance broke through the Philly Touch of Jazz barrier with this spiritual buried in a secular frame.

21. -Humble Mumble feat. Erykah Badu-Outkast-Stankonia-So many motivational pearls wrapped up in this upbeat jam. "You wanna lead the nation, start from your corner."

22. -Simon Says-Pharohe Monch-Internal Affairs-Though it dropped prior to the millennium, it was the banginest beat kick driving the year.

23. -Up And Outta Here-R. Kelly-Shaft-The fact that he had a classic soul production like this to throw away on a soundtrack while his real album was about to drop speaks volumes to the depth of Kels vault when in his zone.

24. -I Don't Mean It-R. Kelly-TP-2.COM-Classic, heartfelt, believable ballads Robert's ever written. If we weren't so into his ghettocentricities (no matter how much we deny it) perhaps this would've been a single.

25. -I Gotta Go-Rachelle Ferrell-Individuality (Can I Be Me?)-One of those best you never heard. My favorite from a stellar pianist & vocalist the industry abused.

26. -How I Could Just Kill A Man-Rage Against The Machine-Renegades-Though the release of this alone went against Rage's wishes, their flipping and upgrading an already classic hip hop gem with original funk rock at its finest must be noted.

27. -Da Goodness-Redman-Doc's Da Name Redman’s first platinum album came at the height of Def Jam’s 2nd wave and this one featured Busta Rhymes in a partnering that rivaled all Red’s Method Man collaborations.

28. -Every Word-Sade-Lovers Rock Though the iconic queen was clearly in love and potentially shaking up the foundation of her previous classics, the reggae-tinged fifth album had a classic or two and was accepted despite its happiness. Heh.

29. -This Could Be Heaven-Seal-The Family Man This beauty was completely ignored. So much so that Seal scrapped the album that was supposed to follow it. The oboe intro is hypnotic.

30. -Bad Boyz-Shyne-Shyne-Thank God for Grace, Sly & Robbie, and Puff's refusal to let the sound of Biggie die. Shyne & Barrington needed to make an entire album together.

31. -The Blast-Talib Kweli-Reflection Eternal Kweli and Hi-Tek delivered their own album despite Mos’ landmark solo project. Kweli embarked on an even more impressive catalogue than Mos, though he never sold as much as Mos’ debut. This jam only missed the charts because he didn’t have MCA’s backing yet. “Kweli!”

32. -Slowly-Tank-Force Of Nature-Soul/Gospel that slipped by too many. Durrell almost single-handedly took ya to the altar or bedroom in one fell swoop.

33. -I'm Good at Being Bad-TLC-Fanmail Their last album as a trio, T-Boz, Left Eye, & Chili with the aid of Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis and WAR dropped this album gem all over the radio, despite never being released as a single. Scrub that.

34. -Spanish Guitar-Toni Braxton-The Heat The most impressive ballad of Toni’s 3rd release signified she was losing her artist when it failed to follow “He Wasn’t Man Enough” and “Just Be a Man” to the top of the charts. This is one of Diane Warren’s finest compositions.

35. -Shut Up-Trick Daddy-Book of Thugs: Chapter A.K., Verse 47-Not just a jam, but should be the anthem of southern, if not every, HBCU marching band.

36. -Beautiful Day-U2-All That You Can't Leave Behind-Ok, after decades they had a few I found impossible to ignore.

37. -Tired Melody-Will Downing-All The Man You Need Ok, Questlove and Poyser were reeeeeally wrong for this, but it was hot. Producing Will Downing to a D’Angelo cloned track and vocal arrangement, taken to its peak with Nicholas Payton’s trumpet ending.

38. -911 (w/Mary J. Blige)-Wyclef Jean-The Ecleftic The only savior from Wyclef’s sophomore slump being completely forgettable, Mary took it home on this one.