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Destination Jam: Five rap songs from the early 2000s that remind you of what a great time it was for hip-hop

The music of TI, 50 Cent, Jay-Z, Eminem and Dr Dre will never go out of style, no matter how many decades pass
PUBLISHED JUL 9, 2020
Dr Dre, Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson and Eminem (Getty Images)
Dr Dre, Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson and Eminem (Getty Images)

The early 2000s were a time of great music. Rap music, in particular, saw some of the greatest artistes reestablish themselves as stalwarts in the industry alongside new and emerging talent, making for an era that is, truly, musically unmatched. And amid all the global issues and individual beefs, it can be a little difficult to remember just how good the soundscape of that era was. Here are five tracks to help jog your memory.

50 Cent: 'In Da Club'

Is there anyone that didn't get down to 'In Da Club' back in the day? Off 50 Cent's 2003 album 'Get Rich or Die Tryin'', the 50 Cent-Dr Dre-Mike Elizondo track peaked at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 and became the rapper's first number-one single on the chart. The song was widely acclaimed by critics and listeners alike and even earned itself nominations at the 46th Grammy Awards for Best Male Rap Solo Performance and Best Rap Song. The song's music video won Best Rap Video and Best New Artist at the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards. The song also earned the number 24 spot on Billboard's Hot 100 Songs of the Decade, among many other accolades.

This was truly a song for the times, filled with nothing but feel-good vibes as the rapper and his friends got tipsy at the club and celebrated the night like it was a birthday party. Because when you roll with 50 Cent, you don't need a reason to get wild.



 

Eminem: 'Lose Yourself'

It's hard to believe this song is nearly two decades old, because despite being released all the way back in 2002, 'Lose Yourself' remains one of the best songs ever released and continues to be a favorite among fans of rap and hip-hop music. The song was the lead single off the soundtrack to the movie '8 Mile', which was a fictional telling of the story of Eminem's rise from a poor kid trying to make it to an award-winning international superstar. The song itself sums up the movie's plot and delves into his character B-Rabbit's struggles and eventual overcoming of them. To that end, this song became an anthem for many who identified with its themes and reveled in the victorious verses delivered in true Eminem fashion.

'Lose Yourself' was a massive hit, both commercially and critically. It was Eminem's first Billboard Hot 100 number-one single, remaining on the chart for twelve consecutive weeks apart from topping charts in nineteen other countries. Critics called the song inspiring and praised Eminem for his songwriting, rapping, and production and calling it his best work, apart from dubbing it one of the greatest hip-hop songs of all time. The music video for the track, which featured scenes from '8 Mile' interspersed with others that helped the narrative also went on to win the MTV Video Music Award for Best Video from a Film, while the song itself won the Academy Award for Best Original Song, making it the first hip hop song to receive the award, as well as the Grammy Award for Best Rap Song and Best Rap Solo Performance.

Eminem performs onstage during the 92nd Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on February 09, 2020, in Hollywood, California (Getty Images)

Jay-Z: '99 Problems'

A track that became so popular it spawned one of the earliest viral memes with the lyrics "I got 99 problems but a b***h ain't one," '99 Problems' was Jay-Z's third single off his 2004 album 'The Black Album' and it was true to form for the rapper since the track took shots at everyone who sought to demonize Jay-z and others like him for both their racial identity as black men as well as their musical leanings towards rap. The chorus hook that turned out to be so popular was taken from Ice-T's single of the same name off his 1993 album 'Home Invasion'.

Musically, the song was praised for its blend of some old school hip-hop and metal with a more contemporary critique of the sociopolitical climate and the impact it was having on black men, particularly those in hip-hop. With lyrics that address racial profiling and police brutality, this song is remarkably topical decades later.



 

TI: 'Whatever You Like'

Released in 2008, this song is easily one of TI's best. The single featured on his 2008 album 'Paper Trail' and went on to hit number one on the US Billboard Hot 100, topping the chart for seven non-consecutive weeks and staying in the top three for over twelve non-consecutive weeks. The song was named the 16th most successful song from 2000 to 2009 on the Billboard Hot 100 Songs of the Decade. And apart from all its accolades, 'Whatever You Like' also remains a huge favorite among both fans of TI as well as anyone who was listening to rap songs in the early 2000s for whom this song remains an eternal classic that will never go out of style.

Much like other songs coming out at the time, 'Whatever You Like' sees TI talk about being well-off, enough to take care of his lover, and not "tricking" her the way other men would. Essentially, it declares that TI is a 'real one'. 



 

Dr Dre & Eminem: 'Forgot About Dre'

Widely considered Dre's response to diss tracks from Death Row artistes on 'Suge Knight Represents: Chronic 2000', 'Forgot About Dre', which samples No Doubt's 'The Climb', dropped to widespread critical acclaim and commercial success. The track charted on the Billboard Hot 100, the US R&B chart, the US Pop chart and the UK Singles Chart, in addition to winning Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group at the 2001 Grammy Awards. On the track, Dre addresses his critics and declares that he's returning to hip-hop all while reminding his detractors of his undeniable influence on the genre.

Eminem's verses also earned significant praise, with many likening it to his style off his earlier 'Slim Shady' raps and commending him on his unpredictability when it came to his music. Overall, the track sealed Dre's place in the industry as someone that younger artistes really shouldn't be messing with while also further establishing Eminem's skills and making it known he was definitely going to be sticking around for a long time.



 

Destination Jam is a daily list of songs that will keep you entertained and grooving up top in lieu of feeling drained and losing the plot. Look out for a fresh selection of great tunes from MEAWW to refresh your mood every day!

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