ONTD Original: Eleven Underrated R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Non-Singles from the 00's
Are you ready to take it back to the 00's ONTD? Shoot, already? Again? It hasn't been that long has it? What year is it? Damn. Damn indeed, hope y'all got your life alert on for this one. For this ONTD Original, I've decided to compile a list of underrated 00's R&B/Hip-Hop jams (singles and non-singles) and highlight them for some of us that may have forgotten them or simply didn't even know they existed (I don't think i went that far deep into the archives for that, but you never know). I may have accidentally stumbled upon my old mp3 player and that may or may not have inspired this post. Without further ado, let's dive into the nostalgia of grade shool, middle school and for some high school/college.
TLC - “Hands Up (2002)”
Click to viewDescription: "Hands Up" was released by American recording group TLC as the second single for the band's fourth studio album, 3D on November 5, 2002. The song was written and produced by 90's R&B King Babyface and co-written with Daryl Simmons. The album was released seven months after the death of TLC member Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes. The single was considered a minor success but unfortunately failed to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 and the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks. The video was shot on January 10, 2003 and reunited TLC with Matthew Rolston, director of their videos for "Creep" and "Red Light Special." "Tryin' shake that ass. Playa, don't even dance! Supwitchu" remains in my every day vocabulary tbh.
Mýa - “Things Come and Go (feat. Sean Paul) (2003)”
Description: Not released as an official single off the singer's third studio album Moodring, it was clearly a high contender for the third single. The song features Jamaican dancehall singer Sean Paul and would have been a guaranteed smash with the right support from her label, but after the album's second single "Fallen" disappointed and only charted on the Billboard Hot 100 at no. 51 A&M/Interscope Records and the singer abandoned the project. I'm still pissed.
Smilez and Southstar - “Tell Me (2002)”
Description: "Tell Me" is a hip hop song written and performed by the Orlando, Florida based hip-hop duo Smilez and Southstar for their debut studio album, Crash the Party (2002). "Tell Me" was produced by DJ Nasty & LVM and released in early 2003 as the album's second single and was considered a modest hit peaking at no. 34 on the Billboard Hit 100. To date, "Tell Me" is Smilez and Southstar's only successful single, earning them the "one-hit wonder" title and the only Hip-Hop single to make this list tbh.
Toya - “I Do!! (2001)”
Description: "I Do!!" is the debut single by American R&B singer Toya, full name LaToya Lacole Rodriguez. It served as the lead single from her self-titled debut album Toya. "I Do!!" was a hit for Toya, reaching no. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100. I may be pushing underrated with this one but let's be real, most of us have forgetten this song and ha. Despite the success of the single, the album failed to match the song's success, only reaching no. 109 on the Billboard 200. Toya released a second and final single, 2002's "No Matta What (Party All Night)" before her label, the now defunct Arista Records, dropped ha. We'll always have this to bop to at the clubs tho. Hold my michelada.
Athena Cage - “Hey Hey (2000)”
Description: Now the good sis Athena Cage is no stranger to success, she wrote and was featured in the 1996 baby making hit single "Nobody" with Keith Sweat. That single peaked at no. 3 on the Billlboard Hot 100 and remains a classic today! In 2000-2001 however, Athena tried to ride the R&B/Hip-Hop wave by releasing her debut single "Hey Hey" off what would have been her debut album The Art Of A Woman. The single failed to chart and she released 2 more singles (one featured on the Save The Last Dance soundtrack) before officially throwing in the towel.
Brandy - “I Tried (2004)”
Description: Another non-single on this list, "I Tried" was never officially released however was often considered by the singer and her label as a potential single before and during the album's release. Brandy would drop frequent collaborator Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins for this album and worked with Timbaland who produced the bulk of the album. "Black Pepper" was to be Afrodisiac's lead single until Kanye West got involved on the album and instead "Talk About Our Love" (produced and featuring West) was chosen.
Kiley Dean - “Make Me a Song (2003)”
Description: Back in 2002 the good sis Kiley Dean was signed to Timbaland's short-lived Beat Club Records, releasing two singles before her Timbaland-produced debut album, Simple Girl, was shelved. In 2005 she worked on her second album under the name 'Blue Eyes' and released "Lookin' For Love." That new alias, single and album failed to take off as well. Poor girl, but we'll always have this bop. "Make Me a Song" references and samples Tweet's "Call Me," Missy Elliot's "Get Ur Freak On," and Aaliyah's "Rock the Boat." Not all is bad for Ms. Dean, she sang back-up for Britney Spears' "…Baby One More Time Tour" and "Oops!... I Did It Again World Tour" and most recently Madonna's "MDNA Tour" and "Rebel Heart Tour." Sleigh (in the background) sis!
LeToya - “She Ain't Got... (2009)”
Description: Now swing batta, batta, batta! This song goes awf. "She Ain't Got..." is a song recorded by American R&B singer LeToya Luckett (formerly of the original Destiny's Child line-up) and released as the second single from her second and last Capitol Records release "Lady Love." The song was produced by Cory Bold and unfortunately co-written by Chris Brown. Oh. The song failed to chart or become a hit, but that didn't stop the good Houston sis from dropping two more singles off this album before bowing out and leaving Capitol. Back when "Torn" dropped (peaking at no. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100) she was on the rise with a no. 1 self-titled album and looking to compete on the charts. But the rumor goes that Papa Mathew Knowles sabotaged her early on and got her banned from performing on the main stage at the BET Awards the same year Beyoncé was performing. What could have been. WhatIsTheTruth?.gif
Amerie - “Talkin' To Me (2002)”
Description: Before Queen B stole Rich Harrison and Amerie's sound with "Crazy In Love," there was Amerie with just one I. Hm, this Original is turning into the R&B girls that god paid dust by Beyoncé (and her father) now. Oi. Not my intention. Honestly I had the songs chosen before writing all this! Anyways, "Talkin' to Me" is a song by American R&B singer Amerie from her debut album, All I Have (2002). Written and produced by Rich Harrison, it was released in late 2002 as the album's second and final single. The song deserved to be as big as a hit as "1 Thing" (a MAJAH hit and Amerie song that would serve as a Blueprint to someone's solo career, but you didn't read that from me).
Babyface - “The Loneliness (2003)”
Description: Ah yes, my 90's R&B KING Babyface, born Kenneth Brian Edmond. If you've heard any 90's and early 00's R&B songs, chances are he wrote and produced it! The Max Martin of R&B if you will (but a lot more talented tbh). In 2004, "The Loneliness" was released as the lead single to his original sixth studio album to be titled A Love Story before being shelved and then reworked into Grown & Sexy (2005). The song definitely deserved to slay the charts. See also: "Drama, Love & 'Lationships."
Carly Rae Jepsen - “All That (2005 2015)”
Description: Look, Carly Rae Jepsen transcends time, genre, and space. Queen of Time Travel if you will. "All That" was a song off her 2005 throwback release E*MO*TION and performed on SNL. The song was was written by Jepsen, Ariel Rechtshaid and Dev Hynes, while production was handled by Ariel Rechtshaid. The song garnered a lot of praise and was often compared to a Prince song. Wow, a time travel critically acclaimed indie Queen! When will your faves?
Sources: Me - 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 and OP's old skewl iRiver iHP-120 mp3 player