Side 2 of 11
2001
The basement is sweating
8 tracks
- 01
It Wasn't Me
Shaggy · feat. RikRok
dancehallsing-alongFind similar tracks →On the charts
#1 on the Hot 100 for two weeks in early 2001.
Why it mattered
Everyone knew every word. The premise was ridiculous, the hook was bulletproof, and it became the universal defense for getting caught doing anything. Dorm halls sang this in unison.
- 02
We Right Here
DMX
hip-hophypeFind similar tracks →On the charts
Peaked at #18 on the Hot 100 from The Great Depression.
Why it mattered
X kept the intensity dialed to 11. This was the pregame anthem — aggressive, unapologetic, and guaranteed to set the tone before anyone left the house.
- 03
Fight Music
D12
hip-hopcrew cutFind similar tracks →On the charts
Peaked at #89 on the Hot 100; became a staple on MTV and BET.
Why it mattered
Eminem's crew came with raw energy. Six MCs trading verses over a menacing beat — this was the soundtrack to every competitive moment, from pickup basketball to video game trash talk.
- 04
Music
Erick Sermon · feat. Marvin Gaye
hip-hopsoul sampleFind similar tracks →On the charts
Peaked at #22 on the Hot 100; built around a Marvin Gaye sample that was pure magic.
Why it mattered
The smoothest hip-hop track of 2001. Erick Sermon flipped a Marvin Gaye vocal into something timeless. This crossed every playlist — hip-hop heads, soul fans, everybody claimed it.
- 05
Young'n (Holla Back)
Fabolous
east coastdebutFind similar tracks →On the charts
Peaked at #36 on the Hot 100; Fab's breakout single.
Why it mattered
Brooklyn smoothness over a Desert Storm beat. Fabolous introduced himself as the punchline king and never looked back. This was in every car and every dorm room boombox.
- 06
Area Codes
Ludacris · feat. Nate Dogg
pregameroad tripFind similar tracks →On the charts
Peaked at #22 on the Hot 100; certified gold.
Why it mattered
Luda rattling off area codes while Nate Dogg crooned the hook. The road trip and pregame classic — every car ride to the away game, every tailgate playlist. First track cued up.
- 07
Aw Naw
Nappy Roots
southern rapfeel-goodFind similar tracks →On the charts
Peaked at #56 on the Hot 100 from Watermelon, Chicken & Gritz.
Why it mattered
Kentucky hip-hop that felt like a backyard cookout. Nappy Roots brought Southern hospitality to the rap game — this was the feel-good anthem that made everyone want to ride with the windows down.
- 08
I'm a Thug
Trick Daddy
Miamistreet rapFind similar tracks →On the charts
Peaked at #5 on the Hot 100; Trick Daddy's biggest solo hit.
Why it mattered
Miami bass meets raw street rap. Trick Daddy delivered an anthem for anyone who refused to apologize for where they came from. The hook was simple and impossible to forget.
