Side 1 of 11
2000
Bling, the beat & a brand-new century
The top 10
- 01
Ms. Jackson
OutKast
hip-hopATLienFind similar tracks →On the charts
#1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for one week in early 2001 after dominating fall 2000 radio.
Why it mattered
Andre 3000 turned an open letter to his ex's mother into one of the most beloved hip-hop singles of the decade. Stankonia broke OutKast wide and previewed the genre-blurring run that would define the 2000s.
- 02
Forgot About Dre
Dr. Dre · feat. Eminem
west coastg-funkFind similar tracks →On the charts
Won Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group at the 2001 Grammys.
Why it mattered
The lead single from 2001 reasserted Dre as untouchable behind the boards and let Eminem unleash a verse that announced his arrival as Dre's heir apparent.
- 03
The Real Slim Shady
Eminem
pop-rapFind similar tracks →On the charts
Peaked at #4 on the Hot 100; The Marshall Mathers LP sold 1.76M copies in its first week.
Why it mattered
Eminem's pop breakthrough turned him into the most-talked-about artist on Earth. The video's army of bleach-blond clones became an MTV signature image of the era.
- 04
Country Grammar (Hot Shit)
Nelly
southernclubFind similar tracks →On the charts
Reached #7 on the Hot 100 and pushed the album to diamond status.
Why it mattered
Nelly singlehandedly put St. Louis on the rap map with a sing-song nursery-rhyme hook that made the South-meets-Midwest sound radio-ready.
- 05
Big Pimpin'
Jay-Z · feat. UGK
luxury rapFind similar tracks →On the charts
Peaked at #18 on the Hot 100; the video famously cost over $1 million.
Why it mattered
Timbaland's Egyptian-flute loop, Jay's most quotable boasts, and a yacht in Trinidad — pop-rap maximalism in one perfect package.
- 06
Party Up (Up in Here)
DMX
ruff rydershypeFind similar tracks →On the charts
Peaked at #27 on the Hot 100; certified platinum.
Why it mattered
Swizz Beatz's spring-loaded synth riff and DMX's bark made this the hype-up record of the moment — every gym, every club, every house party.
- 07
Shake Ya Ass
Mystikal
neptunesclubFind similar tracks →On the charts
Peaked at #13 on the Hot 100.
Why it mattered
The Neptunes' first true blockbuster club banger — a thumping, minimalist beat that proved Pharrell and Chad could own the dancefloor as easily as they owned BET.
- 08
Hot Boyz
Missy Elliott · feat. Nas, Eve, Q-Tip
futuristicFind similar tracks →On the charts
Topped the Billboard Hot Rap Songs chart for 18 weeks — a record at the time.
Why it mattered
Missy and Timbaland's airtight chemistry powered a victory lap of guest verses and helped lock in their status as the most futuristic team in rap.
- 09
Whoa!
Black Rob
bad boyFind similar tracks →On the charts
Peaked at #43 on the Hot 100; the catchphrase exploded everywhere.
Why it mattered
Bad Boy's last great street single before the empire faded — and a hook so contagious it became the year's go-to ad-lib.
- 10
Bounce With Me
Lil Bow Wow · feat. Xscape
teen rapFind similar tracks →On the charts
Peaked at #20 on the Hot 100; Lil Bow Wow was 13 years old.
Why it mattered
Jermaine Dupri's protégé turned middle-school crush energy into a chart hit and previewed an entire wave of teen-rap that would define the early 2000s.
