These songs are etched in the memories of multiple eras of rap fans, and without a doubt, took over plenty of high school events. This perfectly encapsulates the times, as the storied record label's music everywhere, and rightfully so. 4 song in the country, and Diddy's "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down" featuring Bad Boy's youngest in charge, Ma$e, was at No. Biggie's timeless single "Hypnotize" was the No. as its leading rapper, dominated the airwaves. 18.Ī year later in 1997, Bad Boy Records, founded by Diddy, and with the late great The Notorious B.I.G. The second top hip-hop song on the Hot 100 in early June was MC Lyte's "Keep On, Keepin' On" featuring Xscape (From S unset Park) at No. The track dedicated to the group's fallen friends, including Eazy-E, resonated with listeners for its stirring vocals, becoming the highest-debuting rap single at the time of its release. 1 song in the country on the Billboard Hot 100. In early June of 1996, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony's "Crossroads" was the No. The late 1990s were a great time for hip-hop, as anyone who was in their teen years back then can attest to. As students rock their cap and gown to graduate in June, XXL documents the top hip-hop songs (according to the Billboard Hot 100) from the year you graduated high school-specifically 1996 to 2021. Music plays a part in serving as a soundtrack for moments like this, especially hip-hop. With the growth of the genre over the last 25 years, a many hip-hop songs soundtracked plenty of high school memories. Whether it's getting good grades or needing a study buddy to help through the struggle, joining extracurricular activities or becoming a team player in a sport, hanging out with friends or chilling at parties, there are plenty of cherished times. Either way, just thinking back to those days unlocks a lot of memories. To accompany lyrics about his experiences with a magnetic yet enigmatic woman, Ne-Yo and Stargate provide production that is “smoky, kinda dark, and mysterious.Depending on your age, high school was either a really long time ago or a recent memory. He worked closely with artists and DJs to release songs with fiery energy.Ī top 10 hit from Ne-Yo’s Grammy-nominated Year of the Gentleman, “Closer” is heavily inspired by a visit to London, which proved to him the impact of house and techno club sounds. Luke and Cirkut, who created the top 10 hit’s electropop-heavy sound.Īs electropop began to heat up in the late 2000s and early 2010s, Ne-Yo reintroduced himself as a high-octane hitmaker. The duo sing and rap about living in the moment and not worrying about what tomorrow will bring. “Give Me Everything” is also a product of the times, referencing everything from a “locked up” Lindsay Lohan to taking photos in Times Square with Kodak cameras (remember when?).Īnother popular link-up between Ne-Yo and Pitbull, “Time Of Our Lives” is featured on Pit’s album Globalization and Ne-Yo’s Non-Fiction (both from 2014). 1 on the charts, it’s certified six times platinum and is one of the best-selling digital singles of all time, with 11.2 million digital copies sold. “Give Me Everything” is an Afrojack-produced club banger that featured on Pitbull’s 2011 album Planet Pit. It was “Part 2” featuring Ne-Yo, however, that proved to be the version with staying power, as it combines his tender singing voice with Plies’ gritty, hard-hitting rap verses. Rapper Plies made his Janet Jackson-sampling song “Bust It Baby” the first single off Definition of Real, in 2008. The song earned Hudson two Grammy nominations.įemale empowerment and self-love are a few of the themes Ne-Yo focused on for Keri Hilson’s 2010 song, “Pretty Girl Rock.” Over sugary yet sassy production that features a subtle sample of Bill Withers’ “Just The Two Of Us,” Hilson repeats affirmations about being “beautiful” and “fly,” hoping to instill a sense of confidence in herself and her listeners. The mid-tempo R&B ballad keeps her show-stopping pipes intact while remaining relatable to the average listener, as she sings about sticking it to a no-good partner. Thanks to Ne-Yo, Jennifer Hudson’s 2008 debut single showed a different side of the Oscar-winner, whose work in Dreamgirls was focused on theatrics and themes of self-reflection. Ne-Yo also wrote the track from a male perspective, but later recognized it would be more empowering for a woman to sing. Ne-Yo’s initial idea was to make the 2006 hit a country tune, however, production and lyrical tweaks made it a Queen Bey staple. Beyoncé’s number one single “Irreplaceable” went through several twists and turns before making its way into her catalogue.