The late 1990s and early 2000s were some of the greatest years for the music industry, introducing some of the biggest names we know and love today. With so much talent bursting into the spotlight all at once, many gems were left undiscovered or forgotten about, especially as we got older.
But, that doesn't mean they aren't great - throwback tunes make for some of the best jam sessions ever! So, grab your earphones and take a listen down memory lane with some of the best R&B and hip hop throwbacks of the late 1990s and early 2000s.
1. "Umbrella" by Rihanna
"You have my heart, and we'll never be worlds apart
Maybe in magazines, but you'll still be my star
Baby, 'cause in the dark
You can't see shiny cars
And that's when you need me there
With you I'll always share"
2. "Crank That" by Soulja Boy
"Soulja Boy Up in this ho
Watch me crank it, watch me roll
Watch me crank dat Soulja Boy
Then Superman dat ho
Now watch me youuuuu
(Crank dat Soulja Boy"
3. "Ignition (Remix)" by R. Kelly
"It's the remix to ignition
Hot and fresh out the kitchen
Mama rollin' that body
Got every man in here wishin'
Sippin' on coke and rum
I'm like so what I'm drunk
It's the freakin' weekend baby
I'm about to have me some fun"
4. "Like You" by Bow Wow ft. Ciara
"I ain't ever had nobody show me all the things that you done showed me
And the special way I feel when you hold me
We gon' always be together baby that's what you told me
And I believe it
'Cause I ain't ever had nobody do me like you"
5. "Smack That" by Akon ft. Eminem
"I feel you creepin', I can see you from my shadow
Wanna jump up in my Lamborghini Gallardo
Maybe go to my place and just kick it like Tae Bo
And possibly bend you over
Look back and watch me
Smack that, all on the floor"
6. "U Got It Bad" by Usher
"You got it, you got it bad
When you're on the phone
Hang up and you call right back
You got it, you got it bad
If you miss a day without your friend
Your whole life's off track"
7. "One Wish" by Ray J
"If I had one wish, we would be best friends
Love would never end
It would just begin
If I had one wish, you would be my boo
Promise to love you
Trust me, I trust you"
8. "I Should Have Cheated" by Keyshia Cole
"I might as well have cheated on you
As much as you accused me of cheating
I might as well have lied to you
As much as you accused me of lying
I might as well have gone to the club
As much as you accused me of clubbin'
I might as well have threw away my love
As much as you accused me
I should have cheated"
9. "No Scrubs" by TLC
"No, I don't want no scrub
A scrub is a guy that can't get no love from me
Hangin' out the passenger side
Of his best friend's ride
Trying to holla at me"
10. "Right Thurr" by Chingy
"I like the way you do that right thurr (right thurr)
Swing your hips when you're walkin', let down you're hurr (let down your hurr)
I like the way you do that right thurr (right thurr)
Lick your lips when you're talkin', that make me sturr"
11. "Miss Independent" by Ne-Yo
"Say, oh is something about
Kinda woman that want you but don't need you
Hey, I can't figure it out
Is something about her
Cause she walk like a boss
Talk like a boss
Manicure nails just sent the pedicure off
She's fly effortlessly"
12. "With You" by Chris Brown
"And oh, I'm into you and girl, no one else would do
'Cause with every kiss and every hug
You make me fall in love
And now I, no I can't be the only one
I bet it's hearts all over the world tonight"
13. "Kiss Me Thru The Phone" by Soulja Boy
"Baby, you know that I miss you
I wanna get with you
Tonight but I can't now baby girl
And that's the issue
Girl you know I miss you
I just wanna kiss you
But I can't right now so baby
Kiss me through the phone"
14. "Hot In Herre" by Nelly
"So take it off like your home alone
You know dance in front your mirror while you're on the phone
Checking your reflection and telling your best friend
Like "Girl I think my butt getting big!"
It's getting hot in here, so hot, so take off all your clothes
I am, getting so hot, I wanna take my clothes off"
15. "My Boo" by Usher ft. Alicia Keys
"There's always that one person
That will always have your heart
You'll never see it coming
'Cause you're blinded from the start
Know that you're that one for me
It's clear for everyone to see"
16. "Love Of My Life" by Erykah Badu ft. Common
"Love of my life
You are my friend
Love of my life
A dude I can depend, yeah, yeah
Love of my life
Feels like a simple, true love"
17. "Bartender" by T-Pain ft. Akon
"Oh, she made us drinks to drink
We drunk 'em, got drunk
And now I think she think's I'm cool
She gave me a wink, I winked back
And then I think that we hit it off something proper like..."
18. "Why Don't We Fall In Love" by Amerie
"Why don't we fall in love
It takes such a load off to let you know
That you're the only one I never want to go
Think I never did know what to do
A love I never felt, now I feel with you"
19. "Candy Shop" by 50 Cent ft. Olivia
"Yeah
Uh-huh
So seductive
I'll take you to the candy shop
I'll let you lick the lollipop
Go 'head girl don't you stop
Keep going 'til you hit the spot, whoa"
20. "Pretty Wings" by Maxwell
"Oh you played me dirty, your game was so bad
You toyed with my affliction
Had to fill out my prescription
Found the remedy, I had to set you free
Away from me
To see clearly the way that love can be
When you are not with me
I had to leave, I have to live
I had to lead, I had to live"
21. "Mad" by Ne-Yo
"Oh baby
I know sometimes it's gonna rain
But baby, can we make up now
'Cause I can't sleep through the pain
Girl I don't wanna go to bed
Mad at you
And I don't want you to go to bed
Mad at me"
22. "Buy U A Drank (Shawty Snappin')" by T-Pain ft. Yung Joc
"Talk to me, I talk back
Let's talk money, I'll talk that
Krunk juice bombs, Oakley shades
Shawty got class, oh behave
Let's get gone, walk it out (walk it out)
Just like that; that's what I'm talkin' 'bout"
23. "Suga Suga" by Baby Bash
"You got me lifted, shifted, higher than the ceiling
And ooh wee it's the ultimate feeling
You got me lifted, feelin' so gifted
Sugar, how you get so fly?
Suga suga, how you get so fly?"
24. "Always Be My Baby" by Mariah Carey
"I ain't gonna cry no
And I won't beg you to stay
If you're determined to leave boy
I will not stand in your way
But inevitably
You'll be back again
'Cause you know in your heart babe
Our love will never end, no"
25. "Shortie Like Mine" by Bow Wow ft. Chris Brown and Johntá Austin
"Only thing that keeps me up when I'm feelin' down
I don't know about you, but I gotta keep mines around 'cause
I done looked out and searched, and it's hard to find another shorty like mine
Baby, yes, I'm addicted to how we kick it, everything you say to me
Never knew it could be so wicked, hopin' that you stay with me
Search around the world, but you will never find another shorty like mine
Shorty like mine"
26. "I'm Sprung" by T-Pain
"She got me doin' the dishes
Anything she want for some kisses
I'm cooking for her when she gets hungry
All she do is acting like she want me"
27. "Gimme That" by Chris Brown
"Momma you might be three years older but you hot (gimme that)
You be talkin' like you like what I got (gimme that)
I know you like it how I lean in the 'lac
You could be in the back sayin' (gimme, gimme, gimme)"
28. "So Into You" by Tamia ft. Fabolous
"I really like
What you've done to me
I can't really explain it
I'm so into you
I really like
What you've done to me
I can't really explain it
I'm so into you
It could be that way you hold me
It could be the things that you say
(that you say)
Oh I'm not sure what it is boy
But I know I like feeling this way"
29. "Let Me Love You" by Mario
"You should let me love you
Let me be the one to
Give you everything you want and need
Baby good love and protection
Make me your selection
Show you the way love's supposed to be
Baby, you should let me love you"
30. "Sexy Can I" by Ray J
"Sexy can I, just pardon my manners
Girl how you shake it, got a playa like (oh)
It's a Kodak moment, let me go and get my camera
All I wanna know is, sexy can I"
31. "Mesmerize" by Ja Rule ft. Ashanti
"Girl, your stare, those eyes I (love it when you look at me, baby)
Your lips, your smile, I (love it when you kiss me, baby)
Your hips, those thighs, I (love it when you call me, baby)
And I can't deny I (love it when I'm with you, baby)"
32. "Let It Burn" by Usher
"Think it's best we go our separate ways
Tell me why I should stay in this relationship
When I'm hurting baby, I ain't happy baby
Plus there's so many other things I gotta deal with
I think that you should let it burn"
33. "Killing Me Softly" by Fugees
"Strumming my pain with his fingers
Singing my life with his words
Killing me softly with his song
Killing me softly with his song
Telling my whole life with his words
Killing me softly with his song"
34. "Work It" by Missy Elliot
"Is it worth it? Let me work it
I put my thing down, flip it and reverse it
Ti esrever dna ti pilf, nwod gniht ym tup
Ti esrever dna ti pilf, nwod gniht ym tup"
35. "Blame It" by Jamie Foxx ft. T-Pain
"Blame it on the booze
Got you feelin' loose
Blame it on the 'tron
Got you in the zone
Blame it on the a-a-a-a-a-alcohol"
36. "Hate That I Love You" by Rihanna ft. Ne-Yo
"And I hate how much I love you, boy
I can't stand how much I need you
And I hate how much I love you, boy
But I just can't let you go
And I hate that I love you so"
37. "Dilemma" by Nelly ft. Kelly Rowland
"I love you and I need you
Nelly, I love you, I do
Need you
No matter what I do
All I think about is you
Even when I'm with my boo
Boy, you know I'm crazy over you"
38. "Holidae In" by Chingy ft. Snoop Dogg and Ludacris
"(Whatchu doin'?) Nothing, chillin' at the Holiday Inn
(Who you wit'?) Me and my peeps; won't you bring four of your friends?
(What we gon' do?) Feel on each other, and sip on some Hen
One thing leading to another; let the party begin"
39. "No Air" by Jordin Sparks ft. Chris Brown
"Tell me how I'm supposed to breathe with no air?
Can't live, can't breathe with no air
That's how I feel whenever you ain't there
There's no air, no air
Got me out here in the water so deep
Tell me how you gon' be without me?
If you ain't here I just can't breathe
There's no air, no air
No air air, No air air"
