GREATEST HITS

E-40 Is A West Coast Icon: His Biggest Hits

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E-40’s impact on hip hop is undeniable, especially on the west coast. The East Bay, California rapper is widely considered a west coast icon for his profound influence on the Bay Area hyphy scene. He is known for his distinct voice, choppy flow, and humorous bars. To say that E-40 has been around for a while is an understatement, as he has released songs since the early 1990s as a member of The Click. As a solo artist, E-40 has been highly prolific and consistent, releasing 26 studio albums, with his 27th reportedly set to drop this year.  

Additionally, E-40 also has several collaborative albums, including works as a member of the rap supergroup Mount Westmore with Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, and Too $hort. A highly decorated artist, E-40 was recently critical of Rolling Stone’s list of the “100 Greatest West Coast Hip Hop Songs,” taking issue with “Tell Me When to Go” not being included. Regardless of whether or not his songs make lists, E-40 is an active pioneer in hip hop with almost unparalleled longevity. Here, we’re counting down the singles from his extensive discography, with the No. 1 spot being his biggest hit. Take a look at the list below.

7. “Sprinkle Me” feat. Suga-T (1995)

“Sprinkle Me” is one of E-40’s earliest hits. The 1995 song marked E-40’s third track to be released as a single, following “Captain Save a Hoe” and “1-Luv.” “Sprinkle Me” ended up charting higher than both, making for his biggest hit song at the time. From his second studio album, 1995’s In a Major Way, “Sprinkle Me” is a light-hearted jam. E-40 displays his signature flow while Suga-T raps with a tough attitude and sings the song’s chorus.

6. “Rapper’s Ball” feat. Too $hort & K-Ci of Jodeci (1996)

“Rapper’s Ball” is E-40’s first collaborative single with Too $hort, who has had a similar career path of being an influential Bay Area rapper with an extensive catalog. The catchy single features a soulful chorus from K-Ci of Jodeci, while E-40 and Too $hort exchange slick lyrics. “Rapper’s Ball” exhibits a chemistry between E-40 and Too $hort, who would go on to collaborate for multiple albums and some of their biggest hits. 

5. “Things’ll Never Change” feat. Bo-Roc (1996)

Much like “Rapper’s Ball,” “Things’ll Never Change” comes from E-40’s 1996 album Tha Hall of Game. The two songs were released together, with “Things’ll Never Change” being the lead single and “Rapper’s Ball” as the B-side. The tracks were E-40’s biggest hits at the time, out-performing “Sprinkle Me” on the U.S. charts and peaking at the same positions. What sets “Things’ll Never Change” apart is that it charted higher in the UK, peaking at No. 114. The song is also unique to E-40’s discography as it was his first single to be quite somber and introspective in its sound and content.

4. “Function” feat. YG, Iamsu!, & Problem (2012)

Jumping forward 16 years, E-40 remained consistent and landed one of the biggest hits of his career in 2012 with “Function.” The party-ready single is quintessentially west coast in its groove and heavy bassline but with a modern spin. E-40 easily slides across the beat, spitting a rapid verse that cannot be replicated. “Function” saw E-40 collaborating with then-up-and-coming California artists YG, Iamsu!, and Problem. The three have gone on to do big things in hip hop, and E-40’s cosign early in their careers was significant for them. “Function” was evidence of E-40’s longevity in hip hop and a clear influence on the younger generation of west coast artists.

3. “Tell Me When To Go” feat. Keak Da Sneak (2006)

My Ghetto Report Card (2006) is one of E-40’s most commercially successful albums, which its lead singles can attest to. “Tell Me When to Go” was a Hyphy anthem and helped mark the era of Hyphy in the Bay Area. Lil Jon produced the single, adding to the crunk sound that took over the 2000s. “Tell Me When to Go” was certified Gold in 2016 and is still one of E-40’s biggest hit songs.

2. “Choices (Yup)”

Similar to “Function,” E-40 reached a new level of success in his later career with “Choices (Yup).” The hook and refrain are simple yet catchy, making for E-40’s most recent and second-biggest hit song. It is also the only single on this list without a feature. The production is modern with a trap influence, but E-40 does not sound like an older rapper trying to fit in with a newer generation. “Choices (Yup)” was a definitive hit and became one of E-40’s biggest songs, 21 albums into his career. The song went platinum in 2018 and was E-40’s second song to do so.

1. “U And Dat” feat. T-Pain & Kandi Girl (2006)

E-40’s first and only other hit single to go Platinum is “U and Dat.” Almost every song featuring T-Pain from the 2000s was an automatic hit, and so was almost every single produced by Lil Jon. “U and Dat” had the catchy T-Pain hook and synth-heavy Lil Jon beat, becoming E-40’s biggest hit song. It was his first song to earn a plaque and the first to go Platinum. “U and Dat” remains E-40’s highest charting single to date.

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Kelly Rowland’s Biggest Hits

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Kelly Rowland started her successful music career at a young age and created many hit records. Whether it was a part of Destiny’s Child, a solo track, or a guest feature, Kelly Rowland has played a role in creating some of the biggest hit R&B and pop songs. Her last full-length solo album, Talk a Good Game came out almost ten years ago, and since then, she has ventured outside of music into television and film.

Rowland’s most recent music release was a six-song EP titled K in 2021.  She has been featured on hit songs such as Nelly’s “Dilemma,” David Guetta’s “When Love Takes Over,” and Future’s “Neva End (Remix).” During Destiny Child’s run in the late 1990s and early 2000s, they released several hit singles, leading to them becoming one of the most prominent groups. Here, we’re counting down Kelly Rowland’s seven biggest solo songs, with the No. 1 spot being her biggest hit. Take a look at the list below.

7. “Can’t Nobody” (2002)

“Can’t Nobody” comes from Kelly Rowland’s 2002 solo debut album, Simply Deep. The album featured Solange, Joe Budden, and Nelly’s “Dilemma,” easily her biggest feature. The album came out before Destiny’s Child would eventually come back in 2004 from a hiatus for their final album, Destiny Fulfilled. The upbeat tempo and pop groove of “Can’t Nobody” sound like a product of the era when Destiny’s Child was at their commercial peak. The song is incredibly catchy and highlights Kelly Rowland’s hit-making ability and the important role she had in the success of Destiny’s Child. “Can’t Nobody” was certified gold in Australia and peaked at No. 5 in the UK. 

6. “Kisses Down Low” (2013)

“Kisses Down Low” is Kelly Rowland’s biggest hit from her most recent full-length album, 2013’s Talk a Good Game. The song was the album’s lead single and followed the commercial success of her previous album, which contained her first solo No. 1 hit. Produced by Mike Will Made-It, “Kisses Down Low” is a pop song with bouncy 808s and sparkling synthesizers. The song was certified Gold in December 2013. 

5. “Stole” (2002)

“Stole” is Rowland’s 2002 debut solo single and is easily one of her biggest hits. The song contains the same level of catchiness of a Destiny’s Child song but separates itself as a downbeat ballad, incorporating elements of pop and rock. Each verse tells a story of different young people who experience hardships like bullying, depression, violence, and teen pregnancy.

“Stole” performed well on American charts but was even more successful internationally. The song peaked within the Top 5 on charts in Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, and the UK. “Stole” is certified Platinum in Australia, gold in New Zealand, and Silver in Britain.

4. “Commander” feat. David Guetta (2010)

Kelly Rowland and David Guetta first collaborated in 2009 for “When Love Takes Over,” a dance anthem that reached No. 1 chart positions and achieved Platinum certification in multiple international markets. The following year, the two reunited once again for “Commander,” this time as a single for Kelly Rowland’s album, Here I Am.

“Commander” conquered clubs and charts worldwide, much like “When Love Takes Over.” As the title suggests, Kelly Rowland commands the song with her powerful vocals and fully displays her confidence. Though not as commercially successful as Rowland and Guetta’s previous collaboration, “Commander” went Gold in both the UK and New Zealand. 

3. “Like This” feat. Eve (2007)

Kelly Rowland’s second studio album, 2007’s Ms. Kelly, contains some of her biggest hits. “Like This” is a party-ready song with a minimal yet bumping instrumental. It is a vintage yet modern production that leaves plenty of room for Rowland to shine vocally. In addition to Kelly’s melodies in the verses, the song has plenty of attitude in its infectiously repetitive hook. The piece is also practically made for Eve to shine with her confident flow. “Like This” has proven its longevity, achieving Gold status in America in 2020 and Silver status in the UK in 2022. 

2. “Work” (2007)

Also from the Ms. Kelly album, 2007’s “Work” ranks high as one of Kelly Rowland’s biggest hits. The track features a pulsing rhythm similar to Destiny’s Child’s “Bootylicious,” made for the dance floor. “Work” came at a time when pop music was incorporating elements of Punjabi bhangra, which is reflected in the song’s instrumentation. It also paved the way for Rowland’s success in the dance world. Though it was not released as a single in North America, “Work” charted quite high internationally and is now Platinum in Australia and Italy and Gold in the UK. 

1. “Motivation” feat. Lil Wayne (2011)

“Motivation” is undoubtedly Kelly Rowland’s biggest hit and best song. The tune is a modern R&B classic produced by Jim Jonsin and Rico Love. The song is a steamy display of Rowland’s ability to perfectly combine the sexiness of R&B and the appeal of a pop hit. Vocally, she glides across the down-beat instrumental. Lil Wayne joins Kelly and delivers a short yet clever verse with humorous punchlines. “Motivation” remains Kelly Rowland’s biggest hit song, being certified 2x Platinum status by 2013. The song was her first solo No. 1 hit as the lead artist on Billboard.

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K-Ci & JoJo’s Greatest Hits

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Cedric and Joel Hailey made up half of the R&B group, Jodeci.  The two brothers along with brothers, Dalvin and Donald Degrate formed the group in 1989.  During the 90s, the group put out three albums with hit songs such as “Forever My Lady”, “Stay”, “Come and Talk to Me”, and “Cry for You”.   After releasing The Show, the After Party, the Hotel in 1995, Jodeci went on a hiatus.  In the meantime, K-Ci & JoJo were born.

In 1996, K-Ci & JoJo made their first song, “How Could You” as an official duo.  The song was for the soundtrack to the movie Bulletproof starring Damon Wayans and Adam Sandler.  It peaked at number 53 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and two years later, they scored their first number one hit with “All My Life”.  K-Ci & JoJo is one of the best R&B groups in history.  Though they have classic records with Jodeci, the duo have some hit records of their own.

Here are K-CI & JoJo’s greatest hits.

7. “Tell Me It’s Real”

K-Ci & JoJo know how to make a love ballad.  They prove it on “Tell Me It’s Real” off their second studio album, It’s Real.   Keeping with the theme of the album, the duo desires to know if the love is real with their partner in this song.  It was a big hit for K-Ci & JoJo as it landed in the number two spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.   The song remained popular for a while as multiple remixes of the R&B hit were created in the United Kingdom. 

6. “How Do You Want It”

The North Carolina natives linked up with one of the greatest rappers of all-time for a classic hip hop hit.  Although 2Pac has countless hit records, this song is high on the list.  And, even though this is not K-Ci and JoJo’s song, you have to include this as one of their greatest hits simply for their impact.  The chorus undoubtedly makes it one of the best songs of the 90s. 

K-Ci and JoJo were just getting started when they joined Pac for this song.  Still performing with the group, Jodeci, the duo achieved a Grammy nomination.  Besides landing atop of the Billboard Hot 100 chart, “How Do You Want It” was nominated for a Grammy in 1997 for Best Rap Performance By a Duo or Group.  The song also just so happened to be the last single to be released while the California rapper was still alive.

5. “Don’t Rush (Take Love Slowly)”

One of the best messages from the R&B singers comes in this ballad.  In “Don’t Rush (Take Love Slowly)”, K-Ci & JoJo are trying to express to the women in their lives that there’s always time for sex and doesn’t need to happen now.  Men don’t always just want to get intimate as the duo proves here.  There’s always a time and place for everything.

Often, music serves a message.  It’s important to hear a message such as this when dealing with matters of the heart.  Love should never be rushed; take it one day at a time.

4. “This Very Moment”

Honestly, K-Ci & JoJo might be the kings of making music made for weddings. “This Very Moment” is in line with “All My Life” and “Last Night’s Letter”.   Using words like “forever”, “eternity”, and “promise”, these guys know how to express their love. 

The song has a nice bop too as it isn’t as slow as “All My Life”. Along with being the second single off their fourth studio album, Emotional, K-Ci and JoJo scored another slot on a movie soundtrack.  Just like “Life” years prior, “This Very Moment” appeared on the soundtrack to the movie, Deliver Us From Eva.  LL Cool J and Gabrielle Union star in this romantic comedy.   This single happened to be the last release for the X singers in 2002 until they came back over ten years later.  In 2013, they released “Knock It Off”. 

3. “Last Night’s Letter”

“Last Night’s Letter” is another wedding ballad for the Jodeci members.  Just like “All My Life”, this song can be played during the first dance. It’s an appreciation song for the love of his life.  Sometimes, that’s all you need to do, just let her know that you’re thinking of her.  K-Ci & Jo-Jo showing us a letter will do the trick. 

Before releasing their hit, “All My Life”, the brothers dropped “Last Night’s Letter”.  It was the second single off their debut album, Love Always.  On the Billboard R&B/Hip=Hop chart, the song reached number 15.

2. “Life”

The R&B duo made a song perfect for the prominent comedy flick, Life, starring Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence.  Titled, “Life” as well, the lyrics are right in sync with the plot of the movie.  K-CI & JoJo give their all in this performance as you can hear the pain in their voices while singing.  It’s as if they really did get a life sentence.  You can hear the sorrow as they tell their stories.

Although this is one of their best songs, the duo did not write it.  In fact, R. Kelly wrote and produced the movie single.  It was the first single off the Life soundtrack and first single off K-Ci & JoJo’s second studio album, It’s Real.  “Life” peaked at number 60 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.  It’s only right that they made a classic song into a classic movie.

1. “All My Life”

The perfect wedding song is what K-Ci and JoJo made with “All My Life”.  Throughout the song, the duo sings powerful lyrics like “All my life I prayed for someone like you” and “Close to me you’re like my mother, close to me you’re like my father…”.  The words in this song certainly scream love and unity.  This is one of the best R&B ballads of all time.  “All My Life” is a timeless record as this will be played for years to come.

“All My Life” is the duo’s best record as it topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart three weeks straight!  It was nominated for Best R&B song as well as Best R & B Vocal Performance by a Duo Or Group at the 1999 Grammy Awards.  Unfortunately, they lost to “Doo Wop (That Thing)” by Lauryn Hill and “The Boy Is Mine” by Brandy & Monica, respectively.  The video was just as good as the song as it was nominated for Best R&B Video at the MTV Video Music Awards in 19998.  Unfortunately, “Gone Till November” by Wyclef Jean beat them out.  Although it did not win awards, the song is a certified classic and their best record.

Let us know your favorite K-Ci & JoJo song in the comments! 

Jermaine Dupri Answers Critics Who Say He’s Not Relevant

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Jermaine Dupri is a man of many hats: he’s a grammy award-winning producer, an acclaimed record executive, and a pioneer of modern R&B amongst other recognitions. The 50-year-old recently sat down with I Am Athlete to discuss his accomplishments over his 39-year music career. Specifically, he had a few words to say regarding critics claiming that Dupri is irrelevant. Dupri strongly asserts that even recently, he’s had a hit record every year. Ari Lennox’s “Pressure” and DVSN‘s “If I Get Caught Cheating (That Don’t Mean I Don’t Love You)” are amongst his newest produced hits, proving that Dupri still has R&B under lock.

One of his most anticipated upcoming projects is another collaboration with Usher, according to Variety. The duo first marked their iconic partnership in the album 1997 My Way, featuring hits like “You Make Me Wanna” and “Nice and Slow.” Afterward were contributions to songs in 8701 in 2001, Here I Stand in 2008, and other singles over the years. Dupri has also maintained relationships with other significant R&B artists including Mariah Carey and Janet Jackson.

Dupri Hasn’t Gone Anywhere

The power of Dupri has most recently shown in DVSN’s 2022 release of “If I Get Caught.” The Canadian R&B grew their following tenfold when the song was released, as reported by Variety, partially due to the controversial lyrics describing a toxic relationship. Ari Lennox’s “Pressure” also earned itself rightful attention for its upbeat track and kinky lyrics. He also was the producer for Usher’s 2020 release “Don’t Waste My Time” featuring Ella Mai. The track reached number one on Billboard’s US Adult R&B Songs list.

The So So Def Recordings executive has a message for anyone who questions his relevancy. He told the Hip Hop Wolf, “by the way if you from the rap world, and you listening to only trap music, then you gon’ be like, ‘JD ain’t made no music,’ cuz you ain’t listen to R&B. Cuz you don’t know.” Needless to say, Dupri is well aware of his accomplishments over the year. “I’ve had a hit record every real,” he said, “you just don’t really realize.” Stay tuned to HNHH for more news from the hip-hop world.

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Tupac’s Estate Reportedly Releasing New Music Soon

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Tupac Shakur’s estate might release new music from him soon. Moreover, the rapper’s monumental legacy will manifest into an upcoming Greatest Hits album with four previously unreleased tracks added on. In fact, the news comes from a Pac fan page, who had some words on the rumored release. “SO WORD ON THE STREETS IS THAT UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP WILL BE DROPPING A NEW 2PAC GREATEST HITS,” they wrote. “The album will consist of previously released recordings from the ‘2Pacalypse Now’ period to Pac’s ‘Thug Life’ period with 4 previously unreleased Pre-Death Row tracks. S/O to @2pac_forum_com for the info.”

Tupac Shakur (Photo by Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)

With this in mind, fans should be very excited to continue celebrating one of the greatest rappers of all time. Also, it’s not the first news we’ve heard this year concerning new songs from the California icon. During a December podcast interview, Shakur’s associate E-Love confirmed some Battlecat-produced tracks would finally see the light of day in 2023. “Bob did more songs with him than I did,” he told the I Only Touch Greatness podcast. “I did two to three songs. Actually two songs are coming out next year. Bob did a string of songs that still have not yet come out.”

Even with this excitement over new Pac music, some kinks are still being worked out when it comes to his old tracks. Back in 2018, Tupac’s estate settled a five-year lawsuit with Death Row Records over unfulfilled royalty payments to the late MC. Not only did Death Row pay them, but they received a slew of unreleased songs. Moreover, they intended to release two albums and discussed the possibility.

Meanwhile, legacy manifests in mysterious ways for the “Hail Mary” rapper. Fun fact: that song came out 26 years ago today (February 11). For example, a painting of him that belonged to John Singleton is now worth $75K. Given both icons’ tragic losses, that bumped up the price for the Baby Boy artifact. However, it also goes to show just how much people champion Pac’s artistry. Let us know if you’re looking forward to new Pac music in the comments, and come back to HNHH for the latest updates.

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What Is Eminem’s Greatest Hit From Each Of His Albums?

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eminem greatest hits
Getty Image/Ralph Ordaz

Eminem is gearing up for the release of his second greatest hits compilation, Curtain Call 2, which will feature 34 tracks from the past 13 years of his career. It’s a follow-up to the original Curtain Call, released in 2005, which covered the first 13 years of his career (not including his pre-Aftermath/Interscope work, which included underground collaborations with Rawkus Records and his independently-released album Infinite). Does anyone sense a pattern developing here?

But as with any project touting all of an artist’s greatest hits, Curtain Call 2‘s impending release begs the question: What exactly constitutes their “greatest” hits, anyway? In this case, we see entries such as “Berzerk,” “Godzilla,” “Lucky You,” “The Monster,” “Venom,” — and even “Walk On Water,” which is a pretty iffy selection considering its initial reception on release. Since we already know which songs Eminem considers to be his “greatest” hits — at least according to the album’s tracklist — let’s break them down by album and see which ones actually deserve that title.

2009 — Relapse

Hits: “3 a.m.,” “Beautiful,” and “Crack A Bottle” featuring 50 Cent and Dr. Dre. According to Billboard, “Crack A Bottle” is the real winner here. As the lead single from Eminem’s first “comeback” album, it broke the first-week digital sales record with 418,000 downloads, topping the Hot 100 chart. It was only his second single to do so after “Lose Yourself.”

2010 — Recovery

Hits: “Cinderella Man,” “Love The Way You Lie” featuring Rihanna, “No Love” featuring Lil Wayne. “Not Afraid,” “Space Bound,” “Won’t Back Down” feat. Pink, and “You’re Never Over.” This one’s obvious. While Recovery produced the most hits in Em’s recent catalog, “Love The Way You Lie” is objectively one of Eminem’s most popular songs ever thanks to the emotive chorus penned by Skylar Grey and sung by Rihanna. It’s Em’s best-selling single, moving over 12 million copies in the US alone. It was a massive smash and led to Eminem attempting to recapture the magic with “Won’t Back Down” from this album (nah) and “The Monster” from his next album, The Marshall Mathers LP 2.

2013 — The Marshall Mathers LP 2

Hits: “Berzerk,” “Headlights” featuring Nate Reuss, “The Monster” featuring Rihanna, “Rap God,” and “Survival.” Speaking of, The Marshall Mathers LP 2 was Eminem’s attempt to go back to basics after the critically well-received Recovery alienated some fans of his earlier work (leading to his current string of reactive records that tries to course-correct on the critical reception of its predecessors). Nevertheless, despite “Rap God” meeting those fans’ expectations, the best-received song from the album was still the Rihanna redux “The Monster,” which again peaked at No. 1 on the Hot 100.

2017 — Revival

Hits: “Nowhere Fast,” featuring Kehlani, “River” featuring Ed Sheeran, and “Walk On Water” featuring Beyonce. As one of Eminem’s worst-received albums, it’s no surprise that this one only owns three of the records that appear on Curtain Call 2. They’re also Em’s weakest singles, dipping into the pop-ballad well that worked so well with Rihanna one too many times, with too many artists who were just bad fits in retrospect. “River” was technically the most fruitful of them, rising to No. 11 on the Hot 100 and sparking a creative partnership between the two artists that continues to produce to this day.

2018 — Kamikaze

Hits: “Fall,” “Lucky You” featuring Joyner Lucas, and “Venom.” Em’s rampaging follow-up to Revival was better received — at least by his fans — but still only produced three singles. While they were all technically “hits” on the strength of their streaming, “Lucky You” turned out to be most popular, climbing to No. 6 on the Hot 100 and launching Massachusetts rapper Joyner Lucas to a new plateau of stardom. Still, the meme-ready “Venom” is probably the single with the most lasting impact, appearing in the Sony film of the same name and becoming a go-to sound on TikTok four years later.

2020 — Music To Be Murdered By

Hits: “Darkness,” “Farewell,” “Gnat,” “Godzilla” featuring Juice WRLD, and “Higher.” As Em’s latest album, this one probably benefits from recency bias. It’s got five entries on Curtain Call 2 but in its defense, they were some of Em’s better recent singles. “Godzilla”‘s the clear standout; aside from charting the highest at No. 6 on the Hot 100, it has the benefit of a viral challenge without the drawback of a distasteful reenactment of a national tragedy. It also boosted the visibility of the late Juice WRLD, making it a bit more likable.

Curtain Call 2 is due 8/5 on Aftermath/Interscope/Shady Records.