Category: Hip Hop

No phrase in music riles up passionate fans and chart watchers alike quite like “one-hit wonder.” To most, it refers to flash-in-the-pan artists like Los Del Rio, the group behind the megahit “Macarena” who flew too close to the sun (and the top of the charts), never to be heard from again. Other instances include acts whose one hit eclipses their entire careers – like Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe” – despite a few subsequent chart outings here and there.

For the purposes of this list, we’ve decided to define a one-hit wonder as a band/artist that has cracked the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 only once. This list of the greatest one-hit wonders includes both obscure artists and long-running acts with one proper hit single under their belt. And despite the term’s pejorative labeling, we can vouch for the greatness of every song on this list, which spans decades and genres.

25: Mercy: Love (Can Make You Happy) (1969)

There’s a very strange beauty about this record, whose funereal pace and spooky harmonies are out of sync with the feel-good mood of the lyric. It’s gorgeous but also quite unearthly, and it makes perfect sense that the group vanished afterward (though for a mundane reason; the leader was drafted).

24: The Church: Under the Milky Way (1989)

A gorgeous record, this one found a longtime cult band getting serious about getting a hit. Working with a pair of L.A. producers for their Starfish album, Aussie quartet The Church rolled everything appealing about their dreamy, neo-psych sound into four enticing minutes. The follow-up single “Metropolis” was only an FM hit, and they returned to cult-herodom with no regrets.

23: M: Pop Muzik (1979)

The New Wave/synth-pop era was full of exuberant one-hit wonders and “Pop Muzik” was one of the inescapable ones: It was silly, repetitive, and pretty much irresistible. For those who bought the single, the rockier B-side “M Factor” was nifty too. Later, it was revived by U2 as the opening music of the PopMart tour.

22: The Knickerbockers: Lies (1966)

“Lies” was the greatest thing the pre-psychedelic Beatles never did, a record that was understandably mistaken for the real Fabs when it hit the airwaves in 1966. We’d defy you to name a song that does more with a hook consisting of a one-syllable word and a one-note guitar lick.

21: The Floaters: Float On (1977)

This Detroit smooth-soul group worked their one moment of glory for all it was worth; the album version of “Float On” runs a full 12 minutes. And by the time the group disappeared, we all knew their names, their zodiac signs, and their favorite types of ladies.

20: Macy Gray: I Try (2000)

Downright strange that this distinctive neo-soul vocalist made a splash with her second single – which went to the Top 10, got three Grammy nominations, and won one – and never charted again. Macy Gray went on to record several critically-acclaimed follow-up albums and remains active, so there’s always time.

19: Matthews Southern Comfort: Woodstock (1970)

It’s no small feat tackling a song that already had an iconic cover version and giving it a whole new slant, but Matthews Southern Comfort’s version turns the idealism of the Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young’s original into a wistful look back. The golden-voiced Ian Matthews thus became the first and only member of Fairport Convention ever to be the featured artist on a US hit, though drummer Dave Mattacks later played on Elton John’s “Mikita.”.

18: Sinéad O’Connor: Nothing Compares 2 U (1990)

Arguably one of the best ever Prince covers. The loving care Sinéad O’Connor poured into this ballad established her as a major vocal talent, though it gave no hint of the twists her career would take.

17: The Grateful Dead: Touch of Grey (1987)

This may be the clearest case where a bands’ importance can’t be measured in hit singles. But the fact remains that none of the iconic 60s and 70s Grateful Dead songs came anywhere near the Top 40, even though many were singles (“Truckin’” got closest at No.64). So the planets shook a little when “Touch of Grey” – a singable and meaningful Jerry Garcia song, but hardly the first or last one – went all the way to #9, increasing the pool of Deadheads in a big way.

16: Lou Bega: Mambo No. 5 (1999)

No respectable wedding, BBQ or dance party would have been without this record for at least five years after its release – which would surely have pleased Perez Prado, whose Latin band recorded the sampled original version a half-century earlier. For all the liberties it takes, the version by Bega is spiritually true to the original.

15:Patrick Hernandez: Born to Be Alive (1979)

The last days of disco came in 1979-80, and this hit (along with another one-shot hit, “Funkytown” by Lipps Inc.) was among its last moments of glory. But what a way to go out: “Born to Be Alive,” which hit all over Europe before crossing the Atlantic in late ‘79, ranks with disco’s most joyful moments. But times were changing when the French-born singer released his next single “Disco Queen,” so he never got a follow-up hit.

14: Friend & Lover: Reach Out of the Darkness (1968)

Few records caught the wide-eyed feel of flower power better than “Reach Out of the Darkness,” whose male-female tradeoffs avoided getting too precious. Never mind that the husband and wife folk duo Jim and Cathy Post split up soon afterward; the good vibes here are eternal.

13: Chumbawamba: Tubthumping (1997)

When this anarchist collective from Leeds skewered Live Aid on its first album (1986’s Pictures of Starving Children Sell Records), nobody expected they’d have a worldwide dance hit a decade later, however catchy the song was. Fans of anarchist collectives from Leeds started praying that the Mekons would be next.

12: Brewer & Shipley: One Toke Over the Line (1970)

In 1970, the hippies were into substances and spirituality, this was the only record that gave you both (though the title’s pot reference went right by AM radio’s gatekeepers). In one of pop culture’s strangest moments, it was sung by the squeaky-clean chorus on TV’s Lawrence Welk Show – a viral clip that was later seeded on social media by Brewer & Shipley themselves.

11: Unit 4 + 2: Concrete and Clay (1965)

With its lilting Caribbean-styled arrangement, acoustic lead guitar, and poetic lyrics, “Concrete and Clay” was one of the great one-shots of the British Invasion. The only bandmembers to ever chart again were the added session guys – guitarist Russ Ballard and drummer Bob Henrit – later of Argent and the Kinks.

10: Bruce Channel: Hey! Baby (1961)

It’s a song with a special place in rock history, not so much because of singer Bruce Channel but the appearance of future roots-rock mainstay Delbert McClinton. While touring this hit in the UK, McClinton was approached by a wide-eyed kid named John Lennon who wanted harmonica lessons. The result was heard on “Love Me Do,” which wasn’t a million miles away.

9: The Plimsouls: A Million Miles Away (1983)

The Plimsouls are one of the seminal peaks of power pop, up there with the best of the Raspberries and Dwight Twilley (who each managed more than one hit). But the Plimsouls came out of the punk era and were therefore spiker, with a lot of soul-influenced swagger. Not to mention the enigmatic lyrics of Peter Case, who remains one of America’s most underrated songwriters to this day.

8: Lou Reed: Walk On the Wild Side (1972)

It boggles the mind that in an iconic career that changed the course of rock’n’roll , Lou Reed only made the singles charts once, either solo or with the Velvet Underground. And he did it with a song that, lyrically speaking, had no business being a single at all: Suddenly all of middle America knew the names of the Andy Warhol elite, and they heard a couple of sexual references that not every AM radio station cut out. He attempted a follow-up with the more commercial-sounding “Sally Can’t Dance,” whose saltier lyrics were replaced for the single version. But that didn’t get higher than No.103, his second-best chart showing.

7: Norman Greenbaum: Spirit in the Sky (1969)

Gospel meets fuzztone in this late-60s artifact, actually written by a Jewish kid from Malden, Massachusetts, who got the inspiration from seeing Porter Wagoner on TV and was impressed by all the songs he had about Jesus. (Greenbaum’s non-charting follow-up single was “Canned Ham,” probably the biggest topical jump ever taken by one artist). Later “Spirit” became a one-hit wonder a second time when glam punks Doctor & the Medics covered it in 1986.

6: Plastic Bertrand: Ca Plane Pour Moi (1978)

This wonderful bit of French slang was one of the great punk novelties. Interestingly, the record was only created because the English version – “Jet Boy Jet Girl” by Elton Motello – was way too risque for airplay. The producer sang “Ca Plane Pour Moi” and the drummer, who better looked the part, was sent to lip-sync on TV. So true to his name, Plastic Bertrand didn’t actually exist.

5: The Edwin Hawkins Singers: Oh Happy Day (1968)

This jubilant record marked the first time a straight-up gospel song (as opposed to a soul homage like Stevie Wonder’s “Heaven Help Us All”) hit the Top 10 since Mahalia Jackson a few decades earlier. And if you want to split hairs, The Edwin Hawkins’ group did have another hit: They were the backup choir on Melanie’s “Lay Down” the following year.

4: Bram Tchaikovsky: Girl of My Dreams (1979)

Despite three terrific albums, the ex-Motors singer/guitarist managed only one hit with this tune, admittedly the greatest song on any of the three. With its jangly guitars and soaring harmonies, it sounds like a perfectly romantic bit of power pop even though it’s really about….well, the same thing Roxy Music’s “In Every Dream Home a Heartache” is about.

3: Frankie Ford: Sea Cruise (1959)

It boggles the mind that the singer of this New Orleans R&B classic had only one hit. Blame the label which buried a perfect follow-up, “Roberta,” on the B-side. The song was actually by the R&B band Huey Smith & the Clowns (of “Rockin’ Pneumonia” fame), but the producer wanted to have a teen-idol type sing it, so he dubbed Frankie ord’s vocal on their track.

2: The Normal: Warm Leatherette/T.V.O.D.(1979)

It’s perhaps the weirdest and most memorable synth-pop hit ever, and the only release by The Normal, the musical project by Mute Records owner Daniel Miller. Sexual perversity on the A-side, droll commentary on the flip, all set to a minimalist synth backing that’s both disturbing and danceable. No wonder it needed no follow-up. Grace Jones also reached the charts with her cover just a year later.

1: Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five: The Message (1982)

Grandmaster Flash and his cohorts made a few groundbreaking 12-inches, but this was the only one to enter the US Hot 100 (it made it to No. 65). Its importance, however, is undeniable: “The Message” was the first explicitly topical rap record, one of the first that made rock fans take notice, and one of the most influential singles of all time.

Looking for more? Discover The Weird World Of One-Hit Wonders.

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The best 90s songs reveal a simple fact: The decade was a Golden Age for many types of music. Rap and R&B dominated the charts, bringing Black American culture around the world thanks to the prevalence of MTV. Alternative music saw a number of genres proliferate outwards from it in the 90s, like indie rock and emo. Country music took a bold step into the mainstream, and became a defining music of America thanks to a plethora of new stars.

Music from around the world, too, was becoming more popular in America. Jamaican dub and reggae were prevalent in ska and punk music, and Afropop found its way into a variety of genres. Electronic music hit the mainstream with force, as both underground and mainstream acts helped define the dance culture we now see at festivals worldwide. Jazz saw an experimental renaissance after a tough decade, and Latin music started its long ascent to becoming pop music in the United States. The 1990s represented a grab bag of unimaginable wealth for music fans. Here are just a few starting places for you to explore the decade.

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Alternative/Rock

The 90s saw an influx of alternative artists shape the sound of rock music. Gone were the days of hair metal and arena rock. In its stead came artists willing and insistent on changing the rules of the game in favor of something weirder, edgier, and rule-breaking. Female stars like Fiona Apple and Alanis Morissette proved that women not only had a seat at the rock table, they were sitting at the head. Elliott Smith appeared to be the second coming of Bob Dylan, infusing his folk-inspired 90s songs with tales of heartbreak and depression. Jimmy Eat World helped usher in emo music’s ascension within mainstream rock, and Pavement brought slacker cool to campuses across the country. Bands like Foo Fighters and Red Hot Chili Peppers, though, continued to make sure that mainstream rock would continue to be a dominant force in the music industry into the 21st century. For more alternative music, check out our list of the 100 best alternative songs of the 90s.

4 Non Blondes – What’s Up?

Alanis Morissette – You Oughta Know

Beck – Loser

Blur – Song 2

Chumbawumba – Tubthumping

Elliott Smith – Between the Bars

Fastball – The Way

Fiona Apple – Criminal

Foo Fighters – Everlong

Green Day – Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)

Jimmy Eat World – Lucky Denver Mint

Mazzy Star – Fade into You

Meredith Brooks – Bitch

Oasis – Wonderwall

Pavement – Cut Your Hair

PJ Harvey – Down by the Water

R.E.M. – Losing My Religion

Red Hot Chili Peppers – Under the Bridge

Sheryl Crow – All I Wanna Do

Smash Mouth – All-Star

Sublime – What I Got

Stone Temple Pilots – Interstate Love Song

The Breeders – Cannonball

The Verve – Bitter Sweet Symphony

Third Eye Blind – Semi-Charmed Life

Weezer – Say It Ain’t So

Country music in the 90s

If country music in the 1980s was adrift, not quite sure of what it was supposed to be, it emerged full force in the following decade as a behemoth, signaling to industry insiders everywhere that the genre was once again on the rise. It foreshadowed the explosion of country in the coming decades, as stars like Garth Brooks and George Strait released some of their best songs in the 90s and newcomers such as Tim McGraw skyrocketed to the top of the charts. Women continued to innovate, too, as acts like The Dixie Chicks and solo stars such as Lucinda Williams and Shania Twain began chiseling the genre in their image.

Alan Jackson – Chattahoochee

Brooks & Dunn – Boot Scootin’ Boogie

Deana Carter – Strawberry Wine

Dixie Chicks – Wide Open Spaces

Dwight Yoakam – Fast as You

Emmylou Harris – Wrecking Ball

Faith Hill – This Kiss

Garth Brooks – The Dance

George Strait – Blue Clear Sky

LeAnn Rimes – How Do I Live

Lucinda Williams – Drunken Angel

Martina McBride – Independence Day

Reba McEntire – Fancy

Shania Twain – You’re Still the One

Tim McGraw – I Like It, I Love It

Travis Tritt – Here’s a Quarter (Call Someone Who Cares)

Electronic

A number of electronic and electronic-leaning acts changed the course of music in the 90s. Aphex Twin brought a unique perspective that captivated hip audiences previously hesitant to listen to “electronic music.” Plenty of other acts broke through to the mainstream thanks to their pop and rock-leaning styles as well. Moby blended lush, catchy samples with hazy downtempo electronics, and Nine Inch Nails found a middle ground between electronic and acoustic instruments. Stereolab combined French pop with Krautrock to create one of the most unique sounds of the decade, and Portishead used the aesthetics of hip-hop to help introduce trip-hop. Unlike many of the genres in this list, these are songs that could have only been made in the 90s.

Air feat. Beth Hirsch – All I Need

Aphex Twin – Windowlicker

Autechre – Slip

Bjork – Joga

Boards of Canada – Roygbiv

C&C Music Factory – Gonna Make You Sweat

Daft Punk – Around the World

DJ Shadow – Midnight in a Perfect World

Goldie – Timeless

Le Tigre – Deceptacon

Massive Attack – Teardrop

Moby – Porcelain

Nine Inch Nails – Closer

Orbital – Halcyon On + On

Photek – The Hidden Camera

Portishead – Glory Box

Stereolab – French Disko

The Chemical Brothers – Hey Boy Hey Girl

The Chemical Brothers – Block Rockin’ Beats

The Orb – Little Fluffy Clouds

The Prodigy – Firestarter

Underworld – Born Slippy (Nuxx)

Grunge

The rock kids sat in one corner, the alternative in another, and the grunge kids all alone, conjuring ways to highlight the best of both worlds without sacrificing a modicum of originality or artistic license. Grunge was born in Seattle, and bands from the city like Pearl Jam, Nirvana, and Soundgarden brought the heavy guitars prevalent in rock music but blended them with breathtaking vocal performances and a whole lot of flannel. These songs became 90s phenomenons. And the style traveled across the globe, too: Though Radiohead were by no means a grunge band, songs like “Creep” helped popularize the genre in the UK.

Garbage – Stupid Girl

Hole – Doll Parts

Marcy Playground – Sex and Candy

Nirvana – Smells Like Teen Spirit

Pearl Jam – Alive

Radiohead – Creep

Semisonic – Closing Time

Smashing Pumpkins – 1979

Soundgarden – Black Hole Sun

The Cranberries – Linger

The Smashing Pumpkins – 1979

Hip-Hop/Rap

The 90s were the Golden Age of hip-hop music for many, and it’s easy to see why. Many of the greatest rap albums in the history of the genre, and many of the best albums, period, of all time, were created during that decade. The list of artists who dropped all-time albums during the 90s is pretty staggering, and it wasn’t limited to a particular coast, either. 2Pac, Snoop Dogg, and Dr. Dre were changing the sound of the West Coast, while a little duo called OutKast were proving that the South had something to say. But the East Coast, particularly New York, was the Mecca of rap in the 90s, headlined by stars like Notorious B.I.G., Nas, Gang Starr, Wu-Tang Clan, and more. For more hip-hop, check out our list of the 100 best hip-hop songs of the 90s.

2Pac – California Love

A Tribe Called Quest – Scenario

Beastie Boys – Sabotage

Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg – Nuthin’ but a ‘G’ Thang

Gang Starr – Full Clip

GZA – Shadowboxin’

Lauryn Hill – Doo Wop (That Thing)

Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch – Good Vibrations

Missy Elliott – The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)

Mobb Deep – Shook Ones, Pt II

Nas – N.Y. State of Mind

Neneh Cherry – Woman

Notorious B.I.G, Puff Daddy, and Mase – Mo Money Mo Problems

Outkast – Rosa Parks

Salt-N-Pepa – Let’s Talk About Sex

Sir Mix-A-Lot – Baby Got Back

Snoop Doggy Dogg – Gin & Juice

US3 – Cantaloop (Flip Fantasia)

Warren G – Regulate

Will Smith – Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It

Wu-Tang Clan – C.R.E.A.M.

Jazz

Jazz music in the 90s was…weird. The classic heyday of the genre was long gone, and that era was far enough removed from the last traces of jazz’s peak for any nostalgia to remain. But a crop of innovative players helped revive the scene, and pave the way for 21st-century stars like Robert Glasper and Kamasi Washington. John Zorn was an avant-garde mastermind, Matthew Shipp was a fresh-faced innovator, and artists like Henry Threadgill began their ascent to the top of jazz’s peak.

Brad Mehldau – Exit Music

Cassandra Wilson – Harvest Moon

Charlie Haden & Hank Jones – It’s Me, O Lord (Standin’ In The Need Of Prayer)

Diana Krall – Peel Me A Grape

Dianne Reeves – Better Days

Don Byron – Tuskegee Strutter’s Ball

Henry Threadgill – Try Some Ammonia

John Scofield / Pat Metheny – The Red One

John Zorn – Lonely Woman

Joshua Redman Quartet – Chill

Kurt Elling – Nature Boy

Matthew Shipp – The C Jam Blues

Medeski, Martin, and Wood – Sugar Craft

Mose Allison – Blues

Shirley Horne – Here’s To Life

Stan Getz and Kenny Barron – Soul Eyes

Latin music in the 90s

Latin music in the 1990s was highlighted by an American mainstream acceptance of (some) Spanish language music in mainstream pop radio. Shakira, Ricky Martin, and Jennifer Lopez became stars thanks to their authentic and passionate representations of Latin music’s rich history. They helped interpolate the rich history of the genre with pop music, moving their way to the top of the charts as a result. But America wasn’t the entire story regarding Latin music’s ascent. Cidinho & Doca helped showcase a burgeoning Brazilian rap scene, while Spanish pop duo Los Del Rio dominated parties across the world with their hit “Macarena.”

C+C Music Factory – Robi-Rob’s Boriqua Anthem

Cafe Tacvba – La Ingrata

Cidinho & Doca – Rap das Armas

Control Machete – ¿Comprendes Mendes?

Elvis Crespo – Suavemente

Enrique Iglesias – Bailamos

Ivy Queen – Muchos Quieren Tumbarme

Jennifer Lopez – Waiting For Tonight

La Atrevida/Rude Girl – Aventura y Romance

La Ley – El Duelo

Los Del Rio – Macarena

Marc Anthony – I Need to Know

OV7 – Te Quiero Tanto Tanto

Ricky Martin – Livin’ La Vida Loca

Selena – Amor Prohibido

Shakira – Antologia

Thalia – Mujer Latina

Metal/Hard Rock

As rock was veering down a number of different paths in the 90s, metal and hard rock music continued to evolve to incorporate genres like hip-hop into heavier leaning rock. Korn, Limp Bizkit, and Rage Against the Machine walked this line effortlessly. Old friends like Ozzy Osbourne continued to build on his illustrious career, and hardcore acts such as Dillinger Escape Plan proved that there was room for something even more challenging.

Death – Voice of the Soul

Deftones – My Own Summer (Shove It)

Dillinger Escape Plan – 43% Burnt

Guns N’ Roses – November Rain

Korn – Freak on a Leash

Limp Bizkit – Break Stuff

Megadeth – Symphony of Destruction

Metallica – Enter Sandman

Ozzy Osbourne – Mama, I’m Coming Home

Pantera – Walk

Rage Against The Machine – Killing in the Name

Rammstein – Du Hast

Sepultura – Roots Bloody Roots

Slayer – Seasons in the Abyss

System of a Down – Sugar

Tool – Sober

White Zombie – More Human Than Human

Music from (and inspired by) Jamaica

As reggae continued to grow in the United States in the 1990s, different iterations of music from Jamaica made its way stateside as well. Dub and dancehall became celebrated subgenres, and the first hints of reggaeton began to appear as well. Mr. Vegas promoted his style of dancehall music as Filthy Riddim, and Cutty Ranks equated his pre-music career as a butcher to chopping up his enemies lyrically. And one of the best songs of the 90s, full stop, emerged with Chaka Demus & Pliers’ anthem, “Murder She Wrote.” Elsewhere in the scene, Beres Hammond infused his style of reggae with the feel of romantic ballads.

Beenie Man – Who Am I

Beres Hammond – Tempted to Touch

Bounty Killer feat. Barrington Levy – Living Dangerously

Buju Banton – Champion

Chaka Demus & Pliers – Murder She Wrote

Cutty Ranks – Limb by Limb

Dawn Penn – You Don’t Love Me (No, No, No)

Ini Kamoze – Here Comes The Hotstepper

Lady Saw – Hardcore

Mr. Vegas – Heads High

Nadine Sutherland & Terror Fabulous – Action

Shabba Ranks – Ting-A-Ling

Super Cat – Ghetto Red Hot

Songs from (and inspired by) Africa

African music continued to become a power player in the worldwide ecosystem in the 1990s, with superstars like Ali Farka Toure working with legendary American polymath Ry Cooder. Angelique Kidjo, meanwhile, became a sensation in her home country in Benin and around the world thanks to her thrilling blend of Afropop with R&B and soul music. Elsewhere, Baaba Maal brought Senegalese folk music to a wide, adoring audience.

Ali Farka Toure feat. Ry Cooder – Ai Du

Angelique Kidjo – Agolo

Baaba Maal – African Woman

Cesaria Evora – Sodade

Khaled – Didi

Papa Wemba – Yolele

Rachid Taha – Ya Rayah

Salif Keita – Africa

The Master Musicians Of Jajouka – Gabahay

Toumani Diabate & Ballake Sissoko – Bi Lambam

Youssou N’Dour feat. Neneh Cherry – 7 Seconds

Songs from Japan

While music from Japan was growing in influence in the 1980s, it took a massive leap forward in the 1990s as artist such as Cornelius began finding audiences outside of the country. FISHMANS brought an incredible blend of Japanese pop music with Jamaican-inspired dub, while ORIGINAL LOVE helped establish J-pop as a force to be reckoned with.

Bonnie Pink – It’s Gonna Rain

Cherry – Spitz

Cornelius – Mic Check

FISHMANS – Long Season

Hide with Spread Beaver – Pink Spider

Hikaru Utada – Automatic

Hikaru Utada – First Love

LUNA SEA – ROSIER

Maki Imai – PRIDE

Matsuko Mawatari – Hohoemi no Bakudan

ORIGINAL LOVE – Seppun

Ozawa Kenji feat. Schadaraparr – Konya Wa Boogie Back (nice vocal)

Pizzicato Five – Sweet Soul Revue

Sheena Ringo – Marunouchi Sadistic

Shonen Knife – Top of the World

Yoko Takahashi – A Cruel Angel’s Thesis

Pop music in the 90s

Though genres like indie rock and grunge became mainstays during the 1990s, the behemoth that is pop music still dominated the charts and the cultural zeitgeist during the decade. Britney Spears was arguably the biggest star on the planet when she first emerged, and Spice Girls were doing something similar across the pond. Madonna was still churning out hit after hit, and inspiring a new generation of stars such as Christina Aguilera. Celine Dion turned a soundtrack cut from Titanic into one of the biggest songs in the history of film music, and Backstreet Boys dominated the boy band circuit, helping to pave the way for groups like One Direction and BTS.

Aqua – Barbie Girl

Backstreet Boys – I Want It That Way

Britney Spears – Hit Me Baby One More Time

Celine Dion – My Heart Will Go On

Christina Aguilera – Genie in a Bottle

Hanson – MMMBop

Hootie & The Blowfish – Hold My Hand

Jennifer Paige – Crush

LEN – Steal My Sunshine

Madonna – Vogue

Sinead O’Conner – Nothing Compares 2 U

Spice Girls – Wannabe

The Cardigans – Lovefool

Punk/Hardcore/Ska

The triumvirate of punk, hardcore, and ska helped to provide an alternative to mainstream rock and metal during the 1990s. Blink-182 masterfully blended pop hooks with playful, sneering lyrics and fast punk grooves, while Sublime married their obsessions with punk and Jamaican music. Swedish hardcore band Refused helped shape the future of punk, blending hardcore rhythms with unforgettable melodies. No Doubt proved that punk could still have pop sensibilities, and NOFX merged the parallel paths of punk music and skate culture.

Bad Religion – American Jesus

Blink 182 – What’s My Age Again?

Goldfinger – Superman

Jawbreaker – Accident Prone

No Doubt – Just a Girl

NOFX – Linoleum

Rancid – Time Bomb

Reel Big Fish – Sell Out

Refused – New Noise

Snapcase – Caboose

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones – The Impression That I Get

The Offspring – The Kids Aren’t Alright

R&B music in the 90s

Just like its hip-hop sibling genre, R&B had a bounty of great songs during the 90s. The list of superstars emerging in the R&B lane are too many to name, but Aaliyah, Mariah Carey, and Mary J. Blige blended pop ballads with lush, R&B-inspired instrumentals, bringing a groundbreaking style to the genre. TLC mashed up lush vocals with stellar bars, giving R&B a rap edge it had previously lacked. Blackstreet helped revive New Jack Swing late in the decade, while D’Angelo was among those pioneering neo-soul along with many others.

Aaliyah – Are You That Somebody

Bell Biv Devoe – Poison

Blackstreet – No Diggity

Bobby Brown – Don’t Be Cruel

Boyz II Men – End of the Road

Brandy and Monica – The Boy Is Mine

Brandy – I Wanna Be Down

D’Angelo – Brown Sugar

En Vogue – My Lovin’ (You’re Never Gonna Get It)

Erykah Badu – On & On

Faith Evans – Soon As I Get Home

Ginuwine – Pony

Guy – Groove Me

Janet Jackson – That’s The Way Love Goes

Jodeci – Freek’n You

Johnny Kemp – Just Got Paid

Keith Sweat – I Want Her

Mariah Carey – One Sweet Day

Mary J. Blige – Real Love

New Edition – If It Isn’t Love

Seal – Kiss From a Rose

TLC – Waterfalls

TLC – No Scrubs

Toni Braxton – Un-Break My Heart

Tony! Toni! Tone! – Feels Good

Usher – You Make Me Wanna

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Before songs were concocted by committee, with an algorithmic hive mind to produce the perfect beat, melody, and lyrics, they were written by songwriters. You may know every lyric to your favorite songs, but do you know who wrote them? From those who toiled behind the scenes to those who were performers themselves but never made the marquee, here are just a few of the secret songwriters responsible for some of the greatest hits.

Allee Willis

The ultimate multi-hyphenate, Willis is a songwriter, music video director, internet maverick, documentarian, columnist, Broadway lyricist, and artist. She’s penned hits for everyone from the Pointer Sisters “Neutron Dance” to Pet Shop Boys “What Have I Done to Deserve This?” to Patti LaBelle’s “Time Will Tell” and countless others.

Wills is also responsible for getting grannies on the dance floor of any wedding, by helping to write “September” for Earth, Wind, and Fire. She went on to co-write six songs on the group’s double-platinum 1979 album, I Am, including the chart-topping hit “In the Stone.” The experience greatly shaped her songwriting as she told NPR, “I learned my greatest lesson ever in songwriting from him, which was never let the lyric get in the way of the groove.”

The Grammy-winning and prolific songwriter was also responsible for the Top 10 hits for Ray Charles, Sister Sledge, Cyndi Lauper, Nona Hendryx, Taylor Dayne, and Toni Basil. She passed away on December 24, 2019, and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall Of Fame in 2018.

Like many secret songwriters, Willis honed her craft as a performer first, having signed at Columbia when she was a junior copywriter there. But realizing that performing was not her forte, she was eventually dropped from the label and ended up meeting Bonnie Raitt during a chance recording session, leading her to write her first cover “Got You On My Mind.”

Having grown up on a steady diet of Motown, the Detroit native must have soaked up some of that hit-making magic while sitting outside the studio every weekend. With just one statue shy of an EGOT, Willis also found success on the stage, co-writing all the songs (with Brenda Russell & Stephen Bray) for the hit Broadway musical, The Color Purple. Willis stays busy, writing pop hits for Justin Timberlake and earning a nomination for the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Jules Shear

Familiar to singers, musicians, and fans of classic MTV, Jules Shear’s name is still a relatively secret songwriter in the grand scheme of things. Modest as he may be, how many songwriters are enterprising enough to create their own TV show to plug their own album? In an effort to promote his acoustic record, Third Party, Jules came up with MTV Unplugged as a showcase for big-name artists to talk about their own songwriting process and play stripped-down versions of their music.

Shear had a long career of performing but he’s best remembered for his Top 40 hits in the 80s. Two of the singles off his 1983 album Watch Dog, became huge hits thanks to other singers including Cyndi Lauper’s “All Through the Night” and Alison Moyet’s “Whispering Your Name,” which charted in 1994. His sophomore album produced another pop cover, when The Bangles covered “If She Knew What She Wants.”

Before he was unknowingly creating power pop for the greatest ladies of the 80s, Shear and his band the Funky Kings were being groomed as the next Eagles. He later ended up in the cult-favorite band, Jules & the Polar Bears, before moving into an on-again off-again recording career totaling upwards up 20 albums and collaborating with an impressive line-up of artists including Jimmy Webb, Rick Danko of The Band, Matthew Sweet, Mike Campbell of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and his former flame, Aimee Mann.

Cindy Walker

Country music’s most famous tunesmith Harlan Howard called Cindy Walker “the greatest country songwriter he’s ever heard.” Ascribing to Howard’s “three chords and the truth” school of songwriting, Walker penned classics such as “Not That I Care,” “In the Misty Moonlight,” “It’s All Your Fault,” and the star-making hit “You Don’t Know Me.”

Whatever magic dust Cindy sprinkled on the song must have worked, it’s been recorded and immortalized by everyone who’s covered it including Ray Charles, Elvis Presley, and Willie Nelson. Matching complex emotions with conversational lyrics, Walker could tackle any style of song, from torch ballads to western and waltz.

Walker didn’t put the creative process on a pedestal but instead maintained a workmanlike approach to songwriting. While she scored a Top 10 hit as a performing artist with “When Your Blue Moon Turns to Gold” in 1944, she settled into full-time songwriting and spent the next decade producing top hits at a rapid clip including “China Doll” for the Ames Brothers, Jim Reeves “Take Me in Your Arms and Hold Me,” Roy Orbison’s “Dream Baby,” Gene Autry’s “Blue Canadian Rockies” and many more.

By the mid-70s, she had won over 20 BMI Awards and was later inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1997. She’s been covered by the likes of Glen Campbell, Riders in the Sky, Merle Haggard, Ricky Skaggs, and in 2006, Willie Nelson released You Don’t Know Me: The Songs of Cindy Walker, a collection of her best work.

Narada Michael Walden

Behind every great diva there’s Narada Michael Walden. Aretha, Whitney, Diana, Mariah; he wrote for them all and produced some of the biggest hits of the 80s. As one of the most in-demand songwriters of the decade, Walden helped these iconic voices at varying stages of their career.

At the same time he was producing Aretha Franklin’s 1985 comeback album, 1985 Who’s Zoomin’ Who? and co-writing “Freeway of Love” he helped make Whitney Houston a household name, producing her first two multi-platinum recordings, Whitney Houston and Whitney and writing the revised version of “How Will I Know” that was initially slated for Janet Jackson. Narada would go on to work with Whitney over the course of her career, producing the Bodyguard soundtrack and chronicling his time with the immortal singer in his book.

While Narada may be better known as a Grammy-winning producer with the Midas touch, he’s also a talented drummer, singer, and less notably one of the more prolific secret songwriters. The former session drummer even toured with Jeff Beck, Tommy Bolin, and Weather Report before he started drafting hitmakers like Mariah Carey’s “Heartbreaker,” “Take Me Higher” for Diana Ross and Tevin Campbell’s “Tell Me What You Want Me to Do.”

Larry Stock

You’re nobody ᾽til somebody knows your name, or in Larry Stock’s case, help write a song for the Rat Pack. Technically not for the pack per se, but later adopted as one of its own, Stock (along with Russ Morgan and James Cavanaugh) helped write, “You’re Nobody till Somebody Loves You” and a nightclub favorite was born. The song was first recorded by Morgan in 1944 and has been covered by numerous artists, but none like Dean Martin. Fellow members of the pack, Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr. also put their own spin on the song, as did other artists ranging from Connie Francis to the Supremes.

With a songwriting career that spanned nearly 50 years, he wrote many classics that transcended trends, as artists continuously reinterpreted his songs to suit each generation. Several of his songs were recorded by Perry Como as well as by Nat King Cole, including “Did You Ever Get That Feeling in the Moonlight” and “You Won’t Be Satisfied Until You’ve Broken My Heart” but it’s perhaps the Fats Domino song “Blueberry Hill” that best speaks to his secret songwriter legacy.

Looking for more? Discover the history of musicians-turned-film-composers.

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Coco Jones is the latest musician to stop by NPR’s Tiny Desk for a performance at the radio network’s Washington D.C. office. The R&B star wore a shimmering silver dress to perform songs from her Grammy-nominated full-length debut, 2025’s Why Not More?

Jones began the set with the Why Not More? track “You” before turning the clock back to 2022 with “Double Back,” off her EP What I Didn’t Tell You. Next came the more recent song “On Sight.”

“Thank you guys, thank ya’ll so much. I’m just loving hearing all of my music with this band. I don’t know if y’all feeling it like me. I’m feeling it though,” she said to cheers from the Tiny Desk audience. “And I hope you get to see some of the musical influences. I’m inspired by the genres R&B, traditional, modern, you know, country, I’m from Nashville, gospel, praise God. And a little pop.” She then performed “Taste,” which features a sample of Britney Spears’ pop classic “Toxic.”

Jones welcomed The String Queens trio for a performance of “Here We Go (Uh Oh),” which was nominated for Best R&B Performance and Best R&B Song at the 2025 Grammys Awards. The trio stuck around for the concert’s closing song, “ICU,” Jones’ 2022 breakout single. The ballad entered the Billboard Hot 100 and won Best R&B Performance at Grammys in 2024.

Coco Jones will sing “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” which is considered the Black national anthem, at Super Bowl LX. The game is set to take place at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara on Sunday, February 8, 2026. As previously announced, Bad Bunny will headline the Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show.

The singer also starred in Peacock’s Bel-Air, which just wrapped up its fourth and final season.

Buy Coco Jones’ Why Not More? on vinyl and CD here.

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Ari Lennox has shared a new song to welcome 2026. Produced by Tommy “TBHits” Brown and Leather Jacket, “Twin Flame” is a sultry R&B ode to shared passion. “Ooh, you got me out here actin’ different,” Lennox croons. “Twin Flame” is out now via Interscope Records.

“Twin Flame” will appear on Lennox’s anticipated third studio album, Vacancy, which arrives on January 23, 2026 and is available for pre-order now.

Several singles have already been released from the album, including “Under The Moon,” “Vacancy,” and “Soft Girl Era.”

The title track reunited Lennox with hitmakers Jermaine Dupri and Bryan-Michael Cox, the same powerhouse duo behind her Billboard-charting, RIAA platinum-certified hit “Pressure.” “Baby, I want you to fill this vacancy. Come through. I want you to move in this space with me tonight,” she sings on the hook of “Vacancy.”

Vacancy is Lennox’s followup to 2022’s age/sex/location. She made her full-length debut in 2019 with Shea Butter Baby, which featured collaborations with JID and J. Cole. Both albums were critically acclaimed, with Shea Butter Baby having been certified gold in the United States.

Lennox was recently a special guest during Robert Glasper’s Blue Note concert in Los Angeles, following a standout set at One Music Fest in Atlanta where she performed “Vacancy” alongside older fan favorites. Later, she returned to the stage with fellow R&B powerhouse Jazmine Sullivan for a rendition of their beloved 2021 collaboration “On It.” In November, she performed at the 80th EBONY Power 100 Gala, joining the historic celebration of Black excellence.

In 2024, Lennox released the single “Smoke,” which resulted in her sixth top 20 hit on Billboard’s Adult R&B Airplay chart. That same year, she collaborated with Camper on “War” alongside Jeremih, Foggieraw’s “Stay Awhile,” and Jessie Reyez’s “JUST LIKE THAT.”

Buy Ari Lennox’s Vacancy on vinyl here.

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Over the course of her decades-spanning discography, Mary J. Blige has been a conduit for communal pain and healing. She’s shared her world and given generously of herself over 13 studio albums, and remains a singular force in R&B. Starting out as the artist who showed the mainstream how to successfully blend New Jack Swing into a more soulful brand of hip-hop-based R&B, Blige continued to evolve her sound with every decade, as others followed her lead. From her early beginnings in the 90s to her continued impact on pop music through the 00s, and her victory lap in the 2010s, Mary J Blige is one of R&B’s brightest and most innovative vocalists. The best Mary J Blige songs tell the story of her artistry – as revealed by these 20 essential tracks.

Browse Mary J Blige’s music on limited edition vinyl and CDs here.

20: Deep Inside

Even after seven years of soul-bearing music, Blige had barely scratched the surface when it came to revealing herself as an artist and a person. But on her fourth studio album, 1999’s, Mary, she realized you can give too much of yourself away. Built around a piano loop from Elton John’s “Bennie And The Jets” (the music legend replayed the part himself for the recording), “Deep Inside” addresses all the people who wanted a piece of the singer. “The problem is for many years/I’ve lived my life publicly/And every time I find someone I like, gotta worry about/If it’s really me that they see,” she sings.

19: Take Me As I Am

Coming along six years after “Deep Inside” was the hit single “Take Me As I Am,” from Blige’s seventh studio album, The Breakthrough. Over the whimsical melody of Lonnie Liston Smith’s “Garden Of Peace,” Mary confesses, “She’s been down and out/She’s been wrote about/She’s been talked about, constantly.” Throughout the song, Blige switches from protagonist to observer and back again. It’s another tale of survival, but, this time around, Blige is singing from the bright side of the tunnel, knowing she “put my life all up in these songs.”

18: Your Child

The most enduring Mary J Blige songs are built upon lyrical storytelling over dramatic instrumentals. The Mary album does not lack in that department, as evidenced by “Your Child,” for which Blige takes what could have been a clichéd ballad and turns it into something more complex. When faced with a partner who has a child outside of the relationship, it becomes more of a story of humanizing the “other woman”, and letting the listener heal with them. Sounds ripe for a dance remix, right? Maybe not. But even Mary’s tales of heartbreak can burn up the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart – as “Your Child” did when it hit No.1, in 2000.

17: Enough Cryin

The Breakthrough turned out to be a liberating record that redefined Blige’s career on her own terms. While she channeled the hurt exhibited on her previous six albums, The Breakthrough could be seen as a triumphant comeback from a wiser, more mature R&B and pop maven. Over a Darkchild beat, “Enough Cryin” made good on its promise. Most Mary J Blige songs are based on a hip-hop/soul fusion, but on “Enough Cryin,” you get a glimpse of her MC skills, as her alter ego, Brooklyn, proves she could dominate both genres with ease.

16: Everything

Many songs stand the test of time thanks to sampling and interpolations across genres. One example that got a second life is The Stylistics’ “You Are Everything,” which serves as the backbone for this Share My World single. “Everything” sees Mary at her most blissful as she happily sings about a “love so pure,” upholding the belief that all great art comes from pain.

15: Just Fine

There can’t be a wedding, office party, cookout, or family reunion function without hearing this gem from Mary’s 2007 album, Growing Pains. Due to her eccentric dance moves, and aging like a fine wine throughout her career, many R&B fans regard Blige as a famous “auntie.” “Just Fine” could very well be the anthem for all the aunties who just “wanna move,” “wanna have fun,” and “wouldn’t change” their life. Channeling the funk groove of Marvin Gaye and the disco beat of Michael Jackson circa Off The Wall, “Just Fine” is a quintessential throwback party anthem.

14: You Remind Me (featuring Greg Nice)

When Blige debuted in 1992, with What’s The 411?, she had arrived at the forefront of an R&B renaissance and genre evolution. New Jack Swing was starting to evolve, as the sound became more aligned with hip-hop production. “You Remind Me” is a classic example of this, with Blige delivering stunning melismas and passionate belts over Dave “Jam” Hall’s funky production, earning her the title “Queen Of Hip-Hop Soul.”

13: Share My World

“Cool,” “suave,” and “effortless” are three words that describe the relaxing tone of Blige’s vocals on her third album, Share My World. While her first two albums were hard-hitting, with heavy emotional delivery, Share My World offered a more laidback approach, acknowledging hip-hop soul’s transition into a more electro-fuelled phase of R&B in the new millennium. Part of this tonal shift was also thanks to Blige’s more positive state of mind and her departure from working with Puffy as a producer. The title track of the album, “Share My World” earns its place among the best Mary J Blige songs, as she floats over the glitchy, trip-hop beat.

12: Don’t Go

Swapping typical hip-hop breakbeats for samples like Guy’s “Goodbye Love” And DeBarge’s “Stay With Me,” producers Thompson and Puffy create the perfect backdrop for Blige’s hip-hop soul balladry on “Don’t Go,” a My Life classic. It’s one of the more downtempo cuts on the album, but Blige still imbues it with the kind of soulful yearning that was usually reversed for the Marvin Gayes of the world.

11: U + Me (Love Lesson)

In 2017, Blige asserted her dominance, going toe-to-toe with trap-tinged R&B and pop music. On her 13th studio album, Strength Of A Woman, she bounces back from recent divorce drama with tracks such as “Glow Up,” “Thick Of It,” and “Love Yourself,” which all tap into the trend while maintaining Blige’s personal brand of soul. The album’s staple “U + Me (Love Lesson)” is a sultry break-up anthem. Blige doesn’t regret the relationship, but, rather, feels fortunate to have survived it. “In too deep without imperfection/Not always good, but I stayed on my feet,” she sings, proving once again that she’s the master at moving on. “U + Me (Love Lesson)” would reach No.1 on Billboard’s Adult R&B Songs chart to become one of the defining Mary J Blige songs.

10: Not Gon’ Cry

Resilience has been a consistent theme throughout the best Mary J Blige songs. She has consistently paved the way to redemption for plenty of her listeners, particularly women who have been through relatable situations. Her appearance on 1995’s Waiting To Exhale soundtrack was an essential ingredient for a film centered around four African-American girlfriends who navigate their own stories of love, dating, and heartbreak. On this staple, Blige promises, “I’m not gon’ shed no tears,” realizing, “’Cause you’re not worth my tears,” despite having sacrificed “11 years” to unrequited commitment. Peaking at No.2 on the Hot 100 in 1996, “Not Gon’ Cry” would appear on her third album, 1997’s Share My World.

9: All That I Can Say

Sometimes, through all the heartache and pain of her discography, joyous moments may seem rare. “All That I Can Say” is therapeutic, to say the least, finding the singer in one of her most blissful states. Opening the Mary album, it also features the song’s author, Lauryn Hill, providing background vocals. In one of her most earnest performances, Blige calls her partner “heaven-sent,” which is also an apt description of the song itself.

8: I’m Goin’ Down

The best cover versions not only do the original songs justice, but also add new depths to their meaning. There’s Whitney Houston’s powerhouse cover of Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You,” Sinéad O’Connor’s heart-wrenching version of Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U,” and Mary J Blige’s sultry rendition of Rose Royce’s 1976 classic “I’m Going Down.” Fittingly, for the pain expressed throughout her sophomore effort, My Life, “I’m Goin’ Down,” produced by Sean “Puffy” Combs and Chucky Thompson, would showcase the resilience in Blige’s earthy soprano voice, becoming one of the most beloved Mary J Blige songs of all time.

7: No More Drama

Just as its parent album declares, the track “No More Drama” sees Blige navigate unfamiliar territory: contentment. Recalling the heartbreak and the ups and downs she’s navigated through her life, Mary declares “No more drama” in one of her most dramatic performances, over the beat of “Nadia’s Theme” from the daytime soap opera The Young And The Restless, courtesy of the star production duo Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.

6: Be Without You

As one of the finest cuts on The Breakthrough, “Be Without You” stormed R&B radio in 2005 and spent a phenomenal 75 weeks on the charts, earning Blige two Grammy wins. It remains one her most powerful performances, with vocal runs for days before she brings it home towards the end. It also proved she could maintain her leading lady status into the 00s.

5: Family Affair

For those who didn’t grow up on Blige’s 90s cuts, only knowing her as a balladeer, “Family Affair” was a reminder that she could still get down. In 2001, Blige was heading in a brighter direction and had a healthier outlook on life. Naming her fifth studio album No More Drama, she started a new era that summer by inviting fans to her “dancerie” and reminding them they “don’t need no hateration, holleration,” over Dr. Dre’s G-Funk production. The song earned her both a place at the top of the charts (her first No.1 hit) and in the history of pop-culture vernacular.

4: Real Love (Remix) (with Notorious BIG)

The Notorious BIG stepped into the mainstream thanks to his guest appearance on a remix of this What’s The 411? single. “Real Love” had already hit No.1 on the R&B chart, taking its place among the best Mary J Blige songs from the jump, but Biggie’s appearance took it to the next level. “Look up in the sky/It’s a bird, it’s a plane/Nope, it’s Mary Jane,” he raps on the verse. This remix also became the template for the R&B/hip-hop collaborations that Sean “Puffy” Combs and Bad Boy would churn out for the next decade.

3: I’ll Be There for You/You’re All I Need to Get By (Method Man, featuring Mary J Blige)

Blige’s many memorable collaborations have gained her respect and adoration in the worlds of both R&B and hip-hop. In 1995, she partnered with Wu-Tang’s Method Man for one of hip-hop’s most iconic love duets. The song interpolates Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell’s Motown classic “You’re All I Need to Get By”, with Mary singing the hook and mimicking its melody during her verses. Adding an extra layer to the Grammy-winning partnership is a sample of Notorious BIG repeating “Lie together, cry together/I swear to God I hope we f__kin’ die together.”

2: I Can Love You (featuring Lil’ Kim)

On this Share My World single, the Queen Of Hip-Hop Soul hooked up with the Queen Bee herself, Lil’ Kim. “I Can Love You” features one of Kim’s best verses over a sample of her own track “Queen B__tch,” an infamous cut released by the rapper on her 1996 debut album, Hard Core. It was a unique moment of female solidarity and a piece of hip-hop history.

1: My Life

A recurring theme throughout the best Mary J Blige songs (and all her discography) is how often she has felt misunderstood by the public, the media, and her romantic partners. Underneath all the hurt and pain, Blige has reminded us, on multiple, occasions that she’s just human. On the title track from her landmark 1994 album, My Life, she delivers her most moving performance, singing on the chorus: “If you looked at my life/And see what I see,” over a sample of Roy Ayers’ “Everybody Loves The Sunshine.” Like so many R&B singers, Blige started in the church, and with “My Life” she puts her gospel roots on display. What really makes “My Life” a true standard, however, is that it’s the perfect distillation of Blige and her hip-hop soul sound. It’s cathartic, spiritual, and a fine reminder of her impressive talent and wide-ranging artistry.

Shop Mary J Blige’s music on limited edition vinyl and CDs here.

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Moneybagg Yo walked into Invictus Academy last week with a $20,000 check and a personal mission to help teen parents stay in school.

The Memphis rapper handed over the donation to the Memphis-Shelby County Schools Youth Advocacy Program, which provides support services for students who are raising children while trying to graduate.

Moneybagg Yo’s $20,000 donation will help fund support services that keep teen parents enrolled and on track to graduate with their diplomas. The donation came just weeks after Moneybagg Yo wrapped up an intense holiday giving season that saw him distribute hundreds of Thanksgiving meals and launch his first annual Christmas toy drive.

Moneybagg Yo said the teen parent program touched his heart because he was raised by a teenage mother who struggled to finish her education while caring for him.

“It’s a blessing. And I feel good. You know, there’s always people in need,” Moneybagg said during his visit to the school.

The rapper chose not to elaborate on his personal story because it is emotionally difficult for him, but he shared that his mother’s strength and determination have shaped who he is today.

Invictus Academy features an on-site childcare center that allows teen parents to attend classes while their babies receive care just steps away from their classrooms. After touring the childcare facility and meeting with families, Moneybagg Yo surprised students in the cafeteria with an impromptu motivational speech about perseverance and focus.

“You’ve just gotta stay focused, keep pushing, be able to take constructive criticism,” he told the students gathered around him.

The $20,000 donation caps off Moneybagg Yo’s most active year of community service in Memphis, with multiple charitable events throughout 2025.

In November, he partnered with his mother’s nonprofit organization, the Larger Than L.I.F.E. Foundation, and fellow Memphis rapper IME Casino to distribute turkeys and groceries to families struggling with rising food costs.

Cars stretched down the block as dozens of families waited to collect holiday staples.

Just before Christmas, Moneybagg Yo launched his inaugural holiday toy drive, which he plans to make an annual tradition in Memphis.

The toy drive focused on bringing Christmas joy to children in families facing financial hardship during the holiday season.

​AllHipHop

Hailey Yoo (@haileyoo0), a TikTok content creator with over 37,000 followers, is posting a warning regarding the Dior cafe in Beverly Hills, California. “If you’re allergic to alcohol, sober, or pregnant, be careful when visiting the Dior Cafe in Beverly Hills,” she wrote in her video’s caption.

According to her, the cafe may have served her and her friends alcoholic beverages when they ordered mocktails. Yoo experienced an “Asian glow” and felt severe symptoms that she associates with alcohol. When she addressed this with a server, they told her that there was no possible way her drink included alcohol. 

Yoo recounted feeling gaslit by the cafe, as she knows what the symptoms of drinking alcohol look like for her and her friend. Ultimately, though, the cafe made no attempt to apologize for the mix-up. Workers continued claiming that there was no alcohol in their beverages. 

What Happened at the Dior Cafe?

Yoo went out with two of her girlfriends to the “Dior Cafe.” This most likely refers to Monsieur Dior by Dominique Crenn, a fine dining establishment located on the third floor of Dior’s Beverly Hills store. 

All three women ordered mocktails at the restaurant. Then, after chatting for about 30 minutes, the women started to feel unusual. 

“ Suddenly, I feel like my whole body is warm and my heart was palpitating, and so I was like, ‘This is weird,’” Yoo told viewers. Her friends also started to feel slightly inebriated despite only drinking the mocktail. Yoo described that one of her friends, Jennifer, also started to have more severe side effects and an “Asian glow.”

Confused, they started asking each other whether or not there was alcohol in their drinks. The woman called over the server to ask, but was surprised by what she said. 

Apparently, the Dior restaurant mixed the drinks with only two ingredients, and there was “no way” that the drinks could have alcohol in them. The server even brought out two bottles that the drinks were supposedly made with to prove what ingredients were in them. 

Another Worker Gets Involved

However, that directly contradicted what Yoo and her two friends were feeling. They insisted that there may be alcohol in the beverages. So, the server brought out the beverage director, who had an “attitude” with them. 

They continued denying that any alcohol could be in the beverages, as the restaurant didn’t “prep” the drinks that way. They also asked if it was possible that Jennifer and Yoo had mushroom allergies, as the drinks contained “mushroom adaptogens.” 

The beverage director even drank from their champagne flute and told them that there was “no alcohol” in their beverages, a shocking choice that seemed unprofessional to some viewers. 

Eventually, they left the establishment. Before leaving, however, they decided to get a drink to go. They wanted to prove something at home. 

How Did Yoo Prove That the Mocktails Had Alcohol in Them?

Yoo and her friends ordered alcohol testing strips online to test and see whether or not the drinks had alcohol in them. They tested the mocktails and their own urine to see if there were trace amounts of liquor in their beverages. 

Ultimately, Jennifer and Yoo tested positive for remaining alcohol in their urine, according to Yoo’s testimony. The mocktails also tested positive for having alcohol in them, directly contradicting the staff at the cafe. 

What Is an ‘Asian Glow’?

An “Asian glow” is a common phrase that refers to an alcohol flush reaction for those of Asian descent. For many people who are specifically from East Asia, any form of alcohol can bring adverse side effects like what Yoo described: heart palpitations, lightheadedness, and a flushed red face. 

Contrary to popular belief, the “Asian glow” is not an allergic reaction. Instead, many East Asian people have a genetic mutation, ALDH2*2, which makes it more difficult to break down alcohol’s toxins. 

It’s estimated that around 30-to-50% of individuals of East Asian descent experience the “Asian glow” as a result of this genetic mutation. 

The symptoms of an “Asian glow” can be particularly dangerous for anyone with pre-existing conditions. It can also be more severe for some individuals, making it harder to safely drink alcohol. 

Some people use pre-existing supplements that treat heartburn and other conditions to help with it. But, according to some researchers, these supplements can only address surface-level symptoms and not the toxins that build up from drinking alcohol. Ultimately, the inability to break down alcohol’s toxins can lead to greater issues down the line, like an increased risk of certain cancers. 

​​What Are the Risks of Having Alcoholic Beverages Listed As Mocktails?

What Yoo and her friends discovered ultimately is a huge risk for customers. If a recovering alcoholic orders a “mocktail” that actually has alcohol in it, it can derail their progress. 

Alcohol inside food and beverages is enough of a concern that even a rum cake can cause major distress for recently or long-time sober individuals. 

Many people also report experiencing severe side effects when drinking alcohol, which is why they order mocktails. The “Asian glow” can be a significant and even life-threatening issue for some people due to the increased risk of heart palpitations. Restaurants subjecting their customers to debilitating side effects due to a lack of care or caution can be particularly frightening, which is why so many commenters were appalled by the Dior restaurant staff’s behavior. 

But it seems to be a common issue based on viewers’ testimonies. “I’m allergic to alcohol and maybe [one to two times] per year I will get served alcohol when I specifically order mocktails, even when there’s a separate mocktail list with drinks that have different names,” said one viewer. “The reaction and gaslighting you got from the staff is unfortunately not uncommon.”

Likewise, many commenters shared similar experiences ordering mocktails, only to receive completely different items. 

AllHipHop reached out to Yoo and Dior via email for comment. We’ll let you know if either party responds.

@haileyoo0

If you’re allergic to alcohol, sober, or pregnant, be careful when visiting the Dior Cafe in Beverly Hills. Posting for awareness

♬ original sound – Hailey Yoo

​AllHipHop

Lil Tjay has issued a strong denial statement after being accused of involvement in a shooting incident involving Kick streamer Konvy during a livestream in the Bronx on Friday night.

The Bronx rapper took to social media to address allegations that he was connected to the drive-by shooting that targeted Konvy while he was broadcasting live on January 9, 2026.

“I had nothing to do with what happened last night in the Bronx,” Lil Tjay said in his statement. “Blogs are circulating old posts, taken out of context, and presenting them as recent, which is false.”

Tjay continued his denial by expressing sympathy for those affected by the violent incident.

“My prayers are with everyone affected,” he said. “Please stop spreading misinformation.” The rapper’s statement came after social media users began linking him to alleged Instagram Story posts that appeared to mock the shooting.

The shooting incident occurred while Konvy was livestreaming with friends in a car in the Bronx. During the stream, viewers noticed a green dot appear on Konvy’s head before gunfire erupted, forcing the group to scramble out of the vehicle.

One of Konvy’s friends, identified as JJ, was reportedly hospitalized following the incident. According to social media reports, Lil Tjay allegedly posted content on his Instagram Story that some interpreted as mocking the shooting.

Screenshots circulated on Twitter showed alleged posts from both his main account and a supposed burner account.

One alleged post reportedly featured crying-laughing emojis and a “hush” emoji, while another allegedly showed a video with the caption “Go slideeeeee” followed by laughing emojis.

The allegations against Tjay stem from his ongoing beef with Adin Ross and Cuffem, who are close friends with Konvy. The conflict escalated recently when 6ix9ine, Adin Ross, and Cuffem released a diss track called “BACON” that specifically targeted several rappers, including Lil Tjay, Lil Durk, and Doechii.

Lil Tjay has previously called Adin Ross a “culture vulture” and criticized the streamer’s involvement in Hip-Hop culture.

The Bronx shooting incident has not resulted in any official police statements regarding suspects or motives at press time. Law enforcement has not released details about the investigation or any potential arrests related to the drive-by shooting.

​AllHipHop

Lil Wayne is starting off 2026 by making serious power moves with his Young Money Sports Agency by signing European Footballer Amadou Onana.

The Aston Villa midfielder signed a deal with the entertainment powerhouse to manage his commercial use of name, image, and likeness, including sponsorships and brand partnerships.

The agreement positions Onana for global expansion, particularly in the American market, where crossover appeal among sports, music, and fashion continues to grow rapidly.

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Young Money Sports Agency, officially known as Young Money APAA Sports, launched in 2017 when Lil Wayne partnered with the von Gontard family’s APAA Sports.

The agency represents more than 80 athletes across multiple sports, including football, basketball, boxing, and softball. The 24-year-old Belgian international brings serious credentials to Young Money’s roster.

Born in Dakar, Senegal, Onana has had a remarkable career since his professional debut with Hamburger SV in 2020.

He scored on his debut in the DFB-Pokal against Dynamo Dresden, announcing his arrival with a dramatic 89th-minute header. His performances earned him a move to French champions Lille in 2021, and Everton paid over $40 million for Onana’s services in August 2022, where he established himself as a Premier League regular over two seasons.

Aston Villa secured Onana’s signature for $65 million in July 2024, making him one of the most expensive defensive midfielders in Premier League history.

Onana’s international career with Belgium has been equally impressive and he was featured at both the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and Euro 2024 in Germany, playing every minute of Belgium’s four matches at the European Championship.

Young Money’s recent signings demonstrate their growing influence in professional sports.

The agency made headlines in December 2024 when it secured Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter ahead of his NFL Draft declaration. Hunter’s four-year, $46.65 million contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars was negotiated by Young Money agents Adie von Gontard and Ray Haija.

Onana’s signing comes at a pivotal time for football’s expansion in the U.S.

With the 2026 World Cup approaching and Major League Soccer’s continued growth, European stars are increasingly looking to establish their brands in the United States market.

The deal separates Onana’s commercial representation from his football representation, allowing Young Money to focus specifically on brand partnerships, sponsorships, and marketing opportunities while his playing contracts remain handled by traditional football agents.

Outside football, Onana has shown entrepreneurial spirit by releasing rap music under the name 24 AM. His debut single “Check On Me” dropped in August 2024.

​AllHipHop