20 Black One-Hit Wonders — Do You Remember?

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June is Black Music Month! During the month we'll be celebrating some of our biggest artists, their legacies, and the amazing contributions Black people have made to music around the world.

Here, we’re traveling down the memory lane of one-hit wonders who had the radios and charts in a frenzy. Some of the artists stepped away from the limelight, others tragically passed away. Some of these artists have left their imprint in other ways, like songwriting, producing, or even charting their own paths in the industry.  

Here’s a look back at 20 hip-hop and R&B one-hit wonders from the 90s, 00s, and 2010s. Do you remember these hits?

Yasmeen- "Blue Jeans"

Released in 2002, "Blue Jeans" peaked at number 53 on the R&B charts. Yasmeen would go on to successfully work in the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical Beautiful: The Carole King Musical.

Houston featuring Chingy, Nate Dogg, and I-20 - "I Like That"

Singer Houston released his debut album It's Already Written in 2004 which included the smash hit "I Like That" featuring Chingy, Nate Dogg, and I-20. The single reached number 3 on the charts. Houston attempted suicide in 2005, attributed to stress, and subsequently moved away from the industry.

Mark Morrison - "Return of the Mack"

Hailed as one of the greatest songs of all time, "Return of the Mack" was a certified international hit. Between 1996 and 1998 the song peaked at number 2, but it continues to be a classic.

Baha Men - "Who Let The Dogs Out"

An instant radio repeat, "Who Let the Dogs Out" was contagious after its release in 2000. It was a part of several movie scores and flooded the airways.

Blu Cantrell - "Hit Em Up Style"

Oops! With a jazzy and edgy sound, Blu Cantrell's "Hit 'Em Up Style" had many of us ready to pack our bags, and run up the credit cards on our way out. The 2001 hit peaked at number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

New Boyz - "You're a Jerk"

If you weren't rocking super skinny jeans before this 2009 hit dropped, you probably at least tried to learn the dance that took over the internet. Recorded by the New Boyz, "You're a Jerk" peaked at number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, bringing the iconic hyphy sound to the nation and world.

Lumidee - "Never Leave You (Uh Oh)"

This 2003 classic was on singer Lumidee's Almost Famous album. It peaked at number 3 and stayed on the charts for 20 weeks.

MIMS - "This is Why I'm Hot"

One thing rapper MIMS did was tell us why he's hot. His 2007 smash record peaked at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

J-Kwon - "Tipsy"

St. Louis native J-Kwon changed the game with his 2004 hit "Tipsy." It spent 14 weeks on the charts and peaked at number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart.

Huey - "Pop, Lock, and Drop It"

Rapper Huey was a St. Louis native who gave the rap game a smash hit and catchy dance. Sadly, the rapper was shot and killed last year.

K.P. and Envyi - "Shorty Swing My Way"

This 1998 hit is one of the most iconic songs of the decade. Lyrics direct enough for any crush, and a up tempo beat to keep you moving, the Atlanta and Charlotte, North Carolina duo K.P. and Envyi really gave us a certified hit. The song peaked at number 6 on the charts.

MoKenStef - "He's Mine"

R&B trio MoKenStef was a Los Angeles-based group made up of Monfia, Kenya, and Stefanie. Their 1995 hit "He's Mine" rose up the charts, reaching the number 7 spot.

Ideal - "Get Gone"

Ideal, an R&B quartet from Houston, Texas, released their self-titled debut album in 1999. Their hit "Get Gone" reached number 2 on the R&B charts. Sadly, original member Cedrick "Swab" Cotton was killed earlier this year in the group's hometown.

Desiigner - "Panda"

One of the biggest songs of the 2010s, "Panda" truly took over in 2016. The song by rapper Desiigner stayed on top of the charts for several weeks. The music video has over 435 million views.

Shop Boyz - "Party Like a Rock Star"

In 2007, the Shop Boyz gave music a loud, infectious song instructing its listeners to party like rockstars. The song reached number 2 on Billboard's Hot 100 Chart in the US. Totally Dude!

Trinidad James - "All Gold Everything"

Rapper Trinidad James released his catchy smooth hit and video. The rapper went on to do some features and release music as independent artist. In 2014, Trinidad James received a songwriting credit for Bruno Mars' mega hit "Uptown Funk" since his "don't believe me just watch" line inspired the hook on Mars' song. That's 24K magic for real.

Ca$h Out - "Cashin' Out"

An instant hit, "Cashin' Out" was released in 2012 and was nominated for the BET Hip Hop Award for Best Club Banger.

YC - "Racks"

Arguably one of the easiest dances to learn, rapper YC's "Racks" gave us a money-making anthem. The 2011 hit was produced by Sonny Digital and featured rapper Future.

T-Wayne - "Nasty Freestyle"

An original viral hit, "Nasty Freestyle" took over social media. It was released in 2015 and spent 20 weeks on the Hot 100 chart. The song peaked at number 9.

Kriss Kross - "Jump"

90s Rap duo Kris Kross had the world really jumping with their 1992 hit "Jump." The song spent weeks on the charts, and other hip-hop legends have referenced the group in their own projects over the years. Sadly, member Chris Kelly passed away in 2013 at the age of 34.

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