![2006: The Year Hip-Hop Met Pop and Atlanta Came Back [VIDEO]](https://www.hot97.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/janetjd2-scaled.jpg)
(Photo by Theo Wargo/WireImage)
After a lyrical East Coast/West Coast battle (that cost two rap legends their lives), hip-hop transitioned into music purgatory. Tupac and Biggie were gone, No Limit came and went, and St. Louis’ time in the spotlight was short-lived. So when the mid-2000s hit, the culture was a free for all and needed some guidance. Thus, a new genre of music was born and the Third Coast reemerged to take the stage.
Hip-hop cut off its situationship status with pop and finally decided to define the relationship. Unexpected collaborations surfaced — like Brooke Hogan and Paul Wall’s “About Us” — and Chris Brown came out poppin’ and never looked back.
2006 was quite the game-changer for hip-hop.
Jamie Foxx proved he was unpredictable with his sophomore project; Nelly Furtado gained a completely new audience once they found out she was a promiscuous girl; T.I. was in the studio cranking out hits; Ne-Yo was finally ready to sing his story in his own words; and Jermaine Dupri introduced Dem Franchize Boyz to the culture. So the biggest brand in hip-hop brought New Yorkers, ATLiens, and anyone in between to Summer Jam to celebrate a new and defining era in music.
The stars were certainly in the building, but everyone in music couldn’t hit the stage. So for those who remember the year in hip-hop — and for those who don’t — here’s a look at the hottest records to touch the airwaves and catapult the genre into a new direction.
Chamillionaire – “Ridin’”
Nelly feat. Paul Wall, Ali & Gipp – “Grillz”
Chris Brown – “Run It!”
Nelly Furtado – “Promiscuous Girl”
Eminem – “Shake That”
Busta Rhymes – “Touch It”
Pussycat Dolls – “Buttons”
Gnarls Barkley – “Crazy”
Cassie – “Me & U”
T.I. – “What You Know”
Yung Joc – “I Know You See It”
Three 6 Mafia – “Stay Fly”
Bubba Sparxxx – “Ms. New Booty”
Juelz Santana – “There It Go! (The Whistle Song)”
Dem Franchise Boyz – “I Think They Like Me”
Ciara feat. Chamillionaire – “Get Up”
T.I. – “Why You Wanna”
Jibbs – “Chain Hang Low”
D4L – “Laffy Taffy”
Young Dro – “Shoulder Lean (feat. T.I.)”
Chingy feat. Tyrese – “Pullin’ Me Back”
Yung Joc – “It’s Goin’ Down”
E-40 feat. T-Pain & Kandi Girl – “U and Dat”
Young Jeezy – “Soul Survivor”
Justin Timberlake – “Sexy Back”
Akon – “Smack That (feat. Eminem)”
Justin Timberlake – “My Love”
Lil Jon feat. E-40 and Sean Paul from YoungBloodz – “Snap Yo Fingers”
Daddy Yankee – “Rompe”
Kelis – “Bossy”
Dam Franchize Boyz – “Lean Wit It, Rock Wit It”
Eminem – “When I’m Gone”
T-Pain – “I’m Sprung”
Kanye West – “Gold Digger”
Check out these vintage flicks from Summer Jam ’06 below.
