In our continued highlight of the best summer hits of the last decade, Saturday Hustle brings you to the year 2001.

Eve Featuring Gwen Stefani

Let Me Blow Ya Mind

Eve is undoubtedly one of the greatest female hip-hop artistes of her time, and Let Me Blow Ya Mind is the second single from her sophomore album, Scorpion. The single, which features Gwen Stefani, peaked at number two in the United States and was her second hit in the United Kingdom, peaking at number four. Eve also collected the Grammy Award for Best Rap/Song Collaboration the following year.

Train

Drops of Jupiter

The title song of Train’s second album Drops of Jupiter became a monster hit and spent 53 weeks on the pop singles chart. The song was nominated for five Grammy Awards, including Song of the Year, Record of the Year and Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, and won two awards for Best Rock Song and Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s).

Blu Cantrell

Hit ‘Em Up Style

“Hey Ladies, when your man wanna get buck wild, just go back and hit ’em up style…”

One-hit wonder Blu Cantrell gave the ladies their anthem for the summer of 2001, a song that eventually became her most successful in the US.

Missy Elliot

Get Ur Freak On

“Is that your chick?”, was the unusual bellow of Missy Elliot on the track Get Ur Freak On, which was a hit in two versions — the original and the remix featuring Nelly Furtado. The song was Elliot’s first solo top 10 hit in the United Kingdom, peaking at number four and spending six weeks on the top 20 charts.

112

Peaches & Cream

“Peaches and Cream, I need it cause you know that I’m a fiend (that’s right)… It’s even better when it’s with ice cream…”

Peaches & Cream is the second single from the album, Part III, by R&B group 112. The song peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles and Tracks chart and number four on the Billboard Hot 100, staying in the Top 40 for 25 weeks and making it the quartet’s highest-charting Hot 100 single to date.

Alicia Keys

Fallin’

Fallin’ is generally considered Alicia Keys’ signature song, and it became her first number one single in the United States and her first top five hit in several countries. It is also Keys’ second biggest single to date, and was named the 29th most successful song of the 2000s, on the Billboard Hot 100 Songs of the Decade. Fallin’ also won three Grammy Awards in 2002, including Song of the Year, Best R&B Song, and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, and was also nominated for Record of the Year.

Christina Aguilera, Lil’ Kim, Mya, and Pink

Lady Marmalade

“Giuchie, Giuchie, ya ya dada (Hey hey hey), Giuchie, Giuchie, ya ya here (here), Mocha Chocalata ya ya (oh yea), Creole lady Marmalade…”

Definitely one of the best collaborations of our time, this all-female, all-star line-up reproduced Patti Labelle’s classic. The song was an instant hit, and spent five weeks at the top of the pop singles charts. The record eventually won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals. “Voulez vous coucher avec moi ce soir …Voulez vous coucher avec moi…”

Usher

U Remind Me

“U remind me of a girl that I once knew, see her face whenever I look at you…”

Usher was already one of the world’s biggest pop/R&B stars when his 8701 album was released. So, it was no surprise the first single U Remind Me immediately skyrocketed, spending four weeks at number one on the pop singles chart.

Destiny’s Child

Bootylicious

Bootylicious was a fun song that made many women feel comfortable with their bodies. Young and old were singing “I don’t think you’re ready for this jelly” and eventually the word bootylicious was included in the Oxford English Dictionary.

Jay-Z

Izzo (H.O.V.A)

“H to the izz-O, V to the izz-A

Fo’ shizzle my nizzle used to dribble down in VA…”

Produced by Kanye West, this track was released from Jay-Z’s sixth album The Blueprint. It is one of his most popular singles, reaching number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US, and was actually Jay-Z’s first top 10 single.