Beenie Man Lands The #84 Spot On The Billboard 100 Greatest Songs of 2000
Billboard has taken the time to break away from the current chaos of 2020 to reflect on the beginning of the new millennium, the year 2000. March 23rd marked the beginning of their weeklong celebration of the iconic and historically rich year in music and they kicked off with their staff pick of 100 favorite songs during that era.
The year 2000 emerged with a revolutionized sound in several genres of music, and very significantly in Pop and R&B. This of course was in part with the influence and vision of what we now know as some of the greatest producers of all time. Billboard’s 100 Greatest Songs of 2000 has a dynamic mix of these creations, including an intelligent choice of an R&B and Reggae fusion.
The number 84 spot of their revered musical list shines on none other than the King of Dancehall, Beenie Man courtesy of his Grammy Award Winning single Girls Dem Sugar featuring R&B songbird Mya. The track was produced by The Neptunes and premiered on September 14th 2000 as the second single on Beenie’s studio album Art and Life.
The song was written by the dancehall legend along with Chad Hugo and Pharrell Williams, who Beenie credits as the mastermind behind the idea and creation of the song. Pharrell who has established himself as one of the leading record producers in the business and who have received several honorary accolades in his career as a singer, rapper and songwriter, approached Beenie with the idea of spinning his 1997 single Sim Simma even adapting a few of the song’s catch phrases. They subsequently added Mya and her syrupy drifts to create the smash hit Girls Dem Sugar.
During the stint of its release, the single achieved highs and lows in its success, being included in the 12 Best Dancehall & Reggaeton Choruses of the 21st Century at #7, internationally ranking #13 in the United Kingdom, then #16 on Billboard’s Hot R&B / Hip-Hop Songs chart and later peaking at #54 on their Hot 100 chart.
Mya also drops in on the #56 spot of the Billboard’s 100 Greatest Songs of 2000 with her single Case of the Ex (Watcha Gonna Do). The song gained massive recognition in late 2000, which landed her at the #2 spot on Billboard Hot 100 during that time.
The sultry sounding R&B princess is no stranger to the Jamaican Reggae and dancehall musical arena. She has collaborated with some of the hottest artistes reigning from the island, very recently with Jah Cure in a tender love song titled Only You , as well as with Ding Dong in the 2019 single Handsfree.
She was also brought on stage at Reggae Sumfest 2011 by the soon to be crowned Queen of Dancehall, Spice who rocked out alongside her while she performed several of her songs. Mya then later graced the stage with her longtime friend and the Girls Dem Sugar, King Beenie Man to perform their hit song.