Shaggy, Bounty Killer Songs Among Billboard’s 100 Greatest Hits Of 2001
Songs by Dancehall veterans Shaggy and Bounty Killer were listed among The 100 Greatest Songs Of 2001, a Billboard list of staff picks that pay tribute to the “best anthems of a formative year for 21st century pop music.” It Wasn’t Me, by Shaggy and RikRok was ranked No. 11 on the list of greatest songs of that year, while Hey Baby by No Doubt featuring Bounty Killer, came in at No. 31.
In an Instagram post today, Bounty reacted to the news and said, “Tell some man to gwaan put in the work bcuz it’s a mighty long way to go.” He added, “Congrats to my bredda @direalshaggy @slyrobbietaxigang @nodoubt and myself 20yrs of work dues still coming in give thank.”
Shaggy’s spectacular hit song, produced by Sting International, is regarded as his international breakthrough. As the first single from his 6X platinum album Hot Shot, It Wasn’t Me peaked at No. 1 on the Hot 100 chart.
A VICE documentary last year noted that it was a series of happy accidents, some illegal downloading, and sheer determination, that propelled It Wasn’t Me to become one of the first viral crossover hits. Shaggy also revealed, earlier this year, that he had given the platinum-selling song to artists like Wayne Wonder and the duo Tanto Metro and Devonte, after his management and record label initially rejected the track as ‘crap’ and refused to let him release it.
Billboard, in the list published today, described it as “a bouncy, beat-heavy song featuring a totally relatable scenario: one bud asking another what to do when your lover finds out you’ve strayed with the girl next door.” They added, “Shaggy, in his signature throaty, just-drank-milk voice, offers up his simple, sneaky deny, deny, deny advice to every one of RikRok’s scenarios: ‘It wasn’t me.'”
Hey Baby by No Doubt and Bounty Killer peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and just received a Gold certification from the RIAA for selling 500,000 units.
The song was produced in Jamaica by veteran duo Sly & Robbie for the group’s 2X Platinum Rock Steady album, and Billboard noted “its dancehall-centric sounds felt like a natural next step beyond the group’s ska roots, and the presence of dancehall legend Bounty Killer on this raucous hit provided an appropriate hat tip to the genre.”
Hey Baby copped the Grammy award for Best Pop Performance by a duo or Group with Vocal in 2003. The music video also won the MTV Video Music Awards for Best Pop Video and Best Group Video in 2002, but was boycotted by Bounty after No Doubt’s drummer Adrian Young appeared almost naked in the video despite the Dancehall deejay’s objections.
Bounty seems to have made peace with the betrayal after being livid about it for several years.
Beenie Man‘s Girls Dem Sugar with Mya made the list last year at No. 54 for greatest songs of the year 2000.