Need some solid hip-hop jams from back in the day to get you through a rough time? Why not give a classic, nostalgic one-hit wonder a chance? We’re particularly big fans of these five hip-hop one-hit wonders, and we think they deserved a bigger shot at fame.
Videos by American Songwriter
1. “Rico Suave” by Gerardo
Why not start with a bit of classic 1990s Latin hip-hop? “Rico Suave” was released in 1990 by rapper and singer Gerardo. It was a fast hit and climbed to no. 7 on the Hot 100 chart in the US.
Unfortunately for Gerardo, the rapper struggled to maintain his sudden fame with subsequent singles. “We Want The Funk” and “When The Lights Go Out” did okay on the charts, but he never scored another Top 10 hit on the Hot 100 again.
2. “It Takes Two” by Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock
Hip-hop one-hit wonders usually make it big by putting together a song so addicting that it just won’t leave listeners’ heads. That was the case for Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock, the artists behind the certified earworm “It Takes Two”. You’re already hearing that chorus in your head, aren’t you?
This 1988 hit made it to the top of the US and UK rap and hip-hop charts. It even made it to no. 36 on the Hot 100 in the US. The duo released a couple of subsequent songs that year that did fairly well, but none of their songs made it to the Top 40 of the Hot 100 again.
3. “Jump Around” by House Of Pain
If you need to get out some energy, this is the nostalgic hip-hop one-hit wonder to listen to. Released in 1992 by House Of Pain, “Jump Around” was an enormous hit that peaked at no. 3 on the Hot 100 chart.
House Of Pain didn’t completely fade into obscurity after their major hit. However, their follow-up singles failed to crack the Top 60 on the Hot 100, and they disbanded in 1996.
4. “Bust A Move” by Young MC
Some hip-hop one-hit wonders manage to influence their contemporaries significantly, yet never seem to quite capitalize on the hit that made them famous. “Bust A Move” by Young MC is one of the most memorable hip-hop tracks to come out of the tail-end of the 1980s. It made it to no. 7 on the Hot 100 in 1989, after all.
Sadly for Young MC, additional singles didn’t quite hit the charts as hard as “Bust A Move” did, though he became quite popular in Australia and New Zealand for a few years.
5. “Whoomp! (There It Is)” by Tag Team
These hip-hop one-hit wonders proved that there was something to the Miami bass craze. “Whoomp! (There It Is)” by Tag Team was released in 1993 and catapulted to no. 2 on the Hot 100 chart, among many other international charts. Unfortunately, the duo behind the earworm barely charted with subsequent singles.
Photo by Raymond Boyd/Getty Images
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Leave a Reply
Only members can comment. Become a member. Already a member? Log in.