Work In Progress #1: The Mood and the Music

One of my favorite things about starting a new project is picking the music that plays in the office while I write. I’ve said this on several occasions before, but I use the music to inform and reinforce the mood of a story, cement its thematic elements in my head, and root a story in a time and place.

And if it makes me nod my head and jam out while I’m working, then that’s a bonus.

After getting a little stuck on my NaNoWriMo project, and current work-in-progress, Empire Towers, I realized that I hadn’t yet made a playlist. I needed to find the audio equivalent of a time machine to take me back to New York in 2001, just before the world changed on September 11th. My first stop was the Billboard top 100 from 2001, and that was an amazing place to start. That list is packed top to bottom with nostalgic bangers that I remember vividly jamming out to in sweaty, smoke-filled nightclubs. I remember the flavor of the radio back then, when Hot 97 and Kiss-FM played the score of day-to-day life in the ‘hood. I remember watching these videos on MTV, and I remember how the music world dealt with the emergence of Missy Elliott and Alicia Keys, as well as the tragic death of Aaliyah. DMX’s gravelly voice and sharp flows were so prevalent that it was almost like white noise. And for some reason in 2001, Thong Song was still a thing. Ah, memories.

Anyway, here’s a list of what’s in my ear as I work on this.

Song Artist

Get Ur Freak On Missy Elliott

Shake Yuh Bam Bam T.O.K.

Put it On Me Ja Rule (feat. Lil’ Mo and Vita)

Superwoman Pt. II Lil’ Mo (feat. Fabolous)

Southern Hospitality Ludacris

Ms. Jackson OutKast

Fallin’ Alicia Keys

All For You Janet Jackson

Let Me Blow Ya Mind Eve (feat. Gwen Stefani)

Stutter Joe (feat. Mystikal)

It Wasn’t Me Shaggy

U Remind Me Usher

Dance Tonight Lucy Pearl

Independent Women Pt. I Destiny’s Child

Where the Party At? Jagged Edge (feat. Nelly)

Doesn’t Really Matter Janet Jackson

Angel Shaggy

Ride Wit’ Me Nelly

Peaches & Cream 112

So Fresh, So Clean OutKast

Again Lenny Kravitz

Danger (Been So Long) Mystikal

Case of the Ex (Whatcha Gonna Do?) Mya

Fill Me In Craig David

One Minute Man Missy Elliott (feat. Jay-Z)

Stranger in My House Tamia

It’s Over Now 112

I’m a Thug Trick Daddy

Just Friends (Sunny) Musiq Soulchild

I Just Wanna Love U (Give it 2 Me) Jay-Z (feat. Pharrell)

Someone to Call My Lover Janet Jackson

Hit ‘Em Up Style (Oops) Blu Cantrell

Missing You Case

Even If Method Man

What Would You Do? City High

Caramel City High (feat. Eve)

Rock The Boat Aaliyah

Try Again Aaliyah

Fly Away Lenny Kravitz

Got ‘til it’s Gone Janet Jackson

I Get Lonely Janet Jackson (feat. Teddy Riley)

Music Erick Sermon (feat. Marvin Gaye)

Hey Baby No Doubt (feat. Bounty Killer)

100% Big Punisher (feat. Tony Sunshine)

It’s So Hard Big Punisher

Touch Me, Tease Me Case (feat. Foxy Brown & Mary J. Blige)

Who We Be DMX

Party Up DMX

What’s My Name DMX

Thong Song Sisqo

Weirdly enough, this is just a partial list, a work-in-progress for a work-in-progress. There’s clearly a hip-hop and R&B slant to this, but what do you think? What early-2000s earworms are missing from my list? Feel free to drop a comment!

Also, one last thing. I have this playlist saved on YouTube Music. If you want it, click here!