28 Classic Songs Every Black Person MUST Know
15. Mary J. Blige – “Real Love”
This list legit could not exist without “Real Love”. It was a no brainer. Honestly it’s the first song that I thought of when I decided to compile the list. From the minute those piano keys come in at the very beginning and Mary starts her “Oooooh”s, you’re fully invested. A lot of folks will have you thinking that this was MJB’s first single, but it wasn’t! This was the follow-up to “You Remind Me”. “Real Love” is just that good that it kind of stole the previous track’s thunder a bit.
16. Earth, Wind & Fire – “September”
I looked up “September” by Earth, Wind & Fire on Spotify, prior to writing this, strictly out of curiosity. I wanted to see how many times it had been streamed. The answer, over seven hundred and eighty two million times. So yeah, people love this song! For me it breeds nostalgia. Beach days when I was young, with it playing on the radio, while my Mom passed out the sandwiches she made for us while we sat on the blanket and listened. I feel like it does that for a lot of people. It brings them to a happy place in the past that they remember fondly.
17. Marcia Griffiths – “Electric Boogie”
First and foremost, I was today years old when I learned that the name of this song is “Electric Boogie” and not “Electric Slide”. I’ve been dancing to it for over 30 years and have been none the wiser! Goes to show you learn something new every day. Even with this new found fact….the Culture call it the “Electric Slide”, so I’m calling it the “Electric Slide”. It’s almost like “Boogie” is it’s government name, but errbody in the streets know them as “Slide”. Moving on.
The “Electric Slide” is in EVERY DJs library, whether they’re young, old, conservative or new age, it doesn’t matter.
18. Ms. Lauryn Hill – “Doo Wap (That Thing)
“Doo Wop (That Thing)” is such a dope song because it doesn’t only sound great, it’s also tryna teach you something. Of course at the time it was released I was much less concerned with the lyrical content and far more concerned with what boy was gonna ask me to dance to it, but listening to it now with adult ears….woo child! Ms. Hill was giving a whole word. “Don’t be a hard rock, when you really are a gem. Baby girl, respect is just a minimum…” words to live by, to this day.
19. Lil Kim featuring Lil Cease – “Crush On You”
What’s so wild is that I wasn’t even allowed to have this album, yet to this day I’m still able to recite a good portion of it verbatim, and “Crush on You” was definitely my #1!, even though I had to low key whisper along or sneak and play it on my walkman when my parents weren’t paying attention. Now, as an adult I TOTALLY understand why it was not allowed, I mean, my young azz singing, “Aye yo shorty won’t you go get a bag of the lethal, I’ll be undressed in a bra all see through” at the age of 15 likely would be frowned upon.
20. Keith Sweat & Jacci McGhee – “Make It Last Forever”
I should be ashamed of myself. I almost left Keith Sweat off of this list. How I could forget a voice so distinctive to our culture is crazy to me. My sincerest apologies Mr. Sweat. Although Keith Sweat had bops, on bops, on bops, “Make It Last Forever” made the list not only because it’s the title track on his debut, but because it’s a duet! And dammit who doesn’t like a song they can grab a friend and harmonize with.
21. Ginuwine – “Pony”
He’s just a bachelor, looking for a partner. Trust and believe there were a ton of ladies back then, and even now that are still trying to fulfill that role for him. Maybe it’s the combination of the man baby hair and the body, or his face and dance moves. Either way in the mid to late 90s, Ginuwine was the man and “Pony” was the song that started it all.
22. Montell Jordan – “This Is How We Do It”
The party may have been there on the “West Side,” but this song made it’s way all across the country and earned a spot in history as a 90s R&B classic. “This Is How We Do It” is the song you play on “Friday night and you feel alright.” When you’re ready to get the weekend poppin’. This song is pure gold. Even young kids from generations far after it came out can sing it word for word, most likely because of their parents love for it.
23. Bobby Brown – “Roni”
“Roni” short for “Tenderoni” is a very specific type of girl that Bobby was looking for. To be specific, “She’s a sweet old girl, about the sweetest little girl in the whole wide world.” I mean, she made the toughest homeboy fall deep in love. She had to be something special. She has all kinds of attributes, she make her Daddy feel proud, she stand out in crowds who wouldn’t that? So clearly it was very important that Bobby found himself one.
24. Warren G featuring Nate Dogg – “Regulate”
This. Song. Will. FOREVER. Be. In. My. Rotation!
As soon as that beat comes on, I turn into a West Coast Rapper/Crooner. Yes, crooner because I sing and rap both parts. Always. This Hip Hop classic samples a song from a middle aged white man, yup, you read that right. Michael McDonald released “I Keep Forgetting” in 1982, 12 years prior to the Warren G and Nate Dogg version that we know and love. Not gonna lie, I was surprised to say the last, but thank you to that man because this song is STILL a bop damn near 30 years after it was released!
25. The Notorious B.I.G. – “Juicy”
“It was all a dream, I used to read ‘Word Up’ magazine/Salt n’ Pepa and Heavy D up in the limousine…” I legit could just fill this up with lines from this song because there are just SO many quotables. Who out there wasn’t reminiscing about the “Red and black lumberjack, with the hat to match” or wishing they had a “Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis“? Well my lil 12 year old self was dead broke so I sure nuff couldn’t picture it, but because Biggie was rapping about it, I knew it had to be dope. I know for a fact I let this song rock til my tape popped. It was the first rap song that I ever learned from beginning to end, like purposely sat down hit the rewind button (I wasn’t on to CDs yet) and made a conscious effort to memorize. No regrets! Because I promise that if this song comes on when you’re out and you’re the ONLY one in the room that don’t know it… you’re getting clowned.
26. Heatwave – “Always and Forever”
“Always and Forever” by Heatwave was released in 1976, five years before I was even born. Why do I, and SO many other people know it from beginning to end? Because our Moms and Dads played it like it was some sort of hymn, often and highly regarded. When I think of this song, I envision a few things. The first is Summer time on Evergreen St., where I grew up; ALL the windows open trying to stay cool because back then AC was a luxury. I hear it playing at max volume from the top floor making all the window frames rattle because my Dad only knew how to play music one way… loud AF.
27. Brandy & Monica – “The Boy Is Mine”
Two powerhouses, Brandy and Monica, on the same track, arguing over a dude, in harmony! It don’t get no better. So let’s get into it, because “Miss Thang” and the “Vocal Bible” on the same track is nothing to play with.
“The Boy Is Mine” is the song that comes on and you grab your best girlfriend to sing it with. I’ve witnessed it on more than one occasion. You may dispute for a second over who’s gonna be Brandy and who’ll be Monica the first time, but after that, the roles are set and you’re ready to get to sangin’.
28. Bell Biv Devoe – “Poison”
I purposely saved this song for last. I couldn’t think of any other that was more deserving of the final spot on this list. Errrrrbody knows “Poison” teens, Moms, Dads, Aunties, Uncles, probably even some toddlers… errbody. When Barack Obama was having his going away special on B.E.T when he was leaving office, Bell Biv Devoe were present, on stage and what were they singing for the President of the United States? Yup, “Poison”. Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins and Ronnie Devoe were on stage singing, “Can’t trust a big butt and a smile” to the leader of the free world and our “Forever First Lady” Michelle Obama and they were all the way here for it! If that ain’t the official stamp of approval from not only Black Culture but American Culture, I don’t know what is.
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