4. Beenie Man and Mya – “Girls Dem Sugar” (2000)
Pharrell and Chad were making number one tunes just like Moses predicted on the intro for “Girls Dem Sugar.” “Girls Dem Sugar” was essentially a hip-hop continuation of Beenie’s career-defining dancehall smash “Who Am I,” with Pharrell reciting Beenie’s “sim simma” lyrics for the chorus. Reinterpreting earlier music through the Neptunes lens has always been part of the producers’ formula. It’s because of Hugo and Williams’ upbringing playing in bands since high school. When they put their spin on a record (not sampling), like the Neptunes take on Michael Jackson’s “I Can’t Help It” for “Frontin,” it’s their way of embracing the past to write a new history. And, to this day, “Girls Dem Sugar” can be played in the same set as its dancehall counterpart, “Who Am I.”