My Baby.

Music.  She's been a true doll that has been wit us through all of life over the many  years on this earth.  She's been true, hasn't left us, has remixed herself, yet has kept her classic beats.  She loves to party, loves to chill, and loves to shout "Thank you Jesus!!" every once in awhile! (You'll get that later!)  Now many of you who read this are music fanatics, some of you may not be.  Our focus for today is the genres of  R&B, Hip-Hop and a little Pop...no Jazz or Gospel on today.  Our blog is a little long so if you are at the crib and tired of watching reruns of Basketball Wives, or on a lunch break at the j-o-b. this is a good read!  Don't read while driving!  Please...

For the sake of the audience , we just gonna stick to cuts from the years 2000-2004, and will keep it clean.  Now I know someone out there is like "I'm breaking the rules at work and you mean I'm not gonna see Petey Pablo's "Freek-a-Leek" video, or David Banner 's "Like a Pimp" or even the Ying Yang Twins' "Whisper Song" videos?"  Man, we ain't even gonna mention them! (wink!!)

 (As always click words which are different color for more of a "Galaxia" experience!)

This was truly one of the golden eras of music.  Mariah Carey was wearing throwback jersey dresses...Me and my guy JB were breaking our necks to watch the TV shows Cheaters and Dark Angel (We knew Jessica Alba was a starlet back then).  You could go through the airport freely...Ipods were classics not touch...Louis V bags began coming in colors, just good and wild times really.

Mya's "Case of The Ex". G-Dep's "Special Delivery". and Sisqo's "Thong Song" ruled the airways ... "Incomplete" was really tha song off Sisqo's Album though (and yes, I did say album dat gone-it!!).  Jagged Edge was breaking down and saying "Let's Get Married" and "He Can't Love You", while I was TOTALLY digging Common when he simply asked Mary J. Blige to "Come Close".  Jon B. hit us with the party song "Don't Talk" and my vintage favorite cut of his "Boy Is Not A Man"...This was an era y'all.   My boy Gin-u-wine aka GG was explaining "Differences" while showing his fashion sense with the banger "In Those Jeans"!  Be warned, if you have time, please read on , if not, u might want to stop cuz we gonna be here for a long while!



Remember when Christina and Britney had their mini rivalry of sorts?!  Britney was seducing Austino by telling him that "I'm a Slave 4 U" while Christina was penning her best song ,in our opinion, "Lovin Me 4 Me".  112 gave a boost to the agricultural division by discussing the many uses of "Peaches and Cream", all the while giving folks the universal breakup song, "It's Over Now".  Should have to a girl that the other day...huh.  Once again , cue tha video!

Cash Money. No Limit. Murder Inc... Now those aren't mafia groups or tow companies that will be featured on the show South Beach Tow in a few weeks, but record labels, and boy did they have some cuts under their labels.  Ja Rule gave me so much personal advice...he gave me strength to admit when "I Cry", told me "Between Me and You" should be the motto of any great relationship, at work I should strive to be "Always on Time" while I'll never forget when he told me I should be "Livin' It Up", which I have taken to the M-I-A.  Ashanti was always "Happy" and dealing wit dudes that made her "Foolish" (Is that the dude from the tv show Sparks ?!)

Too much music to write...so here are a few of our favorite bangers (don't be afraid check them out!):
- Eric Benet - "Love Don't Love Me" (Pre- Hallie Berry!)
- Montell Jordan - "Get It on Tonite"
- N'Sync - "Gone" (JT and the group's final go round together)
- Erick Sermon feat. Marvin Gaye - "Music"
- Angie Martinez - "If I Could Go" (If anyone has Miss Martinez's number, please holla at me!)
- 2pac feat RL - "Until the End of Time"
- Diddy feat. Usher and Loon - "I Need a Girl" (Still true 11 years later..)
- Kylie Minogue - "Can't Get You Outta My Head" (My ultimate dance anthem! Australian perfection!)
- Blu Cantrell - "Hit 'em Up Style"
- Jimmy Cozier - "She's All I Got"
- Alicia Keys - "Girlfriend" (Her most slept-on song)
- Marques Houston  - "Clubbin" and "Because of You"
- Cee-Lo - "Closet Freak" (Before The Voice, Gnarls Barkley and all that...classic!)
- Amerie - "Talkin' To Me"


Now my personal stuff....they deserve own sections:

- Aaliyah was tha homegirl back then... and three words cap the summer of 2001..."Rock the Boat".
- Eminem was coming into his own with the Grammy award winning "Lose Yourself", "Cleanin Out My Closet" and "Stan"...but I felt he wrote "8 More Miles" (unedited) especially for me, big time!
- Joe was giving us hits like "I Wanna Know", "Let's Stay Home Tonight", but the one was the collaboration with Mariah Carey and Nas...truly "Thank God I Found You".
- Carl Thomas....."I Wish" .
- LL Cool J had some slept-on classics too  with "Paradise", "Headsprung" (Cuzin' Nikki, love u gal!!), and "Luv U Better"
- Outkast's list speaks for itself..."B.O.B", "Ms. Jackson", "The Way You Move", "Prototype", "The Whole World", "Roses", ...whew!!!
- Nelly changed the game with "Country Grammer", "Air Force Ones", "E.I.", "Hot in Here", "Pimp Juice", "Dilemma" to name a few...but his guest apperance on J.D's "Welcome To Atlanta" help make that remix hot.

Is there a question if this was a golden era? Still not convinced..ok...here's some more evidence:
Musiq Soulchild - "Love", "Justfriends", "Halfcrazy"
Kayne West - "Jesus Walks", "Through the Wire" ,"The New Workout Plan"
Maroon 5 - "This Love", "She Will Be Loved", "Sunday Morning" and my favorite "Secret"
Brandy- "What About Us", "Full Moon", and "Talk About Our Love"
Jaheim - "Anything", "Just In Case", "Put That Woman First"
50 cent - "In The Club", "Best Friend", "P.I.M.P.", "Candy Shop", "21 Questions".

Jay-Z has ...too many but ..."I Just Wanna Love U", "Guilty Until Proven Innocent" (with Kells), "Girls, Girls, Girls", and I'll never forget the first time I heard "Excuse Me Miss".

The Neptunes:  Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo were probably the producers of that entire era...so many great cuts here are some of our favorites (did u know they did...):
- Babyface - "There She Goes"
- No Doubt - "Hella Good"
- Busta Rhymes feat Kelis - "What It Is"
- Beenie Man feat. Janet Jackson - "Feel It Boy"
- Jadakiss - "Knock Yourself Out"
- Clipse - "Grindin'
- Snoop Dogg - "Beautiful"
- NSync - "Girlfriend"
-Gwen Stefani - "Hollaback Girl"
- Ray J - "Wait a Minute"
- Kelis -"Milkshake"
- Pharrell feat. Jay-Z - "Frontin'"
- NERD - "Maybe"

Fall 2001 was special because on my 21st birthday,October 30, two of my favorite Michael's came back on that day...Jordan and Jackson.  Mike's "Invincible" album was a classic really. "You Rock My World", "Butterflies", "Heaven Can Wait" but perhaps my favorite all-time MJ is "Break Of Dawn" (what true love is all about)

That's it...for now...I know we missed some (Faith Evans, Mike Jones, Frankie J...)which is cool...hit me up and let me know on facebook...twitter (@austinogalaxia), skype, txt or whatever's ur pleasure! This is basically off the top of our head!....So when a kid comes up to u and says Waka Flocka or Drake or Rhianna is the best ever...show them this post. We went  back to an era where we used to "Lean Back", Harlem shake, Jamaican Soul Clap, A-Town Stomp, and "Hey Ya" tickle the air...simply a brief trip to The Good Ol' Days!

Hope u enjoyed and if you did.....tell sum-body!!
Austino.