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17 Years Later And These J.Lo Hits Are Still Bops We Could Listen To All Day
Is it just us or do these songs only get better as the years roll by?
Jennifer Lopez has come a long way since her days as a 20-something backup dancer from the Bronx.
After landing the role of Selena Quintanilla in the 1997 biopic Selena, Lopez became a household name; it was the breakout role that put her name on the map. With one foot in the door of the music industry, Lopez continued to pursue her dream of becoming a recording artist while taking on movie projects like Anaconda, U Turn and Out of Sight. In May 1999, Lopez released her first song “If You Had My Love,” the electrifying lead single of her debut album, On The 6.
Flash forward to today and the 17th anniversary of J.Lo is upon us! The second studio album of the incomparable Jennifer Lopez sounds as great today as it did when it dropped in 2001. A little R&B, a little Latin pop, retro influences plus elements of dance music: J.Lo has the makings of a track list that would be a hit in 2018.
Let’s revel in the fact that Jenny from the Bronx gave us tunes that transcend decades and scroll through! 17 years later and these J.Lo hits are still bops we could listen to all day.
“Love Don’t Cost A Thing”
As the lead single of her sophomore album, “Love Don’t Cost A Thing” was a masterful way of introducing the new era of Jennifer Lopez’s music career. It’s essentially one of the original IDGAF anthems for the strong, independent women of the world. Here, she leaves her man, makes her way to the beach and strips down along the way. (That’s one way to send your former man a message about materialism.)
Let’s also not forget that iconic dance break in the video choreographed by Darrin Dewitt Henson featuring Cris Judd, a member of Lopez’s core dancers whom she later married in September 2001.
“I’m Real”
Lopez collaborated on this track with songwriter and producer Cory Rooner, who co-wrote a total of seven songs in the album. Under his belt are collaborations with other notable ‘90s acts like Destiny's Child, Marc Anthony and Blaque.
“Play”
Fun fact: fellow popstar and “Dip It Low” singer Christina Milian wrote this one with Lopez! Dance-pop track “Play” debuted at number 76 on the Billboard Hot 100 and peaked at number 18 on the charts.
“I’m Real (Murder Remix)”
This track, which appeared on the reissue of J.Lo in July 2001, went on to become one of the most popular remixes of the year. It features rapper and Lopez’s long-time friend Ja Rule of Murder Inc Records.
“Ain’t It Funny”
This track was originally written for The Wedding Planner movie soundtrack. However, Adam Shankman, the director of the 2001 rom-com starring Jennifer Lopez and Matthew McConaughey, felt the song was a little too heavy on Latin influences for the film and was featured instead on Lopez’s sophomore album.
“I’m Gonna Be Alright”
As the follow-up single to “Love Don’t Cost A Thing,” “I’m Gonna be Alright” is another catchy pop about bidding a toxic relationship goodbye. In 2002, Lopez told MTV: “The song relates to the movie [Enough] that's coming out at the same time. It's about being in a relationship that you know is not good for you but you know you're gonna be OK [once you end it]. [The video] is basically about a day in the life of this girl who has this going on in her head. I also wanted the set in a neighborhood that was real and capture the essence of how I grew up. I grew up in the Bronx—it had the same kind of urban, city flavor. [The video captures] all the essences—guys playing dominoes, girls sunning on the side of the street because they don't wanna take the bus to the beach.”
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Image via facebook.com/jenniferlopez
