Throwbacks: Webbie - Independent

Before Macklemore flipped the groove for a pop smash, Webbie had the entire South spelling out I-N-D-E-P-E-N-D-E-N-T in the club. Dropped in November 2007 as the lead single for Savage Life 2, this Trill Entertainment anthem remains a masterclass in Baton Rouge bounce.

Webbie brought Lil Boosie and the late Lil Phat along for the ride, but the genius move was sampling his own voice from "Bad Bitch" to anchor the chorus. The beat is pure Southern hip-hop—heavy kicks, snapping snares, and a synth line that burrows straight into your skull. Boosie slides in with that unmistakable high-pitch drawl, while Phat grounds the track with raw, youthful energy. It is arguably the greatest spelling-bee rap track of the 2000s. It beats out the era's most calculated crossover attempts because it never compromised its Louisiana grit to get on the radio. Webbie made a track celebrating self-sufficient women, and he did it without softening his edges for a second. Check it out below.