Two decades before Megan Thee Stallion popularized the term “Hot Girl Summer,” four girls from Houston released a defining album, “The Writing’s on the Wall,” that contained tracks that spoke to that seasonal movement.
Megan, also from Houston, told The Root that the phenomenon is “about women and men being unapologetically them, just having a good-ass time, hyping up their friends, doing you.” Destiny’s Child members Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland, LeToya Luckett and LaTavia Roberson released their pop/R&B effort that contains seminal songs giving life to that movement in 1999, and we’ve been all ears ever since. That’s even through the evolving incarnations of the group, which would ultimately see Luckett and Roberson leave and Michelle Williams come on board.
In honor of the album’s 20th anniversary on July 27, below are lyrics from 5 songs recorded by one of the best-selling R&B girl groups of all time that soundtracked the hot girl summer of ’99.
“Bills Bills Bills”
“You triflin’, good for nothing type of brother
Silly me, why haven’t I found another?
A baller, when times get hard
I need someone to help me out
Instead of a scrub like you
Who don’t know what a man’s about”
Since part of having a hot girl summer means openly speaking your truth, how much more truthful can Kelly be than to deem her broke man a scrub and tell him to his face she can do a whole lot better?
“So Good”
“This is for them haters that said we wouldn’t make it
Now we doin’ platinum and now you can’t take it
For all the people ’round us that have been negative
Look at us now and see how we live.”
In a song affirming to the haters that you’re doing just fine, Beyoncé let it be clear that the smack talk won’t break them down.
“Bug a Boo”
“You need to chill out with that mess
Cause you can’t keep havin me stressed
Cause everytime my phone rings it seems to be you
And I’m praying that it is someone else”
The ultimate kiss-off anthem, “Bug a Boo” makes it clear DC will always do them and aren’t willing to put up with “that mess.”
“Jumpin Jumpin”
“Last weekend you stayed at home alone and lonely
Couldn’t find your man, he was chilling with his homies
This weekend you’re going out
If he try to to stop you, you’re going off”
Destiny’s Child says you’re going to head out and party it up this weekend and it doesn’t matter what your boyfriend says about it — he will deal. After all, he left you home alone last weekend anyway.
“Say My Name”
“Say my name, say my name
If no one is around you
Say baby I love you
If you ain’t runnin’ game”
If you’re stepping out on any of the members of Destiny’s Child, they want to know about it. As proof, you better be open and willing to utter her name and you better not have a girl there with you, either.
