436. LUDACRIS, "Area Codes"
Produced by Ludacris and Chaka Zulu; written by Phalon Alexander, Chris Bridges, N. Hale, and B. Nichols
Def Jam 588671 2001 Billboard # 24
Can you remember when cellphones were the equivalent of Star Trek communicators, when the very fact that Fox Mulder had one in his hand all the time made him one of the most futuristic people on the planet? It almost seems quaint now, doesn't it?
Chris Bridges could obviously learn a little something about speaking respectfully to and about women, but in recording this single he did perform a public service: he captured a very precise moment in time, when cellphones were no longer uncommon but area codes still meant something. Because, seriously, today, does a 617 area code tell you anything about the person you're calling? Only that they were in eastern Massachusetts at some point in their lives. They could be living anywhere now, including down the hall or block from you. Area codes are no longer exotic. They may tell you about someone's past history but not about their current geography. For that, you need to track them using the GPS signature in their phone, and I'm sure some hiphop romantic (MC Jaq Bauer?) is out there right now trying out a series of rhymes on that topic that should be hitting the pop charts in time for the 10th anniversary of Ludacris' national epic.
Not that Cris would be caught dead calling a 617 woman. As one brave soul at cominganarchy.com has demonstrated, his calling patterns hew to a distinct geographical spread:
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