20 Landmark Miami-Made Songs, From Betty Wright To Afrobeta

For the newly arrived who assume Miami's cultural contributions amount to overpriced drinks and stupid criminals, we'll have you know our city's changed the face of popular music.

Whether bursting onto the scene with bawdy Miami bass, pushing the syncopated fun of Latin freestyle, making the whole world Conga, or rumbling through rap shirtless in fur, the 305's been at the forefront of dance and Southern hip-hop for years.

In fact, Miami artists helped birth the whole Dirty South movement, with local groups like 2 Live Crew eschewing the East and West Coast sounds for their own style and DIY distribution. Women figure prominently, whether through a playfully taunting deadbeat dads (Anquette's schoolgirlish 'Janet Reno'), squawking a salute to car stereos (L'Trimm's 'Cars That Go Boom'), or ascending to the highest levels of hip-hop (see: Trina, a former Northwestern majorette turned 'Diamond Princess' in long heel, red bottoms).

And don't even get us started on Gloria Estefan, Expose, and classic club hits from the likes of North Miami Beacher Debbie Deb. While lately Miami's been a capital of current rap, with the baws Rick Ross hustling every day and a stable of adopted sons filming videos and selling condos on Biscayne, Pitbull's become a global superstar after years of sample-filled local stardom and our indie band culture is stronger than ever with the Jacuzzi Boys featuring regularly in the pageviews at Pitchfork.

Take an audio trip through 305 history with 20 select and seminal favorites, from the artists who shaped Miami and beyond (don't worry, we've spared you The Conga). In typical 305 fashion, not all are safe for work: