Dirrty

Recorded in 2002 and produced by Rockwilder, the track featured a guest verse from rapper Redman and was built around a hard-edged hip-hop instrumental with a prominent horn sample, recorded during sessions for Aguilera's third studio album 'Stripped'. The production marked a deliberate sonic departure from her earlier pop output, aligned with the album's rawer aesthetic. Released as the lead single from 'Stripped' in October 2002 on RCA Records, 'Dirrty' provoked immediate controversy for its sexually explicit music video directed by David LaChapelle, generating significant media debate while signalling Aguilera's reinvention as a more adult, self-directed artist; it reached number one in the United Kingdom and several European markets. The track established a template for pop star provocateur reinvention in the early 2000s and is regularly cited as a turning point in Aguilera's career, demonstrating that commercial pop artists could pursue explicit, hip-hop-aligned aesthetics; the music video remains a reference point in discussions of female sexuality and agency in mainstream pop.