This list of hip hop songs considered the best is a compilation of lists from a variety of sources.
5 best hip hop songs
Title & artist | About.com | Rolling Stone | VH1 | Avg. |
---|---|---|---|---|
"Rapper's Delight" - The Sugarhill Gang | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
"The Message" - Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five | 3 | 1 | 5 | 3 |
"Fight the Power" - Public Enemy | 9 | 7 | 1 | 5 |
"Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang" - Dr. Dre | 14 | 6 | 3 | 7 |
"Juicy" - The Notorious B.I.G. | 15 | 8 | 7 | 10 |
Individual lists
About.com's 100 Greatest Rap Songs[1]
No. | Song | Artist | Producer | Album | Year |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "I Used to Love H.E.R." | Common | Dion Wilson | Resurrection | 1994 |
2. | "Rapper's Delight" | The Sugarhill Gang | Sylvia Robinson | Sugarhill Gang | 1979 |
3. | "The Message" | Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five | Ed Fletcher, Clifton "Jiggs" Chase, Sylvia Robinson | The Message | 1982 |
4. | "Dear Mama" | 2Pac | Tony Pizarro, DJ Master Tee, Moses | Me Against the World | 1995 |
5. | "Lyrics of Fury" | Eric B. & Rakim | Eric B. & Rakim | Follow the Leader | 1988 |
6. | "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)" | Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth | Pete Rock | Mecca and the Soul Brother | 1992 |
7. | "The World Is Yours" | Nas | Pete Rock | Illmatic | 1994 |
8. | "Top Billin'" | Audio Two | Daddy-O, Audio Two | What More Can I Say? | 1987 |
9. | "Fight the Power" | Public Enemy | The Bomb Squad | Fear of a Black Planet | 1989 |
10. | "Planet Rock" | Afrika Bambaataa & the Soulsonic Force | Arthur Baker, John Robie | Planet Rock: The Album | 1982 |
11. | "Keep Ya Head Up" | 2Pac | DJ Daryl | Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z. | 1993 |
12. | "My Philosophy" | Boogie Down Productions | KRS-One | By All Means Necessary | 1988 |
13. | "I Need Love" | LL Cool J | LL Cool J, L.A. Posse | Bigger and Deffer | 1987 |
14. | "Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang" | Dr. Dre | Dr. Dre | The Chronic | 1992 |
15. | "Juicy" | The Notorious B.I.G. | Poke, Pete Rock | Ready to Die | 1994 |
16. | "Dead Presidents" | Jay-Z | Ski | Reasonable Doubt | 1996 |
17. | "Scenario" | A Tribe Called Quest | A Tribe Called Quest | The Low End Theory | 1992 |
18. | "Mind Playing Tricks on Me" | Geto Boys | Doug King | We Can't Be Stopped | 1991 |
19. | "Straight Outta Compton" | N.W.A | Dr. Dre, DJ Yella | Straight Outta Compton | 1988 |
20. | "C.R.E.A.M." | Wu-Tang Clan | RZA | Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) | 1994 |
21. | "Hip-Hop" | dead prez | dead prez | Let's Get Free | 2000 |
22. | "Passin' Me By" | The Pharcyde | J-Swift | Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde | 1993 |
23. | "Paper Thin" | MC Lyte | King of Chill | Lyte as a Rock | 1988 |
24. | "Paul Revere" | Beastie Boys | Rick Rubin, Beastie Boys | Licensed to Ill | 1986 |
25. | "Get By" | Talib Kweli | Kanye West | Quality | 2002 |
26. | "The Breaks" | Kurtis Blow | J.B. Moore, Robert Ford Jr. | Kurtis Blow | 1979 |
27. | "Shook Ones (Part II)" | Mobb Deep | Havoc | The Infamous | 1994 |
28. | "Ain't No Half Steppin'" | Big Daddy Kane | Marley Marl | Long Live the Kane | 1988 |
29. | "Slow Down" | Brand Nubian | Brand Nubian | One For All | 1990 |
30. | "Mathematics" | Mos Def | DJ Premier | Black on Both Sides | 1999 |
31. | "Bow Down" | Westside Connection | Bud'da | Bow Down | 1996 |
32. | "La Di Da Di" | Doug E. Fresh | Dennis Bell, Ollie Cotton | Non-album single | 1985 |
33. | "Regulate" | Warren G | Warren G | Regulate...G Funk Era | 1994 |
34. | "DWYCK" | Gang Starr | Gang Starr | Hard to Earn | 1994 |
35. | "Ill Street Blues" | Kool G Rap & DJ Polo | Trackmasters | Live and Let Die | 1992 |
36. | "Tha Crossroads" | Bone Thugs-n-Harmony | DJ U-Neek | E. 1999 Eternal | 1996 |
37. | "Slippin'" | DMX | DJ SHOK | Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood | 1998 |
38. | "Flava In Ya Ear (remix)" | Craig Mack | Easy Mo Bee | Project: Funk da World | 1994 |
39. | "Time's Up" | O.C. | Buckwild | Word...Life | 1994 |
40. | "I Seen a Man Die" | Scarface | N.O. Joe, Scarface, Mike Dean | The Diary | 1994 |
41. | "Ms. Jackson" | OutKast | Earthone III | Stankonia | 2001 |
42. | "Ante Up" | M.O.P. | DR Period | Warriorz | 2000 |
43. | "Jesus Walks" | Kanye West | Kanye West | The College Dropout | 2004 |
44. | "Children's Story" | Slick Rick | Slick Rick | The Great Adventures of Slick Rick | 1989 |
45. | "Stan" | Eminem | DJ Mark the 45 King, Eminem | The Marshall Mathers LP | 2001 |
46. | "Temperature" | Zion I | Amp Live | True & Livin' | 2005 |
47. | "Push It" | Salt-n-Pepa | Hurby Azor | Hot, Cool & Vicious | 1987 |
48. | "Walk This Way" | Run-D.M.C. | Rick Rubin, Russell Simmons | Raising Hell | 1986 |
49. | "Hip Hop 101" | Aasim | Aasim | Money Pit | 2005 |
50. | "The Symphony" | Marley Marl | Marley Marl | In Control, Volume 1 | 1988 |
51. | "Wrong Side of da Tracks" | Artifacts | T-Ray | Between a Rock and a Hard Place | 1994 |
52. | "Ridin' Dirty" | UGK | Pimp C, N.O. Joe | Ridin' Dirty | 1996 |
53. | "Electric Relaxation" | A Tribe Called Quest | A Tribe Called Quest | Midnight Marauders | 1994 |
54. | "One Mic" | Nas | Nas, Chucky Thompson | Stillmatic | 2002 |
55. | "O.P.P." | Naughty by Nature | Naughty by Nature | Naughty by Nature | 1991 |
56. | "Who Got da Props?" | Black Moon | DJ Evil Dee | Enta da Stage | 1993 |
57. | "Tonite" | DJ Quik | DJ Quik | Quik Is the Name | 1991 |
58. | "Mosh" | Eminem | Dr. Dre, Mark Batson | Encore | 2004 |
59. | "I Got It Made" | Special Ed | Howie Tee | Youngest in Charge | 1989 |
60. | "Raw" | Big Daddy Kane | Marley Marl | Non-album single (later remixed on Long Live the Kane) | 1987 |
61. | "Reunion" | Slum Village | J Dilla | Detroit Deli (A Taste of Detroit) | 2004 |
62. | "93 'til Infinity" | Souls of Mischief | A-Plus | 93 'til Infinity | 1993 |
63. | "Many Men (Wish Death)" | 50 Cent | Darrell "Digga" Branch, Eminem, Luis Resto | Get Rich or Die Tryin' | 2003 |
64. | "Why" | Jadakiss | Havoc | Kiss of Death | 2004 |
65. | "Umi Says" | Mos Def | Mos Def, David Kennedy | Black on Both Sides | 1999 |
66. | "Everything Is Everything" | Lauryn Hill | Lauryn Hill | The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill | 1999 |
67. | "Can't Knock the Hustle" | Jay-Z | Knobody, Nomad, Dahoud Darian, Sean C | Reasonable Doubt | 1996 |
68. | "The 6th Sense" | Common | DJ Premier | Like Water for Chocolate | 2000 |
69. | "Gin and Juice" | Snoop Doggy Dogg | Dr. Dre | Doggystyle | 1993 |
70. | "Parents Just Don't Understand" | DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince | DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince | He's the DJ, I'm the Rapper | 1988 |
71. | "Ebonics" | Big L | Ron Browz | The Big Picture | 1998 |
72. | "Kick, Push" | Lupe Fiasco | Soundtrakk | Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor | 2006 |
73. | "Breate" | Fabolous | Just Blaze | Real Talk | 2004 |
74. | "N.Y. State of Mind" | Nas | DJ Premier | Illmatic | 1994 |
75. | "Nobody Beats the Biz" | Biz Markie | Marley Marl | Goin' Off | 1988 |
76. | "Mama Said Knock You Out | LL Cool J | Marley Marl | Mama Said Knock You Out | 1991 |
77. | "Still Not a Player" | Big Pun | Knobody | Capital Punishment | 1998 |
78. | "Dreams" | Game | Kanye West | The Documentary | 2005 |
79. | "How I Could Just Kill a Man" | Cypress Hill | DJ Muggs | Cypress Hill | 1991 |
80. | "Protect Ya Neck" | Wu-Tang Clan | Prince Rakeem | Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) | 1993 |
81. | "It Was a Good Day" | Ice Cube | DJ Pooh | The Predator | 1993 |
82. | "How About Some Hardcore" | M.O.P. | DR Period | To the Death | 1994 |
83. | "Remind My Soul" | Akrobatik | Illmind | Balance | 2003 |
84. | "I Got 5 on It" | Luniz | Tone Capone | Operation Stackola | 1995 |
85. | "Fu-Gee-La" | Fugees | Salaam Remi | The Score | 1995 |
86. | "Ego Trippin' (song)" | Ultramagnetic MCs | Ultramagnetic MCs | Critical Beatdown | 1986 |
87. | "All That I Got Is You" | Ghostface Killah | RZA | Ironman | 1996 |
88. | "What U See Is What U Get" | Xzibit | Jesse West, Xzibit | 40 Dayz & 40 Nightz | 1998 |
89. | "Fame" | GZA | Arabian Knight | Legend of the Liquid Sword | 2002 |
90. | "I'll Be There For You/You're All I Need to Get By" | Method Man | RZA, Diddy, Trackmasters | Tical | 1995 |
91. | "Who Shot Ya?" | The Notorious B.I.G. | Sean Combs, Nashiem Myrick | Non-album single | 1995 |
92. | "Freaky Tales" | Too Short | Too Short | Born to Mack | 1987 |
93. | "Brooklyn Zoo" | Ol' Dirty Bastard | True Master, Ol' Dirty Bastard | Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version | 1995 |
94. | "Gangsta's Paradise | Coolio | Doug Rasheed | Gangsta's Paradise | 1995 |
95. | "They Want EFX" | Das EFX | Das EFX | Dead Serious | 1992 |
96. | "Player's Anthem" | Junior M.A.F.I.A. | Clark Kent | Conspiracy | 1995 |
97. | "Bucktown" | Smif-N-Wessun | Da Beatminerz | Dah Shinin' | 1995 |
98. | "The Light" | Common | Jay Dee | Like Water for Chocolate | 2000 |
99. | "What They Do" | The Roots | Questlove | Illadelph Halflife | 1996 |
100. | "Funkdafied" | Da Brat | Jermaine Dupri | Funkdafied | 1994 |
Rolling Stone's 50 Greatest Hip Hop Songs of All Time[2]
VH1's 100 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs[3]
No. | Song | Artist | Producer | Album | Year |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Fight the Power" | Public Enemy | The Bomb Squad | Fear of a Black Planet | 1989 |
2. | "Rapper's Delight" | The Sugarhill Gang | Sylvia Robinson | Sugarhill Gang | 1979 |
3. | "Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang" | Dr. Dre | Dr. Dre | The Chronic | 1992 |
4. | "Walk This Way" | Run-D.M.C. | Rick Rubin, Russell Simmons | Raising Hell | 1986 |
5. | "The Message" | Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five | Ed Fletcher, Clifton "Jiggs" Chase, Sylvia Robinson | The Message | 1982 |
6. | "Straight Outta Compton" | N.W.A | Dr. Dre, DJ Yella | Straight Outta Compton | 1988 |
7. | "Juicy" | The Notorious B.I.G. | Poke, Pete Rock | Ready to Die | 1994 |
8. | "Gin and Juice" | Snoop Doggy Dogg | Dr. Dre | Doggystyle | 1993 |
9. | "Push It" | Salt-n-Pepa | Hurby Azor | Hot, Cool & Vicious | 1987 |
10. | "The Breaks" | Kurtis Blow | J.B. Moore, Robert Ford Jr. | Kurtis Blow | 1979 |
11. | "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem" | Jay-Z | DJ Mark the 45 King | Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life | 1998 |
12. | "I Can't Live Without My Radio" | LL Cool J | Rick Rubin, LL Cool J | Radio | 1985 |
13. | "C.R.E.A.M." | Wu-Tang Clan | RZA | Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) | 1994 |
14. | "I Get Around" | 2Pac | Shock G | Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z. | 1993 |
15. | "Stan" | Eminem | DJ Mark the 45 King, Eminem | The Marshall Mathers LP | 2001 |
16. | "Get Ur Freak On" | Missy Elliott | Missy Elliott, Timbaland | Miss E... So Addictive | 2001 |
17. | "Baby Got Back" | Sir Mix-a-Lot | Sir Mix-a-Lot | Mack Daddy | 1992 |
18. | "In da Club" | 50 Cent | Dr. Dre, Mike Elizondo | Get Rich or Die Tryin' | 2002 |
19. | "Colors" | Ice-T | Ice-T, Afrika Islam | Colors | 1988 |
20. | "Gold Digger" | Kanye West | Kanye West, Jon Brion | Late Registration | 2005 |
21. | "Planet Rock" | Afrika Bambaataa & the Soulsonic Force | Arthur Baker, John Robie | Planet Rock: The Album | 1982 |
22. | "O.P.P." | Naughty by Nature | Naughty by Nature | Naughty by Nature | 1991 |
23. | "B.O.B" | OutKast | Earthtone III | Stankonia | 2000 |
24. | "Paid in Full" | Eric B. & Rakim | Eric B. & Rakim | Paid in Full | 1987 |
25. | "Killing Me Softly" | Fugees | A Tribe Called Quest, Fugees | The Score | 1996 |
26. | "U Can't Touch This" | MC Hammer | MC Hammer | Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em | 1990 |
27. | "Hold It Now, Hit It" | Beastie Boys | Rick Rubin | Licensed to Ill | 1986 |
28. | "It Was a Good Day" | Ice Cube | DJ Pooh | The Predator | 1993 |
29. | "The Humpty Dance" | Digital Underground | Shock G | Sex Packets | 1990 |
30. | "Check the Rhime | A Tribe Called Quest | A Tribe Called Quest | The Low End Theory | 1991 |
31. | "How Ya Like Me Now" | Kool Moe Dee | Bryan "Chuck" New, LaVaba Mallison, Kool Moe Dee, Pete Q. Harris, Teddy Riley | How Ya Like Me Now | 1987 |
32. | "It's All About the Benjamins" | Puff Daddy | D-Dot | No Way Out | 1997 |
33. | "Tha Crossroads" | Bone Thugs-n-Harmony | DJ U-Neek | E. 1999 Eternal | 1996 |
34. | "Insane in the Brain" | Cypress Hill | Cypress Hill | Black Sunday | 1993 |
35. | "Ladies First" | Queen Latifah | DJ Mark the 45 King | All Hail the Queen | 1989 |
36. | "Hot in Herre" | Nelly | The Neptunes | Nellyville | 2002 |
37. | "It Takes Two | Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock | Teddy Riley | It Takes Two | 1988 |
38. | "Gangsta's Paradise | Coolio | Doug Rasheed | Gangsta's Paradise | 1995 |
39. | "Wild Thing" | Tone Lōc | Matt Dike, Michael Ross | Lōc-ed After Dark | 1988 |
40. | "It's Like That" | Run-D.M.C. | Jam Master Jay, Russell Simmons, Larry Smith | Run-D.M.C. | 1983 |
41. | "That's the Joint" | Funky 4 + 1 | Jigsaw Inc., Sylvia Inc. | Non-album single | 1980 |
42. | "Roxanne's Revenge" | Roxanne Shanté | Marley Marl | Round 1 | 1985 |
43. | "Hate It or Love It" | Game | Cool & Dre, Dr. Dre | The Documentary | 2005 |
44. | "I'll Be There For You/You're All I Need to Get By" | Method Man | RZA, Diddy, Trackmasters | Tical | 1995 |
45. | "Mind Playing Tricks on Me" | Geto Boys | Doug King | We Can't Be Stopped | 1991 |
46. | "Me Myself and I" | De La Soul | Prince Paul, De La Soul | 3 Feet High and Rising | 1988 |
47. | "Bust a Move" | Young MC | Matt Dike, Michael Ross | Stone Cold Rhymin' | 1989 |
48. | "One Love" | Nas | Q-Tip | Illmatic | 1994 |
49. | "My Philosophy" | Boogie Down Productions | KRS-One | By All Means Necessary | 1988 |
50. | "Tha Block Is Hot" | Lil Wayne | Mannie Fresh | Tha Block Is Hot | 1999 |
51. | "The Show" | Doug E. Fresh | Doug E. Fresh | Non-album single (later remixed on Oh, My God!) | 1985 |
52. | "I'll Be" | Foxy Brown | Trackmasters | Ill Na Na | 1997 |
53. | "Money, Power & Respect" | The Lox | The Hitmen | Money, Power & Respect | 1998 |
54. | "Cha Cha Cha" | MC Lyte | King of Chill | Eyes on This | 1989 |
55. | "Lean Back" | Terror Squad | Scott Storch | True Story | 2004 |
56. | "Woo Hah!! Got You All In Check" | Busta Rhymes | Rashad "Ringo" Smith | The Coming | 1996 |
57. | "I Get the Job Done" | Big Daddy Kane | Teddy Riley | It's a Big Daddy Thing | 1989 |
58. | "What's Your Fantasy" | Ludacris | Bangladesh | Back for the First Time | 2000 |
59. | "Shimmy Shimmy Ya" | Ol' Dirty Bastard | RZA | Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version | 1995 |
60. | "I Need Love" | LL Cool J | LL Cool J, L.A. Posse | Bigger and Deffer | 1987 |
61. | "Children's Story" | Slick Rick | Slick Rick | The Great Adventures of Slick Rick | 1989 |
62. | "Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)" | Digable Planets | Butterfly, Shane Faber, Mike Mangini | Reachin' (A New Refutation of Time and Space | 1992 |
63. | "Rollin' with Kid 'n Play" | Kid 'n Play | Hurby Luv Bug, The Invincibles | 2 Hype | 1988 |
64. | "What They Do" | The Roots | Questlove | Illadelph Halflife | 1996 |
65. | "New Love Rap" | Spoonie Gee | Bobby Robinson | Non-album single | 1985 |
66. | "Jump Around" | House of Pain | DJ Muggs, Pete Rock | House of Pain | 1992 |
67. | "Feel So Good" | Mase | D-Dot, Puffy | Harlem World | 1997 |
68. | "What You Know" | T.I. | DJ Toomp | King | 2005 |
69. | "I Used to Love H.E.R." | Common | Dion Wilson | Resurrection | 1994 |
70. | "Pop Goes the Weasel" | 3rd Bass | MC Serch, Pete Nice, DJ Richie Rich | Derelicts of Dialect | 1991 |
71. | "Freaks Come out at Night" | Whodini | Larry Smith | Escape | 1984 |
72. | "Supersonic" | J.J. Fad | Dr. Dre, DJ Yella, Arabian Prince | Supersonic | 1988 |
73. | "The Choice Is Yours (Revisited)" | Black Sheep | Black Sheep | A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing | 1991 |
74. | "You Gots to Chill" | EPMD | EPMD | Strictly Business | 1988 |
75. | "Crush on You" | Lil' Kim | Andreao Heard | Hard Core | 1996 |
76. | "Still Not a Player" | Big Pun | Knobody | Capital Punishment | 1998 |
77. | "Cold Crush Bros. At The Dixie" | Cold Crush Brothers | Charlie Ahearn | Wild Style | 1983 |
78. | "Tennessee" | Arrested Development | Speech | 3 Years, 5 Months & 2 Days in the Life Of... | 1992 |
79. | "Ruff Ryders' Anthem" | DMX | Swizz Beatz | It's Dark and Hell Is Hot | 1998 |
80. | "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp" | Three 6 Mafia | DJ Paul, Juicy J | Hustle & Flow | 2005 |
81. | "Set Adrift on Memory Bliss" | P.M. Dawn | P.M. Dawn | Of the Heart, of the Soul and of the Cross: The Utopian Experience | 1991 |
82. | "Treat 'Em Right" | Chubb Rock | Howie Tee | The One | 1991 |
83. | "Me So Horny" | 2 Live Crew | 2 Live Crew | As Nasty As They Wanna Be | 1989 |
84. | "Roxanne, Roxanne" | UTFO | Full Force | UTFO | 1985 |
85. | "Definition" | Black Star | Hi-Tek | Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star | 1998 |
86. | "Now That We Found Love" | Heavy D | DJ Eddie F, Teddy Riley, Pete Rock, Marley Marl, Howie Tee, Dave Hall | Peaceful Journey | 1991 |
87. | "We Trying to Stay Alive" | Wyclef Jean | Jerry "Wonder" Duplessis, Wyclef Jean, Pras | The Carnival | 1997 |
88. | "What U Waitin' 4?" | Jungle Brothers | Jungle Brothers | Done by the Forces of Nature | 1989 |
89. | "Oh Boy" | Cam'ron | Just Blaze | Come Home with Me | 2002 |
90. | "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)" | Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth | Pete Rock | Mecca and the Soul Brother | 1992 |
91. | Ridin' | Chamillionaire | Play-N-Skillz | The Sound of Revenge | 2006 |
92. | "You Can't Play with My Yo-Yo" | Yo-Yo | Ice Cube, Sir Jinx | Make Way for the Motherlode | 1991 |
93. | "Lapdance" | N*E*R*D | The Neptunes | In Search Of... | 2001 |
94. | "Make 'Em Say Uhh!" | Master P | Master P, KLC | Ghetto D | 1998 |
95. | "Cars with the Boom" | L'Trimm | DSK | Grab It! | 1988 |
96. | "Parents Just Don't Understand" | DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince | DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince | He's the DJ, I'm the Rapper | 1988 |
97. | "Who's That Girl?" | Eve | Teflon | Scorpion | 2001 |
98. | "Regulate" | Warren G | Warren G | Regulate...G Funk Era | 1994 |
99. | "Get Low" | Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz | Lil Jon | Kings of Crunk | 2003 |
100. | "Just a Friend" | Biz Markie | Biz Markie | The Biz Never Sleeps | 1989 |
Notes
- The only artist who has two songs in VH1's list is LL Cool J.
- Dr. Dre appears seven times in the list; one as an artist and six times as a producer. Other producers that appear numerous times are Pete Rock (5), Teddy Riley (4), Rick Rubin (3), DJ Mark the 45 King (3), A Tribe Called Quest (3), RZA (3), Russell Simmons (2), DJ Yella (2), Shock G (2), Michael Ross (2), LL Cool J (2), Marley Marl (2), Howie Tee (2) and The Neptunes (2).