The 100 Greatest Hip-Hop / Rap Songs Of All Time (60-41) Oct 09 '09 (Updated Oct 12 '09)    Write an essay on this topic. Tweet Popular Products in Music Jersey Boys [Original Broadway Cast Recording] by Original Broadway Cast From $8 Mai by Eri Sugai From $4 The Bottom Line 100 Greatest Hip-Hop / Rap Songs Of All Time (60-41) So we have arrived at 60-41. In looking at this list it is interesting that there are a whole lot of west coast joints featured here, and some classics that I'm sure certain heads would prefer to be put higher on the list. West coast hip hop gave us great music and good vibes and they are represented well by all the songs here, but in addition there ARE some gritty east coast masterpieces here too. Check em out... 60. Warren G f/ Nate Dogg - Regulate - Who would've thought in 1994 that Dr. Dre's step-brother would go on to create a hit that rivaled the popularity of "Nuthin But A G Thang. This song was nominated for a Grammy and climbs the Billboard charts to #2! The song was made infamous in 2Pac's film "Above the Rim" and features the greatest non-rap verbal performance ever on a rap song by Nate Dogg, as he trades off singing with Warren's rapping about looking for skirts. A phenomenal piece. 59. Outkast - Rosa Parks - I remember when this song hit in the late 90s. I was in middle school going into high school and Aquemeni dropped with this lead single and I remember not being able to stop listening to it. One of the top Outkast songs of all time here and I'm sure even most casual fans are familiar with it. The song later became even more infamous when the real Rosa Parks sued Outkast and LaFace Records. Crazy people! 58. Eminem - Lose Yourself - Some have called this anthem to Em's film "8 Mile" the modern day version of "Eye of the Tiger" from Rocky 3. The song certainly has the same message and is definitely one of Marshal's most prolific songs of his career. This is powerful, heart-wrenching, and moving, which can't be said for too much of Em's music catalog despite him being an ill lyricist, specially in these days. 57. Killah Priest - One Step - Killah Priest, even to this day, is one of the most slept on emcees in the game. Priests powerful, educational, religious-but-not-preachy rhymes make him one of the most thought-provoking songwriters that you've never heard of. This was the lead single and opening track from Priest's awesome Heavy Mental, with Priest's reflective look at the pollution of mankind in the days of Genesis behind the infamous "I Forgot To Be Your Lover" sample. If you haven't heard this song - DO NOT SLEEP! 56. Black Eyed Peas f/ Justin Timberlake - Where is the Love - Make no mistake; I HATE this group. I DESPISE will.i.am, I want to commit a homicide on Fergie Ferg, and the other two nobodies can die. However, this song stands out not only as one of the best "we want peace" songs in rap, but also as the last truly socially conscious single released by the Black Eyed Peas. Justin Timberlake provides the memorable hook as well, way better than Fergie, who deserves death. 55. Nas - Nas is Like - One of the most celebrated DJ Premier productions ever from Nas' third LP I Am... from 1998. One of the more creative concepts ever as Nas compares himself to well, everything. But that's not even what makes it so special, it's the perfect blend of Nas' dangerous lyricism and flow over Primo's choppy strings and scratch chorus. 54. The Roots - What They Do - Illadelph Halflife is my personal favorite Roots album simply because it's the most traditional sounding rap record they would put out; focused on smooth beats and sharp lyricism. The album's lead single, "What They Do", is an incredibly powerful anti-commercialism piece as Black Thought addresses all of rap's cliches, and this was in 1996! The SAME CLICHES remained prevalent for over another decade. Amazing. 53. Junior M.A.F.I.A. - Get Money - There's no way you listened to rap music in 1995 and didn't hear this song. It was number one on the Billboard's Hot Rap Singles chart and well deserved. Notorious B.I.G. and Lil Kim trade storytelling verses playing the man and woman in a couple who just can't seem to get along because Kim is spending all his money and when she rhymes; she flaunts it! The two potent verses (both written by Biggie) range from angry to raunchy, but are tremendous lyrical pieces and are backed by a memorable Sylvia Striplin scratch sample. 52. Black Moon - Stay Real - I was fighting with myself to figure out which song from Black Moon song I would put on the list. There's a horde of great music in their catalog so I thought - what song do I listen to the most from them? The answer is the classic "Stay Real" from Total Eclipse. Da Beatminerz take that "Little Boy Blues" sample and allow Buckshot and 5ft to completely rip the track apart. Simply put - the best Black Moon song of all time. Stop sleepin'! 51. Xzibit - The Foundation - X-To-Tha-Z is another artist I was fighting for because his classic debut, At the Speed of Life has a lot of choices in terms of great songs. "Paparazzi" seemed like a natural choice, but I like "The Foundation" a little more. X's thought-provoking letter to his infant son is a mixture of a beautiful key assortment with thought-provoking and honest lyrics about family and trust. 50. Cypress Hill - If I Could Just Kill A Man - Cypress Hill's borderline-psychotic weeded-up rage hits the list at the halfway point. B-Real's flow is potent as hell on here and Muggs brings it behind the boards. West coast rap personified. 49. Jay-Z - Feelin It - As I type this I currently wish this was higher on the list. This is one of the many classics from Reasonable Doubt; a positive song about making a man out of yourself and sticking it to life when it throws you down. I love it when Jay-Z does celebratory songs like this and this has Ski's incredible "Pastures" jazz sample and Jigga's powerful and charismatic rhyming. Little tidbit: this song was originally to be given to Camp Lo, but Jay-Z was lucky enough to spit over it and make it a classic. My favorite lines, perhaps ever: "Transactions illegitimate cause life is STILL a bitch And then you die... but for now, life, close your eyes and feel this dick" 48. Beanie Sigel - Feel It In The Air - Heavy D, of all people, created this classic composition. Sigel's rhymes here are well and above any thing else he has written in his whole career. Sigel's introspective view at his paranoia and lack of trust is something that a lot of people can certainly relate to, and his willingness to trust his insticts over somebody else's handshake and smile is as honest and truthful as you can get with a rap song. 47. KRS-One - MCs Act Like They Don't Know - My all-time favorite KRS-One track ever made, and you can thank DJ Premier for making it such a classic. Primo's electric steel drum loops and trumpets are the backdrop for this jam session. Kris's up-beat braggadocio is nothing new in terms of subject matter, but there's no denying he spits nothing but hot fire. Just one of the many great pieces on Kris' 1995 self titled album. 46. Westside Connection - Bow Down - 1996's "Bow Down" still stands as one of the most recognizable west coast tracks ever. The synthesizers on here are instantly recognizable. Ice Cube, WC, and Mack-10's mafioso-esque lyrics are only a cover for Cube's attacking of the east coast in the height of the east/west controversy. 45. Dr. Dre f/ Eminem & Xzibit - What's The Difference - One of the most powerful songs, perhaps THE most powerful, of Dre's catalog and certainly the best song on Chronic 2001. Each emcee on here raps about something different but all relating to them bigging themselves up over others, ranging from Dre's emotional goodbye to Eazy E and addressing other former NWA bandmates, Xzibit brag-rapping, and Em killing his wife for the 2nd time, before it became cliche. I watched these guys perform this live at the Up In Smoke Tour about a decade ago and Em's face turned cherry red when he spit his verse. Now THAT is passion. 44. Ice Cube - It Was A Good Day - It's ironic that Cube's most popular song is such a positive cut. A song about having a black man having a GOOD day might seem pretty pretentious nowadays, but during the Rodney King era - not so much. The song is a classic and still makes me shake em up, shame em up, shake em up, shake em. 43. 2pac - Dear Mama - One of the most conscious dedication songs ever in music and definitely a pro for hip hop. It was released as a single back in 1995 from the masterpiece Me Against The World album. The song is universally loved by all and with good reason and produced by one of rap’s unsung heroes – Tony Pizarro. 42. Nas - Heaven - A lot of people are scratching their heads. I'm sorry, but the closing song from God's Son, while slept on, was brilliant. Any music fan out there reading this, regardless of whether or not they like rap, needs to listen to this. Nas blend of street poetry and introspection is unmatched by any artist and his lyrics speak to me. What if we really could go to Heaven right now? But also; this can be seen as a metaphor for a troubled relationship. It's such an amazing song with so many textures that it really belongs higher on the list. "If Heaven was a mile away... and you could ride by the gates Would you try to run inside when it opens would you try to die today? Would you pray louder finally believing His power? Even if you couldn't see, but you could feel, would you still doubt him?" 41. Jay-Z - Dead Presidents - While I love the sequel, the first song is personified hip-hop perfection. Jay's impeccable and untouchable flow and thought-provoking mafioso lyrics about the drug trafficking underworld make this one of the most legendary songs in Jay Z's catalog of classics. This was the song where Jay sampled Nas' "hot line and made it a hot song". Easily one of Jay’s greatest songs ever. The 100 Greatest Hip Hop Songs Of All Time The Foreword / Honorable Mentions 100- 81 80- 61 60- 41 40- 21 20- 1

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