I was exposed, lacking any substantial understanding, to hip-hop music at the age of five. After watching the movie "Like Mike," I had already listened to Nas, DMX, and Fabolous. Each of these artists had their tracks featured within the film; if you ask me, this wasn't a bad introduction to hip-hop (Nas is still in my Top 5 ). Since 2002, I have been a voracious backer of the art form, only taking a brief listening hiatus in order to explore other music genres. I will continue to cite the form as a major influence of mine linguistically, poetically and stylistically. Though I am not omniscient with regards to the genre, I will, below, list ineluctable and crucial songs that have shaped more than just a genre or two. I will take into account impressive wordplay, underground accolade, and sublime production, as opposed to commercial successes. (NOTE: THIS IS ALL OPINION)
50. "Diamonds From Sierra Leone (Remix)" by Kanye West ft. Jay-Z
Though it may not be the most memorable Jay and 'Ye collaboration, it should be regarded as such. The infamous remix spawned a legitimate comeback for Jay, the line "I'm not a business man/ I'm a business, maaaan," and a justification for applying any jewelry without backlash.
49. "Beware" by Death Grips
I think of this song as the birth of industrial experimental hip-hop in its utmost respect, carrying an age in which there is hardly a comparable and acclaimed rock band. Lyrically, this was a renaissance for ominous and occult lyrics, but in its most peculiar form, by way of grunts, sparky cadences, and guttural percussion.
48. "Brenda's Got A Baby" by 2Pac
The revolutionary artist tells the story of a prepubescent girl who becomes mistrusted after she is stuck with her baby. Being an exhortation to help underprivileged communities, poetry has never sounded so necessary.
47. "Can It All Be So Simple" by Wu-Tang Clan
Ghostface and Rae talk about the hardships of growing up in the un-lavish part of New York, over an unforgettable Gladys Knight & and the Pips sample.
46. "Brain Cell" by The CunninLynguists
An inquisitive piece about existence, meaning (and the application of concepts, thereof), the travails of life never stop. It truly is about how you assign meaning to things, if you are in it for the long-haul.
45. "Workinonit" by J Dilla
Obviously, all Dilla beats are interchangeable with holiness, but this one, to me, is a prime example of chopping a sample from a little-known source (10cc) and making it someone's one. Sampling is one beautiful star in the constellation of music, but hip-hop tends to do it much more effortlessly. What is genre?
44. "Mathematics" by Mos Def
Mos simplifies racial discrimination and inequality with the help of a few digits, all of which should be counted and equated. Preemo is on the beat too, if the first sentence wasn't enough.
43. "The Breaks" by Kurtis Blow
The funk is real, as Kurtis breaks down, well, breakbeats. "Breaking" makes up an intrinsic pawn in the whole gamut of hip-hop, along with graffiti, emceeing, deejaying and the culture.
42. "Summertime" by DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince
Over a damn good interpretation of Kool & the Gang's "Summer Madness," Hula and K. Fingers let The Fresh Prince spark a perfect observation of summertime in Philly.
41. "Pass The Courvoisier Pt. II (Remix)" by Busta Rhymes featuring Pharrell and P. Diddy
Flashing brass, caffeinated bongos and a signature Neptunes display of drums, make this not only a necessary inclusion, but also one of the smoothest songs (in my mind) ever.
40. "Put It On" by Big L
While featuring some incredible punchlines (I smash mics like cornbread/ you can't kill me, I was born dead) and complex rhymes ("clever to miss" with "competitors pissed" with "better than this"), this song will give you an L. We know that's all you can take from him.
39. "Super Lyrical" by Big Pun featuring Black Thought
Two of the greatest lyricists to ever bless a mic: Black Thought and Big Pun. You will rethink rhyming after this godsend.
38. "No Vaseline" by Ice Cube
The controversy doesn't need any further mention, but this was released as a direct diss to the other members of N.W.A. Cube holds back nothing, as the birth of the "diss" reaches unseen heights.
37. "99 Problems" by Jay-Z
One of the most prolific moments of production of all-time with Beastie-Boys inspiration (thank you, Rick Rubin) Jay chides the pressers, of whom undermine his intelligence and get-up.
36. "No Sleep Till Brooklyn" by The Beastie Boys
Speaking of the Beasties Boys, on this song, they only happened to tab Slayer's lead guitarist (Kerry King) and talk about a central cog in the hip-hop atmosphere - Brooklyn.
35. "Ain't No Half Steppin'" by Big Daddy Kane
The bravado is present. The wordplay is meta-cognitive. The Kane is a stone-cold killer. He is the MC who said: "So pick a date, cause you're history."
34. "Sky's The Limit" by The Notorious B.I.G. featuring 112
A forewarning is offered by Loretta Wallace (Biggie's mother) in the introduction of this song, then we hear a humorous B.I.G. in a highfalutin voice as a host. After this, the true poet is heard. Unequivocally, Biggie sounds vulnerable, perceptive and genuine, as he talks about his formative years. Just keep on pressing on.
33. "I Am" by Eminem
Em plays with consequences, as they relate to his actions, and flips off those misguided fans and detractors.
32. "You Gots To Chill" by EPMD
A "Jungle Boogie" sample makes this song, meanwhile Eric Sermon and Parrish glide over this. Don't get hotheaded or overconfident, as these two will serve you humility.
31. "Lil' Ghetto Boy" by Dr. Dre featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg & Nate Dogg
A young Snoop, a soulful Nate, an intelligent sample of Donny Hathaway and a mastermind meet on this record. This depicts what a male of color has to endure on an everyday basis.
30. "Da Rockwilder" by Method Man & Redman
Doc and Meth exchange uncanny, multisyllabic rhymes over (you guessed it) a Rockwilder beat, resulting in a tear-the-roof-off craze.
29. "Raw" by Big Daddy Kane
He's "genuine like Gucci" and "he's raw like sushi" so you know he can S-P-I-T. Kane is the birth of the riveting punchline and no one has ever gone at him with confidence.
28. "C.R.E.A.M." by Wu-Tang Clan
The Clan regurgitates stories from their childhood regarding incarceration and an impoverished community, stating that money is the motivation and the causal root of everything around the Wu; they just want to get theirs.
27. "Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)" by The Digable Planets
One of the many jazz implantations in hip-hop, this cooled trio laced an Art Blakely sample with a sample by The Honey Drippers and created a definitely fresh sound.
26. "The Message" by Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five
Once you hear the following, it's hard not to want to take action: "It's like a jungle sometimes/ It makes me wonder how I keep from going under." The importance of this record cannot be understated, cannot be overstated, it can only be understood.
25. "Bonita Applebum" by A Tribe Called Quest
A flexible affinity for a fictitious and starlit girl, Tip writes about a scenario in which the suspense is a drag.
24. "U.N.I.T.Y." by Queen Latifah
Feminism enters hip-hop, as the Queen dismisses any form of sexualizing and domestic violence, resulting in a positive message that is still relevant.
23. "Let Me Ride" by Dr. Dre
The Doctor takes a Parliament song from his idol, George Clinton, to enthuse a memorable story about a laidback day in Compton.
22. "Doo Wop (That Thing)" by Lauryn Hill
Lauryn illuminates the struggle that most couples find themselves in. She wants maturation to strike and inject a relationship; she does this over a simplistic piano with sneaky horns and hip-hop drums.
21. "New Slaves" by Kanye West
With glamor synths, edited vocals loops (reminiscent of Death Grips), and Kanye's incendiary sentiment regarding modern-day materialism, this song is untouchable. Once you add in the Omega sample (about 3 minutes) and celestial Frank Ocean vocals, this song is unfair.
20. "One Day" by UGK featuring Ronnie Spencer and 3-2
An Isley Brothers sample lends itself to Pimp C, 3-2 and Bun B rehashing what it means to be street knowledgeable, all while lamenting over a dead friend.
19. "Paid In Full" by Eric B. & Rakim
While Eric B. puts down the funkiest bassline ever (from sample "Don't Look Any Further" by Dennis Edwards and Siedah Garrett) with breaking drums (from sample "Ashley's Roachclip" by Soul Searchers), The God, Rakim, blesses us all with a glimpse into his songwriting process and his yearn to command the microphone.
18. "Respiration" by Black Star featuring Common
Talib and Yasiin twist the sound of the city (alongside Common) to bleakness. Ghostly keys, lost guitars and crying drums all encapsulate these three poets.
17. "A Milli" by Lil Wayne
Being a commercial hit that strangely incorporates multi-syllabic rhymes like they come innately, Weezy's magnum opus displays a decent vocabulary with an untouchable flow, laced with quotable one-liners. Though there have been countless covers, Wayne is the only one to do justice.
16. "The Ruler's Back" by Slick Rick
Lanky keys and groovy trumpets do not lie, as Rick The Ruler makes his presence known.
15. "Can't Knock The Hustle" by Jay Z featuring Mary J. Blige
Jay-Z flips double entendres and paints a plush picture of a Mafioso, while a dreamy sequence endures for Mary J.
14. "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See" by Busta Rhymes
Drums and shakers greet the best flow I have ever heard delivered by the verbal acrobat himself - Bus-a-bus.
13. "My Philosophy" by Boogie Down Productions
KRS-One gladly emasculates stereotypes, as he comes off as intelligent and influential over the Scott La Rock boom bap injected with jazzy horns.
12. "Runnin'" by The Pharcyde
Being a song about bullying and escapism, this straightforwardness is a rare entity by a group of men. Oh yeah, J Dilla is on production too.
11. "Fight The Power" by Public Enemy
The title says it all.
10. "F**k The Police" by N.W.A.
Racial discrimination exploited by the most influential group to hail from the West Coast? Check. Equality? Soon.
9. "My Melody" by Eric B. and Rakim
Eric B. scratches the living hell out of a pendulous beat teeming with synths. On the microphone, rhymes are delivered by Rakim that are "as smooth as a violin."
8. "B.O.B." by Outkast
Choral chills arise with stultifying rhymes, while Andre and Sir Luscious exhaust a thesaurus, making you want to quit whatever it is you're doing. Also, the lines herein touch on imperialism, wealth inequality and all societal requisites for a flat life.
7. "Planet Rock" by Afrika Bambaataa
Mixing in heavy elements of electro and hip-hop, synthesizers and vocoders rule supreme. This song got its last word in before the hinges blew off of dance music.
6. "If I Ruled The World (Imagine That)" by Nas featuring Lauryn Hill
The idealism is one that, with vivid imagery and twinkling keys, ushers the listener into the minds of Lauryn and Nasir. Imagine Nas as a politician, and this as his effusively brilliant agenda. He has my vote.
5. "I Used To Love H.E.R." by Common
A piece of flesh as emcee as a troubadour, unabashed and introspective this song flows as. This song is an extended metaphor about hip-hop and its many trends. Looking for originality? Look no further.
4. "The Blacker The Berry" by Kendrick Lamar
Kendrick sits down misguided authority and verbally shows the injustices that he and his race have undergone. This will continue to be an indelible mark on history, as we search for peace.
3. "Me Against The World" by 2Pac featuring Dramacydal
Never has an artist sounded interchangeably calm and fed-up, while being fearful and cerebral. Pac wanted to spark the mind who changes a generation and I'd be shocked if this song didn't light. "The power," as he said, "is in the people."
2. "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)" by Pete Rock and CL Smooth
In this tribute, CL Smooth and Pete Rock recount the first time they met Troy Dixon (part of Heavy D and The Boyz) and celebrate his life, over a catchy saxophone with ghostly subterranean croons. This song is ineluctable when it comes to nostalgia and appreciation, and, in itself, should be celebrated. Listen.
1. "Keep Ya Head Up" by 2Pac
Symbolism and reassurance have never been clearer, than in this rapped exuberance.
