My 40 Favorite Hip-Hop Songs Ever

Submitted by shan2001 on Sat, 11/19/2005 - 13:39
Tags: 
  • Delicious
  • Digg
  • StumbleUpon
  • Facebook
  • Google
  • Technorati
  1. Keep Ya Head Up- 2Pac (1993) (Tupac... what can you say about Tupac. He's still the greatest rapper ever, in my humble opinion. This is one of his earlier songs and it really holds a special place in his legacy. A really beautiful, meaningful song that demonstrates 2Pac's skills as a poet first of all, and someone with his eyes wide open despite the more "ignorant" songs he recorded in his career. Great song.
  2. 1st of tha Month- Bone Thugs-N-Harmony (1995) (The National Welfare Anthem-- what is there not to love about this song? The traditional Bone flow and melodic harmonies. And EVERYONE knew what they were talking about, even nerdy little clueless me. Bone never were big on the social commentary/message rap, but this one spoke volumes just because everyone knew exactly what they were talking about, lol. Everyone felt a little joy on the first of the month, lol.)
  3. Dear Mama- 2Pac (1995) (Another gem by Tupac. This song was so special although he was talking about his mom, he was really talking about everyone's mom. I love this because Tupac conveys his love, appreciation, anger and confusion all so well. It's quite phenomenal actually.)
  4. Ready or Not- the Fugees (1996) (I don't know why I love this song so much, but this is a complete jam to me. All 3 members were laying down the lyrics here. I just love this song.)
  5. Creepin on Ah' Come Up- Bone Thugs-N-Harmony (1993) (I still have no idea what the heck they're singing in the chorus, but this is classic Bone all the way! Bizzy and Layzie just DO it on this track, very smooth and very hot. I just love how Layzie's voice fluctuates in this song, very musical and dejected and disturbing, kinda. Although this is a song about armed robbery, I love it to death. :-p)
  6. Fa' All Yall- Da Brat (1994) (I LOVED her when she came out, extremely foul-mouthed and all. :-p She was the hottest thing for me, my sister, and our friends since TLC. :-p She was from Chicago and representing all the way. And then later we found out that she was indeed one of our distant cousins. :-D We loved her even more then. Anyway, this is my favorite song by Da Brat ever. She has this extremely tight flow and I loved the funk on her entire first album. Really talented, although she seems content for reality TV and guest spots on other people's songs now.)
  7. Lose Yourself- Eminem (2002) (One of the few rap songs made in the last 5 years that I even like. I think Eminem is very talented and this song is one of those true precious gems that you can find in hip-hop music. This is definitely the song he'll be remembered and ?respected? for. he conveys emotion, anger and pain almost as well as Tupac. You definitely have to weed through a lot of garbage that Eminem puts out to find the songs that display his talent, much like Tupac.)
  8. What's My Name- Snoop Doggy Dogg (1993) (Some people mark the demise of hip-hop and the rise of pop-rap nihilistic crap with this song and the arrival of Snoop... but I don't. Mostly because I was just really getting rap at this time. :-p Unlike a lot of the crap out now, Snoop came out with his own distinct sound and he had a very smooth, tight flow. Snoop wasn't talking about much, but he was talented. I can vibe to disrespectful,woman-hating, nihilistic crap sometimes... when it sounds good, different, or otherwise shows some musical creativity and effort.)
  9. California Love- 2Pac & Dr. Dre (1996) (They just don't make rap like this anymore! This is the song that first made me wish I lived in California. :-p I also loved both of the music videos they released for this song. They definitely had me shake, shakin' baby! 2Pac and Dre could pump out some gems.)
  10. I Need You Tonight- Junior Mafia (1995) (Back before Lil' Kim became Michael Jackson's twin sister, she was supremely cool. And "Kleptomaniac rides any rhythm that you give him...")
  11. Keep On Keepin' On- MC Lyte (1996)
  12. Whatta Man- Salt N' Pepa (1993)
  13. Brenda's Got a Baby- 2Pac (1991)
  14. Ain't Nuthin But a G Thang- Dr. Dre & Snoop Doggy Dogg (1992)
  15. Tha Crossroads- Bone Thugs-N-Harmony (1996) (The song that made Bone huge. They actually won a Grammy or two for this song! It's not really one of my favorite Bone tracks in retrospect, but back when it was released... this was my favorite song ever. I loved this too much back then to not give it a decent place now.)
  16. It Was a Good Day- Ice Cube (1992)
  17. Doo Wop (That Thing)- Lauryn Hill (1998) ("Showin off ya ass cuz you thinkin' it's a trend/girlfriend!/Let me break it down for you again!/You know I only say it cuz I'm truly genuine" Gotta love Lauryn, lol.)
  18. For tha Love of Money- Bone Thugs-N-Harmony & Eazy-E (1993) (Eazy-E, Krayzie, and Bizzy just DO it on this track, lol. That special "It" which makes this track smooth and tight.)
  19. Thuggish Ruggish Bone- Bone Thugs-N-Harmony (1993) (The song that started it all for me...)
  20. Hit 'Em Up- 2Pac (1996) (Tupac was WRONG for this track, lol. The tightest diss track on planet earth, lol. Those folks couldn't even attempt to make a comeback because Tupac just blew 'em all out of the water here. Hilariously embarrassing for those who got called out. "Don't one of yall got sickle cell or somethin'?" Lol...)
  21. Mr. Bill Collector- Bone Thugs-N-Harmony (1995) (If you don't own E. 1999 Eternal you have no idea what you're missing. Easily one of my 3 favorite albums of all time. All the tracks are extremely tight, and this one is a stand-out. Pure Bone-style harmonies on this one.)
  22. The Message- Grandmaster Flash (1982) (A little before my time, but this is the classic. Everyone knows this and the message still rings true.)
  23. I'll Be- Foxy Brown & Jay-Z (1996)
  24. Fu-Gee-La- the Fugees (1996) (Lauryn kills this track... great stuff.)
  25. All I Need- Method Man & Mary J. Blige (1994)
  26. Live & Die for Hip-Hop- Kris Kross (1996)
  27. Around the Way Girl- LL Cool J (1990) (I think this was actually the first rap single I owned. I remember I had this on cassette!)
  28. Body Rott- Bone Thugs-N-Harmony (1997)
  29. Fight the Power- Public Enemy (1989) (The theme from 'Do the Right Thing'. I always see Rosie Perez doing those horrid jerky dances, heh...)
  30. No Time- Lil' Kim (1996)
  31. Shoop- Salt-N-Pepa (1993)
  32. One More Chance- Notorious B.I.G. (1994)
  33. Ms. Jackson- Outkast (2000)
  34. No Surrender- Bone Thugs-N-Harmony (1993)
  35. 5 o'Clock- Nonchalant (1995) (What ever happened to her? I loved this song. It's one of those rare gems.)
  36. Toss it Up- 2Pac ft. K-Ci & Jo-Jo (1997) ("Oooh it's K-Ci baby!" Lol, I love that part.)
  37. Regulate- Warren G. (1994) (He looks just like one of my cousins, lol)
  38. Big Bad Mama- Foxy Brown & Dru Hill (1997)
  39. Blow Ya Mind- Eve & Gwen Stefani (2001)
  40. Forgot About Dre- Dr. Dre & Eminem (1999)
Author Comments: 

I AM A CHILD OF THE 90s first of all!!! :-p Secondly, I don't like much of anything that's been released in the last 5 years. And thirdly, I've never been one to dig around for unknown/underground stuff. Back in my time, the popular stuff actually WAS good stuff. :-p I think the first rapper I liked was LL Cool J, and the first rap album I owned was one by MC Hammer. :-p My prime year as a rap fan had to be 1995. I started to dislike rap in 1997 with the arrival of Master P and the rise of "Diddy" and his pesky remixes. Sorry, but those southern rappers don't float my boat AT ALL. Nothing is hotter than some good ol' California rap... until those thugs from Cleveland arrived. :-p But their sound was derived and influenced by the California rap, so there. :-p

This list could easily read Bone Thugs-N-Harmony from number 1 through number 50. :-p But I'll try to be more balanced and cut back on some Bone tracks. And like my other "all time" lists, this one does have parameters. To be one of my favorites ever, I had to love it when, or close to the time it was first released. This will put songs from the late-mid 90s at a huge advantage, despite there being better stuff earlier (or later). Second, the song must have longevity for me. Meaning this is a song that I loved in 1995 and STILL love it today, and it still gets some play. I *think* these are in order from most favorite to lesser favorite, I tried my best. This is pretty difficult, maybe even moreso than the R&B list.