50 Years of Hip Hop: The Ultimate Countdown of the 50 Greatest Rap Songs Ever
Hip Hop is gearing up for its 50-year anniversary with an unforgettable celebration in its birthplace, the Bronx, New York, with an iconic concert set to take place at Yankee Stadium on August 11, 2023. The anticipation is rising for this historic event that pays homage to the genre's roots and its profound impact on music and culture. Inspired by the efforts from that event along with media outlets owned by Audacy, iHeartRadio, Sirius XM, and radio station Hot 97, we've created our list of the 50 greatest rap/hip-hop songs. Check out our resource section at the end of this post.Creating a definitive list of the top 50 hip-hop songs of all time is absolutely subjective and can vary based on personal taste, cultural context, and where someone is from in the United States. (Think East Coast, West Coast, Down South, etc.) This list provides a selection of influential and widely recognized hip-hop songs that have had and currently has a significant impact on the genre. That impact for the most part will continue to have a lasting influence over the next 50 years. This list honors hip hop's birthplace in the Bronx.
In the selection of these songs, the 'personal taste' effect is definitely in play, therefore we're decidedly "East Coast" in our decision. We chose only one track from many artists like Tupac, Public Enemy, Run-DMC, and LL Cool J. Perhaps they deserve more than one song or even a different song we chose. Let's not argue that point. Jay-Z, Biggie, Kanye and Nas have more than one song on our list. We did a Top Five Rap Artists list in 2019 and on it Black Thought edges out Nas, but for these purposes and in all due respect, The Roots have not recorded a song that we could put into the Top 50. As we revised our list, we evaluated songs that honor the original spirit of hip hop. The songs had to be danceable, and if not, they needed to have a significant impact on hip hop culture. Therefore Drake does not place a song in our top 50 even though he will probably remain the all-time top selling hip hop artist for many years to come.
The most recent track to make this list is from Kendrick Lamar (2017) which means a whole slew of today's Hip Hop artists are not here. We feel they did not or have the staying power to remain relevant in the years to come. With that being said we're not fans of stripper anthems and that culture along with drill music. So those tracks are noticeably absent on purpose. This is not a list to twerk to.
We went heavy on the remixes and collaborations on this list as rappers coming together over a great beat is the essence of what hip hop is. It also gave us an opportunity to get more artists on our list. We're honoring the lyrical roots where MC's battled it out on a microphone. Sometimes rap is a team sport not an individual effort.
At the end of the day this is a celebration. Enjoy.
Check out the playlist featuring the greatest 50 songs. (Most of the tracks are clean.)
The best way to experience this player is to avoid skipping tracks. Skipping will cause tracks to repeat.
We invite you to comment below if you feel a certain song shouldn't be on the list. Make your recommendation. We won't be offended. However the first two must stay on the list.
The 50 greatest rap songs (in no particular order):
*Added to the list for historical purposes. Can't be removed.
2. "The Message" - Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five*
3. "HUMBLE" - Kendrick Lamar
4. "Hypnotize" - The Notorious B.I.G.
5. "Straight Outta Compton" - N.W.A.
6. "C.R.E.A.M." - Wu-Tang Clan
7. "Empire State of Mind" - Jay-Z ft. Alicia Keys
8. "Fight the Power" - Public Enemy
9. "Just a Friend" - Biz Markie
10. "The Next Episode" - Dr. Dre & Snoop Dogg
11. "It Takes Two" - Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock
12. "Award Tour" - A Tribe Called Quest
13. "It Was a Good Day" - Ice Cube
14. "Put Your Hands Where Your My Eyes Could See " - Busta Rhymes
15. "In Da Club" - 50 Cent
16. "I Know I Got Soul" - Eric B. & Rakim
17. "Flava in Ya Ear" - Craig Mack
18. "Hard Knock Life" - Jay-Z
19. "Otis" - Jay-Z, Kanye West
20. "Gold Digger" - Kanye West ft. Jamie Foxx
21. "Me Myself & I" - De La Soul
22. "Made You Look" [Remix] - Nas feat. Jadakiss & Ludacris
23. "Everything is Everything" - Lauryn Hill
24. "It Ain't Hard to Tell" - Nas
25. "Lean Back" - Terror Squad, Fat Joe, & Remy
26. "Shook Ones Part II" - Mobb Deep
27. "King of Rock" - Run D.M.C.
28. "I'll Be There For You/You're All I Need To Get By" - Method Man Mary J. Blige
29. "All About the Benjamins" - Diddy feat. The Notorious B.I.G., The Lox, Lil' Kim
30. "Ms. Jackson" - OutKast
31. "Jesus Walks" - Kanye West
32. "Dreams and Nightmares" - Meek Mill
33. "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)" - Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth
34. "Hip Hop Hooray" - Naughty by Nature
35. "Mo Money Mo Problems" - The Notorious B.I.G. feat. Puff Daddy & Mase
36. "Treat 'Em Right" - Chubb Rock
37. "Ms. Fat Booty" - Mos Def
38. "I'll Be Missing You" - Puff Daddy feat. Faith Evans & 112
39. "Put On" - Young Jeezy & Kanye West
40. "Summertime" - DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince
41. "What You Know" - T.I.
42. "California Love" - 2Pac, Roger Troutman, & Dr. Dre
43. "Rock The Bells" - LL Cool J
44. "The Show" - Doug E. Fresh & The Get Fresh Crew, Slick Rick
45. "Ante Up" [Remix] - M.O.P. feat. Busta Rhymes, Teflon, Remy Martin
47. "Still Not a Player" - Big Pun
48. "Dolly My Baby" - Super Cat with Mary J. Blige, feat. Third Eye, Puff Daddy, & The Notorious B.I.G.
49. "Let Me Clear My Throat" - DJ Kool
50. "Int'l Players Anthem (I Choose You)" - UGK (Underground Kingz) feat. Outkast
Radio stations worldwide have been honoring the genre's rich history throughout the entirety of 2023. Special podcasts and broadcasts that offer a deep dive into the world of Hip Hop, its pioneers, and the trailblazing artists who have shaped its evolution since 1973 have made Hip Hop an enduring force in the music industry.
The following broadcast outlets and platforms have been at the forefront over the past few months. All are worthy of a listen.
iHeartRadio
Sirius XM
Audacy
Hot 97 New York
KEXP Seattle - KEXP-FM is a non-commercial radio station in Seattle specializing in alternative and indie rock, but these podcasts on Hip Hop hosted by Larry Mizell, Jr. are amazing.
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