Top 50 Rap Songs

The criteria for selecting my top 50 rap songs is akin to crafting my hip-hop soundtrack. Excluded from this list are hip-hop tracks such as Herbie Hancock's “RockIt,” DJ Shadow’s “What Does Your Soul Look Like (Part 1 – Blue Sky Revisit),” or Andre 3000’s “She Lives on My Lap.” This omission is intentional because I aimed to spotlight songs where lyrics hold just as much weight as the music. Composing this list wasn't a daunting task, but whittling it down to 50 proved challenging, as I initially began with nearly 100 choices. Much like my top 50 emcees, these rap songs resonate with me personally, marking pivotal moments in my journey growing up in the world of hip-hop, and serving as music that stirred my spirit. I emphasized lyrics in these songs, driven by my profound love for words and the inner poet within me seeking metaphors and intricate wordplay harmonized with rhythm and melody. I’m an ardent music enthusiast and an unapologetic nerd, always eager to read the liner notes. I crave details like who produced a track, who’s on bass, which song they sampled, and what music studio it was recored in. Truthfully, many of these songs encapsulate the life I lead and the musical odyssey I traverse, playing a significant role in shaping the person I am today. Above all, they’re just undeniably dope—enjoy!