Best Hip-Hop And Rap Songs Of All Time: Hip-hop’s beginnings as the music played at block parties in New York City are widely known, but no one could have guessed where the genre would end up in just 40 years. According to Nielsen, it overtook country music as the most consumed genre in America in 2017. It has expanded internationally as well, dominating the streaming era and influencing the rest of mainstream music to become more like it.
Rap is fundamentally about the Black American experience, which these artists have been patiently capturing for years. From the gritty avenues of Compton that gave birth to N.W.A. to the unique Southern culture explored by artists such as Ludacris and Lil Wayne, to Kendrick’s “Alright” transforming into an appeal for support at Black Lives Matter events, the origins of hip-hop is the history of contemporary America, informed by those who frequently are excluded from society.
The following songs trace the development of the genre from its early beginnings. Hip-hop covers all the bases, whether you’re searching for music to get you through a workout, throwbacks from the past to dance to, or songs that help you better comprehend the world around you. This collection of some of the greatest hip-hop tracks will get you started, but it’s hard to fully convey the creative depth and cultural significance of this music.
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Top 8 Most Popular And Best Hip-Hop/Rap Songs Of All Time
1. “Rapper’s Delight” – The Sugarhill Gang: The members of the Sugarhill Gang, one of the earliest notable rap groups, were Guy “Master Gee” O’Brien, Henry “Big Bank Hank” Jackson, and Michael “Wonder Mike” Wright. The song “Rapper’s Delight,” which was released on September 16, 1979, is largely regarded as the one that initially made rap music commercially mainstream worldwide.
The song peaked at number one in Canada and reached the top 40 in the United States and the UK, respectively. It’s reasonable to argue that it’s one of the greatest rap songs of all time given that Rolling Stone ranked it as the second-best hip-hop song of all time.
2. “Lose Yourself” – Eminem: On the soundtrack of the 2002 film 8 Mile, which was made available on October 28, the enduring rap song “Lose Yourself” served as the opening tune. In cooperation with Jeff Bass, Eminem composed and produced the song. On the Billboard Hot 100 chart, “Lose Yourself” attained the number one position and held it for 12 weeks straight. On 24 national charts, the song also peaked at number one.
“Lose Yourself” earned several awards, including Best Song at the Critics’ Choice Picture Awards and Best Original Song at the Academy Oscars. The MTV Video Music Awards Best Video from a Film, the Grammy Award for Best Male Solo Performance, and the Best Rap Song are some of the other major honors received. The US market had more than 19 million copies sold.
With all of these honors, it’s no surprise that “Lose Yourself” is largely regarded as the finest rap song of the twenty-first century and among the most notable rap songs of all time.
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3. “Juicy” – Notorious B.I.G: The song “Juicy” by American rapper Notorious B.I.G is taken from his first album Ready to Die. One of the top rappers, according to many, is Notorious B.I.G. On March 9, 1997, an unidentified shooter murdered him late at night. He was a prominent rapper in his era.
Given that it has sold more than 10 million copies globally, “Juicy” is unquestionably one of the greatest rap songs of all time. It received a multi-platinum certification in both the US and the UK and reached at the top of the Billboard Hot Rap Singles list.
4. “Straight Outta Compton” – N.W.A: The smash single from N.W.A.’s debut studio album, “Straight Outta Compton,” was released on August 8, 1988 on Ruthless Records. The group known as “Niggaz Wit Attitudes,” or N.W.A., ruled from the late 1980s to the early 1990s. Ice Cube, DJ Yella, Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, MC Ren, and Arabian Prince were all members of the group.
The iconic song, which years later served as the inspiration for an N.W.A. movie, is unquestionably among the greatest rap tracks ever. It received Platinum and Silver certifications in the US and UK, respectively, and peaked at #9 on the Billboard Hot Rap Songs list.
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5. “In Da Club” – 50 Cent: The song “In Da Club” is performed by well-known American rapper 50 Cent. Written and produced by Dr. Dre and Mike Elizondo, it was made available on January 7, 2003.
Rapper 50 Cent is also a successful businessman and actor who has been in a number of high-profile films. Following Eminem’s discovery, he was quickly signed to Shady Records, the rapper’s record company. Off of his debut album, Get Rich or Die Trying, the single “In Da Club” was released.
The 2003 MTV Video Music Awards presented “In Da Club” with the Best Rap Music Video trophy. When it was first released, the song topped the charts in 15 different nations. On the Billboard Hot 100 chart, it also reached its highest point at number one.
6. “Ms. Jackson” – Outkast: The American duo OutKast wrote the song “Ms. Jackson.” It was one of the group’s successful singles, having been released on October 24, 2000, off of Stankonia, their follow-up album. Big Boi and Andre 3000, both members of the group, are included. While still in high school, the two artists’ collaboration got underway.
Numerous awards, including the Grammy for Best Rap Performance by a Duo, were bestowed upon the renowned song. Both the MTV Video Music Award and the BET Award for Best Hip-Hop Video were given to the music video. One of the greatest rap songs ever is largely regarded to have peaked at No. 1 in eleven different nations.
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7. C.R.E.A.M” – Wu-Tang Clan: The song “C.R.E.A.M.” by the American rap group Wu-Tang Clan is an acronym for “Cash Rules Everything Around Me.” Produced by the RZA, the song was made available on Loud Records on January 31, 1994.
RZA, GZA, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, and Masta Killa were the group’s founding members, and they were headquartered in New York at first. One of the most important rap groups is Wu Tang, according to many.
In addition to receiving Silver and Gold certifications in the US and UK, “C.R.E.A.M.” reached its highest point at position eight on the Billboard Hot Rap Songs list.
8. Jay-Z’s “Hard Knock Life”: On October 27, 1988, “Hard Knock Life” was released by the renowned American rapper and producer Jay-Z. Jay Z founded Roc Nation, the apparel company Rocawear, co-founded Roc-A-Fella Records, and is the owner of a number of other businesses, including the 40/40 club and Aspiro. In addition, Jay Z is the first millionaire from the hip-hop genre.
“Hard Knock Life” received Platinum certification in the US and the UK and peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot Rap Songs list.
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Conclusion
Rap is one of the greatest and most popular genres in the world, with record sales and streaming revenue totaling billions. Over the years, a lot of hip hop subgenres have appeared, but the music is still excellent.
These are the greatest hip-hop tracks of all time, among the numerous excellent performers and songs available.
Edeh Samuel Chukwuemeka, ACMC, is a lawyer and a certified mediator/conciliator in Nigeria. He is also a developer with knowledge in various programming languages. Samuel is determined to leverage his skills in technology, SEO, and legal practice to revolutionize the legal profession worldwide by creating web and mobile applications that simplify legal research. Sam is also passionate about educating and providing valuable information to people.