Hip-Hop Nation (Channel 40) had a special guest rapper on the air to break down his 10 favorite rap songs of all time. I believe his name was Laws. I don't know much about him but he ran through a pretty decent list of songs. It really got me thinking; If I had to choose my 10 favorite rap songs, what would they be? That seems like a pretty big task considering all the great hip-hop that is out there, but I managed to sit down and meditate on this idea and came up with what I believe are my 10 favorite rap tunes of all time. This doesn't necessarily mean I think they are the best or I think they are the most groundbreaking. Hell, they might not even be good at all to some, but for one reason or another, they are very very special to me. I could play these songs forever and a day from here until death and I will still love them. So let's run through it...
My 10 Favorite Rap Songs
10. "Paid In Full" by Eric B. & Rakim
The classic track that everyone has heard one time or another even if they didn't realize it. Covered time and time again, "Paid In Full" might have the most replicated bassline in hip-hop history. The attitude and rhymes are just fierce. Eric B. & Rakim wanted to let everyone know how serious they were about making a killing in the rap game and this was the boldest statement they could have made. Rakim revolutionized rapping in the 80's and created a whole new style that helped shape the east coast rap of the 90's.9. "Role Model" by Eminem
Slim Shady was going to be a superstar, there was no doubt about it. A white dude with enough crazy antics to fuel music critics for all eternity could sell and create controversy, but this cut off of his major label debut stood out to me because it showed that he was first and foremost a rapper. The lines are brutal, the rhymes are great, and it showed off just how crazy Em could be while still making it sound great. It really showed off the talent that Dr. Dre saw in him.8. "You Know How We Do It" by Ice Cube
All I gotta say is..."daaaamn". It doesn't get more west coast than this people. The track is hot all on its own, but Ice Cube really came correct with this jam at a time where Dr. Dre and the rest of Death Row were completely dominating the charts and west coast hip-hop as a whole. Instead of trying the one up, Cube just did what he does best and that's just be himself. The beat juts put a vision in my head of cruisin' down an L.A. street in a convertible '63 impala watching a pretty sunset. This is always a great summer jam for me. Props to QDIII for the beat, even though I didn't anything from him after this.7. "Ten Crack Commandments" by The Notorious B.I.G.
Who better to tell you the rules of the crack trade and rhyme it so perfectly in a story than Biggie Smalls. Selling crack being his main source of revenue before breaking it big in rap, Biggie knew what he was talking about. However, what makes this song so great to me is the way it was articulated so perfectly. The man always could tell great stories with his raps, but ten commandments about how to sell crack and succeed? Awesome. It only sounds perfect on a DJ Premier beat as well. Biggie was spittin' crack before it was even referred to as that.6. "Playaz Club" by Rappin' 4-Tay
Even though I am a Bay Area native and specifically born in San Francisco, I wasn't going to throw in a Bay song into my favorite rap song list lightly unless it really earned its place. "Playaz Club" did exactly that. The way "You Know How We Do It" really captured the essence of being from Los Angeles, this song really captured the essence of what San Francisco and the Bay Area as a whole was all about when it came to rap. The whole song has incredible style and Rappin' 4-Tay really brought the heat.5. "N.Y. State of Mind" by Nas
Brutal! Grimey! It doesn't get more gutter than "N.Y. State of Mind". I almost feel like I'm from the ghetto when I listen to this. The entire Illmatic album could have filled up any top 10 list, but this track stood out to me simply because of the mood it created. Down the scratchy vocal recordings and choppy production, it really created the scenery in my head of the dangerous environment that Nas was coming from. Nas is also amazing when it comes to telling stories with his rhymes. DJ Premier strikes again with the beats!4. "So Many Tears" by 2pac
Classic, classic song. This is 'Pac showing off his sensitive and soulful side. Up until this point we were used to all this talk about thug life, aggressive panther politics, and getting around. This was him showing off a little bit of vulnerability; that he's a person too, he's got feelings, and he's suffered the heartbreak of a hard life. This is the kind of song that makes you value all the good things in life. Friends and family especially. I was actually pretty surprised to see that Shock G produced this great beat.3. "C.R.E.A.M." by The Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang was a posse to be reckoned with, and it was because of tracks like "C.R.E.A.M." that showed the rest of the hip-hop universe that they were unmatched at what they did. On perhaps the greatest beat that RZA has produced, Inspectah Deck really encapsulated in his verse what growing up in the ghetto was like. Method Man's hook on this song is also one of the most widely recognized in hip-hop history. Who doesn't still say "dolla dolla bill y'all" these days? I know I still do. Cash certainly does rule everything around us. Wu-Tang wasn't kidding.2. "Deep Cover" by Dr. Dre & Snoop Doggy Dogg
Who would have known that this solo debut of Dr. Dre introducing us to a brand new Snoop Doggy Dogg would be the first step to the creation of arguably the greatest partnership in hip-hop history? "187 on the undercover cop"; yet another of the most widely recognized hooks in rap. This song tells a great story between verses from Dre and Snoop about how much undercover police aren't appreciated in the least. From the very beginning of the intro dialogue, this song never quits in terms of quality. Still sounds great so many years later. Imagine if Warren G had never introduced Snoop to his cousin Dr. Dre? Rap might look a lot different these days; especially on the west coast.1. "Above The Clouds" by Gang Starr f/ Inspectah Deck
How many times does DJ Premier show up on my list? I'm not sure, but it's a sign. DJ Premier makes the best beats in hip-hop in my humble opnion. This song is no different. I think the beat is what single handedly makes this my favorite rap song ever since I first heard it. It's soothing, it's calming, it's catchy, and I'm pretty positive can sway even the most stubborn hip-hop critic. Guru and Inspectah Deck also deliver great verses in this song to further supplement this great showcase of rap quality at its pinnacle. Can it get much better than this? I'm not sure, but I'm not convinced rappers from today's age can do it like this anymore. Very sad about Guru's recent passing, but it is in amazing tracks like this that legacy lives on. True artists don't fade.And that's all for my list of favorite rap songs. What do you think? Do you agree? Am I completely off base for liking some of these tracks? What would your list consist of? Leave a comment and let me know. At the very least, I hope this column gets you digging through your old rap records and discovering some great tracks. Until next time...PEACE!!!
~M
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