Top 20 Greatest Rap Songs of All Time
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- čas přidán 22. 03. 2022
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Every rap fan worth their salt has these iconic tracks memorized. For this list, we’ll be looking at the best rap songs across every decade. Our countdown includes “It Was a Good Day”, "Lose Yourself", “Sucker M.C.’s”, "Juicy", “C.R.E.A.M.”, and more! What’s your all-time favorite rap song? Let us know in the comments!
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#KendrickLamar - Zábava
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What’s your all-time favorite rap song? Let us know in the comments!
My favorite all time rap song is K-Rino - Valley of Decision.. If you have never heard it PLEASE go listen asap with an open mind
"Feel Me Flow", by Naughty By Nature and our mom's favorite song
Five that you completely missed:
THE SYMPHONY, by the Juice Crew
MY PHILOSOPHY, by Boogie Down Productions
THE VAPORS, by Biz Markie
SELF DESTRUCTION, by Stop the Violence Movement
PLANET ROCK, by Afrika Bambaataa
2Pac- changes
I love this list ALOT but I feel you missed one artist even in the honorable mentions and that's Jay Z. The ball was dropped on that one. Otherwise, good list.
“Best rap songs from people who don’t understand or listen to rap”
Tell us your list...!!!
coolstorybro
They're just giving their opinion
If its different than yours, than its your problem
Lmfao
I would've love to see Why We Thugs by ice cube on this list. It tells some truths about our shady legal system
fax
"Tha Crossroads" Bone Thugs, "No Vaseline" Ice Cube, and "Dear Mama" Tupac are personal favorites.
Seriously, this list is lacking in some Bone Thugs.
@Ape2020 xxx pretty much everything Bone Thugs did was magical.
crossroads should be in
Yep y g
Can't believe that Coolios Gangsters Paradise didn't even make the honourable Mentions, that was the Rap Song in my Childhood.
Yeah what a joke of a list
No changes(tupac) either
Facts at least an honorable mention
Came here for this comment
i know right wth man
Actually not bad for a mainstream list. I never imagined they'd include some of the more underground stuff, but a pretty ok list for someone looking to get into hip hop.
Exactly, I expect it to be way worse
@@Mcbikey24 aaàààààààààààà
Ice Cube’s “It Was A Good Day” is a pretty good rap song, sometimes I listened to it while playing GTA: San Andreas on PS2 back in mid 2000s.
Same
The only time I wanted to drive slowly and just enjoy that radio Los santos.
Yea tru
Sam Andreas introduced me to that song. Not hip hop as a whole but that quickly skyrocketed to one of my faves
'What can I do' remix
I got a list, here's the order of my list that it's in. It goes Reggie, Jay-Z, Tupac and Biggie, Andre from Outkast, Jada, Kurupt, Nas and then me.
That’s seem a bit beised don’t you think mate
When I’m not put on this list this shit does not offend me 🤷♂️
@@Zaiden. not an Em fan?
@@SonnyK248 that's why you see me walk around like nothing's bothering me
@@xcvii4876 even though half you people got a f****** problem with me
Respect the love for Gang Starr. They are way too underrated.
Agreed
Guru's best verse with Inspektah on "Above The Clouds"…RIL Guru!
I agree
Way too underrated.
Nothing beats the 80's, 90's and early 2000 rap songs 😍🔥🔥✊🏻
Amen
Cap
@@georgegaugler You probably born today 🙄
@opop4 Good for you
lying ass 😭
Missing at least: A Tribe Called Quest, KRS ONE, Cypress Hill and DMX.
Hilltop Hoods, Lyrical Commission, Hunter and Disastah.
...and LL Cool J
And Mos Def
JayZ, Snoop?
I agree but AGAIN everyone that has commented on this list has not even given cred to Jay Z, even WatchMojo.
“No Time” by Lil Kim. Really?!!! Great song but nah.
Any song by MJB would have been better
So you're saying you rather have Missy Elliott on the list then Little Kim, I could tell you not from Brooklyn 💯
Thank you! Good song, but any song from Fif is topping that song 🤷🏽♂️
@@deeznuttzfrombrooklyn2082 Maybe top 50 , but not top 17 songs of all time.
I think it's an awesome classic song, but if we're narrowing it down to twenty, I wouldn't have put this song on the list. I would say it's top 40, no higher than 37.
90s was by far the prime decade of rap I don't think there will ever be a time in rap history that will compare to 90s rap
Honestly, I really liked the 2010’s, but that’s also probably cause I also grew up listening to that. That being said, 2010s are fire for rap, + Eminem, Kanye and Jay-Z carry the 2000s and then you got the 90s which was prime
bro has to be joking 2000 2010 and 2020 has some bangers
@@LeafySaladSoup Name me any better rap songs than U cant Touch this, Still DRE, Gangstas Paradise, California Love, Without me and Hypnotize
however eminem prime(1999-2004) will always be the goat
@Dallas Riley had some bangers isn't good enough to unseat 90s as the best rap decade
I think you forgot
"Never had a friend like me" Tupac...... One of the best songs ever created
Rip Tupac
Watch Mojo’s Best Rap Song of all time wasn’t on my 2022 Bingo card…starting the video with a rock song encompasses all of my thoughts completely 😂😂
Dead ass I said the same thing 🤣
Beastie Boys are rappers. Def Jam
@@OJscreamsAA we referring to the song they plugged before it started…. They could have used ANY rapper out now but chose a rock song
Beasties are “Punk Rap.”
Beastie boys are rock? Good joke 😂
Needed a different song from 2Pac and they needed to talk about his significance in music and in not just hip hop culture but world culture!
Yeah I thought I would see more of him on here. Or at least Ambitionz as a Ridah.
Couldn't agree more. I would have picked keep ya head up or Dear mama. He was more than just the greatest rapper of all time but he was also an amazing poet,lyricist and songwriter.
Don't disrespect the goat. 🤬
Facts
Seriously, they should've chose Changes
Dance with the Devil by Immortal Technique. Story telling at its finest.
the less people that know about that song the better
I knew they wouldn't put it on the list, but it could have definitely gotten an honorable mention.
Rapper's Delight still hits hard after 43 years
yesss 👏🏽 👏🏽
FACTS
@Loke yes lol
I played it not to long ago and it still holds up. My introduction into hip hop music.
Y'all definitely setting yourself up for failure with this list
how
@JImbo music is subjective, and there's no way your top 20 favorite rap songs will match up with their list. In other words, because music tastes are very subjective.
As soon as Ice Cube was at 18 I lost hope of this being a good list
The 1 song per artist rule on this list didn’t work
@@mphoroza5035 not even just that but no dmx , no jay z or kayne, tribe??, busta, jada , LL cool J
“The Message” will be turning 40.
“Nuthin’ But a ‘G’ Thang” will be turning 30.
Delete this
@@FlyasaDiamonddelete yourself, do us that favor
Stop. God stop please
That shit is literally 2 years apart
1.Changes
2.Hypnotize
3.California Love
4.Dear Mama
5.Juicy
6.6foot 7foot
7.Bye the time i get to arizona
8.99 problems
10.Hey ya
11.Rap God
12.Empire state of mind
13.Jump Around
14.Gangsta's paradaise
15.Lose yourself
16. Nuttin but a G thang
17. No Love
18. Fight the power
19. Straight outta compton
20. In da club
Hon mentions:
Stan
Fight for your right
Paid in full
The message
Rappers delight
Life goes on
Bring the noise
Illmatic
Many Men is also good
Gangsta's Paradise by Coolio definitely should have been on this list.
Let's be honest, "Gangsta's Paradise" sucks…but, "It Take's A Thief" & "I Remember" are "Gangsta"!
@matt Are you describing how much of an "idea" you have🤣
@@petasmith6258 Gansta's Paradise doesn't suck. It's not the best, but it's a classic song and the lyrics are decent. It deserves some respect. Probably isn't as good as some songs on this list, but it's still good.
“In Da Club”, one of my 4 most favorite 50 Cent songs.
🙂
Bro that’s a song that’s here to stay. Lol. If I made a top 10 that song would be in there
P.I.M.P
'I smell pu__y' -G unit
Made me love rap salute
That song is a banger for sure
In 2003 there wasn’t a car, club, or bar that wasn’t playing In Da Club. I’m 26 & I can’t think of another song growing up that just completely took over the radio the way it did. I’m from a small town & I remember there was ppl rockin cowboy hats & bumpin that song lol it deserves a spot on this list!
The fact that Gangstas Paradise wasnt #1, Top 3, Top 5, Top 10, no no the fact that it wasnt even on this list is absolutely criminal
If u think gangsta PARADISE is the best song u need help
@@christian9146 I dont like tiktok lmao. Just has one of the best chorus/hooks of all time and coolio did his thing. The message isnt bad and its up there for me. The message tells a much better story but I prefer GP for the hook and flow and overall the replay value is much better atleast for me. The hook gets repetitive at times and I have Check Yo Self in my rotation a lot more so I prefer Cube over Grandmaster on the beat
@@brianhinesjr.127 ok bro sorry about the rude comment hehe
It's definitely not number one. It's not top five either. But it definitely deserves a spot on this list probably top 10
This is very well written. I appreciate the eloquence and obvious love.
How is shook ones p2 not top five that’s arguably the best use of a sample in hip hop and is also instantly recognisable
That is mind playing tricks on me tbh
I would agree that they placed way too many way too low. I would say shook ones is like top seven. I think it could maybe make top five. And that's being number five
As someone who has been into rap/hip-hop since '85, I find this list to be ...... disappointing. This is an almost impossible task, but this list has some pretenders to the throne.
What is your list?
@@generalians Pharcyde - Passin' Me By / Tribe Called Quest - Check The Rhime / Rob Base & Dj Ez Rock - It Takes Two - the list had 4 or 5 songs from Dr. Dre, but nothing at all from Tribe?
The 90s to mid 2000s era was thee greatest time for hip-hop & rap!
after the early 2010s it just went downhill QUICK, 2014 then boom, nothing great afterwards
@@pixelatedtoast you didn’t like Good Kid Maad City or 2014 Forest Hills Drive?
Glad to see groups like Eric B and Rakim, Public Enemy, and Pete Rock and CL Smooth on the list
As they should be
Wow, I expected at least one of DMX’s songs to be on here. None ain’t.
No DMX .....whaaat... and more Wu Tang clan, if you want to mean this shit of list.
This list was wack af
That & I’m surprised Jayz song isn’t on the list
Honestly this was a shit list and I'm not a huge expert on this subject; my son and husband are. But damn. Where tf IS Dmx?
I could name about 4 songs from A Tribe Called Quest that should be on here....Especially "Electric Relaxation."
I'm reading alot of people saying what should or shouldn't have been on the list.. I agree with YOU
Remember these are people from Gen Z they don't know anything.
Can I Kick It?.... I was waiting for it. Never came. Very disappointed.
Woahhhhh I listened to it after reading your comment and IM HOOKED!! Thanks xxx
California Love is a rap CLASSIC tune but there are some other great 2Pac songs out there!
Honorable mention to Gangsta's Paradise
No gangster rap make me do it
I really appreciate yall for getting #1 right cause I was worried for a second😅😅🤦🏿♂️.. Melle Mel is the GOD of HipHop and people should really listen to his verses on that song because the Hook is whats most famous.. His consciousness was ahead of its time and that Beat Street performance proves it! "Don't be a slave to no computer!" -Melle Mel 1984!!
1984. Perfect.
@@missmcque9756 ik my history trust me.. And I was born in 92✊🏿
@@lordtrill7731 I was just noticing how we are living in dystopian times laid out in the book 1984 and that it is connected to being slaves to and under the thumb of technology.
90s to early 2000s.
Can't beat it🤷♀️🤷♀️
2010s is bettee
@@JoeMama-ci9bd💀
Flava In Ya Ear- Craig Mack
I'm Bad - LL Cool J
The Show - Doug E Fresh And The Get Fresh Crue
Rock Dis Funky Joint- Poor Righteous Teachers
It's Gettin' Funky - The D.O.C.
Can I Kick It- Tribe Called Quest
The Bridge Is Over- Boogie Down Productions
You Gots To Chill- EPMD
5 Minutes of Funk- Whodini
Another peep who has more idea than "WatchMojo"...
Where’s the Kanye tracks???
I was wondering where "Mind is playing tricks on me" was, and then my faith was restored lol. Good storytelling, something most of the best songs have in common. That and regulate will always be classics
This list is gonna be interesting
Disappointed?
I love California love and it’s one of my favourite rap songs however I believe changes or dear mama are better choices for Tupac’s lyricism and storytelling
Probably they show in a better way Tupac's style, but everyone knows California Love is the most successful song of 2pac, so maybe the best
Or brenda’s got a baby
@@tottymc or Hit Em' Up
1 Changes
2 Lose Yourself
3 Nuthin but a G Thang
4 Juicy
5 The Message
6 Straight outta Compton
7 NY State of mind
8 It was a good day
9 In da Club
10 Shook Ones
11 CREAM
12 Gangstas Paradies
13 Fight the Power
14 Califonia Love
15 The Reminisce over you
16 Road to the riches
17 Aint no half steppin
18 Mass Appeal
19 X gona give it to ya
20 Hate it or love it
1 today was a good day cube
2 NY in state nas
3 buthun but a g thang dr dre
4 what my name snoop
5 dear mama tuapc
6 nwa body in the hood
7 nwa fuck the police
8 gin and juice dogg
8 eminem lose you self
9 biggie juicy
10 biggie hypezone
11 gangster ap make me do it cube
12 hit em up tupac
13 ain't got no haters cube
14 still dre
15 the next episode dre
16 gangster paradise
17 dre day
18 hate it or love it
19 change
20 California love
No Many Men?
I would've made a way different list but i loved every one of these songs. People are going to hate on the list but thank you for spreading these songs, that's the most important part.
Good point.
Facts
my thoughts exactly
I disagree, let's say order could be subjective, but the list itself is great, and i agree with them this time.
Lowkey this list is actually solid
Many versatile and actual skilled rappers 💯🔥
yea better than the rap we got these days
@@nasigorengg109 10s rap is more verstile tho
@@pretendingtobeagoodguy3767 Early 10s*. Drake, Kendrick, Nicki, Kanye, and J. Cole are great, but once people like Cardi B and 6ix9ine came in 2018 rap music got worse
@@noibat7034 not completly true, 2018 was the last good year in hh even tho this year is promising. Cardi B, nobody liked her. 6ix9ine is pretty ok, but they werent the only mainstream rappers at that time.
We need a top 20 underground hip hop/ rap songs from the early 90's to now. That would make for a good video
That is a great idea.
Bones better be in it.
WatchMojo would butcher it tho 🤣
@@eifelitorn true. Accurate af
Sippin On Some Syrup by Three 6 is #1
Love this list
Dope list
I think WatchMojo should do a regional top 20 list. East Coast, West Coast, Mid West, & THE SOUTH BABY BABEA!!
East Side San Ho.
Yes!
This a great idea
Agreed
fr. there are so many influential and iconic rap songs from all over
Gotta give watch mojo there respect on doing an amazing job on this video. My no1 rap song of all time is Tupac, keep ya head up. RIP to the Goat. Gone but never forgotten. 🙏😪
An impossible list to compile, but this was pretty strong. Respect!
gotta leave a like and comment. You got that top spot on point! I was thinking some bull #1 song would be there but The Message hits hard at that top spot
I'm not a Californian,not even an American but the song 'California love'by Tupac & Dr Dre and ' Lose yourself' by Em aka Slimshady aka Marshall Mathers is second to none and will always be my fav of all times.
I know music is subjective but, who the fuck made this list?
you did
I'm happy with this list!
"Summertime" by DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince ... It's been 30 years and still hits hard every summer!
Yep. Will Smith always "hitting hard" XD
@@JollyRancherGeno 💀💀
Guess you could say it really... slaps
Naw
🤣🤣🤣🤣 The Fresh Prince and hits hard 🤦♂️
Not gonna lie, “California Love” is also pretty dope as well.
'Some L.A. ni__az' by Dr dre is better...
NY State of Mind is my personal favourite hip hop song
Btw great list
"Gin & Juice" and "If I Ruled The World" should have at least been acknowledged, but I don't have a problem with this list. Nicely done.
Love him or hate him, Kanye’s Jesus Walks changed the game enough to have made this list IMO 🤷♂️
Lil Kim and no Kanye so many songs by him could have been on here
Gangsta’s paradise should have at least been top 10
For sure. That song was and still is revolutionary.
🤟🏻
Nothing screams Hip Hop like watch mojo’s Ryan!!
Wow I'm impressed by this list someone was on their game!
I like and appreciate this content and I like this video
My favorite rap song of all time is "The Way I Am" by Eminem
“I sit back….” lol classic
The flow on that song is so perfect
Eminem music is 🗑
@@DrBovelli82 nope
@@DrBovelli82 accurate
Good list. I'd probably have added in "Forgot About Dre", "Tha Crossroads" (Bone) and some more Biggie and TuPac but not bad
I’m a big hip hop head (esp golden era 80s/90s), I’m glad they picked the right song for their #1 pick 👍🏾
Nothing beats 80s and 90s hip hop. My childhood and teenage years. 🔥🔥🔥🔥
when i was on high school, everyone would turn on thier best Ice Cube impression when TWAGD came on. I belove music can be magic and that song transports you to his neighborhood, on that day. Biggie dows the same thing in Juicy. And Paid in full was a masterpiece, first artists video ever on Yo! MTV Raps.
Man, I miss the late 80's through mid 90's rap scene.
This is a topic y’all should have avoided
why it what the fans wanted
@@jimbo9208 i mean non black people oppion on rap is not as important as black people and i'm black so i can say this
@@samlosophy5894 what the hell are you saying? Nobody’s opinion on rap matters more than others just because more of those people tend to rap. You being a certain race gives u no right to say ur opinion matters more🤦♂️ what is wrong with u all
@@samlosophy5894 who cares if your black no one should say that
People can hardly pick who’s the top 10 rappers of all time let alone agree on a list of only 20 songs. And 20 is not enough.
This is pretty dope! Not to bad!
Stan isn't on the list? Thats Ems' best single with the flow, chorus, beat, and message overall. Lose yourself is also for sure one of the best songs ever.
Nah Lose Yourself is better
No Crossroads or Changes?
“Fight The Power”.
Oh, I really like that song as well.
kinda shocked LL Cool J did not even got mentioned here ;-;
he was a huge inspiration, and an icon to the hip-hop scenario
My family member's favorite song, "The Message" by Grandmaster Flash, the Furious Five, the number one Greatest Rap Song Of All Time and that takes the cake
Totally agree ❤️👍
But for me 'Not Afraid' is no #1 song of century
Woooow.... *Changes* by Tupac definitely deserved top 5
Dope list of pretty accessible classic hip hop records. Not bad at all
My Life by The Game featuring Lil Wayne is one of my favorite Rap songs. Shook Ones by Mobb Deep is up there with the Greatest Rap Songs ever on my list.
Honestly the best rap songs are a matter of opinion
This might just be me.
But I lost hope that this list would be good when I saw Ice Cube at 18.
It was a good day is such a vibe 😌
Loose Yourself is definitely the best Eminem song
No hi my name
I’ll appreciate the list because I know it’s hard to make this list objective.
In regards to #16 Lil' Kim, it should've been "Get Money"
That was A Junior M.A.F.I.A song
@@williamwolfxrivera2418 indeed it is. 👍
*Lil Kim deserves her flowers 💐 💐🌹🌷🌷🌸🪷💐💐 THE QUEEN LIVES ON 👑🐝*
1° Lose Yourself - Eminem
2° Changes - 2pac ft Talent
3° Juicy- The Notorious Big
4° Nuthin But G Thang- Dr Dre ft Snoop Dogg
5° Ny State Of Mind- Nas
You know what, I like it!
Come on guys, there is no Coolio's Gangasta's Paradise"?? It is absolutely a gem.❤️
Haven't watched it yet... but I feel like yall are asking for the smoke for even posting this 🤦🏽♂️😂😂
why how
@@jimbo9208 look at comment
@@samlosophy5894 i did that why i asked
@@jimbo9208 I'm guessing you aren't a big hip hop fan lol the debates around this in the hip hop community are endless. You'll never get 2 people to agree on it, so committing to draft a concrete list is asking for trouble 😂
@@jimbo9208 even with #20 being Alright by Kendrick. Most people wouldn't even agree that's his best song, let alone top 20 all time
I can’t be mad at this list...The message will always be number #1
They Reminisce Over You (TROY) reminds me of playing NBA Street Vol 2 😍
I respect #1. I know it definitely had to be on this list somewhere.
But imo lose yourself on #9 isn't deserved and 2Pac on #11 isn't as well...
A lot of these songs would make my list as well, but in a different order. Didn't expect to see Gang Starr in there. I would've included Rakim, A Tribe Called Quest and Bone Thugs. Unless they were in there and I missed it.
Rakim is there
I’m gonna go 80’s and 90’s here and say “Dope!”
This is first and foremost a good list of great hip hop iconic groundbreakers. I would like to add five more of my personal favorites and deep impressions. MC Shan the bridge, boogie down productions South Bronx and the Bridge is over, Queen Latifah Ladies first, De La Soul plug Tunin and B.U.D.D.Y, a Tribe Called Quest Check the rhyme and Scenario🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤
Took a few comments…but, finally someone with a "clue"!
i feel that regulate by warren g and nate dogg should have at least got an honorable mention
My list :
-Jay-Z " Hardknock Life " or "New York "
-Snoops " Gin & Juice or Drop it like it's Hot "
-50 cents " In da Club "
-LL Cool J " Knock you out"
-Tupac feat. Snoop " Amerikaz most Wanted or " All eyez on Me "
-Biggies " Big Poppa"or " Juicy"
-Eminem " Lose Yourself "
-Dr Dre " Still Dre "
- Nas feat Laryn Hill " If I ruled the World "
-NWA' s "Express Yourself"
-Warren G "Regulator"
Lil Kim song wasn't a great song. How could you not have " Regulator " it one the greatest songz of all time. And he's signature.
Kanye west?????
@@bailey3276 he is overrated nas Jay z easy e are way better
Lil Kim is a ICON.
@@John-14798 she is boring and not goog
Interesting video
My top 10
10.) Gangsters Paradise - Coolio
9.) When I B on the Mic - Rakim
8.) I Can - Nas
7.) In Da Club - 50 Cent
6.) Hypnotize - N.B.I.G
5.) It Was A Good Day - Ice Cube
4.) Through My Rear View - Tupac
3.) Still Dre - Dr Dre. Snoop Dogg
2.) Gansters Paradise - Coolio
1.) Lose Yourself - Eminem
Tiktok ah list
Nuttin' but a G Thang is the quintessential song for West Coast rap lovers like myself. Good day, and Gin n Juice are up there as well.
Ok this a nice list but who tf made it "Crossroads " by Bone Thugs N Harmony is one of the greatest songs of all time. I know that there were 15 songs on that list that Crossroads was easily better than. Y'all should've made it a top 50 list.
I love oldschool rap
Thanks