WTOP Top 100 Hip-Hop Songs of All Time

[o.m.]

Washington's Top News published this list this summer...For those interested here are the usual suspects...Sadly only two journalists mentionned...
http://wtop.com/entertainment/2015/08/b ... s/slide/1/

1. Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five — “The Message”
2. Sugarhill Gang — “Rapper’s Delight”
3. Public Enemy — “Fight The Power”
4. N.W.A. – “Straight Outta Compton”
5. Afrika Bambaataa & Soul Sonic Force — “Planet Rock”
6. Dr. Dre ft. Snoop Dogg — “Nuthin But A ‘G’ Thang”
7. Run-DMC ft. Aerosmith — “Walk This Way”
8. Doug E. Fresh & The Get Fresh Crew — “La Di Da Di”
9. Notorious B.I.G. – “Juicy”
10. 2 Pac — “Keep Ya Head Up”
11. Wu-Tang Clan — “C.R.E.A.M.”
12. Marley Marl — “The Symphony”
13. Eminem — “Lose Yourself”
14. Salt-N-Pepa — “Push It”
15. Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock — “It Takes Two”
16. Jay Z ft. Alicia Keys — “Empire State of Mind”
17. Digital Underground — “The Humpty Dance”
18. L.L. Cool J — “Mama Said Knock You Out”
19. De La Soul — “Me, Myself, And I”
20. Outkast — “Hey Ya”
21. Beastie Boys — “Paul Revere”
22. House Of Pain — “Jump Around”
23. Eric B and Rakim — “Paid in Full”
24. A Tribe Called Quest — “Scenario”
25. MC Hammer — “U Can’t Touch This”
26. Audio Two — “Top Billin”
27. Biz Markie — “Just A Friend”
28. Snoop Doggy Dogg — “Gin and Juice”
29. Doug E. Fresh & the Get Fresh Crew — “The Show”
30. Kurtis Blow — “The Breaks”
31. Naughty By Nature — “OPP”
32. Bone Thugs-N-Harmony — “Tha Crossroads”
33. Young MC — “Bust A Move”
34. Dr. Dre ft. Eminem — “Forgot About Dre”
35. Nas — “One Love”
36. Boogie Down Productions — “South Bronx”
37. Sir Mix-A-Lot — “Baby Got Back”
38. Missy Elliott — “Get Ur Freak On”
39. 50 Cent — “In Da Club”
40. Nelly — “Hot In Herre”
41. Warren G ft. Nate Dogg — “Regulate”
42. DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince — “Summertime”
43. Mobb Deep — “Shook Ones Part II”
44. Eminem — “Stan”
45. Cypress Hill — “Insane In The Brain”
46. Arrested Development — “Tennessee”
47. Kool Moe Dee — “How Ya Like Me Now”
48. Tone-Loc — “Wild Thing”
49. Ice Cube — “It Was A Good Day”
50. Puff Daddy ft. Notorious B.I.G., Lil’ Kim and The Lox — “It’s All About The Benjamins”
51. Roxanne Shante — “Roxanne’s Revenge”
52. Digable Planets — “Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)”
53. Big Daddy Kane — “Ain’t No Half Steppin”
54. 2 Pac & Dr. Dre — “California Love”
55. L.L. Cool J — “I Need Love”
56. Kanye West — “Jesus Walks”
57. Slick Rick — “Children’s Story”
58. Jay-Z — “99 Problems”
59. Lil’ Kim ft. Lil’ Cease — “Crush on You”
60. Notorious B.I.G. – “Big Poppa”
61. Pete Rock & CL Smooth — “They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y)”
62. Queen Latifah ft. Monie Love — “Ladies First”
63. Coolio — “Gangsta’s Paradise”
64. The Roots — “The Next Movement”
65. Funky 4 + 1 — “That’s the Joint”
66. Whodini — “Freaks Come Out at Night”
67. EPMD — “You Gots To Chill”
68. Run-DMC — “It’s Like That”
69. 2 Live Crew — “Me So Horny”
70. Beastie Boys — “So What’chu Want”
71. Outkast — “B.O.B.”
72. 3(rd) Bass — “Pop Goes the Weasel”
73. Jay-Z — “Hard Knock Life” (Ghetto Anthem)”
74. UTFO — “Roxanne Roxanne”
75. Common — “I Used to Love H.E.R.”
76. Three 6 Mafia ft. Paula Campbell — “Hard Out Here For A Pimp”
77. Black Sheep — “The Choice Is Yours”
78. Puff Daddy, Mase, Notorious B.I.G. – “Mo Money, Mo Problems”
79. Ludacris ft. Shawna — “What’s Your Fantasy”
80. Geto Boys — “Mind Playing Tricks On Me”
81. Method Man ft. Mary J. Blige — “I’ll Be There For You/You’re All I Need to Get By”
82. A Tribe Called Quest — “Check the Rhime”
83. Lil’ Wayne ft. Juvenile, BG — “Tha Block Is Hot”
84. Ice T — “Colors”
85. DMX — “Ruff Ryders’ Anthem”
86. Heavy D. and the Boyz — “Now That We Found Love”
87. Eric B and Rakim — “Don’t Sweat the Technique”
88. Craig Mack, Rampage, Notorious BIG, LL Cool J, Busta Rhymes — “Flava in Ya Ear (Remix)”
89. Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz ft. Ying Yang Twins — “Get Low”
90. Master P ft. Silk, Fiend, Mia-x and Mystical — “Make ‘Em Say Ugh”
91. Big Punisher ft. Joe — “Still Not A Player”
92. Wyclef Jean ft. Refugee All Stars — “We Tryin’ to Stay Alive”
93. MC Lyte — “Paper Thin”
94. J.J. Fad — “Supersonic”
95. Ol’ Dirty Bastard — “Brooklyn Zoo”
96. Busta Rhymes — “Woo-Ha! Got You All In Check”
97. Chubb Rock — “Treat ‘Em Right”
98. Black Star (Mos Def & Talib Kweli) – “Definition”
99. Yo-Yo — “Can’t Play with my Yo-Yo”
100. Kid ‘n Play — “Rollin’ With Kid N Play”

[Nick]

It's hard to argue with a lot of these picks, but did this list come from an alternate universe where all hip-hop was outlawed in 2005? The most recent song here I can find is "Jesus Walks" from 2004. Rock critics are bad enough when it comes to an extreme bias for the past. It looks like rap critics aren't above that either.

[bootsy]

It's hard to argue with a lot of these picks, but did this list come from an alternate universe where all hip-hop was outlawed in 2005? The most recent song here I can find is "Jesus Walks" from 2004. Rock critics are bad enough when it comes to an extreme bias for the past. It looks like rap critics aren't above that either.

There are a couple more from 2005 - current:
Three 6 Mafia - "It's Hard Out Here For Pimp"
Jay Z ft. Alicia Keys — “Empire State of Mind”

I really don't think there should be very many songs from 2005 on this list. Which ones should be there in your opinion. I'm not a big songs person anyway but what great memorable hip hop songs from 2005 to now should be on this list?

[Nick]

I really don't think there should be very many songs from 2005 on this list. Which ones should be there in your opinion. I'm not a big songs person anyway but what great memorable hip hop songs from 2005 to now should be on this list?

Well the total absence of anything Kanye West (other than "Jesus Walks" from 2004) is pretty shocking. No "Gold Digger"? No "Flashing Lights"? No "Runaway"? Also, Kendrick Lamar definitely deserves at least one song there. Maybe "Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe" or "The Blacker the Berry".

Other than that there are a handful of others that could've easily made the list, some of which are among the most ubiquitous rap songs of the past ten years. "Paper Planes", "Shutterbugg", "Yonkers", "Never Catch Me", "Close Your Eyes (And Count to Fuck)", "Hate It or Love It", "International Player's Anthem", and "212" are all more than worthy candidates for the list, and all are well known enough to have been realistically included.

Hip-hop has only been around since 1979 or so. It's a 36 year old genre, and this list essentially pretends that the last 1/3rd of its existence never happened.

[bootsy]

I really don't think there should be very many songs from 2005 on this list. Which ones should be there in your opinion. I'm not a big songs person anyway but what great memorable hip hop songs from 2005 to now should be on this list?

Well the total absence of anything Kanye West (other than "Jesus Walks" from 2004) is pretty shocking. No "Gold Digger"? No "Flashing Lights"? No "Runaway"? Also, Kendrick Lamar definitely deserves at least one song there. Maybe "Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe" or "The Blacker the Berry".

Other than that there are a handful of others that could've easily made the list, some of which are among the most ubiquitous rap songs of the past ten years. "Paper Planes", "Shutterbugg", "Yonkers", "Never Catch Me", "Close Your Eyes (And Count to Fuck)", "Hate It or Love It", "International Player's Anthem", and "212" are all more than worthy candidates for the list, and all are well known enough to have been realistically included.

Hip-hop has only been around since 1979 or so. It's a 36 year old genre, and this list essentially pretends that the last 1/3rd of its existence never happened.

Well first they pretty much picked 1 song and in some cases 2 songs for all of the artist so expecting a lot of Kanye on this list is probably asking for too much. I love Kanye but he shouldn't be dominating a list like this.This is the greatest hip hop songs of all time. Not of the 2000s or 2010s but OF ALL TIME.

Secondly "Paper Planes"(not a hip hop song), "Shutterbugg", "Yonkers", "Never Catch Me", "Close Your Eyes (And Count to Fuck)", "Hate It or Love It", "International Player's Anthem", and "212". These are all good songs but aren't great songs and definitely not better than the ones on this list. Again this is greatest hip hop songs of all time. Not great songs of the past 10 years. You also have to factor in familiarity. The songs you listed I've heard of but the average non-hip hop fan hasn't. That plays a part in this list.

Yes hip hop has been around since the late 70s early 80s and it's golden age is the late 80s and 90s so it is rightfully so that this list should be dominated from songs from that era. I have no problem with this list. I grew up as a kid with many songs on this list and those songs are the best IMO.

[Henrik]

but OF ALL TIME

That's what Nick said too.

Anyway, I think this is ineligible as it's a genre list from a non-genre source. (Also, only two writers and they use popularity as a criterion for their list.)

[Henrik]

There's this one from 2009 though:

16. Jay Z ft. Alicia Keys — “Empire State of Mind”

[bootsy]

There's this one from 2009 though:

16. Jay Z ft. Alicia Keys — “Empire State of Mind”

That's what bootsy said too.

It's hard to argue with a lot of these picks, but did this list come from an alternate universe where all hip-hop was outlawed in 2005? The most recent song here I can find is "Jesus Walks" from 2004. Rock critics are bad enough when it comes to an extreme bias for the past. It looks like rap critics aren't above that either.

There are a couple more from 2005 - current:
Three 6 Mafia - "It's Hard Out Here For Pimp"
Jay Z ft. Alicia Keys — “Empire State of Mind”

I really don't think there should be very many songs from 2005 on this list. Which ones should be there in your opinion. I'm not a big songs person anyway but what great memorable hip hop songs from 2005 to now should be on this list?

[Henrik]

Sorry bootsy, I missed that.

[bootsy]

Sorry bootsy, I missed that.

No problem. It's good to have backup just in case.