Best Hip-Hop Songs of All Time

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   N.Y. State of Mind

   Nas · from Illmatic (1994)

   Peerless street writing.

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   Juicy

   The Notorious B.I.G. · from Ready to Die (1994)

   The definitive come-up story.

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   Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang

   Dr. Dre · from The Chronic (1992)

   The G-funk blueprint.

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   B.O.B.

   OutKast · from Stankonia (2000)

   Frantic, futuristic and thrilling.

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   Alright

   Kendrick Lamar · from To Pimp a Butterfly (2015)

   A jazz-funk protest anthem.

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   Stronger

   Kanye West · from Graduation (2007)

   A Daft Punk sample turned stadium hit.

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   C.R.E.A.M.

   Wu-Tang Clan · from Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) (1993)

   A soul loop and two classic verses.

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   Bring the Noise

   Public Enemy · from It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back (1988)

   A wall of sound and fury.

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   99 Problems

   Jay-Z · from The Black Album (2003)

   A Rick Rubin beat and a fearless verse.

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    The Real Slim Shady

    Eminem · from The Marshall Mathers LP (2000)

    Provocative, funny and razor-sharp.

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    Doo Wop (That Thing)

    Lauryn Hill · from The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998)

    Soulful and effortlessly cool.

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    Can I Kick It?

    A Tribe Called Quest · from People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm (1990)

    Jazzy, playful and warm.

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    The World Is Yours

    Nas · from Illmatic (1994)

    The dream realised on wax — sparse Primo beat, maximum Nas.

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    99 Problems

    Jay-Z · from The Black Album (2003)

    The Rick Rubin collaboration that hit hardest.

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    HUMBLE.

    Kendrick Lamar · from DAMN. (2017)

    The most-streamed moment of Kendrick's imperial phase.

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    Ms. Jackson

    OutKast · from Stankonia (2000)

    Andre 3000 at his most vulnerable and melodic.

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    Mo Money Mo Problems

    The Notorious B.I.G. · from Life After Death (1997)

    Pure joy from the posthumous record.

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18. 18
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    Can I Kick It?

    A Tribe Called Quest · from People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm (1990)

    Jazz-rap at its most effortless.

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    Gold Digger

    Kanye West · from Late Registration (2005)

    The Ray Charles flip that made him a pop star.

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    Protect Ya Neck

    Wu-Tang Clan · from Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) (1993)

    Nine MCs and one of the all-time chaotic group performances.

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    Swimming Pools (Drank)

    Kendrick Lamar · from good kid, m.A.A.d city (2012)

    The crossover hit that kept its complexity.

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    It's Like That

    Run-DMC · from Run-D.M.C. (1984)

    The record that made hip-hop sound like nothing before it.

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23. 23
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    Get Ur Freak On

    Missy Elliott · from Miss E... So Addictive (2001)

    Timbaland and Missy at the peak of their telepathy.

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