Best Rap Songs of All Time

[LadyT]

Mobb Deep (Lil' Kim) - Shook Ones/Quiet Storm

Biggie Smalls - Unbelievable/Big Poppa

Tupac - I Get Around/Brenda's Got a Baby/I Ain't Mad at Cha

Ghetto Boys - My Mind is Playing Tricks on Me

Eminem - Mosh

Talib Kweli - I try


-------------------------------------

Some Recent favorites:

Rick Ross - Hustlin'
Kanye West - I can't Live My Life

[Damocles]

Isn't this like asking what the best poke with a sharp stick felt like?

[uscitizen]

Isn't this like asking what the best poke with a sharp stick felt like?

Amen to that brother Damocles.

[LadyT]

:rolleyes:
I'm sure somewhere there is a rap song that you like. You just haven't been introduced to it yet.

[LadyT]

Actually Damo, you hate jazz too, so your opinions on music is suspect to begin with.

[uscitizen]

I like Jazz, but rap.......No way. Just not my rythm/beat. And I am not at all impressed by the crowd that generates it.

[uscitizen]

Frank Zappa did some great Jazz, minnie ripperton, Taj Mahal, Chick Corea, etc...

[DigitalDave]

Rappers Delight - Sugarhill Gang

[klaatu]

:rolleyes:
I'm sure somewhere there is a rap song that you like. You just haven't been introduced to it yet.

Although I dont consider RAP music ... and please dont peg me as a racist for saying that ..because I love the old Motown and Atlantic stuff... Temptations are one of my alltime faves ... yes ..when it comes to music I do live in the past ...

I dig some of the stuff that Tupac did ... and I also like the song from the movie where Michelle Pfeiffer was a school teacher .. Dangerous Minds ...

[Dixie - In Memoriam]

1. Eminem- Sing For The Moment
2. Nelly- Angel
3. R Kelly- Ignition
4. Run DMC- Walk This Way
5. Sugarhill Gang- Rappers Delight

[OrnotBitwise]

:rolleyes:
I'm sure somewhere there is a rap song that you like. You just haven't been introduced to it yet.
At the risk of trotting out a cliche, I can name the one that finally convinced me that it's purely a coincidence that "Rap" rhymes with "crap:" Gangsta's Paradise, Coolio.

[Dixie - In Memoriam]

1. Eminem- Sing For The Moment
2. Nelly- Angel
3. R Kelly- Ignition
4. Run DMC- Walk This Way
5. Sugarhill Gang- Rappers Delight


Of course, this is the opinion of a white guy from Alabama, named Dixie... what do I know about Rap music, eh?;)

[klaatu]

Although I dont consider RAP music ... and please dont peg me as a racist for saying that ..because I love the old Motown and Atlantic stuff... Temptations are one of my alltime faves ... yes ..when it comes to music I do live in the past ...

I dig some of the stuff that Tupac did ... and I also like the song from the movie where Michelle Pfeiffer was a school teacher .. Dangerous Minds ...

GANGSTA'S PARADISE"!!

[Damocles]

:rolleyes:
I'm sure somewhere there is a rap song that you like. You just haven't been introduced to it yet.
Having a roommate at DLI while in the Navy who was a white dorkbot from OK playing "Fuck the Police" by NWA 70 million times pretty much has turned me off all rap for all time. I can't hear it without thinking of a dorky Okie shouting "YeeeHah!" while running down the hall with his KKK hand puppet that he made from his pillowcase....

[OrnotBitwise]

Having a roommate at DLI while in the Navy who was a white dorkbot from OK playing "Fuck the Police" by NWA 70 million times pretty much has turned me off all rap for all time. I can't hear it without thinking of a dorky Okie shouting "YeeeHah!" while running down the hall with his KKK hand puppet that he made from his pillowcase....
I vote that Damocles is indeed excused. That image would probably put Spike Lee off Rap.

:igive:

[LadyT]

Gangsta's Paradise is a decent song, I wouldn't call it crap as "someone" ;) did on this thread. But the lyrics and the flow in my opinion don't elevate it to one of the best of all time. The best part of that song IMHO was the beat, which came from Stevie Wonder.

I see a lot of old school choices, "Sugar Hill", nice picks.

But Dixie, dixie, dixie.....did you just put Nelly on a list of greatest rap songs of all time???? I think Nelly is the poster child for what's gone wrong with rap these days.

[LadyT]

...and by the way, klaatu's a racist.

:pke:

[OrnotBitwise]

Gangsta's Paradise is a decent song, I wouldn't call it crap as "someone" ;) did on this thread. But the lyrics and the flow in my opinion don't elevate it to one of the best of all time. The best part of that song IMHO was the beat, which came from Stevie Wonder.

I see a lot of old school choices, "Sugar Hill", nice picks.

But Dixie, dixie, dixie.....did you just put Nelly on a list of greatest rap songs of all time???? I think Nelly is the poster child for what's gone wrong with rap these days.
Hey, wait a minute! If you're referring to me, I was saying the opposite. I sat down and listened to GP -- after the Grammies -- and that's when I decided that Rap isn't (necessarily) crap. :(

What impressed me about it was the poetry. I almost prefer reading it to hearing it, which I suppose means that it's a flawed piece of music. :)

[LadyT]

Hey, wait a minute! If you're referring to me, I was saying the opposite. I sat down and listened to GP -- after the Grammies -- and that's when I decided that Rap isn't (necessarily) crap. :(

What impressed me about it was the poetry. I almost prefer reading it to hearing it, which I suppose means that it's a flawed piece of music. :)

Oh! My bad! I read something completely different. Sorry about that. I stand corrected.

[klaatu]

...and by the way, klaatu's a racist.

:pke:


God I hope you are kidding with that .. because I know deep in their hearts ... most of the Mowtown and Atlantic legends would agree with me that a large part of RAP is not music... at least to my ears ... :nono:

[LadyT]

God I hope you are kidding with that .. because I know deep in their hearts ... most of the Mowtown and Atlantic legends would agree with me that a large part of RAP is not music... at least to my ears ... :nono:

Yeah I was serious.

:cof1:

[OrnotBitwise]

Oh! My bad! I read something completely different. Sorry about that. I stand corrected.
No harm, no foul. :)

I have to admit, however, that Amish Paradise remains one of my all-time favorite parodies. Sorry, Coolio, but it's just too damned funny.

:chesh:

[Cypress]

Beastie Boys: Sabotage

[klaatu]

Yeah I was serious.

:cof1:

Hurts sooo bad .... :ouch:

[LadyT]

No harm, no foul.

I have to admit, however, that Amish Paradise remains one of my all-time favorite parodies. Sorry, Coolio, but it's just too damned funny.

What's weird al doing these days?

[LadyT]

Hurts sooo bad .... :ouch:

:whip:
LOL! That'll teach you to have an opinion!

btw thanks, I've been waiting to use that emoticon!

[OrnotBitwise]

No harm, no foul.

I have to admit, however, that Amish Paradise remains one of my all-time favorite parodies. Sorry, Coolio, but it's just too damned funny.

What's weird al doing these days?He's supposed to have a new CD out next month. I'm looking forward to it. A lot.

[Damocles]

Fine...

Anthrax - I'm The Man!

[Cypress]

Run DMC doing "Walk this Way" with Aerosmith = Best. Rap. Video. Ever.

[LadyT]

Run DMC doing "Walk this Way" with Aerosmith = Best. Rap. Video. Ever.

I like Aerosmith and I like that song, however, I'm not really into old school rap that much, I prefer my rap from the early 90s onward.

[LadyT]

Fine...

Anthrax - I'm The Man!

I don't think I know that one.

[IHateGovernment]

Ugh. You guys have bad taste in rap music. Rap is probably my top two favorite music genre I even used to rap in high school and college.

Here are some of the best rap songs in my opinion.

Rakim - Casualties of War

A song about being a soldier in the Gulf War and the mental conflict of fighting against those of the same faith (Rakim is a Muslim). The song is extremely prophetic and even has a verse about planes over New York and comparisons to Pearl Harbor.

KRS-One - The Truth - KRS-One is a rapper's rapper and one of the greatest. My favorite song from him is The Truth. It is basically a critique of dogmatic religion and many of its trappings. He talks about Jesus's death and how if under different circumstances the symbol for Christianity would differ

For Example:

One of the first things we gotta switch around of course
Is Jesus Christ, and him dying on the cross
You're looking at the cross, surrounded in it's mystery
With Jesus on the cross in a, total misery
Now seperate Jesus from the cross so you can see
The truth about the cross, and the cross's history
The cross was created by the Roman government
It's only purpose and use, is cap-i-tal punishment
But Jesus Christ, was all about the revolution
While the cross was used as Jesus Christ's execution
See what if Jesus Christ, was hung upon a tree
Upon every church wall, that's exactly what you'd see
If Jesus Christ, was shot in the head with no respect
We'd all have little gold guns around our neck
If Jesus Christ was killed in electic chair, now get it
You'd be knealing to the electric chair with Jesus, still in it
You gaze upon the cross, and you see the execution
You yell stop the violence but the cross you're still using

Geto Boys - Mind Playing Tricks On Me. This song better captures paranoia and delusions better than any I know. It highlights how a life of guilt in not doing right leads to fear at every turn. "Then I felt just like a fiend. It wasn't even close to Halloween. It was dark as fuck on the streeet. My hands were all bloody from punching on the concrete."

Ras Kass - Nature of the Threat. This song is not for the faint of heart and is scathing toward the crimes of Whites over the centuries. However the song is chock full of knowledge as a walk through history from the time of the Greeks to the modern day and Ras' incorporation of historical analysis into his rhyme is impressive.

Chino XL - This is a brooding song about his various form of relationships with the women in his life. Reflecting on the past of his mother's favoring of his step father over him strikes a real chord with me. It then moves to the future about his love for his little girl who he has adopted knowing that someday she will use the fact he is not her father against him.

Common w. Lauryn Hill - Retrospect for life. This song is somewhat in the form of an apology to an aborted child. At the same time common give background to justification for what he has done he also confesses that his own actions were selfish and do not ameliorate his choice.

Killah Priest - One step. While not religious myself I enjoy Priests incorporation of scriptural writings into his rhymes. This song talks about the spiritual journey of black people from slavery where there religion was stripped from them to the modern day where false ideas and concepts are embraced.

Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg - Lil Ghetto Boy. This song stands out far in front of the others in the overall great Chronic album. The song is ironic with an opening of hope at the birth of a child and a decree for independence. What follows though is a life of crime and incarceration that seems to go in cycles.

Tupac - Brenda's Got a Baby. This song details how a young girl becomes pregnant, is abused and must ultimately make a hard choice concerning her baby.

Goodie Mob - Soul Food. This is a somewhat more positive song then the others I listed and is about finding strength in everyday occurences. The double meanings with food and life are cleverly done.


Even if you don't like rap music I strongly recommend you give these songs a listen. They adequately stand alone as literary art beyond just the music.

[IHateGovernment]

Oh I also forgot

Bushwick Bill - Fuck a War. This song was also about the Gulf War and critiques war in general as far as how it specifically does not benefit him. Like Casualties of War this song seems very apropos to today's current events.

[Blackflag]

You guys are dumb. The clear winner is:

Rock the Bells - LL Cool J (1985)

[IHateGovernment]

Never was a big LL fan. Dude talked too much about how he was god's gift to women.

[charver]

Livin' the ghetto life, here in the heart of rural England, i know what i'm talking about and it's quite apparent that there is no getting past NWA's - 'Straight Outta Compton'.

Eric B & Rakim's - 'Paid in Full'
Roots Manuva's - 'Witness the Fitness', keeping up the British end

and i've always kind of liked, Luniz - 'I Got 5 On It' (the reprise version)

[IHateGovernment]

Good picks charver.

BTW I've heard of Roots Manuva. Pretty cool stuff.

[uscitizen]

Dixie is a white guy ?

[IHateGovernment]

No he's 1/64 black.

[klaatu]

Ugh. You guys have bad taste in rap music. Rap is probably my top two favorite music genre I even used to rap in high school and college.


This explaines everything about you ... especially the retarded comment about the Beatles ... ;)

[IHateGovernment]

A lot of people agree with me not just hip-hop headz. :D

[klaatu]

A lot of people agree with me not just hip-hop headz. :D

Hey .. I have daughters who are Korn freaks ... I know all about the lost generation ... lost in the head .. lost in mind, body and spirit .... blame Bush for it .... :burn:

[tianabautre]

[QUOTE=IHateGovernment;8754]Ugh. You guys have bad taste in rap music. Rap is probably my top two favorite music genre I even used to rap in high school and college.

Here are some of the best rap songs in my opinion.

"Rakim - Casualties of War "
Can't recall that one.


"KRS-One - The Truth - KRS-One is a rapper's rapper and one of the greatest."

Good one.

"Geto Boys - Mind Playing Tricks On Me. "

I concur definitely one of the greatest of all time.

"Chino XL - This is a brooding song about his various form of relationships with the women in his life. "

Not familiar with him

"Common w. Lauryn Hill - Retrospect for life."

I like that one. The video's pretty good too.

"Killah Priest - One step. "

Eh.

"Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg - Lil Ghetto Boy."

two thumbs up

"Tupac - Brenda's Got a Baby. "
I concur - its on my list too.....I guess that means you have bad taste in rap music too! ;) ;p

[IHateGovernment]

Your daughters will most likely say the same about their daughters. "Back in my day we used to listen to good music like Korn. Now it's all nonsense music."

Your parents probably said something similar. As far as rap music goes I cannot listen to most of what has come out in recent years. This is most likely because my tastes have become somewhat fixed. If I was born ten years later I might like it.

[tianabautre]

and i've always kind of liked, Luniz - 'I Got 5 On It' (the reprise version)

This one NEVER GETS old! Classic.

[IHateGovernment]

Tiana. Casualties of war came out in the early nineties so you might have missed it. It was something I discoverd later wasn't listening to Rakim then.

As for Chino and Killah Priest there not MTV rappers and don't get much airplay. Those who are really into lyricists though will definitely name them as among the best.

[Sir Evil]

:rolleyes:
I'm sure somewhere there is a rap song that you like. You just haven't been introduced to it yet.

Rap? outside of mixing up some decent lyrics this has to be the most untalented kind of music going. Maybe not as much in the old days but anymore it's a bunch of music sampling, ripping off others songs and rapping lyrics of a different klind over it. I would rather listen to music with more to it than this, just my opinion though, and I know that sucks around here!:cof1:

[tianabautre]

Tiana. Casualties of war came out in the early nineties so you might have missed it. It was something I discoverd later wasn't listening to Rakim then.

As for Chino and Killah Priest there not MTV rappers and don't get much airplay. Those who are really into lyricists though will definitely name them as among the best.

I thought I knew who killa preist was, but I think I'm getting him confused with another killa.

[Dixie - In Memoriam]

Rap? outside of mixing up some decent lyrics this has to be the most untalented kind of music going.

I used to feel the same way. I began to gain artistic respect for rap in listening to Eminem, which my kids would not allow me to escape... what I found, once I opened my mind, was a very talented kid with an ability to express himself through his songs, in a very candid and revealing way, and with a raw emotion that is rare and special in art. A true artist, allows you into their soul to feel their pain, know their sorrow. Mathers does this, and does it in a medium that is defiant from the norm, almost by creative design. I honestly think he is one of the most brilliant artists of our times.

[BRUTALITOPS]

Gangsta's Paradise is a decent song, I wouldn't call it crap as "someone" ;) did on this thread. But the lyrics and the flow in my opinion don't elevate it to one of the best of all time. The best part of that song IMHO was the beat, which came from Stevie Wonder.

I see a lot of old school choices, "Sugar Hill", nice picks.

But Dixie, dixie, dixie.....did you just put Nelly on a list of greatest rap songs of all time???? I think Nelly is the poster child for what's gone wrong with rap these days.

I don't pay much attention to any of it, what does he do differently/worse than the others?

[klaatu]

Your daughters will most likely say the same about their daughters. "Back in my day we used to listen to good music like Korn. Now it's all nonsense music."

Your parents probably said something similar. As far as rap music goes I cannot listen to most of what has come out in recent years. This is most likely because my tastes have become somewhat fixed. If I was born ten years later I might like it.

Ahhh .. thats where you are wrong ... while my parents cringed at the thought of me listening to the rock stars of my day ... I actaully had respect for the Stars of their generation. There is no way I could say anything negative about the talents of Sinatra, Dino, Tony Bennett or the R&R Stars from the generation before me ....the 50's.
Or... I'll even go one step further ... The Big Band Era of the 30's and 40's ... these were tremendous musicians..... real musicians ... you cannot even begin to compare the talentless bullshit over the airwaves today to that of the big band era ...