Hip-hop top 100

I was asked on Quora to give a list of my favorite hip-hop songs, because what better source is there than a forty-year-old white dad? (I am literally a mountain climber who plays the electric guitar.) I did grow up in New York City in the 80s, and I do love the music. But ultimately, I’m a tourist in this culture. For a more definitive survey, ask Questlove or someone. These are just songs that I like.

Run-DMC

Afrika Bambaataa

  • Planet Rock

Antipop Consortium

  • Sllab

Audio Two

  • Top Billin’

Biz Markie

  • Nobody Beats the Biz
  • Just a Friend

Black Sheep

  • The Choice Is Yours (Revisited)

Blackalicious

  • Swan Lake

Brand Nubian

  • Wake Up (Reprise In the Sunshine)

Busta Rhymes

  • Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See
  • Woo Hah!! (Got You All In Check)

Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth

  • They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)

Clams Casino

  • I’m God/2Milli Instrumental

Common

  • Testify
  • The Corner (Feat. The Last Poets)

De La Soul

  • I Am I Be
  • Breakadawn
  • The Magic Number
  • Eye Know
  • Me, Myself And I

Dead Prez

  • Hip-Hop

Del Tha Funkee Homosapien

  • Catch a Bad One

Digable Planets

  • Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)

Double Dee & Steinski

  • Lesson 2: The James Brown Mix

Doug E. Fresh

  • La Di Da Di

Dr. Octagon ft. DJ QBert

  • Bear Witness

EPMD

  • So Wat Cha Sayin’

Eric B. & Rakim

  • Follow the Leader
  • I Ain’t No Joke
  • I Know You Got Soul

The Fugees

  • Ready Or Not
  • The Score

Gang Starr

  • Dwyck

Goodie Mob

  • Dirty South
  • Goodie Bag
  • The Day After

Grandmaster Flash

  • The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash On the Wheels of Steel

GZA the Genius

  • Investigative Reports

Ice Cube

  • Down For Whatever

J Dilla

  • Bars & Twists

Jay-Z

  • Izzo (H.O.V.A.)
  • Empire State of Mind (feat. Alicia Keys)

Jay-Z & Danger Mouse

  • December 4th
  • Dirt Off Your Shoulder

Jeru The Damaja

  • Come Clean

Jurassic 5

  • Swing Set

Kanye West

  • Gold Digger (feat. Jamie Foxx)
  • All of the Lights
  • On Sight
  • Love Lockdown
  • Lost In the World (feat. Bon Iver)

Kanye West & Jay-Z

  • No Church in the Wild (feat. Frank Ocean)

KRS-One

  • A Friend

Lauryn Hill

  • Lost Ones
  • Everything Is Everything

Le1f

  • Wut

Lil Mama

  • Lip Gloss

Lil Wayne

  • Let The Beat Build
  • A Milli

Lord Tariq & Peter Gunz

  • Startin’ Somethin’

M.I.A.

  • Galang

Mantronix

  • King Of The Beats

MC Serch

  • Here It Comes Again

Missy Elliott

  • Get Ur Freak On
  • Work It
  • Slide
  • Bad Man (Featuring Vybez Cartel & M.I.A.)

Nas

  • Nas Is Like
  • The World Is Yours

Nice & Smooth

  • Funky For You

The Notorious B.I.G.

  • Unbelievable

Ol’ Dirty Bastard & Kelis

  • Got Your Money

OutKast

  • Ain’t No Thang
  • Ms. Jackson
  • B.O.B

Public Enemy

  • Welcome To The Terrordome
  • Fight The Power

The Roots

  • The Lesson – Part III (It’s Over Now) feat. Jaguar & Dice Raw
  • All I Know

Run-DMC

  • My Adidas
  • Peter Piper
  • It’s Tricky
  • Walk This Way
  • Sucker M.C.’S

Salt-N-Pepa

  • Push It

Slum Village

  • 2U 4U

Snoop Dogg

  • Murder Was The Case
  • Gz And Hustlas

A Tribe Called Quest

  • Can I Kick It?
  • Electric Relaxation
  • Buggin’ Out
  • Verses from the Abstract
  • Check the Rhime
  • Award Tour
  • God Lives Through

Wu-Tang Clan

  • Shame On A N*gga
  • Da Mystery Of Chessboxin’
  • Ain’t Nothin’ Ta Fuck Wit
  • C.R.E.A.M.

YZ

  • Thinking of a Master Plan

Z-Trip

  • U Can Get With Discs Or U Can Get With D.A.T.

3 replies on “Hip-hop top 100”

    1. I made this playlist in iTunes and intended to import it into Spotify, but apparently you can’t do that anymore. I’m trying to find a workaround, will keep you posted.

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