VH1's 100 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs
VH1's at it again, asking readers of their .com to rank music for a televised special. The 100 Greatest Hip Hop Songs series will run each night this week and, somehow, does not feature Asher Roth at #1. Pretty hard to argue with the greatness of the majority of artists on this list, although we're sure it'll happen anyway. That, and a torrent compiling all of these MP3s:
100 Biz Markie - "Just A Friend"
99 Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz ft/ Ying Yang Twins - "Get Low"
98 Warren G ft. Nate Dogg - "Regulate"
97 Eve - "Who's that Girl"
96 DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince - "Parents Just Don't Understand"
95 L'Trimm - "Cars With The Boom"
94 Master P ft. Sikk, Fiend, Mia-x and Mystical - "Make 'Em Say Ugh"
93 N.E.R.D. ft. Lee Harvey and Vida - "Lapdance"
92 Yo-Yo - "Can't Play with my Yo-Yo"
91 Chamillionaire ft. Krayzie Bone - "Ridin'"
90 Pete Rock & CL Smooth - "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y)"
89 Cam'ron - "Oh Boy"
88 Jungle Brothers - "What U Waitin' 4"
87 Wyclef Jean ft. Refugee All Stars - "We Tryin' to Stay Alive"
86 Heavy D. and the Boyz - "Now That We Found Love"
85 Black Star - "Definition"
84 UTFO - "Roxanne Roxanne"
83 2 Live Crew - "Me So Horny"
82 Chubb Rock - "Treat 'Em Right"
81 PM Dawn - "Set Adrift On Memory Bliss"
80 Three 6 Mafia ft. Paula Campbell- "Hard Out Here For A Pimp"
79 DMX - "Ruff Ryders' Anthem (Stop Drop)"
78 Arrested Development - "Tennessee"
77 Cold Crush Brothers - "Cold Crush Bros. at the Dixie"
76 Big Punisher ft. Joe- "Still Not A Player"
75 Lil' Kim ft. Lil' Cease- "Crush on You"
74 EPMD - "You Gots To Chill"
73 Black Sheep - "The Choice Is Yours"
72 J.J. Fad - "Supersonic"
71 Whodini - "Freaks Come Out at Night"
70 3(rd) Bass - "Pop Goes the Weasel"
69 Common - "I Used to Love H.E.R."
68 T.I. - "What You Know"
67 Mase - "Feel So Good"
66 House Of Pain - "Jump Around"
65 Spoonie Gee and The Treacherous Three - "Love Rap"
64 The Roots - "What they Do"
63 Kid 'n Play - "Rollin' With Kid N Play"
62 Digable Planets - "Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)"
61 Slick Rick - "Children's Story"
60 L.L. Cool J - "I Need Love"
59 Ol' Dirty Bastard - "Shimmy Shimmy Ya"
58 Ludacris ft. Shawna- "What's Your Fantasy"
57 Big Daddy Kane - "I Get the Job Done"
56 Busta Rhymes - "Woo-Ha! Got You All In Check"
55 Terror Squad ft/ Fat Joe and Remy - "Lean Back"
54 MC Lyte - "Cha Cha Cha"
53 Lox ft. DMX and Lil' Kim - "Money, Power, Respect"
52 Foxy Brown ft. Jay-Z - "I'll Be"
51 Doug E. Fresh & the Get Fresh Crew - "The Show"
50 Lil' Wayne - "Tha Block Is Hot"
49 Boogie Down Productions - "My Philosophy"
48 Nas - "One Love"
47 Young MC - "Bust A Move"
46 De La Soul - "Me, Myself, And I"
45 Geto Boys - "Mind Playing Tricks On Me"
44 Method Man ft/ Mary J. Blige - "I'll Be There For You/You're All I Need to Get By"
43 Game, The ft. 50 Cent - "Hate It or Love It"
42 Roxanne Shante - "Roxanne's Revenge"
41 Funky 4 + 1 - "That's the Joint"
40 Run-DMC - "It's Like That"
39 Tone-Loc - "Wild Thing"
38 Coolio - "Gangsta's Paradise"
37 Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock - "It Takes Two"
36 Nelly - "Hot In Herre"
35 Queen Latifah ft. Monie Love - "Ladies First"
34 Cypress Hill - "Insane In The Brain"
33 Bone Thugs-N-Harmony - "Tha Crossroads"
32 Puff Daddy & The Family ft/ Notorious B.I.G., Lil' Kim and The Lox - "It's All About The Benjamins"
31 Kool Moe Dee - "How Ya Like Me Now"
30 Tribe Called Quest - "Check the Rhime"
29 Digital Underground - "The Humpty Dance"
28 Ice Cube - "It Was A Good Day"
27 Beastie Boys - "Hold it Now, Hit it"
26 MC Hammer - "U Can't Touch This"
25 Fugees - "Killing Me Softly"
24 Eric B and Rakim - "Paid in Full"
23 Outkast - "B.O.B."
22 Naughty By Nature - "OPP"
21 Afrika Bambaataa & Soul Sonic Force- "Planet Rock"
20 Kanye West ft/ Jamie Foxx - "Gold Digger"
19 Ice T - "Colors"
18 50 Cent - "In Da Club"
17 Sir Mix-A-Lot - "Baby Got Back"
16 Missy Elliott - "Get Ur Freak On"
15 Eminem - "Stan"
14 Tupac - "I Get Around"
13 Wu-Tang Clan - "C.R.E.A.M."
12 L.L. Cool J - "I Can't Live Without My Radio"
11 Jay-Z - "Hard Knock Life"
10 Kurtis Blow - "The Breaks"
09 Salt-N-Pepa - "Push It"
08 Snoop Doggy Dogg - "Gin and Juice"
07 Notorious B.I.G. - "Juicy"
06 N.W.A. - "Straight Outta Compton"
05 Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five - "The Message"
04 Run-DMC ft/ Aerosmith - "Walk This Way"
03 Dr. Dre - "Nuthin But A 'G' Thang"
02 Sugarhill Gang - "Rapper's Delight"
01 Public Enemy - "Fight The Power"
Wonder if we're gonna see a Kanye blog post on this one. VH1's 100 Greatest Hip Hop Songs is on at 10PM all week.
Posted at 9:42 AM by amrit
Tags: Public Enemy
No Beastie Boys...are they INSANE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11111
Score = -36
I don't mean to split hairs TRock, but the Beastie Boys are totally on the list (#27). Read first, then complain.
Speaking of complaints, if any Beastie Boys song belongs on the list it's "Paul Revere." And PE's "Rebel Without a Pause" is better than "Fight the Power" by about 50 miles. Hell, they have at least ten songs better than "Fight the Power."
I guess I can understand just one song per artist, but at least get it right. "One Love" isn't even the best song on Illmatic, much less the best Nas song ever. And no "You're A Customer" by EPMD? Kill yourself VH-1.
Score = 17
Beastie Boyz had #27
Score = -6
True indeed. The best Jewish Rappers Ever. Paul Revere gots to be up there. Replace Eminem ass.
Score = -6
this list is an insult to hip hop. no gangstarr? mc hammer? shit is weak
Score = 9
90 Pete Rock & CL Smooth - "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y)"
Ouch !!!I Bet that was a typo or something that track deserved to number 9. That song is number one on my list I don't give a F@#k what anybody says
Score = 10
yo i cant freaking believe that crap
that song deserved number 6 man
EXTREMELY hot beat
it has one of the best stories to ever be told!
1992!
i mean it takes a genius to create lyrics such as those!
that is a true insult to modern day hip-hop its just weak. idc
imo alotta tracks shouldn't be on.
i.e
99 Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz ft/ Ying Yang Twins - "Get Low"
55 Terror Squad ft/ Fat Joe and Remy - "Lean Back"
they were hot songs but like... they dont deserve top 100 material =/
vh1 u disappoint me
Score = 3
Exactly. that shit was a smack in the face. they had lean back ahead of it.
Score = -1
# 27 dumbass!
Score = 0
NO SHOOK ONES PT 2
NO ANTE UP REMIX
NO DEAR MAMA
NO GOT 5 ON IT
NO TEAR THA CLUB UP
NO HYPNOTIZE
NO BIG PIMPIN
FAILED LIST
Score = 2
Ummmm... this is for Hip-Hop, not Rap. Unfortunately, there's less and less Hip-Hop these days.
Score = 0
Why do people INSIST on saying that hip hop and rap are different? "Hip Hop" refers to a cultural movement and "rap" is the music of that culture. Saying, "I like Hip Hop" is just short for saying, "I like Hip Hop music" which is long for saying, "I like rap".
End of story.
Score = 1
J5 should be on here
Score = 1
i totally agree...that, and no eric b. and rakim, i.e., "I Got Soul"...
Score = 2
I guess I see why VH1 doesn't really play hip-hop cuz they don't know anything...Eric B and Rakim "My Melody" is not even on the list!?!?!? I think Scorl3y's top 10 is much much better. WTF was the criteria? Some of the VH1 picks didn't even have decent lyrics, memorable beats, or the longevity for consideration.
When's BETs Top 100 come out?? ;)
Score = 0
Who did this list? Are they insane? Erik B & Rakim not in the top #3!! WTF
Score = 7
Suddenly I realize how little I know about, listen to, or care about Hip Hop. Well... back to the new Department of Eagles Album!
Score = -7
Beasties are on list with Hold it now,hit it at 27. Great songs that are missing are Glamorous Life by Cool C, My Part of Town by Tuff Crew,I'm Bad by LL Cool J, Jam on It by Newcleus, I'll House Ya by The Jungle Brothers,It's Tricky by RunDmc,Poison by BBD,and Paul Rever by The BeastieBoys. Take the following off the list L'Trimm(sorry Tigre and Bunny),PeteRock and Cl Smooth , ColdCrushBrothers , Common , SpoonieG , LittleWayne and Funky 4 + 1. Some songs on list aren't even the best song by the artist, Kool Moe Dee's best song is WilWildWest,Tupac's best song is California Love, Sir Mixalot's best song is Posse on Broadway. Curtis Blowe's best song is Basketball, and PE's best song is Rebel without a Pause.
Score = -4
calm down number 27 dude
Score = 0
beastier boys is number 27!!
:P
Score = 0
Steady B???? Stesasonic????
Score = 0
B.O.B. is an intereisting choice....
Score = -6
I think B.O.B. is Outkast's most complete single. It's a fantastic choice - it's impossible to not dance to that song!!
Score = 4
this is pretty terrible, as expected, considering vh1's demo. one of many complaints: only one nas song? and "one love"? great, but not his best. 50 cent has two better songs than that, apparently. BARF
Score = 9
Hm. It's sorely missing "Do The Digs Dug" by The Goats. And maybe, just for fun, "Lovely" by Bubba Sparxxx.
Score = -4
Over Typical American? Both are great, but TA has some real fire.
Score = -1
Aside from only including one song per artist (not including "featurings") is idiotic, and the one song chosen for each artist is occasionally ridiculous, but those are things I'd expect from VH1. Otherwise... not nearly as awful as I would've imagined. I was expecting much, much worse.
Score = 3
I don't care about the list itself. Of course it's way off. I'm just excited that the guy who always comments about Clipse on bafflingly irrelevant posts--"Man, who cares about My Bloody Valentine? Clipse is way better than them!!!"-- can go to town here.
Take it away, Clipse guy.
Score = 5
The fact that "U Can't Touch This" makes the list makes it completely irrelevant.
Score = 15
LOL!! I agree 100%!!!!
Score = -1
white people make a list about rap music, then other white people complain about it
Score = 44
eggs actly!!!!
Score = -4
So white people shouldn't listen to (and have an opinion about) hip-hop? What are you even talking about?
Score = 9
FAIL
Score = -1
There should be a LOT of Wu related shit on here, like:
Glaciers of Ice
4th Chamber
Triumph
Bring The Pain
Hell, 98% of the tracks RZA produced in the '90s are better than anything on this list (Master P?! What the fuck!). Oh yeah, Nas' "Represent" is the best hip-hop song ever.
Score = 2
the list is interesting. Even though I'm not a fan myself, it's weird seeing songs by T.I and Kanye West because they are still so recent.
A list of the 100 greatest hip hop songs of all time is arbitrary though at this point in the music. Rap has been around long enough that it contains way more than 100 songs. They maybe should have chosen a certain time period or looked at the most "influential" songs (i.e. self destruction, the bridge is over, f@#% the police, etc) making it like a historical thing.
although given that it's just a list randomly selected by people who (read?) watch VH1, you can't really complain, it's a pretty good playlist to put on at a party anyways
Score = 1
Well clearly it's not a strict "one song per artist" rule since LL Cool J is on there twice, which makes every other omission by artists who are on there only once all the more glaring.
Score = 0
They should've replaced "I Need Love" with "Mama Said Knock You Out"
Score = 4
run-dmc is also on there twice #40 & #4
Score = 1
First off, Triumph by teh Wu Tang Clan is easily the best rap song of all time. Easily.
Also, I'm a little disappointed that Mos Def didn't make the list. Ms. Fat Booty is a great hip hop song.
And speaking of omissions, I counted at least 3 variations of Lil' on the list and not one of them is the only necessary Lil', Lil' Wayne.
Lastly, I'm at a loss for words why Killing Me Softly is the choice from the Fugees. A) It's not even their song, and
B) It's hardly even a hip hop song, and
C) There are several truly outstanding hip hop songs on that album to choose from.
Score = 6
Hold on a second, Lil' Wayne did make the list. My bad
Score = -7
Mos Def and Talib Kweli are........Blackstar. The LP is a little uneven but Definition, Re-Definition is a classic for sure.
Score = 8
nelly? they must be high
Score = 13
...Motherfuck VH1 and John Wayne!!
Score = 10
the block is hot? if your going to be ignorant and put weezy on here this is not the song to use...many other better ones, im talking like 100 better songs by him alone!
Score = 2
Totally agree
Score = 1
I can't believe a name dropping talentless rapper like the game makes top 50 on this list. I know when it comes to VH-1 they don't know shit about most music in general but this just angers me that they put this particular list out. It must be the top Hip Hop singles list but even then T.I. shouldn't really make it.
Score = -3
Hard Knock Life is so far from the best Jay-Z song it's almost funny. If they'd thrown Brooklyn's Finest, Izzo (HOVA), 99 Problems or even Big Pimpin' in that spot, it would make more sense.
Score = 7
now is when a bunch of white teenagers argue about hip hop in the comment section of the most sterile indie rock blog on the internet. this should be entertaining.
Score = -9
sure.... NOW you don't like Asher Roth
Score = 2
who is fuckin asher rock?
Score = 2
my bad asher roth
Score = 0
Now just where the fuck are the Wu Tang Killer bees?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?!?!?!?!?!?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Score = 4
no talib kweli? no krs one? just 2 off the top of my head, but a fuckton better than sir mix alot and heavy d
Score = 1
stupid pussy bitch
Score = -13
Talib kweli is the second half of black star which is on the list... should be A LOT higher but, KRS-one is part of boogie down productions which is also on the list, and there is A LOT better songs than thi but VH1 assumes if they were never one the radio or on mtv they couldnt possibly be good i am SUPRISED mos def even made it on there, either way pointless list should be called the hundred greatest RAP songs cause they mostly are and they shouldnt shame they word hip hop with people like lil wayne and the game
Score = 1
actually he was
Score = 0
Most of the comments to this post are absolutely ridiculous, this is not a list of your favorite rap songs. It is a list of what VH-1 believes are the 100 best songs objectively.
The thing that gets me is that so many critics place albums like Nas-Illmatic, Eric B. and Rakim, and Jay-z's first album very high on lists; however, songs from these albums are not represented very well by VH-1.
I suppose i would place both Nas and De La Soul much higher on the list based on where they are usually placed on other countdowns...Suggesting Salt-n-pepa have the 9th best rap song of all time seems a little off.
Score = 7
what makes your comment so less ridiculous? you say nothing more in your post than others who have posted. Best song objectively? what criteria do they use here to make an objective decision? production quality? lyrics? flow/cadence? None of this was taken into account obviously. People are simply expressing their distaste with a rather vague list and some rather random selections and placements.
Score = 1
your right this is not supposed to be a list of anybodys favorite songs but if the title of the list is 100 greatest hip hop songs the best songs should be on that list. the bridge, ladi dodi and my melody aren't on this list. those songs are legendary. they would make anybodys top 10 let alone top 100. how about mob deep's "cradle to the grave" or even "survival of the fitest" nothing from raekwon's "only 4 cuban linx" album, please. krs one's "the mc" easy top 100 song. just-ice "cold getting dumb" or "latoya". if you don't know what i'm talking about or if you never heard these songs, down load them and then defend this list. while you are at it look up "sitting on chrome" by master ace. "my posse is on broadway" by sir mix alot, "south bronx" krs one, "nobody move" eazy e, "jack the ripper" "you'll rock"LL cool J, "cappucino" mc lyte, "saturday night" schoolly d, "beats to the rhyme" RUN DMC, "it's yours" T la rock. happy listening. that's hip hop
Score = 1
Your'e right on point !!!! I said the samething in reference to Just Ice....I still listen to Latoya !!! And the jerk that said LL is there twice is obviously an MTV/Vh1 hip hop fan....I still refuse to call them rappers ....thats a name the media gave it because they didnt know what they witnessing at the time !!! IF YOUR'E REAL...YOUR'E AN MC !!!! PERIOD . LL shoulda been on there 4 times !! No mama said knock you out,,,,finished off Kool MOe Dees career, his answer to canibus...he'd rather fight Iraqis than fuck with L again....and who could forget I shot ya !!!!! So fuckin hot Puff is in it !!! The answer to Who shot ya !!! Salt and pepa defintly desrve the 9th spot.....and those west coast dudes ....This is a long time coming But thanks !!! Yall elevated this NWA and gin and juice......snoop took at least a million off crack with that !!!
Score = 0
COMMENTATING ILLUSTRATRATING DESCRIPTION GIVEN ADJECTIVE EXPERT...WELL I MAY HAVE FORGOTTEN THE LYRICS BUT tla ROCK.....DAM HE WAS NICE !!!!
Score = 0
keep in mind, its not VH1's list, it's the list made by the fucking idiots who go on the VH1 site. next time they ask them to make a list, STEREOGUM WILL RAID.
Score = 2
jj fad - supersonic =
http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=J3nPLoODtGU
bahaha fergie ripped this shit off so hard, i woulda never heard of that song
Score = 2
I'm pretty sure the world is tired of VH1 assuming they're musically savvy and releasing some of the most silly lists... yeah.
Especially since they apparently had this unwritten rule that there can't be more than one song from an artist, which I think is silly because it underwrites some of the extensive achievements of certain artists in this genre. I mean, why do we have to make room for people like Salt-N-Pepa? Sir Mix Alot? 2 Live Crew?
SO, kids who spend their days watching VH1 and assuming they are musically savvy will assume that Hard Knock Life is his best song. Or that One Love is Nas's.
Granted, I do enjoy Juicy high on the list. Not so much Salt-N-Pepa in the Top 10.
Score = -2
The weird part of this list is that an artist can only be represented once. Doesn't make much sense, really, since some acts have a lot of songs that belong on the list. That also throws out the idea that this list is an objective ranking of hip hop's best songs...since objectively Dre, Eminem, Public Enemy, Outkast, Jay-Z, Nas, and company should have a couple in the top 100.
Score = 5
A lot of these songs should not be here. However, I don't think The Game is talentless, but I do think Hate It or Love It is a crappy song and should definitely not be on this list.
Score = 1
This list is horrible. How is California Love not even on this list and there is only one Eminem song, also.
Score = 3
i have no idea who voted, but i know there are about 20 songs that deserve to be on this list, and that's with out even really getting into it. paid in full? over "my melody", eric b for president, juice, microphone fien?, colors? but no "6 in the morning" are you serious? no Shan? this list is garbage, you have maye and I mean maybe 50 songs that belong on the top 100. i need love over mama said knock you out or even I'm bad? one song per artis? LL has 2 songs on the, list #12 and#60. nah they really missed it with this list. come on stan over my name is, or even loose yourself? I really hope that people who don't know better don't think that this is the best of hip hop. this list should be called "100 greatest hip pop songs, maybe, we think, or gues, we really don't know"
Score = 0
JC are you my brother separated at birth ? I agree with all you said !!! And Im gonna smash them out.......Before you can even put the Sugar Hill Gang on....if your'e a hip hop purist.......you need to have Fatback band and king tim the 3rd on that list or its really irrelevant.....THE VERY FIRST RECORDED HIP HOP RECORD IS NOT ON THE LIST ? I agree the tribe should be on their.....but with scenario !!! No mr. Cheeks ? ATL's greatest MC isnt on the list as a solo artist ? Mr. 3000 ( yeah he gets that kinda of respect in Hollis, Queens.) But someone had the audacity to have chamillionaire on it ? Ridin durty was hot but definitly not in the top 100 ........I wanna say I loves me some Kanye West.....he's different, hes still young right now....but just like everyone else he will be humbled too.......Right now in Chi town and the world Mr. Fiasco is hip hops new verbal savior.....KaNye ...if you read this YOU ARE THE BOMB KID.........IF YOUR ANGER IS WHAT DRIVES YOU.......I DON'T WANNA SAY STAY ANGRY, BUT REGARDLESS OF WHAT WE LOVE YA MR. WEST !!! Opp is not on the list ? Thank god for evolution..........because Hip hop is now vast !!!!
Score = 0
the best tupac is not i get around
what about california love or americas most wanted
plus he's one of the top mc's he should have a top 10 song
Score = -1
AESOP ROCK is better than all 100 of these suckers combined.
Score = -8
This is the worst list I have ever seen, here are SOME that you missed;
Still Dre - Dr. Dre ft. Snoop Dogg
Unbelievable - Biggie Smalls
2nd childhood - Nas
Rather Unique - AZ
Lifes a B*tch - Nas ft Az
Get Money - Biggie Smalls ft Lil' Kim
Fast Life - Kool G Rap
The Saga (remix) - Cormega
Nas is Like - Nas
Feel me Flow - Naughty by Nature
It ain't hard to tell - Nas
You guys should be ashamed of yourselves, this is pathetic. It's also so sad how you blantanly put artists affiliated with your station all over the list, when they don't even belong.
Score = 0
This list is full of fucking terrible songs.
Also, the rote praise for critics' darlings Public Enemy was entirely predictable and confirms that some fruitcake Spin critics who know nothing about hip-hop were responsible for compiling the list. Not that PE was bad, but it's annoying that fucking landmark stuff like the Ultramagnetic MCs' "Critical Beatdown" came out the same year as "It Takes a Nation of Millions", but is barely ever mentioned by critics.
Does anyone remember the Spin magazine "Punk Issue" in 2000? They had a list of the supposed best punk albums of all time, and it was just as bad as this.
Score = 0
Where is "Forgot About Dre"? I guess they really did...
Score = -2
Dre's a B@#$h where's Eazy - E
Score = -1
Ha!
Score = -1
Come on now..you guyz. Where's Dead Presidents, and what is BOB doing there what happened to Aquemini, Elevators, Player's ball..T.I??? come on now where's canibus 2nd round k.o.? where's rock the bells??or jack the ripper?? There so many songs out there that should hav made this. Biggie..Unbelievable???Warning??NAughty..uptown anthem??tribe called quest??oh my god need I say more??
Score = 1
Whoa I for got all about them !!! What made Ultramagnetic hot was the fact the Original Gangster rapper of all time wrote for them...he gets credit on the album....but his stilo was way too hard for that time. Olympia Palace........he destroyed every MC bought to him that included a young LL , Run, melle mell, kurtis blow all of them were considered wack for a minute.......but then all of them made records and Father tyheim wemt on to be a thugs thug !!! He good now...life goes on !!!
Score = 0
Dewds, no KRS One? Anyone else find that a glaring omission?
Score = 0
Boogie Down Productions is basically KRS-One retard. I used to Love H.E.R should be Top 10 for sureee. But not even in the top 20? Ridiculous.
Score = 2