Our Ten Best: Most Influential Hip-Hop Songs of All-Time

It all began in the Bronx, NY during the 70s. Kool Herc manipulated a record on the turntable allowing a longer extension (break) of the instrumental period which allowed those to dance longer or compliment the beat with lyrical freestyle.

Based on four different influential eras here are the 10 best released hip-hop songs without features.

10: Juicy, 1994 Biggie Smalls

“Damn right I like the life I live cause I went from negative to positive.”

Juicy peaked at #3 on the Billboard Rap charts, the track is a sample of Mtume’s Juicy Fruit, the chorus was sung by Total. On his debut single, Biggie Smalls (now known as Notorious B.I.G.) uses his powerful imagination to provide visuals to a dream of how his life has changed after becoming a successful rapper. The transition from struggle to success is described by Biggie Smalls’ trademarks of street-slick wordplay and unconsciously raw delivery. The sampled track led to controversy between producer Sean “Puffy” Combs (now known as Diddy) and producer Pete Rock. The dispute was over credit for the sample concept. Pete Rock was eventually paid and credited.

9: C.R.E.A.M., 1994 Wu-Tang Clan

“But Shorty running wild, smoking sess drinking beer and ain’t tryna hear what I’m kicking in his ear.”

The acronym C.R.E.A.M. stands for Cash Rules Everything Around Me. The entire album was produced solely by Rza, this particular track sampled The Charmels As Long as I’ve Got You produced by Issac Hayes, and the opening harmonic by ODB (Old Dirty Bastard) was also from that song. The tales of origin by Raekwon (The Chef) and Inspectah Deck are hard core. Method Man’s chorus “dollar, dollar bill y’all” is a sample from Jimmy Spicer’s Dollar Bill Y’all (which is a terrible song). This group is an interesting collection of unique personas that all seemingly follow the same life principles. They combined to create this hip-hop masterpiece.

8: Check the Rhime, 1991 A Tribe Called Quest

“Extremity in rhythm, yeah that’s what you heard. Now just clean out your ears and check the word”

Check the Rhime topped the Billboard Rap chart. This song is indicative of the conscious youth era by emerging rappers at that time, straying away from the edgier style of their predecessors. The track is what makes this song such a classic. The production is credited to the entire group. Some of the more prominent samples used are: Minnie Riperton’s Baby, This Love I Have, Love Your Life by the Average White Band, and Nobody Beats the Biz by Biz Markie. The lyrical back and forth exchange between the rappers in the beginning, sets the vibe. Phife Dawg’s lyrics are fun and braggadocio, but his coherent wordplay and rhyme scheme is not to be overlooked. Q-Tip’s lyrics are simple, but his flow blends well with the track, his final line takes a shot at MC Hammer whose rap song at the time was topping the music charts, although not respected by his peers of the hip-hop genre because of the song’s pop-oriented theme.

7: Fight the Power, 1989 Public Enemy

“Got to give us what we want, gotta give us what we need, our freedom of speech is freedom or death. We got to fight the powers that be”

Fight the Power topped the Hot Rap Singles Billboard charts. This track by the Bomb Squad should be placed in a museum as the blueprint for efficient sampling. This track is one of the greatest hip hop tracks of all time. There are 18 looped samples that are barely a second long within the first 10 seconds of the track. Chuck D’s pro-black lyrics were about sending a revolutionary message that the time is now to make a change regarding the racial injustices toward blacks by society.

6: Straight Outta Compton, 1988 N.W.A.

“So when I’m in your neighborhood, you better duck, cause Ice Cube, is crazy as f***”

N.W.A’s lead single for their debut album did not receive much air play, but the group received a lot of negative criticism for their controversial lyrics and persona. The album was one of the first few to warrant a Parental Advisory sticker at the time. The lyrics of Ice Cube, MC Ren, and Eazy E were excessively violent. In a 1989 interview with Sunday Correspondent Magazine, Ice Cube said “The parents, the police, and the people of the local community are scared of what we say…. Our raps are documentary. We don’t take sides”. Dr Dre, and Yella co-produced the track. The only prominent sample is the looped drum beat from the song Amen, Brother by The Winstons. The track is rather simple, but highly effective.

5: Children’s Story, 1988 Slick Rick

“This ain’t funny, so don’t you dare laugh. Just another case about the wrong path”

Children’s Story peaked at #5 on both the Billboard Hot R&B Singles and Hot Rap Tracks charts. This is a clean smooth track, indicative of Slick Rick’s lyrical style. Throughout the track is a sample from Bob James’ Nautilus (one of the most sampled tracks in hip-hop). The song is a story about a teenager that decided to become a stick-up kid after listening to an idea from an acquaintance. The life of crime became addictive and eventually it leads to his demise. Slick Rick’s English accent adds an extra dynamic to his laid back delivery and wordplay which gives appeal to an otherwise dreary occurrence in the urban community.

4: It’s Like That, 1983 Run-DMC

“Unemployment at a record high, people coming, people going, people born to die, don’t ask me because I don’t know why, but it’s like that, and that’s the way it is.”

It’s Like That only peaked at #15 on the Billboard R&B charts. This was Run-DMC’s debut single. Larry Smith along with Russell Simmons, the older brother of Run (Joseph Simmons) co-produced the original track. This was the beginning of a new era in hip-hop, the Golden Age of the genre. Run-DMC became the pioneers of mainstream hip-hop. The insightful lyrics have some deep universal messages along with a few shallow ones that still eerily apply to the present. This song provides evidence that the struggles of society in the 80s still remain prevalent.

3: Planet Rock, 1982 Afrika Bambaata and the Soulsonic Force

“You’re in a place where the nights are hot. Where nature’s children dance and set a chance on this Mother Earth which is our rock.”

Planet Rock peaked at #3 on the Billboard Dance chart. This is the era when the DJs were the main attraction and their sole purpose was to keep the audience dancing and entertained. Arthur Baker produced this track with four key samples: Trans-Euro Express and Numbers by Kraftwerk, The Mexican by Babe Ruth, and Orch 5 by David Vorhaus. Hip-hop meets techno and exemplifies the limitless versatility of the genre.

2: The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel, 1981 Grandmaster Flash

This is the blueprint for how to mix and scratch. Grandmaster Flash is displaying the art of the DJ-ing in its purest form. The cuts and blends are perfect. His method and execution is exceptional for a live non-edit recording. This is a great dance track for b-boys and b-girls. The samples include Rapture by Blondie, Good Times by Chic, Another One Bites the Dust by Queen, 8th Wonder by the Sugarhill Gang, Monster Jam by Spoonie Gee, Apache by Incredible Bongo Band, Birthday Party and Freedom which are both by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five.

1: Rapper’s Delight, 1979 Sugarhill Gang

“But whatever you do in your lifetime don’t let a sucker MC steal your rhyme.”

Rapper’s Delight peaked at #4 on the Billboards Hot Soul Singles. The song was huge hit in Europe. There are three versions to the song regarding time length: 14:35, 6:30, and 4:55. The songs sampled on this track are Here Comes That Sound Again by Love De-Luxe with Hawkshaw’s Discophonia, Spoonin’ Rap by Spoonie Gee, and Good Times by Chic which was sampled without consent. Sylvia Robinson the original producer of Rapper’s Delight lost her rights to the song after settling with guitarist Nile Rogers and bass player Bernard Edwards. The Chic sample made the song an instant hit.