HIP-HOP's 100 MOST ESSENTIAL SONGS. This countdown concludes with this post involving the Top 10.

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HIP - HOP

THE 100 MOST ESSENTIAL SONGS 

Today, hip-hop sounds dominate popular music. For many years the genre was dismissed and –justifiably- criticized for its homophobic and misogynistic lyrics. This countdown looks back on the seminal rap songs that helped establish the new genre within the mainstream and the key songs in hip-hop’s evolution. These are the 100 that matter most, from early rap tracks and gangsta rap to the Oscar winners.

 

10 MO MONEY MO PROBLEMS

Notorious B.I.G.

featuring Mase & Puff Daddy

Notorious B.I.G. (aka Biggie Smalls) became one of rap’s most respected superstars. His music reflected the raw realism and violence in his world. After being implicated in the death of rival 2Pac, Biggie’s fate would be the same. Shot dead in March 1997, his influence continues beyond the grave. “Mo Money, Mo Problems” was issued later that year and gave the East Coast rapper his second posthumous #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100.

9 FIGHT THE POWER

Public Enemy

Public Enemy not only directed rap music into new sonic directions, but injected more politics and issues such as civil rights. The highly influential group revolves around Chuck D and Flavor Flav. “Fight The Power” was issued in 1989 and was featured in Spike Lee’s groundbreaking film ‘Do The Right Thing’. The song attacks icons Elvis Presley and John Wayne.

8 CALIFORNIA LOVE

2Pac

featuring Dr. Dre & Roger Troutman

Tupac Shakur was born to 2 Black Panther members in NYC. After relocating to California, he started rapping and eventually began denting the charts. His profile as the leading gangsta rapper grew. A simultaneous acting career was flourishing. 1995 single “California Love” was included on his Death Row debut ‘All Eyez On Me’. The single topped the American, British, Canadian and many European charts. In September 1996, 2Pac was shot dead on the Las Vegas strip. This only raised his profile. The years since has seen his influence continue.

7 JESUS WALKS

Kanye West

Today, rap is mainstream. Its sound has evolved and among the fundamental new breed of exponents is Kanye West. He not only has accumulated a string of hits but his work as a producer also draws critical acclaim. “Jesus Walks” was unleashed in 2004, lifted off West’s ‘The College Dropout’ album,

6 99 PROBLEMS

Jay-Z

Talent and acumen has carried Jay-Z out of the projects to become one of the hottest acts in hip-hop today. Shawn Carter has amassed a fortune and attracted high praise for works that include the albums ‘Vol. 2… Hard Knock Life’, ‘The Blueprint’ and ‘The Black Album’. The 2004 single “99 Problems” was taken from the latter. It demonstrates Jay-Z’s lyrical skill.

5 STAN

Eminem

Eminem and controversy seem inextricably linked. His dark themes are disturbing and frequently distract from his talent. “Stan” is a giant among his catalogue. There’s violence and verbal abuse directed towards his pregnant girlfriend. Dido’s “Thank You” weaves in and out as Eminem offers an insight into a troubled mind. “Stan” is conveyed from the perspectives of the disturbed fan and the rapper he idolizes. Eminem raised the bar for rap and popular music overall with the single in 2000. It reached #1 in Britain, Europe and Australia.

4 FUCK THA POLICE

N.W.A.

Look past the explicit lyrics and controversy and the role of N.W.A. becomes clearer. The group pioneered gangsta rap. Driven by rap legends Dr. Dre, Ice Cube and Eazy-E, the group was initially referred to as Niggaz With Attitude. “Fuck Tha Police” was included on its 1998 debut album ‘Straight Outta Compton’. It attracted the ire of the FBI, but N.W.A. remained undeterred. Radio and MTV wouldn’t touch them in those days, but the group’s fan base continued to grow. The track does not mince words, describing the constant abuse and prejudice experienced by African-Americans when dealing with the police. In 2015, a biopic named after the debut release dealt with the group’s story. Sadly. the song’s lyrics are still pertinent today in a country where innocent black citizens of all ages are at high risk of being killed by the police.

3 THE MESSAGE

Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five

Rap was still struggling when “The Message” was issued in 1982. In this context, legendary turntablist Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five used the genre to describe the reality that confronted the black community in America. The single was revolutionary. Gone was the boasting of previous rap tracks. “The Message” was a snapshot of life in the ghetto. It paved the way for N.W.A. and Public Enemy.

2 RAPPER’S DELIGHT

The Sugarhill Gang

The rise of hip-hop block parties led to the creation of rap group Sugarhill Gang on the Sugarhill label. Built around a sample from Chic’s funk hit “Good Times”, the track was unleashed in 1979. While this was not the first rap single, it was the first to have a significant impact on the charts: reaching the Top 40 in the U.S.A., Britain, Canada, Europe and Australia.

1 WALK THIS WAY

Run-D.M.C.

featuring Steven Tyler & Joe Perry

Aerosmith released the original –rock- version of “Walk This Way”. With widespread resistance to rap music, success with the genre remained limited. Run-D.M.C. signed with Def Jam Records. The teaming of Rick Rubin and Russell Simmons with the trio led to the radical idea to cover one of American rock’s iconic songs. Run-D.M.C.’s remake featured its writers Steven Tyler and Joe Perry from Aerosmith on vocals and guitar. Rap fused with rock so successfully that the single became the first hip-hop disc to reach the US Top 10. The track appealed to both rock and rap audiences. Finally, the genre had crossed over to the mainstream. Many commentators expected rap to be a short-lived trend. They would be proven wrong. Today, hip-hop is ubiquitous.  

Check out the Caffé Latté 100 Essential Hip-Hop Songs playlist on spotify as new songs are added to coincide with each new update on this blog.