123 Hip Hop Music: The Best of the Best

The best of the best in hip hop music. From the old school to the new school, we’ve got it all covered.

What is Hip Hop Music?

Hip hop music, also called rap music, is a genre of popular music that originated in the United States in the 1970s. It consists of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted.

The Origins of Hip Hop

Hip hop music, also called rap music, is a genre of popular music that originated in the United States in the 1970s. Hip hop is characterized by rhythmic and often rhyming speech that is chanted. It developed as part of hip hop culture, a subculture defined by four key stylistic elements: MCing/rapping, DJing/scratching with turntables, break dancing, and graffiti writing. Other elements include sampling (or synthesis), and beatboxing.

DJ Afrika Bambaataa is credited with first using the term “hip hop” to describe the subculture in which the music originated. Hip hop music has been a massive commercial success since its inception in the late 1970s. It is now considered one of the most popular genres of music in the world, with fans ranging from young to old and from all walks of life.

The Elements of Hip Hop

Hip hop music is a genre that originated in the United States in the 1970s. It is characterized by four elements: MCing/rapping, DJing/scratching, break dancing, and graffiti writing. Hip hop music is part of a larger cultural movement known as hip hop, which includes the four aforementioned elements plus fashion, street slang, and street art.

Rap, the musical component of hip hop, is a style of rhyming speech that is accompanied by a beat. DJing involves manipulating recorded music to create new sounds, and scratching consists of moving a vinyl record back and forth on a turntable to create percussive sounds. Break dancing is a style of street dance that includes acrobatic moves such as headspins and windmills. Graffiti writing is an form of public art in which words or images are painted or scratched onto surfaces in public spaces.

Hip hop music was originally created by African American and Latino youth in the inner city as a way to express themselves and their experiences. Over time, it has evolved to include artists from all racial and ethnic backgrounds from all over the world.

The Best Hip Hop Songs of All Time

“Rapper’s Delight” by The Sugarhill Gang

Considered by many to be the first hip hop song, “Rapper’s Delight” was released in 1979 and quickly became a chart-topping hit. It introduced the world to the new genre of music, and its catchy beat and simple lyrics are still loved by fans today.

“The Message” by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five

“The Message” is a song by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. It was released in 1982 as a single from the group’s debut album, The Message. The song is widely credited as being one of the first hip hop songs to deal with inner city poverty and gang violence. The song’s hook, “Don’t push me ’cause I’m close to the edge”, is often cited as one of the most iconic lines in hip hop history.

“Fight the Power” by Public Enemy

“Fight the Power” is a song by American hip hop group Public Enemy, released as a single in 1989 on Motown Records. The song was written and produced by group members Chuck D and Hank Shocklee, with help from bandmate Carlo Ridenhour. It is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential songs in hip hop history.

The song’s message focuses on empowering African Americans and encouraging them to stand up against racism and oppression. “Fight the Power” features a sample of “The Boss” by James Brown, as well as snippets of speeches by Malcolm X. The single peaked at number 1 on the Billboard Hot Rap Songs chart, making it Public Enemy’s first and only number-one hit on any Billboard chart. In 2010, Rolling Stone ranked it No. 1 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

“N.W.A.” by N.W.A.

N.W.A.’s express purpose was to chronicle life in the ‘hood from the perspective of young, black men who were living it—and they succeeded beyond anyone’s wildest dreams. On Straight Outta Compton, Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, MC Ren, DJ Yella and Eazy-E painted a brutal, unflinching portrait of their world with unvarnished honesty, visceral rhymes and groundbreaking beats that would come to define West Coast rap.

“Keep Ya Head Up” by Tupac Shakur

“Keep Ya Head Up” is a 1993 single by 2Pac. It was released on February 23, 1993, as the second single from his second album, Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z.. The song features R&B singer Dave Hollister and is dedicated to black women. “Keep Ya Head Up” peaked at number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States, making it one of 2Pac’s highest-charting singles during his lifetime.

“I’ll Be Missing You” by Puff Daddy and Faith Evans

“I’ll Be Missing You” by Puff Daddy and Faith Evans was released in 1997 and quickly became one of the most successful hip hop songs of all time. The song is a tribute to Puff Daddy’s friend and fellow rapper Notorious B.I.G., who had been killed earlier that year. “I’ll Be Missing You” topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for 11 weeks and won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group.

“H to the Izzo” by Jay-Z

“H to the Izzo” is one of the most classic hip hop songs of all time. It was released in 2001 as a single from Jay-Z’s sixth studio album, The Blueprint. The song features a sample of “Heartbeat” by Mtume and was produced by The Neptunes. “H to the Izzo” was a huge commercial success, peaking at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. It is also one of Jay-Z’s most iconic songs, and is often considered to be one of the best hip hop songs of all time.

“Lose Yourself” by Eminem

“Lose Yourself” is a song by American rapper Eminem from the soundtrack to the 2002 film 8 Mile. The song was written by Eminem and produced by Eminem along with longtime collaborator Jeff Bass, one half of the production duo Bass Brothers, and Luis Resto. It was released on October 28, 2002, as the lead single from the soundtrack. “Lose Yourself” received widespread acclaim from music critics, with many critics calling it Eminem’s best work to date, and is often considered one of the greatest hip-hop songs of all time. The song won the Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 75th Academy Awards in 2003, making Eminem the first hip hop artist to ever win the award.

Interscope Records released “Lose Yourself” on October 28, 2002, as part of the soundtrack to 8 Mile, which stars Eminem as fictional rapper B-Rabbit. The song was both a commercial and critical success; it sold over three million copies in the United States and was certified six-times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), while also earning Eminem an Academy Award for Best Original Song. “Lose Yourself” peaked at number one on several international charts, including Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom; in each of these nations it became Eminem’s first number-one song, while also giving him his first—and so far only—number one on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart in both Canada and United States. “Lose Yourself” is widely considered one of Eminem’s best songs and is often cited as one of the greatest hip-hop songs of all time; Rolling Stone placed it at number 165 on their list of 500 Greatest Songs of All Time while NME named it as their pick for ‘The Greatest Hip Hop Song Of All Time’. In 2016 Pitchfork ranked “Lose Yourself” at number eight on their list of “The 200 Best Songs Of The 2000s”.

“In da Club” by 50 Cent

“In da Club” is a hip hop song performed by American rapper 50 Cent from his debut studio album Get Rich or Die Tryin’ (2003). The song was written by 50 Cent, Lance “Un” Rivera and Muhammad Yunus and produced by Dr. Dre with co-production credit from Elizondo. The track was released in 2003 as the album’s lead single and peaked at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming 50 Cent’s second chart topper and Dr. Dre’s sixth. “In da Club” received praise from music critics, who described it as a “club banger” and praised the song’s production.

The single was ranked number one on Rolling Stone’s list of the 100 Best Songs of 2003 and was ranked number one on VH1’s Top 40 Hip Hop Songs of All Time list. The song has sold over 10 million copies in the United States and has been certified 6× Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Internationally, it peaked at number one in Australia, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

“Crazy in Love” by Beyonce featuring Jay-Z

“Crazy in Love” is a song by American singer Beyoncé featuring American rapper Jay-Z. It was released as the lead single from Beyoncé’s debut solo album, Dangerously in Love (2003), and features a prominent sample of the 1962 track “I Got a Boyfriend” by girl group The Top Notes. The single peaked at number one on various Billboard music charts, including the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming Beyoncé’s first number-one single as a solo artist, and Jay-Z’s fifth. The song won three Grammy Awards in 2004: Best R&B Song, Best Rap/Sung Collaboration, and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance.

The Future of Hip Hop

Music is ever-changing, and hip hop is no different. The question is, where is hip hop headed? Some would say that it is headed towards a more positive and meaningful direction, while others believe that it is headed towards a more negative and destructive direction.

The Rise of Trap Music

The past decade has seen the rise of trap music, a subgenre of hip hop that gets its name from the drug dealing culture of the American South.trap music is characterized by its dark, violent, and often sexual lyrical content, as well as its use of heavy bass and synthesizers.

trap music has its roots in the Southern hip hop scenes of the early 1990s, but it only began to gain mainstream attention in the 2010s. In 2012, the song “Harlem Shake” by Baauer became an internet sensation, helping to introduce trap music to a wider audience.

Today, trap music is one of the most popular genres in hip hop, with artists like Lil Pump, Migos, and Cardi B topping the charts. Trap music has also had a significant influence on pop music, with many pop stars incorporating elements of trap into their songs.

The New Generation of Hip Hop Artists

The new generation of hip hop artists are bringing a fresh sound and style to the genre, and there are plenty of up-and-comers to keep your eye on. Here are a few of the best new hip hop artists making waves in the industry.

Lil Pump is one of the hottest new rappers on the scene, and he’s quickly making a name for himself with his unique style and personality. His debut album, ‘Lil Pump,’ was released in October 2017 and peaked at number three on the Billboard 200 chart.

Cardi B is another rapper who is taking the music world by storm. She burst onto the scene with her breakout single, ‘Bodak Yellow,’ which topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart in September 2017. She has since released her debut album, ‘Invasion of Privacy,’ which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart.

Chance the Rapper is an acclaimed rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer who is known for his positive and uplifting music. He has won three Grammy Awards, including Best Rap Album for his 2016 album, ‘Coloring Book.’

These are just a few of the many talented new hip hop artists making a name for themselves in the music industry. Be sure to keep an eye out for these up-and-comers as they continue to make their mark on hip hop culture.