The Best Hip Hop Music Videos of All Time
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From Kendrick Lamar to Outkast, these are the best hip hop music videos of all time.
Best Hip Hop Videos of All Time
Hip hop music has come a long way since its humble beginnings in the South Bronx in the 1970s. It has grown to become one of the most popular genres of music in the world, and its music videos are some of the most creative and innovative in all of music. Here are ten of the best hip hop music videos of all time.
“Nuthin’ but a ‘G’ Thang” by Dr. Dre
“Nuthin’ but a ‘G’ Thang” is a single by American rapper Dr. Dre featuring fellow American rapper Snoop Doggy Dogg. The song was released on January 6, 1992, as the lead single from Dre’s debut solo album, The Chronic. It remains Dre and Snoop’s most commercially successful song, and one of the most well-known songs in hip hop history. The track was listed as number 165 on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time in 2004. In October 2011, NME placed it at number 80 on its list “150 Best Tracks of the Past 15 Years”.
“Gin and Juice” by Snoop Dogg
Snoop Dogg’s “Gin and Juice” is one of the most iconic hip hop videos of all time. The 1993 video was directed by Dr. Dre and features Snoop Dogg and his crew cruising around Los Angeles in a low rider. The video is considered a classic of the West Coast hip hop scene and is one of Snoop Dogg’s most well-known songs.
“California Love” by 2Pac
Widely considered one of the best hip hop songs of all time, “California Love” by 2Pac was released in December 1995 as the first single from his album All Eyez on Me. The song, which features guest vocals from Roger Troutman and Dr. Dre, samples Joe Cocker’s “Woman to Woman” and reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100, making it 2Pac’s only solo single to top the chart.
The music video for “California Love” was directed by Hype Williams and was shot in Los Angeles, California. The video features 2Pac and Dr. Dre riding around LA in a convertible as they rap about their love for the city. In addition to iconic scenes of LA landmarks like the Hollywood Sign and Rodeo Drive, the video also features a cameo from Roger Troutman, who is shown performing his signature talk box solo.
“California Love” remains one of the most popular hip hop songs of all time and its music video is widely considered to be one of the best hip hop videos ever made.
“Empire State of Mind” by Jay-Z
“Empire State of Mind” by Jay-Z is one of the best hip hop videos of all time. The video features Jay-Z and Alicia Keys performing in various locations throughout New York City, including the Empire State Building, Times Square, and Central Park. The video includes cameos from various celebrities, including Oprah Winfrey, Tony Bennett, and Busta Rhymes.
Best Hip Hop Videos of the 2010s
Hip hop has come a long way since its humble beginnings in the 1970s. What started out as a niche genre of music has now become one of the most popular genres in the world. And with the rise of music videos, hip hop has also become one of the most visually-appealing genres. In this article, we’ll be taking a look at the best hip hop music videos of the 2010s.
“All Me” by Drake
“All Me” is a song by Canadian rapper Drake from his third studio album Nothing Was the Same (2013). The song features appearances from rappers 2 Chainz and Big Sean and details Drake’s wealth and success. The music video for “All Me” was directed by X and released on September 24, 2013. The video features Drake in a number of opulent locations, including a private jet and a yacht.
“Anaconda” by Nicki Minaj
“Anaconda” is a song by Trinidadian-American rapper Nicki Minaj, from her third studio album, The Pinkprint (2014). It was released on August 4, 2014 by Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records, and Republic Records as the second single from the album. The song was produced by Polow da Don, DJ SpydaT.E.K., and Anonymous. The song heavily samples “Baby Got Back” (1992) by Sir Mix-a-Lot.
The music video for “Anaconda” was directed by Colin Tilley. It premiered on August 19, 2014 on Vevo and was made available for digital download on August 20, 2014. In the video, Minaj plays an exotic dancer in a jungle-themed strip club who revengefully killed her boyfriend after he tried to cheat on her with one of the other dancers. The video caused controversy due to its sexually explicit content, which included Minaj twerking and wearing revealing clothing throughout. To further promote the song, Minaj performed it live at the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards as a medley with “Bang Bang”, and later performed it at the BET Awards 2015 along with “Truffle Butter”.
“Hotline Bling” by Drake
“Hotline Bling” is a song recorded by Canadian rapper Drake, which serves as the lead single from his fourth studio album, Views (2016). The song samples R&B singer D.R.A.M.’s “Cha Cha”, and features a prominent sample of a muted electric guitar. It was released to rhythmic and contemporary hit radio on October 19, 2015, by Cash Money Records and Republic Records as the seventh single from the album. “Hotline Bling” reached number two on the US Billboard Hot 100 and peaked at number one on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, becoming Drake’s first number-one single on the latter. The song also became Drake’s second consecutive number-one lead single from an album following “Started from the Bottom”, making him only the third artist in Billboard history to achieve this feat, after Outkast and Mariah Carey; it also made Views only the third album since 1968 to yield two lead Hot 100 singles before its release.
“Formation” by Beyonce
“Formation” by Beyonce is one of the best hip hop videos of the 2010s. The video features Beyonce dancing in front of various landmarks in New Orleans, including the Superdome and Bourbon Street. The video also includes footage of the city’s African-American residents. “Formation” was nominated for nine MTV Video Music Awards and won three, including Video of the Year.
