The Best Hip Hop Songs of 2017
A look at the best hip hop songs of 2017, including tracks from Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, and Chance the Rapper.
Best Hip Hop Songs of 2017
“Bodak Yellow” by Cardi B
“Bodak Yellow” by Cardi B was one of the best hip hop songs of 2017. It was released on June 16, 2017, and quickly rose to the top of the charts. The song is about Cardi B’s rise to fame, and her determination to stay true to herself. “Bodak Yellow” is a catchy, upbeat song that will get you moving.
“Humble” by Kendrick Lamar
“Humble” is a song by American rapper Kendrick Lamar, from his fourth studio album Damn, released on April 14, 2017. The song,produced by Mike Will Made It, features a heavy bass and trap-influenced beat. The song’s lyrics find Lamar boasting about his wealth and accomplishments, and addresses those who doubt his success.
“Humble” was released to critical acclaim, with many critics calling it one of the best tracks on the album. The song debuted at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100, making it Lamar’s second top 10 entry on the chart. It also peaked at number one on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, becoming Lamar’s fifth consecutive number-one single on the chart and ninth overall. The song won Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song at the 2018 Grammy Awards.
“Bad and Boujee” by Migos ft. Lil Uzi Vert
“Bad and Boujee” is a song by American hip hop group Migos featuring American rapper Lil Uzi Vert. It was released on October 28, 2016, as the lead single from their second studio album, Culture. The song debuted at number 37 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and peaked at number one on the chart, becoming Migos’ and Lil Uzi Vert’s first number-one single in the US. The track helped propel Culture to become one of the best-selling hip hop albums of 2017.
“Mask Off” by Future
“Mask Off” is a song by American hip hop recording artist Future, released on April 18, 2017 as the third single from his eponymous fifth studio album, Future (2017). The track was produced by Metro Boomin and uses a flute-driven melody. It peaked at number five on the US Billboard Hot 100.
The song features additional vocals from Canadian singer The Weeknd. The track received positive reviews from critics, with some deeming it as one of Future’s best songs.
” DNA” by Kendrick Lamar
“DNA” is a song by American rapper Kendrick Lamar, from his fourth studio album Damn, released on April 14, 2017. The song was produced by Mike Will Made It and features a guest appearance from American rapper Don Cheadle. The song peaked at number four on the US Billboard Hot 100 and topped the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
“DNA” is a braggadocio track where Kendrick Lamar showcases his technical prowess and lyrical abilities. The chorus sees Kendrick taking shots at those who doubted him, proclaiming that his success is “DNA deep”. He also addresses race and police brutality in America, with lines like “You hate my people, your plan is to terminate my culture”.
The production on “DNA” is heavy and menacing, with a dark, atmospheric beat courtesy of Mike Will Made It. The guest verse from Don Cheadle is also a highlight, with the actor adding some levity to the track with his references to pop culture.
Best Hip Hop Albums of 2017
It’s been an amazing year for hip hop, with new releases from Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, and Chance the Rapper. There’s been a lot of great music to choose from, but these are the best hip hop albums of 2017.
DAMN. by Kendrick Lamar
DAMN. is the fourth studio album by Kendrick Lamar. It was released on April 14, 2017, by Top Dawg Entertainment, Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records. The album features production from a variety of record producers, including executive producer and Top Dawg founder Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith, Sounwave, DJ Dahi, Mike Will Made It and Ricci Riera; as well as production contributions from James Blake, Steve Lacy, BadBadNotGood, Greg Kurstin, The Alchemist and 9th Wonder. Damn. features guest appearances from U2, Zacari Pacaldo, Khalid Robinson and Rihanna.
The album received widespread critical acclaim and debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 with 603,000 album-equivalent units first week of sales (4 days), including 340,000 pure sales. Kendrick Lamar also became the first non-classical or jazz artist to win the Pulitizer Prize for music with this album.
More Life by Drake
More Life is a commercial mixtape by Canadian rapper Drake. It was released on March 18, 2017, by Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records and Republic Records. Recording sessions took place between 2016 and 2017, with its production handled by frequent collaborators of Drake including Noah “40” Shebib, Boi-1da, T-Minus, Mike Zombie, Nineteen85 and Kanye West.
Culture by Migos
Culture is the second studio album by American hip hop trio Migos. It was released on January 27, 2017, through Quality Control Music and YRN Tha Label, and distributed by 300 Entertainment. The album features production from Metro Boomin, Buddah Bless, DJ Durel, alongside production from member Quavo. The album was supported by three singles: “Bad and Boujee”, “T-Shirt” and “Slippery”.
Culture debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200, earning 131,000 album-equivalent units (including 106,000 pure album sales) in its first week. It is Migos’ first US number-one album. The album has been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Laila’s Wisdom by Rapsody
Rapsody’s second album is an instant classic, and one of the best hip hop albums of 2017. Laila’s Wisdom is a beautiful, uncompromising and hard-hitting album that tackles themes of Black womanhood, self-love, racism and sexism with grace, eloquence and style. Rapsody’s flow is effortless, her wordplay is sharp and her delivery is flawless. This is an essential album for any hip hop fan.
Ctrl by SZA
SZA’s debut album “Ctrl” was one of the best hip hop albums of 2017. The album features hits such as “Supermodel” and “Love Galore” featuring Travis Scott.
Best Hip Hop Artists of 2017
It’s no secret that Hip Hop was one of the most popular genres of music in 2017. It seems like every other song on the radio was a Hip Hop song. But what were the best Hip Hop songs of 2017? This list will countdown the top 10 best Hip Hop songs of 2017.
Kendrick Lamar
Kendrick Lamar is one of the best hip hop artists of 2017. He has released some of the best hip hop songs of 2017, including “Humble”, “DNA”, and “Loyalty”. He is a fantastic artist with a lot to offer the world of hip hop.
Cardi B
Cardi B was one of the breakout stars of 2017, and her debut album Invasion of Privacy was one of the year’s best. Cardi B is a Bronx-born rapper who first gained attention for her appearances on the VH1 reality show Love & Hip Hop: New York. From there, she parlayed her popularity into a successful music career, releasing a series of mixtapes before dropping her debut album in April 2018. Invasion of Privacy debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 and features the singles “Bodak Yellow” and “I Like It.”
Migos
Migos is an American hip hop trio from Lawrenceville, Georgia, founded in 2009. The group is composed of three rappers known by their stage names Quavo, Takeoff, and Offset. They are managed by Coach K, the founder of Quality Control Music.
Migos released their commercial debut single “Versace” in 2013, taken from their mixtape Y.R.N. (Young Rich Niggas). They have gone on to release several other singles, such as “Fight Night”, “Look at My Dab”, and their biggest hit to date, “Bad and Boujee”. In 2017, Migos released their second studio album Culture, which debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart.
Lil Uzi Vert
Deserving of the top spot on our list is none other than Lil Uzi Vert. The 23 year old exploded onto the scene in early 2017 with the release of his second mixtape, Lil Uzi Vert vs. the World. The project catapulted the young rapper into mainstream consciousness and was responsible for several of his most popular songs, including “XO TOUR Llif3” and “Money Longer.”
Lil Uzi Vert is one of the most unique and exciting artists in hip hop today. His music is a blend of trap, emo rap, and pop that often features his signature Auto-Tuned vocals. He has a rare ability to make infectious hooks that are as catchy as they are dark and gritty. His lyrics are often about drugs, money, sex, and violence, but he also touches on more sensitive topics like mental health and heartbreak.
In 2017, Lil Uzi Vert had one of the best years of any hip hop artist. He released several critically acclaimed projects, including a joint EP with singer Carly Rae Jepsen and a collaboration with Gucci Mane. He also made numerous high-profile appearances, including a show-stealing performance at the MTV Video Music Awards.
There is no doubt that Lil Uzi Vert is one of the most talented and exciting artists in hip hop today. We can’t wait to see what he does in 2018!
Drake
Drake is a Canadian rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer and actor. He is the best-selling artist of all time on the streaming service Spotify and has the most top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 chart with 28. He is also ranked as the world’s second highest-certified digital singles artist by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Drake’s success began in 2010 with his debut album Thank Me Later, which peaked at number one on the US Billboard 200 and was soon certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). His next two releases, 2011’s Take Care and 2013’s Nothing Was the Same, were critically and commercially successful; the former earned him his first Grammy Award for Best Rap Album. In 2015, he released two mixtapes—the commercial success If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late and the critically acclaimed What a Time to Be Alive—with Future. His fourth studio album, Views, was released in 2016 and broke several chart records; it became his first album to reach number one in both Canada and the United States, reached over one billion streams on Spotify as of October 2016, and became the most played album on Apple Music of all time. More recently, Drake has taken more of an R&B approach to his music with his 2017 album More Life.
In addition to his solo work, Drake has also collaborated with other artists including Lil Wayne, Rihanna, Nicki Minaj, Jay Z and Kanye West.
