The Top 100 Rap/Hip-Hop Songs of All Time

Rap/Hip-Hop: Top 100 Songs

This list was created by aggregating more than 40 best-of lists focused on rap and hip-hop songs. Also factored in were sales, chart performance, video and audio streaming, and overall status in Dave’s Music Database. To make this list, songs had to appear on at least 7 of the lists and appear in the top 20% of Dave’s Music Database. Click here to see other genre-specific song lists. 1. “The Message” Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five (1982) 2. “Nuthin’ But a “G” Thang” Dr. Dre with Snoop Doggy Dogg (1993) 3. “Lose Yourself” Eminem (2002) 4. “Rapper’s Delight” The Sugarhill Gang (1979) 5. “In Da Club” 50 Cent (2002) 6. “Gangsta’s Paradise” Coolio with L.V. (1995) 7. “It Was a Good Day” Ice Cube (1993) 8. “Fight the Power” Public Enemy (1989) 9. “Stan” Eminem with Dido (2000) 10. “Tha Crossroads” Bone Thugs-N-Harmony (1996) 11. “Juicy” The Notorious B.I.G. (1994) 12. “Planet Rock” Afrika Bambaataa & the Soul Sonic Force (1982) 13. “Straight Outta Compton” N.W.A. (1989) 14. “C.R.E.A.M.” Wu-Tang Clan (1994) 15. “Dear Mama” 2pac (1993) 16. “They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)” Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth (1992) 17. “Mind Playing Tricks on Me” Geto Boys (1991) 18. “Ms. Jackson” OutKast (2000) 19. “I’ll Be Missing You” Puff Daddy with Faith Evans & 112 (1997) 20. “Shook Ones Part II” Mobb Deep (1995) 21. “California Love” 2pac with Dr. Dre & Roger (1996) 22. “Walk This Way” Run-D.M.C. with Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler & Joe Perry (1986) 23. “I Used to Love H.E.R.” Common (1994) 24. “Push It” Salt-N-Pepa (1987) 25. “Hot in Herre” Nelly (2002) 26. “Empire State of Mind” Jay-Z with Alicia Keys (2009) 27. “I Need Love” LL Cool J (1987) 28. “Hypnotize” The Notorious B.I.G. (1997) 29. “Gin & Juice” Snoop Doggy Dogg (1994) 30. “Bust a Move” Young M.C. (1989) 31. “Fuck tha Police” N.W.A. (1989) 32. “Get Ur Freak On” Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott (2001) 33. “The Humpty Dance” Digital Underground (1990) 34. “O.P.P.” Naughty by Nature (1991) 35. “Regulate” Nate Dogg & Warren G (1994) 36. “Thrift Shop” Macklemore & Ryan Lewis with Wanz (2012) 37. “Low” Flo Rida with T-Pain (2007) 38. “Baby Got Back” Sir Mix-a-Lot (1992) 39. “Dilemma” Nelly with Kelly Rowland (2002) 40. “Lollipop” Lil Wayne with Static Major (2008) 41. “Gold Digger” Kanye West with Jamie Foxx (2005) 42. “Children’s Story” Slick Rick (1989) 43. “The Real Slim Shady” Eminem (2000) 44. “Wild Thing” Tone Loc (1988) 45. “Me, Myself and I” De La Soul (1989) 46. “Crank That (Soulja Boy)” Soulja Boy Tell’em (2007) 47. “Drop It Like It’s Hot” Snoop Dogg with Pharrell Williams (2004) 48. “I’ll Be There for You/You’re All I Need to Get By” Method Man & Mary J. Blige (1995) 49. “The World Is Yours” Nas (1994) 50. “Scenario (remix)” A Tribe Called Quest with Busta Rhymes (1992) 51. “Keep Ya Head Up” 2pac (1993) 52. “Big Poppa” The Notorious B.I.G. (1995) 53. “The Bridge Is Over” Boogie Down Productions (1987) 54. “99 Problems” Jay-Z (2004) 55. “Jesus Walks” Kanye West (2004) 56. “Live Your Life” T.I. with Rihanna (2008) 57. “My Name Is” Eminem (1999) 58. “Candy Shop” 50 Cent with Olivia (2005) 59. “Mama Said Knock You Out” LL Cool J (1991) 60. “Summertime” DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince (1991) 61. “Paid in Full (Seven Minutes of Madness)” Eric B. & Rakim (1987) 62. “Love the Way You Lie” Eminem with Rihanna (2010) 63. “Can’t Hold Us” Macklemore & Ryan Lewis with Ray Dalton (2011) 64. “La Di Da Di” Doug E. Fresh with Slick Rick (1985) 65. “Hey Ya!...OutKast (2003) 66. “My Philosophy” Boogie Down Productions (1988) 67. “U Can’t Touch This” M.C. Hammer (1990) 68. “You Gotta Fight for Your Right to Party” Beastie Boys (1986) 69. “The Breaks” Kurtis Blow (1980) 70. “Killing Me Softly” Fugees (1996) 71. “NY State of Mind” Nas (1994) 72. “Whatever You Like” T.I. (2008) 73. “Jump Around” House of Pain (1992) 74. “Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)” Jay-Z (1998) 75. “What You Know” T.I. (2006) 76. “Work It” Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott (2002) 77. “Ice Ice Baby” Vanilla Ice (1990) 78. “Doo Wop (That Thing)” Lauryn Hill (1998) 79. “I Got 5 on It” The Luniz (1995) 80. “How I Could Just Kill a Man” Cypress Hill (1991) 81. “See You Again” Wiz Khalifa & Charlie Puth (2015) 82. “It Takes Two” Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock (1988) 83. “Changes” Tupac (2pac) Shakur (1998) 84. “God’s Plan” Drake (2018) 85. “The Monster” Eminem with Rihanna (2013) 86. “Ain’t No Half Steppin’” Big Daddy Kane (1988) 87. “The Symphony” The Juice Crew (1988) 88. “One More Chance” The Notorious B.I.G. (1994) 89. “Jump” Kriss Kross (1992) 90. “Top Billin’” Audio Two (1988) 91. “Stronger” Kanye West with Daft Punk (2007) 92. “Not Afraid” Eminem (2010) 93. “Black Beatles” Rae Sremmurd with Gucci Mane (2016) 94. “Humble” Kendrick Lamar (2017) 95. “Hate It Or Love It” The Game with 50 Cent (2005) 96. “Big Pimpin’” Jay-Z with UGK (2000) 97. “Tennessee” Arrested Development (1992) 98. “Old Town Road” Lil Nas X with Billy Ray Cyrus (2018) 99. “Fancy” Iggy Azalea with Charli XCX (2014) 100. “One Mic” Nas (2002) Resources and Related Links: Dave’s Music Database: “Other Genre/Category Song Lists” Associated Content “The Top 10 Best Hip-Hop Beats of All Time” AXS (7/23/18). “9 Best Rap & Hip-Hop Music Videos of All Time” by Kareem Gantt BBC News (10/8/2019). “The Greatest Hip-Hop Songs of All Time” by Tim Brown Billboard (2014). “Top Rap Hits on Hot 100: 25th Anniversary” Billboard (2019). “List of Billboard Hot Rap Songs Number-One Songs of the 2010s” Bukisa.com (10/30/2009). “Best Rap Songs of All Time – Top 20 Greatest Hip Hop Tracks Ever Recorded” CapitalXtra.com: “The Ultimate Old-School Hip Hop Songs Playlist” Catsandbeer.com (10/10/2007). “The Top 10 Rap Songs White People Love” by Brian Cleveland.com (2017). “100 Greatest Rap Songs Since 2000” by Troy L. Smith D360 Magazine (3/13/2019). “Best Rap Songs of All Time” DigitalDreamDoor.com (11/16/2010). “100 Greatest Rap/Hip-Hop Songs” edited by Stereo Williams Epinions.com (9/3/2000). “The Top 25 Hip-Hop Songs of All-Time: Write-Off” by Donlee Brussel Epinions.com (10/12/2009). “The 100 Greatest Hip-Hop/Rap Songs of All Time” Examiner.com (4/10/2011). “The Top 25 Greatest Songs in Hip-Hop History” by Demetris Prewitt Filenest.com “100 Greatest Songs of Rap & Hip Hop” The Guardian (June 2011). “A History of Modern Music” HipHopSpy.com “100 Greatest Hip Hop Songs of All Time” Howigit.com (10/13/2010). “The 20 Best Rap Songs of All-Time” Hubpages.com (9/26/2011). “The Best Hip-Hop Songs of All Time” by DJ Funktual Komplicated.com (May 2011). “The Top 10 Greatest Songs in Hip Hop History” LA Weekly (8/11/2014). “The 20 Best Hip-Hop Songs in History” by Ben Westhoff LiveAbout.com (5/24/2019). “100 Greatest Rap Songs” by Henry Adaso Nutsie.com “Top 100 Rap/Hip Hop Songs” Official UK Charts (4/17/2017). “The Official Top 100 Biggest Hip-Hop Songs of All-Time” Pandora (8/10/2018). “Hip-Hop Turns 45: The Biggest Hits from Every Year” by Tracey Ford Philaflava.com “Top 100 Hip Hop Songs of All Time” Ranker.com “The Best Rap Songs of All Time” Rolling Stone (12/5/2012). “The 50 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs of All Time” Share Ranks “Greatest Rap/Hip Hop Songs of All Times” The Source (2003). “Top 151 Songs of All TIme” The-Top-Tens.com “Best Rap Songs of All Time” by Bob Smith Top40-charts.com “25 Years of Hip-hop: Top 100 Greatest Hip-hop/Rap Singles of All Time” Topix.com (11/1/2006). “My Top 25” by Crew Ugo.com “The Top 11 Old-School Hip-Hop Songs” VH1 (Sept. 2008). “100 Greatest Hip Hop Songs” WeddingDetails.com “Top 25 Hip-Hop/R&B Songs” First posted 6/8/2011; last updated 5/12/2021.