My 10 favorite Hip-Hop songs of all time : a thread

10- Criminal (Eminem)

Eminem comes through with a brilliant example of his iconic explicit and graphic lyricism. Accompanied by a raw beat from the Bass Brothers, Em gives the best execution of his 'multiple voices' style on Criminal

9- Can I Kick It? (A Tribe Called Quest)

A classic feel-good track from Tribe, Q-Tip and Phife spit quirky rhymes over an iconic Lou Reed sample. Whenever I'm feeling down, this song will always lift my mood

8- Protect Ya Neck (Wu Tang Clan)

RZA's grimy beat sets the scene for the greatest posse cut of all time. From Deck's wordy opening verse about Spiderman, to Ghost's braggadocious ode to rapping ability, everything about this track is peak Wu Tang Clan.

7- Sing About Me, I'm Dying of Thirst (Kendrick Lamar)

There isn't much to say about this track that hasn't been said already. SAMIDOT is an incredibly complex, and is the greatest storytelling HH song of all time. The song only proves KDot is up there with the legends

6- Can't C Me (Tupac)

Pac and Dre did something special on this track. Cant C Me is West Coast Hip-Hop at it's finest, as Dre marries an aggressive Pac performance with a gorgeous, stripped down beat. This joint only proves why Pac is my GOAT

5- One (Ghostface Killah)

The standout joint from Supreme Clientele, Ghost rides Juju’s production to give a raunchy and vivid illustration of the hood. GFK uses a number of complex rhyming schemes throughout the song to paint a colorful picture within the listener's mind.

4- Dead Presidents II (Jay Z)

Hov lends himself to a sombre piano instrumental, as he raps about his life of crime and business expertise. DP2 is chock-full of double/triple entendre's, and is my favourite track off Jay's most vulnerable project in Reasonable Doubt.

3- B.I.B.L.E (Killah Priest)

A Killah Priest solo track off GZA's Liquid Swords, the relatively unheralded clan affiliate explores themes of religion, mindfulness and corruption over a soothing, soulful instrumental. This song gives me hope and clarity when I'm feeling low.

2- The Food (Common feat Kanye West)

Common and Kanye mesh perfectly together over a zesty production effort from Ye. The windy city duo give an incredibly fun track, with an infectious hook from Kanye, and a bouncy couple of verses from Common. Two of the Chi's very best

1- All Falls Down (Kanye West)

My favorite ever song, from my favorite ever artist. Kanye speaks on consumerism, the education system and insecurity to give a wholly inspirational (yet sad) track. This song will always be treasured by me, and I play it back almost everyday.