Hip-Hop/Rap’s Finest

Written By Kensedeobong Okosun

As a nominal listener of Hip-Hop music, I have over the years curated a list of favourite songs from the genre. I like the groove, rhyme, rhythm, culture and history. It is the rhythmic signature of Generation Xers due to its nascency in the 1970s. Many key players on this soundscape were born in that era. In this playlist, I share some of the finest hip-hop sounds that my ears have heard.

  1. A Tribe Called Quest. “Electric Relaxation” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2kWufDC3Bc Midnight Marauders (1993).

  2. Big Pun. “Punish Me” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlROn9d4rnE Capital Punishment (1998).

  3. Bone Thugs & Harmony. “Tha Crossroads” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJWYTetgsns E.1999 Eternal (1995).

  4. Busta Rhymes. “Dangerous” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GxRDIkIzBg When Disaster Strikes….. (1997).

  5. Cam’ron. “Horse & Carriage” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rv-0leUtYzk Confessions Of Fire (1998).

  6. Canibus, feat Wyclef Jean, Prodigy & Youssou N’ Dour. “How Come” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWEZBj5U3j0 Soundtrack to Bulworth (1998).

  7. Coolio. “C U When U Get There” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-e-ADY_witU My Soul (1997).

  8. Da Brat. “Sittin’ On Top Of The World” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2ku7DTaUGM Anuthatantrum (1996).

  9. De La Soul. “Stakes Is High” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhJCMKXzGv8 Stakes Is High (1996).

  10. DMX. “Slippin’” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=429nZfyWLLY Flesh Of My Flesh, Blood Of My Blood (1998).

  11. Dr Dre. “Nuthin’ But A G Thang” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4B5VcoaS9s The Chronic (1992).

  12. Eminem. “Mockingbird” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjVjHkezTIM Encore (2004).

  13. Eve. “Who’s That Girl?” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6NZRvj66C4 Scorpion (2001).

  14. Foxy Brown. “If I….” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qiGOYwxWCA Il Na Na (1996).

  15. Fugees. “Ready Or Not” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWOa_eeKzO0 The Score (1996).

  16. Ice Cube. “It Was A Good Day” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gb_-rZB2Foc The Predator (1992).

  17. Ja Rule. “Livin’ It Up” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFMy2NuOVic Pain Is Love (2001).

  18. Jay Z. “Song Cry” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5srnNrICJo The Blueprint (2001).

  19. Jermaine Dupri. “Money Ain’t A Thing” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGjjhoVD_tk Life In 1472 (1998).

  20. Kriss Kross. “Jump” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MS9qGfK3Z30 Totally Krossed Out (1992).

  21. Lady Of Rage. “Afro Puffs” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxpTzPx3H3Y Above The Rim (1994).

  22. Lil’ Bow Wow. “Basketball” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6UPN7uCwzs Like Mike (2002).

  23. Lil Kim. “No Matter What They Say” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0h3JTwzsGE The Notorious K.I.M (2000).

  24. LL Cool J. “Doin’ It” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgVbplRI-qE Mr Smith (1996).

  25. Mase. “If You Want To Party” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_WhQtFX5bw Double Up (1999).

  26. MC Hammer. “Can’t Touch This” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDCRrvtY78g Please Hammer Don’t Hurt ‘Em” (1990).

  27. MC Lyte. “When In Love” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4FXvPfOqgY Act Like You Know (1991).

  28. Missy Elliot. “4 My People” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDKNIevSyAg Miss E……So Addictive (2001).

  29. Monie Love. “Born 2 B.R.E.E.D” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkF8GmqWwQk In A Word Or 2 (1993).

  30. Nas. “I Want To Talk To You” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEdDWRfGxC0 I Am…..(1999).

  31. Naughty By Nature. “Jamboree” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXzYuhy7_1Q Nineteen Naughty Nine: Nature’s Fury (1999).

  32. Nelly. “Hot In Herre” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8vLMHeO_5s Nellyville (2002).

  33. Notorious BIG. “Sky’s The Limit” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOUZI94P7Pc Life After Death (1997).

  34. Pras. “What’cha Wanna Do” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNF6hPUk8JE Ghetto Supastar (1998).

  35. Public Enemy. “Fight The Power” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRJKjiCtVco Fear Of A Black Planet (1990).

  36. Puff Daddy. “Been Around The World” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbUgUJXEGGk No Way Out (1997).

  37. Queen Latifah. “Fly Girl” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3Q-vhyKrxU Nature Of A Sista’ (1991).

  38. Queen Pen. “Party Ain’t A Party” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sg_Drzz1Ow My Melody (1997).

  39. Salt n Pepa. “Expression” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_oCsnIWIAc Blacks’ Magic (1990).

  40. Scarface. “I Seen A Man Die” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZkTVbEsZkU The Diary (1994).

  41. Snoop Dog. “Murder Was The Case” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJer9FBIhL4 Soundtrack to the Film Murder Was The Case (1994).

  42. Timbaland. “Wit’ Yo Bad Self” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UepyszzAOfo Tim’s Bio: Life From Da Bassment (1998).

  43. Tupac Shakur. “Hellrazor” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T92u3_z7dS8 R U Still Down? (1997).

  44. Warren G. “I Shot The Sheriff” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9PKt6swARc Take A Look Over Your Shoulder (Reality) (1997).

  45. Will Smith. “Men In Black” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WtPQmZZyOY Big Willie Style (1997).

  46. Wu Tang Clan. “Protect Ya Neck” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xvbb7F2CCOU Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) (1993).

  47. Yo-Yo. “Letter To The Pen” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4sQo0YqcU8 You Better Ask Somebody (1993).

  48. 50 Cent. “In Da Club” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8BYGMdHDQ0 Get Rich Or Die Tryin’ (2003).

Kensedeobong Okosun

Kensedeobong Okosun is a music enthusiast, music researcher, music journalist with expertise in music selection & planning, vocalist and an author. Her academic article “Sisterhood and Soul Music as expressions of Black Power” is featured in the edited volume, Black Power in Hemispheric Perspective (Raussert & Steinitz, eds, 2022). She has reviewed Dorothea Gail’s Weird American Music for the Forum for Interamerican Research (fiar, 2019). Her literary review on Nigerian music titled “Nigerians and their Music” has been published on the Nigerian news platform Sun News Online, while her article “Remembering Victor Uwaifo, “Guitar Boy” and the quest to meet Mami Wata” graced The Nigerian Observer.

Kensedeobong’s blog highlights music’s interconnectivity with society and comprises personal music experiences, researched information, concept playlists for multiple themes, etc.

A hard-core 90s R&B fan, she utilises the vehicle of memory, to position long forgotten music of yesteryears on the front-burner.

She is persuaded that music is a core conduit of collective harmony, equanimity, vitality and healing. And as such requires criticality in the filtration process, in order to disseminate meaning. Her blog promotes music equality and diversity.

She resides in Germany.

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The Cross-pollination of R&B/Hip-Hop 2