Best Hip-Hop Song of the Decades
The history of Hip-Hop spans decades, with characters such as Muhammad Ali and Cab Calloway creating the foundations of the music genre. Yet, if looked at from the perspective of a historian, the beginning of Hip-Hop is the widely accepted date of August 11th 1973, when DJ Kool Herc performed at his sister's back-to-school party, extending the beats of a multitude of disco and pop records by using two record players and isolating the percussion breaks. It's when people say that the genre is born. More than forty-five years later, what was started by the youth in the Bronx has become the highest selling music genre and the most impactful genre in today's era through a multitude of tracks, albums and accomplishments. In a recent interview made in celebration of Hip-Hop's 45th anniversary, Nas talked about his favorite tracks; I will step it up, picking my favorite tracks from each of Hip-Hop's five decades and explaining why I subjectively believe that they're the best from an objective point of view.
1970's: Rapper's Delight by The Sugarhill Gang
In my lifetime, I can not say that there is another fourteen minute long song that I can listen to without being bored. Released on September 16th 1979, Rapper's Delight by the Sugarhill Gang is a classic in the game. There are so many reasons as to why it's known as such and those include the introduction of classic/cliché vernacular like "And me, the groove, and my friends are gonna try to move your feet", "shake your derriere" and the use of the double letter ("I said M-A-S, T-E-R, a G with a double E"). The track also has the distinction of being the first hip-hop song to break the Top 40 in the Billboard Hot 100. The song is an anthem of it's tie, that out ranked it's contemporaries and my honorable mention songs by a long shot.
Honorable Mentions: Rappin' and Rocking the House - Funky Four Plus One; Christmas Rappin' - Kurtis Blow; Superrappin' - Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
1980's: The Message by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five
The 1980's saw the growth of the genre, from the underground to the mainstream. This is an era of evolution, from no curse words to curse words just as much as we went from party music to music that could convey deeper messages. That's where we have The Message by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. The song goes deep into the struggles of inner city poverty, with the notable chorus of "It's like a jungle sometimes / It makes me wonder how I keep from going under." bringing to light what we know as socially conscious rap like KRS-One, Public Enemy, NWA, J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar. It all starts here.
Honorable Mentions: Peter Piper - RUN DMC; Eric B. is the President - Eric B and Rakim; Push It - Salt n' Pepper; Me, Myself and I - De La Soul
1990's: Juicy by The Notorious B.I.G.
Every song that is considered an honourable mention in this era is worthy of being considered the greatest songs of all time and representative of the best songs that the culture has to offer. By this time, the culture has been thoroughly fleshed out and is now expanding exponentially around the world thanks to great artists. One of the greatest artists of them all, The Notorious B.I.G. gave the greatest song of them all with Juicy. While other songs such as Dear Mama were put in the library of congress, what makes this song stand out is the infectious beat and melody crowned by Mtume's Juicy Fruit and some iconic lyrics by Biggie. Any true hip-hop head knows the iconic beginning of the song and knows that it's an automatic bump.
Honorable Mentions: Dear Mama - Tupac; Forgot About Dre - Dr. Dre f. Eminem; C.R.E.A.M. - Wu-Tang Clan; It Was A Good Day - Ice Cube
2000's: Lose Yourself by Eminem
It comes down to the impeccable storytelling and the lyrical dexterity: Eminem brings the artform together with the science behind it all in an Oscar-winning effort, Lose Yourself. From the piano intro to the final words on the track, the feeling of do-or-die is felt. What makes this track above everything else that comes out of this era is it's relatability and sustainability in the eyes of the public. It's real and painful, raw and impactful. The decade saw rappers turn into bonafide superstars this track shows the desperation of some to just get out of their situation and to thrive when everyone tells them that they can't.
Honourable Mentions: In da Club - 50 Cent; Lollipop - Lil Wayne f. Static Major; Jesus Walks - Kanye West; Ms Jackson - Outkast.
2010's: “The Motto” by Drake f. Lil Wayne
While the decade isn't done yet, leaving the possibility for a better track to be considered as the best, there is a song that has stood out: The Motto by Drake featuring Lil Wayne. The reasoning behind the choice comes from its importance in cultural terms such as "YOLO" and "The Motto". Things have changed since the release of the song, but what can be said is that the flow and the cadence used in the song has been replicated and reused multiple times in various songs such as mumble rap all while setting the landscape for a new age in the Toronto rap scene. Many songs can claim a better message or even technique, but what's telling is the impact of the track all while having a healthy dose of both aforementioned concepts.
As we celebrate forty-five years of Hip-Hop, let's celebrate the music, the artists, the culture and everything that it gave to us.