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50 Incredible Rap Songs (41-50) · by R.H.S.
Friday Finale (41-50)
Well day five of our musical journey through the wilderness of rap has arrived, and even though we’ve had to make subtle diggs at naysayers and defraud the host, shit has run realitvely smoothly. Today we bring you Shaolin’s conscience, Philly’s proto-gangsta godfather, Harlem’s original freshly dipped set, Oaktown’s least menacing rapper, a triumvirate of cheapskates, a 5% with anger issues, a guy who’s all about the filthy lucre, everyone’s favorite amoral word twisting surrealist duo, the world’s foremost boosting expert, and the Dungeon Fam’s wunderkind. If that isn’t a cast of characters worth meeting, then 40% of our readership is not from Scandinavia!
Download All 10 Songs As A .zip File
41. UMCs – “Morals” (Wild Pitch, 1992)
Staten Islanders Hass G and Kool Kim were still in their teens when they recorded their daring yet pop-savvy, largely overlooked and/or underestimated debut full-length Fruits Of Nature. Something of a departure from their more popular, exuberant cuts, “Morals” is everything an effective cautionary song should be – smooth, laid-back, and heavier on carefully considered words of wisdom than youthful naivete. – R.H.S. (OhWord.com)
42. Schooly D – “Saturday Night” (Schooly D, 1987)
When he’s not hanging out with Abel Ferrara, Schoolly School can be found embarking on the kind of dusted misadventures that combine the best parts of Fritz The Cat, The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers and Mr. Natural over a lava-hot combination of breaks, cowbells and scratches (courtesy of the one and only DJ Code Money). – Robbie Ettelson (Unkut.com)
43. Disco Dave & The Force Of The 5 MCs – “High Power Rap” (Mixmaster Mike & Disco Dave Records, 1980)
The first record from the group better known as the Crash Crew. The beat would soon be jacked by Flash & The Five for “Freedom,” but it will forever belong to Crash. Because they’ve got Kazoos. Also some rapper you may have heard of jacked a little hook from this record. Overcharging the industry for what he did to the Crash Crew. – Noz (Cocaineblunts.com)
44. Del – “Sunny Meadows” (Elektra 1991)
Del’s debut album I Wish my Brother George Was Here is a P-Funkdafied collage of whimsy. Buried beneath the disc’s more danceable grooves is the peculiar “Sunny Meadows,” a surrealist’s romp through a verdant paradise just beyond the city limits. While De La Soul used psychedelic imagery to engage in social commentary on “Tread Water,” Del instead basks in his insular realm and banishes hoodlums from the sacred ground over a familiar but funky backbeat. At the end of the day, who can really blame the man for reclining on the back of a hippo while peacefully g’ing off his publishing royalties? – R.H.S. (OhWord.com)
45. J-Zone ft Huggy Bear and Al Shid – “Live from Pimp Palace East” (Old Maid, 2001)
J-Zone’s cheapskate crew The Old Maid Billionaires didn’t quite fit in rap’s landscape circa 2001, choosing to rhyme about their empty pockets over Sp-1200 loops while the rest of the world was blinging it up on Triton keys. This posse cut is really a series of snaps going at everyone from En Vogue to the Klan to Ray Charles to then-current targets such as Napster and Missy Elliot’s “Minute Man”. Clearly ignoring sample laws, Zone went nuts with old movie quotes. With the Five boroughs overrun by fashion-thugs and hipsters, we need the old J-Zone now more than ever. Blast this jam out the hooptie. – Sacha Orenstein (OhWord.com)
46. Brand Nubian – “Alladat” (Elektra, 1994)
Sadat X demonstrated that he had stylistically outgrown Jamar on this potent dolo shot from the otherwise cringe-worthy Everything Is Everything album. Buckwild’s trademark menacing soundtrack and Busta’s hook seal the deal, but the “Baldhead King” brings a simmering hostility and a breadth of subject matter that continues to set him apart from the pack. – Robbie Ettelson (Unkut.com)
47. Mr. Lucci – “Slab” (Iconic, 2001)
It just crawls so perfectly. – Noz (Cocaineblunts.com)
48. Raekwon and Ghostface “Cream 2001” (Roc-a-fella, 2000)
On paper, this song has a lot going against it. It’s billed as a remake, it appears on a sequel compilation album (DJ Clue’s The Professional, Part 2), and it’s produced by Rick Rock, whose chromed, robotic beats sound entirely unlike Rae and Ghost usual material. The song has nothing to do with the original “C.R.E.A.M.” beyond a namecheck in the catchy chorus. However, Raekwon hammers the listener with two verses describing an impossibly ostentatious cold boss lifestyle marked by chinchilla blankets and money thrown out of blimps that sandwich Ghost’s extended narration of an imagined conversation with Marvin Gaye’s spirit.– David (OhWord.com)
49. Thirstin Howl III – “Brooklyn Hard Rock” (Rawkus, 1999)
One of rap’s most underrated character actors, Thirstin Howl III’s “dusted Slick Rick” vocals and dual obsessions with thievery and Polo clothing should have made him a star. “Brooklyn Hard Rock” is a bizarre collaboration with a cockney-accented Unique London, whose adlibs and memorable chorus may well go down as rap’s funniest use of a British accent. “Brooklyn Hard Rock” subverts classic B-Boy swagger into something altogether original. Sure rappers have used schizophrenia, flossing, the supernatural and odd vocal inflections before…but all on the same track? The duality between Thirstin’s off kilter mental-patient rants and Unique London’s straight-faced praise of his swagger made for one of the most entertaining dynamics in late 90’s boom-bap, one that sadly wasn’t explored to it’s full potential. Note: Also check out the excellent “Brooklyn Hard Rock Part 2”. – Sacha Orenstein (OhWord.com)
50. Killer Mike “My Chrome” (Virgin, 2005)
Unlike most of Outkast’s experiments with frenetic, Prince-influenced beats, “My Chrome” is extraordinarily easy on the ears. The memorable chorus is infective without being obnoxious. During his first verse, Killer Mike makes no attempt to keep up with the beat, instead floating heavily reverbed Jeezy-speed declarations at the listener. Big Boi opens the third verse, and his energetic flow balances Killer Mike’s deeper voice as they trade lines for the remainder of the verse. – David (OhWord.com)
Comments for "50 Incredible Rap Songs (41-50)"
Damn, thanks for this. Awesome compilation. First time visiting the site, but I’ll definitely be checkin out ohword in the future.
— Justin the Villain Feb 16, 02:51 PM
Scandinavia loves this initiative. And Oh word in general, of course. Love.
— Donnie D. Feb 16, 09:40 PM
Another great post.
— Raz Feb 17, 12:00 PM
French headz appreciate this huge present, too : http://www.abcdrduson.com/news/news.php?id=424
Thanks a lot !
— JB Feb 17, 06:14 PM
allllllllllllready
— the ag jew Feb 18, 03:49 PM
Damn, i really hoped this might be a clean version of 01 Cream, which apparently doesn’t exist. Shut. the. fuck. up. clue.
— Kwis Feb 19, 02:31 PM
yeah, sorry about the Clue screaming. i’m just as unhappy as you are about it..
— David Feb 19, 09:49 PM
Word Is Bond is another non cringe-worthy song from Everything Is Everything…
— Tray Feb 20, 02:36 AM
I mean, they knew it was a hot song right? Why not white label it…or better yet, why didn’t Ghost just reuse that verse on something worthy?
— Kwis Feb 20, 05:16 AM
I think you guys did an O.K. job of posting the 50 most incredible rap songs- except MILANO should have been in the top 10 or at least 20! Are you kidding me some niggas posted aren’t half as nice as him. If you don’t know all his shit like I do, go to school, do research but this man deserves more credit than he’s getting. His style is uncanny and never gets old. Gotta love him!!!
— Lady K Feb 20, 04:37 PM
Where’s the video for “My Chrome”?
— Swag Diesel Feb 20, 09:02 PM
Great tracks. Thanks a lot. Really like Mr Lucci’s ‘Slab’ but the file seems corrupt as i-tunes says it’s 13.42 long yet it cuts out halfway (just before Lucci’s last verse), anyone got a clean copy? Keep up the good work.
— Throbbo Feb 21, 10:43 PM
Wow, 15 months but I finally digested all of the tracks. Of the 70+ that you made available, I kept 36. Some have been fabulous jumping off points like the Organized Konfusion track. Some, I guess, will forever be a one-off like “Lyin’ King”. And some just can be played over and over forever like the Stinky Dink track. Thanks a million for the education.
— Sean May 26, 06:07 PM