The 60 Best Rap Singles of 1984
March 24, 2024
Hip-hop in 1984 brought Fresh Fest superstars Run-DMC and Whodini, Melle Mel’s breakout year, and the beginning of the Roxanne wars.
ALL: Best Of
Notable Hip-Hop Albums of 2023
December 31, 2023
In 2023, hip-hop fans found themselves wondering whether small leaps in evolution can be as satisfying as the giant steps of the past.
The Best Rap Singles: Former Entries
December 21, 2023
The Best Rap Singles series began in 2020 and has undergone changes in the years since. This list of entries shows what’s been removed.
Best Rap Singles: Class of 2003
December 5, 2023
In an era when hip-hop was at a commercial peak, it was common for vital new voices to spend years working towards international attention.
2003 Ads for Lost Albums
December 5, 2023
From Ras Kass to De La Soul, the year 2003 brought plenty of announcements for albums that never appeared in stores.
The 125 Best Rap Singles of 2003
November 14, 2023
As the industry slowly crumbled, action figures like 50 Cent and Lil Jon rolled off the assembly line with muscular, eardrum-popping sounds.
Best Rap Singles: Class of 1983
November 7, 2023
These nine artists were early sprouts of what would soon be called the “new school,” a generation of musicians who’d remake hip-hop culture.
The 60 Best Rap Singles of 1983
October 23, 2023
In a year defined by electro kingdoms and fresh wild styles, Run-D.M.C., Afrika Bambaataa and others sought to explore rap’s future.
The 50 Best Rap Singles of 1981
September 22, 2023
Most of the best hip-hop of 1981 didn’t appear on rap records — with Grandmaster Flash’s “Wheels of Steel” a gloriously historic exception.
The 125 Best Rap Singles of 2002
September 7, 2023
While Missy Elliott and the Neptunes dominated 2002, the rise of 50 Cent, Dipset, and Southern rap promised to transform the culture.
The 125 Best Rap Singles of 2001
August 6, 2023
While 9/11 and Jay-Z vs. Nas defined the year, global forces began disrupting the cloistered rap industry, whether it was ready or not.
The 125 Best Rap Singles of 2000
June 24, 2023
In the first year of the 21st century, hip-hop mutated in unusual ways, and a canyon grew between the haves and the have-nots.