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The 125 Best Rap Singles of 1994

The 75 Best Rap Singles of 1985
Thanks to stars like Run-D.M.C. and Roxanne Shanté, rap grew fitfully into a pop culture fixture. But respect for the art remained elusive.
The 60 Best Rap Singles of 1984
Notable Hip-Hop Albums of 2023
The 125 Best Rap Singles of 2003
The 60 Best Rap Singles of 1983
The 50 Best Rap Singles of 1981
SPOTLIGHT

Bars for Gaza
Over a year after the Israel-Hamas war began, numerous rap songs have appeared that address the ongoing conflict.

Joseph Rathgeber on Caltrops
New Jersey writer Joseph Rathgeber discusses his zine Caltrops, which has become a key document of the underground rap renaissance.

The #HipHop50 Parade
The yearlong #HipHop50 celebration has become a microcosm of the myths and reality that continue to define the culture.

Dancing with Sinéad O’Connor & MC Lyte
In 1988, the late Sinéad O’Connor and Brooklyn rapper MC Lyte enjoyed a brief but memorable cross-cultural exchange.
BEST OF

The 75 Best Rap Singles of 1985
Thanks to stars like Run-D.M.C. and Roxanne Shanté, rap grew fitfully into a pop culture fixture. But respect for the art remained elusive.

The 100 Best Rap Singles of 2004
As rap teetered between pop corporatism, brilliance and malaise, the eccentric MF DOOM as well as exotic Southern sounds offered redemption.

The 125 Best Rap Singles of 1994
By 1994, hip-hop had clearly evolved into a generational movement. But its innocent sensibility was lost in the process.

The 60 Best Rap Singles of 1984
Hip-hop in 1984 brought Fresh Fest superstars Run-DMC and Whodini, Melle Mel’s breakout year, and the beginning of the Roxanne wars.

The 75 Best Rap Singles of 1985
Thanks to stars like Run-D.M.C. and Roxanne Shanté, rap grew fitfully into a pop culture fixture. But respect for the art remained elusive.

The 100 Best Rap Singles of 2004
As rap teetered between pop corporatism, brilliance and malaise, the eccentric MF DOOM as well as exotic Southern sounds offered redemption.

The 125 Best Rap Singles of 1994
By 1994, hip-hop had clearly evolved into a generational movement. But its innocent sensibility was lost in the process.

The 60 Best Rap Singles of 1984
Hip-hop in 1984 brought Fresh Fest superstars Run-DMC and Whodini, Melle Mel’s breakout year, and the beginning of the Roxanne wars.