Coolio, who died in 2022, netted the biggest-selling single of 1995, according to Billboard, and snagged a best rap solo performance Grammy for the creeping song, which borrows heavily from Stevie Wonder’s 1976 album track, “Pastime Paradise.” 34. Given his penchant for lighthearted, bouncy material (“Fantastic Voyage”), the dramatic intonations of this megahit were both surprising and appealing. But the Queen Bee could also play with the popsters for a remake of “Lady Marmalade,” as she did in 2001 with Christina Aguilera, Mya and Pink.
established herself as a sexually dominant persona spitting out hardcore rap on her debut single featuring Puff Daddy. The tough-talking Brooklyn-born freestyle expert discovered by Notorious B.I.G. But it identified a sound that would reappear in their other timeless pop-rap hits “Let’s Talk About Sex” and “Shoop.” 36. The Queens group of Cheryl “Salt” James and Sandra “Pepa” Denton (along with Spinderella, aka Deidra Roper), found a niche in the late-‘80s with a grinding thumper that wasn’t even initially a single (it was the B-side to “Tramp”). But this early hit from his debut (“The College Dropout”) t hat mixes gospel, a marching band and lyrics probing spirituality indicated there was something unique about West. Kanye West, ‘Jesus Walks’ (2004)Īn argument could be made that West’s vast catalog holds bigger hits – “Gold Digger,” with that priceless assist from Jamie Foxx, or “Stronger,” with the inventive electro-elements from Daft Punk, for sure. When was the last time the native music of Punjab – bhangra – was heard in a rap song? That stabbing rhythm coupled with Elliott’s funny and fierce commands landed her in the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100. With producer Timbaland, a fellow Virginian, behind the board, Elliott dropped a wholly original jam. The Atlanta duo that also includes Big Boi might have busted down the mainstream door and scored Grammy love in 2004 for “Hey Ya.” But it’s more important to remember their debut gem, with its swishy soul chorus and lyrical proof that the prophets of the South had arrived.ģ9. Outkast, ‘Player's Ball’ (1993)Īndré 3000 wasn’t kidding when he proclaimed, “The South got something to say” at the 1995 Source Awards. The combination of a catchy song with a repetitive, radio-friendly chorus and invaluable exposure saw the group applauded after a decade of work. Probably no one was more surprised than the Memphis collective themselves when the group’s name was called as the best original song Oscar winner in 2006 for their performance on the “Hustle & Flow” soundtrack. Three 6 Mafia, ‘Hard Out Here for a Pimp’ (2005)
The bluntness of Public Enemy could never be curbed, and the defiant anthem commissioned by Spike Lee for “Do the Right Thing” has been solidified as one of the most important statements in hip-hop history: “Our freedom of speech is freedom or death/We got to fight the powers that be.” 44. The song misses the contributions of Takeoff, omitted due to “timing,” but the snappy trap track is an attention-grabbing precursor to follow-up hits “Walk It Talk It,” “Stir Fry” and “T-Shirt.” (Takeoff was shot and killed in November 2022.) 45. “Raindrop, drop top” spawned a gazillion memes and earned the Atlanta trio of Quavo, Offset and Takeoff their first No. Migos (featuring Lil Uzi Vert), ‘Bad and Boujee’ (2016) The hip-hop classic has been referenced in songs by artists ranging from Robbie Williams to Color Me Badd. Fresh coupled with Slick Rick’s nasal delivery of mundane preparation for a date set the scene as Rick promises, “we don’t cause trouble, we don’t bother nobody.” The lackadaisical cadence is a testament to the early days of rap when storytelling trumped tempo. Fresh and Slick Rick, ‘La Di Da Di’ (1985) Dre, Pamela Lee), the lead single from the Detroit breakout’s sophomore album (“The Slim Shady LP”) is an appetizer of what he would soon produce. Eminem, ‘My Name Is’ (1999)īetween its staccato beat and Eminem’s humorous storytelling that namechecked pop culture touchstones of the time (Spice Girls, Nine Inch Nails, Dr. It’s almost amusing to remember a time when a lewd song and album (“As Nasty As They Wanna Be”) was so shocking, it prompted a Florida judge to declare 2 Live Crew’s work obscene. However, its legacy isn’t musical, but legal. The Top 20 hit for the Miami group spearheaded by Luther Campbell (aka Uncle Luke) is a dopey ode to sex that gets raunchier as it progresses. The song also introduced Organized Noize, the Atlanta production crew of Rico Wade, Ray Murray and Sleepy Brown, who would become integral to Outkast’s catalog. The lead single from their “Soul Food” debut album spotlights Cee Lo Green’s soulful voice as he sing-raps verses between a sticky, stalking chorus.
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