11: "Grindin'" - Clipse
Before this song was released, we knew The Neptunes could make great pop music. Their two biggest hits before this were Jay-Z's "I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)" and Britney's "I'm A Slave 4 U", both bouncy hits that had that signature Neptunes sound. It was with "Grindin'", however, that they expanded on that sound, showing us their stark yet powerful approach to hardcore Hip-Hop production. It was a world apart from the industry R&B and pop they had been churning out, a raw electronic backed kind of Hip-Hop that married beautifully with hardcore street rap. This song is the reason The Neptunes went on to dominate rap radio in the 2000's, and why everyone from Snoop Dogg to Common was clamoring to work with them.
12: "Hip-Hop" - Dead Prez
As you may have gleaned from the previous posts, protest and social consciousness have little place in today's corporate homogenized Hip-Hop. It's hard to imagine anyone getting signed to a major label now who's "down for running up on them crackers in they city hall". This song managed to get some people's attention when it was released in 2000, mostly due to its forward-thinking bass-driven beat that would become mainstream eight years later with songs like "A Milli", but it may have drawn people's focus away from the lyrics and the overall message. What we're doing is bigger than Hip-Hop, yet so many contemporary MCs work so within the style that they can't rise above the genre and reflect on it. It's hard to be bigger than Hip-Hop when Hip-Hop is the biggest thing in the world.
13: "Get Ur Freak On" - Missy Elliott
If there's one thing Timbaland is very good at, its taking disparate musical elements and molding them into a cohesive beat. World music, like the Asian strings here or the Middle Eastern samples in "Big Pimpin'", are one of his specialties. They don't sound foreign, rather they sound perfectly contextualized, like you've been hearing them on the radio for years. Its a testament to Timbaland and Missy's artistic relationship that this weird song with Indian strings, African drums, random Chinese chattering, and hawked loogies made it the Billboard Top 10. We've all heard this song a hundred times to the point where it seems commonplace, yet it couldn't be further from ordinary.
14: "The Light" - Common
Things looked pretty different at the beginning of the 2000's then where we are now. Coming off the 90s, the identity of the decade was up for grabs, and for a brief moment that identity had more to do with a politically correct swanky new bohemian lifestyle than the paranoia and frustration of the post-911 era. Artists like Common appealed to the dotcom boomers who wanted their rap smooth and non-confrontational. When things were good we got beautiful Hip-Hop ballads about love. When things got bad, shit got real.
15: "Stay High" - Three 6 Mafia feat. Young Buck, 8 Ball & MJG
If there was an unlikely story of the decade in Hip-Hop, it has to be to comeback of Three 6 Mafia. These Memphis horror-core rappers rose to prominance in the 90s feuding with Bone Thugs N Harmony and rapping about body parts in trunks. Years in the game have only solidified the production heart of the click, DJ Paul and Juicy J. The beat on this song is ridiculous, so much more polished and refined than the brutish beats of their early albums. Three 6 managed to parlay the sucess of this song into featuring on and producing big name chart hits, and set them up to produce one of the songs in the top ten.
16: "The Way I Am" - Eminem
Eminem existed between decades, and in many ways was the transition point from the pop music scene of the 90s into the Hip-Hop dominated one we see today. If it weren't for the millions of new white rap fans created overnight by Eminem's popularity we would not see anywhere near the amount of rap in our everyday popular culture. Eminem primed a generation of white teenagers to become the rap consumers of the 2000s. Without his impact this list might not be half as long, and "The Way I Am" is pure unadulterated Hip-Hop from an MC at his zenith.
17: "Southern Hospitality" - Ludacris
Despite what this list says, this has to be my favorite Neptunes production. This is the song where we knew Ludacris was here to stay,and the song that cemented the Neptunes sound as the sound of the years to come. Years before Snoop Dogg and Justin Timberlake got the Pharrell makover, a little southern rapper with a big mouth was making gold with a perfect marriage of Star Trak funk and Ludacris crunk.
18: "Flashing Lights" - Kanye West
Kanye West is a famous man. The 2000s had to give up on some things, most notably our pop stars. With internet music sharing and more and more musical options, it's unlikely we'll ever get a larger-than-life star like Michael Jackson ever again. That said, Kanye comes pretty damn close, at least in his own mind. From calling Bush a racist to award-show antics (I'ma let you finish...), Kanye wants to be our King of Pop. And if Kanye is Michael Jackson, then "Flashing Lights" is grandiose pop poetry, genetically engineered for the dancefloor and near perfect in its craftsmanship.
19: "Get By" - Talib Kweli
Jay-Z once said "If skills sold, truth be told I'd probably be, lyrically, Talib Kweli", to which Talib replied: "If lyrics sold then truth be told I'd probably be just as rich and famous as Jay-Z." Why critically-acclaimed MCs have such trouble making the crossover to mainstream auidences is probably similar to why bands like Deerhunter and Animal Collective aren't wildly famous while considered to be the best. When these artists try to make the leap to the Billboard 100 they rarely stay there, but their pop aspirations are often excellent, like "Get By". Produced by Kanye West, here Talib really does play the Jay-Z role to awesome results.
20: "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)" - Jay-Z
I've talked up the Neptunes a lot over the course of this list, but here the top twenty kicks off with three songs in row produced by none other than Kanye West. The element that Kanye added to early 21st century Hip-Hop is hard to define, but its centered around his masterful use of soul-based samples. "Izzo" was the first national platform for the young Mr. West, and after America heard this, we needed more.
Showing posts with label Ludacris. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ludacris. Show all posts
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
The 100 greatest Hip-Hop songs of the 2000's: 71-80
71: "How We Do" - The Game feat. 50 Cent
Dr. Dre made a huge impact with 1999's Chronic 2001, and just like its title Dre's style overflowed into the next millennium. The early part of the century was dominated by Dre and his proteges, and "How We Do" is all about Dre. Game's Compton flow is the best think to come out of Cali in a long time, and 50 is still operating at his zenith. A dynamic duo that we'll see again on the countdown.
72: "Lean Back" - Terror Squad
Hip-Hop didn't used to have songs like this. Songs that become ubiquitous, that dominate all forms of media for an epic amount of time. "Lean Back" was a number one hit that refused to go away, a position usually reserved for mind-numbing pop songs. Just more proof of Hip-Hop's popularization and gentrification during the 2000's.
73: "Move Bitch" - Ludacris feat. Mystikal & I-20
Atlanta was crucial for the rise of regional rap during the last decade, and "Move Bitch" is one of Luda's most defiantly southern songs, with a greasy and powerful beat and the slurring twang of Mystikal and I-20. They create something that is at the same time cathcy and menacing, and as Chris Rock said, increasingly harder to defend. "Well as you can see, there's a bitch in his way that he needs to move. Thus the term: Move bitch, get out the way. You need to open your eyes so you can get the bitches out of your way!"
74: "Acid Raindrops" - People Under the Stairs
California Hip-Hop never really got over Death Row and Dr. Dre. The rest of the country we're huge contributes to the modern rap scene while the West Coast became less and less of a player. Indie Hip-Hop found its niche in California though, with groups like Jurassic 5 and People Under the Stairs. The songs were light, uplifting, drenched in SoCal sun and marijuana smoke, and hearkened back to the Native Tongues of the early 90's. They were also infectious. (Ignore the white guy in the video, who is probably from Cali and thinks this video was a great idea.)
75: "Back Like That" - Ghostface Killah feat. Ne-Yo
The Hip-Hop/R&B collaboration was perfected and proliferated during the 2000's, so much so that there's a new Grammy category for them. The massive success of songs like Usher's "Yeah" showed us that this was the new way to pop perfection, and "Back Like That" is a power pop tour de force. Ghostface spits the story of a breakup that has clearly given him pain, all while Ne-Yo delivers a hurricane of a hook.
76: "What's Golden" - Jurassic 5
At one point in the late 90's, Jurassic 5 and people like them were touted as the future of Hip-Hop, underground rap that was self-conscious and intellectual. As we'll see later in this list, the lofty goals set for underground Hip-Hop in the 90's were never manifested in the next decade. This was as close as we got, a J5 song that got moderate airplay. The group that was supposed to change the game would be disbanded in 2007.
77: "Crank That (Soulja Boy)" - Soulja Boy
The Soulja Boy story is certainly one that could only happen in the internet age. A young kid from Atlanta puts a simple rap song he made himself online, accompanied with a dance that goes along with it. Its a formula that's been exploited for success countless times, but never by such a complete outsider with no connections to the music industry. The result? Seven weeks at number one and instant fame for the young star.
78: "Hustlin'" - Rick Ross
Authenticity has always been a source of controversy in Hip-Hop, and its importance has always been debated. You'd have to be a fool to think that the majority of contemporary MCs murder people on a regular basis, yet "realness" is still to many the ultimate judge of a rapper. If this is the case, Rick Ross probably isn't your favorite. A former prison guard who took the name of a famous cocaine trafficker, Ross caught a lot of flack for being a phony. Who are we kidding? Hip-Hop is now Pop, and Pop is and always will be superficial. So go ahead, enjoy your fake gangsterism and fictional thuggery. Everybody else is.
79: "Ch-Check It Out" - Beastie Boys
The Beastie Boys are rap royalty, and their future at the moment seems tenuous with MCA's fight with cancer ongoing. 2004's To The 5 Boroughs was a testament to the city that birthed them and the old school sound of Golden Age Hip-Hop in NYC. Hopefully we will get a chance to see the Boys change their style once again, but in the meantime we can listen to them gracefully pay homage to a style that is long gone.
80: "Hot In Herre" - Nelly
Nelly + Neptunes = cultural phenomenon. Songs that get spread around everywhere lose some of their power, but listening to this track you can still here what it was that caused the commotion. Nelly is the party rap king, and over an irreverent Pharrell beat he created the song you play at a party that lets everyone know they're at a a party.
Dr. Dre made a huge impact with 1999's Chronic 2001, and just like its title Dre's style overflowed into the next millennium. The early part of the century was dominated by Dre and his proteges, and "How We Do" is all about Dre. Game's Compton flow is the best think to come out of Cali in a long time, and 50 is still operating at his zenith. A dynamic duo that we'll see again on the countdown.
72: "Lean Back" - Terror Squad
Hip-Hop didn't used to have songs like this. Songs that become ubiquitous, that dominate all forms of media for an epic amount of time. "Lean Back" was a number one hit that refused to go away, a position usually reserved for mind-numbing pop songs. Just more proof of Hip-Hop's popularization and gentrification during the 2000's.
73: "Move Bitch" - Ludacris feat. Mystikal & I-20
Atlanta was crucial for the rise of regional rap during the last decade, and "Move Bitch" is one of Luda's most defiantly southern songs, with a greasy and powerful beat and the slurring twang of Mystikal and I-20. They create something that is at the same time cathcy and menacing, and as Chris Rock said, increasingly harder to defend. "Well as you can see, there's a bitch in his way that he needs to move. Thus the term: Move bitch, get out the way. You need to open your eyes so you can get the bitches out of your way!"
74: "Acid Raindrops" - People Under the Stairs
California Hip-Hop never really got over Death Row and Dr. Dre. The rest of the country we're huge contributes to the modern rap scene while the West Coast became less and less of a player. Indie Hip-Hop found its niche in California though, with groups like Jurassic 5 and People Under the Stairs. The songs were light, uplifting, drenched in SoCal sun and marijuana smoke, and hearkened back to the Native Tongues of the early 90's. They were also infectious. (Ignore the white guy in the video, who is probably from Cali and thinks this video was a great idea.)
75: "Back Like That" - Ghostface Killah feat. Ne-Yo
The Hip-Hop/R&B collaboration was perfected and proliferated during the 2000's, so much so that there's a new Grammy category for them. The massive success of songs like Usher's "Yeah" showed us that this was the new way to pop perfection, and "Back Like That" is a power pop tour de force. Ghostface spits the story of a breakup that has clearly given him pain, all while Ne-Yo delivers a hurricane of a hook.
76: "What's Golden" - Jurassic 5
At one point in the late 90's, Jurassic 5 and people like them were touted as the future of Hip-Hop, underground rap that was self-conscious and intellectual. As we'll see later in this list, the lofty goals set for underground Hip-Hop in the 90's were never manifested in the next decade. This was as close as we got, a J5 song that got moderate airplay. The group that was supposed to change the game would be disbanded in 2007.
77: "Crank That (Soulja Boy)" - Soulja Boy
The Soulja Boy story is certainly one that could only happen in the internet age. A young kid from Atlanta puts a simple rap song he made himself online, accompanied with a dance that goes along with it. Its a formula that's been exploited for success countless times, but never by such a complete outsider with no connections to the music industry. The result? Seven weeks at number one and instant fame for the young star.
78: "Hustlin'" - Rick Ross
Authenticity has always been a source of controversy in Hip-Hop, and its importance has always been debated. You'd have to be a fool to think that the majority of contemporary MCs murder people on a regular basis, yet "realness" is still to many the ultimate judge of a rapper. If this is the case, Rick Ross probably isn't your favorite. A former prison guard who took the name of a famous cocaine trafficker, Ross caught a lot of flack for being a phony. Who are we kidding? Hip-Hop is now Pop, and Pop is and always will be superficial. So go ahead, enjoy your fake gangsterism and fictional thuggery. Everybody else is.
79: "Ch-Check It Out" - Beastie Boys
The Beastie Boys are rap royalty, and their future at the moment seems tenuous with MCA's fight with cancer ongoing. 2004's To The 5 Boroughs was a testament to the city that birthed them and the old school sound of Golden Age Hip-Hop in NYC. Hopefully we will get a chance to see the Boys change their style once again, but in the meantime we can listen to them gracefully pay homage to a style that is long gone.
80: "Hot In Herre" - Nelly
Nelly + Neptunes = cultural phenomenon. Songs that get spread around everywhere lose some of their power, but listening to this track you can still here what it was that caused the commotion. Nelly is the party rap king, and over an irreverent Pharrell beat he created the song you play at a party that lets everyone know they're at a a party.
Monday, January 4, 2010
The 100 greatest Hip-Hop songs of the 2000's: 81-90
81: "Break Ya Neck" - Busta Rhymes
This was Busta's last explosive moment, his last song that oozed exuberance and frenetic energy. Over a rollicking Dr. Dre beat the madcap MC dizzies us with a gale-force attack of lyrical excellence from one of Hip-Hop's last elder statesmen.
82: "What Happened To That Boy" - Birdman feat. Clipse
The Neptunes sound is easily identifiable and was omnipresent during the 2000's. Yet every song had its own style, and here again Birdman and Clipse make the track their own. Over a New Wave synth and handclaps Clipse makes the track drip like syrup, all while imparting it with a venomous villainy.
83: "Drivin' Me Wild" - Common feat. Lily Allen
Rap in the 2000's definitely calmed down. Gone were the days of Puffy's shiny suits, the braggadocio of DMX's screaming. Displays of raw emotion had no place in the 2 cool 4 school mentality of 2000's Hip-Hop. Cool was all that mattered, and Common was definitely cool.
84: "Lose Control" - Missy Elliot feat. Ciara & Fat Man Scoop
Missy Elliot is a shining light in music, someone who never compromised or changed who she was just to be more commercially viable. On this self-produced track, Missy thumps and bumps her way into dance-rap ecstasy. Pure Missy.
85: "What's Your Fantasy" - Ludacris feat. Shawnna
World, meet Ludacris. The year was 2000, and labels were desperate for regional rap. It was hard to imagine upon first hearing this song that Luda would go on to be one of rap's biggest stars, but it was impossible to ignore the energy and humor he gave his flow.
86: "Go DJ" - Lil' Wayne
It was on the back of Mannie Fresh that the Cash Money Records empire was built. His sparse electronic beats provided a playground for the young southern MCs at the label. "Go DJ" was his last hurrah, his last hit with a developing Lil' Wayne. 2004's Tha Carter was almost exclusively produced by Mannie Fresh. By the time Tha Carter II was released a year later, he wasn't featured on the album at all.
87: "Swagga Like Us" - T.I. feat. Jay-Z, Kanye West & Lil' Wayne
It seems like a no brainer. Get Kanye West to craft a beat around one of the most electrifying songs of the decade, then get the four most popular MCs in the world to rap over it. It wasn't much of a gamble, but it still payed off big. When a pregnant M.I.A. joined the four on stage at the VMAs, it became clear what this was: a meeting of titans.
88: "Through the Wire" - Kanye West
Who would have thought that a car accident, Ensure, and Chaka Khan would be the perfect formula to launch the biggest new name in rap of the decade? Kanye West, apparently, who turned tragedy into triumph. Kanye's journey from backpack rap to stadium status begins here.
89: "Let Me Blow Ya Mind" - Eve feat. Gwen Stefani
A leftover of the late nineties, this track has all the hallmarks of corporate rap. Beat by Dr. Dre and Scott Storch, Gwen on the hook, the lavish music video. But the song rides smooth and stays with you, the coolness reminding you where you are.
90: "Upgrade" - Lil' Wayne
Lil' Wayne is at his best when he's on the attack, and it's for this reason that Da Drought 3 is his most accomplished album. Over two discs Wayne tackles the biggest beats and makes them his, his freestyles outshining the originals in almost every instance. Over this Beyonce track and on the rest of the album Weezy makes his best case for being the best rapper alive.
This was Busta's last explosive moment, his last song that oozed exuberance and frenetic energy. Over a rollicking Dr. Dre beat the madcap MC dizzies us with a gale-force attack of lyrical excellence from one of Hip-Hop's last elder statesmen.
82: "What Happened To That Boy" - Birdman feat. Clipse
The Neptunes sound is easily identifiable and was omnipresent during the 2000's. Yet every song had its own style, and here again Birdman and Clipse make the track their own. Over a New Wave synth and handclaps Clipse makes the track drip like syrup, all while imparting it with a venomous villainy.
83: "Drivin' Me Wild" - Common feat. Lily Allen
Rap in the 2000's definitely calmed down. Gone were the days of Puffy's shiny suits, the braggadocio of DMX's screaming. Displays of raw emotion had no place in the 2 cool 4 school mentality of 2000's Hip-Hop. Cool was all that mattered, and Common was definitely cool.
84: "Lose Control" - Missy Elliot feat. Ciara & Fat Man Scoop
Missy Elliot is a shining light in music, someone who never compromised or changed who she was just to be more commercially viable. On this self-produced track, Missy thumps and bumps her way into dance-rap ecstasy. Pure Missy.
85: "What's Your Fantasy" - Ludacris feat. Shawnna
World, meet Ludacris. The year was 2000, and labels were desperate for regional rap. It was hard to imagine upon first hearing this song that Luda would go on to be one of rap's biggest stars, but it was impossible to ignore the energy and humor he gave his flow.
86: "Go DJ" - Lil' Wayne
It was on the back of Mannie Fresh that the Cash Money Records empire was built. His sparse electronic beats provided a playground for the young southern MCs at the label. "Go DJ" was his last hurrah, his last hit with a developing Lil' Wayne. 2004's Tha Carter was almost exclusively produced by Mannie Fresh. By the time Tha Carter II was released a year later, he wasn't featured on the album at all.
87: "Swagga Like Us" - T.I. feat. Jay-Z, Kanye West & Lil' Wayne
It seems like a no brainer. Get Kanye West to craft a beat around one of the most electrifying songs of the decade, then get the four most popular MCs in the world to rap over it. It wasn't much of a gamble, but it still payed off big. When a pregnant M.I.A. joined the four on stage at the VMAs, it became clear what this was: a meeting of titans.
88: "Through the Wire" - Kanye West
Who would have thought that a car accident, Ensure, and Chaka Khan would be the perfect formula to launch the biggest new name in rap of the decade? Kanye West, apparently, who turned tragedy into triumph. Kanye's journey from backpack rap to stadium status begins here.
89: "Let Me Blow Ya Mind" - Eve feat. Gwen Stefani
A leftover of the late nineties, this track has all the hallmarks of corporate rap. Beat by Dr. Dre and Scott Storch, Gwen on the hook, the lavish music video. But the song rides smooth and stays with you, the coolness reminding you where you are.
90: "Upgrade" - Lil' Wayne
Lil' Wayne is at his best when he's on the attack, and it's for this reason that Da Drought 3 is his most accomplished album. Over two discs Wayne tackles the biggest beats and makes them his, his freestyles outshining the originals in almost every instance. Over this Beyonce track and on the rest of the album Weezy makes his best case for being the best rapper alive.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
The 100 greatest Hip-Hop songs of the 2000's: 91-100
91: "Run" - Ghostface Killah feat. Jadakiss
A frantic, paranoid urban drama from Ghostface's smoothest album. A reminder that with all the gloss and glamour in modern rap, New York is still cops and robbers for some.
92: "Walk it Out" - Unk
Regional rap exploded in the 21st century, and Walk it Out is one of its most energetic jams. All you need is some hometown flavor and dance moves and you can have a national radio hit. So much for East Coast/West Coast.
93: "Make it Rain" - Fat Joe feat. Lil' Wayne
Anytime a song introduces a term into the Hip-Hop lexicon we take notice, especially when its being done by Lil' Wayne. As the originator of "Bling Bling" and "Drop it like it's Hot", Wayne adds "Makin' it Rain" to his personal dictionary.
94: "Mr. Me Too" - Clipse feat. Pharrell
The Neptunes dominated the 2000s; their sound unmistakable. It might be said that no other MCs sounded better over the Neptunes than Clipse, their oldest recording partners. Listen to Hell Hath No Fury and you'll swear you've never heard anything like it, despite their stranglehold on Top 40 radio.
95: "I Ain't Heard of That" - Slim Thug feat. Pharrell & Bun B
The Neptunes are all over this list, mostly because of their captivating list of collaborators. They produced the majority of Slim Thug's major label debut, and in the process made the most interesting record of the Houston rap wave of 2005.
96: "Stand Up" - Ludacris
Over a conservative Kanye West beat Ludacris cements his position as the decade's premier practitioner of Hip-Hop pop. Funny, catchy, and non-threatening, Luda became the everyman's (i.e. the white man's) favorite rapper.
97: "I Hate My Job" - Cam'ron
Recession-era rap from one of Hip-Hop's fallen stars. Cam may have lost the Diplomats and the purple minks, but even a dead end job can't stop him from waking up every morning.
98: "Hero" - Nas
Polow da Don is a Pop-producing god. "Love in This Club" is one of the most danceable pop songs ever, but here Polow pairs his grandiosity with one of the finest wordsmiths around to create a searing serenade to swagger.
99: "On Fire" - Lloyd Banks feat. 50 Cent
If you asked 50 Cent I'm sure at some point he thought he would define this decade and the next. Fiddy's cache has faded for sure, but a few gems shine through as exceptional. Together with G-Unit costar Banks and Eminem producing they created a beat that never leaves your head.
100: "Lip Gloss" - Lil Mama
Hip-Hop is no longer separate from the mainstream, it is the mainstream. Hip-Hop informs and influences nearly every form of music now, most notably Pop music. "Lip Gloss" is pure bubblegum filtered through finger snaps and handclaps. Removing the Hip-Hop from Pop and R&B isn't likely to happen anytime soon.
A frantic, paranoid urban drama from Ghostface's smoothest album. A reminder that with all the gloss and glamour in modern rap, New York is still cops and robbers for some.
92: "Walk it Out" - Unk
Regional rap exploded in the 21st century, and Walk it Out is one of its most energetic jams. All you need is some hometown flavor and dance moves and you can have a national radio hit. So much for East Coast/West Coast.
93: "Make it Rain" - Fat Joe feat. Lil' Wayne
Anytime a song introduces a term into the Hip-Hop lexicon we take notice, especially when its being done by Lil' Wayne. As the originator of "Bling Bling" and "Drop it like it's Hot", Wayne adds "Makin' it Rain" to his personal dictionary.
94: "Mr. Me Too" - Clipse feat. Pharrell
The Neptunes dominated the 2000s; their sound unmistakable. It might be said that no other MCs sounded better over the Neptunes than Clipse, their oldest recording partners. Listen to Hell Hath No Fury and you'll swear you've never heard anything like it, despite their stranglehold on Top 40 radio.
95: "I Ain't Heard of That" - Slim Thug feat. Pharrell & Bun B
The Neptunes are all over this list, mostly because of their captivating list of collaborators. They produced the majority of Slim Thug's major label debut, and in the process made the most interesting record of the Houston rap wave of 2005.
96: "Stand Up" - Ludacris
Over a conservative Kanye West beat Ludacris cements his position as the decade's premier practitioner of Hip-Hop pop. Funny, catchy, and non-threatening, Luda became the everyman's (i.e. the white man's) favorite rapper.
97: "I Hate My Job" - Cam'ron
Recession-era rap from one of Hip-Hop's fallen stars. Cam may have lost the Diplomats and the purple minks, but even a dead end job can't stop him from waking up every morning.
98: "Hero" - Nas
Polow da Don is a Pop-producing god. "Love in This Club" is one of the most danceable pop songs ever, but here Polow pairs his grandiosity with one of the finest wordsmiths around to create a searing serenade to swagger.
99: "On Fire" - Lloyd Banks feat. 50 Cent
If you asked 50 Cent I'm sure at some point he thought he would define this decade and the next. Fiddy's cache has faded for sure, but a few gems shine through as exceptional. Together with G-Unit costar Banks and Eminem producing they created a beat that never leaves your head.
100: "Lip Gloss" - Lil Mama
Hip-Hop is no longer separate from the mainstream, it is the mainstream. Hip-Hop informs and influences nearly every form of music now, most notably Pop music. "Lip Gloss" is pure bubblegum filtered through finger snaps and handclaps. Removing the Hip-Hop from Pop and R&B isn't likely to happen anytime soon.
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