Rap Genius - Top 100 Rap Songs of 2014
100.
Ghostface Killah ft. AZ, Kool G Rap & Tre Williams "The Battlefield"
"The Battlefield"
is an amazing portrayal of hip-hop's recent evolution. The genre is starting to age,
and so are its key musicians
. Mafioso rap veterans Ghostface, AZ and Kool G take their adulthood experiences and apply them to the metaphorical battlefield. Never forget -
there's a war going on outside.
99.
Apollo Brown & Rass Kass ft. Pharoahe Monch & Rakaa Iriscience "H20"
98.
Travi$ Scott ft. Big Sean "Don't Play"
97.
Mac Miller ft. Vince Staples "Rain"
96.
Isaiah Rashad ft. SZA "West Savannah"
95.
Vic Mensa "Feel That"
Following his breakout mixtape
Innanetape
and four appearances on
last year’s top 100 song list,
Vic Mensa is back with his Smoko Ono produced banger
"Feel That"
.
The song breaks away from Vic’s reputation as a “lyrical” rapper, substituting lyrical complexity for a strong flow and crazy energy.
Vic’s about to take over the game and we
feel that!
94.
Mick Jenkins ft Joey Bada$$ "Jerome"
93.
Tinashe ft Schoolboy Q "2 On"
92.
Jay Electronica ft. LaTonya Givens "Better In Tune With The Infinite"
91.
Big K.R.I.T. "King Of The South"
90.
PRyhme "Courtesy"
In classic Premo style, the production is lead by organs and 90's scratched vocal samples. Royce blesses us with two thrilling verses - snarky shots at his competition, sprinkled pop culture references, and packed wordplay. Rapping well is the only way he knows how, and it proves true on this record.
89.
Childish Gambino "Sober"
88.
NehruvianDOOM "OM"
87.
Drake "How About Now"
86.
Statik Selektah ft Action Bronson, Royce da 5'9 & Black Thought "The Imperial"
85.
O.T Genasis "CoCo"
BAKIN' SODA, I GOT BAKIN' SODA!
O.T took the internet by storm with this cocaine ballad. His hilariously serious tone combined with
references to Nemo and Nino Brown
made us all fall in love with the coco,
even Nicki Minaj
. The biggest fans of this song are O.T's peers -
y'all saw what happened to Busta Rhymes, right?
84.
Vince Staples ft James Fauntleroy "Nate"
83.
Lupe Fiasco ft Ty Dolla $ign "Deliver"
82.
Theophilus London ft Kanye West "Can't Stop"
81.
Future ft. Andre 3000 "Benz Friends (Whatchutola)"
80.
Jay Electronica ft. Jay Z "We Made It Freestyle"
Jay Electricity and Hova joined forces at the top of the year to murder Drake & Soulja Boy’s 2013 New Year anthem
“We Made It”
. The chemistry is undeniable as the two flow effortlessly over the blaring horns. While both dropped serious knowledge on The Five Percent Nation of Islam, every line packs a punch. Exhibit A? Jigga hitting Drizzy square in the jaw with this right hook:
“Sorry Mrs. Drizzy for so much art talk/Silly me rappin' 'bout shit that I really bought”
79.
Beyonce ft. Nicki Minaj "***Flawless Remix"
78.
ScHoolboy Q "Prescription/Oxymoron"
77.
Travis Scott ft Rich Homie Quan & Young Thug "Mamacita"
76.
YG ft. Jay Rock & ScHoolboy Q "I Just Wanna Party"
75.
Dej Loaf "Try Me"
From the moment the muted twinkles of DDS’
“Try Me”
beat creeps in, Dej commands the year’s most threatening anthem without ever raising her voice past a Cam’ronian monotone. It runs like a checklist of guaranteed hip-hop success. Hook? Infectious. Flow? Unique, yet copyable by the lay listener. Lyrics? Quotable. But what exalts this song to its heights is Dej Loaf’s undeniable, next-level swagger, one that makes her one rapper you really might not want to try.
74.
Young Thug ft. A$AP Ferg & Freddie Gibbs "Old English"
73.
Lil Wayne ft. The LOX "Gotti"
72.
Mick Jenkins "The Waters"
71.
Game "Bigger Than Me"
70.
Childish Gambino "Candler Road"
Bino pays homage to a road in his hometown in Decatur, Atlanta, a fitting name for an instrumental that contains an interpolation of his
because the internet
song
“Telegraph
Ave.
”
The improvised scat hook puts a cherry on top of the seemingly effortless track that stands out as his best rap song of the year.
69.
Wu-Tang Clan "Ruckus In B Minor"
68.
Kendrick Lamar "Untitled"
67.
OG Maco "U Guessed It"
66.
Drake "Draft Day"
65.
Donnie Trumpet ft. Chance The Rapper & Jamila Woods "Sunday Candy"
The Social Experiment, a.k.a the Chicago “symphony”,
switches things up to make a truly heartwarming track. Whether it’s the soul-filled vocals from Jamila Woods & Co,
or Chance the Rapper’s two verses, nostalgia oozes out of every corner of this joint.
With live instrumentation and composition by SoX, this release sets expectations high for their album
SURF
.
64.
ScHoolboy Q "Hoover Street"
63.
Common ft. Vince Staples "Kingdom"
62.
Jay Rock "Parental Advisory"
61.
Freddie Gibbs "Shitsville"
60.
Action Bronson "Easy Rider"
The psych-rock sampling
accompanies Bronsolino's timeless flow like a hot dog at the ball game. Gems like
“I had dreams of fuckin' Keri Hilson in my Duncans. Woke up naked at the Hilton with a bitch that look like Seal's cousin”
are classic Bam Bam. "Easy Rider" is
Mr. Wonderful's
acid trip on steroids.
59.
Eminem "Shady XV"
58.
Nicki Minaj "Anaconda"
57.
J.Cole "January 28th"
56.
Run The Jewels ft. boots "Early"
55.
Mac Miller "Diablo"
Mac hit us with
“Diablo”
on his Soundcloud account
out of nowhere
in February.
The chilling piano line
and Mac's delivery perfectly complement lyrics like
“Contemplating suicide like it’s a DVD / Lost inside my mind, it’s a prison homie leave me be”
. The druggy philosopher
we all fell in love with
is back, and trippier than ever.
54.
Freddie Gibbs "Harold's"
53.
Slaughterhouse "Y'all Ready Know"
52.
Logic "Nikki"
51.
Yelawolf "Till It's Gone"
50.
Pharoahe Monch ft. Black Thought "Rapid Eye Movement"
From the moment the first bar is spat, you know Pharoahe and Tariq aren't strangers to the rap game.
"My think tank's like a piranha tank think, multiple bites figure / Mega, reality, tera, giga"
starts us off with a bang.
"Rapid Eye Movement"
sounds like it belongs in a James Bond movie
49.
PartyNextDoor ft. Drake "Recognize"
48.
Vic Mensa "Down On My Luck"
47.
PRyhme "PRyhme"
46.
Vince Staples "Blue Suede"
45.
Rae Sremmurd "No Flex Zone"
Serving as Rae Sremmurd's debut single, this anthem quickly blew up the charts, clubs and streets to make the oddly named duo the biggest thing in hip hop. In fact, this track was so big that the remix featured two of the hottest rappers in recent times: Nicki Minaj and Pusha T
44.
Nicki Minaj ft. Chris Brown, Drake & Lil Wayne "Only"
43.
Joey Bada$$ "Big Dusty"
42.
Run The Jewels "Blockbuster Night Pt. 1"
41.
Big K.R.I.T. "Cadillactica"
40.
Pusha T "Lunch Money"
What started as an accidental release turned out to be one of the best joints of the year.
The G.O.D laid down the Contra style soundtrack, while King Push’s flow was flawless.
The drug dealer dichotomy did it again with lines like
“What's the price of success? Lost my bitch, bought a chef”
.
This initial offering has us fiending for King Push,
and unlike 2013’s MNIMN,
he won’t need a pitch either - the shit sells itself
.
39.
YG ft. Drake "Who Do You Love"
38.
Freddie Gibbs "Deeper"
37.
Mac Miller ft. Da$h & Earl Sweatshirt "New Faces V2"
36.
Rae Sremmurd "No Type"
35.
Isaiah Rashad "Heavenly Father"
Here Isaiah Rashad delivers dark content over a soulful instrumental, creating a nice contrast between the two. A combination of Rashad's smooth, low-tempo flow, and a melodic hook from SZA, makes this for a heavenly performance. One of the best cuts from
Cilvia Demo
.
34.
Wiz Khalifa "We Dem Boyz"
33.
J.Cole "No Role Modelz"
32.
Future ft. Casino, Pharrell Williams & Pusha T "Move That Dope"
31.
Logic "Soul Food"
30.
Eminem ft. Big Sean
, Danny Brown, Dej Loaf, Royce Da 5'9 & Trick Trick "Detroit Vs Everybody"
Detroit up-and-comers Big Sean and Danny Brown come hard enough to successfully bridge the gap between Royce and Em’s bookend verses. Between another show-stealing verse from Royce, a solid hook from Dej Loaf, and an outro from the director of the
“No Fly Zone”
Trick Trick, this track should keep rival MCs wary of Detroit static for time to come.
29.
Jay Rock ft. Chantal Kreviazuk & Kendrick Lamar "Pay For It"
28.
Nas "The Season"
27.
Bad Meets Evil "Vegas"
26.
Logic "Gang Related"
25.
Freddie Gibbs ft. Danny Brown "High"
Gangster Gibbs brings Danny on a marijuana-filled trip, backed with smooth and bass-banging production courtesy of Madlib.
Getting high is what they do best, and it's no surprise hearing how well both of them sound on this joint.
As expected, Danny's excited and high-registered verse flows perfectly with the beat as Freddie refuses to extinguish the fire.
24.
T.I ft. Young Thug "About The Money"
23.
Drake "6 God"
22.
Eminem ft. Sia "Guts Over Fear"
21.
Run The Jewels ft. Zack de la Rocha "Close Your Eyes (And Count To Fuck)"
20.
Mick Jenkins "Jazz"
Mick rides the beat using his notorious voice conviction skills, and as the beat mellows, his voice mellows; as the beat gets more chaotic, his voice rises. The lyrics, flow, and overall vibe of the song hits your soul and makes a new home. Mick wants us to ignore the lies and corruption in the world -
and we already know that this black man ain’t talkin’ all that Jazz.
19.
Young Jeezy ft. Jay Z "Seen It All"
Two of hip hop's most renowned hustlers join forces yet again and the result is nothing short of astonishing. The track is a clear highlight on Jeezy's album and one of Jay's finest verses in recent memory. They are both in top form as they vividly depict the experiences of their past drug dealings. You can clearly tell there's a genuine chemistry between the two. Even if you say this song blows - that's still a compliment. It was so real Jay was brought to tears while writing his verse.
18.
Rick Ross ft. Big Sean & Kanye West "Sanctified"
Ross grunt
Featuring Big Sean and
Kanye West
in addition to production by DJ Mustard and West, "Sanctified" was easily the most anticipated track from Rozay's 6th album,
Mastermind.
While Kanye's verse was a PSA to the critics who continually attempt to tarnish his reputation, Ross rapped about
grilled cheese
and
his Rolls Royce Wraith
.
Not only did "Sanctified" appear #1 on our
Top 10 Beats of 2014 list,
but it served as the background music for the greatest viral video of all time
17.
ILOVEMAKONNEN ft. Drake "Tuesday (Remix)"
I Love Makonnen began 2014 as a relatively unknown artist struggling to gain relevance as a musician, and
trying to break free from his manslaughter charges
. Then one day...
Drizzy decided to drop a verse onto “Tuesday”
and nothing was the same. Makonnen sings about his drug dealing past, and his busy schedule forcing him to bend the rules of when clubs can go up. Thanks to this single, clubs will never be the same on a Tuesday.
16.
J.Cole "Wet Dreamz"
Over a classic sample, Cole gives us his vintage story telling as he reminisces about his first time with a girl. He holds a cool attitude as tells the girl he's a pro - even though he's never had sex before. As thing escalate further, he watches porn videos for pointers and practices putting on a condom before the plot takes a twist right at the end. What's scary is how well this song relates.
We guarantee almost every male listener felt
some type of way
.
15.
Lil Wayne ft. Drake "Believe Me"
The release of
"Believe Me"
raised
Tha Carter V's
hype up few notches thanks to the perfect combination of YMCMB's finest. Drake lays down the hook and two stylistically different verses; one that bounces perfectly with the Boi-1da-produced beat,
and another with a gritty flow.
Wayne matches Drake verse-for-verse and
ends the track in memorable fashion
One of the more underrated aspects of
"Believe Me"
is its versatility. You can bump it while you’re browsing Genius, driving to work or school,
or grinding through a workout.
It appeals to all ears, just as we hope the entire album will.
14.
ScHoolboy Q "Break tHe Bank"
Complete with a chilling piano line and a Mario Kart 64 sample from The Alchemist
, the instrumental is perfect for a modern gangster rapper like ScHoolboy Q.
Throughout the track he viciously reminds the listener that it's his time and that he ain't no one to fuck with.
With Oxymoron debuting at number one on the billboard charts, and having sold over 320,000 copies, it is safe to say that
Q is
Breaking the bank
.
13.
A$AP Rocky ft. Juicy J "Multiply"
After
some uncharacteristic features,
A$AP returned with one of the hardest hitting songs of the year in "Multiply." The Flacko flow is on full display from the start; his signature internal rhyming bounces up and down on the beat with such rhythm that it wouldn’t matter if he used to sell crack or lemonade in his living room
Don’t worry, you won’t be seeing an A$AP Lemonade Stand anytime soon as Rocky
sticks to his typical rapper and fashion references.
Throw in some Juicy J trash talk for good measure and A$AP’s only single since
Long.Live.A$AP
is one of the year’s best.
Swag swag.
12.
Flying Lotus ft. Kendrick Lamar "Never Catch Me"
Like a psychedelic rat race,
“Never Catch Me”
has Kendrick Lamar running circles around this Flying Lotus masterpiece.
The fusion of hip hop, jazz, & electronic styles has Kendrick spazzing like a rabid dog.
The L.A natives take you on an outer body experience to stare death right in the face. Every few bars the instrumental changes as the race continues, like Kendrick’s searching for something, getting faster, and faster, and as you reach your destination -
“bitch, you’re dead!”
11.
Joey Bada$$ "Christ Conscious (Toroidal Flow)"
With an aggressive flow, Joey delivers a barrage of punchlines, wordplay, and utter energy that dazzles any listener. The beauty of these lyrical acrobats continues to prolong Joey’s ability and shows he ain’t no slacker when it comes down to the lyrics. Dragon Balls like his name was Vegeata, BADA$$ swears that no matter what, he won’t stop until he reaches the level of
Christ Conscious
.
10.
Run The Jewels "Oh My Darling Don't Cry"
Anchored by an El-P instrumental that can only be described as manic, the dynamic duo laces the beat with rhymes that are
crude
,
insightful
, and
simultaneously both
. What separates it from other RTJ tracks is the erosion in differences between the styles and personalities of the lead rappers. On RTJ1, Mike and El were characterized as aggressive and philosophical, respectively. But here El has no problem telling you to
“run backwards through a field of dicks”
as Mike
peruses Egyptian scriptures
. The chemistry is palpable, the flows are indescribable, and the result is one of the highlights of 2014.
9.
Rich Gang ft. Birdman, Rich Homie Quan & Young Thug "Lifestyle
"
EUUGHBLAHBEAHELGWLINAHDEWFQLFKQWFN LLLLLLIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIFFFFFFFFFFEEEEEEEEEEEESTYLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
For a song that made many detractors reconsider Rich Homie Quan’s “one-hit wonder status” and mainstream listeners delve into the Young Thug archives, the unintelligible nature of the lyrics for most listeners was its greatest asset: whatever personal details you added over the beat, you felt like your efforts were putting you on the fast-track to a Dionysian lifestyle of your own.
8.
ScHoolboy Q ft. BJ The Chicago Kid "Studio"
ScHoolboy Q put his heart on his sleeve in this banger for the ladies, elaborating on the reality that life as a major musician can be hectic. From touring around the world to TV appearances to, in this case, late nights in the studio, it can be hard to balance a relationship with a busy work schedule.
7.
J.Cole "Fire Squad"
If shock factor was what Cole was after with
"Fire Squad"
then he certainly achieved it. After boasting of his greatness in the first two verses, he took an interesting approach:
highlighting white appropriation in the music of black culture.
Not only did he just observe the sound-jacking,
he name dropped some of the most well-known artists to ever do it.
6.
Bobby Shmurda "Hot Nigga"
The relationship between artist and subject matter, in the hip-hop and r&b genres especially, is a dangerously liminal one.
When Rick Ross gets chastised for portraying a criminal mastermind following his career in law enforcement
, are we supposed to then turn around and
congratulate Bobby Shmurda and his crew for their string of summer smashes for existing in a realm of authenticity?
It wasn’t the lyrics
, nor the beat (on its second go-around, no less!) that made Bobby so hot. So when the chant-worthy one-liners become appear as more than fiction, should we cheer? Should we scold?
Or should we Shmoney Dance the troubles away?!
5.
Logic "Under Pressure"
The title track of the album is reminiscent of Logic’s classic brag pieces, entailing his recent rise in popularity and success. Where the initial four-minute release dropped off is
the track’s elegant yet radical style shift
-
it transitions from his recent material success to a deeply introspective track reflecting on both his past and current state of affairs with family.
This track serves as the crown jewel of the album - a diamond created from being
under p
ressure.
4.
Big Sean ft. E-40 "I Don't Fuck With You"
Sean Don and Bay Area godfather E-40 went big this year with the anthem for those without fucks to give.
This track dropped along with
“Paradise”
,
“4th Quarter”
, and
“Jit/Juke"
through his website
following the announcement of his signing to Roc Nation.
The song samples
“Say You Love Me”
, as
part of the exemplary accompaniment of Coach Kanye
and DJ Mustard on the beat.
His blatantly vulgar lyrics clearly express his lack of interest in those he is not "down with"
and is reminiscent of
“I Don’t Give A Fuck”
from Bo$$. While it has been confirmed that the record is not meant to be a shot to anyone in particular (including Naya Rivera with whom he recently split,) the message is still….
Who ever I don't fuck with, I still don't fuck with you.
3.
Big K.R.I.T. "Mt. Olympus"
Post KRIT's 2013 release,
King Remembered In Time
, more
verbal lightning from Krizzle
became high in demand, and he delivered.
"Mt. Olympus"
sees K.R.I.T. punish all the heathens of the rap game, showing them there really is a god. The fans wonder,
"Is he rap, is he snap?"
.
"Is he bass, is he drank?"
Neither - he is a King Remembered in Time.
2.
Drake "0-100/The Catch Up"
If there's one thing we've learned, it's that every song really does sound like Drake featuring Drake.
"Started from the bottom, now we here"
may have been 2013's catchphrase, but
"0 to 100 nigga, real quick"
took 2014 over
almost as quickly as fans grabbed the free Soundcloud download of this track after its June release
The two-part track is a variety pack, filled with braggadocio,
meme-worthy lines
, and introspective thoughts. What makes "0 to
100/The Catch Up" so notable is the instantaneous shift
from straight fire bars to a calmer profession of the same sentiment:
Drake is perched at the top of the rap game and he's only getting better.
That's a scary thought. We've already begun to see Drake back up these claims in his latest releases, and it's safe to say the anticipation for his next full-length project is nearly off the charts.
1.
Kendrick Lamar "i"
Backed by funky production reminiscent of the wonder years of soul music,
Kendrick broadcasts a message of self love
.
The best messages are those easily understood, and Kendrick makes no mistakes with a simple "I love myself"
Similar to our number one song last year, Kanye West's "New Slaves", every facet of the song’s concept was handled in one spectacularly orchestrated move.
Whether it be the record,
the music video,
or the buzz
- each element illustrates the message crystal clear.
An anthem isn't created overnight, this song has been in Kendrick all his life.
They can lock ya body, they can’t trap ya mind.
Ghostface Killah ft. AZ, Kool G Rap & Tre Williams "The Battlefield"
"The Battlefield"
is an amazing portrayal of hip-hop's recent evolution. The genre is starting to age,
and so are its key musicians
. Mafioso rap veterans Ghostface, AZ and Kool G take their adulthood experiences and apply them to the metaphorical battlefield. Never forget -
there's a war going on outside.
99.
Apollo Brown & Rass Kass ft. Pharoahe Monch & Rakaa Iriscience "H20"
98.
Travi$ Scott ft. Big Sean "Don't Play"
97.
Mac Miller ft. Vince Staples "Rain"
96.
Isaiah Rashad ft. SZA "West Savannah"
95.
Vic Mensa "Feel That"
Following his breakout mixtape
Innanetape
and four appearances on
last year’s top 100 song list,
Vic Mensa is back with his Smoko Ono produced banger
"Feel That"
.
The song breaks away from Vic’s reputation as a “lyrical” rapper, substituting lyrical complexity for a strong flow and crazy energy.
Vic’s about to take over the game and we
feel that!
94.
Mick Jenkins ft Joey Bada$$ "Jerome"
93.
Tinashe ft Schoolboy Q "2 On"
92.
Jay Electronica ft. LaTonya Givens "Better In Tune With The Infinite"
91.
Big K.R.I.T. "King Of The South"
90.
PRyhme "Courtesy"
In classic Premo style, the production is lead by organs and 90's scratched vocal samples. Royce blesses us with two thrilling verses - snarky shots at his competition, sprinkled pop culture references, and packed wordplay. Rapping well is the only way he knows how, and it proves true on this record.
89.
Childish Gambino "Sober"
88.
NehruvianDOOM "OM"
87.
Drake "How About Now"
86.
Statik Selektah ft Action Bronson, Royce da 5'9 & Black Thought "The Imperial"
85.
O.T Genasis "CoCo"
BAKIN' SODA, I GOT BAKIN' SODA!
O.T took the internet by storm with this cocaine ballad. His hilariously serious tone combined with
references to Nemo and Nino Brown
made us all fall in love with the coco,
even Nicki Minaj
. The biggest fans of this song are O.T's peers -
y'all saw what happened to Busta Rhymes, right?
84.
Vince Staples ft James Fauntleroy "Nate"
83.
Lupe Fiasco ft Ty Dolla $ign "Deliver"
82.
Theophilus London ft Kanye West "Can't Stop"
81.
Future ft. Andre 3000 "Benz Friends (Whatchutola)"
80.
Jay Electronica ft. Jay Z "We Made It Freestyle"
Jay Electricity and Hova joined forces at the top of the year to murder Drake & Soulja Boy’s 2013 New Year anthem
“We Made It”
. The chemistry is undeniable as the two flow effortlessly over the blaring horns. While both dropped serious knowledge on The Five Percent Nation of Islam, every line packs a punch. Exhibit A? Jigga hitting Drizzy square in the jaw with this right hook:
“Sorry Mrs. Drizzy for so much art talk/Silly me rappin' 'bout shit that I really bought”
79.
Beyonce ft. Nicki Minaj "***Flawless Remix"
78.
ScHoolboy Q "Prescription/Oxymoron"
77.
Travis Scott ft Rich Homie Quan & Young Thug "Mamacita"
76.
YG ft. Jay Rock & ScHoolboy Q "I Just Wanna Party"
75.
Dej Loaf "Try Me"
From the moment the muted twinkles of DDS’
“Try Me”
beat creeps in, Dej commands the year’s most threatening anthem without ever raising her voice past a Cam’ronian monotone. It runs like a checklist of guaranteed hip-hop success. Hook? Infectious. Flow? Unique, yet copyable by the lay listener. Lyrics? Quotable. But what exalts this song to its heights is Dej Loaf’s undeniable, next-level swagger, one that makes her one rapper you really might not want to try.
74.
Young Thug ft. A$AP Ferg & Freddie Gibbs "Old English"
73.
Lil Wayne ft. The LOX "Gotti"
72.
Mick Jenkins "The Waters"
71.
Game "Bigger Than Me"
70.
Childish Gambino "Candler Road"
Bino pays homage to a road in his hometown in Decatur, Atlanta, a fitting name for an instrumental that contains an interpolation of his
because the internet
song
“Telegraph
Ave.
”
The improvised scat hook puts a cherry on top of the seemingly effortless track that stands out as his best rap song of the year.
69.
Wu-Tang Clan "Ruckus In B Minor"
68.
Kendrick Lamar "Untitled"
67.
OG Maco "U Guessed It"
66.
Drake "Draft Day"
65.
Donnie Trumpet ft. Chance The Rapper & Jamila Woods "Sunday Candy"
The Social Experiment, a.k.a the Chicago “symphony”,
switches things up to make a truly heartwarming track. Whether it’s the soul-filled vocals from Jamila Woods & Co,
or Chance the Rapper’s two verses, nostalgia oozes out of every corner of this joint.
With live instrumentation and composition by SoX, this release sets expectations high for their album
SURF
.
64.
ScHoolboy Q "Hoover Street"
63.
Common ft. Vince Staples "Kingdom"
62.
Jay Rock "Parental Advisory"
61.
Freddie Gibbs "Shitsville"
60.
Action Bronson "Easy Rider"
The psych-rock sampling
accompanies Bronsolino's timeless flow like a hot dog at the ball game. Gems like
“I had dreams of fuckin' Keri Hilson in my Duncans. Woke up naked at the Hilton with a bitch that look like Seal's cousin”
are classic Bam Bam. "Easy Rider" is
Mr. Wonderful's
acid trip on steroids.
59.
Eminem "Shady XV"
58.
Nicki Minaj "Anaconda"
57.
J.Cole "January 28th"
56.
Run The Jewels ft. boots "Early"
55.
Mac Miller "Diablo"
Mac hit us with
“Diablo”
on his Soundcloud account
out of nowhere
in February.
The chilling piano line
and Mac's delivery perfectly complement lyrics like
“Contemplating suicide like it’s a DVD / Lost inside my mind, it’s a prison homie leave me be”
. The druggy philosopher
we all fell in love with
is back, and trippier than ever.
54.
Freddie Gibbs "Harold's"
53.
Slaughterhouse "Y'all Ready Know"
52.
Logic "Nikki"
51.
Yelawolf "Till It's Gone"
50.
Pharoahe Monch ft. Black Thought "Rapid Eye Movement"
From the moment the first bar is spat, you know Pharoahe and Tariq aren't strangers to the rap game.
"My think tank's like a piranha tank think, multiple bites figure / Mega, reality, tera, giga"
starts us off with a bang.
"Rapid Eye Movement"
sounds like it belongs in a James Bond movie
49.
PartyNextDoor ft. Drake "Recognize"
48.
Vic Mensa "Down On My Luck"
47.
PRyhme "PRyhme"
46.
Vince Staples "Blue Suede"
45.
Rae Sremmurd "No Flex Zone"
Serving as Rae Sremmurd's debut single, this anthem quickly blew up the charts, clubs and streets to make the oddly named duo the biggest thing in hip hop. In fact, this track was so big that the remix featured two of the hottest rappers in recent times: Nicki Minaj and Pusha T
44.
Nicki Minaj ft. Chris Brown, Drake & Lil Wayne "Only"
43.
Joey Bada$$ "Big Dusty"
42.
Run The Jewels "Blockbuster Night Pt. 1"
41.
Big K.R.I.T. "Cadillactica"
40.
Pusha T "Lunch Money"
What started as an accidental release turned out to be one of the best joints of the year.
The G.O.D laid down the Contra style soundtrack, while King Push’s flow was flawless.
The drug dealer dichotomy did it again with lines like
“What's the price of success? Lost my bitch, bought a chef”
.
This initial offering has us fiending for King Push,
and unlike 2013’s MNIMN,
he won’t need a pitch either - the shit sells itself
.
39.
YG ft. Drake "Who Do You Love"
38.
Freddie Gibbs "Deeper"
37.
Mac Miller ft. Da$h & Earl Sweatshirt "New Faces V2"
36.
Rae Sremmurd "No Type"
35.
Isaiah Rashad "Heavenly Father"
Here Isaiah Rashad delivers dark content over a soulful instrumental, creating a nice contrast between the two. A combination of Rashad's smooth, low-tempo flow, and a melodic hook from SZA, makes this for a heavenly performance. One of the best cuts from
Cilvia Demo
.
34.
Wiz Khalifa "We Dem Boyz"
33.
J.Cole "No Role Modelz"
32.
Future ft. Casino, Pharrell Williams & Pusha T "Move That Dope"
31.
Logic "Soul Food"
30.
Eminem ft. Big Sean
, Danny Brown, Dej Loaf, Royce Da 5'9 & Trick Trick "Detroit Vs Everybody"
Detroit up-and-comers Big Sean and Danny Brown come hard enough to successfully bridge the gap between Royce and Em’s bookend verses. Between another show-stealing verse from Royce, a solid hook from Dej Loaf, and an outro from the director of the
“No Fly Zone”
Trick Trick, this track should keep rival MCs wary of Detroit static for time to come.
29.
Jay Rock ft. Chantal Kreviazuk & Kendrick Lamar "Pay For It"
28.
Nas "The Season"
27.
Bad Meets Evil "Vegas"
26.
Logic "Gang Related"
25.
Freddie Gibbs ft. Danny Brown "High"
Gangster Gibbs brings Danny on a marijuana-filled trip, backed with smooth and bass-banging production courtesy of Madlib.
Getting high is what they do best, and it's no surprise hearing how well both of them sound on this joint.
As expected, Danny's excited and high-registered verse flows perfectly with the beat as Freddie refuses to extinguish the fire.
24.
T.I ft. Young Thug "About The Money"
23.
Drake "6 God"
22.
Eminem ft. Sia "Guts Over Fear"
21.
Run The Jewels ft. Zack de la Rocha "Close Your Eyes (And Count To Fuck)"
20.
Mick Jenkins "Jazz"
Mick rides the beat using his notorious voice conviction skills, and as the beat mellows, his voice mellows; as the beat gets more chaotic, his voice rises. The lyrics, flow, and overall vibe of the song hits your soul and makes a new home. Mick wants us to ignore the lies and corruption in the world -
and we already know that this black man ain’t talkin’ all that Jazz.
19.
Young Jeezy ft. Jay Z "Seen It All"
Two of hip hop's most renowned hustlers join forces yet again and the result is nothing short of astonishing. The track is a clear highlight on Jeezy's album and one of Jay's finest verses in recent memory. They are both in top form as they vividly depict the experiences of their past drug dealings. You can clearly tell there's a genuine chemistry between the two. Even if you say this song blows - that's still a compliment. It was so real Jay was brought to tears while writing his verse.
18.
Rick Ross ft. Big Sean & Kanye West "Sanctified"
Ross grunt
Featuring Big Sean and
Kanye West
in addition to production by DJ Mustard and West, "Sanctified" was easily the most anticipated track from Rozay's 6th album,
Mastermind.
While Kanye's verse was a PSA to the critics who continually attempt to tarnish his reputation, Ross rapped about
grilled cheese
and
his Rolls Royce Wraith
.
Not only did "Sanctified" appear #1 on our
Top 10 Beats of 2014 list,
but it served as the background music for the greatest viral video of all time
17.
ILOVEMAKONNEN ft. Drake "Tuesday (Remix)"
I Love Makonnen began 2014 as a relatively unknown artist struggling to gain relevance as a musician, and
trying to break free from his manslaughter charges
. Then one day...
Drizzy decided to drop a verse onto “Tuesday”
and nothing was the same. Makonnen sings about his drug dealing past, and his busy schedule forcing him to bend the rules of when clubs can go up. Thanks to this single, clubs will never be the same on a Tuesday.
16.
J.Cole "Wet Dreamz"
Over a classic sample, Cole gives us his vintage story telling as he reminisces about his first time with a girl. He holds a cool attitude as tells the girl he's a pro - even though he's never had sex before. As thing escalate further, he watches porn videos for pointers and practices putting on a condom before the plot takes a twist right at the end. What's scary is how well this song relates.
We guarantee almost every male listener felt
some type of way
.
15.
Lil Wayne ft. Drake "Believe Me"
The release of
"Believe Me"
raised
Tha Carter V's
hype up few notches thanks to the perfect combination of YMCMB's finest. Drake lays down the hook and two stylistically different verses; one that bounces perfectly with the Boi-1da-produced beat,
and another with a gritty flow.
Wayne matches Drake verse-for-verse and
ends the track in memorable fashion
One of the more underrated aspects of
"Believe Me"
is its versatility. You can bump it while you’re browsing Genius, driving to work or school,
or grinding through a workout.
It appeals to all ears, just as we hope the entire album will.
14.
ScHoolboy Q "Break tHe Bank"
Complete with a chilling piano line and a Mario Kart 64 sample from The Alchemist
, the instrumental is perfect for a modern gangster rapper like ScHoolboy Q.
Throughout the track he viciously reminds the listener that it's his time and that he ain't no one to fuck with.
With Oxymoron debuting at number one on the billboard charts, and having sold over 320,000 copies, it is safe to say that
Q is
Breaking the bank
.
13.
A$AP Rocky ft. Juicy J "Multiply"
After
some uncharacteristic features,
A$AP returned with one of the hardest hitting songs of the year in "Multiply." The Flacko flow is on full display from the start; his signature internal rhyming bounces up and down on the beat with such rhythm that it wouldn’t matter if he used to sell crack or lemonade in his living room
Don’t worry, you won’t be seeing an A$AP Lemonade Stand anytime soon as Rocky
sticks to his typical rapper and fashion references.
Throw in some Juicy J trash talk for good measure and A$AP’s only single since
Long.Live.A$AP
is one of the year’s best.
Swag swag.
12.
Flying Lotus ft. Kendrick Lamar "Never Catch Me"
Like a psychedelic rat race,
“Never Catch Me”
has Kendrick Lamar running circles around this Flying Lotus masterpiece.
The fusion of hip hop, jazz, & electronic styles has Kendrick spazzing like a rabid dog.
The L.A natives take you on an outer body experience to stare death right in the face. Every few bars the instrumental changes as the race continues, like Kendrick’s searching for something, getting faster, and faster, and as you reach your destination -
“bitch, you’re dead!”
11.
Joey Bada$$ "Christ Conscious (Toroidal Flow)"
With an aggressive flow, Joey delivers a barrage of punchlines, wordplay, and utter energy that dazzles any listener. The beauty of these lyrical acrobats continues to prolong Joey’s ability and shows he ain’t no slacker when it comes down to the lyrics. Dragon Balls like his name was Vegeata, BADA$$ swears that no matter what, he won’t stop until he reaches the level of
Christ Conscious
.
10.
Run The Jewels "Oh My Darling Don't Cry"
Anchored by an El-P instrumental that can only be described as manic, the dynamic duo laces the beat with rhymes that are
crude
,
insightful
, and
simultaneously both
. What separates it from other RTJ tracks is the erosion in differences between the styles and personalities of the lead rappers. On RTJ1, Mike and El were characterized as aggressive and philosophical, respectively. But here El has no problem telling you to
“run backwards through a field of dicks”
as Mike
peruses Egyptian scriptures
. The chemistry is palpable, the flows are indescribable, and the result is one of the highlights of 2014.
9.
Rich Gang ft. Birdman, Rich Homie Quan & Young Thug "Lifestyle
"
EUUGHBLAHBEAHELGWLINAHDEWFQLFKQWFN LLLLLLIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIFFFFFFFFFFEEEEEEEEEEEESTYLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
For a song that made many detractors reconsider Rich Homie Quan’s “one-hit wonder status” and mainstream listeners delve into the Young Thug archives, the unintelligible nature of the lyrics for most listeners was its greatest asset: whatever personal details you added over the beat, you felt like your efforts were putting you on the fast-track to a Dionysian lifestyle of your own.
8.
ScHoolboy Q ft. BJ The Chicago Kid "Studio"
ScHoolboy Q put his heart on his sleeve in this banger for the ladies, elaborating on the reality that life as a major musician can be hectic. From touring around the world to TV appearances to, in this case, late nights in the studio, it can be hard to balance a relationship with a busy work schedule.
7.
J.Cole "Fire Squad"
If shock factor was what Cole was after with
"Fire Squad"
then he certainly achieved it. After boasting of his greatness in the first two verses, he took an interesting approach:
highlighting white appropriation in the music of black culture.
Not only did he just observe the sound-jacking,
he name dropped some of the most well-known artists to ever do it.
6.
Bobby Shmurda "Hot Nigga"
The relationship between artist and subject matter, in the hip-hop and r&b genres especially, is a dangerously liminal one.
When Rick Ross gets chastised for portraying a criminal mastermind following his career in law enforcement
, are we supposed to then turn around and
congratulate Bobby Shmurda and his crew for their string of summer smashes for existing in a realm of authenticity?
It wasn’t the lyrics
, nor the beat (on its second go-around, no less!) that made Bobby so hot. So when the chant-worthy one-liners become appear as more than fiction, should we cheer? Should we scold?
Or should we Shmoney Dance the troubles away?!
5.
Logic "Under Pressure"
The title track of the album is reminiscent of Logic’s classic brag pieces, entailing his recent rise in popularity and success. Where the initial four-minute release dropped off is
the track’s elegant yet radical style shift
-
it transitions from his recent material success to a deeply introspective track reflecting on both his past and current state of affairs with family.
This track serves as the crown jewel of the album - a diamond created from being
under p
ressure.
4.
Big Sean ft. E-40 "I Don't Fuck With You"
Sean Don and Bay Area godfather E-40 went big this year with the anthem for those without fucks to give.
This track dropped along with
“Paradise”
,
“4th Quarter”
, and
“Jit/Juke"
through his website
following the announcement of his signing to Roc Nation.
The song samples
“Say You Love Me”
, as
part of the exemplary accompaniment of Coach Kanye
and DJ Mustard on the beat.
His blatantly vulgar lyrics clearly express his lack of interest in those he is not "down with"
and is reminiscent of
“I Don’t Give A Fuck”
from Bo$$. While it has been confirmed that the record is not meant to be a shot to anyone in particular (including Naya Rivera with whom he recently split,) the message is still….
Who ever I don't fuck with, I still don't fuck with you.
3.
Big K.R.I.T. "Mt. Olympus"
Post KRIT's 2013 release,
King Remembered In Time
, more
verbal lightning from Krizzle
became high in demand, and he delivered.
"Mt. Olympus"
sees K.R.I.T. punish all the heathens of the rap game, showing them there really is a god. The fans wonder,
"Is he rap, is he snap?"
.
"Is he bass, is he drank?"
Neither - he is a King Remembered in Time.
2.
Drake "0-100/The Catch Up"
If there's one thing we've learned, it's that every song really does sound like Drake featuring Drake.
"Started from the bottom, now we here"
may have been 2013's catchphrase, but
"0 to 100 nigga, real quick"
took 2014 over
almost as quickly as fans grabbed the free Soundcloud download of this track after its June release
The two-part track is a variety pack, filled with braggadocio,
meme-worthy lines
, and introspective thoughts. What makes "0 to
100/The Catch Up" so notable is the instantaneous shift
from straight fire bars to a calmer profession of the same sentiment:
Drake is perched at the top of the rap game and he's only getting better.
That's a scary thought. We've already begun to see Drake back up these claims in his latest releases, and it's safe to say the anticipation for his next full-length project is nearly off the charts.
1.
Kendrick Lamar "i"
Backed by funky production reminiscent of the wonder years of soul music,
Kendrick broadcasts a message of self love
.
The best messages are those easily understood, and Kendrick makes no mistakes with a simple "I love myself"
Similar to our number one song last year, Kanye West's "New Slaves", every facet of the song’s concept was handled in one spectacularly orchestrated move.
Whether it be the record,
the music video,
or the buzz
- each element illustrates the message crystal clear.
An anthem isn't created overnight, this song has been in Kendrick all his life.
They can lock ya body, they can’t trap ya mind.
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