Man, what a decade! This is when rap reached its commercial peak and we were embarked with different styles and sounds all at once. So without further adeu, here's my Top 25 from this decade:

1. Hit 'Em Up-2Pac

2. It Was A Good Day-Ice Cube

3. Gin & Juice-Snoop Dogg

4. Baby Got Back-Sir Mix-A-Lot

5. Mama Said Knock You Out-LL Cool J

6. It's All About The Benjamins-Puff & The Family

7. Fuck Wit Dre Day-Dr. Dre

8. Hypnotize-Notorious B.I.G.

9. Mind Playing Tricks On Me-Geto Boys

10. Shut 'Em Down-Public Enemy

11. What's It Gonna Be-Busta Rhymes w/ Janet Jackson

12. Humpty Dance-Digital Undergound

13. California Love-2Pac w/ Dr. Dre & Roger

14. Tennessee-Arrested Development

15. I Wanna Rock-Luke

16. What's My Name-Snoop Dogg

17. Regulate-Warren G

18. C.R.E.A.M.- Wu-Tang Clan

19. Crossover-EPMD

20. Foe Life-Mack 10

21. I Get Around-2Pac

22. Insane In The Brain-Cypress Hill

23. Down With The King-Run-DMC

24. Hand Of The Dead Body-Scarface

25. Can't Touch This-M.C. Hammer

Special Bonus props go to 2 songs that just missed my cut. Summertime(Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince) and Always Into Somethin'(N.W.A.).

[Edited 12/2/10 19:24pm]

If I Ruled the World-Nas

O.P.P.-Naughty By Nature

Hypnotize-Notorious B.I.G.

California Love-2pac

Gotta Get You Home-Foxy Brown & Blackstreet

Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See-Busta Rhymes

Clock Strikes-Timbaland & Magoo

Jump-Kris Kross

Gangsta's Paradise-Coolio

Whatta Man-Salt N Pepa

Shoop-Salt N Pepa

Aint Nothin But a She Thing-Salt N Pepa

I Like It-Mase/Harlem World

Mo Money, Mo Problems-P Diddy, Mase & Biggie

It's All About the Benjamins rock remix-P Diddy feat. Foo Fighters

Hit Em High-Monstars

Loungin-L L Cool J feat. Total

Hey Lover-L L Cool J

Doin It-L L Cool J

Dear Mama-2pac

Ghetto Love-T Boz and Da Brat

Humpty Dance

Breathe & Stop-Q Tip

Do Wop(That Thing)-Lauryn Hill

Money, Power, Respect-The Lox, Lil Kim

This list would probably look completely different depending on when it made, but for now, and In no Particular order:

One Love - Nas

Breakadawn - De La Soul

Flava in Ya Ear - Craig Mack

Take it Personal - Gang Starr

Do Ya Want More? - THe Roots

Agent 7/Creamy Spy Theme - Digable Planets

HOw Many MCs - Black Moon

Recognized Thresholds of Negative Stress - Boogie Monsters

I'll Take Her - Ill and Al Scratch

Come Clean -Jeru the Damja

Uptown Anthem - Naughty by Nature

Shook Ones pt.II - Mobb Deep

THe Choice is Yours - Black Sheep

Warning -B.I.G

Scenario Remix - Tribe called Quest and co.

Rock this Funky Joint - Poor Righteous Teachers

Channel Live- Mad Izm

Chief Rocka - Lords of the Underground

Mic Geronimo - Mast IC

They Reminisce OVer You - Peter Rock/Cl Smoothe

I Used to Love Her - Common

Shut 'em Down(Remix) - Public Enemy

Wontime - Smiff n Wessun

Wu Tang Clan - Chessboxing

M.O.P - Ante Up

The 1980's thread was easy for me to fill, but I can't say I listened to much rap in the 1990's.

1. Black Ego ~ Digable Planets

2. Where I'm From ~ Digable Planets

3. Above The Rim ~ Bell Biv DeVoe

4. Plastic ~ P.M. Dawn

5. Now That We Found Love ~ Heavy D. & The Boyz

6. Christina ~ Gerardo

7. Lucas With The Lid Off ~ Lucas

8. Down With The King ~ Run-DMC feat. Pete Rock & CL Smooth

9. Professor Booty ~ Beastie Boys

10. Inside The Joint ~ Whodini

11. Things That Make You Go Hmmm.... ~ C+C Music Factory

12. Murder She Wrote ~ Tairrie B

13. Buddy (12" version) ~ De La Soul, Jungle Brothers, Q-Tip, Queen Latifah, & Monie Love

14. Alright ~ Kriss Kross

15. Shake It (Like A White Girl) ~ Jesse Jaymes

16. Rosa Parks ~ OutKast

17. Break Of Dawn ~ Salt N' Pepa

18. New Jack Swing ~ Wreckx-N-Effect

19. Hip Hop Hooray ~ Naughty By Nature

20. Mind Playing Tricks On Me ~ Geto Boys

21. I Wish ~ Skee Lo

22. Boomin' System ~ LL Cool J

23. I Wanna Rock ~ Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince

24. Old Man Jacobs Well ~ Boogiemonsters

25. Do It Tam Tam ~ Tam Tam

MickyDolenz said:

The 1980's thread was easy for me to fill, but I can't say I listened to much rap in the 1990's.

1. Black Ego ~ Digable Planets

MD, you've nailed it. arguably the greatest song on the most underrated hip-hop album of all time.

Again, trying to supplement but not repeat, in rough but not exact order. There were so many great songs I know I'm leaving a lot off so this list may be heavily edited:

1 Stakes Is High -- De La Soul (the track of the decade because it was prophetic)

2 A Bird In The Hand -- Ice Cube

3 Check The Rhime -- A Tribe Called Quest

4 Scenario -- A Tribe Called Quest (beats out pt. II because of Busta's last verse, which is should be in the MC pantheon)

5 They Reminisce Over You -- Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth

6 I Used To Love H.E.R. -- Common Sense

7 Oodle's Of O's -- De La Soul

8 You Can't Stop The Prophet -- Jeru The Damaja

9 Where I'm From (Aural G Ride Mix) -- Digable Planets

10 Everyday Struggle -- The Notorious B.I.G.

11 One More Chance (Remix) -- The Notorious B.I.G.

12 Flava In Ya Ear (Remix) -- Craig Mack

13 Dead Presidents, Pt. II -- Jay-Z

14 Survival of the Fittest -- Mobb Deep

15 Life's A B---- : NaS (AZ's verse belongs in the pantheon)

16 Ego Trip pt. II -- De La Soul

17 Young Black Male -- 2Pac

18 C.R.E.A.M. -- Wu-Tang Clan

19 Verbal Intercourse -- Raekwon f. Ghostface & Nas

20 Wake Up (Reprise In The Sunshine) -- Brand Nubian

21 Who Me? -- K.M.D.

22 Let Me Ride -- Dr. Dre

23 Brainstorm -- Gang Starr

24 Otha Fish -- Pharcyde

25 Electric Relaxation -- A Tribe Called Quest

My teenage years, my wheelhouse, the 90's :

1. OPP - Naughty By Nature

2. Nuthin' But A G Thang - Dre & Snoop

3. One More Chance (Stay With Me Remix) - Biggie

4. Dywck - Gangstarr & Nice-N-Smooth

5. Scenario - Tribe & Leaders of the New School

6. My Mind's Playing Tricks On Me - Ghetto Boys

7. It Was A Good Day - Ice Cube

8. Ice Cream - Raekwon, Ghostface, Cappodonna

9. Mama Said Knock You Out - LL Cool J

10. They Want Efx - Das Efx

11. I Use To Love Her - Common Sense

12. Gin And Juice - Snoop

13. Looking At The Front Door - Main Source

14. Rampage - EPMD & LL Cool J

15. Regulate - Warren G & Nate Dogg

16. If I Ruled The World - Nas

17. Funky Child - Lords Of The Underground

18. They Reminisce Over You - Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth

19. I Get Around - Pac & Digital Underground

20. Sugar Hill - AZ

21. I Got Cha' Open(Playing A Game Remix) - Black Moon

22. Flava In Ya Ear (Remix) - Craig Mack, Biggie, Busta, LL

23. Tour (Hip Hop Remix) - Capelton

24. I Got 5 On It - The Luniz

25. Always Into Somethin' - NWA

alexzander said:

I'll Take Her - Ill and Al Scratch

LOL!! I always like that cut too

My next 25:

26. Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat) - Digable Planets

27. Humpty Dance - Digital Underground

28. Summertime - Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince

29. Be A Father To Your Child - Ed O.G. & The Bulldogz

30. Saturday - De La Soul

31. Baby Got Back - Sir-Mix-A-Lot

32. Mc's Act Like They Don't Know - KRS One

33. Call Me D-Nice - D-Nice

34. We're All In The Same Game - West Coast All Stars

35. Thuggish Ruggish Bone - Bone Thugs-N-Harmony

36. Hip Hop Horray - Naughty By Nature

37. Method Man - Wu-Tang Clan (We all know it's really Meth's song though lol!)

38. Pop That Coochie - 2 Live Crew (Good Times Ya'll)

39. Jump - Kriss Kross

40. Survival Of The Fittest - Mobb Deep

41. Put It On - Big L & Kid Capri

42. Players Anthem - Junior Mafia & Biggie

43. Keep Ya Head Up - Pac

44. Back That Thing Up - Juvenile

45. Luchini - Camp Lo

46. Get At Me Dog - DMX

47. I'm Still Not A Player - Big Pun & Joe

48. Cold World - GZA

49. Tonight's The Night - Redman

50. Banned From TV - N.O.R.E., Cam'ron, Big Pun, Nature, The Lox

1.Fuck Wit Dre Day - Dr Dre

2.Nuthin' But a G Thang - Dr Dre

3.Let Me Ride - Dr Dre

4.It Was a Good Day - Ice Cube

5.911 Is a Joke - PE

6.California Love - 2Pac

7.Mama Said Knock U Out - LL Cool J

8.It Ain't Hard to Tell - Nas

9.Hypnotize - Notorious Big

10.Gangsta's Paradise - Coolio

11.How I Could Just Kill a Man - Cypress Hill

12.The World is Yours - Nas

13.Men in Black - Will Smith

14.The Guetto - Too Short

15.Endangered Species - Ice Cube

16.Gin & Juice - Snopp Dogg

17.Dead President - Jay Z

18.C.R.E.A.M. - Wu-Tang Clan

19.Gangster Trippin' - FatBoy Slim

20.NY State of Mind - Nas

21.Alwayz Into Somethin' - NWA

22.Suicidal Thoughts - Notorious Big

23.Check the Rhyme - A Tribe Called Quest

24.Who Am I? - Snopp Dogg

25.My Name Is - Eminem

*Buries face in hands*

*Leaves thread*

minneapolisFunq said:

*Buries face in hands*

*Leaves thread*

but you were in diapers when this decade started!

namepeace said:

minneapolisFunq said:

*Buries face in hands*

*Leaves thread*

but you were in diapers when this decade started!

I didn't even know mFunq was that young

Some people take things too seriously, like if a song or act has no big social message, then it's no good. There's nothing wrong with fun songs.

No Order

Good Viberations-Marky Mark

Humpty Hump-Digtal Underground

Around the Way Girl-LL Cool J

Informer-Snow

Today was a Good Day-Ice Cube

California Love-2Pac

I Get Around-2Pac

Gangster's Paradise-Coolio

G Thang-Snoop Dogg

Gin and Juice-Snoop Dogg

Straight Outta Compton-NWA

On A Sunday Afternoon-Lighter Shade of Brown

To Live and Die In LA-2Pac

Crossroads-Bone Thugs N Harmony

Teenage Love-Slick Rick

Just A Friend-Biz Markie

How Do U Want It?-2Pac

I Cant Stand the Rain-Missy Elliot

Money in Da Thang-Jay Z

Ghetto SuperStar-Mya

Here Comes the Hotstepper-Cant Remember the Artist

Mr Loverman-Shabba Ranks

Miami-Fresh Prince

Juicy Bigge Smallz

Mo Money Mo Problems-Mase

Here Me Flow-Naughty By Nature

Ice Ice Baby-Vanilla Ice

Hit Em Up by Tupac is my #1 too-never heard so much rage on a song since Classic!

I've been listening to these albums back to back recently....

[img:$uid]http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drf700/f745/f74552r9k0d.jpg[/img:$uid][img:$uid]http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drd100/d126/d1260702rme.jpg[/img:$uid]

I forgot how damn good Digable Planets were.

Gonna Make You Sweat - C & C Music Facotry

Feel The Groove - Cartouche

Juicy Gotcha Crazy - Oaktown 357

2 Legit To Quit - MC Hammer

Pop The Pussy - 2 Live Crew

Baby Got Back - Sir Mix-A-Lot

Nasty Dance - The Dogs

Rodeo - 95 South

Dangerous On The Dancefloor - Musto and Bones

Daisy Dukes - Duice

Put 'Em On The Glass - Sir Mix-A-Lot

I Wanna Rock - Luke

Hoochie Mama - 2 Live Crew

Good Vibrations - Marky Mark and The Funky Bunch

Pump That Body - Mr. Lee

Whomp There It Is - Tag Team

Whoot There It Is - 95 South

Kitty Kitty - 69 Boys

Do You Wanna Go Party - Dis N Dat

nursev said:

Hit Em Up by Tupac is my #1 too-never heard so much rage on a song since Classic!

yep, pac was in rare form.

Wecks N Effect - Rump Shaker

MC Hammer - U Can't Touch This

Ludacris and Nate Dogg - Area Codes

2Pac - How Do You Want It

2Pac - Changes

Nelly - Country Grammar

Weezy - The Block is Hot

Digable Planets - Rebirth of Slick

Wu Tang Clan - Cream

Notorious BIG - Juicy

Ice Cube - Today Was A Good Day

Notorious and Junior Mafia - Get Money

T.I. - Rubberband Man (?? 2000's)

Jay Z - Big Pimpin' (?? the 2000's)

Ah, guys, did we forget about Eminem? Ice-T, where the fuck is Ice-T?

1. Public Enemy--Can't Truss It.

2. Ice Cube, Dr. Dre--Natural Born Killaz. The greatest, most evil melody ever!

3. Ice-T--New Jack Hustler.

4. Geto Boys--Mind Playing Tricks On Me.

5. Pharcyde--Passin Me By.

6. Public Enemy--Shut Em Down.

7. Ice-T--Straight Up Nigga.

8. Eminem--97 Bonnie and Clyde.

9. Prince--Days Of Wild.

10. Jay-Z--Big Pimpin.

11. PM Dawn--Set Adrift On Memory Bliss.

12. Ice-T--Bitches 2

13. Black Star--Astromomy (8th Light)

14. Eminem--My Name Is

15. Public Enemy--By The Time I Get To Arizona.

16. 3rd Bass--Pop Goes The Weasel.

17. Mos Def--Mathematics.

18. Boogiemonsters--Honey Dips In Brooklyn.

19. Digable Planets--Rebirth Of Slick.

20. Gravediggaz--Constant Elevation.

21. Eminem--Guilty Conscious.

22. Positive K--I Gotta Man.

23. Dr. Dre--Deez Nutz.

24. Ice-T--Mind Over Matter.

25. Outkast--Rosa Parks.

Harlepolis said:

I've been listening to these albums back to back recently....

[img:$uid]http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drf700/f745/f74552r9k0d.jpg[/img:$uid][img:$uid]http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drd100/d126/d1260702rme.jpg[/img:$uid]

I forgot how damn good Digable Planets were.

Blowout Comb is pure genius.

MickyDolenz said:

Some people take things too seriously, like if a song or act has no big social message, then it's no good. There's nothing wrong with fun songs.

The purpose of pop music is not to be so serious. A balanced diet is usually best but nobody died from too much aural junk food.

Ah, I beg to differ. Singers can be more fun because they have the art of their voice, but when we deal with words--speaking words--what words are said is more important. If you want to talk about banging your girlfriend, why do you have to rap it? This is how rap lost it's artistic edge.

The best art says something.

2freaky4church1 said:

Ah, guys, did we forget about Eminem? Ice-T, where the fuck is Ice-T?

Nope they just didn't make MY top 50 of the 90's, but they are in MY top 100 though

2freaky4church1 said:

Ah, I beg to differ. Singers can be more fun because they have the art of their voice, but when we deal with words--speaking words--what words are said is more important. If you want to talk about banging your girlfriend, why do you have to rap it? This is how rap lost it's artistic edge.

The best art says something.

I don't know about all that, because many people trash concept albums or prog rock, where the lyrics are supposed to be the focus. I don't really pay attention to the words of songs anyway. That's why I can listen to foreign language songs where I don't know what they're saying, doo wop & scatting songs, or instrumentals. I just like the music or the way the vocalist performs. It's similar to what Wesley Snipes says in White Men Can't Jump, I hear the lyrics, but I'm not listening to them.

I only have 6 songs in my library that are considered rap. Out of the six, two are from the 90's, so my only two choices are:

What People Do For Money - Divine Sounds

Pump It - Blu

I do have other songs that have rap in them, but they are more so in the genre of dance than rap, as far as my categorization of them goes since they have been remixed for the dance floor. Also, some are instrumetnals as well, so they go under my genre category of instrumentals.

[Edited 12/8/10 18:41pm]

leecappella said:

I only have 6 songs in my library that are considered rap. Out of the six, two are from the 90's, so my only two choices are:

What People Do For Money - Divine Sounds

Pump It - Blu

I do have other songs that have rap in them, but they are more so in the genre of dance than rap, as far as my categorization of them goes since they have been remixed for the dance floor.

I have this, but it came out around 1984. It was played a lot on the radio where I live. I think they were trying to sound like Run DMC.

MickyDolenz said:

leecappella said:

I only have 6 songs in my library that are considered rap. Out of the six, two are from the 90's, so my only two choices are:

What People Do For Money - Divine Sounds

Pump It - Blu

I do have other songs that have rap in them, but they are more so in the genre of dance than rap, as far as my categorization of them goes since they have been remixed for the dance floor.

I have this, but it came out around 1984. It was played a lot on the radio where I live. I think they were trying to sound like Run DMC.

You're right! 1984! I must have purchased the mp3 online from a compilation and that release date of that compilation was in the 90's. Thanks. I will update my song info for that song. I'm anal about my library. LOL.