The decade that started it all. When I look back at my childhood and this brand of music, I say "Wow"! Who would've thought after all these years that rap would still be around. Certain artists you have to thank for that. So, let's see how I rank my 25 greatest of that decade. My list:

1. It's Like That-Run-DMC

2. The Message-Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five

3. Planet Rock-Afrika Bambaataa

4. Going Back To Cali-LL Cool J

5. Big Mouth-Whodini

6. Fight The Power-Public Enemy

7. Push It-Salt 'N Pepa

8. My Adidas-Run-DMC

9. Self Destruction-Stop The Violence Movement

10. Wild Thing-Tone Loc

11. Bite It-UTFO

12. I'm Bad-LL Cool J

13. Straight Outta Compton-N.W.A.

14. I Get The Job Done-Big Daddy Kane

15. Funky Beat-Whodini

16. Scorpio-Grandmaster Flash

17. Jailhouse Rap-The Fat Boys

18. Apache-Sugarhill Gang

19. Looking For The Perfect Beat-Afrika Bambaataa

20. Parents Just Don't Understand-Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince

21. Turn This Mutha Out-M.C. Hammer

22. We Got Our Own Thing-Heavy D. & The Boyz

23. It Takes Two-Rob Base

24. Roxanne, Roaxanne-UTFO

25. The Show-Doug E. Fresh

My honorable mentions are: Jack Of Spades(BDP), Walk This Way(Run-DMC), Colors(Ice-T), & Basketball(Kurtis Blow).

[Edited 12/2/10 19:21pm]

you got some I like

The Message-Grandmaster Flash

Planet Rock-Afrika Bambaataa

Push It-Salt N Pepa

Shake Your Thing-Salt N Pepa

Parents Just Don't Understand-Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince

Can't Touch This-MC Hammer

Dancing Machine-MC Hammer

I'm Bad-L L Cool J

It Takes Two-Rob Base

The Freaks Come Out At Night-Whodini

Friends-Whodini

Bust a Move-Young MC

Pump Up The Jam-Technotronic

The Power-Snap (can't remember if it's rap)

Let Your Backbone Slide-Maestro Fresh Wes (Canadian rapper)

I can't think of anymore, it wasn't till the 90's I was really exposed to rap

alphastreet said:

you got some I like

The Message-Grandmaster Flash

Planet Rock-Afrika Bambaataa

Push It-Salt N Pepa

Shake Your Thing-Salt N Pepa

Parents Just Don't Understand-Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince

Can't Touch This-MC Hammer

Dancing Machine-MC Hammer

I'm Bad-L L Cool J

It Takes Two-Rob Base

The Freaks Come Out At Night-Whodini

Friends-Whodini

Bust a Move-Young MC

Pump Up The Jam-Technotronic

The Power-Snap (can't remember if it's rap)

Let Your Backbone Slide-Maestro Fresh Wes (Canadian rapper)

I can't think of anymore, it wasn't till the 90's I was really exposed to rap

If I'm not mistaken, these 2 songs came out in 1990. So it really doesn't qualify as an 80 song. Sorry. For consulation, there were other M.C. Hammer hits in the 80's like: Let's Get It Started, Turn This Mutha Out, They Put Me In The Mix, and Pump It Up (Here's The News).

No special order:

1. Five Minutes Of Funk ~ Whodini

2. It's Nasty ~ Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five

3. Adventures Of Super Rhymes ~ Jimmy Spicer

4. Jam On It ~ Newcleus

5. Brand New Funk ~ DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince

6. Basketball ~ Kurtis Blow

7. Paul Revere ~ Beastie Boys

8. Peter Piper ~ Run-DMC

9. King Of Rock ~ Run-DMC

10. Request Line ~ Rock Master Scott and The Dynamic Three

11. Posse On Broadway ~ Sir Mix A Lot

12. Force MD's Meet The Fat Boys ~ Force MD's & Fat Boys

12. La Di Da Di ~ Doug E. Fresh & MC Ricky D

13. Jailhouse Rap ~ Fat Boys

14. Apache ~ Sugarhill Gang

15. My Mike Sounds Nice ~ Salt N' Pepa

16. We Like Ugly Women ~ Bobby Jimmy and The Critters

17. The Message ~ Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five

18. I Go To Work ~ Kool Moe Dee

19. Jack The Ripper ~ LL Cool J

20. Cinderfella Dana Dane ~ Dana Dane

21. Don't Sweat The Technique ~ Eric B. And Rakim

22. That's The Joint ~ Funky Four Plus One

23. Vicious Rap ~ Tanya Winley

24. Rapture ~ Blondie

25. Rappin' Duke ~ Shawn Brown

In rough, but not exact, order, which go by not only my personal tastes but impact and influence. and I'm trying to add, and avoid repeating, what's already been listed:

1 Rebel Without A Pause: Public Enemy -- maybe the greatest single song of the last quarter-century, considering i) it and the entire NOM album helped establish hip-hop as a legitimate genre, ii) it may be the best track on the best hip-hop album of all time; and iii) it influenced the sound of music as a whole. Not to take anything away from seminal tracks like "The Message," just MHO.

1 (tie) Fight The Power: Public Enemy -- this one song is arguably worth more than the last decade's hip-hop output combined.

3 I Can't Live Without My Radio: LL Cool J

4 Me, Myself and I: De La Soul

5 My Philosophy: Boogie Down Productions

6 Sucker MC's: Run-DMC

7 I Ain't No Joke: Eric B. & Rakim

8 Boyz In The Hood: Eazy-E

9 Straight Outta Compton: N.W.A.

10 AJ Scratch: Kurtis Blow

11 Roxanne, Roxanne: UTFO

12 Stop, Look, Listen: MC Lyte

13 Six In The Mornin': Ice-T

14 P.S.K. (What Does It Mean): Schooly D (listen to Six In The Mornin', Dopeman, and Boyz In The Hood and they all sound awfully similar to this)

15 Wrath of My Madness: Queen Latifah

16 Ain't No Half Steppin': Big Daddy Kane

17 Paid In Full (7 Minute Version): Eric B. & Rakim

18 The Bridge Is Over: Boogie Down Productions

19 2 Live Is What We Are: 2 Live Crew

20 Freaky Tales: Too $hort (doesn't get enough credit for his influence on the game in general)

21 La Di Da Di: Doug E. Fresh and the Get Fresh Crew

22 Buddy: De La Soul f. Jungle Bros. & Q-Tip

23 Children's Story: Slick Rick

24 Straight Out The Jungle: The Jungle Brothers

25 You're Gonna Get Yours: Public Enemy

[Edited 12/3/10 15:05pm]

LoDog said:

alphastreet said:

you got some I like

The Message-Grandmaster Flash

Planet Rock-Afrika Bambaataa

Push It-Salt N Pepa

Shake Your Thing-Salt N Pepa

Parents Just Don't Understand-Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince

Can't Touch This-MC Hammer

Dancing Machine-MC Hammer

I'm Bad-L L Cool J

It Takes Two-Rob Base

The Freaks Come Out At Night-Whodini

Friends-Whodini

Bust a Move-Young MC

Pump Up The Jam-Technotronic

The Power-Snap (can't remember if it's rap)

Let Your Backbone Slide-Maestro Fresh Wes (Canadian rapper)

I can't think of anymore, it wasn't till the 90's I was really exposed to rap

If I'm not mistaken, these 2 songs came out in 1990. So it really doesn't qualify as an 80 song. Sorry. For consulation, there were other M.C. Hammer hits in the 80's like: Let's Get It Started, Turn This Mutha Out, They Put Me In The Mix, and Pump It Up (Here's The News).

yeah I know pump it up, forgot about that track, I have it on a compilation.

Going Way Back-Just Ice

City Of Dope-Too $hort

8 Ball-N.W.A.

Let The Bass Go-The D.O.C.

Rock Box-RUN-DMC

Fat Boys-Fat Boys

Radio-LL Cool J

Sucker Mc's-RUN-DMC

Sophistcated Bitch-Public Enemy

Dope Beat-B.D.P.

Let The Words Flow-Chill Rob G

Asassins-Geto Boys

Ya Cold Wanna Be With Me-U.T.F.O.

Talkin All That Jazz-Stetsasonic

Potholes In My Lawn-De La Soul

You Ain't Fresh-Boogie Boys

I'm A Ho-Whodini

Dunk The Funk-Fila Fresh Crew

Bassline-Mantronix

Pee Wee's Dance-Joe Ski Love

Oak Cliff-Nemesis

Hey DJ-World Famous Supreme Team

Dowhatchalike-Digital Underground

Undercover-Kid N Play

Ya Betta Bring A Gun-King T feat Mixmaster Spade

I Can't Go For That-2 Live Crew

The Batterram-Toddy Tee

Ya Know What Time It Is-Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five

My Hooptie-Sir Mix-A-Lot

Squeeze The Trigger-Ice T

Beats To The Rhyme-RUN-DMC

Go See The Doctor-Kool Moe Dee

The R-Eric B & Rakim

You Gonna Get Yours-Public Enemy

Road To The Riches-Kool G Rap & DJ Polo

Lean On Me (Rap Summary)-Big Daddy Kane

So Whatcha Sayin-EPMD

Posse In Effect-Beastie Boys

Funky Beat-Whodini

[Edited 12/3/10 15:32pm]

[Edited 12/3/10 15:33pm]

1.Bring the Noise - PE

2.The Message - GFlash

3.Gangsta Gangsta - NWA

4.Fight the Power - PE

5.Rock Box - Run DMC

6.The Bridge is Over - BDP

7.Straight Outta Compton - NWA

8.Don't Believe the Hype - PE

9.I Can't Live Without My Radio - LL Cool J

10.Fuck tha Police - NWA

11.Rebel Without a Pause - PE

12.Fight for Your Right - Beastie Boys

13.Me Myself and I - De La Soul

14 Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos - PE

15.Sucker MC's - Run DMC

16.I Ain't No Joke - Eric B & Rakim

17.Ladies First - Queen Latifah

18.I'm Your Pusher - Ice T

19.I'll House You - Jungle Bros.

20.King of Rock - Run DMC

21.Me So Horny - 2 Live Crew

22.Jailhouse Rap - Fat Boys

23.Hey Ladies - Beastie Boys

24.The Breaks - Curtis Blow

25.It's Like That - Run DMC

Dr.Dave - I'm rappin'

This is a song I long forgotten about and haven't heard it since it was 1st out in the early 1980's. I had taped it off the radio back then. I found it by accident looking for something else on Youtube.

1. Freedom - Flash & Furious Five

2. The Breaks - Kurtis Blow

3. We Want To Rock - Crash Crew

4. The Micstro - R.C. Larock

5. Apache - Sugar Hill Gang

6. At The Party - The Treacherous Three

7. Sucker MC'S - Run DMC

8. It's Yours - T-Larock

9. The Show - Doug E. Fresh & Slick Rick

10. Jam On It - Newcleus

11. My Melody - Eric B. & Rakim

12. Rock The Bells - LL Cool J

13. The Bridge Is Over - BDP

14. Friends - Whodini

15. Roxanne Roxanne - UTFO

16. Don't Believe The Hype - Public Enemy

17. High Rollers - Ice-T

18. Raw - Big Daddy Kane

19. You Got's To Chill - EPMD

20. Everybody Get Up - Salt-N-Pepa

21. Gangsta Gangsta - NWA

22. Paper Thin - MC Lyte

23. Brand New Funk - Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince

24. Just Buggin' - Whistle

25. Self Destruction - Stop The Violence Movement

No Order

Paid in Full-Rakim

Jam on It-Newcleus

Let the Music Play-Elizabeth Shannon

Breakin.......No Stoppin-Ollie and Jerry

In the Bottle-C O D

Its Like That-Run DMC

Magic Wand-Whoondi

The Message-GrandMaster Flash

Confusion-New Order

Hey You-Rockstedy Crew

White Lines(Dont Do it)-Grandmaster Flash

Fight the Power-Public Enemy

Rebel Without A Cause-Public Enemy

Express Yourself-NWA

Rockin It-Fearless Four

BeatBox-Art Of Noise

umm idk too many 80s hip hop songs i need to look more into it lol

[Edited 12/8/10 20:36pm]

[Edited 12/8/10 20:38pm]

man all these great songs listed really shows how much better rap was in the 80's!

It didn't start in the 80s it actually started in the 70s. Rapper's Delite isn't an 80s song.

I like plenty of 80s Hip Hop songs but I'm not into them enough to where I can come up with a serious top 25 list.

LayzieKrayzie said:

It didn't start in the 80s it actually started in the 70s. Rapper's Delite isn't an 80s song.

I like plenty of 80s Hip Hop songs but I'm not into them enough to where I can come up with a serious top 25 list.

I don't see where anyone has mentioned Rapper's Delight. I do see Apache by the Sugarhill Gang, which was released in the 1980's. If you want to be technical about it, there was rap before the 1970's (even if it wasn't called that yet). Those spoken intros by Barry White, Bobby Womack, Isaac Hayes, etc were called "raps" too. That was the slang in the 1960's, "I wanna rap to you" (which means talk).

MickyDolenz said:

LayzieKrayzie said:

It didn't start in the 80s it actually started in the 70s. Rapper's Delite isn't an 80s song.

I like plenty of 80s Hip Hop songs but I'm not into them enough to where I can come up with a serious top 25 list.

I don't see where anyone has mentioned Rapper's Delight. I do see Apache by the Sugarhill Gang, which was released in the 1980's. If you want to be technical about it, there was rap before the 1970's (even if it wasn't called that yet). Those spoken intros by Barry White, Bobby Womack, Isaac Hayes, etc were called "raps" too. That was the slang in the 1960's, "I wanna rap to you" (which means talk).

I was referring to the "The decade that started it all" comment. Rapper's Delite is the song that is always credited as the one that started Hip-Hop, but it was a 70s song, not an 80s song. Meaning the 70s is what started it all.