The rap of the 90’s. There’s so much to cover, but so little time. Although very popular in the 80’s, the decade after that saw the biggest stars yet making music, and popularity growing by leaps and bounds. Some of the songs were insane, absurd, and just plain awful, but others captivated us, and bleed into the mainstream in a way not seen up until that point.

This list covers the decade from a point of view of a person who hadn’t yet discovered the abundance of great underground hip hop, and also from the point of view of a lame ass white kid who knew literally nothing about the world these artists were coming from. Hope you enjoy.

Bone Thugs and Harmony, Crossroads, E. 1999 Eternal I remember when this band came to Lafayette, Louisiana with a Keith Sweat tour. Anyway, I only ever heard this song on the radio or MTV. I’ve still never actually sat down and listened to some of their music, but do you really have to? This song was off the tops popular, and strangely enough, it didn’t age horribly like much of the other music from this time period did. I also fondly remember when they played the MTV video awards and that one guy rom the band was arrested after the performance. “ I’m gonna miss everybody!”

Notorious B.I.G., Hypnotize, Life after Death I’m not even remotely a fan of B.I.G. OR Daddy Puff or whatever the fuck his name is this month, but this song is a classic in the genre. The beat is catchy and really makes you wanna move your hips and throw it done. Now just because I’m not a fan, doesn’t mean I can’t like some songs. His verses are really good, and I like that they doesn’t sound super glossy like a lot of other rap music. The video is also a 90’s masterpiece. I have no idea how much they paid for it, but it still looks relatively good, given it was made over 15 years ago.

Jay Z, Hard Knock Life, Vol 2… Hard Knock Life This guy is probably one of best examples of a rapper whose managed to stay relevant(Not counting the god awful Magna Carter). This song was one of the first times I was introduced to him, and it’s still one of my favorite Jay Z songs. The Annie theme throughout the song, along with the simple beat made this an anthem at most of the parties I went to in high school. He’s had some major wins and some losses, but if not for the enormous success of this song, we may have never gotten any of them.

Snoop Dogg, Gin and Juice, Doggystyle If I had been old enough, I would have gone to parties like the one in this video. Unfortunately I grew up in a boring area where shit like this never happened. Back to the music though, the man who was discovered by Dre was able to hold his own, and he’s still making hits all the time. His rhymes are crazy on this song, and with the help of Dr. Dre, of course the beat is unreal. It’s easily one of the best beats of the decade, and it makes the song an instant classic.

OutKast, Rosa Parks, Aquemini This Atlanta crew took everyone by surprise when they started making some of the best hip hop ever. They have seminal albums that are already in the Hip Hop hall of fame, and even though they’ve only recently come back into the focus, all of those albums are still classics as far as I’m concerned. Who knows where they got the idea to make a song about the legendary Rose Parks, but it’s a great tune. The lyrics and the flow presented by Andre and Big Boi are both excellent, and of course it is though, they’re Outkast.

Wu Tang Clan, Triumph, Wu Tang Forever I loved this group since before I even heard this record, but once this song was unleashed, it was done for me. They have tons of other awesome songs, but “Triumph” is by far my favorite. The song features all 9 members of the Wu, and features some of the best lines in the band’s career. The video is also magnificent. To add, it’s one of the few rap songs I know every single word to, and considering the amount of words, I think its admirable. Wu Tang Forever!

Jay Z, Big Pimpin’, Vol. 3, Life and Times of S. Carter The first time I heard this song I didn’t know what to think. I had never heard the word Pimp on a radio station before. My mom was appalled. Anyway, its songs like these that cemented Jay’s legacy in the halls of rap music. The beat is one of the best of the whole genre. The whistle is pure genius. For me, and probably many other people, this song was when you realized that Jay Z was here to stay, and as long as he makes music this good, we’re lucky to have him.

Dr. Dre, Nothin’ but a G’ Thang, the Chronic These two men, Dr. Dre and Snoop Doggy Dogg, double handedly changed the landscape of rap music forever. This song is fucking perfect. The verses provided by Snoop, paired with the beat that makes you want to continually have your hands in the area, make it utterly memorable. There’s simply not enough good things to say about this song. Songs like this are the reason Dr. Dre gets a pass on making another album quickly. If the new music is even half as good as this, all these new rappers are gonna have to bow down.

Beastie Boys, Intergalactic, Hello Nasty These men from the five boroughs are legends, quite simply. They topped the charts, and made some of the most intelligent rap ever heard by mass audiences. This song, and subsequent album are fun, and make it impossible not to dance and have a good time. The giant monsters and robots in the video are also well used. That’s what I like so much about this band. They were well versed in hip hop, and could out rap almost anyone, but the videos are nearly always unlike anything else seen in the genre. If you’re a fan of the band, I suggest you check out my top ten list about the Beastie’s from about a month ago.

2 Pac & Dr. Dre, California Love, All Eyez on Me Some things on some lists are so easy to figure out. For instance, I knew before I even started contemplating what would round out the top ten that this song was going to be number one. It’s obvious for me at least. Between these two guys, they not only redefined Rap for the 90’s, but in the process of making this song, they managed to make one of the most well-known songs of any genre in the 90’s. I’m definitely more of a fan of Dre than Pac, but 2 Pac really shines on this track. The verses are absolutely killer, and the beat is the icing on top. Quite simply, there’s just no other song that comes even close to being as incredible as this one when you discuss 1990’s rap music.

Hope you enjoyed this!