Top 100 Rap Songs of 2008

Don't be fooled by the shallow title, "Shake This" is not a club romp about shaking what ya momma gave ya. Rather, it's a motivational song about overcoming rumors and embarrassing hard-ons in public. In fact, this Royce-Premo track sounds nothing like their previous collaborations ("Hip-Hop," "Boom," etc) but it's a neck-snapper regardless. [Video]

S-N-Double-OG defends his foul mouth ("freedom of speech, 'beeyatch' is a word you can't ban"), reflects on his shortcomings ("swimming with the sharks and I almost drowned"), and thumps his chest ("15 years in the game, man, and I'm still relevant"), without ever raising his voice.

Slug showcases his newfound penchant for optimism, while Ant whips up a snake charmer. The morale of the story: Love your job, no matter how crappy it is. See, kids, hip-hop is mucho inspirational. [Video]

This one finds Statik pairing Cory Mo and PA’s finest, Bun B, on a mid-tempo banger. I’m feeling this, and that’s not just because the beat has Premier’s fingerprints all over its DNA. Hearing Pimp C’s line from “White Girl,” “You need to learn the game before you try to play,” gave me shivers. [Video]

"Children Sing" starts off like a lullaby you'd sing to a toddler, then turns into a buoyant rap gem. [Video]

What do Killer Mike and Ice Cube have in common? Well, for starters, neither is interested in cookie-cutter music. "Pressure" is a rough, rugged, and raw cut from Killer Mike's I Pledge Allegiance to the Grind II.

Freshly squeezed hip-hop goodness from Alchemist’s Cookbook EP. Kid Cudi continues to impress, and Blu proves he still doesn’t know how to waste a rhyme.

"Broken Heart" is vintage Pharoahe Monch -- soulful, imaginative, scintillating. Perfect. [Audio]

Sound architects The Neptunes and rhymelord Common effortlessly demonstrate their range while showcasing party-starter music.

"Give the Drummer Sum," the lead single from Tronic, finds Black Milk stacking his much much improved lyrical chops atop live horns and gritty drums. This isn't hip-hop, it's art in motion.