10 | Afrika Bambataa - "Planet Rock" | Listen | 
Bambataa was looking for the perfect beat. He found the magnetism of electro-rap instead.
9 | Public Enemy - "Fight The Power" | Download |
Chuck D's politically salient rhymes combined with Bomb Squad's searing, ferocious sound to yield this groundbreaking piece.
8 | Audio Two - "Top Billin'" | Download |
Daddy-O turns a sampling goof into a sledgehammer. Throw in the well-placed hook and you've got a timeless hip-hop tune.
7 | Nas - "The World Is Yours" | Download |
Nas and Pete Rock team up to declare revolution. Which is always a good move.
6 | Pete Rock & CL Smooth - "They Reminisce Over You" | Download |
Insane horn riffs. Shimmering cymbals. Soulful samples. You just know it's Pete Rock's unmistakable craftsmanship. On the other end, C.L. Smooth channels controlled emotion through the mic on this funeral favorite. This is melancholy elegy at its finest.
5 | Eric B & Rakim - "Lyrics of Fury" | Download |
""
Rakim never had to rely on thuggery or gangsterism to grab ears. His inimitable monotone flow took care of that, as evinced on the remarkable "Lyrics of Fury."
4 | 2Pac - "Dear Mama" | Download |
2Pac's ode to his mom Afeni Shakur, has remained the unofficial Mother's Day hip-hop anthem. On this poignant piece, Shakur pats mama on the back for working tirelessly to put food on the table during the day and trying to liberate him from the perils of street life at night.
3 | Grandmaster Flash & The Furious 5 - "The Message" | Download |
"The Message" was arguably the first rap song to detail the harsh realities of ghetto life –- a sharp departure from the feel good party disco clubs from which the group emerged.
2 | The Sugarhill Gang - "Rapper's Delight" | Download |
It holds the dubious title of first hip-hop song. Its influence on the culture is undeniable.
1 | Common Sense - "I Used To Love H.E.R." | Download |
Common released Resurrection in 1994, at a time when there was a surplus of great hip-hop albums. Still, it stood tall on the backs such hits as "Resurrection" and "I Used to Love H.E.R." Before Common, no one had thought to personify hip-hop, let alone assign a gender to it. "I Used to Love H.E.R.," a metaphor for the hip-hop's evolution, would go on to prove that Common's approach to storytelling was anything but common.
