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Top 100 Rap Songs of 2007

By Henry Adaso, About.com

2007, despite its numerous disappointments, spawned many memorable moments. Like the theme music to a good movie, these songs underscored a unique year in hip-hop. Ladies and Gentlemen, grab your iPods! Cue the time machine! It's time to rewind 2007 and explore the year's best 100 rap songs.

[Disclaimer: The songs were ranked on production quality, lyrical appeal, and overall impact. It's a highly subjective list and I'm not claiming it to be the gospel.]

30. NYOil - Shout it in the Streets

With the emergence of so many new artists, it's easy to get lost in the shuffle. But NYOil has no intentions of taking the easy way out. "Shout it in the Streets" is a vicious follow-up to the memorable 2006 hit "Y'all Should All Get Lynched."

29. Jazzy Jeff feat. C.L. Smooth - All I Know

The Jazzmeister cooks up a soulful concoction, while the Smoothsmith lays his rhymes in the cut.

28. Fabolous feat. Ne-Yo - Make Me Better

[Video]
Let's do the math: Fabolous in Ladies Man mode + Ne-Yo on the chorus = slam dunk.

27. Joel Ortiz - Hip-Hop

© Koch
Let's get this straight: No other newcomer delivered an endless supply of gritty rap anthems like Brooklyn's own Joel Ortiz. Of all the 5,279 songs titled "Hip-Hop," this one's a breath of fresh air.

26. Prodigy - Mac 10 Handle

[Video]
Your inner cynic may frown at Prodigy for sticking to familiar territory on "Mac 10 Handle." That's until you hear Alchemist's arrestingly upbeat production and P's cinematic rhymes kick in and reaffirm that he's capable of pumping life into a banal concept.

25. Common - The Game

© Geffen
[Video]
Beat by Kanye West; Scratches by DJ Premier. Exactly what an MC's dream session sounds like.

24. Marco Polo feat. Masta Ace - Nostalgia

[Video] After two decades in the game, Masta Ace still doesn't know how to waste a verse.

23. Kanye West - Can't Tell Me Nothin'

This piece of genius -- with a chorus so repetitive it will lodge itself in your memory for months -- is as gorgeous as anything 'Ye has recorded in years.

22. Brother Ali - Take Me Home

© Rhymesayers
[Video]
Ali showcases his spirit, soul, and versatility over Ant's slap-happy drums.

21. Trae feat. Styles P & Jadakiss - Smile

© Rap-A-Lot
Trae and his D-Block cohorts sound right at home rhyming about the misfortunes of life that make it hard to crack a smile.

Top 100 Rap Songs of 2007

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