The Best Hip-Hop Songs

Hip-hop tracks ranked by beer score, from the Sugarhill Gang to Kendrick Lamar. Four decades of the genre on one chart, and raters with firm opinions about all of it.

Top 18 of 18 songs with at least 10 ratings. Ranked by average beer score on a 0 to 11 scale.

1
Big Poppa
The Notorious B.I.G.
The smoothest Biggie ever got. Beer three approves.
1.0beers14 ratings
2
C.R.E.A.M.
Wu-Tang Clan
Cash rules everything around me. Still does.
2.1beers11 ratings
3
Changes
2Pac
Built on a Bruce Hornsby sample and still the most quoted Pac verse.
2.3beers10 ratings
4
Hypnotize
The Notorious B.I.G.
He makes it sound effortless. It absolutely was not.
2.7beers14 ratings
5
Gin and Juice
Snoop Dogg
The most relaxed song ever made about being extremely drunk. On theme.
3.1beers15 ratings
6
HUMBLE.
Kendrick Lamar
Sit down. Be humble. Nobody sat down.
3.1beers10 ratings
7
Stan
Eminem
The song that put a new word in the dictionary.
3.2beers18 ratings
8
The Real Slim Shady
Eminem
Please stand up. Everybody did.
3.8beers16 ratings
9
Run This Town
Jay-Z
Three of the biggest names alive, all trying to win the same track.
3.9beers10 ratings
10
Dear Mama
2Pac
The one that makes hard men ring their mothers.
4.0beers12 ratings
11
WAP
Cardi B
You know what it stands for. Your speakers know too.
4.3beers10 ratings
12
Get Ur Freak On
Missy Elliott
Nobody else has ever sounded remotely like this.
4.3beers10 ratings
13
Old Town Road
Lil Nas X
Country radio said no. The charts said nineteen weeks.
4.5beers10 ratings
14
N***** in Paris
Jay-Z
That beat switch. Every single time.
4.6beers11 ratings
15
99 Problems
Jay-Z
The riff is Billy Squier. The attitude is entirely Jay.
5.4beers11 ratings
16
SICKO MODE
Travis Scott
Three songs in a trench coat. All three are good.
6.4beers16 ratings
17
Stronger
Kanye West
Daft Punk, sampled into something even louder.
7.4beers14 ratings
18
God's Plan
Drake
He gave the video budget away. The song still bought a house.
7.8beers11 ratings