Top 10 Greatest Hood Storytelling Rap Songs

This is a list of some of the greatest hood stories ever told in the form of rap.
The Top Ten
1 It Was a Good Day - Ice Cube

Ice Cube's career defining song is the pinnacle of west coast rap storytelling. The song is timelessly untouchable, loved by pretty much every rap fan and remains Ice Cube's biggest and favourited hit to date. Its simply a song about a day in young Cube where everything seems to go right.

Fun facts: The day Ice Cube say good is January 20th, 1992. Today is the 30th anniversary to the day Ice Cube called good.

I think part of what makes this song impactful is how much of this good day is just the absence of danger whether from the police or other gangs and how most of us take that kind of safety for granted.

2 Regulate - Warren G

A song about Warren G and his friend Nate Dogg on a night out. They try pulling some The song features one of the most memorable hooks by the late great, Nate Dogg.

3 On the Run - Kool G Rap & DJ Polo

A hugely important song where Kool G Rap explains:
" I got a job with the mob, makin G's
Doin some pickups, deliveries and transportin keys".

4 C.R.E.A.M. - Wu-Tang Clan

Two Iconic, relevant, timeless, deep, rap verses which were vital to the evolution of the Wu.
"Cash rules everything around me, C.R.E.A.M., Get the money, dollar dollar bill y'all".

5 The Art of Peer Pressure - Kendrick Lamar

A tale of Kendrick and his boys being taken under by the hood.

6 Boyz-n-the-Hood - Eazy-E

One of the ultimate hood story telling songs of all times. A Rap classic for sure.

7 Brenda's Got a Baby - 2Pac

An early 2Pac single that in one verse, tells the story of a young, 12 year-old, struggling mother, (and prostitute) who just can't seem to hold it down. This became one of Pac's most widely recognised and popular songs.

8 6 'N the Mornin' - Ice-T

An iconic story from 1986 that began when the cops knocked at Ice T's door. He escapes them eventually and ends up with his girl. One of the hits and masterpieces from an early West-Coast eternal icon.

9 Lodi Dodi - Snoop Dogg

A day in the life of a "19 year old" Snoop feat. vocals by Nancy Fletcher. On of the less celebrated classics from Snoop's 'Doggystyle' debut album (1993).

10 My Summer Vacation - Ice Cube

My favorite story telling Rap song. From what I have heard Cube is a master at it. This song is about L.A. gang members moving to St. Louis to start "slanging" after it got too "hot" for them in L.A.

The Contenders
11 Crime Story - DMX

A song that tells the story of a young thug who has just committed murder and is on the run. A dark song from a dark album by a dark artist. Rest in Peace, Dark Man X.

12 The Message - Grandmaster Flash & the Furious

A classic! Another ultimate hood story telling song about...well, the "hood". The song describes life and living conditions in the ghetto.

13 Love’s Gonna Get’cha (Material Love) - Boogie Down Productions

Lyrically, one of my favorite Rap songs. It's about a poor but straight kid that gets caught up in all the money and power control when he is introduced to drug dealing.

14 Late Night Hype - Compton's Most Wanted

One of the chilliest rap songs ever recorded and its no wonder with rhymes over a beat so sublime. The emcees of CMW, MC Eiht and the Chill, take turns speaking of their evening in the hood.

15 Eazy-Duz-It - Eazy-E
16 Peel Their Caps Back - Ice T

Besides "6 'N The Morning", this is the best Ice T hood story telling song that I have heard from him. It's about Ice T getting a call telling him his gang just got into a shootout with a rival gang in a club and one of Ice T's friends was killed. So they "gear up" and go looking for the rival gang for revenge and end up shooting and killing the guy who killed their friend but Ice T gets shot in the head and dies during the shootout.

17 m.A.A.d city - Kendrick Lamar
18 My Mind Playing Tricks on Me - Geto Boys
19 Kim - Eminem
20 N.Y. State of Mind - Nas
21 Dance with the Devil - Immortal Technique

Greatest Storytelling song of all time!

22 Dopeman - N.W.A.
23 X Gon' Give It to Ya - DMX

Good song but it doesn't really tell a story to be honest.

24 Love is Blind - Eve
25 Saturday Night - Schoolly D
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