Top 10 Best Rap Songs of All Time

This is the best rap song ever. Every lyric and word in the song counts, and none are wasted. The beat is catchy, and the song is well-produced. Eminem also seamlessly switches from the third person to the first person point of view.

It's Eminem! The best thing about this guy is his attitude of bringing out the raw truth through his songs. Stan touches my heart because it brings out the fragility of life. It makes us look past the words and delve deeper into the true meaning of the song. It brings out frustrations, obsessions, and guilt. It gives us a peek into the master rapper's conscience as it brings out his vulnerability. Truly a cultural milestone! It deserves every single sale and rank it has ever made. It proves precisely why Marshall is the best. Bravo!

It's actually the best song ever. When I heard it, it pumped me up, and I also started rapping. It's truly the best song ever, and no one can be as great as Eminem. He's the best-selling man in hip-hop ever. Love you, Em.

This is easily the best rap song ever. I remember hearing it for the first time and nearly broke down, with tears streaming down my face. And it had nothing to do with the content - I had no idea who Eminem was at the time, his story, his other songs, nor did I care much for rap. It was all about the moment of realization that I was experiencing true genius. Every beat, every word, the intensity, the conviction with which the words are delivered, and the technical mastery - rhymes within rhymes within rhymes, intertwined, but not in a "fake" way with nonsense words or something like that. None of it takes away from the message, the telling of the story. Then, when you're fully in awe and convinced that nothing can top this, he goes and doubles up in the "baby mama" part of the song, and you're left shamed with the thought that your previous amazement was at someone just warming up. It is humbling. It is the realization that, whereas other songs can be rated on, say, a 1-100 scale, ...more

Changes opened people's eyes to what they could do to better their lives with just something as simple as listening to the world around them. Only you can change your life. Only you can plan your future, and if everyone fights to make changes as a whole for the world, it is possible that we could be living in harmony rather than war.

The media were always making Tupac out to be a thug. They never bothered to really look into the meaning. Tupac wanted the world to change. A lot of stupid people never looked into what beliefs in change and justice he had. The media didn't want change. He eventually got sick and tired of the media and decided, I'll play the thug for these people. All Eyes on Me was a true gangsta album, but it still related to the problems and despair Tupac had when it came to the streets. It is a true testament to his despair about situations in the world. I believe it was recorded in '92 but was not specially mixed until '98.

Changes isn't only a song. It is a political statement that held its truth long after both the artist and time period passed. Studied at universities and played in the darkest of streets, Changes was able to scrape through the layers of class difference and expose humanity at its core - equality in emotion, the ability to touch souls from every socio-economic stature and background. And really, isn't that what hip-hop was originally about? The telling of a story with a voice that made people want to listen?

How can you put Eminem on top of Tupac? Eminem is commercialized rap that is mass-marketed to middle America. While Eminem is good, he is no Tupac. Tupac talks about how it really is for a young black man in the inner city. He has raw emotion when he raps and made a lasting mark in just a short 25 years. You can't compare any rapper to Tupac. He is the best rapper and Changes just glorifies his legacy.

Now I'm in the limelight because I rhyme tight. Ah, this song is amazing. It makes me really happy and uplifted when I listen to it. It makes Wiz Khalifa and Drake look like pathetic little kids. This is the best rap song. All respect to Lose Yourself and Changes, which are great too, but Juicy is just amazing.

Timeless classic. Crank That shouldn't be here at all, and Remember The Name is a dope song, but it isn't anything special.

Such a beautiful song. The meaning of the song also shows a sense of payback to the people who said he wouldn't get anywhere in life. It's a song of happiness and the fact that he started from the bottom. It is where it should be on this list.

This song is the reason hip-hop is still a big genre of music. Biggie's inspiring words in this song can change the meaning of rap as a whole. It can lift your attitude up if you feel down. It's definitely something I would listen to.

This, by many critics, is voted in the top 3 rap songs of all time! And these are REAL hip-hop critics who know what they're saying. This song is better than anything Lil Wayne has made! Snoop Doggy Dogg and Dr. Dre are two legends in the game. A real classic!

The two rap legends in this song make it one of the best. It deserves a spot in the top 5. Dr. Dre is at his best, and the lyrics are awesome, making it a classic. This song has made its place in the history of rap. Ain't nuthin' but a G thang, baby!

My favorite and best song of all times! Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is the best game ever! When I'm listening to this song, I'm always thinking about Grove Street, Los Santos, and the first and earlier games when I was playing this game. Nuthin' but a G Thang, baby!

Best song of all time. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is the best game ever. When I listen to this song, I always think about Grove Street, Los Santos, and the first days when I was playing this game. Dr. Dre and Snoop Doggy Dogg are rap legends.

Nas completely underestimated himself before he saw the ratings and reviews the first album received back then. Among the songs on the album, this one takes rappers to a new plateau, encouraging older and newer rappers to try new things, having won himself the title as the greatest and most influential rapper of all time.

NY State of Mind deserves to be number 1, or at least in the top 5. How Remember the Name, Lose Yourself, and Not Afraid made it into the top 5, I don't know. People don't know what real hip-hop is. A good beat is only the foundation of a good rap song, and people seem to have forgotten that. This song is one of the best songs on, arguably, the greatest album of all time.

Greatest rap song ever, from the greatest single rapper ever. Personally, it's not from the greatest rap album ever (that belongs to Enter the Wu-Tang), but it's still the single greatest rap song in history. Nas is a genius, a lyrical mastermind, and this song shows him at his best.

I think this is the best rap song ever. I know I'm from Lubbock. My name's Christian Dominique Vega, but Nas is far and away the best lyricist in the world. He's gone beyond the limits. He took hip-hop to a whole other level. It's crazy! I look up to Nas, though. Beast! Point blank period.

I think that this song embodies rap. It shows that rap isn't for a bunch of idiots. It shows that rap is about real things, not about stupid things that these foolish rappers pass off as rap. Rap and real life aren't about flashy things, girls, or fur coats. Maybe it's my bias toward Eminem, but any song that he makes deserves to be on top. He's one of the only remaining pioneers of rap. The story is completely captivating. It's easily the best rap song ever written. The emotion is raw. It makes you feel something. It makes you feel Stan's pain.

Fantastic song. When I first listened to that second-to-last verse, for some reason it just psychologically scared the crap out of me. Just thinking about it - some guy would... Well, I won't spoil the story, but Eminem manages to make a song that actually sounds like a letter in each verse, even though it sounds like a Dr. Seuss book for adults with all the rhyming. A masterpiece. The pinnacle of his career, so much better than every song on this list.

Eminem has been acclaimed as one of the most lyrical rappers of all time, and this is good proof of that. This truly shows the more emotional and meaningful side of Eminem, talking about an obsessed fan who takes his obsession too far. It's a shame that, 19 years later, people decided it would be "cool" and "quirky" to call themselves a "stan" without knowing the actual meaning.

This is more than a song. This is a story. It was not only a sad story but also a clever metaphor, and this song will always be my personal "Best Rap Song of All Time," and nobody can convince me otherwise. It's also worth mentioning the performance Eminem did with Elton John that silenced all his critics, who were telling him that he's homophobic.

I guess if Eminem had made "The Message," all these clowns who vote for his songs would have made it number 1. Never seen a list with so much Eminem love. You'd think that this imitating clown invented Hip Hop and that the 1970s and 1980s never happened. As far as you people are concerned, Hip Hop started when the movie "8 Mile" came out. I guess that proves REAL Hip Hop REALLY is dead because nobody alive today seems to know what REAL Hip Hop is. If you guys want to sleep with Eminem (and from reading your comments, it sounds like some of you think about him while lying in bed at night), just send a tweet and tell him.

Such a huge song that it's impossible not to have heard it somewhere, even if you haven't heard the whole song. The signature synthesizer riff has been sampled by a million hip-hop artists and is the primary reason this group became the first-ever hip-hop act admitted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (2007). This song was chosen by the Library of Congress to be added to the United States National Recording Registry and is also number 51 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time (the second highest for any song released in the 80s). One of the first old-school rap songs to address poverty, the struggles, and frustrations of living in the ghetto - and it was selected by the Registry for this exact reason.

This song just has what all other hip-hop artists seem to have forgotten. To make a good rap song, it doesn't matter how many girls you say you've slept with, how many blunts you say you've smoked, how many guys you say you've shot, or even how much profanity you throw out. It's all about just telling your stories and your views through your rhymes, and it doesn't have to be more than that. The only one who can even get near this song is maybe Eminem with Lose Yourself and Stan, but damn, there's just so much right with this song. Now, if only we could get more of these instead of another club banger by Lil Wayne or something. Oh well, back to the underground.

What an excellent song. This was one of the first rap groups and released a ton of good songs. The Grandmaster's rhythm is enough to rival almost every modern rapper, and the backing beat is perfect.

I don't care what or how you feel about rap. It is the catchiest genre of music by far. From the different styles and how far it has evolved, no other style of music makes you stop and listen to what the performer's next verse will be better than rap music. There are too many artists to thank for what they have contributed to it, such as Grandmaster Flash, Melle Mel, Kool Moe Dee, or the more recent ones like Ice Cube, Tupac, and Eminem. I'm just grateful I have been lucky enough to have experienced the majority of its growth. I look forward to the many more great songs and artists yet to come.

Straight Outta Compton is my favorite song of all time. Out of every song ever made, it is an amazing song. NWA is the best rap group of all time, and all are amazing singers. Best singers of all time. Eazy-E is my favorite, but they are all amazing. I think it should be number 1 on the list, but it is good to see it on the list as number 12.

Such a great song, so true to the hood! This song deserves mad respect and should crack the top 20! It's raw and real. It's depressing to know that there is no longer this kind of music anymore.

MAD RESPECT to Yella, Eazy, Ren, Ice Cube, and Dre.

The only line that's confusing is:
"So when I'm in your neighborhood, you better duck,
'Cause Ice Cube is crazy as f***."

What's that supposed to mean?
Is it a self-diss or something?

Anyway, it's still the best rap song of all time, after The Message.

Oh my God! I love Eminem. He is my favorite rapper. But sorry, "Not Afraid" is maybe in his personal top 15, but I would never put it 8th in a top 10 of BEST rap songs of ALL TIME. After Proof's death, hmm, I won't say Eminem turned boring, but he does not have that sparkle in his eyes on stage anymore, and we can all understand that. Unfortunately, this could have been better if it had been written before Eminem got sad and depressive. I know it's a "comeback" song, but it still would have been even better if it were the 1999-2005 Eminem who had written it. And now I'm losing the point. Sorry, guys, but this isn't a top 10, maybe top 50, but I just can't imagine it's 8th. And I'm not a hater. Eminem is the best ever, he is my favorite by far, but go listen to "Stan," "Lose Yourself," "Role Model," "The Way I Am," and you'll understand why this song isn't a top 10.

You know this should be at least number 5. This song has so much - I mean, so much emotion and meaning. Not Afraid is well written. It maybe describes other people who feel like they've been down the same road, if you know what I mean. This song always gives me goosebumps. This song got me into rap. Actually, Eminem got me into rap. He's the best rapper alive - and ever. He's the king of rap.

He's a rebel.

LOVE this song. It has so much emotion and is so well written! Eminem's the best rapper ever! Long live the king of rap!

I think this song really gives people a boost in life. He had been down a road and got knocked down, but he got back on his feet, and it encourages all of his fans to do the same thing if they are really down. I have also been down the same road, and I think we all have. And it helps people stand up to their demons, and how many songs have inspired people to do that?

The best producer of all time paired up with the greatest rapper of all time. How can you question this song? And what in the world is it with all the Eminem? I can understand Lose Yourself and Stan, but Not Afraid? What! You people need to change this list!

This song has a brilliant, catchy beat that immediately attracts the interest of most listeners. Dr. Dre and Tupac make a great rap duo, with their voices complementing each other's. All in all, it's a brilliant song.

Dre is the best hip-hop producer of all time. I love his MC work too. Pac was awesome here. Killer song. This is what comes to mind when I think what's the best hip-hop song ever!

This is one of the greatest rap songs, but it is probably the rap song that influenced today's mainstream rap. It does not have deep lyrics compared to other 2Pac songs.

I was never that into rap, and then my mate introduced me to Rapper's Delight. OH MY GOD. Rapper's Delight is clearly the best rap song. I mean, it may lack some of the meaning and depth of other rap songs, but it makes up for that with some dope rhymes and fresh boogie. I have taken the time to learn damn near the whole fifteen minutes of this song, and it has become a sort of party trick, but every time I listen to this song, it gets better.

The best song of all time and deserves to be in the top ten. Legendary status. All rappers should respect this masterpiece and bow down to old-school legends like Grandmaster Flash and The Sugarhill Gang.

When this came out in '79, the likes of Slade were in the charts - nothing against them, but just to show how different this was. I was six - a hip-hop boy from that day on!

The greatest rap song from the greatest rap group of all time. Master D, Big Bank, and Wonder Mike remain the best trifecta ever.

I can't believe people would vote for songs by Kanye West, 50 Cent, Eminem, Lil Wayne, and douchebag Soulja Boy. Songs these days always have to go with a dance. This song is deep, not like Crank That or Stronger, where you just dance. I hate how those types of songs are always popular.

I can't even imagine why this song isn't in the top 3. Common is the reason hip-hop still means something, and this song demonstrates that. I really don't understand how Soulja Boy gets more recognition than Common. For shame, society.

This is a joke. This song is pure, real hip-hop. The fact that it's not in the top five just shows how much hip-hop is dying.

I have no idea how this song isn't at least in the top ten, especially when songs like Poppin' Bottles and Crank That are ranked higher. I think if everyone voting on this list listened to this song before they voted, the turnout would have been different.

As much as this song gets quoted, there is no reason for this song to be so low on the list. RZA does his thing and makes one of the best beats of his career right out of the gate. Method Man creates a simple yet very catchy and funny hook, while Rae and INS deliver two of the best verses in hip-hop history. "As the world turns, I learned life is hell. Living in the world is no different from a cell."

This, along with "Children's Story," "Regulate," and "Check the Rhime," introduced me to hip-hop. At that time, I was a big Eminem fan, and now I have moved into the real hip-hop I'm into right now. I have a playlist with over a thousand rap songs and have memorized most of them in just a year. I am also starting to listen to new school, as I have an unfinished playlist based on it.

All experts say that this is the best song in the history of rap. The album on which this was featured is also in the top 5 hip-hop albums ever made. This song was the reason that Nas made Illmatic, and the reason that Tupac made All Eyez on Me. This song pushed them to do better.

This is one of the best songs ever. I don't get why this isn't in the top ten or top five. It's way better than Not Afraid, Hit 'Em Up, and Remember the Name. Most of the songs above this are by Eminem, Tupac, and members of N.W.A.

This song has such an amazing beat! It's kinda reminiscent of old classic rap fused with a modern rap beat. The background score is A+. The manner in which 2Pac raps in this song is so chilled out.

Best diss song ever, and by one of the most legendary rappers ever. Good beat, nice lyrics, but no hating on B.I.G.. He's good too. You know it's true. Just admit it. LOL.

Quite easily the best diss song of all time. As far as hip-hop songs go, I think the only songs better than this are Stan, Rapper's Delight, and Dear Mama, along with Renegade.

It's the best song of all time. Don't forget Tupac is not just a rap singer but a soldier. Bad boy killer forever and ever. Tupac is the king.

This is the finest rap to ever be produced. You have to give love to NWA!

Lose Yourself and this are perfect rap songs!

Is it bad that this is my favorite rap song?

So agree, rap is the best genre with the best song inside of it, which is this one. F--- the police.

One of the most iconic songs between the duo of Dr. Dre and Eminem, aside from maybe Guilty Conscience. The impact this song has had over the years and the legacy it's left is insane.

You should be ashamed that this isn't in the top 10, and that Soulja Boy crap is ahead of this song.

Soulja Boy should never even have been considered for this top 10. In my eyes, it's not rap. Whereas this song, and these artists, have created some of the most iconic tracks in rap history.

Really nice flow throughout. The chorus with Eminem, you have to listen to so many times because it's really the only chorus to ever be spit so quickly. LISTEN TO IT.

By far one of the best rap songs on this list. It's a shame it's only at number 22. It has one of the best beats in the history of Hip-Hop, and the whole song is just dope. It outshines 9 out of 10 of the songs on this list.

Classic East Coast hit! Without a doubt, the coldest hip-hop song of all time. Havoc's simple but impeccable producing, paired with Prodigy's lyrical abilities, recreates the tensions from the streets of Queens.

This song should easily be in the top 10, if not the top 5. As much as I love Remember the Name, I have to say that Shook Ones is way better. Incredible beat, powerful lyrics, and the chorus... WOW! Just an amazing song.

Comes from easily the best album of all time. Not only is there not a single bad song on the whole album, but Shook Ones is the best song on an album full of great songs.

The true meaning of Eazy-E: a stirring rivalry between two friends heated up with Dre Day by Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg. Frustrated, Eazy-E decided to mix his own little diss track. Real G's has to be one of the best diss songs ever made, besides Hit 'Em Up.

This song has got to be one of the greatest rap songs of all time. Eazy-E, one of the best rappers of all time, made his most popular song. It's got to be big!

Love this song and Eazy-E. He is underrated because a lot of people don't know anything about him.

Eazy-E is a great legend, and this song is so hardcore!

One of the best lyrically written tracks, accompanied by a unique but amazing flow. This rap song has to be one of the best rap songs I have ever listened to. 50 Cent also manages to add a 'happy' feel to an otherwise depressing beat by starting off with "Party Like It's Your Birthday."

The greatest club song of all time! The best 50 Cent song! The greatest rap song! Should be up there with Crank That and Lose Yourself! For the win!

How are Ice Ice Baby and Crank That in the top 10, yet this is not? Obviously, people don't know what good rap is these days. Haha! I love this song. Everything is perfect!

It's like the national anthem for party people! If you are at a party, make sure that you play this great song by Curtis Jackson!

Alright, I might get hate for this one, but this is the best rap song released in this decade. The hook's catchy, the beat's nice, and it has a good flow. Drake's opening verse is strong. Kanye got the second verse, and he was a beast as usual. Lil Wayne isn't great or anything, but in this song, his verse was really, really good. But this was all nothing. At the end, Eminem (who got the last verse on the song) took it to a whole new level.

I was really expecting this song in the top ten. Seriously, this is one of the top 5 rap songs of the decade. Drake's opening verse is strong as hell. Kanye is a beast as usual. Lil Wayne isn't usually that great, but his verse in this song is one of his best ones. And at the end, Eminem takes it to a whole new level of greatness.

Yes, for this song to not be filled with my favorite rappers of all time, this is a very high-quality, well-timed rap song for the ages. Collectively, they put it down.

The collaboration of the different types of rappers brings an intellectual sound and vibe towards the listeners. This song should definitely be a bit higher up.

How in the world is this at 25? It should be in the top 10. It's literally about "no matter how hard you fall, you have to get back up and fight," and it's actually REAL rap, not like "Old Town Road" (no offense, Lil Nas X).

The lyrics in the song are so understandable. It's unique how many words Eminem uses in just one song. I mean, "Till I Collapse, I'm spitting these raps" - as soon as Eminem said that, I already knew this song was going to be catchy, inspiring, and memorable. This song really deserves to be at like number 3 or near the top.

I have nothing to say about this song other than the fact that it's awesome. Sure, Eminem has other fantastic songs like Lose Yourself, Not Afraid, Monster, Without Me, and so on. But this one stands out for me.

I don't know if this song was released on an album, but it is my favorite song, which is in my favorite movie, Real Steel.

Listen to the full 8-minute and 29-second version of Runaway. It will blow you away. You will be wondering why it's not in the top 20. Runaway is pure, raw material that should be respected at a high level.

Absolute masterpiece from Kanye. Probably the only song I like from him, and it's in my top ten.

One of the longest hip-hop songs, and it never loses the listener's interest.

One of the most underrated rap songs of all time.

This song is awesome and should definitely be in the top 20. Anything lower is a crime.

When Laura Lee said that thing about Black people, Paris, Crompton, etc., she was actually right.

The beat is just perfect, and that Will Ferrell sample was genius.

Why do rappers use the N-word so freaking much? Please stop! I cringe every time I hear it.

This song is the ultimate riot anthem. It also sent a message around the world about standing up to racism or criticism.

The most perfect title of all.

Rap with a good message.

In their time, to release a song like this was very risky, but they were indeed 'fighting the power.'