The 100 Best Songs of The Complex Decade

It’s been ten years since Complex first opened its doors, and in that time, there have been countless incredible songs to provide a soundtrack to each and every moment of the mag and the culture that sustains it. Over the past decade, many artists have come and gone. Some have soared above the hype while others have fizzled as time and musical tastes have passed them by. But along the way, we’ve been left with more than our fair share of dope beats to step to.

Across every genre, as new sounds and ideas have replaced the old, everything we thought we knew for sure about music has been challenged. The ways we find, collect and listen to our music have drastically changed, but one thing has stayed the same: as once-new favorites morph into trusted classics, the hits just keep on comin’.

In true Complex fashion, we’ve taken a long hard look at all of our favorite songs, and put together a definitive list. And if you though our Best Albums of the Complex Decade list was contentious, this Songs list was even more challenging. But after lengthy debates and a few straight-up battles, we've narrowed down and ranked our picks of the 100 most essential tracks to have blessed our ears since 2002. So rock with us as we recount the Top 100 Songs Of The Complex Era.

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100. Schoolboy Q f/ A$AP Rocky "Hands On The Wheel" (2012)

Producer: Best Kept Secret
Album: Habits and Contradictions


“Hands On The Wheel” pairs up West Coast spitter SchoolBoy Q and Harlem's own A$AP Rocky with a Lissie sample, creating what stands as the song to beat for best of 2012 thus far. Fresh off their previous collaboration (the excellent “Brand New Guy”) Rocky and Q upped the ante, making this dynamic duo seem like the new Nas and AZ. However, as much as we love weed and brew ourselves, Q's cosigning of drunk driving is a no-go. Come on guys, that's just not cool!

99. Burial "Archangel" (2007)

Producer: Burial
Album: Untrue


Burial, one of the prominent dubstep producers from the UK, showed that dubstep can succeed in album format. Although the mysterious artist from the Hyperdub label kept his identity secret, his emotionally-tinged music showed a different side for the genre normally built on booming basslines.

On “Archangel,” Burial's ominous single darkens the mood to where his lyrics about love lust resonate. In the electronic music spectrum, its suggests being the reclusive type makes an intriguing sound that hits your soul.

98. Yung Joc "It's Goin' Down" (2006)

Producer: Nitti
Album: New Joc City


After simmering on the local Atlanta scene for a few years, snap music accosted national radio in late 2005 with a pair of monster pop hits: D4L's "Laffy Taffy" and Yung Joc's "It's Goin' Down". While the oft-derided "Laffy Taffy" felt like a cheesy sing-along for children, Joc's record revealed a darker, more sinister sound that allowed the snap movement to grow beyond its initial gimmick status.

With his monotone, stone-faced delivery, Joc sprinkled dope-boy references over Nitti's mechanical loop of synth, bass, snaps and clicks. It didn't hurt that even the hardest of rocks could do Joc's wrist-heavy "motorcycle dance" without feeling sweet.

97. Sean Price "Figure Four" (2009)

Producer: Ski Beatz
Album: N/A


“These are words from a thousandaire,” laments Sean Price on “Figure Four.” But you can't buy a hit like this at any price. For four minutes the brokest rapper you know laid out the difference him and all these brand new rappers who populate NahRight posts whom he seemingly doesn't fuck with musically, “I don't parlay with a crew nigga/I don't Wale with them new niggas.” The song not only became a rap blog smash but it even scored Price a few spins on Hot 97.

96. Keri Hilson f/ Ne-Yo & Kanye West "Knock U Down" (2009)

Producer: Danja
Album: In A Perfect World...


Ms. Keri showed why they call it "falling" in love—that four-letter word can hit you unexpectedly. “Knock You Down” was the seductive breakout single from her debut album, pitting her in a musical love triangle with Kanye West and Ne-Yo. Despite criticism that she could never top the success of her breakout cameo on Timbaland's “The Way I Are,” Hilson proved the naysayers wrong and brought her sultry voice to belt a radio-friendly hit built around producer Danja's synth riffs. Whenever love's got you down and out, Keri says to just get right back up. Our pleasure.

95. Lupe Fiasco "Superstar" (2008) / Lupe Fiasco f/ T.I. & Young Jeezy "Superstar (Remix)" (2008)

Producer: Soundtrakk/Soundtrakk
Album: The Cool / N/A

Lupe Fiasco "Superstar" (2008)

Lupe Fiasco f/ T.I. & Young Jeezy "Superstar (Remix)" (2008)

Lupe Fiasco's second biggest hit (featuring a soul-stirring chorus sung by Matthew Santos) was not only a Top 10 record but it worked on his own terms (unlike his biggest charting hit “Show Goes On,” which was cooked up by Atlantic Records and opened with the ominous lines “Have you ever felt like you were being had?”).

The remix was something special too with Lupe celebrating nine weeks are number one, Jeezy rocking a fresh bald head like he just got out of chemo, and post-gun charge T.I. proving that—jail or no jail—he could still spit his ass off. "If you are say what you say you are..."

94. Lil B "Wonton Soup" (2010)

Producer: Lil B
Album: N/A


Long a favorite around the Complex office, “Wonton Soup” is still Lil B's best song. Okay, maybe that's not saying much but after you hear this song over a hundred times—which, believe us, we really did since editor Toshitaka Kondo kept it on repeat (swag!)—you realize that there's something hypnotic about it. Or maybe we're actually hypnotized. Next thing you know, you may find yourself doing mundane tasks and chanting, “and then I fuck your bitch, SWAG!”

93. Animal Collective "My Girls" (2009)

Producer: Ben H. Allen, Animal Collective
Album: Merriweather Post Pavilion


The Baltimore-birthed band's pattern of constant change continued with the album Merriweather Post Pavilion and its standout single, "My Girls." This time the sound wasn't just different—it was better. It hurt many a hipster's heart when this track exploded into the mainstream, but the masses picked up on it for a reason. We love AC's older stuff, but this record took their weirdo sensibilities and channeled them into something just short of a pop smash—no small feat for most experimental indie rockers.

92. Freeway f/ Jay-Z, Beanie Sigel "What We Do" (2003)

Producer: Just Blaze
Album: Philadelphia Freeway


In this heartfelt ode to the street life, The Roc was in full effect over a Just Blaze–produced bombshell of a beat. Although Beanie Sigel and Jay-Z both have respectable verses on the song, Freeway and the track's sample are the real stars as the Philly Freezer pours his heart out about his illegal lifestyle. It might not be right, but hey—he's got kids to feed.

91. Hot Chip "Boy From School" (2006)

Producer: Hot Chip
Album: The Warning

Electro-pop was buzzing heavy by the mid-Aughts, but the genre needed that one iconic song to become the anthem of the movement. London boys Hot Chip turned up for their sophomore album and delivered it with "Boy From School," a moody but addictive slice of disco revival. The record is still regarded by most as the band's best work, and continues to be immortalized with covers from contemporaries like Grizzly Bear.

90. Wiz Khalifa "Black & Yellow" (2010)

Producer: Stargate
Album: Rolling Papers


Before Wiz Khalifa came along, the city of Pittsburgh had never had a homegrown rap superstar. But after he blew up with this song, they also had their own hometown anthem. Seriously, they're gonna be playing "Black & Yellow" at Steelers games 20 years from now.

Prior to this song, Wiz had a small but dedicated fanbase thanks to the organic laid-back sound he developed with hometown producers. So there was a bit of apprehension when word leaked out that he had been in the studio with mega pop producers Stargate (the team responsible for Rihanna's “What's My Name” and Beyonce's “Irreplaceable”).

However, no one could be mad at the result: an understated, bass-heavy banger that Wiz coated with a super simple, catchy hook, and lyrics about stacking millions, bitches showing love 'cause you fucked their friends, and keyless ignitions.

89. Ludacris f/ Mystikal & I-20 "Move Bitch" (2002)

Producer: KLC
Album: Word of Mouf


It doesn't take a genius to figure out why No Limit Records' domination ended in the late '90s: when longtime production crew Beats By The Pound split with Master P, the label's signature sound left with them. Luckily, Ludacris recruited KLC (BBTP's central member) to contribute a track to his second album Word Of Mouf.

The result was a throwback to No Limit's lo-fi mosh-pit anthems that still falls perfectly in line with Luda's throw-them-bows style. With a brilliantly blunt hook ("Move, bitch—get out the way!") and an appearance from No Limit's rawest refugee, Mystikal, this was the perfect recipe for club mayhem.

88. Collie Buddz "Come Around" (2007)

Producer: Crown N Kah.So.Real
Album: Collie Buddz


Riding a rugged reggae riddim built around a brassy Zap Pow sample, the fair-skinned Bermudan dancehall upstart Collie Buddz made a name for himself all around the world with this ganja-lovers' anthem. And what reggae fan couldn't relate to Mr. Buddz celebratory chorus "Finally the herbs come around"?

87. Kanye West "Diamonds from Sierra Leone" (2005) / Kanye West f/ Jay-Z "Diamonds from Sierra Leone (Remix)" (2005)

Producer: Kanye West, Jon Brion, Devo Springsteen/Kanye West, Jon Brion, Devo Springsteen
Album: Late Registration/Late Registration

Kanye West "Diamonds from Sierra Leone" (2005)

Kanye West f/ Jay-Z "Diamonds from Sierra Leone (Remix)" (2005)

“Right here stands a man with the power to make a diamond with his bare hands,” claimed Kanye West on this standout track from his Late Registration album. Amidst rumors of the Roc breaking up, 'Ye unleashed “Diamonds,” in which he ranted and raved about everything from award show slights to VIBE magazine profiles.

The second verse on the original version is one of 'Ye's best, and then the remix featured Jay-Z spitting one his best verses as well. In the end the whole thing served as a sort of prequel to Watch The Throne, proving that after the debris settled and the dust got swept off, Big K was perfectly capable of picking up where young Hov left off.

86. Lykke Li "Little Bit" (2008)

Producer: Björn Yttling, Lasse Mårtén
Album: Young Novels


Swedish singer Lykke Li's “Little Bit” gained so much praise because it had just the right elements for a single: Simple acoustic percussion of a clank or bang added to her provocative lyrics fantasizing about a former love. A breathless intensity that commands our attention the moment we hear small bits of a guitar or saxophone. And more importantly, “Little Bit” became so infectious mainly for the fact that it wasn't a typical pop record. Only Lykke Li could get away with rhyming “tainted heart” with “legs apart” and make it sound so intimate.

85. The-Dream "Rockin' That Shit" (2008)

Producer: The-Dream, Tricky Stewart
Album: Love vs. Money


"Girl, I'm in love with you, baaaby!" It might sound like the first lines of a ballad, but this is how R&B genius The-Dream chose to kick-off the most unlikely party-starter of 2008. More of a mid-tempo two-stepper than a sweat-your-weave-out club banger, "Rockin' That Shit" was pure feel-good music, brimming with bright synth horns, tinkling triangles and echoing Linn drums that would make Prince do a double take. After The-Dream's unexpectedly brilliant solo debut, this follow-up proved that he and producer Tricky's creative chemistry was no fluke.

84. Talib Kweli f/ Jay-Z, Kanye West, Mos Def & Busta Rhymes "Get By (Remix)" (2003)

Producer: Kanye West
Album: N/A


Although the original version is pretty great, the remix takes the cake. Back when backpack rap and mainstream rap seemed as separate as red states and blue states, there was something mind-blowing about this all-star remix. In today's age of anything-goes collaboration the notion may seem a bit quaint, but Kanye really deserves credit for unifying rap in the first half of the decade, finally closing the chapter on a division that defined the late '90s. The soulful, piano-driven Nina Simone neck-snapper is one of the best early examples of creative cross-pollination, coming just months before Jay famously said, "If skills sold, then truth be told, I'd probably be, lyrically Talib Kweli."

83. 50 Cent "Wanksta" (2002)

Producer: John "J-Praize" Freeman
Album: 8 Mile Soundtrack


50 Cent Mania didn't break worldwide until February 2003, but anybody that was in New York in the summer of '02 knew a storm was coming. The warped ice cream truck beat from "Wanksta" was everywhere, with a lazily-sung hook that proved to be a pivotal moment in rap.

In retrospect, the irony is that the song's most famous lines ("Damn, homie/In high school you was the man homie/What the fuck happened to you?") might well address a whole different artist in 2012 than it did ten years ago.

82. Drake f/ Trey Songz & Lil Wayne "Successful" (2009)

Producer: Noah "40" Shebib
Album: So Far Gone


With his best friend Trey Songz and his rap idol Lil' Wayne, “Successful” was Drake's way of talking about his quest for self-determination. Noah "40" Shebib added an eerie, dark harmony that fused Drake's style of rap meets R&B.

It wasn't meant for the clubs; “Successful” grew as a mainstream hit simply for its come-up story. Who doesn't love the idea of going from nothing to something. Trey told us what his ambitions were, Drizzy gave us his personal struggles (“even when the Phantom's leased, them hoes wanna get in”) and Tunechi did his thing with that half-sleepy flow.

81. Cam'ron f/ Kanye West & Syleena Johnson "Down and Out" (2004)

Producer: Kanye West
Album: Purple Haze


Back when Rocafella was one big happy family, Killa and Kanye teamed up on this track, which mixed soulful production with ignorant raps. In the song, all three verses contain some of Cam's most quotable lyrics, which included him playing razor tag, referring to his closet as a pet cemetery, and Harlem shaking at people's wakes. Oh, and also one of our favorite rap pick-up lines, "You a stewardess? Good ma—I fly too."

80. Bloc Party "Banquet" (2005)

Producer: Paul Epworth
Album: Silent Alarm


Bloc Party burst onto the scene with a compelling mix of addictively sharp riffs and relatable writing. On their debut, Silent Alarm, that combination was never more potent than on “Banquet.” Somewhere between the frantic “Helicopter” and bare “This Modern Love,” this song epitomized the early Bloc Party that people are still talking about, seven years later.

79. Lil Wayne "Go DJ" (2004)

Producer: Mannie Fresh
Album: Tha Carter


In a lot of ways "Go DJ" marked the emergence of Lil Wayne as we know him today. Cash Money was in peril leading up to the release of The Carter. Juvenille and other members of the Hot Boyz had flown the Cash Money coop, leaving only Birdman, Mannie Fresh, and Wayne to hold down the home team. After entertaining solo offers from other labels, Weezy decided to stick with Cash Money and become the main star on the roster.

Feeling like the throne was ripe for the taking on the heels of Jay-Z's "retirement," Weezy came out swinging and let the world know he meant business. His relentless energy mixed with Mannie Fresh's percolating production and brought forth a track that would serve as his most successful until the release of "Lollipop."

78. Rick Ross "Hustlin" (2006)

Producer: The Runners
Album: Port of Miami


Like his waist size, Officer Ricky's first hit was huge. Besides proclaiming (somewhat hyperbolically) that "The Real Noreaga" owes him like 100 favors, the Bawse made a paper-chasing anthem that inspired a million screwed-hook copycats and gave Miami rap a second life. He would top this song years later, but his subsquent hits took nothing away from this auspicious debut.

77. Scarface f/ Jay-Z & Beanie Sigel "Guess Who's Back" (2002)

Producer: Kanye West
Album: The Fix


The 2002 album The Fix from hip-hop legend Scarface was an anomoly, a nearly flawless fusion of 'Face's wisdom with some of the hottest producers of the minute, before he retreated back to Houston to work with his usual collaborators. The track that still has us smelling crack in our clothes is this timeless Kanye-produced banger with three of the decade's illest lyricists. Talk to 'em maaaaaan!

76. Foxx f/ Lil Boosie & Webbie "Wipe Me Down" (2007)

Producer: Mouse
Album: Trill Entertainment Presents: Survival of the Fittest


In many ways, Baton Rouge's Trill Entertainment picked up where Mannie Fresh-era Cash Money left off, with bouncy synth anthems and sentimental thug ballads. Their popularity peaked in the summer of 2007 on this sinister club anthem. The song's original owner, Foxx, was overshadowed on the hit remix by the label's two stars, especially Boosie Bad Azz and his hilariously cool verse about Fresh J's and girls trying to steal his underwear. Shoulders, chest, pants, shoes.

75. T.I. f/ Kanye West, Lil Wayne, T.I. "Swagga Like Us" (2008)

Producer: Kanye West
Album: Paper Trail


Possibly taking cues from making headlines when Diddy, 50, Jay, Ye, and T.I. all got on stage together at Madison Square Garden, Tip recruited Jigga, Weezy, and Yeezy all to appear on this MIA-sampling track. The song even lead to an epic Grammy performance where all four rappers swagged out on stage alongside MIA aka “I hope we can finish this performance before my water breaks.” Since its release, all-star collaboration cuts have become a yearly tradition in hip-hop with songs like “Forever” and “Monster” picking up from where “Swagga” left off.

74. The Killers "Mr. Brightside" (2004)

Producer: The Killers
Album: Hot Fuss


The Killers' debut single "Somebody Told Me" put them on the map, but "Mr. Brightside" made it clear that we were dealing with something special with this emerging band from Las Vegas. Surrounded by electric guitars and crashing drums, Brandon Flowers' dauntless delivery stands in the midst of chaos and easily shines through it all. Ever since hearing this track, we knew that Brandon Flowers was going to be one of the great lead singers of the decade.

73. Rich Boy f/ Polow Da Don "Throw Some D's" (2006)

Producer: Robert "Butta" Crawford, Polow da Don
Album: Rich Boy


Who didn't want to throw some Ds on their ride? Rich Boy upped the sale figures for Cadillac with “Throw Some D's,” a car song to go with his new money. Polow da Don supplied a slick backdrop that had every rapper remixing the cut (3 Stacks' verse still bodied it). To further capitalize on the success, the video had a cameo of Keri Hilson and a whole lot of Caddies swerving on Daytons. (Not to mention a remix that featured Andre 3000, Jim Jones, Nelly, Murphy Lee and The Game.) That's what we call baller status.

72. Lil Jon f/ Mystikal & Krayzie Bone "I Don't Give A Fuck" (2002)

Producer: Lil Jon
Album: Kings of Crunk


Lil Jon is, and forever will be, the king of crunk. Before Dave Chappelle turned Jon's entire persona into punchline, he was getting the club rowdy with his one of kind antics. On “I Don't Give A Fuck” Jon is as turnt up as ever, but the real surprise is how well Krayzie Bone and Mystikal come off with their double time flows. They're way more lyrical than they need to be spitting venomous rhymes. Our favorite of which is when Mystikal, just before waxing poetic about fucking “big fine bitches,” claimed, “All I can tell the police is, 'I am not a crook.'”

71. Kanye West f/ Jamie Foxx "Gold Digger" (2005)

Producer: Kanye West, Jon Brion
Album: Late Registration


Fresh off his Oscar winning performance as Ray Charles in the biopic Ray, Jamie Foxx apparently just kept on method acting his way unto songs. Kanye recruited him to make the sample cheaper sing the Ray Charles sampling hook as Yeezy narrated the story of a guy who gets manipulated by a girl for his money. However, 'Ye flipped the script in the third verse and opted to rhyme about a guy who gets rich but then drops his loyal girlfriend for a white girl. Now ain't that some shit?

70. Phoenix "1901" (2009)

Producer: Phoenix, Philippe Zdar
Album: Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix


The French-alternative rock band, Phoenix, reached No. 1 on the Billboard Alternative Songs Chart with "1901" off their fourth studio album in 2009. Lead singer Thomas Mars says the riff-happy and catchy pop song, is about turn-of-the-century Paris. We say it's about our 70th favorite song of the decade.

69. Tyler, the Creator "Yonkers" (2011)

Producer: Tyler, the Creator
Album: Goblin


Thanks to the proliferation of blogs, there's so many new rappers these days that by the time your friend tells you “Hey, you ever heard of this new guy...” it doesn't even matter anymore because he's already old and it turns out he sucks.

That's why “Yonkers” was the perfect song at the perfect time, one that proved Tyler, The Creator was no fluke. Just as the name Odd Future started to buzz after the group's incredible performance on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Tyler came through with an incredible song and an incredible visual. The rest of OF's material might not have lived up to “Yonkers,” but it's still the one that established them as a force to be reckoned with.

68. Nelly Furtado f/ Timbaland "Promiscuous" (2006)

Producer: Timbaland, Danja
Album: Loose


Many people might have guessed that Timbaland and Nelly Furtado would be a great producer/singer duo, but who would have thought they could also make a great vocal duo as well? Sure, Timbo has been getting on the mic since the Magoo era, but never had he taken such a prominent role on a song's verses and he had never done a better job than he did here. And although Furtado isn't exactly sexy (in fact, she's kinda awkward) she found the right note somewhere between being a fun loving girl at a party and an actual promiscuous girl (read: a slut).

67. Modest Mouse "Float On" (2004)

Producer: Dennis Herring
Album: Good News For People Who Love Bad News


Modest Mouse was an indie favorite long before Good News For People Who Love Bad Newscame out, but they never really broke into the mainstream. Then "Float On" happened. The song still had the unhinged vocals and the sloppy (but not too sloppy) stylings that we'd heard from the band in the past, but this time they brought in a massive chorus and a feel-good message that immediately caught on.

Longtime Modest Mouse fans cringed over hearing their favorite band on the radio every 20 minutes, but even after heavy TV and radio play, getting jacked for a Lupe Fiasco song ("The Show Goes On"), and being included in the Guitar Hero video game, "Float On" just never seemed to get old.

66. Lil Wayne f/ Static Major "Lollipop" (2008)

Producer: Jim Jonsin, Deezle
Album: Tha Carter III


On “Don't Die,” a cut off Lil Wayne and Baby's Like Father, Like Sonalbum, Wayne declared, “And just think, I'm one sell out record away from being famous.” That sell out record was “Lollipop.”

After months of auto-tune experimentation on mixtapes, the hip-hop world knew that Weezy was going to come with something different on Tha Carter III. He didn't disappoint with the album's lead single, a naughty electro anthem designed for crossover success.

It's one of the strangest and most abrasive ballads to ever hit the airwaves, with all empty space and drug addled Auto-Tune mumbles. That it's Wayne's biggest hit is an oddly appropriate contradiction. Here is a scrappy troll of a gangsta rapper turned into a sex icon, singing passionately with a singing voice that would be atrocious had it landed in anyone else's body. But he sells it on presence and persona.

After this broke down the "rappers aren't allowed to sing" barrier, a slew of creatively hungry MCs tried their hand at crooning. Still, no one can make an R&B record like the best rapper alive.

65. E-40 f/ Keak Da Sneak "Tell Me When To Go" (2006)

Producer: Lil Jon
Album: My Ghetto Report Card


E-40 has been doing his thing in the rap game for over two decades. As the one of the greatest ambassadors any city has ever seen, it was only right Forty Water to come through and put on for the Bay Area as soon the hyphy movement began to go national. With Keak da Sneak in tow, 40 scored his first Top 40 hit since 1997's “Player's Ball” and proved that Charlie Hustle was—and always will be—a one of a kind artist.

64. Justice "D.A.N.C.E." (2007)

Producer: Justice
Album: Cross


It's so hard not to sing D.A.N.C.E. aloud, even at the mere mention of this French-duo's pop crossover hit. The contagious synthesizers, electronic riffs and screeching violins mixed with samples from Skee-Lo, Boney M., Madonna and Britney all brought the disco-electro-pop hit up to No. 1 on the UK dance chart and gained them a Grammy nomination for Best Dance/Electronica Album. Appropriately enough "D.A.N.C.E." was dedicated to Michael Jackson, after the duo referenced four of his songs and his Music and Me album in the hit.

63. Missy Elliott "Work It" (2002)

Producer: Timbaland, Missy Elliott
Album: Under Constructions


Missy Elliott knew how to get down. On this Timbaland-produced single, the inspiration comes straight from the old school, turning the retro sounds of the 90s to a futuristic banger for 2002. Many trends started in this record – like the vocal reverse – that appeared in her later albums.

It also got the slang term "badonkadonk" to blow up with the mainstream. But even if its ten years later, this duo of Missy and Timbo were always able to get the funky and cool grooves right. “Work It” ended up being Missy's most successful single to date.

62. Major Lazer "Pon De Floor" (2009)

Producer: Major Lazer, Afrojack
Album: Guns Don't Kill People...Lazers Do


Diplo and Switch's first Major Lazer album was touted as dancehall fusion experiment but really it was a high-concept spaghetti-western sci-fi planetary pop project. A single line of Vybz Kartel's vocals—"let me see your bestest wine"—was the only thing connecting this futuristic banshee of a beat to modern Jamaican music, and that was eventually scrubbed from later pressings of the tune. But that didn't stop this song from devastating every disco-tech in sight. And when Beyonce decided it was time to point out "who run the world," she knew just which beat to use.

61. T.I. "U Don't Know Me" (2005)

Producer: DJ Toomp
Album: Urban Legend


Just as he was beginning to taste Billboard success and become a national star, T.I. felt obliged to remind all the haters and the groupies that just because they knew who he was, that didn't mean they actually knew him.

What's amazing about the song—besides its menacing, sinister beat—is that Tip basically says the same phrase over and over again and yet it's still catchy and never annoying. Lesson here: Whatever you do, don't piss T.I. off enough for him to bring the Chevy to a real slow creep. No good can come of that.

60. Fabolous "Breathe" (2004)

Producer: Just Blaze
Album: Real Talk


Over the years, Fabolous has built a rep for mostly making hit songs by putting raps over what would otherwise be considered R&B ballads. Yet, his best song ever was over five minutes long and was an endless barrage of “slick metaphors and hard punches to the gut” and an ever evolving flow pattern (plus a rather complicated hook for radio standards). Of course, much of the credit belongs to Just Blaze whose epic soundscape and unforgettable piano loops made the song an instant classic.

59. Juvenile f/ Soulja Slim "Slow Motion" (2004)

Producer: Pro J
Album: Juve The Great


After a briefly splitting from Cash Money Records over reported financial disputes, Juvenille linked back up with his N.O. bredrin in 2003 to drop the instant strip club smash "Slow Motion." Written by fellow New Orleans artist Soulja Slim, the song topped the Billboard 100 reaching the #1 spot, a first for both Juve and Slim.

Sadly though, Slim was shot and killed before being able to enjoy the success of the record, making him one of six artists to ever have a posthumous number one hit, and turning the track into a strip club anthem/tribute song all in one. Surprisingly the song also marked the first #1 hit for Cash Money Records, and signified the beginning and end of their reunion with Juve, who parlayed the success of the record into a deal with Atlantic Records for himself and his UTP crew.

58. The xx "Crystalised" (2009)

Producer: The xx
Album: xx


Nothing epitomizes The xx as well as the band's first single, "Crystalised." It was electric and it was pop—but it was unlike anything before it. Somehow the boy-girl vocals gave the whole thing this sexy feel even though the delivery lacked any real emotion. It was dark and minimal, but still managed to be one of the catchiest songs of the year. It's a sound many have tried to replicate, but so far none have recreated that same magic that The xx made with this track.

57. UGK f/ Outkast "International Players Anthem" (2007)

Producer: DJ Paul, Juicy J
Album: Underground Kingz


Andre 3000 hasn't put out much material in the past few years, but every time he pops up with a verse it's always something epic. This verse on on the Underground Kings banger was no different even as his verse stuck out like a sore thumb. While Bun B, Pimp C, and Big Boi all rhymed about pimping and getting girls pregnant, 3 Stacks kept it monogamous and rhymed about getting married. Aww, how sweet.

56. Postal Service "Such Great Heights" (2003)

Producer: The Postal Service
Album: Give Up


Ben Gibbard already had a grasp on the indie scene because of Death Cab For Cutie, but his work with producer Jimmy Tamborello as The Postal Service might go down as his best. Give Up, the duo's only project to date can be played in full, but "Such Great Heights" still stands out on a LP full of great songs. Even after hearing it in a million movies, TV shows, and commercials, we never mind when someone throws this on.

55. Kanye West f/ T-Pain "The Good Life" (2007)

Producer: Kanye West, DJ Toomp
Album: Graduation


Coming off such a thorough, G'd up debut single from his Graduation album with “Can't Tell Me Nothing,” “Good Life”—with hip-hop's auto-tuned hook king T-Pain, its masterful sample of Michael Jackson's “P.Y.T.,” and a shine or die message—was the pop syrup that sweetened his third album without spoiling its taste.

54. Cassie "Me & U" (2006)

Producer: Ryan Leslie
Album: Cassie


Not only did this mark the start of Cassie's rapid rise to pop stardom (one she was not ready for), but it's also the moment producer Ryan Leslie became a go-to guy in the music industry. Under Cassie's coos to a guy she's ready to get busy with are shooting synths and chord progressions that, now evolved, are the types of soundbeds rappers like Fabolous ask to jump on often. “Me & U,” formerly a top 10 record on Billboard's hot 100 chart, is still her biggest record six years later. And while R. Les is still known to cut a banger or two on the reg, who knows if she'll ever make it back to '06's height.

53. Three 6 Mafia f/ 8ball & MJG & Young Buck "Stay Fly" (2005)

Producer: DJ Paul, Juicy J
Album: Most Known Unknown


“Stay Fly” set the bar for Three Six Mafia. Rather than drop another single aimed for the streets, DJ Paul, Juicy J and former member Crunchy Black found southern comfort with their closest homies. Featuring G-Unit's own Young Buck and Memphis legends 8 Ball & MJG, “Stay Fly” helped propel Most Known Unknown to commercial success. With a sped-up sample of Willie Hutch's “Tell Me Why Has Our Love Turned Cold” and a chopped up chorus, “I gotta stay fly until I die”, the track got Three Six a major radio smash.

52. Yeah Yeah Yeahs "Maps" (2004)

Producer: David Andrew Sitek, Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Album: Fever To Tell


We always knew Karen O as a ferocious, charismatic, and sometimes spastic front woman. It's these qualities that make her stand out as such a captivating character in music. On "Maps," we got to see a softer side of Karen O. It was a risky move to show that kind of vulnerability, but it was a risk that paid off, and "Maps" easily goes down as one of the best love songs of the past decade.

51. T-Pain f/ Yung Joc "Buy U A Drank (Shawty Snappin')" (2007)

Producer: T-Pain
Album: Epiphany


After 3 years of watching Atlanta's underground "snap music" scene rise from gritty clubs to dominate black radio, T-Pain took the genre's minimalist aesthetic to the top of the pop charts in 2007 with this clever distillation. A shrewd mash up of multiple southern rap dances and quoteables ("Walk it Out", "Snap Yo Fingers"), "Buy U A Drank" electrified dance clubs and turned T-Pain's syrupy auto-tune swagger into a cultural force that inspired rappers like Lil Wayne and Kanye West to try their hand at singing, challenging the rigid definitions of black music.

50. Beyonce "Single Ladies" (2008)

Producer: Tricky Stewart, The-Dream
Album: I Am...Sasha Fierce


Queen B's 2009 single struck fear in the hearts of playboys across the land. How could they keep their side pieces and almost-wifeys—all wishing for more than hard D and bubble gum—at bay when a newly wed Beyoncé was singing, “If you liked it, then you should've put a ring on it?”

Not only did Mrs. Carter tell women not to stand for their guy's bullshit, she did it to a dope, 808-thumping Tricky Stewart beat. And let's not forget to mention its chic, black and white dance-heavy video that Kanye famously dubbed the greatest one of "ALL TIME!" Your options? Man up and claim your chick. Or two, get left. Blame B.

49. The Diplomats "I Really Mean It" (2003)

Producer: Just Blaze
Album: Diplomatic Immunity


Jay-Z's The Blueprint repopularized chirping vocal samples—for earlier examples of chopped crooning, peep Mobb Deep's "Still Shinin'" or Wu-Tang Clan's "Tearz"—but it quickly became a hallmark of Dipset production. Here, Just Blaze flips Major Harris' lounge-y "I Got Over Love" into a triumphant tour de force where Killa delivers unforgettable couplets like "Lock my garage/Rock my massage/Fuck it/Bucket by Osh Kosh B'Gosh/Golly, I'm gully/Look at his galoshes." If you don't love that shit, you probably have the swag of a sea cucumber. Take a couple bars off, let Just live.

48. Drake "Marvin's Room" (2011)

Producer: Noah "40" Shebib
Album: Take Care

Asking Drake if it is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all would be a moot question. This twilight-tinged theater dropped onto us out of the blue this past Spring, finds OVO's captain channeling sober thoughts through drunken words as he places a late-night phone call to an old flame.

Even more remarkable than the song's extreme emotional nakedness is its meticulous sonic construction. Over an open but weighty beat by 40, Drake hides his brashness within a sing-song plea—"Fuck that nigga that you love so bad"—before seemingly coming to his senses for a few bars, aiming his laser-like focus inward for a little self-analysis.

But the fact that he can pinpoint exactly why he wants the girl who has obviously moved on doesn't stop her from calling her anyway. Though it fell right in Drake's creative wheelhouse, the song sounded fresh and new.

"Marvin's Room" proved to be a sign of things to come. The same structure would be used elsewhere on Take Care, where you'll find that in Houstatlantavegas, loving and losing is all a part of the game.

47. Outkast "Hey Ya!" (2003)

Producer: Andre 3000
Album: Speakerboxxx/The Love Below


After four rap albums that easily put him in the ranks of the greatest MCs, Andre 3000 went even further left-field and started singing. Some criticized the decision, but most were too caught up with the brilliance of "Hey Ya" (and its music video) to care. The song held down the #1 Billboard position for nine weeks and eventually scored a Grammy shortly after its run on the charts.

46. M83 "Midnight City" (2011)

Producer: Justin Meldal-Johnsen, Anthony Gonzalez
Album: Hurry Up, We're Dreaming


A hit of this magnitude was a long time coming for the French visionary Anthony Gonzalez, the man behind M83. 2005's Before The Dawn Heals Us spawned singles that let us know he was capable of making anthems. Then 2008's Saturdays = Youthsaw Gonzalez's '80s shoegaze obsession soaring to new heights. Records from that LP popped up everywhere from Miley Cyrus movies to video game commercials.

But to the average music listener, 2011 will be considered the year that M83 officially broke through. Between How To Make It In America, the sports series 24/7, and that Victoria's Secret commercial, there seemed to be a competition over who could make best use of the "Midnight City" license this year.

Gonzalez uses his altered vocals as the lifeline of the song, and once the rest of the production kicks in, it never lets up. Though unabashed about its influences—witness the big Hall & Oates-esque saxophone solo—"Midnight City" still stands on its own as a wholly original record whose epic arrangements are sure to influence other ambitious producers years down the line.

45. Usher f/ Ludacris & Lil Jon "Yeah!" (2004)

Producer: Lil Jon
Album: Confessions


At the exact moment Lil Jon became the most in-demand producer in hip-hop (his sound infecting everyone from YoungBloodZ to the Bravehearts) he teamed up with Usher and Ludacris for this club anthem. Usher—pronounced Urr-srrr, according to Ludacris—kicked things off with his crooning, Jon kept the song hyped throughout, and Ludacris sealed the deal in the end. Although we loved Luda's verse, we couldn't help but note the Freudian implications of "I totally have a madonna-whore complex" lines like, “We want a lady in the street but a freak in the bed.” LOLZ.

44. Kanye West "Jesus Walks" (2004)

Producer: Kanye West
Album: The College Dropout


They said you can rap about anything except for Jesus. But Kanye did just that, and made it a smash hit/club banger. Kanye's third, and perhaps boldest, single from The College Dropoutwas definitely a crapshoot.

Can you imagine the meeting at Def Jam when they pitched this idea? "You're going to release a rap single about religion and shoot three videos for it? Suuuure." But 'Ye made the impossible possible when "Jesus Walks" shot to the top of the charts and was praised by critics and fans alike.

The pulsating drums, marching-band flavor, and background gospel chants were unlike anything else in hip-hop at the time. It's hard to imagine that countless artists passed on this beat and the track sat in the Kanye archives for years. Then again, it's debatable that any other artist could've done this justice.

"Jesus Walks" would go on to win Rap Song of the Year at the 2005 Grammy Awards, proving that dropping a song about Jesus in the oft-secular music industry could be done in a major way. Somewhere DC Talk is pissed.

43. Santogold "L.E.S. Artists" (2008)

Producer: Jonnie "Most" Davis
Album: Santogold


Santi's dazzling debut album was packed with hits, but none better captured her radical commitment to artistic integrity in 3 and a half minutes of edgy, atmospheric rock and roll. "You're my enemy you fast talker," declared the former member of the Bad-Brains-affiliated Philly-based punk band Stiffed, and she sounded like she meant it.

Her eventual embrace by hip-hop moguls and auto advertisers alike did nothing to diminish her due respect—like she says in the chorus "I can say I hope it will be worth what I give up. If I could stand up mean for the things that I believe."

42. 50 Cent "I Get Money" (2007)

Producer: Apex
Album: Curtis


In 2007, 50 Cent was in desperate need of a hit. After striking out with awful singles like “Amusement Park” and “Straight To The Bank,” his sales showdown with Kanye West was looming and he had no real momentum. And then, almost out of nowhere, he came out “I Get Money.”

A good portion of the song's success is due to the excellent sample of Audio Two's “Top Billing.” Ironically, 50 has always been one of rap's best hook writers but his last true hit featured a looping sample for a hook.

As far as Fif, he mostly spent the track bemused by his own success rhyming, “I took quarter water, sold it in bottles for two bucks. Coca-Cola came and bought it for billions, what the fuck?”

41. Alicia Keys "You Don't Know My Name" (2003)

Producer: Kanye West, Alicia Keys
Album: The Diary of Alicia Keys


Kanyeezy blessed Alicia Keys with one of his smoothest R&B records ever when he constructing this doo-wop-flavored groove around a Main Ingredient sample. "You don't know my name" became a Top 10 single and won a Grammy Award for Best R&B Soul Single, Female. Best of all, Alicia never looked cuter than she did as the lovestruck waitress flirting with Mos Def in the song's video. And yeah that's real cream in the cocoa, by the way.

40. Chris Brown f/ Lil Wayne & Busta Rhymes "Look At Me Now" (2011)

Producer: Diplo, Afrojack, Free School
Album: F.A.M.E.


There are basically five people to thank for the success of this one and oddly enough, the owner of it is the last. First, appreciation goes to producers Diplo and Afrojack, who gave Brown and friends a peculiar, bass heavy beat to go nuts on.

Next, much love to Busta Rhymes for unleashing his rapid fire flow and a flurry of tongue twisting raps so tough to spit by fans that saying they could required recording proof and posting it on YouTube.

And though Lil Wayne phoned in another non-inventive Weezy guest verse, it was still a hot. Breezy gets credit, too. Not so much for his verse, though (it was alright). More so for being able to unite all these artists to make such a big record.

39. Vybz Kartel f/ Popcaan "Clarks" (2009)

Producer: Paul "Cash Flow" Mitchell
Album: Mad Collab Riddim


When Kartel and his protege Popcaan touched down on ZJ Chrome's red-hot Mad Collab riddim, shareholders of the British shoe company Clarks had no idea that their stock portfolios were about to experience a nice windfall.

The song "Clarks" dominated dancehalls worldwide before becoming an international radio hit and fashionista fave. Followed up by not one but two Kartel spinoffs, the Clarks craze caused a 19 percent uptick in United States Clarks sales, pushing profits past £100 million (about $164 million) for the first time in the company's 186-year history.

38. Young Jeezy f/ Kanye West "Put On" (2008)

Producer: Drumma Boy
Album: The Recession


Assisted by a then auto-tune obsessed Kanye West, and A-Towns resident superstar producer Drumma Boy, "Put On" became Jizzle's most successful debut on the Billboard charts, and had the unique appeal of not only being a track for the streets, but a mainstream hit as well. Ye was going through some intense personal struggles at the time and in turn dropped what was one of his most heart-felt yet equally braggadocios verses to date.

Who can forget the opening bars, "I feel like there's still niggas that owe me checks/I feel like there's still bitches that owe me sex/I feel like these buck niggas don't know he's stressed/I lost the only girl in the world that know me best." The combination of such a solid trio made the song an immediate success and even garnered Jeezy his fist Grammy nomination.

37. The Game f/ 50 Cent "Hate It Or Love It" (2005)

Producer: Cool & Dre, Dr. Dre
Album: The Documentary


Game and 50 have been at odds with each other for years now, but they sure made great music back when they were still friends. "Hate It Or Love It" happens to be the most successful of their numerous collabs. It makes perfect sense too. The Trammps sample was undeniable, the hook was infectious, and despite all the spins on pop radio, both rappers killed their verses lyrically.

However, the best part of the song for us is the contradictory stories we heard from all parties involved with the record when we did “The Making of The Game's The Documentary.” There were always disputes over how much of the song Game had written and how much 50 Cent had ghost-written, but we found out there were even disputes over how much of the song was actually produced by Cool & Dre and how much was ghost-produced by Dr. Dre.

36. Justin Timberlake f/ T.I. "My Love" (2006)

Producer: Timbaland, Timberlake, Danja
Album: FutureSex/LoveSounds

After accomplishing the tricky transition from standout boy band talent to affable R&B heartthrob at the beginning of the 2000s, Justin Timberlake crossed another important cultural boundary with his sophomore album and its standout single "My Love": the division between pop music and art.

Produced entirely by Timbaland and his mysterious protege, DanjaHandz, FutureSex/LoveSounds proved that hip-hop no longer had a monopoly on urban music innovation. The aggressive house-pop lead single "SexyBack" was perhaps too ahead of its time for R&B fans, but the floating, trance-tinged follow-up, "My Love," marked the beginning of black radio's impending flirtation with electronic dance music.

The most unexpected reaction to "My Love" came from the historically pop-averse white hipster world. Pitchfork named it the best song of the year, and the Hollertronix message board community ravenously embraced the song when it leaked to the internet in the summer of 2006. The obscure phrase "Atlantic Records for T.I. Clearance"—the label voiceover that watermarked the original MP3 leak— even inspired a t-shirt and multiple D.I.Y. remixes. Six years later, it's hard to imagine the current avant-garde R&B scene existing without Timberlake's genre-conflating success.

35. DJ Khaled f/ Lil Wayne, Baby, Fat Joe, T.I., & Rick Ross "We Takin' Over" (2007)

Producer: Danja
Album: We the Best


The king of orchestrating posse-cuts, DJ Khaled enlisted southern heavyweights like T.I, Rick Ross, Lil Wayne where it seemed that each verse got better as the song went on. Khaled has since reproduced the formula with other hits like "I'm So Hood," but none were as top-notch as this one thanks to Danja's infectious beat and Weezy spitting one of the most lethal verses of his career.

34. Rihanna f/ Jay-Z "Umbrella" (2007)

Producer: Tricky Stewart
Album: Good Girl Gone Bad


There may be no clouds in Jay-Z's stones, but just in case the forecast turns rainy it never hurts to have a platinum smash hit to launch the career of this Caribbean princess of pop. With Tricky Stewart on the boards and The-Dream on lyrics, this song was a perfect pop storm even before Hov blessed it with a pristine sixteen. Ever since this record dropped, Rihanna has been our pick for queen of pop honors (sorry Gaga). Long may she reign.

33. Cam'ron f/ Juelz Santana "Oh Boy" (2002)

Producer: Just Blaze
Album: Come Home With Me


After the success of "Oh Boy," the Dips would return so faithfully to the combination of choppy, playful soul samples and smarmy, streetwise vocals that it became a signature sound. But this track was notable in other ways too: It utilized the tactic of "talking" to a sample, showed the commercial viability of those intentionally redundant rhyme scenes, and introduced Juelz as a hungry young prospect who could leave you bleedin' (oh boy), weezin' (boy), and screamin' (boy, boy, boy).

32. Kanye West "Flashing Lights" (2007)

Producer: Kanye West, Eric Hudson
Album: Graduation


Arguably the best track from Kanye's Graduation album, this cut about a chick who's more invested in material things than her man under-performed commercially despite being a fan favorite. Was it because the video featured a nearly naked model but just a few seconds of Kanye himself?

Or maybe it was because it followed two other big records from the album. Still, clever lines like, “You know you can't Rome without Caesar” and the beat's jabbing synths showcased Ye as a top-tier lyricist who didn't have to lean on a sample to create a big record.

31. Nas "Made You Look" (2002)

Producer: Salaam Remi
Album: God's Son


Built around a knifed-up sample of the Incredible Bongo Band's immortal "Apache” breakbeat, “Made You Look” stands as one of Nas's best songs ever. Nas once admitted that as a child he was “too scared to grab the mics at the park.” The sample on here gave the song a distinct old-school feel reminiscent of those very jam, except this time around Nas sounded like a seasoned veteran who was very much in his element.

Never has he sounded as comfortable as he did on here as he let loose an array of freewheeling raps while “chilling in a white tee looking for wifey.” The remix was something special too, with Ludacris proving he could rhyme alongside two of New York's finest.

30. Waka Flocka Flame "Hard In Da Paint" (2010)

Producer: Lex Luger
Album: Flockaveli


Waka Flocka is one of rap's most unlikely success stories. Initially viewed as Gucci Mane's weed carrier, Waka more than proved his worth by dropping one of the most anthemic songs of the decade. The song—coupled with Rick Ross' “B.M.F.”—helped cement Lex Luger (who Waka actually discovered through Myspace, LOL) as hottest young producer in the game.

More importantly, "Hard In Da Paint" is the perfect anthem for when we feel like punching someone in the face, robbing a bank, and then proceeding to do hoodrat stuff with our friends (in that exact order). We're not saying that's not recklessly ignorant, we're just saying sometimes we feel like being recklessly ignorant. So thank you, Waka Flocka, for making it okay to feel that way.

29. Gnarls Barkley "Crazy" (2006)

Producer: Danger Mouse
Album: St. Elsewhere


Musically inspired by by the work of film composer Ennio Morricone, Danger Mouse and Cee-Lo Green teamed up to not only make a great song but a surprise smash hit. The concept of the record began with Mouse and Green discussing the idea that artists couldn't be taken seriously unless people thought they were crazy, an idea which Cee-Lo flipped on its head.

28. Jamie Foxx f/ T-Pain "Blame It" (2009)

Producer: Christopher "Deep" Henderson
Album: Intuition


Long before YOLO became the end all be all excuse for doing something totally stupid, there was "Blame It." Jamie Foxx and T-Pain's ode to getting wasted still rings in clubs these days and whenever someone does something reckless they can just say, "Blame it on the Goose, it got me feeling loose!" And then you can proceed to punch them in the face.

27. Jay-Z "99 Problems" (2004)

Producer: Rick Rubin
Album: The Black Album


In the Aughts, hip-hop production was somewhat of an afterthought for Rick Rubin. Having risen to prominence in the early '80s as co-founder of Def Jam Records and producer for LL Cool J and the Beastie Boys, Rubin had moved on to work with artists in about every genre but hip-hop, including Johnny Cash, Sheryl Crow, and The Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Although Rubin hadn't produced a traditional hip-hop record in almost ten years, Jay-Z was able to persuade Rick to get behind the boards to contribute a track for what was supposedly going to be Jay's final album (Remember: rappers never retire—ever). What ensued was nothing short of a masterpiece that was an obvious nod to the stripped-down sound Rick helped create in Def Jam's yesteryears.

The song plays off the multiple meanings of the word bitch, including: music critics, female dogs, and men who probably pee sitting down. Borrowing a hook from Ice-T and some bars from Bun B, Jay pulled no punches with “99 Problems.”

It even incorporated a storyline from his days as a d-boy and his dealings with a K9 unit. Where so many artists try and fail to recreate a rock-oriented sound (We see you Weezy!), Jay-Z overachieved, as “99 Problems” was an immaculately crafted throwback to the beginnings of hip-hop.

26. DJ Khaled f/ Drake, Lil Wanye, Rick Ross "I'm On One" (2011)

Producer: T-Minus, Nikhil S., Noah "40" Shebib
Album: We the Best Forever


Like DJ Khaled's previous bangers, "I'm On One" looks like a paint-by-numbers hit on paper. Featuring three of the most important rappers making music at the time, the song needed only to be made for it to find success. But it was much more than that.

Starting with a beat by Toronto-based producers T-Minus, Nikhil S, and 40 that brimmed with frenetic energy before bottoming out, the three heavyweights came through and crushed the buildings. Ross did his usual tortured view-from-the-top bit with the right amount of heft, while Weezy did his detached amusement thing.

But it was Drake who made the song his own. Between the two-tier chorus sprinkled with Bay Area slang and the opening verse that served as a warning shot to any competitors, "I'm On One" did even more for Drizzy than his album's official first single.

25. Mike Jones f/ Slim Thug & Paul Wall "Still Tippin'" (2004)

Producer: Salih Williams
Album: Who Is Mike Jones?


A languid drum machine, a tortured violin sample, and Slim Thug, Mike Jones, and Paul Wall—yeah, that's what rap sounded like the year Houston broke, and it had more than the Internet goin' nuts. Houston didn't really establish a national presence after 2005, but this is the track that encapsulates that movement better than any other. Speaking of, anybody know a good way to get syrup residue out of a grill?

24. Jay Electronica "Exhibit C" (2009)

Producer: Just Blaze
Album: N/A


When Just Blaze first played Jay Electronica's “Exhibit C” on Sirius Satellite Radio, the rap world stood still. Over one of the producer's trademark soulful instrumentals, Jay Electronica—one of the most mysterious rappers ever—blacked out, spitting heartfelt autobiographical rhymes tracking his journey from homeless vagabond to lyrical messiah.

Initially, the song was only available as a radio rip, which actually added to its appeal. Legendary radio host Mr. Magic had recently died, so Just Blaze kept adding Mr. Magic drops during the live broadcast. Plus, he brought the record back after after the lyrical orgasim of, “They call me Jay Electronica/Fuck that, call me Jay Elec-Hannukah/Jay Elec-Yarmulke/Jay Elect-Ramadaan Muhammad Asalaamica/Rasoul Allah, subhanahu wa ta'ala through your monitor.”

The radio rip had a vintage feel that brought back memories of the days when hip-hop fans would stay up late with their tape decks ready, salivating to hear their favorite rap song on the radio. All of this contributed to the the belief that Jay Elec might be the one chosen to take hip-hop back to the essence.

Although he has yet to fulfill that promise and drop that masterful album (or really, any collection of new material) “Exhibit C” remains an unforgettable moment in hip-hop. It was a lyrical exercise that cut through the clutter in an era that's sometimes defined by rappers snapping, singing, and doing anything but rapping well. The song stands as a welcome reminder of why we all loved hip-hop in the first place.

23. Terror Squad "Lean Back" (2004)

Producer: Scott Storch
Album: True Story


As in sports, sometimes the rap game has off seasons in which an unlikely champion emerges from a pack of mediocrity. Such was the case in the summer of 2004, when Fat Joe and his crew monopolized radio and clubs with their (anti-)dance-instructional anthem. So what if Scott Storch is now bankrupt, Remy's in prison, and Joe isn't even fat anymore. The song's still great, and a ring is a ring.

22. Bon Iver "Skinny Love" (2007)

Producer: N/A
Album: For Emma, Forever Ago


The standout cut from Justin Vernon's gloomy debut is simple. Its folksy appeal flows from an acoustic guitar and Vernon's wounded vocals as he pleads for a dying relationship to last just a wee bit longer. Of course it dies in the end. But this song will forever live on as a go-to when it comes to soundtracking love's rough patches.

21. T.I. "What You Know" (2006)

Producer: DJ Toomp, Wonder
Album: King


The single supported his acting debut in hometown flick ATL and also was the lead banger from his aptly titled King album, making it to No. 3 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart. Tip had been calling himself “The King” long before this song dropped. But it was “What You Know,” which boasts gutter verses, a simple, digestible hook for radio success, and a Toomp beat that's both appealing and threatening at once, that is T.I.'s crowning achievement.

20. Jay-Z & Kanye West "Niggas In Paris" (2011)

Producer: Hit-Boy, Kanye West, Mike Dean, Anthony Kilhoffer
Album: Watch the Throne

The first time we heard Jay and Ye attack that chirpy minimalist Hit-Boy beat it was clear that we were listening to the future. And sure enough, this was the song that balled so hard it had the whole world going gorillas in 2011 and beyond.

As thrilling as "Otis" was the first thousand times you heard it, "Ninjas In Paris"—as we like to call it around here—was the record on which The Throne truly lived up to its awesome potential.

What makes the record so great is how bemused both Yeezy and Jigga (especially Jay) seem with their success. After all, Jay-Z was once a drug dealer from the Marcy projects, an African-American in a country where being black means you'll always be a suspect. Yet he's not only rich and successful—he's richer and more successful than he could have ever dreamed and he's still not jaded. In fact, he's exuberant.

So of course The Throne should spend their money on Margiela jackets. And of course they should be in Paris getting fucked up. If you escaped what they escaped you'd be doing it too. Don't let them get in their zone.

19. Damian Marley "Welcome To Jamrock" (2005)

Producer: Stephen Marley and Damian Marley
Album: Welcome to Jamrock


Whether you happen to be in New York, London, or Tokyo, every time you hear that Ini Kamoze sample singing "Out in the streets they call it murder" and Jr. Gong starts spitting about the "camp where the thugs them camp at," you know in your bones that there's no place like Jamrock.

The breakthrough tune from the most dancehall-oriented of Bob Marley's musical progeny had every rap label in the game chasing Damian down in 2005. The fact that he kept his business right at home speaks volumes about the legacy he and his family respresents.

18. Jim Jones "We Fly High (Ballin)" (2006)

Producer: Zukhan-Bey
Album: Hustler's P.O.M.E. (Product of My Environment)


Who would have ever thought Cam'ron's one-time weed carrier would go on to make one of the most best club bangers of the decade? Not only did it have everyone shooting fake jump-shots, but it also became the anthem of the New York Giants defense during the 2006 season. Although the song ultimately proved to be bigger than Jones himself, it's still a proud accomplishment for the scrappy hustler who really had no business making a song this good.

17. Kanye West f/ Pusha T "Runaway" (2010)

Producer: Kanye West, Emile, Jeff Bhasker, Mike Dean
Album: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Most other artists might have avoided making a song like this after something like Swiftgate. But that's why we love 'Ye: He just doesn't give a fuck. The stabbing “Look At You” vocal samples and dark rumbling synths may have made “Runaway” feel chaotic, but Kanye's honest, vulnerable thoughts on his romantic shortcomings were both lucid and painfully revealing.

Oh, and did we mention the amazing Pusha T verse that he had to re-write four times because Kanye needed "more douchebag"? So let's have a toast, 'cause nice guys do finish last and scumbags have all the fun.

16. LCD Soundsystem "All My Friends" (2007)

Producer: The DFA
Album: Sound of Silver


James Murphy brought a lot to the indie world with LCD Soundsystem. While so many artists of the past decade were caught up with being cool, James Murphy was over it. His acceptance of growing up made for some of the most complex music of the decade. All at once it could evoke some bittersweet combination of nostalgia and apathy with little splashes of elation mixed in. Nothing captures this blend as perfectly as "All My Friends."

15. Clipse "Grindin" (2002)

Producer: The Neptunes
Album: Lord Willin


Cocaine rap was becoming a prominent fixture of hip-hop in the early years of the new millennium, and the Clipse personified that style as well as, if not better than any rappers in the game. The sub-genre may have created a lot of "studio gangsters" that never had any real life experience whippin' the hard white, but Pusha T and Malice effortlessly proved they weren't in that category with their first notable hit, "Grindin."

From a production standpoint, the track signified the arrival of The Neptunes new style, and ushered in the era of their radio dominance. Choosing to forgo the typical formula of hip-hop production, Pharrell and Chad opted for a more stripped down, minimalistic sound, utilizing a predominantly bass drum heavy backbeat, with a sparse woodblock effect throughout the chorus. Combining that with the Clipse white line laced bars proved to be a success, and served as a proper introduction for the Virginia based duo.

14. MGMT "Time To Pretend" (2008)

Producer: Dave Fridmann
Album: Oracular Spectacular


MGMT was never supposed to make it big. Look at what they’re making these days: psychedelic music indebted largely to the '70s and unconcerned with fans that want them to just make synth-laced hits. Yet with “Time To Pretend," a song that was inspired by a praying mantis they had in their house in college, they imagined the rock star lifestyle. The lyrics seemed tongue-in-cheek in a careless sort of half-joking way, but in that fantasy, MGMT stumbled on the hit that would end up making them stars for real.

13. Drake "Best I Ever Had" (2009)

Producer: Boi-1da
Album: So Far Gone


The song that took Drake from buzzing rapper to a proven Billboard chart topper with limitless potential, has Drizzy slyly spitting game to "that special somebody" over Boi-1da's ingenious sampling of a '70s soft rock song. Lines like, "sweat pants, hair tied, chillin' with no make up, that's when you're the prettiest, I hope that you don't take it wrong" had girls swooning and quoting it on Facebook, while dudes bopped to it like a street record. "Buzz so big I could probably sell a blank disc"? Yeah, it was that big.

12. Jay-Z "Public Service Announcement" (2003)

Producer: Just Blaze
Album: The Black Album


Who knew an album interlude could be so powerful? Jay and Just Blaze have a plethora of incredible collabos, but this one is quite possibly be the most perfect. A last second edition to The Black Album's tracklist, Hova checks cheddar and flawlessly rides Just's “Seed of Love” sample on what was to be his swan song.

He also finds time to spew some of his most quote-worthy bars of his career including, “I got the baddest chick in the game, wearing my chain,” and our personal favorite, “I'm like, Che Guevara with bling on, I'm Complex!” Admit it: You've used multiple quotes from this song in real life conversations no less than twenty times. So either love it or leave us alone.

11. Amy Winehouse "Rehab" (2006)

Producer: Mark Ronson, Salaam Remi
Album: Back to Black


Winehouse owned 2006 and 2007 with her autobiographical retro soul tune about refusing to stay in drug and alcohol treatment. The story was compelling and it helped that she a voice music nerds compare to Etta James and Ella Fitzgerald. Since her untimely death what once sounded like a tongue-in-cheek gesture of rebellion has taken a tragic twist, but the song remains the same.

10. Snoop Dogg f/ Pharrell "Drop It Like It's Hot" (2004)

Producer: The Neptunes
Album: R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta): The Masterpiece


By 2004, The Neptunes were clearly looking to move beyond their original sound, experimenting heavily in rock and new wave pop sounds. But no one saw this one-of-a-kind Snoop collaboration coming, a minimalist electro masterpiece that was clearly step in an innovative new direction for everyone involved. The bold move paid off—it became the first #1 hit on Billboard's Hot 100 for both Snoop Dogg and Pharrell. So the next time someone tries to front on Snoop's spot as an all time great (and people always front on Snoop) remember that he made two of the best rap songs of the '90s (“Ain't Nuthin' But A G Thang” and “Gin and Juice”) and “Drop It Like It's Hot”—one of the best songs of the 2000s.

9. The White Stripes "Seven Nation Army" (2003)

Producer: Jack White
Album: Elephant


A skinny, pale devotee of the Delta blues, Stripes frontman Jack White probably never said, "Bro, what I really want to do is record a jock jam!" Still, that's exactly what the first single off the band's Elephant album became. With its marching bass line, defiant lyrics ("I'm gonna fight 'em off/A seven-nation army couldn't hold me back"), and devastating guitar explosions, this hell-raiser of a lo-fi rock song could amp up a comatose librarian.

8. Rick Ross f/ Styles P "B.M.F. (Blowin' Money Fast)" (2010)

Producer: Lex Luger
Album: Teflon Don

"B.M.F. (Blowin' Money Fast)" changed both the sound of rap and the trajectory of Rick Ross' career. It's the moment Rozay's voice went from sluggish drawl to his most valuable asset and his grunt ad-lib (seemingly a spontaneous gesture at the time) became his signature move. Although Lex Luger had previously produced Waka Flocka Flame's “Hard In Da Paint” as well as Ross' “MC Hammer”—all of which featured the same sonic makeup—”B.M.F.” was bigger, better, and the most influential of the bunch.

The song finds Rick Ross at the height of his delusional grandeur; re-imagining his life as real life kingpin Big Meech when we're all painfully aware of Rozay's past as a corrections officer. But then again, that's actually what makes the song accessible: We all dream of being an untouchable kingpin who pulls up to the club in a triple black Rolls Royce and proceeds to pop bottles. But we're just us. If Rozay is delusional so is every single clubgoer whose ever screamed the immortal refrain “I think I'm Big Meech!” None of us are actually Big Meech, but it feel good to say so.

7. Kid Cudi "Day N Nite" (2008)

Producer: Dot da Genius, Kid Cudi
Album: Man on the Moon: The End of Day


The success of Cudi's spacey creeper came in two waves—first when Scott released it along with his A Kid Named Cudi mixtape in the summer of 2008, capturing the minds of like-minded lonely kids with time for wallow in their worries and weed to blow them away.

Then came the remix, flipped by Italian production duo Crookers and somehow transforming a four-minute ride through Downerville into a jumping dance record. Together, these mixes propelled the moon man into G.O.O.D. hands, got him down with Kanye West, and made his debut album a successful one

6. M.I.A. "Paper Planes" (2007)

Producer: Diplo, Switch
Album: Kala


This hard-hitting standout from the experimental electro rapper's sophomore album Kala became a completely unexpected cultural phenomenon, peaking at No. 4 on the U.S. pop charts over a year after the album's release. After appearing in the Pineapple Express trailer, Diplo's armed-and dangerous paper chase anthem crossed over and got M.I.A. nominated for Record of the Year at that year's Grammys. Uptight urban radio even had no choice but to embrace her after Kanye used her vocals and the song's beat for the star-studded posse cut "Swagga Like Us."

5. R. Kelly "Ignition (Remix)" (2003)

Producer: R. Kelly
Album: Chocolate Factory


When you've been accused of making pornography with a minor, and a video that clearly shows the alleged act leaks out on the Internet, it's safe to say your showbiz career is in deep shit. R. Kelly was undoubtably one of the greatest singer-songwriters of the '90s, but things looked grim after the charges came out—Jay-Z bailed on the promotion of The Best of Both Worlds album and Kells seemed lost, leaving fans with confusingly corny material like "Heaven I Need A Hug." It's no exaggeration to say that the remix to "Ignition" was the song that restarted R. Kelly's career. Yes, it's that good.

4. Lil Wayne "A Milli" (2008)

Producer: Bangladesh
Album: Tha Carter III


Given the climate of anticipation surrounding it, the success of Tha Carter III was inevitable. Any lead single would've hit radio with a bang. But rather than play it safe with a pop play, Wayne used "A Milli" to both lock down his core fanbase and convert quite a few outsiders. Over Bangladesh's plate-shifting bass tones he rapped like a demon possessed, a goblin in the midst of mere goons.

It's a truly singular pop record and it might just be radio's last rap-centric hit. Which is to say that the actual act of rapping, not a catchy hook or a melodic beat, was its primary draw. (After all, the hook barely exists—it's just a fragment of a couple Phife syllables snatched from an obscure A Tribe Called Quest remix.)

"A Milli" was Wayne's supa-MC coronation, the moment where the hip-hop nation (vocal minority of hating ass curmudgeons aside) had no choice, but unite in collective awe of the kid from Hollygrove.

3. Eminem "Lose Yourself" (2002)

Producer: Eminem, Jeff Bass
Album: 8 Mile

One doesn't have to be a rapper trying to get put on to feel those motivational words. The pressure to survive (and the pressure to be great) is captured in all its essence on "Lose Yourself," which won the Oscar for Best Original Song for the film 8 Mile and set a record for time spent sitting at the No. 1 position on Billboard's Hip-Hop Singles Charts. Eminem's cinematic debut was a breakthrough; some of the parents of kids who dragged them to theaters were exposed to his talents and some of that hate for him melted away.

The song itself benefited from the ability to connect emotionally with people (When he says, "Success is my only motherfuckin' option, failure's not," you can feel the urgency). The serene music at the start that gives way to the chunky guitar riff does for hip-hop fans what the "Theme from Rocky" does for boxing enthusiasts—gets them hyped the fuck up. "You can do anything you set your mind to," he tells us at song's end, and for that second you believe him.

Almost 10 years later, when the song was used for the high-profile Chrysler commercial, the second the instantly recognizable riffs start growling, the same emotional impact from the first time you heard the song kicks in. Eminem came up playing the underdog role and people love underdogs, probably because we're all underdogs at some time in our lives.

2. 50 Cent "In Da Club" (2003)

Producer: Dr. Dre, Mike Elizondo
Album: Get Rich or Die Tryin'


After revolutionizing the mixtape game, surviving a murder attempt, scoring a scathing hit with “Wanksta,” and turning himself into the hottest rapper in the game, 50 Cent had the whole world anticipating his major label debut. The stakes were high but 50 delivered with a chart smash more dominant than anything since Snoop Dogg broke out with “Gin and Juice.”

Armed with one of the dopest beats ever (which actually belonged to D12 before 50 took it off their hands) Curtis had the genius idea of coming up with a song that's always relevant (it someone's birthday every day—duh). Beyond the beat, the song had one of the catchiest hooks in the history of rap, making it feel like the first time you heard it every time you hear it. Lyrically, 50 mostly kept it simple; celebrating life's simple pleasures—bottles of bub, tabs of ex, and sex—reflecting on how his life changed once he got down with Shady and the good Doc, and scheming on how to put the rap game in a chokehold.

With a little help from this monster hit, he did just that. Besides becoming 50's first No. 1 hit, "In Da Club" also has the distinct honor of being one of the few rap songs on Oprah's iPod. Now if that ain't an undeniable smash then we don't know what is!

1. Kanye West "Can't Tell Me Nothing" (2007)

Producer: Kanye West, DJ Toomp
Album: Graduation


If there were one song to describe Kanye West and his career, this would be it. A statement, a promise, and a motto, "Can't Tell Me Nothing" set the tone for his defiant third album, Graduation, and gave West his first-ever street anthem.

Attaining the almost impossible, this track resonated with hip-hop purists, college dropouts, and trap stars alike. Recruiting the red-hot DJ Toomp to co-produce the track and inviting Jeezy to add his patented ad-libs was the icing on the cake. This was the exact moment in West's career when he went from rapper to international superstar.