The 20+ Best Rap Songs of All Time

Updated on October 28, 2024

Do you want the best rap songs for your playlist? Here are the top 22 rap songs of all time, from famous artists to new ones. These songs are fun to listen to and show the diversity and creativity of rap. Get ready to turn up the volume and enjoy. 

1. "Thrift Shop" by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis 

"Thrift Shop" is different from most rap songs and is a fun addition to your playlist.

This song has a fun and catchy vibe that will make you want to dance. It's perfect for when you need a pick-me-up.

Its lyrics talk about shopping for clothes at a thrift store and finding cool and cheap stuff.

This has a message about being yourself and not caring what other people think. It tells us to break free from the rules and appreciate the things that are often ignored. 

Some Twitter fans consider it one of the best songs ever. 

Also, it was number one on the charts all over the world and won a bunch of awards, including a Grammy for the Best Rap Song.

So, if you want fun lyrics and catchy beats in your playlist, add Thrift Shop.

2. "Lose Yourself" by Eminem

Eminem's "Lose Yourself" has complex rhymes and clever wordplay. It is a hype-up anthem that tells you to go for your dreams, even if they're hard or scary.

The song's catchy beat and fun energy make it a song that everyone can enjoy.

Its lyrics are deep and inspiring. They talk about the challenges he faced on his way to becoming a famous rapper.

People praise the song for its message of power and hope, its catchy chorus, clever wordplay, emotional delivery, and cinematic production.

3. "Started From the Bottom" by Drake 

"Started From the Bottom" is about not giving up on your dreams and working hard to achieve them. Many people still listen to it today, and it should be on any playlist of rap songs

It tells the story of his journey to becoming famous, showing his struggles and successes. 

The lyrics are relatable and the story is interesting, making it a great song to listen to.

It reached number six on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and was certified 6× Platinum platinum, which means it sold over six million copies.

The song's success helped make Drake one of the most popular rappers of the decade.

Also, many fans have been discussing the meaning of the lyrics on popular online forums like Reddit in the past year.

Even though "Started From the Bottom" came out ten years ago, it is still a very popular hip-hop song. 

4. "m.A.A.d city" by Kendrick Lamar 

Everyone who likes hip-hop should listen to "m.A.A.d city."

Kendrick Lamar's song "m.A.A.d city" talks about the problems that people of color face, such as police brutality, gangs, and the war on drugs. 

Kendrick's words are a way to comment on society and to give a voice to people who live in marginalized communities.

This song has a haunting and atmospheric instrumental beat produced by Sounwave. 

The beat is easy to get stuck in your head, and the soulful sample makes the song deeper and more emotional.

It was nominated for many awards, including a Grammy for Best Rap Performance.

The song's success helped Kendrick Lamar become famous all over the world and made him one of the most important hip-hop artists of our time.

5. "Young, Wild & Free" by Snoop Dogg, Wiz Khalifa, Bruno Mars

Snoop Dogg, Wiz Khalifa, and Bruno Mars, three stars from different generations, teamed up to create a catchy song with their own unique styles.

Snoop Dogg raps smoothly, while Wiz Khalifa raps more aggressively. 

Bruno Mars sings soulfully, which brings everything together to create a diverse and enjoyable listening experience.

Also, its chorus, sung by Bruno Mars, is very catchy and stays in your head for a long time. 

This song is perfect for parties, clubs, or any event where people want to dance and have fun. 

It is a song that everyone can sing along to and never gets boring.

6. "Ultralight Beam" by Kanye West

This gospel-influenced hip-hop track features soulful vocals, uplifting lyrics, and a choir.

It has an energetic yet spiritual vibe with lyrics about faith, God, and inner strength. 

The song starts slow and builds to a joyful crescendo with a choir singing the chorus "This is a God dream.

This track shows the best of Kanye's positive and hopeful side.

The song's soulful sound and choir make you feel good and would be a great addition to any playlist.

7. "Bad and Boujee" by Migos, Lil Uzi Vert

This trap anthem from Atlanta hip-hop trio Migos was hugely popular when it came out. 

This song has a simple, catchy beat and chorus about living a flashy lifestyle.

The verses feature bragging lyrics about money, cars, and jewelry. 

The song is fun, catchy, and cool. It was one of the biggest trap hits of the late 2010s and started a new wave of trap music from the South.

The song's confidence and catchy beats are a perfect example of trap music at its best.

8. "Bodak Yellow" by Cardi B 

"Bodak Yellow" is a powerful rap song by Cardi B with a strong bass line and fiery lyrics. 

She proudly raps about her skills, success, and extravagant lifestyle. 

The song's fast beat and Cardi B's catchy lyrics made "Bodak Yellow" a popular song played in clubs and a number-one hit song on the music charts.

This Cardi B's catchy song made her the new rising star in hip-hop.

The song's confident style would give any playlist a boost.

9. "HUMBLE." by Kendrick Lamar

Kendrick Lamar's hit song "HUMBLE." has a strong beat and Kendrick raps powerfully about staying humble.

He calls out competitors who need to sit down and be humble. 

The song is both catchy and critical of those who are overconfident in the rap industry.

Kendrick Lamar's song is very popular and catchy. It has a great beat and his rapping is at his best. 

This song is a modern classic from one of the best rappers today.

10. "Super Bass" by Nicki Minaj

This energetic pop rap track was an early hit for Nicki Minaj.

She raps in different accents and voices about liking a guy and wanting to playfully attract him.

Nicki shows how versatile she is by changing her rap style between the verses and the chorus.

"Super Bass" has driving beats, a super catchy chorus and showcases Nicki's signature rap style and star power. 

The song was hugely popular and helped cement Nicki as a new voice in hip-hop. 

This song is fun, flirty, and catchy. It's perfect for any playlist that needs a boost of energy.

11. "DNA." by Kendrick Lamar

Kendrick Lamar's song "DNA." from his 2017 album DAMN. is a hard-hitting track with fast lyrics and an aggressive beat.

Kendrick raps intensely about his skills, heritage, and identity as a rapper, comparing his talent to "DNA" that's innate within him. 

Kendrick's fast and slow rapping gives the song an urgent energy.

Many people, including Twitter users consider this song one of the hardest rap in history.

The track is considered one of Kendrick's signature songs, showcasing his technical abilities and innovative style. 

"DNA" by Kendrick Lamar has a raw sound and powerful lyrics, so it would add a fresh and exciting feel to any playlist.

12. "God's Plan" by Drake

Drake's song "God's Plan" from his  album Scorpion dominated the charts in 2018.

It has a warm, triumphant atmosphere and uplifting lyrics about being grateful for life's blessings. 

Drake raps about his success being part of "God's plan" and wanting to give back generously. 

The song broke streaming records upon release. It combines Drake's signature blend of singing and rapping with a catchy tropical beat. 

"God's Plan" was very popular in 2018 and even now. Adding it to a playlist is a good way to make the playlist more cheerful and up-to-date.

13. "Nice for What" by Drake

Drake's "Nice for What" features him rapping faster over a house music-inspired beat. 

On "Nice for What," Drake raps supportively about women's independence and power. 

The song's production is more danceable than most Drake songs, showing his versatility. 

It also has samples from Lauryn Hill's "Ex Factor" woven throughout.

"Nice for What" was another huge hit for Drake and encapsulated his signature smooth vocals and R&B-inflected rap style. 

The track took on a feminist edge while still being fun and catchy. 

It would bring timely themes and pop appeal to a playlist.

14. "SICKO MODE" by Travis Scott, Drake 

"SICKO MODE" was Travis Scott's breakout mainstream hit, reaching #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. 

The lengthy track shifts between different moods and tempos, almost like three songs in one. 

After a quiet start, Scott starts rapping aggressively in a trap style, then switches to a more relaxed and melodic section that samples Drake's music.

The song's dynamic structure showcases Travis Scott's talent and range.

"SICKO MODE" was very popular on the radio and on streaming services because it has a catchy melody and a lot of energy.

General public consider it one of the greatest rap songs of all time and their best collaboration.

This rap song is a must-listen for fans of contemporary music. It blends different styles together in a really clever way.

15. "WAP" by Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion 

Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion's rap song "WAP" was a huge hit in 2020. It has explicit lyrics, but it is also a powerful song for women.

Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion rap about sex and how confident they are as women in their song with a simple beat that has a lot of bass.

"WAP," a song about female empowerment and sexuality, was controversial for its graphic content but still praised by many. 

The track broke streaming records and spent many weeks at the top of the music charts. 

This shows that people like the music of these bold and confident female rappers.

The song's catchy beat and quotable lyrics make it prime for playlists.

16. "Got 5 on It" by The Luniz &

 Michael Marshall 

The Luniz and Michael Marshall released the West Coast rap song "Got 5 on It" in 1995. 

This song has a catchy, laidback beat and a chorus that samples Club Nouveau's "Why You Treat Me So Bad."

Rappers Yukmouth and Numskull rap about their everyday struggles to make money. The song is about the hard realities of life, but it has a relaxed vibe that is good for listening to while driving.

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A Reddit user commented "This song was my bible growing up." And many others agreed. This proves that this song was a classic.

A remix of "Got 5 on It" became a huge hit in 2019 after being featured in the movie Us, proving the song's timeless appeal. 

Nearly 30 years after its release, "Got 5 on It" remains iconic and would add an old school flair to any playlist.

17. "Old Town Road - Remix" by Lil Nas, Billy Ray Cyrus

Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus released the song "Old Town Road (Remix)" in 2019. This unique mix of country and trap music became a surprise hit, becoming a popular part of pop culture in 2019.

"Old Town Road" is a short but catchy song that showed how hip-hop can be mixed with other genres.

With banjo samples fused into a plodding trap beat, Lil Nas X raps about cowboy life over the track. 

Billy Ray Cyrus joined the song, and it became a huge hit. It spent 19 weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. 

Because the song was so catchy and easy to understand, people from all different backgrounds liked it.

In 2019, "Old Town Road" was everywhere, and it was a fun and familiar song to add to playlists.

18. "Praise the Lord (Da Shine)" by A$AP Rocky, Skepta

A$AP Rocky and British grime artist Skepta teamed up for this standout track from Rocky's 2018 album Testing.

"Praise the Lord" has an uplifting, melodic beat incorporating elements of trap, cloud rap, grime, and psychedelic rock. 

A$AP Rocky and Skepta trade verses praising higher powers and their own talents. 

The song's blend of spiritual lyrics with hazy, organic production resulted in a unique vibe. 

It shows A$AP Rocky's creativity as he incorporated genres beyond traditional hip-hop. 

The song's sing-along melody and catchy hooks make it easy to listen to over and over again.

"Praise the Lord" shows how well hip-hop artists from different countries can work together.

19. "Sunflower" by Post Malone, Swae Lee

This melodic hip hop track was made for the Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse soundtrack. 

The song has Post Malone singing softly and Swae Lee singing smoothly over a happy, upbeat beat.

They sing about perseverance and holding onto hope, sharing their heartfelt thoughts with each other. 

"Sunflower" is a catchy pop-rap song with beautiful melodies, different from the usual trap music. 

Swae Lee's catchy hook sums up the song's inspiring message: "Needless to say, I keep her in check/She was all bad-bad, nevertheless." 

The crossover hit dominated radio playlists with its feel-good vibes.

20. "Hotel Diablo" by Machine Gun Kelly 

MGK's song "Hotel Diablo" is a rock-influenced song with passionate rapping and hard electric guitar riffs.

MGK raps about his success and struggles in a dark and angry way, saying that he is alone and has no friends.

"Hotel Diablo" is a mix of hip hop and rock that is loud and powerful. It shows that MGK can sing pop punk as well as he can rap.

This song received a gold certification in the US. This means the song got the general public support. 

The song's emotiveness and genre fusion make it captivating and unique for any hip-hop fan's playlist.

21. "Eazy" by Kanye West, The Game

One of Kanye's standout 2022 comeback singles, "Eazy" features him trading bars with The Game over an eerie, minimal beat.

Kanye insults Pete Davidson in this song with sharp lyrics, saying that God saved him from a crash so he could beat Pete Davidson up.

The Game keeps up with Kanye's energy with memorable lines. 

"Eazy" is controversial, but it shows Kanye's unique ability to create viral moments through pure hip-hop.

The dark and heavy track shows that he is still creative. It became popular in early 2022 and is a good song to add to your playlists.

22. "FRANCHISE" by Travis Scott, Young Thug & M.I.A.

This atmospheric trap hit from Travis Scott's 2020 FRANCHISE album features an infectious, melodic hook from M.I.A. 

Travis and Young Thug rap about their successes and fancy lifestyles over upbeat synths and heavy bass. 

Travis Scott is good at creating moods and making catchy songs that are a mix of pop and rap.

It quickly became popular on streaming playlists and the radio, thanks to his signature ad-libs and auto-tuned vocals.

Young Thug and M.I.A. add texture with their unpredictable guest verses. 

The song is both calming and exciting, showing Travis Scott's versatility. It's perfect for hip-hop playlists that want a mix of relaxation and energy.

These songs are from the past and present, and they show how rap music has changed and grown. They have also had a big impact on culture and society. Whether you love rap music or are just starting to learn about it, there's a song on this list for you. Rap music is more than just a genre; it's a movement.