Top 500 Greatest Hip-hop And Rap Songs Vol 2 -m... (2025)

Hip Hop History: From the Streets to the Mainstream - Icon Collective

With these criteria in mind, let's get into the top 500 greatest hip-hop and rap songs Vol. 2. Here are some of the standout tracks that made the cut:

Below, we break down the philosophy behind VOL 2, present the complete 500-song list in structured categories, and highlight 25 essential tracks you must hear right now. Top 500 GREATEST Hip-Hop and Rap Songs VOL 2 -m...

Every hip-hop fan has a missing track. “Where’s ‘T.R.O.Y.’?” (That was in VOL 1). “How could you forget ‘Electric Relaxation’?” (We didn’t—it’s #142). “No ‘Ether’?” (It’s #67, right between “Shook Ones Pt. II” and “Definition” for thematic tension.)

Further up the list, at number 230, we find , a groundbreaking track that helped bring gangsta rap to the mainstream. This 1988 classic, from the album of the same name, is widely regarded as one of the most influential hip-hop songs of all time. Hip Hop History: From the Streets to the

And finally, at number , we have "The Message" by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five , a 1982 classic that is widely regarded as one of the greatest hip-hop songs of all time. This track's socially conscious lyrics, clever wordplay, and catchy hook make it a standout, and its influence can still be felt today.

To feature the Top 500 Greatest Hip-Hop and Rap Songs Vol. 2 Every hip-hop fan has a missing track

Over 18 months, a panel of 20 critics, DJs, producers, and battle rappers curated this volume. The rules: No song from VOL 1 repeats. Each track must have influenced at least two subsequent generations. And every subgenre—from horrorcore to hyphy, jazz-rap to jerk—gets a seat at the table.