50 Years Of Hip Hop: The Rankdown Part 1 (COMPLETE)

[🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲]

Love MC Lyte, but "Paper Thin" just wasn't it. It sounded so boring to me.

[willapted33]

forgot to comment so far but excellent top 25, still have 22 of my top halves in & there's only one song i think is overstaying

[Soulsista]

EXTRAS

This song peaked at #12 on the soul chart and #31 on the Hot 100. From the Less Than Zero soundtrack, it was later sampled in the remix to Blaque's "808".

Going Back To Cali - LL Cool J

---

The lead single from his Walking With a Panther album topped the rap chart and peaked at #7 soul and #15 on the Hot 100. Samples "The March Of The Winkies" from The Wizard Of Oz.

I'm That Type Of Guy - LL Cool J

---

His first charted solo single was co-produced by Teddy Riley.

Go See The Doctor - Kool Moe Dee

[Soulsista]

Reminder that reveals will resume tomorrow...we'll be losing our first #1!

SPOILER: Click to show

{Tags}jtd Thee Stallion B-Boy beyoncelover singingrulebritannia chanman khan rowellfarm490 aerodynamite SHOOTER American Idiot 🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 willapted33 gonecountry BB🌕 wrip emerald Ivy Leegue™ dremolus - solarpunk 312999 Optical Apex wyckyd annoymous1 #LisaRinna samo🦕 mamooshka Kelly's 10th Fan

[Soulsista]

EXTRAS

This song peaked at #16 on the soul chart. Samples "Nautilus" by Bob James, "Listen To Me" by Baby Huey, and "I Wouldn't Change a Thing" by Coke Escovedo.

The music video premiered on the first episode of Yo! MTV Raps.

Follow The Leader - Eric B. & Rakim

---

This song peaked at #18 soul.

Don't Believe The Hype - Public Enemy

---

This was her debut single.

I Cram To Understand U (Sam) - MC Lyte

[Soulsista]

And we're back with more reveals!

Kicking off the second half of this rankdown will see someone lose a Top 10. On the flip side, only two people will lose a bottom 10.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Tags}jtd Thee Stallion B-Boy beyoncelover singingrulebritannia chanman khan rowellfarm490 aerodynamite SHOOTER American Idiot 🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 willapted33 gonecountry BB🌕 wrip emerald Ivy Leegue™ dremolus - solarpunk 312999 Optical Apex wyckyd annoymous1 #LisaRinna samo🦕 mamooshka Kelly's 10th Fan

[Soulsista]

25. It's Funky Enough - The D.O.C.

Born in West Dallas, Texas, Tracy Curry got his start as a member of The Fila Fresh Crew before going solo. His debut single, "It's Funky Enough", topped the rap chart for 4 weeks and peaked at #12 on the soul chart in 1989. It also helped his debut album No One Can Do It Better go platinum. Samples "Misdemeanor" by Foster Sylvers, and has been notably sampled in Eazy-E's "Real Muthaphuckkn' G's" and 2 Unlimited's "Get Ready For This".

The D.O.C. was involved in a near-fatal car accident just months after the release of his album. He fell asleep at the wheel and went off the freeway, was thrown out of the rear window, and hit a tree. He was in the hospital for 2 1/2 weeks and had 21 hours of plastic surgery, and couldn't speak for a month.

He later co-founded Death Row Records with Dr. Dre, Suge Knight, and Dick Griffey.


Points: 590
Average: 26.42
Standard Deviation: 9.422 (14th lowest)

emerald - 6

khan - 12
Optical Apex - 13
wrip - 16
SHOOTER - 20

singingrulebritannia - 22
wyckyd - 22
beyoncelover - 23
B-Boy - 24
rowellfarm490 - 24
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 24
aerodynamite - 26
American Idiot - 28
BB🌕 - 28
Ivy Leegue™ - 28
willapted33 - 29
annoymous1 - 30

312999 - 31
jtd Thee Stallion - 33
#LisaRinna - 33
Soulsista - 34
gonecountry - 38

chanman - 44
dremolus - solarpunk - 46

Observing
samo🦕
mamooshka
Kelly's 10th Fan


Our first #1 will go down with the next reveal. Two others will say goodbye to a bottom 10.

[Soulsista]

24. Hey DJ - The World's Famous Supreme Team

The World's Famous Supreme Team consisted of Sedivine The Mastermind (Larry Price) and Just Allah The Superstar (Ronald Larkins Jr.). They started out hosting a radio show in Newark, New Jersey. They're best known for the song "Hey DJ", which peaked at #15 on the soul chart in 1984. It was notably sampled in Mariah Carey's "Honey".

Apologies to chanman...


Points: 622
Average: 25.08
Standard Deviation: 12.779 (8th highest)

chanman - 1
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 7
#LisaRinna - 7
wrip - 8

312999 - 15
willapted33 - 17
rowellfarm490 - 18
aerodynamite - 18
emerald - 18
B-Boy - 19
singingrulebritannia - 20

Soulsista - 21
beyoncelover - 29
SHOOTER - 30

Ivy Leegue™ - 31
dremolus - solarpunk - 32
Optical Apex - 33
jtd Thee Stallion - 34
annoymous1 - 36
BB🌕 - 37
wyckyd - 38
khan - 40

gonecountry - 46
American Idiot - 47

Observing
samo🦕
mamooshka
Kelly's 10th Fan


The next reveal has the 5th highest SD. Seven people will lose a Top 10, while four more will shed a bottom 10.

[Soulsista]

23. Wild Thing - Tone Loc

Born in Los Angeles, Anthony Smith got his start with the rap group Triple A. His first charted single, 1988's "Wild Thing", was his biggest hit, peaking at #2 on the rap and Hot 100 charts and #3 on the soul chart. Co-written by Young MC, it also topped the dance chart and is certified double platinum. The song samples "Jamie's Cryin'" by Van Halen, which later led to a civil suit that was settled out of court.


Points: 660
Average: 23.50
Standard Deviation: 13.654 (5th highest)

312999 - 4
annoymous1 - 4
wyckyd - 7
jtd Thee Stallion - 9
chanman - 9
gonecountry - 9
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 10

beyoncelover - 11
Soulsista - 14
Optical Apex - 19

SHOOTER - 21
khan - 24
rowellfarm490 - 26
B-Boy - 28
emerald - 29

singingrulebritannia - 31
American Idiot - 31
aerodynamite - 32
Ivy Leegue™ - 35
BB🌕 - 38

wrip - 41
dremolus - solarpunk - 41
willapted33 - 44
#LisaRinna - 47

Observing
samo🦕
mamooshka
Kelly's 10th Fan


Three more Top 10s will be lost with the next reveal. Three bottom 10s will also go down, and we'll finally get some perfect rankings, two to be exact.

[wrip]

aww noo :( i just really enjoyed Hey DJ so i’m sad to see it go

so far these reveals have been pretty good for me, a couple top 20s though that i’m sad to see leave (like You Gots To Chill, It's Funky Enough, and Paper Thin especially)

[annoymous1]

No not Wild Thing!

[Soulsista]

22. The Show - Doug E. Fresh & The Get Fresh Crew

Born in Barbados and raised in Harlem, Doug E. Fresh (Douglas Davis) formed the Get Fresh Crew with DJs Chill Will and Barry B. With the later addition of MC Ricky D (aka Slick Rick), they released the single "The Show" in 1985. It peaked at #4 on the soul chart and samples the theme to Inspector Gadget. It also helped give Doug E. Fresh the nickname "Human Beat Box". It originally included Slick Rick singing a line from the Beatles song "Michelle", but later reissues removed it since the rights to the song weren't secured.

"The Show" spawned at least two diss tracks, including "The Showstopper" by a female duo called Super Nature, who we know better as Salt-N-Pepa.




Points: 680
Average: 22.67
Standard Deviation: 11.247 (18th highest)

chanman - 2
Ivy Leegue™ - 4
#LisaRinna - 8

gonecountry - 13
Soulsista - 16
rowellfarm490 - 16
beyoncelover - 17
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 17
dremolus - solarpunk - 19

B-Boy - 21
singingrulebritannia - 21
khan - 22
aerodynamite - 22
SHOOTER - 23
wrip - 23
BB🌕 - 24
annoymous1 - 24
willapted33 - 25
emerald - 28

wyckyd - 31
312999 - 36

Optical Apex - 43
jtd Thee Stallion - 44
American Idiot - 45

Observing
samo🦕
mamooshka
Kelly's 10th Fan


The last song to miss the Top 20 will see four people lose a Top 10. Two of you will get rid of a bottom 10.

[Soulsista]

21. Talkin' All That Jazz - Stetsasonic

Formed in Brooklyn, Stetsasonic originally consisted of Daddy-O (Glenn Bolton), MC Delite (Marvin Wright), and Crown Supreme. Later members included Wise The Human Mix Machine (Leonardo Roman), Prince Paul (Paul Hutson), The Devastating Beat Creator (Martin Nemley), Bobby Simmons, and Frukwan (Arnold Hamilton), who replaced Crown Supreme. "Talkin' All That Jazz" was released in 1988 as the second single from their album In Full Gear. It peaked at #34 on the soul chart. Samples "Juicy Fruit" by Mtume, "You Can Make It If You Try" by Sly & The Family Stone, "Expansions" by Lonnie Liston Smith, "Shack Up" by Banbarra, and "I'm Chief Kamanawanalea" by The Turtles.

The song was written in response to James Mtume, who called hip hop lazy and uncreative due to its use of sampling.


Points: 693
Average: 22.13
Standard Deviation: 12.220 (11th highest)

willapted33 - 6
BB🌕 - 8
khan - 9
American Idiot - 10

rowellfarm490 - 11
wrip - 11
aerodynamite - 12
emerald - 12
dremolus - solarpunk - 14
wyckyd - 15
singingrulebritannia - 16
gonecountry - 16
SHOOTER - 19

chanman - 25
312999 - 26
annoymous1 - 26
Soulsista - 30
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 30

jtd Thee Stallion - 32
B-Boy - 38
Ivy Leegue™ - 38
beyoncelover - 40

Optical Apex - 42
#LisaRinna - 45

Observing
samo🦕
mamooshka
Kelly's 10th Fan

[singingrulebritannia]

Of the songs I had not heard before doing this list, "Talkin' All That Jazz" was my favorite.

[Soulsista]

The Top 20:

Afrika Bambaataa & The Soul Sonic Force - Planet Rock
Big Daddy Kane - Ain't No Half Steppin'
Biz Markie - Just a Friend
De La Soul - Me Myself & I
Eric B. & Rakim - I Ain't No Joke
Funky 4 + 1 - That's The Joint
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five - The Message
J.J. Fad - Supersonic
Kurtis Blow - The Breaks
LL Cool J - I'm Bad
N.W.A - Straight Outta Compton
Public Enemy - Fight The Power
Queen Latifah feat. Monie Love - Ladies First
Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock - It Takes Two
Run-DMC - King Of Rock
Salt-N-Pepa - Push It
Slick Rick - Children's Story
The Sugarhill Gang - Rapper's Delight
Whodini - Friends
Young MC - Bust a Move


Five more will be revealed tomorrow...someone else will be losing their #1!

SPOILER: Click to show

{Tags}jtd Thee Stallion B-Boy beyoncelover singingrulebritannia chanman khan rowellfarm490 aerodynamite SHOOTER American Idiot 🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 willapted33 gonecountry BB🌕 wrip emerald Ivy Leegue™ dremolus - solarpunk 312999 Optical Apex wyckyd annoymous1 #LisaRinna samo🦕 mamooshka Kelly's 10th Fan

[annoymous1]

🔥 Top 20!

[Optical Apex]

This one was tough, I put this in the bottom 10 yet I still liked it.

[Optical Apex]

This one said in memory of Jean Michel Basquiat, who was one of the graffiti artists who appeared in Blondie's "Rapture" video.

[Optical Apex]

My guess on the top 10:

Afrika Bambaataa & The Soul Sonic Force - Planet Rock
Eric B. & Rakim - I Ain't No Joke
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five - The Message
J.J. Fad - Supersonic
N.W.A - Straight Outta Compton
Public Enemy - Fight The Power
Run-DMC - King Of Rock
Salt-N-Pepa - Push It
The Sugarhill Gang - Rapper's Delight
Young MC - Bust a Move

[Soulsista]

Welcome back!

We break into the Top 20 with a song that has four Top 10s and two bottom 10s.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Tags}jtd Thee Stallion B-Boy beyoncelover singingrulebritannia chanman khan rowellfarm490 aerodynamite SHOOTER American Idiot 🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 willapted33 gonecountry BB🌕 wrip emerald Ivy Leegue™ dremolus - solarpunk 312999 Optical Apex wyckyd annoymous1 #LisaRinna samo🦕 mamooshka Kelly's 10th Fan

[Soulsista]

20. That's The Joint - Funky 4 + 1

Formed in The Bronx, the Funky 4 + 1 consisted of MC Jazzy Jeff (Jeffrey Miree, not to be confused with DJ Jazzy Jeff), DJ Breakout, DJ Baron, Lil Rodney C, and the first female MC, MC Sha-Rock (Sharon Green). They released the song "That's The Joint" in 1980. It samples "Rescue Me" by A Taste Of Honey and is generally considered one of the greatest hip hop songs of all time. The song was later sampled in De La Soul's "Say No Go" and The Beastie Boys' "Shake Your Rump" and "Shadrach".

The Funky 4 + 1 were the first hip hop group to perform on a national TV show after Debbie Harry of Blondie invited them to come on Saturday Night Live. They were later asked to open for Blondie on tour, but were blocked by Sugar Hill Records CEO Sylvia Robinson.


Points: 710
Average: 21.42
Standard Deviation: 12.147 (12th highest)

khan - 4
American Idiot - 4
aerodynamite - 7
singingrulebritannia - 8

willapted33 - 11
BB🌕 - 11
emerald - 11
rowellfarm490 - 15
SHOOTER - 15
Optical Apex - 15
chanman - 17
gonecountry - 17
wrip - 19

Soulsista - 22
#LisaRinna - 25
dremolus - solarpunk - 28

jtd Thee Stallion - 31
B-Boy - 31
annoymous1 - 31
wyckyd - 33
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 34
beyoncelover - 37

312999 - 41
Ivy Leegue™ - 47

Observing
samo🦕
mamooshka
Kelly's 10th Fan


Five more Top 10s will be lost with the next reveal. This is the first song where no one loses a bottom 10.

[Soulsista]

19. Supersonic - J.J. Fad

Formed in California, J.J. Fad was originally an acronym of the names of the five original members, Juana Burns (MC J.B.), Juanita Lee (Crazy J), Fatima Shaheed (O.G. Rocker), Anna Cash (Lady Anna), and Dana Birks (Baby D). This line-up originally recorded "Supersonic" in 1987, but Crazy J, O.G. Rocker, and Lady Anna later left due to management and financial differences, and were replaced with Michelle Franklin (Sassy C). The acronym of the group was then changed to Just Jammin', Fresh And Def.

Under the new line-up, "Supersonic" was re-recorded and released as a single in 1988. It peaked at #22 on the soul chart and #30 on the Hot 100, and helped J.J. Fad become the first all-female rap group to be nominated for a Grammy when it was nominated for Best Rap Performance. It's been sampled and referenced numerous times since.

Here's the original version of "Supersonic".




Points: 714
Average: 21.25
Standard Deviation: 10.297 (22nd lowest)

312999 - 3
Optical Apex - 7
beyoncelover - 9
dremolus - solarpunk - 9
wrip - 10

aerodynamite - 11
SHOOTER - 14
Soulsista - 17
chanman - 18
American Idiot - 18
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 18
jtd Thee Stallion - 20
B-Boy - 20

willapted33 - 23
BB🌕 - 23
khan - 25
singingrulebritannia - 27
rowellfarm490 - 29

gonecountry - 31
emerald - 34
Ivy Leegue™ - 34
annoymous1 - 34
wyckyd - 36
#LisaRinna - 40

Observing
samo🦕
mamooshka
Kelly's 10th Fan


Someone will lose their #1 with the next reveal. Only three people will lose a bottom 20.

[Soulsista]

18. Ladies First - Queen Latifah feat. Monie Love

Born in Newark, New Jersey, Dana Owens got her stage name from a book of Arabic names, with Latifah meaning "very kind" and "delicate". She released her debut album All Hail The Queen in 1989. The single "Ladies First" features British rapper Monie Love (Simone Gooden), making it the first collaboration between two females who were not in a group. It peaked at #5 on the rap chart and was her first song to hit the soul chart, peaking at #64.

Apologies to khan...


Points: 738
Average: 20.25
Standard Deviation: 9.008 (10th lowest)

khan - 1
beyoncelover - 10

B-Boy - 11
wyckyd - 11
SHOOTER - 12
dremolus - solarpunk - 13
jtd Thee Stallion - 14
Soulsista - 15
#LisaRinna - 16
Ivy Leegue™ - 17
gonecountry - 18
willapted33 - 19
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 20
annoymous1 - 20

BB🌕 - 21
wrip - 22
American Idiot - 26
rowellfarm490 - 27
aerodynamite - 29
singingrulebritannia - 30
chanman - 30

emerald - 31
312999 - 35
Optical Apex - 38

Observing
samo🦕
mamooshka
Kelly's 10th Fan


Five Top 10s go down with the next reveal, taking just one bottom 10 with them.

[Soulsista]

17. Just a Friend - Biz Markie

Born in Harlem and raised on Long Island, Marcel Hall got his start performing in nightclubs, and later, colleges. He's best known for his 1989 song "Just a Friend". It peaked at #5 on the rap chart, #37 on the soul chart, and #9 on the Hot 100. It interpolates the Freddie Scott song "(You) Got What I Need", and was later updated in a 2002 hit by Mario.

Biz was hospitalized in 2020 due to complications from diabetes, and later suffered a stroke. He passed away in 2021.


Points: 750
Average: 19.75
Standard Deviation: 10.840 (24th highest)

chanman - 4
beyoncelover - 6
American Idiot - 6
312999 - 7
Ivy Leegue™ - 8

annoymous1 - 11
willapted33 - 12
BB🌕 - 12
singingrulebritannia - 13
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 15
Soulsista - 18
#LisaRinna - 18
gonecountry - 19
wyckyd - 20

B-Boy - 23
SHOOTER - 25
wrip - 26
emerald - 26
jtd Thee Stallion - 28
Optical Apex - 30

rowellfarm490 - 32
aerodynamite - 34
dremolus - solarpunk - 40

khan - 41

Observing
samo🦕
mamooshka
Kelly's 10th Fan


Seven Top 10s say goodbye with the next reveal. On the flip side, only one of you will lose a bottom 10.

[wrip]

I figured Supersonic would go out soon so I’ll take this placement for it. Such a fun song to listen to

[Soulsista]

16. The Breaks - Kurtis Blow

Born and raised in Harlem, Kurtis Walker was the first rapper to be signed to a major label when he signed with Mercury. His biggest hit was "The Breaks", which peaked at #4 on the soul chart in 1980. It's also the first rap single to go gold.


Points: 764
Average: 19.17
Standard Deviation: 11.305 (17th highest)

Soulsista - 6
singingrulebritannia - 7
B-Boy - 8
SHOOTER - 9
jtd Thee Stallion - 10
emerald - 10
annoymous1 - 10

312999 - 11
American Idiot - 12
gonecountry - 12
willapted33 - 13
wrip - 14
rowellfarm490 - 17
BB🌕 - 17
khan - 18

🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 21
Optical Apex - 23
wyckyd - 25
Ivy Leegue™ - 29

beyoncelover - 34
aerodynamite - 36
#LisaRinna - 37
chanman - 38

dremolus - solarpunk - 43

Observing
samo🦕
mamooshka
Kelly's 10th Fan

[Soulsista]

The Top 15:

Afrika Bambaataa & The Soul Sonic Force - Planet Rock
Big Daddy Kane - Ain't No Half Steppin'
De La Soul - Me Myself & I
Eric B. & Rakim - I Ain't No Joke
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five - The Message
LL Cool J - I'm Bad
N.W.A - Straight Outta Compton
Public Enemy - Fight The Power
Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock - It Takes Two
Run-DMC - King Of Rock
Salt-N-Pepa - Push It
Slick Rick - Children's Story
The Sugarhill Gang - Rapper's Delight
Whodini - Friends
Young MC - Bust a Move


Five more will be revealed tomorrow!

SPOILER: Click to show

{Tags}jtd Thee Stallion B-Boy beyoncelover singingrulebritannia chanman khan rowellfarm490 aerodynamite SHOOTER American Idiot 🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 willapted33 gonecountry BB🌕 wrip emerald Ivy Leegue™ dremolus - solarpunk 312999 Optical Apex wyckyd annoymous1 #LisaRinna samo🦕 mamooshka Kelly's 10th Fan

[Ivy Leegue™]

Very interesting choices. I get that some of these are "classics" but either they were boring to me or just didn't age well. Oh well. That top 15 is actually pretty strong.

[🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲]

Today's reveals wasn't so bad.

[Soulsista]

Welcome back!

The next reveal has the 3rd highest SD. Top 10s will be lost, along with three bottom 10s.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Tags}jtd Thee Stallion B-Boy beyoncelover singingrulebritannia chanman khan rowellfarm490 aerodynamite SHOOTER American Idiot 🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 willapted33 gonecountry BB🌕 wrip emerald Ivy Leegue™ dremolus - solarpunk 312999 Optical Apex wyckyd annoymous1 #LisaRinna samo🦕 mamooshka Kelly's 10th Fan