50 Best Rap Songs Of 2009

2009 had some great music, so when it came to compiling my top 50 hip hop songs, I had my work cut out for me. There was so much dope music to choose from but I finally narrowed it down, here are the best 50 rap songs of 2009:

50. "Young Boy Talk" by Wiz Khalifa

This song is from Wiz Khalifa's debut album, Deal Or No Deal, which dropped earlier this year [read my review here]. Shallow lyrical content be damned, Wiz has evident skill, and a lot of potential. Wouldn't be surprised if this kid stays around for awhile.

49. "New Shit" by Young Money

I wasn't feeling this Young Money album as a whole but there were a couple bangers one there, this one included. The beat is dope and a little obscure, not really something you might expect to hear on this album but it works.

48. "The Great" by Elzhi

Laced by an Oh No instrumental, Elzhi drops a quick-firing couple of verses. What's crazy is, this track was on his leftovers mixtape. If El can afford to scrap a song this dope, I can't wait to see what he'll do on his next album.


47. "2 Minute Warning" by Snoop Dogg

Arguably the only song worth listening to on Snoop's new album on account of the fact that he actually goes in, hard. Too bad it's so short.

46. "Pennies" (Updated Roster Remix) by The Cool Kids featuring Ludacris and Bun B

The Cool Kids link up with Ludacris and Bun B for this cool, bass-infested banger. I started getting into some of their material lately and I've realized how random a lot of their lyrics can be. That's not really why I'm feeling them though, songs like this keep me being a steady Cool Kids fan.

45. "I Never" by CYNE

"I never brag about the crack I sell". Got this track by recommendation early in the year and been bumping it ever since. CYNE stays pretty underground but they're dope, give 'em a listen.

44. "Drop The World" by Lil Wayne featuring Eminem

Wayne enlisted Eminem for this single off his upcoming rock album, Rebirth. All the other leaks prior to this one sounded like sheeet so I was pretty excited when this came out. Dope beat, Weezy isn't really trying to "sing" per say and Em in the mix is always good. Unfortunately the rest of the album didn't sound like this.

43. "The Mayor" by Pacific Division

Pac Div had been performing this song since late '08 but the audio officially dropped this year. They're another group that I think has the potential to blow up in the coming years.

42. "Jack My Dick" by Obie Trice

Hilarious. Obie goes in unapologetically about, well, jacking his dick off. Huge [II] on this one, and there's really not an appropriate time to be listening to this song, ever. But it's worth a listen even if just for a laugh.

41. "Daytona 500" by The Kid Daytona featuring Bun B

The Kid Daytona and Bun B get it in over this laid back 6th sense instrumental. Bun B stays dropping dope guest verses.

40. "Fat Raps" by Chip Tha Ripper featuring Curren$y and Big Sean

Chuck Inglish dropped in to supply this bass-heavy beat for Chip and some friends to spit some good 'ol mellow hipster/stoner rap over. Perfect combination. After hearing this I had to put my theory in stone, Chip Tha Ripper > Kid Cudi.

39. "That's Coke" by La Coka Nostra

House Of Pain plus Ill Bill and Slaine equals La Coka Nostra, a group of the most thugged out white boy rappers you'll ever find. They dropped their debut LP, A Brand You Can Trust, which included some dense headbangers like this one.

38. "Goodnite" by Sean Price featuring Petro and Royce Da 5'9"

Sean Price opens this one up with "sh-t on your hood, ya'll n-ggas ain't sh-t in the hood", just to give you some perspective on how he was going in. Then, Royce comes in hard as ever, and all over this nasty synth instrumental. Damn I can't wait for Mic Tyson!

37.5 "Jumper Cables" by Finale

Finale's A Pipe Dream and A Promise was undoubtedly one of my favorite albums of the year. Lyrically and production-wise it was more than solid, plus there were a couple tracks like this that literally got me off my seat.

37. "Solo Dolo" by Kid Cudi

I had Kid Cudi's album on my list of most disappointing releases this year but I can't deny the genius on "Solo Dolo". It took me quite a few listens but eventually the trippy instrumental, chopped up flow, deep sound, and intense chorus all came together for a dope, original song, good for just chilling and vibing to.

36. "Lock Shit Down" by Chali 2na featuring Talib Kweli

Chali 2na and Talib Kweli have a couple of the most easily distinguishable voices in the rap game. Put them both together on one track and an impressive banger ensues.

35. "I-Gititin" by Blaq Poet

DJ Premier really is a beast on the boards. He laced this track, and the rest of an album, for Blaq Poet. This song in particular is a straight black hoodie rap joint, Blaq's gritty voice and raw delivery are perfect over this curb-stompin' beat.

34. "Killin' Everybody" by Tiye Phoenix

This track is what caught my attention and drew me into listening to Tiye Phoenix's Half Woman, Half Amazin'. Tiye goes hard, real hard. Borderline furiously.

33. "Catalina" by Raekwon featuring Lyfe Jennings

One of my favorite joints off OBCL2. Dr. Dre produced this beat, Lyfe Jennings handles the hook, and Rae lays down a couple of his trademark smooth drug smuggling verses.

32. "The One" by Slaughterhouse

Club-banger!!! DJ Khalil went dumb on this beat. Gets me hype everytime.

32.5 "Mafia Music" by Rick Ross

"Love my handgun, but my chopper's still the sh-t, banned in 1994 but I'm too legit to quit". Despite all the b.s. (CO scandal, 50 beef and such) Rick Ross managed to drop a more-than-decent album this year. I still bump a few tracks off it, mainly this one, the opener. Ross' flow is too ill with some mafioso lyrics. What I wasn't feeling though was his big 'ol man titties all up in the video... major [II].

31. "Grown Simba" by J. Cole

Good looks to Jay Z for jumping on J. Cole before anyone else did. Kid's got skills out the ass, no question about it. This one catches Cole in a retrospective mood over an understated beat with a soulful sample.

30. "Underground" by Eminem

"Cut your f-cking head off and ask where your headed off to". I mess with Relapse as a whole but this was really the only track on there where Em sounded angry. That's where I think he's at his best, raging, "I don't give a f-ck" Eminem > weird accent Eminem, any day, anytime.

29. "Acts Of Violence" by Gangrene [Alchemist and Oh No] featuring Roc C and Crooked I

The Alchemist's Chemical Warfare was a pretty good album but if anything it just got me more anxious to hear more from this emerging duo, Gangrene, which consists of rapper/producers Alchemist and Oh No. Both have proven their skills on the boards but are underrated on the mic, can't wait to hear an album from them.. 2010? Anyway, this was one of the two Gangrene tracks featured on Chemical Warfare, song goes hard and Crooked I's guest verse is one of the best of the year.

28. "Antenna" by Zion I

Zion I's The Take Over was extremely slept on this year, as well as this little conscious rap banger with the addicting beat and infectious hook. This one will get the party off on the right foot.

27. "Forever" by Drake featuring Kanye West, Lil' Wayne, and Eminem

"Went hard all fall like the ball teams, just so I could make it rain, all spring". As big as a hit this was, and as many people that hated it, I still bump this track. Yeah, Drake's hook is kinda wack if you really listen to it. But, Eminem absolutely kills this song, Kanye beats the beat up too along with Drizzy on his verse, and Wayne's don't hurt either. Feeling this beat too, as simple as it is.

26. "Figure Four" by Sean Price

P! Sean went in this last bit of the year, dropped a lot of material, stirred up a lot of buzz, and let the world know that he just doesn't give a sh-t anymore. I'm looking for him to make noise in 2010 as well, hopefully his album will be as good as this.

25. "Empire State of Mind" by Jay Z featuring Alicia Keys

This song probably would have been a lot better if I was actually from New York but either way it's dope. I like Jay's confident swagger on this one, and Alicia Keys doesn't disappoint.

24. "I Hate My Job" by Cam'ron

This has been my every morning anthem since it dropped. A real humble song from Cam, different from a lot that you've probably heard from him before but a change for the better. This one hit home for a lot of people since most of us can't really relate with that "I got paper stacks" talk rappers are always spitting. This is recession rap at it's best.

23. "Shine Blockas" by Big Boi featuring Gucci Mane

I'm a huge Big Boi fan and somewhat of a Gucci Mane listener so you can imagine the excitement when this was leaked off Big's Sir Lucious Left Foot. Unfortunately, that album is still yet to drop but this track should be enough to hold me over as long as the wait isn't too long.

22. "Run This Town" by Jay Z featuring Rhianna and Kanye West

I was attracted to this cocky radio-hit by Rhianna's catchy hook and West's impressive guest verse. In my opinion Jay was lacking a little bit on his side, didn't stop this song from catching fire though.

21. "Kinda Like A Big Deal" by The Clipse featuring Kanye West

I don't know about the flow running on Big's heels but the Thornton brothers definitely hold their own over this epic DJ Khalil beat and Kanye came dangerously close to murdering them on their own track.

20. "Trap Goin' Ham" by Pill

Pill cooked up a trap anthem with this track accompanied by eye-opening visuals.

19. "Da Game Been Good To Me" by UGK

I've been a moderate UGK fan ever since I can remember. It's one of those things where I don't automatically think of them when someone asks me who my favorite groups are, but I own every one of they're albums anyway. This song was released on UGK 4 Life and pretty much sums up the group's career in one last hit.

18. "Glass" by Pill

Not to say that "Trap Goin' Ham" isn't a dope song as well (it's just a scroll up isn't it?), but "Glass" is Pill's best song released in '09. Pill talks a lot more about himself, his life, and his grind over a complex beat. This is also another one with a dope video.

17. "Boxframe Cadillac" by Freddie Gibbs

Mr. Gibbs couldn't have made a better song for rolling around in the whip. You haven't heard this song until you've blasted it in your car, rolled down the window and mean-mugged some scared-looking white folks in the car next to you.

16. "Popular Demand" by The Clipse featuring Cam'ron

The Clipse needed a 'return to the game' track so they decided to go all out and enlist Cam to ride over this crazy  beat with them.

15. "Ill Figures" by Wu Tang Clan featuring M.O.P. and Kool G Rap

The Revelations instrumental is tooo ill and Raekwon along with M.O.P. and Kool G make it that much better. Veteran rap thrived for the most part in '09.

14. "City Lights" by Redman and Method Man featuring Bun B

Bun B might just be the best featuring artist the rap game has ever seen. His hook on this song is infectious and Red and Meth's chemistry still shows as strong as it did for the first Blackout album.

13. "I Wish I Knew Natalie Portman" by k-os featuring Saukrates

Canada rap FTW! This song is dope but don't ask me about the title, I'm just as lost as you are.

12. "D.O.A." by Jay Z

This was quite possibly the most important rap song of '09. Backed by a leading trumpet, riding drums, a dope guitar riff, and no melody Jay single-handedly ushered in a new era of rap music. Practically assault with a deadly weapon.

11. "Lights Please" by J. Cole

Cole had kind of a somber, depressed style over this minimalistic beat but that just makes the listener put more focus on his raw lyrical skill.

10. "Beautiful" by Eminem

Another relatively bleak track to round out the top 10 but I can't deny Em went in on this one. He got serious, refined his flow, and left the weird accents at home, thank god.

9. "Quiet Dog Bite Hard" by Mos Def

Upbeat and original, this is one of the best songs off of the best album of the year.

8. "Womb To The Tomb" by Freddie Gibbs featuring Pill

Yeah, I know, Freddie Gibbs and Pill pretty much ran my top 20.. what can I say, they both released some dope music in '09. The appeal for these two comes in they're realness, they spit what they know, from experience. Put them on the same track and the product was just another reason to look out for both these guys in 2010.

7. "Holy Are You" by Rakim

Straight fire from the god MC! I got all kinds of excited when this track first dropped, unfortunately the rest of the album wasn't quite on this song's level. I can still bump this one though.

6. "House Of Flying Daggers" by Raekwon featuring Inspectah Deck, GZA, Ghostface Killah, and Method Man

If the next official Wu Tang Clan album sounds like this I might have to go out and get a Wu tattoo, that's how dope it is.

5. "Auditorium" by Mos Def featuring Slick Rick

This is my favorite track off of The Ecstatic mostly due to Slick Rick's dope guest verse. The patch is smooth as hell over this exotic Madlib instrumental. Mos Def lays it down too though, as always.

4. "New Wu" by Raekwon featuring Method Man and Ghostface Killah

Dope instrumental from RZA and Method Man kills this track both on the hook and in his verse. Throw your 'W's up!

3. "10 Bricks" by Raekwon featuring Cappadonna and Ghostface Killah

Woah Mook, two tracks from OBCL2 in the top 5? Yeah, I know. Thing is, they both deserve these spots. "10 Bricks" is Rae, Cap, and Ghost spitting sharp rhymes about the street lifestyle over one of the craziest Dilla instrumentals I've ever heard.

2. "Life As A Shorty" by Fashawn featuring J. Mitchell

This is the main place where my list is going to differ from other top song lists you'll see around the blogs. I've gone through a couple different lists of the best rap songs from the past year, and almost none of them included Fashawn's "Life As A Shorty", a single off of his debut album, Boy Meets World. As you can see, I on the other hand, think this track is genius. The beat by Exile lays down a canvas for Fashawn's crisp lyrics and impressive storytelling ability to paint a vivid picture in the listeners mind. Add a solid hook from J. Mitchell and you have my second best rap song of 2009.

1. "Exhibit C" by Jay Electronica

And this is where my list won't be any different from others. I feel like such a goat placing this song at number one, just like every other blogger out there, but Jay Electronica's "Exhibit C" was undoubtedly the best rap song released in '09. Jay ElecHanukkah rips this Just Blaze beat to pieces, no hook, no wasted time, this is a song that hip hop fans will remember for years to come.