Hip Hop Anonymous

Track: Bedrock

Artist: Young Money feat. lil Wayne, Drake, Nicki Minaj, Lloyd

Album: We Are Young Money

Favorite Lines:

And now we murderers/because we kill time

I got her runnin’ back and forth/soccer team

I see me with her/No Stevie Wonder

She don’t even wonder/’cause she know she bad

And I got her playa, grocery bagged

He say I’m bad/he probly right/he pressin me like button downs on a Friday night

I love your sushi roll/hotter than wasabi/I race for your love/shake and bake/ricki bobbi

I’m at the W but I can’t meet you in the lobby

Girl, I gotta watch my back/I’m not just anybody

I let her see the Ashton/I let the rest surprise her

That’s when we disappear/you need GPS to find her

Oh that was your girl? I thought I recognized her…

Comments: This was one of the first mainstream hits from Young Money.  I could probably do a whole blog post analysis on the empire that is Young Money Cash Money Billionaires (stay tuned for that)—one of rap’s most dominant cliques.  Led by the crazy genius that is ‘lil Wayne, they’ve produced dozens of hits and I’d give just about anything to be a member.  Also Nicki’s verse on this track is bomb.com.

Track: Swagga Like Us

Artist: Jay-Z, T.I. , Lil Wayne, Kanye West

Album: Paper Trail

Favorite Lines:

I can’t teach you my swag/You can pay for school but you can’t buy class

The single best verse of all time:

Verses autobiographical/absolutely classical/the last thing I’m worried about is what another rapper do

Ain’t nobody hot as me even if they rap they ass off/blast off and have outstanding qualities 

Sell alotta records/I respect and salute that/But spitting real life on hot beats I’m the truth at

You kick it like me no exaggeration necessary/living revolutionary, nothing less than legendary

Gangsta shit hereditary, got it from my Dad/flow colder than February with extraordinary swag

Comments: In addition to having the best single best verse of all time, this track is an insane collaboration.  Add to that a sweet M.I.A sample and you have a pretty awesome track.

Track: Otis

Artist: Jay-Z & Kanye West

Album: Watch The Thrown

Favorite Lines:

I invented swag

Photo shoot fresh/lookin’ like wealth/I’m ‘bout to call the paparazzi on myself

Everything’s for sale/I’ve got 5 passports/I’m never goin’ to jail

Comments: Arguably the best rap song since Juicy.  Unreal sampling.  When Otis was first leaked, Hot 107 in New York played it on repeat for over three hours.  Also, they destroy a Maybach in the music video just because they can—definition of swag.