Track: Hypnotize
Artist: Notorious B.I.G
Album: Life After Death
Favorite Lines:
At my arraignment/note for the plaintiff/your daughters tied up in the Brooklyn basement
Face it not guilty/that’s how i stay filthy
Escargot/my car go/swiftly, one-sixty
Wreck it buy a new one/your crew run run run your crew run run
Comments: Another classic from Biggie Smalls. The hook is bomb and he’s just. so. smooth.
Source: Spotify
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.
Source: Spotify
Track: Young Forever
Artist: Jay-Z & Mr. Hudson
Album: The Blue Print III
Favorite Lines:
Just a picture perfect day that lasts a whole lifetime/And it never ends all we have to do is hit rewind
Do you get the picture yet?/I’m painting you a portrait of young
Comments: The Joan Baez song “Forever Young” is a family favorite. The Youth Group version was my high school graduation song and this song came out the spring I graduated from college. It’s also a great sample, and Jay at his best.
Source: Spotify
Track: Monster
Album: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Artist: Kanye West, Jay-Z, Nicki Minaj, Rick Ross
Favorite lines:
I do the rap/and the track/triple double no assist
First things first I’ll eat your brains/Then imma start rockin’ gold teeth and fangs
Comments: My favorite rap song of the modern era (i.e. all classics aside). Amazing collaboration and also my favorite Nicki verse of all time.
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.
Source: Spotify