To celebrate the 25th anniversary of their Hot Rap Songs chart, Billboard has compiled a list of the genre’s top 100 tracks over the last quarter-century. The result is a collection of songs from rap’s greatest legends, newcomers, all the way down to the one-hit wonders.
With all the superstars on the list, you won’t find Drake, JAY Z, Kanye West, or Lil Wayne in the Top 10, but you know who you will find? Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, who make two appearances in the the Top 5 with “Thrift Shop” and “Can’t Hold Us.” Varied to say the least, Waka Flocka, Missy Elliot, and Notorious B.I.G. also make entries near the top of the list making for a pretty comprehensive chart.
After the break, check out the criteria Billboard used to conceive the list, Billboard’s Top 100 Rap Songs in it’s entirety, and then let us know what you think!
The 25th Anniversary Hot Rap Songs ranking is based on actual performance on the weekly Hot Rap Songs chart, since the chart’s inception in the March 11, 1989, issue. Rankings are based on an inverse point system, with weeks at No. 1 having the greatest value and weeks at lower positions proportionately less. Due to various changes in chart rules, chart length and methodology throughout the years, songs had varying reigns at No. 1 and on the chart. To ensure equitable representation of the biggest hits from all 25 years, certain time frames were weighted to account for the difference in turnover rates from those periods.
Peep the rest of Billboard’s Top 100 Rap Songs here.