55 Best 2000s Hip Hop Songs (Rap Songs)

Ever since its inception in the 80s, hip hop has always been one of the more colorful and rapidly growing genres in recent memory During the 2000s, hip hop was starting to drift from the sounds of certain regions to music that is largely influenced by outside forces, like the radio, other genres, or even cultural events Here are some picks for some of the best that the 2000s had to offer in the hip-hop genre Our list of the best 2000s hip hop songs, enjoy! Table of Contents - 1. â1, 2 Step (ft. Missy Elliott)â by Ciara - 2. âStrongerâ by Kanye West - 3. âGrindinââ by Clipse - 4. âLow Class Conspiracyâ by Quasimoto - 5. âOneâ by Ghostface Killah - 6. âWe Takinâ Over (ft. Rick Ross, T.I., Akon, Birdman, Lil Wayne &Joe)â by DJ Khaled - 7. âRoc Boys (And The Winner Is by Jay-Z - 8. âVaudeville Villainâ by Viktor Vaughn - 9. âThey Say (ft. Kanye West & John Legend)â by Common - 10. âPaper Planesâ by M.I.A - 11. âSippinâ on the Syrup (ft. UGK & Project Pat)â by Three 6 Mafia - 12. âGet Low (ft. Ying Yang Twins)â by Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz - 13. Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappinâ) (ft. Young Joc)â by T-Pain - 14. âHeart of the City (Ainât No Love)â by Jay-Z - 15. âBest I Ever Hadâ by Drake - 16. âNone Shall Passâ by Aesop Rock - 17. âKick, Pushâ by Lupe Fiasco - 18. âDonât Feel Right (ft. Maimouna Youssef)â by The Roots - 19. âDay ânâ Night (Nightmare)â by Kid Cudi - 20. âGet UrOnâ by Missy Elliott - 21. âPump Itâ by The Black Eyed Peas - 22. âGold Digger (ft. Jamie Foxx)â by Kanye West - 23. âB.O.R. (Birth of Rap)â by Lil B - 24. âHey Ya!â by OutKast - 25. âThe Salmon Danceâ by The Chemical Brothers - 26. âFeel Good Inc. (ft. De La Soul)â by Gorillaz - 27. âI Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)â by Jay-Z - 28. âMany Men (Wish Death)â by 50 Cent - 29. âStanâ by Eminem - 30. âIâm Sprungâ by T-Pain - 31. âA Milliâ by Lil Wayne - 32. âCupidâs Chokehold (ft. Patrick Stump)â by Gym Class Heroes - 33. âAll Capsâ by Madvillain - 34. âIntâl Players Anthem (ft. OutKast)â by UGK - 35. âI Luv Uâ by Dizzee Rascal - 36. âRight Thurr (Remix) (ft. Jermaine Dupri & Trina)â by Chingy - 37. âLove Lockdownâ by Kanye Westâ - 38. âDoo Ragsâ by Nas - 39. âOh Boy (ft. Juelz Santana)â by Camâron - 40. âDrop It Like Itâs Hot (ft. Pharrell Williams)â by Snoop Dogg - 41. âThe Way You Move (ft. Sleepy Brown)â by OutKast - 42. âBreak Ya Neckâ by Busta Rhymes - 43. â99 Problemsâ by Jay-Z - 44. âDead and Gone (ft. Justin Timberlake)â by T.I - 45. âHustlinââ by Rick Ross - 46. âLose Yourselfâ by Eminem - 47. âLemonadeâ by Gucci Mane - 48. âJesus Walksâ by Kanye West - 49. âLovinâ It (ft. Joe Scudda)â by Little Brother - 50. âMs. Jacksonâ by OutKast - 51. âThe Champâ by Ghostface Killah - 52. âClint Eastwood (ft. Del the Funky Homosapien)â by Gorillaz - 53. âSlow Jamz (ft. Kanye West & Jamie Foxx)â by Twista - 54. âEmpire State of Mind (ft. Alicia Keys)â by Jay-Z - 55. âRapp Snitch Knishes (ft. Mr. Fantastik)â by MF DOOM - 2000s Hip Hop Songs â Final Thoughts == 1. â1, 2 Step (ft. Missy Elliott)â by Ciara == In the 2000s, if you were not on the dancefloor, you were not living Thanks to songs like â *1, 2 Step hip hop ruled the clubs, having everyone show off whoâs got the best moves and who deserves to stay on the back burner == 2. âStrongerâ by Kanye West == Pop rap during the 2000s would change forever thanks to innovators like Ye After sampling Daft Punk of all people, Mr. West creates a fusion of pop, rap, and electronic music into an anthemic display of talent that was unheard of at the time == 3. âGrindinââ by Clipse == Forever being rapped on school cafeteria tables everywhere, Clipse and The Neptunes know how to make a real banger beat Itâs nice to see that Clipse is slowly becoming a thing again and maybe, just maybe, we can find ourselves listening to some brand new music by the duo sooner rather than later == 4. âLow Class Conspiracyâ by Quasimoto == Quasimoto, the rap persona of the infamous producer Madlib, comes through with something so left-field and out there that no one in the 2000s was prepared for When it comes to output, Madlib has always found himself being a quality and consistent ballplayer == 5. âOneâ by Ghostface Killah == After the success of the Wu-Tang Clan, many members drifted off into solo ventures and no one felt more prominent than Ghostface Killah After listening to songs like this off of â *Supreme Clientele is that really much of a surprise that his material is so monumental? == 6. âWe Takinâ Over (ft. Rick Ross, T.I., Akon, Birdman, Lil Wayne &Joe)â by DJ Khaled == Most people forget that DJ Khaled technically got his start in the 2000s â *We Takinâ Over*â showed the world that DJ Khaled had the ability to bring together musicians from all around into a song so massive and quality that he would continue to do this for decades to come == 7. âRoc Boys (And The Winner Is by Jay-Z == A song about celebratory success, Jay-Z is one of the most successful musicians and entrepreneurs of the 2000s If there was anybody who deserves the success they have for what theyâve done for hip hop throughout multiple generations, itâs definitely Hov == 8. âVaudeville Villainâ by Viktor Vaughn == Known as the villain of hip hop, DOOMâs alter ego Viktor Vaughn brings energy unseen by him or any of his various pseudonyms Shifting from cool and relaxed to gritty and menacing, Viktor Vaughn brings new life into the 2000s hip hop scene and no song encapsulates that more than âVaudeville Villain.â == 9. âThey Say (ft. Kanye West & John Legend)â by Common == Common speaks to hison this beautifully-produced track, talking about how heâs going to continue having his values of embracing afro-centrism even if he still strives for success Thereâs a big trend around hip hop musicians becoming huge figures in the music industry during the 2000s and itâs great to see the success theyâve found themselves == 10. âPaper Planesâ by M.I.A. == When it came to weird and left-field popular hip hop, M.I.A. always pushed the boundaries of what music sounds like In her biggest success to date, she finds herself on her most fun and enjoyable beat Make no mistake, however If you think going through the rest of her discography will be as conventional as â *Paper Planes*â then good luck == 11. âSippinâ on the Syrup (ft. UGK & Project Pat)â by Three 6 Mafia == Being one of 2000s hip hopâs more underappreciated genres, Memphis rap birthed so many classic musicians in the genre Some of the more iconic ones even came from the extremely notable Three 6 Mafia, such as Juicy J, Gangsta Boo, DJ Paul, and more All of them and more are responsible for creating this almost strange side of hip hop thatâs influenced so many artists in the upcoming decade == 12. âGet Low (ft. Ying Yang Twins)â by Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz == Crunk music took over the 2000s radio hip hop sound and back in the day, Lil Jon & The East Boyz ruled the crunk scene From their car-hopping beats to their unmatched energy, the posse proved that hip hop had so much steam left in it than people might have thought == 13. Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappinâ) (ft. Young Joc)â by T-Pain == Mixing sensual and hip-swiveling aesthetics, T-Pain has always been a hit maker and pioneer in his own respect âBuy U a Drankâ is nothing less than a beautiful look at how to make a song thatâs fun, catchy, and well-written == 14. âHeart of the City (Ainât No Love)â by Jay-Z == Itâs too often people pray for the downfall of other more successful individuals, whether that be for a good reason or not Jay-Z certainly doesnât feel the love when he finds others wishing for his downfall, so heâs here to show that heâs not going down anytime soon == 15. âBest I Ever Hadâ by Drake == Before Drake became one of the biggest stars in the world, he was but a small Canadian rapper, trying to make it with an emotional sound that resulted in a lot of laughter and However, this song and everything else Drake was working on would later be copied by a whole generation of up-and-coming rappers, making him one of the most influential artists of the genre == 16. âNone Shall Passâ by Aesop Rock == Taking a jab at society and the faults it showcases, Aesop Rock finds himself in an interesting position in the 2000s His slow rise in popularity would not come from your average hip hop listener, but rather those who enjoy a bit of esoteric wordplays in the mix Aesop Rock is always a man of the people, itâs just a matter of whether the people are willing to listen == 17. âKick, Pushâ by Lupe Fiasco == A young Lupe Fiasco would find so much radio success with his later releases, but for now, it started here with his debut single, a song about, well, whatever you want it to be about Drug dealing, skateboarding, let this song play and you interpret it for yourself == 18. âDonât Feel Right (ft. Maimouna Youssef)â by The Roots == Something doesnât feel right and itâs not just The Roots that are feeling this way Politics and social inequality, this is only the surface of what Black Thought is looking at and finding holes in There are a lot of marginalized groups whoâve found success throughout the 2000s, but that doesnât mean there werenât far too many who found themselves in harmâs way due to the environment they were raised in == 19. âDay ânâ Night (Nightmare)â by Kid Cudi == Still seen as his biggest hit to date, Kid Cudi raps about using drugs to run away from his issues after the passing of his uncle What would then follow is a steady rise in popularity for him, with â *Day ânâ Nite*â continuing to be his crown jewel == 20. âGet UrOnâ by Missy Elliott == Notable for her impeccable flows and wordplay, Missy has been wowing the hip hop crowds for decades and itâs during the 2000s that she shined the brightest Thanks to hits like this, she has found herself in conversations about being one of the best rappers of the 2000s, if not the best == 21. âPump Itâ by The Black Eyed Peas == Being pop rapâs most successful group of the 2000s, The Black Eyed Peas had a lot of eyes on them and a lot of people who would criticize them for the music they made However, one canât deny that their success had some validity to them With songs like this, pop rap was having this fresh and fun energy to it that we hadnât seen in the same capacity == 22. âGold Digger (ft. Jamie Foxx)â by Kanye West == Kanyeâs knack for chopping samples is put on display here, with Jamie Foxxâs voice taking up most of the track while never feeling overbearing With both of their talents combined, they came together in such a way that was so grand and decade-defining == 23. âB.O.R. (Birth of Rap)â by Lil B == Always ten steps ahead of the rest of the genre, Lil Bâs contribution to dreamy cloud rap is not to go unnoticed Had it not been for him and producers like Clams Casino, cloud rap wouldnât be as huge as it is today Even just for that, Lil B will go down as one of the greatest of the genre == 24. âHey Ya!â by OutKast == OutKast was composed of two members, both of which made their own albums and put them together into 2003âs â *Speakerboxxx / The Love Below Andre 3000âs biggest hit under the OutKast name, â *Hey Ya would prove that he was a staple in the genreâs legacy, from the songâs fun grooves to its underappreciated lyrics == 25. âThe Salmon Danceâ by The Chemical Brothers == Mixing elements of electronic music with rapping from The Pharcydeâs Fatlip, comedy rap during the 2000s would find its peak here A song about how to dance like a salmon is absurd and a bit childish, but what these two forces would do would help people see that hip hop is also allowed to be fun and comedic too Unwind a little and try your best to follow the instructions! == 26. âFeel Good Inc. (ft. De La Soul)â by Gorillaz == With one of the most iconic intros of any song, Gorillaz proved that it didnât matter if a band is technically real if the emotion and intention are still there De La Soul and Damon Albarn complement each other so well in a singer/rapper combination and that chemistry would go unmatch during the rest of the decade == 27. âI Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)â by Jay-Z == Before Jay-Z became the businessman he would later be, he was just your everyday rapper finding ways to have fun and pass the time He would express that through amazing production choices and smooth sampling Songs like this just proved how eclectic Jay-Zâs discography is == 28. âMany Men (Wish Death)â by 50 Cent == Plenty of people forget that hip hop has a lot of dark themes revolving around its creators Infamously, 50 Cent has found himself in near-death situations before and, rather than letting that fester inside, chose to let the world know through song What he went through isnât uncommon in the genre and itâs necessary to see people like him speak up about this == 29. âStanâ by Eminem == In one of hip hopâs most telling songs, Eminem raps from the perspective of an obsessed fan, one who crosses the line in more ways than one Fame is a scary thing and songs like this address it at its most bare and heart-stopping == 30. âIâm Sprungâ by T-Pain == Itâs crazy how talented T-Pain has always been and, for a while, he was just reduced to the guy who uses autotune Even this song, one of his earliest hits, can go head to head with anyoneâs whole discography and still come out on top == 31. âA Milliâ by Lil Wayne == With classic after classic under his belt, Lil Wayne helped hip hop become the gigantic genre it was always destined to be with hit songs like â *A Milli Who could possibly hear this song and not think that itâs one of the craziest hip hop songs to ever hit the radio? == 32. âCupidâs Chokehold (ft. Patrick Stump)â by Gym Class Heroes == Crossing paths between the pop rap world and the punk scene wasnât all that common during the 2000s, but Travie McCoy and Patrick Stump made it work Not only was the collaboration a major drawing point, but what Travie has to say about love is just too sweet for words == 33. âAll Capsâ by Madvillain == No one knew what they were in for when MF DOOM and Madlib decided to come together and create some of the most important music the genre has ever experienced âAll Capsâ is not just a classic 2000s rap song, but a message about respect for who MF DOOM is and always will be one of the greatest rappers in history == 34. âIntâl Players Anthem (ft. OutKast)â by UGK == One of the sweetest hip hop songs youâll hear from this decade This song oozes class with its timeless instrumental and verses from some of the 2000sâ biggest names in hip hop == 35. âI Luv Uâ by Dizzee Rascal == Representing the UK, Dizzee goes a lot more hardcore than a lot of what general audiences are used to hearing But that bass! If you wannaout your speakers then let this song play loud asat your next function == 36. âRight Thurr (Remix) (ft. Jermaine Dupri & Trina)â by Chingy == Crunk music had this energy to it that was just so bouncy, it made everyone drop whatever they were doing and get their groove on! This song is one of the genreâs best examples of the infectious attitude it had on people Sometimes itâs sad to look back and realize that itâs all just a thing of its time == 37. âLove Lockdownâ by Kanye Westâ == Kanyeâs venture into a completely different style than what heâs shown from his previous material proved his versatility and persistence to move forward rather than staying in one place What resulted is, in my opinion, some of his best material and some of the more necessary tracks of his discography and of the 2000s == 38. âDoo Ragsâ by Nas == Nas is here to tell the world that heâs not going anywhere Taking more of a retrospective look, âDoo Ragsâ shows that Nas is still looking to keep the 90s alive, even if everyone is moving on from it == 39. âOh Boy (ft. Juelz Santana)â by Camâron == If youâre really looking to take it back to the 2000s, youâre gonna need some Camâron in the mix For anyone looking to swivel their hips to this hit, make sure you scream every time you hear the word âboy.â == 40. âDrop It Like Itâs Hot (ft. Pharrell Williams)â by Snoop Dogg == Arguably one of the most quotable songs of the 2000s Snoop Dogg is just like Jay-Z and Kanye in the way that heâs surpassed just being a rapper Heâs a figure, a household name even == 41. âThe Way You Move (ft. Sleepy Brown)â by OutKast == From the horn-backed chorus to Big Boiâs knack for writing witty and fast verses, this song would be his biggest song if it wasnât released under the OutKast name Itâs great to see Big Boi get the flowers he deserves all these years later, as he was just as talented as his counterpart == 42. âBreak Ya Neckâ by Busta Rhymes == When it comes to fast rappers, thereâre very few doing it like Busta Rhymes Heâs not just someone who can rap at incredible speeds but he also knows how to bring gruff into the music he writes Itâs blood-pumping == 43. â99 Problemsâ by Jay-Z == Jay-Z magnum opus You donât even need to have heard this song to know the phrase â *Iâve got 99 problems but aainât one One of hip hopâs greats does it again == 44. âDead and Gone (ft. Justin Timberlake)â by T.I. == T.I. lets us know that heâs no longer the person he was when he was younger, that heâs grown Growing up is a normal part of becoming the person you want to be, and T.I. is looking to get closer to the person he can feel represents him better than who he was yesterday == 45. âHustlinââ by Rick Ross == Florida has always been a key factor in the growing genre of hip hop and itâs thanks to Rick Ross and â *Hustlin that helped prove that Once you even think about this song youâll have that chorus stuck in your head for days == 46. âLose Yourselfâ by Eminem == You donât often find that an artistâs biggest song is from a soundtrack, but once Eminem released this song, it was ahit Spawning countless memes, the song has cemented itself in hip hop history == 47. âLemonadeâ by Gucci Mane == Bright and colorful are only a few words that could describe this masterpiece Gucci Mane has been an icon for a long time but once you look back on earlier tracks like âLemonade,â you start to wonder if heâs always been far more talented than we gave him credit for == 48. âJesus Walksâ by Kanye West == A breathtaking song that really needs no explanation Kanye West marches forward with this decade-defining classic, proving that heâs one of the greatest musicians working in the 2000s and right now == 49. âLovinâ It (ft. Joe Scudda)â by Little Brother == With the song and music video allegedly being âtoo intelligentâ for BET to show, Little Brother and Joe Scudda have proven that people can be too uncomfortable to listen to satirical interpretations of serious matters Making fun of minstrel shows, the group finds themselves speaking for matters that arenât being spoken about by a large percentage of people == 50. âMs. Jacksonâ by OutKast == Finally, an OutKast song performed by OutKast! Andre 3000 and Big Boi show the world why they came together in the first place: because they are sogood at what they do and what they do is make catchy and compelling music == 51. âThe Champâ by Ghostface Killah == âHeâs an animal, heâs hungry!â Oh, we can tell The 2000s was a fantastic time to be a Wu-Tang fan, yet itâs crazy to see Ghostface not have the fruitful career that he deserves, especially when he has classic material like this == 52. âClint Eastwood (ft. Del the Funky Homosapien)â by Gorillaz == A truly haunting single From its spooky intro to the music video attached, itâs no wonder that the song that brought Gorillaz into the spotlight would be seen as one of their best We also canât forget the amazing verse by Del the Funky Homosapien, who basically takes over the whole track == 53. âSlow Jamz (ft. Kanye West & Jamie Foxx)â by Twista == During the 2000s, it wasnât just enough that you could rap fast, you also had to know how to write a hook and make a whole song Twista was one of the blueprints for how to showcase talent while also making something enjoyable, with âSlow Jamzâ being his best example of this == 54. âEmpire State of Mind (ft. Alicia Keys)â by Jay-Z == Jay-Z and Alicia Keys come together to talk about their love for New York, as subject matter that isnât all that unique but is still necessary Not too many rappers today really represent where theyâre from and itâs great to be reminded how much someone loves their city == 55. âRapp Snitch Knishes (ft. Mr. Fantastik)â by MF DOOM == After the bombastic release that was âMadvillainy,â DOOM very easily couldâve just laid back and let the success speak for itself If youâve read your history books, you know thatâs not how it went MF DOOM really knew how to feed his audience nothing but classic material throughout his career, with 2004 being the year he ruled best We miss you, DOOM == 2000s Hip Hop Songs â Final Thoughts == Hip hop throughout every decade has shown vital growth and developments, with the 2000s being no different From crunk to cloud rap to Memphis rap, these 2000s hip hop songs only scratched the surface of what the genre entailed during the decade **Similar Playlists