You probably know me as someone who is super into sports,
maybe too into sports. After all, it’s how I butter my bread. Another passion
of mine, like the other 7 or 8 or however many billion people in the world, is
music. It’s been in my veins my whole life – I used to sing “Pour Some Sugar On
Me” when I was 2, had a New Kids on the Block sleeping bag when I was 4 and
started watching MTV when I was 6. While other wee-lads my age were mindlessly
singing along to that “I love you, you love me” BS from Barney or some lame
Veggie Tales tune, your boy was rocking out to “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and
“What’s My Name?” while soaking in all the latest industry news from the great
Kurt Loder. While feeble-minded third graders either slept in or got up to
watch Saturday morning cartoons, your humble hero woke his ass up at 6 a.m. to
see the latest Top 20 Countdown hosted by Daisy Fuentes; he wouldn’t miss it
for the world, hoping that one of his favorite songs would finally knock Toni
Braxton’s “Unbreak My Heart” down from the No. 1 spot.
Before long, I was going to sleep with either KSJO, KOME or
Wild 94.9 on my digital alarm clock radio on the shelf next to my bed or the
boom box on the floor in my room; sometimes both were on at the same time. When
commercial radio started turning into “Everything is Awesome”-type music from
the Lego movie, I moved on to college radio, getting my underground hip-hop fix
from KSJS and piquing my interest in having my own music show when I got to
college one day.
Finally, that day came, and by my sophomore year at
Stanford, “408’s Finest” was born. My “career” in the “music industry” lasted a
grand total of three years and made me a grand total of 0 dollars (to all the
Bay Area MCs who I had sign a contract for my planned “Everybody’s Gotta Eat”
compilation co-hosted by my boy Mickey Kickz, the artist formerly known as
Conspiarcy…yeah, my bad. That went nowhere. Sorry if your hopes of making it
big were resting on my and Richard’s level of want-to), but my passion for
finding music that will make me stop in my tracks and say “hot damn, this is
good,” has never ceased.
I’m a man of numbers and lists – for the women’s basketball
fans out there, think of me as a poor man’s Mike Neighbors. When I was growing
up, I would rank each team in each professional sport in order of how much I
liked or hated them. And in 2001, I decided to compile a list of my 100
favorite songs of all time, in order (I remember sharing the first version of
my top 100 countdown on the TPWW off-topic message boards, not that any of you
would know what the hell that is). Every 2 or 3 years, I’d update the list, and
either post it on a message forum that I was currently frequenting (I think
always TPWW) or send an e-mail blast to friends.
For my latest edition, I’ve decided to post it on my blog
site that I very infrequently use. Feel free to read some of the other stuff I
wrote on here when I was like 25 or 26 (I’m not a fan of deleting my old stupid
stuff I wrote, even if it could potentially be something I need to apologize
for – you can find a lot of expletives on my Twitter account from 7 years ago,
I bet. I just don’t believe in erasing stuff to cover my tracks. If I put it
out there, I put it out there (now that said, I’ve definitely gone back and
erased or edited some stuff (end parenthetical inception))), including
three-tenths of my last Top 100 Songs post that I never got around to
finishing.
This time, I just decided to post the whole thing. A
warning, this is long – very long. It’s already more than 18,000 words, and I
haven’t even finished writing the intro yet. I don’t expect you to read the
whole thing, but if you’re feeling like telling your boss to shove this
jay-oh-bee or you’re having a bad case of insomnia, hopefully this is somewhat
entertaining and/or you find some songs you like.
Before I turn you loose on the countdown, a little bit on
the methodology used to formulate this top 100 list. Last April, I began
writing down every song I thought might have some sort of chance to be
considered for the countdown – basically, any song that I strongly liked. From
my iTunes library that is north of 10,000 songs and probably around 11,000 at
the moment, I initially whittled it down to 1,408. From there, I cut songs that
clearly didn’t stand up to the others around it until I got it down to 300
(that took more than a few rounds of cuts).
When I got it down to 300 (it turned out to be 303 because
of a couple songs I forgot to put on my initial list that I thought were too
good to leave out), I played all the songs against each other. Now you’re
probably thinking, “what the hell do you mean by that?” Well this is what I
mean by that- I started at the top of the list, and said to myself “do I like
song 1 more than song 2?” If I did, then I’d put “0-1 W” next to song 2, indicating
that song 1 defeated song 2. I would go on down the list, asking this question
of song 1 for songs 3-303, and at the end of that round robin, I would add up
all the W’s it collected against the other songs to give song 1 its won-loss
record. Then I’d go to song 2, which for this example, was currently sitting
with an 0-1 record, and I’d ask myself if I liked song 2 more than song 3, and
do the same thing down the line to 303. Then I’d add the won-loss record for
song 2 and continue with song 3, and so on. The songs with the best record is
my current favorite song of all time (at least until 2020), the song with the
second best record is my second favorite song of all time, and so on. The top
100 records make up this top 100 countdown.
As you can imagine, this was pretty time-consuming. Like I
said, I started this last April- a full 12 months ago. I think I got through
the 303-song round-robin in like December. Then I started writing blurbs on
each song in January. Then I started hyperlinking the song titles to YouTube
videos or my SoundCloud account last week (definitely not legal, but you can’t
find every song on YouTube- it’s a for-educational-use-only kinda thing, but if
enough people read this, I might have to take the songs down). And then I wrote
the intro. I wasn’t spending time on it every day, but I’d try to carve out
time here and there.
Some other notes, because yes, I’m indulging myself and
feeling like explaining this until I’m blue in the face. If you want an
overview of what this countdown looks like, it’s 44 percent rap, 22 percent
house, 18 percent other electronica (instrumental, downtempo chillout, drum n
bass, 2-step, etc. I know that’s a very wide range, but just to consolidate a
bit), 12 percent rock and 4 percent R&B/R&B-ish (I used to think I
hated R&B; apparently I don’t). This is the most diverse my countdown has
been – in year’s past, it was around 60 percent rap. I don’t love rap less, I
just like other genres more now.
If you like ‘80’s music or oldies, this countdown isn’t for
you. Every song here is from the ‘90’s or later, but I’m sure a lot of these
songs sample from songs in the ‘80’s or earlier.
When it comes to profane lyrics, I mostly chose to leave
them unedited. If you can’t tell the difference between my thoughts and Eminem
saying “fuck this," then that's on you. There are certain cases where I either
did edit a bit because I thought it might make some people cringe too much, so
I did try to use some judgment. But overall, if “s***” is less offensive to you
than “shit,” I encourage you to not read another f$%#!@* word.
Alright, disclaimers out of the way. Let’s do this. Without
further ado, here’s my 100 favorite songs of all time, starting with 100 and
working up to 1. Every song is linked for your convenience (make sure you right click and open in new tab, because I'm too stupid to figure out how to make it automatically do that on this outdated platform). Enjoy.
I love this beat; smooth and laid back. Beyond that, great
storytelling on this track. “Think about your girl because f*** it, I’m a
dreamer” is such a short-but-sweet line. I don’t know much about Cru, but
whoever the two dudes are, they flow very well together and finish off each
other’s bars with ease. I’d really like to see more of that in rap- when people
collaborate, it’s usually 1 16-bar verse from 1 dude, a separate 16 from
another. When I hear guys trade bars in a verse, it’s a plus in my book. And oh
yeah, there’s a guest verse from Slick Rick, one of the best storytellers in
rap history.
99. Lamb-
I Cry (Downtempo Chillout)
This song was there
for me. When I was living in Chicago (or Evanston, you know what I mean), I
was having a hard time being away from home and with grad school, and there was
at least one time where I cried along with this song. It also gave me strength
– “some people turn to pills and things, to help them through the day/To take
them up or down or just/to ease blues away/But me, I really want to feel/the
ups and downs of life so real/And feel sad emotions reign/my tears flow just
the same “ I was seeing a psychiatrist who suggested I take meds, and I had
multiple family members suggest the same thing. This song gave me the strength,
if that’s the right word, resolve, whatever, to not take meds. I mean, I almost
certainly wouldn’t have gone on meds, but this was one of my rallying songs
when I was going through some ish at Northwestern (which was pretty much 11 of
the 12 months I was there; still loved it though). Also, Lamb’s voice is
amazing. And if you’re on meds, I’m not knocking you, pop that Percocet, baby.
I just knew that I didn’t need them; not saying the same for you.
98. Canibus-
Who Write the Songs Ft. Jeymes Samuel (Rap)
Jeymes Samuel is Seal’s brother, and his voice is just as
dope. His singy-rappy stuff on this song is so clean and he rides the beat so
well. Then you add in Canibus, one of the best MCs of all time with this airy beat,
and you get a classic in my book. If you’re reading this in countdown order,
then remember when I said I love it when artists trade bars in the same verse?
The third verse fits the bill perfectly; it’s even better than what the dudes
in “Just Another Case” did, because you’re getting A+ spitting from Canibus and
bomb singing from Seal’s bro. This song came out when Canibus was in his prime
– early 2000’s after C True Hollywood Stories, arguably the worst rap album of
all time, came out. Canibus rebounded in a major way with two classic albums
and two other very, very good albums. And then he rapped out of his notebook to
Dizaster at a freestyle battle and fell off the face of the Earth. I don’t
listen to him anymore really, but he’s still one of the best to ever do it.
We’re not done with the Canibus man on this list.
97. Zion
I- The Sun Came Out (Rap)
Zion I is probably my favorite rap duo of all time, moreso
than Outkast. Amp Live provides the beats and MC Zion/Zumbi has the flows, and
this is another song like “I Cry” at 99 that helped me through grad school at
Northwestern. It’s obviously cold as hell in Chicago, so I’d throw this song on
during the winter when I was waiting at El stops at night to get home. I’m not
sure who sings on the chorus, but whoever she is, she’s legit. The chorus is by
far the best part of this song to the point where I don’t really know the
lyrics to the verses of this one, I just kind of zone out until the hook comes.
Like Canibus, there is more Zion I to come.
96. Olive-
You’re Not Alone (Synamatix Dub Mix) (Electronica)
I’m all about electronica remixes from artists I’ve never
heard of. I have no idea who Olive is, nor do I know who the hell Synamatix is,
but this is dope. The original version is not very good because the production
sucked; this is so on point it’s unreal. This is my kind of love song. I hate
that poppy, lovey-dovey ish. This is that “I really mean it, this feeling ain’t
fleeting” ish with an understated yet intense melody. So, so good. How this
Synamatix dude or dudette chooses to splice up Olive’s vocals and re-arrange
them is great.
95. Soundgarden-
Pretty Noose (Rock)
R.I.P. Chris Cornell. For like a few months in fourth grade,
Soundgarden was my favorite band, and it was because of their album Down on the
Upside. “Pretty Noose” was the lead single – I don’t remember the rest of the
album, but this song is still my ish. They don’t make rock music like this
anymore; if they do, point it to me, because I need more of it in my life. I
stopped listening like 15 years ago when every lead singer in rock bands
sounded like some emo lame… Chris Cornell was a hard dude. Scott Weiland, the
front man for Stone Temple Pilots was a G (R.I.P.). Billy Corgan is the bomb.
That’s that ish I do like. This song just smacks from the beginning. I’m a
sucker for mid-90’s rock; plenty more to come on this list.
94. Shakedown-
At Night (House)
And so begins the long list of house music that makes this
countdown. I love house music; I’m not talking about that oontza-oontza
pounding stuff that kids do Molly to. I’m talking about airy synths, smooth
percussion, laid back-type that was so good from the early 1990’s to early
2000’s. There’s plenty of house music that’s good that was made after that
period, but that’s when “At Night” came out. The female vocals on this track
are so awesome -- “Seems I can’t deny, some days just pass me by; You know I
feel, I feel much better, at niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.” This is a classic house
track. Sidenote- the music video version that is linked above isn’t exactly the
full version of the original song that I normally listen to, but it’s an
awesome music video.
For about 10 years, I thought this song was named “Rat in a
Cage” because that’s the key phrase in the chorus. Alas, it isn’t. Either way,
this song goes hard. “Despite of my rage, I’m still just a rat in a cage” is an
iconic line in rock music as far as I’m concerned. The music video that goes
along with this song is so freaking good. The concepts of mid-‘90s rock music
videos were fire, and the video fit this song perfectly. I also love how this
song comes back from its calm part, right into a big rage again. Billy Corgan
is one of the best singers of all time; if you don’t agree, you don’t enjoy
living.
92. N.O.M.A.D’s-
Right Here (Rap)
This was a random Napster find back in like 2000 or 2001. I
think I was searching for Fatboy Slim’s “Right Here, Right Now,” (which is
actually coincidentally playing right now as I read through this one last time)
and for some reason, I decided to click on this track. I have no idea who the
N.O.M.A.D.s are – the song wasn’t correctly titled on Napster, and I didn’t
find out the group name until one of their fans messaged me on a message board
where I posted an earlier version of this top 100 list like 15 years ago, but
whatever, this song is tight. One of my favorite themes – loyalty – plays a big
role in this track. Staying true to your boys, yeah, that’s what this one is
about, along with some urban strife stuff. Two verses- first one is pretty
optimistic, second one is pretty pessimistic; I like the dichotomy or whatever,
if that’s the right word. Melancholy piano beat, which I was an absolute sucker
for when I was 14 when I first heard this track. This used to be in my top 20
or top 25 so it’s fallen considerably and might not make my 2020 version of
this list, but it’s still a five-star talent. The dude rapping in this song has
some pretty nice flows as well.
91. Eminem-
Hailie’s Song (Rap)
The best MC to ever do it (it’s not a question – Eminem is
the best bar-for-bar rapper of all time. There is no debate to be had) shows
off his voice in this one, and it’s amazing. The bridges are ridiculously good
on this song. When he amps up the urgency in his voice, it’s glorious-
“Sometimes I think I’m crazy, I’M CRAZY OH SO CRAZY! WHY AM I HERE, AM I JUST
WASTING MY TIME?!” When I was going through one of my many in-my-feelings
phases in life, the singing verses in this song spoke to me. After two verses
of blowing some notes, Em rips a pretty legit third verse. One of the best
trademarks of an Eminem verse is on display here – Marshall Mathers doesn’t let
himself get bounded by the 16-bar-verse convention. He takes as much time as he
needs to let it flow, and seeing as he’s the best MC in the history of mankind,
the extra bars aren’t superfluous. But this song is all about the singing. I’ve
got a pretty low-fi version of this, which I think makes it sound a little
grittier and, considering the subject of the song, better. I have this album,
but I keep the illegally-downloaded copy on my laptop and iPod.
I was about 10 years late to this song, eventually finding
it on MTV Jams back when all MTV Jams did was play music videos and have
30-second skits with Buttahman (I think that’s what his name was). What can you
say about this song that hasn’t been said? This is one of the most classic
beats in hip-hop history, and two songs higher up in my countdown sample it
pretty heavily. Remember what I said about multi-MC tracks getting bonus points
for the MCs trading bars within the same verse? This is a prime example of it,
with Q-Tip and Phife Dawg effortlessly weaving in and out. Relax yourself girl,
please settle down (I used to think it was “preset plan” for the longest time
until I finally deciphered it after like the 50th listen).
89. Diverse-
Wylin’ Out (Ft. Mos Def) (Rap)
This is lyricism at its finest. Diverse is one of those Def
Jux-ish cats from the early 2000s (I don’t know if he was actually on Def Jux,
but think Blueprint, Copywrite, those kinda guys) and his first verse is so
nice. Mos Def comes in for the second verse and absolutely murders it before
Diverse comes back with a monster third verse, ending it with a “this music is
like my vessel, we seem to be inseparable/from C-Town, headed eastbound, you
know the rest it go.” There’s a couple of versions of this song with the exact
same verses – one with a beat by Prefuse 73 (which is the original), and a remix
version by RJD2. The Prefuse 73 version is one I include on the countdown. The
RJD2 one is super nice and uptempo, but I think the original one is more with
what the song should be about – an airy, out-of-this-world beat to compliment
above-your-dome spits. And it has one of the most lyrical choruses you’ll hear
– Most Def starts us with a “Hotter than most dudes/from left to right, on top
and below you/Flow like the coastals, move like smoke do” before Diverse chimes
in with a “I’m Diverse- these other cats is just hopefuls” and Mos Def finishes
it with a “When they ask who put it down, baby, you know who/Tell your whole
crew/It’s something that you need to know, dude/This is how we go through.” I
really, really love this song. 89 seems too low for it.
88. Red
Hot Chili Peppers- Under the Bridge (Rock)
This song used to be my theme song, because I’m all about
puttin’ on for my city. Hell, I’d even switch “city of Angels” to “city of
Joseph” when I’d sing it to myself (for San Jose, get it?). And then when I got
to college, one of my friends told me it was about heroin, and it kinda took
the luster off this song for me. I still like to think it’s not about heroin,
but uh, yeah… the Red Hot Chili Peppers are still a super-dope band, and this
song is still fantastic, even if it’s about that heron. It also fits the bill
of having an awesome music video, I can still picture lead singer Anthony
Kiedis running shirtless in slow motion to the camera as the opera sings at the
apex of the song. Classic.
87. Azure
Ray- No Signs of Pain (Dream Pop/Indie Rock)
Thank you, Pandora. This is one of those songs where when it
first came on my Pandora stream, I stopped everything I was doing and listened
intently, and then immediately bought it on iTunes back in like 2010. I know
absolutely nothing about Azure Ray, and this is the only thing I have from
them, but damn, this song is so, so good. The singer’s voice is wonderful and
compliments this melancholy melody perfectly. My only wish is that the chorus
would end just a tad differently than a few “without feeling”s trailing off,
but it’s not enough to really knock the song. This is still an all-timer in my
book, so much so that when I just Wikipedia’d this group, I saw that this song
was in the soundtrack for some British film called “Mouth to Mouth,” and now I
want to see this movie just for the scene where this song is played (the movie
does sound pretty tight though).
86. Public
Enemy- He Got Game (Rap)
To my 11-year-old mind, I thought “He Got Game” was like the
deepest movie ever made, and as such, I thought this song was like the deepest
song ever made. This movie (and hence song) came out when I was making my own
Big State/Tech decision, or whatever the schools were that Jesus Shuttlesworth
was choosing between, as I was trying to decide which middle school to go to. I’m
not as into “deep songs” anymore, for the most part, but this song still holds
a special place in my heart. And of course, the sample from Buffalo
Springfield’s “For What It’s Worth” is legit (I had to look it up, don’t worry),
and the choir singing “stop, look what’s that sound? Everybody knows what’s
going down!” is pretty awesome. And before Flava Flav became known for “Flava
of Love,” he drops some serious knowledge at the end of the track -- “to all
the sleeping souls, WAKE UP! And take control of your own life!” I’m not sure
if this will be on the 2020 Top 100, but it’s still on here for now.
85. DStar-
Mirror Image (Ft. MC Steele) (Trip-Hop)
This song is off a jungle compilation album. Jungle, for
those that don’t know, is one of about 37,000 sub-genres of electronic music.
And trip hop is rap with a techno-y beat, or summat. You remember how Tower
Records used to have those listening stations where you could listen to albums
over some headphones? That’s how I copped this album “This is Jungle Sky Vol.
7: Jungle in America is Here” when I was 13 in the fall of 2000. Anyways, this
wasn’t the reason why I got the album; I didn’t hear it until late one early
December afternoon when it had just turned dark and I had just finished up a
session of Crash Bandicoot on my Playstation. It was dark in my room, this song
hit, and I was stuck in a trance. The weird thing about this is that I had sort
of made up what I thought would be the best beat in the world back in fifth
grade in my head, and three years later, this song kinda had that same vibe to
it. So it just blew my little 13-year-old mind away. Two very good verses are
split by like a 3-4 minute interlude of this hella laid back-but-dark melody
plowing away. Whoever this MC Steele is, he can flow, especially on the second
verse. The end of the second verse is super dope, as the “and who was that,
looking back, always seems to be the question” is run back at fractional-bar
intervals for a few seconds. Nice touch to end a song with the song title of
“Mirror Image.”
84. Marbert
Rocel- Blue Days (Electronica)
Marbert Rocel is a three-person group with two dude
producers and a female singer, and they work splendidly well together for “Blue
Days.” Downcast beat and lyrics, for which I am always a sucker. The little
chime that gets hit every now and then is a super nice touch. I leave a radio
station on every night when I go to sleep (“I Go To Sleep” by Sia, while not on
this countdown, is a great song and was my introduction to Sia, who does have a
song on this countdown), and I’m pretty sure I heard this late one night on
KSJS, the San Jose State radio station. I picked up this album “Speed
Emotions,” and it’s a classic. Unfortunately, Marbert Rocel kind of falls into
line with RJD2, Blockhead and Blu & Exile in having amazing first albums
and never being able to reach that peak again. But this is a great song from a
great album, and it won’t be the last you hear from “Speed Emotions.”
83. High
Contrast- Twilight’s Last Gleaming (Drum n Bass)
This artist and this song was my introduction to drum ‘n
bass, a genre which I like to call “freedom music,” because when the beat hits for
real, I can almost feel myself bursting through a barrier and puffing my chest
out to the world. And it’s probably because I heard this song first, but to me,
nobody gets how drum ‘n bass should be done better than High Contrast. His
songs are pretty formulaic, as in they all follow a very similar path in terms
of song construction, but why change it up when the formula works oh so well? If
you thought trance music was fast-paced, wait til you hear DnB. I have more
High Contrast on this list, but this was a genre-opener to me and will always
hold a special place in my heart. Thanks again, KSJS!
82. Live-
Lightning Crashes (Rock)
I have a ton of songs on here that you’ve probably never
heard of, but if you’re at least 30 years old, you probably know this one.
Maybe not by song title, but when the chorus comes and you hear “oh now feel
it, comin’ back again,” you’ll recognize it. I love the slow build-up of this
one, starting off super mellow. Even the first time the chorus drops by, it’s
still pretty low-key. Hell, drums don’t even kick in until the second verse.
Eventually it goes down, and that’s awesome, but everything about this song is
on point. What’s not to love about ‘90s alternative rock? Plenty more of where
this came from.
81. Blu
& Exile- Show me the Good Life (Rap)
For those that don’t know, Blu & Exile’s “Below the
Heavens” is the best rap album of all time. Forget “Reasonable Doubt,” forget
“Illmatic,” forget “All Eyez on Me,” this is it. These two just meshed so well
together for the 15 or 16 or however many tracks that this album is, and this
is one of the shining gems. Blu’s first verse on this is one of the best verses
in rap history, as he talks about the prospect of having a son unexpectedly.
This album was featured on “The All-Out Show” on Shade45 recently (Rude Jude is
one of the best in the radio talk show biz right now, without a doubt), and the
guy from HipHopDX who occasionally comes on the show mentioned that Blu went
through some sort of mental breakdown or something like that after this album.
That’s a shame, because Blu dropped so many classic verses on this album, and I
thought he was about to become my next favorite rapper. Blu and I are about the
same age, so I was really vibing with the topics he was covering on this album.
And oh yeah, not only is “Below the Heavens” the best album of all time, it has
the best album artwork of all time. I’ve long wanted to find a way to turn the
album art into a poster and hang it up somewhere in my apartment.
80. Daniel
Beddingfield- Gotta Get Through This (2-step)
2-Step is the best genre you don’t listen to; there’s no
other way to put it. I didn’t realize this was a 2-step song until like 5 years
after I first heard it. You might have heard this one; it got major radio play
in 2002. So if you know this song, you know 2-step. The vocals on this song are
super tight, and the beat knocks. Maybe not so much with this song, but to me,
2-step is that “riding on your souped-up motorbike through a mid-21st
century urban sprawl with your sunglasses on at night in a sci-fi dystopian
society” music. I’m sure you know what I’m talking about (not), but for real,
if you like this song, check out the DJ Q Remix of Finn’s “Keep Calling” or
anything by Artful Dodger (preferably “Movin’ Too Fast”, “Woman Trouble” and
“It Ain’t Enough”). I wish I had more 2-step, but unfortunately, not a lot of
it is made. One song that came out somewhat recently that was pretty big and is
pretty 2-steppy was Naughty Boy’s “La La La.” But yeah, more 2-step in your
life would be a good thing.
79. Zion
I- Trippin’ (Rap)
This is off Zion I’s best album, “Mind over Matter,” which
was a little more trip-hoppy than their later stuff. This song isn’t trip-hoppy
and has a much slower beat than most of the stuff on this album. Great beat on
this one and a fantastic extended 12-bar chorus. “It seems like everybody is
trippin’, or is it me?/ Being normal nowadays, it’ll drive you crazy/ Go to
work, every day, 9 to 5, no retreat/it seems like you have to have a dollar
just to get something to eat.” Song construction is on point, too- I love how
the beat drops as Zumbi drops his first verse and gets the song rollin’; it’s
just very well put together. Now come
along and vibe as we praise Most High.
78. Blu
& Exile- Dancing in the Rain (Rap)
Fantastic storytelling on this cut paired with one of the
best beats on an album filled with stupendous knocks equals the 78th-ranked
song on my list. This was another one of those that I was really relating to.
I’d pop this song on fall quarter senior year when I was getting adjusted to
the new coaching staff as a manager (I love Johnny Dawkins and the rest of his
staff, but it wasn’t easy going from Trent Johnson to Johnny). I just felt like
I was working like a dog, and oh yeah, going to school and doing radio, and I
was burnt out pretty much immediately, so Blu’s two verses on this song about
dealing with work issues and finding the love to do hip-hop were pretty
poignant to me. Like I said earlier, best rap album of all time and one of the
best album covers of all time.
77. Aesop
Rock- Daylight (Rap)
When I started listening to underground rap, this was one of
the first songs that really started to grab my attention back in 2002. I have
no idea what the hell Aesop Rock is talking about 90 percent of time, and I’m
sure I’m not alone on that front, but damn, this dude has some pretty sick
spits and the beat is so, so wonderful. “Life’s not a bitch; life is a
beautiful woman/You only call her a bitch because she won’t let you get that p****/Maybe
she didn’t feel y’all didn’t share any similar interests/or maybe you’re just
an asshole who couldn’t sweet talk the princess” is a pretty fantastic four
bars. And when the horns or trumpets or whatever they are come in mid-verse to
add a little something else to the beat? Hell yeah. This is a classic
underground rap cut.
Reks is an MC out of Massachusetts who I’ve been listening
to since high school. This is off his first album, “Along Came the Chosen,”
which is probably my favorite of his. He has a lot of really good albums, so
it’s not like he fell off after one release, but this one has a ton of jams
that hold up over time. This is an introspective cut with a pensive beat. Like
I think I said earlier, I’ve kinda strayed away from the introspective tracks
over time, but this one holds. Reks is a true spitter. Very good female vocals
on the chorus. The only thing that could have made this song better in my
opinion is an 8-to-12-bar instrumental ride-out, because this beat is tremendous.
75. Tupac
& The Outlawz- Baby Don’t Cry (Rap)
Classic Pac storytelling with a subdued beat. This is 1 of
like the 37,000 songs released after Pac died/went to hide in Argentina with
Elvis (#SugeShotMe). The Outlawz do their thing with their two verses as well,
and again, female vocals on a chorus is always a plus. I’m a big fan of the
third verse in particular… This song is from a Golden Era in music for me –
2000-2001, 7th-8th grade. A lot of my top 100 comes from
this era, whether it’s house or rap. But yeah, amazing song right here. Pac is
one of the rare rappers who is actually as good as people make them out to be
after they die. He was a true visionary; damn shame.
74. Xzibit-
Paparazzi (Rap)
This is by far the best song Xzibit has ever put out. I’m an
X to the Z fan and have multiple albums from him, but nothing comes close to
Paparazzi. This song is so freaking hard. “You ain’t really real, I can tell
when I look at you… I don’t believe the hype or by woof tickets/you make a gang
of noise and never seen, like a cricket/I guess that’s why we never kick it. A
lot of rappers is soft and get tossed trying to fuck with the liquid.” The
first verse is probably a top 50 verse in rap history in my book (not that I’m qualified
to say what the top 50 verses in rap history are, but ya know…). Xzibit just
goes in on all the fake ones out there, and I love it. The beat is pretty
haunting and sets the tone perfectly. I hope you’ve heard of this song, because
it’s a beast.
73. The
Magician- Sunlight (Ft. Years and Years) (Darius Remix) (Chillout
Electronica)
The original version is very playful and EDM-y with a music
video that is very playful. This remix is, well, not that. This is the kind of
song that elevates your state of mind and sense of well-being if you just let
it flow through your veins. Listening to this song gives me a musical high.
This is elevated music right here. The remix is 1 trillion times better than
the original. This is glorious. Chillout became one of my go-to genres in
college when I started DJing at KZSU and listening to SiriusXM Chill on
satellite radio (satellite >>>> terrestrial). You can never have
enough chillax songs on your iPod; at least I can’t.
72. Banks-
Beggin For Thread (Gryffin & Hotel Garuda Remix) (Chillout Electronica)
This is one of those where I heard this version before the
original. The original is really, really good and has much a different vibe,
and I’ve actually been listening to that version more lately- as it’s a pretty
good pump-up song on the treadmill, but this is another one like “Sunlight”
(Darius Remix) that takes you to a higher state of mind. Much faster pace than
“Sunlight” but serves the same purpose. Banks is a helluva singer; I should
probably check out more of her stuff (I don’t have much). Can’t beat chillout
electronica remixes. A lot of my top 100 songs come from the following origins-
Napster, KSJS, BET Rap City, Wild 94.9 and SiriusXM Chill; this one comes from
SiriusXM Chill.
71. Summer
Junkies- I’m Gonna Luv U (House)
Classic, classic house joint from probably the early ‘90s.
The sample comes from “Moments in Love” by Art of Noise and has been used a
million times over, but this is best use of the sample. “Don’t make me
wait…another night. Tonight I’m gonna love you. Come with me! Tonight’s the ni-ight! Can’t you see?! I’m gonna be with
you!” Oh yeah, baby. I literally searched 4 years for this song, because
either Bone Thugs N Harmony or someone from Bone Thugs used this in a song that
got radio airplay and I knew I had heard the sample before in a house cut (I
think that song is called “Freaks”), and it was driving me crazy. I went as far
as posting in random house music message forums, and someone hooked it up. I
remember finally illegally downloading it in my dorm room junior year and being
happy as hell that I found it. I’d pay for this song if I could, but it’s not
exactly easy to find (or at least I haven’t tried to find it lately since I
already have it; whichever. Summer Junkies, if you ever read this, I’d be happy
to send you $3 in the mail).
70. Tupac-
Until the End of Time (RP Remix) (Rap)
Pac at it again with a “stay true to your people” track, the
best kind of track that Pac does. “It’s a small thing to the truth, what could
I do?/Real homies help you get through/And come to know he’d do the same thang
if he could/‘cause in the hood true homies make you feel good.” Solid singing
on the chorus as well. I’m a little surprised that this is the second highest
Tupac song on my countdown; for the longest time, “Keep Ya Head Up” was my
favorite song of all time, but it took a hard crash this year and didn’t even
crack the top 100. Perhaps it’ll make a return in 2020, because I feel like
head-to-head, I’d take “Keep Ya Head Up,” but overall when I compare this to
other prospective top 100 songs, “Until the End of Time” won out by a mile. I
don’t know, maybe it’s the thug in me? (I hate to not leave that line be but in
case you don’t know the song and think I’m calling myself a thug… listen to the
very end of the song. Ugh.)
This song is an underground rap fiend’s dream. RJD2, the
best producer for early-2000’s underground rap with a bunch of Def Jux dudes (I
think Aesop Rock was Def Jux?). The horns on this song are so beastly, and
every spitter goes in on this track. The original “Final Frontier” is very,
very good and off one of the best albums of all time (RJD2’s “Deadringer”); this
one has a much more upbeat vibe and is one I throw on when I need to pick
myself up (usually when it goes wrong with a girl I’m into; that’s when this
song helps).
68. High
Contrast- Wish You Were Here (Ft. Selah Corbin) (Drum n Bass)
I’m not exaggerating when I say this is one of the best love
songs you’ve never heard. This is a “my heart is banging out of my chest for
you” kinda cut, spurred on by the 170 bpm that only High Contrast knows how to flip.
Selah Corbin is an absolute MONSTER on this track. When the drum n bass part
really kicks in and she starts screaming is amazing. “So listen every evening….
And I will sing a song for you… I’ll pretend you’re here beside me… What more
can I doooooo?!” That’s not the screaming part, but it’s tight nonetheless.
Same High Contrast formula, same result- greatness. I plan on singing this song
to my future wife, that’s how much I love this song.
67. Blu
& Exile- Below the Heavens, Pt. I (Rap)
The title track of the best rap album of all time is money
in so many ways, from the horns to the chorus, but most importantly, the
verses. There isn’t a person on Earth who has been so clever dealing with the
concept of heaven in a track than Blu right here. The wordplay, the message;
it’s all on point. “I’m trying to get to this place that my grandpa taught me
about as a child/Told me only few can make it and the faithless ain’t
allowed/Be a star out your gang and aim above the clouds/and if you miss, you
at least be amongst your own crowd.” And that’s how the song starts off. “You
say it’s hell; I just say it’s bullshit we getting through/Just think about it
every man has his own heaven/But shit you gotta go through hell to be a man
first/And understand first; hell is what you choose to call the present/That’s
why you’re going through it/I just choose to call it stressin’/To tell you
fools the truth/I don’t feel that’s why I’m destined/So you can call it hell
but bro, I’ll just say I’m below the heavens.” And that’s how the song ends.
So, so dope. Such a beautiful track.
66. Rakaa
Iriscience- Caution (Rap)
I inadvertently found this song on Napster as I was searching
for a rapper who went by the name of Caution. Stumbled on this and found a gem.
Rakaa is a part of Dilated Peoples, a great underground-ish hip-hop group (real
hip-hop heads at least know who Dilated Peoples is). Anyways, fast-paced beat
with great storytelling about Rakaa beating a case. Any song that has a theme
of freedom one way or another attached to it I’m all about, and Rakaa can spit.
Rakaa-Iriscience, rapid fire how he transmit.
65. R.E.M.-
Losing my Religion (Alternative Rock)
Along with “Nothin But a G Thang”, “What’s My Name?” and
“Smells Like Teen Spirit,” this is like one of the first music videos I
remember watching. 90’s music videos are the best. This is one you’ve probably
heard if you’re at least 30 years old so you probably don’t need much a
description of this one. R.E.M. is super tight, and this song is a real one.
The chorus is amazing, and as we established earlier, the music video is bomb
dot com. I’ll leave this song before I’ve said too much; I’ve said enough.
64. Infinity
& Duane Harden- Sunshine (House)
Another one of my favorite “love” songs of all time. I would
sing this song to my future boo until the end of time. It probably sounds even
better on E but that’s not my thing so I wouldn’t know. “There’s always
sunshine… when I dance with you…Reminds me of summer time…when I dance with
you… The way you make me smile…when I dance with you… I’m feeling good all the
time…when I dance with you” Oh yeah- combine that chorus with a big house-y
beat and you have a classic early 2000s/late 1990s house cut with bomb male
vocals.
63. Dilated
Peoples- Worst Comes to Worst (Rap)
The ultimate “homies/family” track. Old school Dilated right
here. Awesome laid-back beat and great short verses about holding it down for
your people. I’ve always been a big Dilated fan, Evidence in particular. He did
some really good stuff in the late 2000s- “Chase the Clouds Away” is a favorite
of mine that didn’t make the list- but this is probably the best song he’s on.
I also love how they let the beat ride out for like a minute because it’s so
Gucci. Great, great song. “Worst come to worst, my peoples come first” is a
classic line.
62. Mutiny
UK- New Horizon (House)
This is another one of those songs that I instantly dropped
everything I was doing when I first heard it, popping up on my Pandora stream,
and it’s another of 3 songs that uses the sample from “Electric Relaxation,”
including the Tribe song itself. It starts off with a bit of a 2-steppy vibe
but is definitely more house than 2-step. Great female vocals on this cut with
a pretty strong message about leveling up in life. Fantastic chorus – “I’m on
my way… to find a better place… a new horizon. I’m on my way… I’ve changed my
life – today… a new horizon” with a sweet keyboard melody. This whole album is
pretty legit- “In the Now” if you’re digging this song. I’d also suggest “The
Virus” and “Keep Da Kik Bouncin’” from this album.
61. k-os-
Superstarr Pt. Zero (Rap)
This song was my introduction to k-os, the best artist to
ever come out of Toronto (Drake has nothing on this guy; please don’t even
compare the two), while listening to KSJS in the Summer of 2003. Super
relaxing, great flow to the song, k-os rides the beat with ease. I really like
how different elements are added to the beat as the song goes on – whether it’s
a little horn, vocal effect or whatever. This song doesn’t rest on its laurels
of having a hella dope beat and calling it quits with that 2 or 4-bar sample of
greatness. Fantastic music video that features all sorts of break dancers doing
their thing on a piece of cardboard, kickin’ it old school. This is from his
first album, there’s one more k-os song on this list that is from his second
album, which I consider to be a top-10 album of all time.
60. Little
Brother- Life of the Party (Ft. Skillz and Carlitta Durand) (Rap)
The first verse is basically my outlook on my professional
life. Phonte is preachin’ right here -- “And them people get sad cause they
thank we should be mad/ at all them n’s with big money and big chains/But the
way I see it, as long as I don’t blow/each and every year, I’ll be the next big
thang/ Ten years later, n’s still on the verge/same gray Nissan sittin on the
curb/I know, you was thankin it’d be getting on my nerves/but man, goddman,
this feeling is superb! It’s giving me the urge to write this – even though I
say it in jest, I’m not jokin in fact/Some n’s spend they lifetime tryna
headline but it’s so much better bein your opening act.” Whenever I tell
someone who doesn’t quite understand the broadcasting biz what I do for a
living and they say “so what’s your real job?” or “so what’s your real goal?”
or “so you’re trying to be on ESPN,” I think back to this song. Because I could
care less about ever being on ESPN or “making it big,” or whatever some lay
man’s definition of “making it” is. As far as I’m concerned, I’ve already made
it. I’m paying my bills solely off the money I make doing broadcasting and
other sports media-related work. I’m making a living do this and have been
since the fall of 2012, what else you want from me? So I could care less about
being famous – as far as I’m concerned, the fewer people outside of the
business that know me, the better (of course, I want as many people as possible
in the biz to know who I am so I can continue to get these gigs). This song is
my anthem, and I haven’t even begun to talk about how awesome Carlitta Durand’s
chorus is or how amazing the beat is.
59. Escape-
Just Escape (Justin Martin Remix) (House)
A little deep house for that azz. This song is best played
when cruising around on a Friday or Saturday night at 10pm or later in an urban
metropolis. Either that, or when you’re in bed trying to go to sleep- this is a
perfect soundtrack for that. The biggest takeaway is that this song is played
best when your surroundings are dimly lit. This song probably won’t be this
high in future top 100 lists but at the time I was doing the countdown, I was
super into it, and I still am. The use of male and female vocals on this is
very solid. This is one of those songs where it doesn’t really matter what’s
coming out of their mouths; it just sounds tight. The verses are pretty dope,
but this song is all about the groove, baby, and the atmosphere and mood that
is created.
58. Bossman-
You’re Wrong (Rap)
Another personal anthem song for me, mainly for the chorus.
It’s all about coming up on your own and doing life your damn self. As an only
child and an independent contractor, of course this song sings to my soul.
“Many mountains to climb, many roads to cross/If being me is wrong, then fuck
it, I don’t wanna be right” is the chorus, and my only wish is that the chorus
played more frequently than it does. Bossman, a Baltimore MC, brings the
passion and hunger in his voice in this one, and I love it. Combine that with
the soulful beat and vocal samples, and you have a winner in my book. It’s the
second-most played song on my iPod (going by iTunes play counts); #1 – “Blow”
by Rick Ross – didn’t crack the top 100. It’s a short song – 2:46 in length –
so it makes it easy to rack up the play counts. Also a good track for the gym.
57. Marbert
Rocel- Red Shoes (Electronica)
The best back-and-forth male/female vocal cut I have with a
super groovy house-y beat. The woman and man play so well off each other
vocally in this song. Nobody else in the bar would know this song, but this is
a song I would definitely want to do karaoke to with a significant other, or at
least sing it back and forth at home. This is a jam right here. My favorite
part is when the two sing “Happy I’m walking, the people are talking, the
sunshine I see in your eyes,” and the transition from male vocals to male and
female vocals to just female vocals of singing this phrase is done beautifully.
The only drawback to this song is that it kinda transitions away from the song
to some other random jig for the last 2 minutes on the album cut of this. I’ve
long thought about making a Dannaman remix of this by just going into Audacity
and deleting the last 2 minutes of the song so I don’t have to listen to the
excess fat or skip to the end to give this song its deserved play count on
iTunes.
56. Kimara
Lovelace- Misery (House)
I had this song for probably 5 years before I really fell in
love with it. It’s off a House Nation compilation album that I got before I had
an iPod, and it probably randomly came on during a random shuffling of my
iTunes library after I got one. The drum-less parts of this song are my
favorite when it’s just that one synth playing its little melody or whatever,
but the rest of the cut is great as well, and the singing is on point. “I wanna
be free! Don’t send me back – back to mis-er-y!” Probably another song that
will dip in the top 100 for the 2020 version but still very deserving of where
it is in the countdown.
55. Mapei-
Don’t Wait (Indie Pop/R&B/Hip-Hop)
“Don’t Wait” will likely skyrocket up the countdown in
future years. I continue to love this song more and more. Outside of it being
genre-bending with a dope hip-hop beat and poppy/R&B-y singing, this is one
of my favorite love songs out there. Like, I’d want this to be my first dance
at my future wedding (probably good luck getting her to sign off on this, but a
man can dream). Two verses of singing, one verse of quasi-rapping. The
computerization of “if it wasn’t for you, I’d be alone” after the third verse
is super dope as well, and I love how Mapei’s voice drops off a bit when she
sings that “if it wasn’t for you, I’d be alone” line in the second verse on the
word “alone;” the perfect touch for this song. Makes it more soulful.
54. Collective
Soul- The World I Know (Alternative Rock)
I had forgotten about this song for a good 5-6 years because
I thought I already had it, but I had mistakenly confused it with R.E.M.’s
“E-Bow the Letter”, which is also in my top 100. Anyways, one of those
infomercials for some random mid-90s rock compilation came on, the music video
for this song played, and I was like “oh yeah this was the song whose melody I
was humming to myself all those years!” Classic ‘90s rock jam right here,
replete with a great music video about some dude burned out from all the BS in
the world thinking about jumping off a building, but then, you know, realizing
life is good and all that jazz when a bird flies on to his arm just as he’s
about to jump. A great “brighter days are ahead” track, and one that every fan
of mid-90s alternative rock should have.
53. Lamb-
Transfatty Acid (Kruder & Dorfmeister Mix) (Electronica)
The thing about K&D remixes is that they’re either
really, really good or they’re so out there that it borders on noise. That is
probably too extreme, but they’re very hit-or-miss to me. In the case of
remixing Lamb’s “Transfatty Acid,” K&D hit it out of the mother-effing
park. Lamb’s singing is the main attraction here, and K&D do a great job of
providing a score that highlights that. If you ever need to calm yourself down
or slow your roll a bit, this song will provide a great soundtrack for being
able to cool the nerves and just let you vibe for 6:46 of audio greatness (at
least that’s how I treat this song, as a calmer-downer). “Trust in me, and no
one can do you wrong. Cause I know, and you know, our love is strooooooooong
enough… To weather the rain, to weather the snow, to weather the
stooooooooooooorrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrmmmmmmmmm.” Oh yeah, baby. It
just sounds too good when you put it like that, Lamb.
52. Pussy
2000- It’s Gonna Be Alright (House)
Excuse the name of the artist, if that’s something that
offends you. This song is off a “Verve Remixed” type album where popular songs
from an earlier generation are given facelifts with house-y melodies. The album
is called “Re:made Volume 1,” and I do suggest it. This is a remake of Pet Shop
Boys’ “It’s Alright.” To be honest, I haven’t heard the original song, but the
remake by Pussy 2000 is awesome. Super calming, head-nodding house music, and
I’m a big fan of how Pussy 2000 brings the beat back at the 5:20 mark. Dopeness
all around here.
51. Chili
Hi Fly- Is It Love (House)
St. John, you’re so fierce! If you know where that phrase
comes from, a) you and I need to compare notes on music and b) it gives you an
idea of how I heard this song. This is a “House Nation” special from former
Wild 94.9 DJ St. John, who single-handedly turned me on to maybe the best genre
of music when talking about house in its purest form. This is your vintage
early 2000’s house cut, featuring airy synths with minimal upbeat vocals, just
enough to make it not feel like an instrumental, and not too much to take away
from you zoning out to the melody. As is the case with many house songs from this
era, I couldn’t tell you another song that Chili Hi Fly did, but this track is
amazing.
50. Johnny
Corporate- Sunday Shoutin’ (House)
I originally heard “Sunday Shoutin’” on the same “House Nation”
compilation album that featured “Misery” and “Pasilda,” two other songs that
are in my top 100. This one is all about the horn or trumpet or whatever the
hell that musical instrument sample is. The little jig that thing plays is one
of my favorites in any song anywhere. It’s clearly the main attraction of this
song, and Johnny Corporate knows it, making sure to return to it as much as
possible. Sometimes you have a great 4 measures of music and you gotta pound it
into our heads; it’s a mistake that a song later in this countdown makes in not
returning to what is clearly the highlight of the song. House music is running
the middle of this countdown.
49. Canibus-
Poet Laureate II (Rap)
There was a time where this was either my favorite or second
favorite song of all time. Even though it has dropped to No. 49, to me, “Poet
Laureate II” is the pinnacle of hip-hop. While there are plenty of hip-hop
songs ahead of this on my countdown, this is as good as it gets from a purely
technical standpoint. This song is Canibus, perhaps the only MC who can go
bar-for-bar with Eminem in his prime (maybe Big L deserves a mention here, God
rest his soul), at the peak of his powers, delivering the magnum opus of his
best album, Rip The Jacker, which is easily a top-10 rap album of all time.
Something like 162 bars of uninterrupted spits with 3 beat changes. People geek
out over how Drake changes beats in the middle of a song, well Canibus and
Stoupe the Enemy of Mankind (the producer for Jedi Mind Tricks who produced every
track on Rip the Jacker) were doing it a decade before Drake with this song.
And the beat changes make total sense and aren’t super abrupt. Basically, this
is about Canibus going over his career in a way few rappers can talk about
themselves. There aren’t too many rappers that have been able to pull off
Joseph Campbell’s “hero’s journey” in a song, but this is basically it – you
have the high start, the downturn, the abyss and the return. Technically
speaking, there is no better rap song out there. Before he infamously gave his
notebook of rhymes to Dizaster in a battle, before he featured all these wack
MCs who thought they were cool because they sorta rhymed six-dollar words
without actually saying anything on way too many songs in future albums with lame
production, Canibus put out this gem. Canibus was the soundtrack to me “turning
my life around” in high school and putting myself on a path that would
eventually lead me to where I am today in sports broadcasting. He kicked my ass
into action, and this song motivated me like no other. “Why is the ripper so
ill? That would be an unpardonable breach of confidence for me to reveal,” and
it just goes from there. Man, maybe this shoulda been higher than 49…
48. Adele-
Hometown Glory (High Contrast Remix) (Drum n Bass)
From arguably the best rap song from a technical standpoint
in my book to what I believe is the best remix from a technical standpoint in
my book, High Contrast shows why he is one of the best music producers out
there, genre be damned. The vision he has for how to chop up Adele’s voice is
unreal; how he uses her “ohhh-oh-oh-oh” and “yyyyyeeeeaaaaaahhhh-hey-aye-aye”
to transition into the drop is just fanfreakingtastic. And how he slowly brings
the beat back, slowly building from when he re-introduces the “I like it in the
city when the air is so thick and opaque…” lines and drops it for real in a
major way right when Adele sings “from my hometown”?! Ooooooh-wheeee! There are
remixes of other songs that are higher on this list, but nobody constructs a
remix better than High Contrast does here with “Hometown Glory”. If some
foreign army or alien invasion ever threatens to take over San Jose and
bulldozes its way down Meridian Avenue, you can bet I’ll be listening to this
song to get myself pumped up to go down swinging before likely getting myself 86’ed
because I’m soft as hell.
47. De
La Soul- All Good (Ft. Chaka Khan) (Rap)
I love this beat, and Chaka Khan kills it on this track. I
also like the theme of this song; you don’t really hear too many songs about
not feuding but not being all the way Gucci with someone. “So don’t come
shakin’ my hand like we peeps/It ain’t beef but be sure to understand between
us it ain’t all good” is a great line. From concept to construction to
execution, this song is the whole package. The back and forth between all
vocalists mid-verse and transitioning to the choruses is beautifully done. I
knew I loved this song from the moment I heard it on “Rap City” on BET with Big
Tigga and immediately illegally downloaded it off Napster back in the fall of
2000, and I’m still rocking with this song.
46. Primitive
Radio Gods- Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand
(Alternative Rock)
Primitive Radio Gods is a rock band, but “Standing Outside a
Broken Phone Booth” is essentially a chillout track before chillout was really
a full-fledged genre. Kinda has that Susan Vega “Tom’s Diner” vibe (an amazing
track in its own right), but even more mellow. Great vocal sample with the
“I’ve been downhearted baby, ever since the day we met!” too. Funny enough,
this song is indirectly how I first found out about parental advisory stickers
on albums. I tried to get this album for this song when I was like 9 or 10
years old when I went to Tower Records with my babysitter, but it had that
black and white sticker on it, and my babysitter had to call my parents to see
if I could get the album, to which they said no. This song sounded clean
enough, so I didn’t understand what was so foul about the album. I still
haven’t listened to another song from Primitive Radio Gods, so I couldn’t tell
you what was so vulgar about their lyrics, but I’m pretty sure I do remember
one of the song titles on that album being “Motherfucker,” so that might begin
to explain it.
Vibin’ music right here. Loungey house cut to just sit back
and chillax to with some great female vocals. This is a mash-up, where the
vocals are taken from Everything but the Girl’s “Wrong,” and put into this “Tracey
in my Room,” which is something I just found out. Everything but the Girl is
more famous for “Missing” or “Like the Deserts Miss the Rain”, whatever it’s
called, which is another great song, but I’m far more partial to this cut.
Classic house music from the genre’s hey-day (at least in my book; don’t tell
this to 50-somethings who grew up in Chicago or Detroit). “Wherever you go, I
will follow you – because I was wrong,” is a phrase I won’t soon forget. Really
good bassline in this one as well.
Another house cut replete with airy synths that are to die
for and a bangin’ four-to-the-floor beat. The melody for this is one of my
favorite melodies in any song of any genre. Two separate fantastic female
vocals in this track- “tell me what you do, what you wanna do, baby?” and the
mini-verse that is repeated a couple of times to go along with “you know I got
to get busy; I know you’re driving me crazy!” Every vocal piece is stellar. I’m
not sure when this song came out, but it sounds like it’s from the early 2000’s
(I found it in like 2011 or 2012). This song should have been more popular than
it was.
43. Sponge-
Wax Ecstatic (Rock)
Sponge is a one-trick pony in my book – I don’t like
anything else on this album, and I’ve never purchased anything else from them.
That said, “Wax Ecstatic” is one of my favorite rock songs of all time. This
song came out right in the middle of my big rock music phase in the mid-1990’s
and was replete with a grungy music video featuring a woman popping pills and kicking
ass at a roller derby. Pretty sick all-around package. I’ll go years without
listening to this song, and then I’ll listen to it like 20 times in a month, so
this song has longevity for me. I’ve come back to this song multiple times over
the last 20-plus years and it gets better over time. I love the message in this
song too, a critique on the overmedication of society or something like that.
The grunge version of “Swimming Pools” by Kendrick Lamar, sorta. Too bad the
rest of their music isn’t that tight.
42. Erick
Sermon- Music (Rap)
I’m a little too young for EPMD, but this song came out when
I was in 8th grade, and I was immediately attracted to this song.
It’s perfect airplane music, a relaxing beat to vibe to while you’re flying
above the clouds or hanging on the tarmac during dusk. That’s kinda how I feel
about this track. Fantastic Marvin Gaye samples in this track with an awesome
beat featuring a funky bassline. I’ve been rocking with the edited version for
years because I guess that’s the version I illegally downloaded off Napster 17
years ago, so it might be time for me to hear the actual unedited song. Marvin
Gaye really makes this song; I’m not even a big fan of his (rest in peace), but
he’s sampled beautifully here. What a beat tho.
My boy Richard showed me this track back in 8th
grade, and it might be the first rap song where I just stopped everything I was
doing and said “oh snap. This is tight.” Where to begin with this song? Blue
Raspberry’s singing is so dope (“I sang for him, and he isn’t here”- great line
in the intro to the song), and then the beat drops, and you’re like “Damn, this
is money.” The beat perfectly captures what it’s like to have a storm raging
inside of you. And then of course there’s Ghostface Killah’s bomb-ass verse,
which thankfully goes well beyond 16 bars. And then you get to the chorus –
“It’s raining/he’s changing/my man is going
in-saaaaaane/in-ssssaaaaaaaaaaannne” and so on. Oh, Blue Raspberry kills it!
Raekwon is a beast as usual on his verse, and the way his verse ends and
transitions back to the chorus is awesome. Whenever I hear this song, I picture
a pink sky with ominous clouds at dusk. I’m pretty visual with my music, and I
had a dream to this song where I was flying in that exact setting described
above. I was like 14, and it’s probably one of the best dreams I’ve ever had.
40. Reks-
Baby Boy (Ft. B. Knox) (Rap)
Reks is a pretty introspective dude, and this is him at his
best introspective self in my opinion. I only wish that he had more than one
20-bar verse on this song. Not that I can relate to the subject matter, but
Reks and B. Knox do a great job of giving a positive message to a young kid
growing up in the ‘hood. And is that Reks singing on the chorus? Yes it is (or
at least I think it is), and it’s glorious. Reks can blow some notes for real.
Also, this beat is amazing. Like I was hinting at earlier, the only problem
with this song is that it’s too short. In a perfect world, Reks comes back with
a 16- or 20-bar verse, we get to hear that awesome chorus one more time, and
then the beat rides out and the song is closer to 4 minutes than the 2:56 that
it is.
39. Afromedusa-
Pasilda (Knee Deep Mix) (House)
I’m a big fan of Latin house (there are two more Latin house
tracks on this countdown). It’s basically house music with a Latin flavor,
likely with Spanish vocals. I actually did a 10-page essay in one of my Spanish
classes at Stanford on the genre – not that I remember a damn thing sobre el ensayo,
but this song was one of the ones I used as an example of Latin house in my
paper (I probably got an A). The keyboard in this song is fantastic, second
only to the beautiful female vocals that while I was in high school and didn’t
know Spanish as well as I did in high school I gave this song to a native
Spanish speaker to write out the lyrics for me and tell me what they meant in
English (she was pretty cute too. Mayra, if you’re reading… ‘sup?). “Un
Corazon, que nunca está triste” es que yo tengo cuando yo escucho esta canción.
Linking to the original version here because it has a music video.
38. Smashing
Pumpkins- Today (Rock)
I was a big fan of Smashing Pumpkins growing up, but I
didn’t really become a fan of this song until I was going to grad school at
Northwestern, when I had trouble really just staying in the moment of being
there because I wanted nothing more than to just get the hell out of there and
go home to San Jose. This song helped ground me with its infectious lines of
“today is the greatest day I’ve ever known, can’t wait for tomorrow –
tomorrow’s much too long.” Even today, when I have trouble staying in the here
and now, which is more often than I’d like to admit to myself, this song helps
tremendously. It doesn’t hurt that Billy Corgan is the best male rock vocalist
of all time, and his singing is maybe at its best on this song (I also love his
vocals on “Disarm” and “Bullet with Butterfuly Wings” among a ton of other
tracks, but those are the others that really stick out above the rest to me).
When I’m at my more emotional moments, this song can bring tears to my eyes
it’s so beautiful. This is the first time it’s appeared in my Top 100, so I
wouldn’t be surprised to see this song take a big leap up the list in 2020.
This song was my introduction to both Jedi Mind and Sean P
(rest in peace). I’d say Sean Price has the best verse on this song, Vinnie Paz
has the second best verse and Jus Allah takes the bronze, but they’re all great
verses and go perfectly with this stormy, haunting beat. This is an all-time
beat to me. Stoupe is one of the best underground producers in the game, as
evidenced by his work with Canibus on Rip the Jacker, and this is probably my
favorite Jedi Mind beat of his. I love Vinnie Paz’s “I love the Qur’an and all
of its Aaramaic equations” line. Great decision to let this beat have its own
shine at the end of the song, because it’s an all-timer.
36. Beanfield-
Home (Feat. Bajka) (Chillout)
This is off “Om Lounge 9” if you’re into this kinda song.
Super smooth melody. This song is so chilled out, man. Fantastic female vocals
-- unfortunately I can’t find the lyrics online so I can’t accurately type them
out without me re-listening to some things a few times over, but take my word
for it. Awesome chorus, with the singer going – “I just – want to / get home –
to you” with the piano playing along to provide solid emphasis. There’s so much
going on with the instrumentation in this song, and it’s all amazing – airy
synths, great pianos, fantastic percussion. And this song is just constructed
so well. When I hear this song, I hear late 21st-century utopia --
It’s all good. We figured out all the BS in our society, and to celebrate our
accomplishments, we look out over the rolling hills on a bright, sunny day and
nod our heads to “Home” by Beanfield.
More than a decade after what many would consider to be his
prime when he was doing stuff with Tha Dogg Pound, Kurupt released the best
song of his career by a million miles. I need more Kurupt on East Coast beats,
because what Pete Rock did on this jam is something serious. Put an elite West
Coast lyricist (technically he grew up in Philly but he’s a West Coaster, as I
just checked on Wikipedia) on a grimy New York beat, and you get one of the
most underappreciated songs in rap history. Kurupt is a helluva spitter. I
don’t thoroughly know his catalog, but I know him to be more of an aggressive
lyricist, spitting on uptempo West Coast beats. He shows a different side than
I’m used to on this one, perfectly riding a more low-key beat. “The sky’s the
limit – it’s within my arm’s reach/ So I’m a reach as far as my arms reach.”
Yessir, this song is that fly.
34. Novika-
Miss Mood (Satin Jackets Remix) (Chillout)
I have a playlist on my iPod called “Elevated,” which is for
music that makes me rise above all the BS that goes on in my head and just
allows me to zone out. And when I think of this playlist, “Miss Mood” comes to
mind (Satin Jackets remix of course). This song is so mellow and relaxing,
perfect music to slowly bob your head to. Novika, who apparently is from Poland
(thanks Wikipedia), has the perfect voice for this song, and the chorus is
beautiful. Whenever I try to get myself
to fall asleep, I’ll often think of this song and some cool sci-fi futuristic
landscape to get me to calm down and catch some Z’s. I don’t smoke weed, but
this song is audio herb. If you don’t feel relaxed listening to this track, go
see a doctor.
33. Tupac-
My Block (Rap)
If you asked me what my favorite Tupac song was 10 years
ago, “My Block” certainly wouldn’t have been the answer. My college roommate
was bumping this mega Tupac mix in our dorm room freshman year on repeat, and I
had never heard “My Block” before. Every time it came on this megamix, I was
transfixed. The melancholy beat combined with Tupac discussing the struggle
(again, something I can’t relate to personally, but it doesn’t mean it’s not
great work by the man) and the choir singing on the chorus vaulted this track
over “Baby Don’t Cry,” “Keep Ya Head Up,” and “Changes” as my favorite Pac
tracks. Tupac is probably the most versatile MC of all time, but he’s at his
best when reminiscing or discussing serious subject matters. “My Block” is
Tupac at his finest.
I got this song from BET’s Rap City Top 10 Countdown they
used to do every Saturday morning, and I could never take my eyes off the music
video, with everyone dying or whatever at the end with everyone just lying
lifeless on the streets. This is such a mellow track – perfect beat, calm
vocals and great storytelling. Eve’s back-and-forth verse with Black Thought is
a masterpiece, and Erykah Badu’s chorus is stunning, even if I need to read the
lyrics while she’s singing to figure out what the hell she is actually saying.
This was my introduction to The Roots – I’m not the biggest fan of them (not
because I don’t like them; I do), but they certainly are a very talented group,
and this is the best song they’ve ever done, with “Clock with No Hands”
probably being my second favorite song of theirs. The percussion at the end of
this track is so tight.
31. Nightcrawlers-
Push the Feeling On (House)
This song was my real introduction to
dance/electronica/house-y music. I probably first heard this song in like the
first grade and didn’t get my hands on it until I was in high school. How do
you search for a song that you can’t understand the lyrics? “Their lives are
full of” is the only part I can remotely understand- or is it “their lies are
full of?” There’s some word that rhymes with “certain” as well. I just looked
up the lyrics online and apparently the dude is saying “Their lives again/Their
lives will pull us through” – uh, what? It sounds nothing like that. Anyways,
that’s why this song literally took me a good two-three years of searching
online to find. I basically had to just Google search “classic House songs” and
try to find Wild 94.9 Wild Workout at Noon playlists that used to play house
music, and I think it’s through the latter that I eventually found this song.
That’s probably why this song is so high on this countdown – it’s a great song
with a fantastic melody and great vocals, even if they’re indecipherable. It
was just so elusive. I was so happy when I found this song. I’m still looking
for one more house song that sounds like it came out around the time of this
song – early 1990s, maybe as late as 2000’s. But again, I don’t know the lyrics
to that one either so I’m just going to have to get super lucky. I might have
to resort to posting an audio file of me humming/singing the basic melody,
which might be kind of embarrassing. We’ll see (August 2019 edit -- I actually found it! "It Just Won't Do" by Tim Deluxe ft. Sam Obernik).
No disrespect to Guru (rest in peace), but the best DJ
Premier tracks are the ones that don’t feature his Gang Starr partner in crime,
mainly because Preemo is teaming up with better MCs (sorry, it’s true. You
can’t tell me Guru is actually better than Nas or Royce Da 5’9 or whoever else
Preemo routinely teams up with). This song is a pure treat, as Preemo remixes
what was a pretty bland track to team up with heavy-hitting underground cats
from San Francisco and the Boston area. Each MC, starting with Edo.G, moving on
to Reks and finishing with Rasco, bring their best 16-20 bars to the table for
a top-10 Preemo beat of all time (unscientific top 10; I haven’t actually thought
through my favorite Preemo beats), featuring a perfect high-pitched voice
giving us a “oh-oh!” sample that is brilliant. Awesome chorus too. My friend
Jake and I rap this song together sometimes because it’s a favorite of both of
ours. This song is glorious.
Wax Tailor is a producer I should listen to more, and this
song is his best work. Fantastic beat, great vocal samples, great song
construction and how to build the tension in the beat and everything – the
“Heaven! Do you understand?! Finally?!” vocal sample leading to the horns near
the end of the track is just splendid. I love how the horns are the featured
part of the chorus instead of some vocals. Speaking of vocals, Mattic does a
great job on this track; I love the storytelling on this track, especially the
first verse where he’s talking about his trials and tribulations. Great message
to this track and a great one to throw on when you’re feeling down. Definite
pick-me-up right here.
28. Livin’
Joy- I’m a Dreamer (House)
Until I tried to link this song, I thought this song was by
Amber, so that’s a good 17 and a half years of thinking this was by the wrong
artist. It’s a common thought though that this is by Amber and not Livin’ Joy-
I’m thoroughly confused. It's like one of those Kazam/Shazam things where everyone thought something happened that didn't actually happen. What's that called- the Mandela Effect? I'm not looking it up... Either way, “I’m a Dreamer” brings me back to 8th
grade and listening to House Nation late every Friday night with St. John
spinning classic cuts. I remember the first time hearing this song, camping out
in the family room bumping Wild 94.9 when this song came on, and when the beat
dropped for the chorus, my mind was blown. Best part of the song by far though
is when Livin’ Joy speeds up the tempo with her vocals and drops “Here we lie
all alone and I’m dreaming/You’re as smooth as my soul its unbelieving/Now you
see the me you got me feeling/I’m a feeling.” That part’s a beast. I’ve had
this song so long from the Napster days that it’s starting to crap out. Time
for me to get a new copy; hell, I should probably actually support Amber/Livin’
Joy and shell out 99 cents for this on iTunes. I can’t find the version I have
anywhere online, so I guess I’ll hold onto it, but this Original Club Mix that
I’m linking to is pretty close.
Another one of my first introductions to house music. When “to
the rescue/here I am!/Want you to know y’all/Can you understand?!” drops with
the airy synths and driving drum line, my 13 year-old mind couldn’t handle the greatness.
The song has lost a little bit of its luster tome because I’ve heard a ton of
good house since, but “Sun Is Shining” will forever hold a special place in my
heart and hopefully this list. This song was also my introduction to Bob
Marley. I don’t necessarily like reggae so I’m not the biggest Bob Marley fan
(to be blunt (no pun intended), I don’t listen to Bob Marley at all), but hell,
if more house DJs flipped some of his old tracks, I’d be down to give them a
listen.
26. Sia-
Alive (Maya Jane Coles Remix) (Downtempo Electronica)
I’ve had a few songs I’ve considered my personal anthem over
the years, but I’m not sure there will be another song to ever come along that
can ever top this from that standpoint. This song is my anthem. Not just
because I totally vibe with the lyrics, but because I feel like the production
perfectly captures what it’s like to feel my insides – usually some sort of
storm raging on, but plenty of moments of triumph, all topped with a splash of
me-against-the-world (being essentially an independent contractor who is an
only child, I love doing things my own way, if you haven’t been able to tell).
But about those lyrics, though – “I played alone- I played on my own; I
survived,” “I wore envy and I hated it, but I survived,” “I found solace in the
strangest place/way in the back of my mind/I saw my laugh in a stranger’s
face/and it was mine”- I mean, that second verse is a Kevin Danna ancestral
hymn. And yes, it does absolutely have to be the Maya Jane Coles remix. The
original is fine and all, but the production is ONE TRILLION TIMES BETTER on
the remix. The original is not nearly as good as this. Electronic music
producers/DJs are going to remix a song much better than the original 99 times
out of 100. Don’t be surprised if this song is No. 1 by my 2020 list; it’s just
a little too new to go straight to the top of the list (I first heard it in the
beginning of 2016; most of my top 25 are from the early 2000’s or sooner).
25. R.E.M.-
E-Bow the Letter (Alternative Rock)
I first heard this song when I was on vacation in Maui with
my parents in like ’96 when I was watching MTV and they debuted this music
video. Simply put, this song is beautiful. I’m a sucker for mellow, melancholy
songs, and this is the king of those kinds of songs. John Michael Stipe, the
lead singer for R.E.M., is amazing on this track. Seeing as how I only have 2 R.E.M.
tracks- this one and “Losing My Religion”- and they’re both in my top 100, I
should probably snatch up one of their albums. Mid-90’s alternative rock at its
finest.
24. The
Cranberries- Zombie (Rock)
R.I.P. to the lead singer of The Cranberries, Dolores O’Riordan.
This is the only song of theirs I have, so I should probably check out some
more of their music. “Zombie” is probably the first song I understood to be a
song making some sort of political/social justice statement. Not that I really
knew what the hell was going on- I was like 9 when this came out, and I haven’t
gone back to Google exactly what this song is about in a good decade- but it
was the first time I was like “oh, people make music to speak out against
stuff.” Even in third or fourth grade, I could feel the pain in Dolores’ voice
when she was belting out these vocals, and combining that with the great guitar
riffs, I was hooked and still am to this day. Awesome music video too. You
wanna know how this song has stood the test of time in popular culture? The
music video, which was released in 1994, has more than 700 million views on
YouTube. Quite the feat.
23. Negrocan-
Cada Vez (Grant Nelson Vocal Mix) (House)
I went back and forth on whether I should allow multiple
versions of a song to appear in my top 100, because the original version of
“Cada Vez” was like 96th on my first draft of my top 100. My
thinking was that this remix and the original are so different… but at the end
of the day, I wanted to spread my shine out a little bit more, so I went with
the higher-ranked version, which is this remix. This definitely has a stronger
Latin House flavor than the original with the instrumentation, but the vocals
are the same in both. And the vocals are awesome. How awesome? I actually sang
this song in front of my Spanish 13 class at Stanford fall quarter junior year.
If you go back to “Afromedusa,” you’ll remember that I said I did a 10-page
essay on Latin House, and this was the centerpiece of the presentation part of
the project. So I decided to belt these damn notes out, and I entertained the
hell out of my class because I’m such a badass. The original is awesome, as
noted by its ranking of 96th or thereabouts in my first top 100
draft for this year, but this remix is better in my book because there’s more
going on sonically. The horns in this song are so freaking dope, and with the
longer instrumental sections, it just feels so much more like a house track
than the original, which is always a plus in my book.
22. Bonobo-
The Keeper (Banks Remix) (Downtempo Electronica)
I love Bonobo, but his best song is one that is remixed by
somebody else. What Banks does to this song is out-of-this-world good. The beat
is so gripping, so haunting, so chill, so relieving, all at the same damn time.
The singing and lyrics are fantastic. Simply put, this song is an experience. “Sat
down here with my head hung down and I just seem to find/ a bit of peace, bit
of love, bit of something left behind/Sat down here best intentions nothing
said nothing lied/bit of peace, bit of love, bit of something left inside” is
one helluva chorus. Major league shout-out to Andreya Triana for the vocals for
this one, because she’s a killer on this track. I also love the breakdown of
the beat for when Triana sings “We- shall go on… in this embrace/Cause we- can
go on…living this way.” Glorious all around. This is how music should be made.
I love this beat so much. I love the message of this song so
much. I love Raye’s singing on the chorus so much. Fantastic combination if you
ask me. I really need to check out sites like HipHopDX and Nahright and
HipHopGame.com more often because they put out random single tracks like this
one – pretty sure I found this on AllHipHop or a similar site. I haven’t done
that too often the last few years – go to those sites for new music – but I
should get back on that horse. Because if I can get music like this every now
and then, that would be a great thing. I’m really not a big Dead Prez guy – I’m
a big fan of “Hip Hop,” “Radio Freq,” and “Get Up,” but outside of that, I
never really checked for their music, probably because when I was younger and
didn’t fully grasp and appreciate the issues they were speaking out against in
their songs, all I heard at the age of 16 was some form of “kill whitey,” and
well, there’s only so much a soft little white boy can take. But M-1’s first
verse on this track is an all-timer, and I’ll forever be grateful for this
song. Anytime I’m going through something or reminiscing on how I got over a
big hurdle or obstacle in my life, this song, along with “Been Through the
Storm” by Busta Rhymes and Stevie Wonder (by far the best track on that 2006
Busta album – the fact that wasn’t the lead single is the biggest misstep of
whoever was in charge of marketing that album’s career. I mean, Busta and
Stevie on the same mother-effing track?! And you don’t even give this thing a
damn music video?! Are you serious?!), are songs I like to press play on.
My introduction to all 3 MCs involved in this song – Mos
Def, Talib Kweli and Common. I didn’t exactly like Respiration the first couple
of times I heard it, but since it dominated the Rap City Top 10 countdown for
months, it eventually grew on me… and then some. Since I got this song from
BET, my most vivid memories for this song center around the music video, which
I love; black and white was definitely the way to go with this one. In the
music video, Talib’s verse is cut off by a few bars, and I didn’t realize that
there were bars left on the table for years, when I finally got the unedited
version of this song…I gotta be honest though, I almost like the edited version
better. Not that Talib’s extra bars are wack or anything, I just like how it
sounds when the verse is punctuated and wrapped up with “capped like an NBA
salary.” Either case, this song is a classic all around. Fantastic verses,
great chorus and classic East Coast beat.
19. Souls
of Mischief- ’93 ‘Til Infinity (Rap)
The ultimate chillout rap song. I found ’93 Til Infinity in
2002 while watching some BET special on Big Boi’s 25 favorite music videos of
all time, and this made the list, and this was another case of me being unable
to move a finger while watching this music video, that’s how in the zone I was.
Aside from the super chillax beat, which sets the perfect tone for this song,
what really stands out about this song is how good the lyricism is for an early
‘90’s track. Like, this is some pretty advanced spitting for 1993. “Flip – the
flyer attire females desire/Baby you can step to this if you admire/ The
ex…traordinary dapper rapper/Keep tabs on your main SQUEEZE before I tap her”-
how dope is that? Also, you already know I’m a sucker for multiple MCs trading
bars within the same verse, and the Souls of Mischief crew does a great job of
that in this song. I’m a big fan of the stuff these guys did as Hieroglyphics
and I like their “Cabfare” track as Souls of Mischief as well.
18. Nelly
Furtado- Turn off the Lights (Remix Ft. Timbaland and Ms. Jade)
(Hip-Hop/R&B)
The original is really cool, but Timbaland takes this song
to another level. This beat is so freaking amazing, and you combine that with
by far the best Nelly Furtado has ever performed on a track, and you get this
beautiful joint. Ms. Jade’s verse is super cool too (I actually thought it was
Eve for the longest time, and didn’t actually know it was Ms. Jade until I just
YouTubed the track right now. Gotta be honest, I don’t really know who the hell
Ms. Jade is). When JV of The Doghouse was doing some of the best radio in
terrestrial radio history in 2003 (I think he later said he was on meth or
something, but it was awesome), he gave some super deep meaning to this track
involving God and Satan and “the light.” I forget how it went, but it was tight
and made me love this song even more (I think JV based it on the original
track, but Nelly’s singing is the same, so whatever).
17. Raphael
Saadiq- Get Involved (Ft. Q-Tip) (R&B)
Great sample here. And because I don’t listen to old music,
this was the first time I heard this sample, so I thought it was the coolest
thing ever, and still do. I don’t really like R&B all that much, but damn,
Raphael Saadiq is a HELLUVA singer, and his chorus that features some female
vocals is amazing. I first heard this song watching MTV and seeing the music
video, where people had TV sets for heads, so that was kinda trippy to a
12-year-old. This song is from the soundtrack to “The PJs,” Eddie Murphy’s
Claymation series that aired on FOX about people living in the projects. I
remember liking the show but I don’t think I really got it at that age. I think
there was a character named Smoky that I liked. Oh well, the show wasn’t nearly
as good as this song.
16. Freeway-
Alright (Ft. Allen Anthony) (Rap)
The third song on my Top 100 that features the sample used
in “Electric Relaxation.” I really love Freeway as an artist and especially
like his stuff with Jake One, but nothing touches “Alright.” Allen Anthony on
this chorus makes the song as good as it is. The singing puts this one over the
top. And Allen’s humming at the end of the song? Oh my God, it’s the best. I
love the long breakdown of the track as well; there’s a good 2 minutes or so
after Freeway wraps up his last verse. Usually I’d hate a long outro or
whatever, but since you’ve got Allen Anthony’s glorious humming and a bomb-ass
beat, it’s more than welcomed here. “Alright” really helps me calm down or feel
better if I’m going through some stuff and remember to play this song.
Especially when I’m nervous or feeling anxious, I love to throw this song on to
work it out, because everything’s gonna be alright; I know we can make it
through this.
15. Gigi
D’Agostino- I’ll Fly With You (House)
One of my favorite love songs of all time. It’s probably too
fast-paced for the situation, but I could totally have this song as my first
dance at my wedding much like Mapei’s “Don’t Wait” (now obviously the wife
would need to be cool with it, but hopefully said wife would be down with this
kind of music). While it’s a house track through and through, this is probably
the first “love song” that I really dug. When I was in high school, I always
dreamed of throwing this track on while laying down with my girlfriend and
being all lovey-dovey with her (that scenario hasn’t happened yet, but maybe
one day we can work it out like a Brand Nubian track). There’s a million
different versions of this track; the first one I heard had some dude
blabbering in some flanged voice- I couldn’t even begin to tell you what dude
is saying. I’m kinda partial to that version, but I also have one that’s nearly
six minutes long and doesn’t feature that blabbering. I think I originally
thought the song was called “I Still Believe In Your Eyes” because I downloaded
a file titled as such on Napster. Either way, “I still believe in your eyes” is
a helluva line to start the track. I need to start using that line in my life.
14. Bucketheads-
The Bomb (House)
Another house song that took me a few years to finally
download illegally. Why? Because it’s freaking impossible to figure out what
the hell the vocal sample is saying. At first, I thought it was “Beantown
swerving through my back,” but it’s definitely not that. Then I thought it was
“these sounds swervin’ through my mind.” The YouTube video I’m watching right
now says it’s “these sounds fall into my mind,” but it really doesn’t sound
like that to me. Either way, the vocal sample is amazing, and the melody is
classic. Nothing like a good ole’ horn sample to carry a track. I didn’t think
this song would land in the top 15, but here it is. It’s one of the best house
songs of all time.
13. GZA
& Ras Kass- Lyrical Swords (Rap)
A top 5 beat in the history of rap. Shout out to Bronze
Nazareth for this gem. The vocal sample is awesome- “if I had you by my side,
I’d cross a burning desert!/If I had you by my side, I could climb a
snow-capped mountain!”. It’s just two verses without a chorus, but GZA and Ras
Kass seriously do their thing on this song. I’ve been really into Ras Kass
recently, and I think he easily takes the cake in this song. “If your name’s
not YKK [it’s a zipper brand], then get off my dick… I hang with the trillest/
and that’s why 5 percenters, college kids and ex-felons feel us/I’m sick with
the words, Waterproof and Liquid Swords/The world never heard this before/ call
me Mr. More/More money, more murder and more spit to serve.” The guy can spit
like nobody’s business, and he’s still doing it at the age of 44. He should get
more mainstream credit than he does. Anyways, the last half of the song is a
ride out of the vocal sample and beat, and I don’t care that it takes like a
minute and half or so because that beat and sample are so awesome. It’s the
first time this song has made my Top 100 I think, and I was surprised when I
was figuring out the order how much I loved this song. The beat is so catchy
that when I think of it in my mind, it just overpowers any song I try to
compare it to. This song is saved as “Liquid Swords” on my iPod, so I should
probably change that.
12. R
Kelly- I Wish (R&B)
Sure, R Kelly is known more for love songs (among, well,
other things that have produced a couple of classic bars from Ras Kass on
“Transform” and Sean Price on “P Body”), but to me, “I Wish” is his best song,
and there’s no discussion. In fact, it’s the only R Kelly song I like. I’m a
sucker for homie tracks, and this might be the best out of all of them,
reminiscing on your fallen boy (and some would argue in YouTube comments
section how he’s pleading to get back his soul, which he sold to Satan to
become famous, or something like that). R Kel’s bridges on “I Wish” are
amazing, and the choir is spot on. This song can still send chills down my
spine when I sit and really listen to it. I think there’s a version of this
song with a rapper on it, but I prefer the one that’s all R Kelly, all the way.
What an amazing song (August 2019 update- me liking this song does not equal me condoning his heinous actions. This is literally the only solo R Kelly song I like. I have never purchased any R Kelly music; this one was downloaded off Napster. Yes, I know he has done a LOT of terrible stuff, but I'm not going to take this song off the countdown because it would not be an accurate representation of how I feel about this song. I ).
11. RJD2-
Smoke & Mirrors (Instrumental Hip-Hop)
RJD2 was the best producer of the early 2000’s, largely
because of his debut album, Deadringer, which is a top 10 album of all time,
any genre. I hadn’t heard anything like this before at the time, a hip-hop
producer flipping instrumentals with an elaborate song structure and
everything. “Smoke & Mirrors” is one of the first tracks on the album, and
when that vocal sample came on for the first time the first time I heard it, I
was like, “damn, this is amazing.” The sample comes from some super old song
called “Who Knows,” and whenever I need to calm myself down/cheer myself up,
I’ll often sing to myself “who knows what tomorrow will bring/maybe sunshine,
and maybe rain/but as for me, I’ll wait and see/maybe it’ll bring my love to
me, who knows.” My only beef with this song is that the vocal sample doesn’t
return at the end of the track. I’m no Ramble Jon Krohn, but if I had his
skills, I would have Hero’s Journey’d this track, and where it sounds like
something might be building again around the 3:30 mark, bring it back full
circle with the “Who Knows” sample, probably starting back up similar to how
the song starts. Outside of that, this song is perfect, and the horn-ish synth
that plays in this song during the vocal sample part is amazing.
10. RJD2-
Ghostwriter (Instrumental Hip-Hop)
From the same album as “Smoke & Mirrors,” “Ghostwriter”
gets the edge and top 10 nod largely because I like the song construction
better (at one point, this was No. 1 on my list like 12-14 years ago). This
time, RJD2 doesn’t mess around and brings around the best part of the song at the
end – when those horns blare, I hear victory. I hear personal triumph. I hear,
“I’ve made it, I’ve done it. It’s over. I’ve won.” But you gotta earn it first on this track.
After the first horns-blarin’ part, there’s the abyss of the song, where RJD2 experiments
a bit with some murkier sounds before slowly building back up to the climax-
kicking back in with that humming sample and female vocal sample. You’re back
in business at this point. And then it slows down, and then the horns build up,
and then BOOM- you’ve won again. This is how a song should be constructed. It’s
the Hero’s Journey. It’s everything that’s right with music. Bravo, Ramble Jon
Krohn.
9. Awa
Band- Timba (Full Intention Club Mix) (House)
I found “Timba” trying to search for Latin House songs for
that project in my Spanish class at Stanford that I was telling you about… it
just happened to already be on my iPod. It was a part of this House Nation
America compilation album I keep referring to that I got when I first got into
house music in the early 2000’s, and I had just glossed over it for like six
years, until I was sitting in my hotel room in Boulder, Colorado, the night
before a road game against the Buffaloes as part of the Pac-10/Big 12 Hardwood
Series during the 2007-08 season (we kicked their ass, but some dude whose last
name is Jackson-Wilson threw down a monster dunk for the first points of the
game, and for the briefest of moments, I thought we might get run off the floor).
Anyways, I pressed play on “Timba” and was instantly amazed. Real house music
is music that soothes the soul, and not too many songs can calm my nerves like
“Timba.” Straight head-nodding music right here with Spanish vocals, the
perfect combination.
8. La
Rissa- I Do Both Jay and Jane (House)
Before Katy Perry’s “I Kissed a Girl,” this song existed.
The bi-sexual anthem to end all bi-sexual anthems, “I Do Both Jay and Jane” is
a straight electro banger. Usually the lyrics are secondary in an electronica
track (for the most part for me, at least), but on this song, the verses are
freaking fire. “I met a boy, his name was Jay, he was so fine/I met a girl, her
name was Jane, she wanted to be mine/I met a boy, his name was Jay, he was the
one/I met a girl, her name was Jane, she wanted to have fun/He had a vision of
the things that I needed/She understood how a woman should be treated/I got a
decision, which one should I choose/When it comes to Jay and Jane, there’s just
no way to lose” might look elementary when it’s written out, but trust me, when
you hear it, it mother-effing GOES. Also awesome in this track is the little “duh---duh-duh--duh-duh----duh---duh-duh-duh-duh-duh-do-do”
sound that transitions into and out of the verses. I sing along so loud to how
much I would do both Jay and Jane on this track, because sometimes I call on
Jane, and sometimes I need a man.
7. Nas-
Nas Is Like (Rap)
DJ Premier’s best beat mixed with some of the best work from
Nasir Jones equals the No. 7 song on my personal list. Another Rap City Top 10
classic for me. Man, spring of 1999 was a golden era of rap for me personally –
“Nas is Like,” the Roots’ “You Got Me” and Black Star’s “Respiration” all
debuted music videos around this time, not to mention DMX’s “Slippin’”and so
many other greats. But back to this track…Nas is one of the best MCs to ever do
it, and Preemo is THE best producer to ever do it (sorry, Dr. Dre), and the
best part of any Preemo-produced track, outside of that trademark sound effect
that bleeps out the bad words on edited tracks which makes listening to the
edited version more enjoyable at times, is the chorus, where Preemo gets to
flex his muscle and scratch and sample vocals into something brilliant. And
what he does with Nas’ vocals on this track is fantastic as usual.
Really subdued track and a dark subject matter, and it’s
amazing. The storytelling on this track is the first thing that jumps out from
both Ghostface and Pretty Ugly in their verses. The next thing, or maybe really
the first thing actually, that jumps out is Hi-Tek’s other-worldly production.
The introduction of that violin-like synth 8 bars into Ghostface’s and Pretty
Ugly’s verses is great. The way the instrumentation varies and builds on
itself, let’s just say, is a little more complicated than the Young Gunz’
“Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop.” I actually like Pretty Ugly’s verse the best on this
song, and the ending is pretty harrowing – “Years went past before I seen her
again/Now she slim, and I don’t think she been in the gym/So I asked her how
she been, she said I’m done with the men/Now I’m saved, but I caught AIDS when
I was fucking with them” (Genius has the lyrics a little differently, but
that’s how I hear it). Willie Cottrell is Hi-Tek’s dad, so that’s pretty cool
that he got pops to get on the track, and he does a great job with his singing
verse. The best melancholy song I have.
5. k-os-
The Love Song (Rap)
“Joyful Rebellion” is a top-20 album of all time, by far
k-os’ best work, and “The Love Song” is the lead single and by far the best
track on this classic album. This song is so elevated, it’s on another plane of
existence with respect to subject matter, production and song construction. The
violin sample that comes in intermittently is fantastic and it has the best
bridge or after-second-verse part in any rap song- “I’m just a man who’s
walking/they stand around and keep talking/they tried to clip my wings/but
wisdom fills so many things” is the highlight, with music coming to a crescendo
at just as this part of the bridge drops, and it’s pure heaven (second favorite
after-second-verse segment in rap goes to DMX’s “Lord Give Me a Sign.” That ish
is powerful). This song makes me want to forgive all the perceived slights and
“shade” I’ve ever received; this song makes you realize that no level of anger
is really worth it. Love is the way, and “The Love Song” will show you how to
get there.
4. Stardust-
Music Sounds Better with You (House)
Oh man what a classic late-1990’s/early-2000’s house cut
this is. Another great song to listen to at 35,000 feet on an airplane when
you’re above the clouds. If you got a window seat, you can just put your face
to the window, become one with the blue sky and the clouds, and zone out to
this gem. 6:47 is the perfect length for this song. There’s nothing special
with the melody – it pretty much stays the same throughout like any house track
so you can melt into the song and forget all your worries. The minimal vocals
that are in this song – “oooooooooh baby/I feel like -- The music sounds better
with you, baby /love might -- bring us back together/I feel so good” and
repeat. I coulda sworn it was “I feel right,” but Google Lyrics tells me
otherwise. Added bonus- there’s a pretty cool music video for this one
featuring a kid throwing around a toy airplane or something like that.
I don’t know too many DJ Honda-produced tracks, but
Travellin’ Man has one of the best beats of all time, so maybe I should listen
to him more. This song is on another level in large part due to DJ Honda’s work
on this one. But that’s not to take away from the one we shall call Yaasin Bey,
who comes correct with a great concept, a storyline that is talked about a bit
in rap but isn’t overdone and as-expected fantastic lyricism. “This is PRO ball/And we letting you KNOW y’all/At the SHOW y’all/Doin’ this for DOUGH
y’all/Get the PHONE call/And I’m
ready to BLOW y’all/’Bout to GO y’all/Been a pleasure to know y’all” is a just a sample of Mos
Def’s greatness in this track. For a while, this was No. 1 on my list in the
early-to-mid-2000’s, and I don’t expect it to drop much anytime soon.
2. Spiller-
Groovejet (If This Ain’t Love) (House)
Heavy disco influence on what goes down as my favorite house
song of all time for now. The vocals on this song are to freaking die for.
“Holding you closer, it’s time that I told you/everything is going to be
fine/Know that you need it and try to believe it/Take me one step at a time” is
a helluva way to start off the track and the second verse is just as tight. My
favorite part vocal-wise, goes to the third verse –“Just for this lifetime, you
can be my pastime/Here are the rules of our play/In it together, ‘til I know
you better, darling/Darling, now what do you say?” The way she spits that
second “darling” is glorious. Another song perfect for flying above the clouds,
late afternoon/early evening preferable. I remember my friend Derek showing
this to me in the fall of 2000 on his computer…great memories. This was just as
I was getting into house-y stuff, and it still stands the test of my time.
The top song in the list goes to Zion I’s best song from
their best album. I don’t think I enjoy a beginning of a song more than I do on
this one, as Zumbi starts things off with “Yo- check out the superb tech,
cashin’ checks through dialect/Doper than the gold around your neck/This is my
manuscript to spit, lyrics like fat spliffs/I show the whole damn world my
gift” and it only builds from there. I love the DJ Premier-esque chorus, with
scratches from four different tracks, including “Nas is Like,” which of course earns
Amp Live brownie points in my book. Planet Asia is a very underrated MC outside
of his circle, and he more than just keeps up with Zumbi here. I only listen to
the 12-inch version of this track and NOT the album version. The 12-inch
version is longer and ends better with Zumbi’s “the chillin’ is killin’ us with
the illest-type flows” over and over again; the album version fades out way too
early from what I remember. I’m not sure if you can find the 12-inch version
anywhere outside of YouTube (it’s linked above, don’t worry) – I got it off the
Napster “Discover” section 17 years ago now; only fitting that my top song goes
to a track I found on Napster. You can talk about Spotify and Pandora all you
want, but Napster’s “Discover” section for hip-hop blows all of those
hipster-techy streaming services out of the freaking water. If it wasn’t for
illegally downloading music off Napster, I probably wouldn’t have known about
Zion I for another 2-3 years when JV from The Doghouse put the commercial Bay
on them. Thank you, Zion I, for the chillin’ is still killin’ us with your
illest-type flows.
