10. Public Enemy - Bring The Noise - Until maybe 5 or so years ago the only Public Enemy songs I knew were Bring The Noise and Night of the Living Baseheads. Hearing this song continuously on Tony Hawks Pro Skater 2 also helped fuel my love for this track (minus the Anthrax addition in the video game). The basis of the song is like most (or even all) of Public Enemy's tracks, politically driven with a hint of praise to Louis Farrakhan and Islam. Yet, what makes this track stand out is that Chuck D is basically saying bring the noise of hip-hop music up to par with rock music. "Radio stations I question their blackness, they call themselves black, we'll see if they'll play this."
9. Big L - Fall Back - Featuring Kool G Rap - Big L is one of the most underrated hip-hop artists of all time. Fall Back is a classic example of Big L's style. High pitched voice, great flow, sharp lyrics and a guest appearance by Kool G Rap. "I heard you sing well you better make a whole new song, if they said that shit is hot then they told you wrong."
8. Nas - Life's A Bitch - Featuring AZ - It is hard to rank classic material, especially when I feel that the entire Illmatic album is worth being listed. My draft list had around five Illmatic tracks. The title of the song says its all. "Life's a bitch and then you die, thats why get high, because you never know when you're gonna go."
7. Ghostface Killah - Biscuits - Featuring Trife - I love everything about this track. From its classic Wu style beat, Ghostface's trademark style and delivery, the chorus... you name it, I love it. This was easily my most played song of 2005 and possibly top three of all time. (On iTunes).
"Act like James Brown and get down."
6. Outkast - Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik - At first glance you probably thought I mashed the keyboard when typing the name of this track. Old Outkast is simply amazing. Not that newer Outkast isn't, but you know what I mean. Sick flow from Big Boi and 3 Stacks on this funky southern beat provide the listener with true riding music that you can blast this in your Neons, Civics, Suburbans or Cadillacs. Organize on the track for that southernplayalistic shit. "Niggas that try to fuck with me get sprayed like raid because it ain't nothing see."
5. Wu-Tang Clan - Heaterz - Featuring Cappadonna - Everybody has that one song that reminds you of a certain time and place when you hear it. I used to listen to this at night when I'd be wandering the neighborhood or skating around the block super late. It has a very "night time" feel to it. You also can't deny the production by True Master and also Inspectah Deck and Cappa's verses. "I suplex your raps left ruined like the Aztecs."
4. Mobb Deep - Shook Ones Pt. 2 - I'm always surprised when people don't know this one. It is praised as one of the most influential hip-hop tracks of all time by a number of sources and quoted in numerous rap songs, for example from Big L on his track titled Ebonics: "Mobb Deep already explained the meaning of shook." Shook Ones explains the life of crime in the mean streets of Queensbridge. At this time Havoc and Prodigy (the two members of Mobb Deep) were young, making the success of this song and the Infamous album quite the accomplishment. "As long as I'm alive I'ma live illegal" ... "Living the life that of diamonds and guns."
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