Oct 23, 2015 Shea Serrano’s The Rap Year Book: The Most Important Rap Song From Every Year Since 1979, Discussed, Debated, and Deconstructed does pretty much what its title suggests. Released earlier this month, it’s New York Times best seller, and is presently sold out on Amazon. Here are the 36 songs Serrano has deemed most important (which doesn’t necessarily mean best) since 1979: 1979 ‘Rapper’s Delight’ The Sugarhill g--- 1980 ‘The Breaks’ Kurtis Blow 1981 ‘Jazzy Sensation’ Afrika Bambaataa and the Jazzy Five 1982 ‘The Message’ Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five 1983 ‘Sucker M.C.’s’ Run-DMC 1984 ‘Friends’ Whodini 1985 ‘La Di Da Di’ Doug E. Fresh and Slick Rick 1986 ‘6 in the Mornin” Ice-T 1987 ‘Paid in Full’ Eric B. and Rakim 1988 ‘Straight Outta Compton’ N.W.A 1989 ‘Fight the Power’ Public Enemy 1990 ‘Bonita Applebum’ A Tribe Called Quest 1991 ‘Mind Playing Tricks on Me’ Geto Boys 1992 ‘Nuthin’ but a ‘G’ Thang’ Dr. Dre, featuring Snoop Dogg 1993 ‘C.R.E.A.M.’ Wu-Tang Clan 1994 ‘Juicy’ The Notorious B.I.G. 1995 ‘Dear Mama’ Tupac 1996 ‘California Love’ Tupac, featuring Dr. Dre and Roger Troutman 1997 ‘Can’t Nobody Hold Me Down’ Puff Daddy, featuring Mase 1998 ‘Ruff Ryders’ Anthem’ DMX 1999 ‘My Name Is’ Eminem 2000 ‘Big Pimpin” Jay Z, featuring UGK 2001 ‘Takeover’ vs. ‘Ether’ Jay Z vs. Nas 2002 ‘Grindin” The Clipse 2003 ‘In Da Club’ 50 Cent 2004 ‘Still Tippin” Mike Jones, featuring Slim Thug and Paul Wall 2005 ‘Gold Digger’ Kanye West, featuring Jamie Foxx 2006 ‘Hustlin” Rick Ross 2007 ‘International Players Anthem’ UGK, featuring Outkast 2008 ‘A Milli’ Lil Wayne 2009 ‘Best I Ever Had’ Drake 2010 ‘Monster’ Kanye West, featuring Rick Ross, Jay Z, Bon Iver, and Nicki Minaj 2011 ‘n----s in Paris’ Jay Z and Kanye West 2012 ‘Same Love’ Macklemore and Ryan Lewis 2013 ‘Control’ Big Sean, featuring Kendrick Lamar and Jay Electronica 2014 ‘Lifestyle’ Rich g---, featuring Young Thug and Rich Homie Quan http://news.hiphopearly.com/new-book-lists-important-rap-songs-every-year-1979/
Oct 23, 2015 Kanye west and jay z are theonly to have three songs on the list living legends confirmed.
Oct 23, 2015 Bought this as a birthday present to myself and got it in the mail a few days ago, I've read up through the Straight Outta Compton section. It's insightful, hilarious, and overall fantastic so far. Btw before anyone complains about the choices I suggest you quit being a b---- and buy/read the book because looking at the list on its own doesn't do it any justice. The author makes a very clear distinction between "important" and "best" and offers a counterpoint in the form of a blurb about a different song from another rap critic for each year. It has a lot of cool artwork and info graphics as well. Highly recommended.
Oct 23, 2015 See above. It's "most important" not necessarily "best," and the author does a great job of explaining historical/musical/social significance.
Oct 23, 2015 Word my bad I didn't even see you posted that lol. I still don't really agree with it tho
Oct 23, 2015 I'm probably going to snag it when it gets back in stock for $12 on Amazon. Right now I could get it from a different seller for like $20 (with shipping) but, for some reason, I don't feel like spending that extra $8 right now... ...although I'll probably just say f--- it and pay for it. This book looks awesome from the screenshots on Amazon.
Oct 23, 2015 At work so can't be certain on years but 98 and 02 to name two I immediately noticed Imo 98 should be changes by pac 02 should obviously be lose yourself @Narsh But I guess now that I think about it the importance of those songs are very different so idk. Just a thought, could be entirely off base with my argument
