15 Dopest Hip Hop Songs 2015
We're halfway through the year and already we've gotten a ton of hip-hop hits. You've streamed them through Spotify, blasted them on the radio, danced to them in the club and argued with your Twitter crew about their greatness. Well, I know I have.
Thanks to rappers like Drake , Kanye West , Nicki Minaj and Fetty Wap , we've had no shortage of memorable music to define this year.
OK, so maybe it's a bit early to start making lists, but there was no way I could wait until December.
So here are my 15 dopest hip-hop songs of 2015... so far -- according to me, Rob Markman.
- 'Classic Man' Remix - Jidenna feat. Kendrick Lamar https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMeo6CykNrg
Jidenna's 'Classic Man' is quickly making it's way to the top rap tracks of 2015. I'll admit, I didn't love it at first, but now that there's a Kendrick Lamar remix, I'm all in.
- 'The White Shoes' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMdgPJSlAQ4
Leave it to Wale to illustrate how all-white sneakers play into our societal psyche and overall self-esteem as a people. I love a song with a concept.
- 'Flex (Ooh, Ooh, Ooh)' - Rich Homie Quan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWMw4vE3J8s
RHQ's 'Flex' was released in February as a track off of Quan's If You Ever Think I Will Stop Goin' In Ask Double R mixtape. Now it's a top 5 Billboard Rap song, has over 40 million plays on YouTube and has a funny dance that goes along with it. It's been in my head since it dropped.
- 'Apparently' - J. Cole https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRaFMlZ1YHA
J. Cole's 'Apparently' dropped with his album back in December, but the track shot to the top 10 of Billboard 's Rap Songs chart in the new year. 'Apparently' was catchy, had substance and personally hit my heart. Love you mama.
- 'See You Again' - Wiz Khalifa feat. Charlie Puth https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgKAFK5djSk
This is a sentimental favorite and a certified hit. Wiz held down the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for 10 consecutive weeks after he dropped this 'Furious 7' single. The video for the slow and somber Paul Walker dedication has over half-a-billion plays on YouTube and broke all types of streaming records on Spotify.
- 'Feeling Myself' - Nicki Minaj feat. Beyoncé https://open.spotify.com/track/5fyIGoaaKelzdyW8ELhYJZ
Nicki and Bey redefined #SquadGoals when they dropped the video for this track on Tidal. The memes that came from this one will go down in Internet history; I know I double tapped quite a few times. Oh yeah, Nicki's lyrics are dope too.
- 'Energy' - Drake https://open.spotify.com/track/79XrkTOfV1AqySNjVlygpW
Drizzy's If You're Reading This It's Too Late came out of nowhere and 'Energy' was a real for me. After Drake dropped his tape in February, every single track off the project charted on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and 'Energy' was right up there. Not only is it a great track for shaking off my haters, it will forever change the way I ask my friends for the code for the wi-fi.
- 'Blessings' - Big Sean feat. Drake and Kanye West https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6t47RI4bns
Big Sean's 'Blessings' was already a dope song. Not only does it play well in the club with the 21 and over crowd, little tykes like Riley Curry love it too.
- 'Post To Be' - Omarion feat. Chris Brown and Jhené Aiko https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPxVSCfoYnU
Omarion dropped this gem of a song back in November 2014, but the song didn't really impact radio until this year. Actually, it just hit number one on Billboard' s Rhythmic chart this week. The DJ Mustard beat is top-notch and O and Breezy kill it, but everyone who knows me knows that Jhené's 'Eat the booty like groceries' line the highlight for me.
- 'Bitch Better Have My Money' - Rihanna https://open.spotify.com/track/0NTMtAO2BV4tnGvw9EgBVq
Is Rihanna hip-hop? OF COURSE SHE IS. Not only does she break out a rap cadence for this one, she captures the spirit of classic rap tracks from acts like Big Daddy Kane, AMG and Ol' Dirty Bastard. Now excuse me while I go cash these checks.
- 'All Day' - Kanye West https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ABk7TmjnVk
How long is this one stuck in my head? All day, all day. Even if we don't get a new Kanye album this year -- and I think we will -- at least we got a dope single.
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- 'King Kunta' - Kendrick Lamar https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRK7PVJFbS8
Kudos to Kendrick for resurrecting the funk vibe of West Coast's yesteryear and adding a message to the music. The fact that this isn't the biggest rap hit on radio, has me questioning things. But even if your local DJ didn't support it, us real fans streamed the hell out of it.
- 'Know Yourself' - Drake https://open.spotify.com/track/5InOp6q2vvx0fShv3bzFLZ
There are few 2015 feelings better than being in the club with your crew and singing this one with your woes.
- 'F--k Up Some Commas' - Future https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKl6umkwKfU
Yes, I have bills to pay, but every time I Future's 'F--k Up Some Commas' comes on, I feel a little bit richer? Though Future isn't exactly burning up the Billboard charts with this one, the streets have anointed this one, and by the streets, I mean me.
- 'Trap Queen' - Fetty Wap https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_kF4zLNKio
Yes, Fetty dropped his breakout hit on his Soundcloud in early 2014, but 'Trap Queen' didn't really take off until after the ball dropped in 2015. There isn't a day that went by this year where I didn't play this one. Whether the number one rap song was playing on radio or getting covered by Ed Sheeran , there's no denying Zoovier.