The 50 Greatest Bay Area Rap Songs
By Willy Staley | Jan 27, 2011 | 2:54 pm | Permalink
The Bay Area has a chip on its shoulder when it comes to hip-hop. Everyone steals Bay Area slang, but the radio won't play Bay Area music. It doesn't help that The Bay's artists never want to deal with major labels, and then cry foul when they don't get spins any further east than Sacramento.
This relative isolation has led to a certain kind of creativity, or strangeness, depending on how one sees it. Whether it's E-40's "Woody Woodpecker on crack" voice, Keak da Sneak's smoker's cough gibberish, Mac Dre's ecstasy-twisted dance moves, or Andre Nickatina's apparent obsession with Jungle Book, some of the Bay Area's most celebrated artists are downright bizarre—and that's what people love about them.
This alternative approach to rap, in the East Bay especially, has a long tradition outside of street rap, that goes back to Digital Underground, Hieroglyphics, Hobo Junction, and continues today with internet phenomenon Lil B. In the Bay Area, gangsta rap is not all that serious, and serious rap is still really fun.
Would the Bay Area give up its strangeness for a shot at the mainstream? We hope not. In any case, here's a primer with The 50 Greatest Bay Area Rap Songs for those who have been missing out. Don't be surprised if you feel like you really missed out; you did.
Written By Willy Staley (@bushwickwill)
Maurice Garland January 27th, 2011 at 03:36 PM
definitely some classics on here. one of these songs couldve been replaced with Mac Dre's "Not My Job"...or did i miss it?
Andre Hicks January 27th, 2011 at 04:49 PM
you didnt miss it, its not on there since its top-50 not top-500. i have about 10 songs on Young Black Brotha that are better than Not My Job.
monarca510 January 27th, 2011 at 11:26 PM
+1 yes. Young Lay had some clean hits back in the 90s on YBB.
Monarca510 January 27th, 2011 at 11:32 PM
+1 ... Young Lay had some nice hits back in the 90s on YBB.
Monarca510 January 27th, 2011 at 11:35 PM
+1 ... Young Lay had some nice hits back in the 90s on YBB.
Andre Lewis Hicks July 1st, 2011 at 11:12 PM
shut up fool u aint me and young black brotha was my old shit teenager shit i was tryin to get some pabbi. 96-04 was my real shit. aaaddidamean?
StlMizzou January 28th, 2011 at 12:01 PM
Shouts out to Complex for this list!! Im from Missouri but we fks with the Bay hard! Classic list..that Mac Mall & Celly Cel took the cake tho, i remember goin to Streetside Records evry week & starin at that Mac Mall cover for 10 mins straight lol
AK January 27th, 2011 at 04:10 PM
I'm so glad someone else remembers The Team's album. Classic stuff.
elton January 27th, 2011 at 04:55 PM
This is the best list. Rappin 4 Tay song is a party.
Xochitl January 27th, 2011 at 06:13 PM
i was hella anticipating what the number one song was. i got to it and smiled. great choice. one song that i wish was on the list was oakland blackouts.
DMGK January 27th, 2011 at 09:33 PM
I'm sorry but who ever wrote this article has no idea how we feel in the Bay. You dont evan no about messy marv, yukmouth, Bully's wit Fully's all of the streets favorite music is missing. Horrible list....
Domino January 27th, 2011 at 09:45 PM
NO, Public Enemy used that sample first on "Show em' what you Got" off of "It Takes a Nation of Millions.." in 1988...know your hip hop if your gona report it.
Ackime Snow January 31st, 2011 at 09:23 PM
I'm pretty sure that he knows about messy marv and yukmouth and the rest of those guys because posts have been made about them on his blog, but for them to make it to the top 50 list... your bugging bruh
Diggz January 27th, 2011 at 09:49 PM
Question how is the pack infront of messy i mean they got kool songs but messy marv is more of a icon
Domino January 27th, 2011 at 09:50 PM
NO, Public Enemy used that sample first on "Show em' what you Got" off of "It Takes a Nation of Millions.." in 1988, 4 years before N2 Deep....I would even bet that Johnny Z sampled it directly off of the PE song and not Darkest Light.....know your Hip Hop if your gona report it.
Terek January 27th, 2011 at 10:05 PM
You guys are OFFICIAL....I see you listed Mac Mall's classic "Let's Get a Telly"
Terek January 27th, 2011 at 10:11 PM
This list is OFFICIAL....You guys listed Mac Mall's classic "Let's Get A Telly"