The 50 Best New Orleans Rap Songs
By Andrew Noz | May 18, 2011 | 11:38 am | Permalink
As the rebellious love child of old-school New York hip hop's rigid traditionalism and its own city's rich musical legacy, New Orleans' hip hop scene has always been one of the most fascinatingly distinctive. From the chant-heavy, repetitive bounce that ruled the area in the early '90s to its more streamlined and lyrical sibling that took over the national charts by the end of the decade, the city's scene(s) thrived on this unique push-and-pull relationship. In this time New Orleans' hip-hop circuit produced some of the genre's biggest stars and most unheralded talents. And much like the city itself, it has seen both its highs and very low lows, but it's still here, surviving.
In 2011, No Limit celebrates its 20th anniversary, Cash Money still rules the charts (albeit with a sound that has very little to do with the city that birthed it), and bounce sees its highest mainstream critical profile in years, with artists like Big Freedia becoming hipster darlings and David Simon's recently relaunched HBO series Treme taking a long-delayed interest in the genre. To celebrate that great legacy, Complex took a look back at The 50 Best New Orleans Rap Songs. The city's scene is so deep that 50 only scratches its surface, but the list offers a solid cross-section of the many styles and subscenes that the city has produced over the years, from major national hits to records that only impacted on the underground level.
Written By Andrew Noz (@Noz)
Tray May 18th, 2011 at 08:11 PM
Noz, you posted 'It Ain't My Fault 2' instead of 'It Ain't My Fault.'
Tray May 18th, 2011 at 08:41 PM
And... I'm pretty sure you didn't post the video remix of 'Nolia Clap' either.
keenan klj jackson May 18th, 2011 at 09:12 PM
were is "ice mike-i got game" & full-pack - full pack is in the house"
Steve May 18th, 2011 at 09:24 PM
Slow Motion was originally Slim's record. Juvie begged Slim to have the record and he obliged. Juvie wanted it to be his first single, but Baby was being a bitch because him and Slim had unresolved issues. Slim died, then Juvie was allowed to release it as a single.
Steve May 18th, 2011 at 09:39 PM
And Da Entourage are not from New Orleans, they are from Lafayette. Remove them and replace with: 6 Shot-Itz Ya Dog http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9Jcc2my-zw or Devious ft. Bust Down-The Club Scene http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGmSub5LvuA
DoubleClutch95 May 18th, 2011 at 10:57 PM
@ Steve Juvenile actually wanted Slim to have the record for Slim's own album. They record Slow Motion & another track (which I forgot what it is called) and Slim told Juvenile to put Slow Motion on "Juve the Great" cuz Slim knew it would get more attention since Juve was bigger across the world and back with Cash Money. Juvenile didn't want to as he begged Slim to keep it but eventually Juvenile did put it on his album and as you said Baby didnt want it as a single mainly cuz he was afraid to drop any record that wasn't a Mannie Fresh beat. But of course the rest his history...
Bling_D May 19th, 2011 at 01:22 AM
No 5th Ward Weebie? Seriously? No Wobble Wobble? No I Need a Hotgirl? No Catch the Wall? No Kane & Abel? No Still Fly? No Hootie Hoo? Appreciate the effort - obviously you know your stuff. But I think I could have made a better list. Mystikal was a great rapper, but I can't see justifying having so many of his tracks and not a single one by 5th Ward Weebie. I also would have given a bit more weight to N.O. Block party, as that track really captures the full essence of bounce.
Bling_D May 19th, 2011 at 01:36 AM
Also, you forgot: Bend it ova bus' it open and Shake it like a dog and Lovin' You and I really want you and Josephine Johnny and Get it ready, ready
guy May 19th, 2011 at 11:56 AM
wobble wobble is number 26
Bling_D May 22nd, 2011 at 09:58 AM
My b, I was thinking "Where you at, Whodie?".
Ceion Ariejon May 19th, 2011 at 01:36 AM
waiiiitt I loved this!!! but why wasn't 6 Shot-Itz Ya Dog, Dj Jubilee Getting Ready and Ricky B Shake Fa Ya Hood on here?? other than that.. this is dope!
Baron LaCroix May 19th, 2011 at 06:31 AM
I didn't see NONE of the Ghetto Twinz songs on here... or "Smokin Dat Weed Smokin Dat Fire" by Lady Red... or "Stop, Pause" or "Get It Ready" by DJ Jubilee... or "Hot Steamy Relations" or "Josephine Johnny"... or "Tell Me Why" by PnC & Ms. Tee... and if you gon' only include one song from the "sissy bounce" movement (which is actually bigger than people would believe) it should have been "Local New Orleans" by Katey Redd instead of "Gin In My System" by Big Freedia... I could go on and on and on... Nice list, but they coulda taken off some of them No Limit songs, or even some of Wayne's newer songs like "A Milli" (which was so far removed from being a true New Orleans rap song, it could go down as one of the best Rap songs nationwide)... I'm just saying... The article brought me some serious nostalgia tho...
danette May 20th, 2011 at 01:01 AM
where is "Get It Ready?" this list has some good tracks, but its missng some that are WAAAAAY better