The 100 Best Hip-Hop One-Hit Wonders

Producer: Frank Fair, Joe Webb
Album: N/A
Label: Sunnyview Records


Newcleus were a Brooklyn-bred electro rap group, that incorporated elements of 80s funk and synth pop in their sound. They had a handful of popular tunes in their day, but perhaps none are better known than "Jam On It," a breakdancer's dream song.

Producer: Blackout Movement
Album: Music Is My Savior
Label: American King Music / Capitol Records


Mims had been grinding it out as a serious underground rapper since the early aughts, when-perhaps frustrated with the way things were going-he decided to make something with a tad more commercial appeal. The irony of it all was that he admitted right on the song that it was all kind of some elaborate joke. "I can sell a mill sayin' nothing on the track," he spit. And then he did! Joke's on you, buddy.

Producer: Doug Grigsby, David Michery
Album: 12 Gauge
Label: Scotti Brothers Records


DJs who become rappers have a leg up on the competition. They know what's gonna move the crowd. Perhaps that helped 12 Gauge, a rapper from Augusta, Georgia, who started out as a DJ then became a rapper, and had one notable hit, "Dunkie Butt," in 1993. The dance rap tune's video featured lots of shakin' booties. We definitely weren't mad.

Producer: K-Def
Album: The Turnaround: A Long Awaited Drama
Label: Big Beat Records


K-Def cut his teeth as a producer working under the tutelage of Marley Marl, crafting beats for the likes of Da Youngstas and Lords of the Underground. Then he teamed with rapper Larry-O to form Real Life and delivered the classic cut "Real Live Shit." The remix, featuring Ghostface and Raekwon, only upped the ante. The New Jersey-natives' debut LP, The Turnaround: A Long Awaited Drama, has been long considered a rap classic, but outside of K-Def's production work in the mid-aughts, little has been heard from this duo since.

Producer: Tony Mercedes, Troy "Taylor-Boy" Taylor Clear1 Djs
Album: Dazzey Duks
Label: Bellmark Records


In the early '90s, popularized by Luther "Luke" Campbell and 2 Live Crew, Miami bass music was heavy in the Southern part of the United States. A handful of groups had success in the genre, and one of them was Duice, whose short-shorts-inspired single, "Dazzey Duks," went on to sell over 2 million copies. It was the group's only hit. Nearly twenty years later, every girl in America is wearing cut-off daisy dukes. Time for a comeback?

Producer: Def Jef
Album: Born Gangstaz
Label: Def Jam


Bo$$ was arguably the first female gangster rapper, but she became something of a lightning rod when it was revealed in a 1994 Wall Street Journal article that she'd attended private school and been raised in an upper middle class family. Her parents were even reportedly sending her money after she moved from Detroit to Los Angeles to pursue her recording career. That ain't gangsta. Still, the lie was fun while it lasted, and "Deeper" was a strong cut.

Producer: Da Drizzle
Album: Webstar Presents: Caught In The Web
Label: Scilla Hill


"This isn't some novelty, quick hit type of record," Universal Records President Monte Lipman said back in the Summer of 2006, when he signed DJ Webstarr and Young B to his label. Might he want to rethink that statement now? "Chicken Noodle Soup" was New York's answer to dance rap that had been blowing up across the country at the time. But the hype behind the song was just that, hype. It rained, and then Young B and DJ Webstarr got cleared out.

Producer: Spencer Bellamy
Album: N/A
Label: 10/30 Uproar Records


East Flastbush Project is actually the alias of Spencer Bellamy, a Brooklyn producer who has put out a few records over the years-but none more renowned than "Tried By 12." Most newbies will recognize the beat to this one-hit wonder as the instrumental that was used in the 2011 Shady 2.0 Cipher at the BET Awards. But in 1996 it provided the backing track to a gritty kill-or-be-killed tale told by rapper Des. Where is he now?

Producer: Sonny Digital
Album: Rack Nation
Label: Universal Republic


While it's never been determined whether or not Y.C. is actually speaking English on this song (seriously, does anyone know what he's saying?) that didn't stop the tune from becoming a major hit. It also introduced hip-hop at large to Future, who's obviously become quite popular in his own respect. The official remix for the song featured Young Jeezy, Wiz Khalifa, Waka Flocka Flame, Cyhi The Prynce, Bun B, B.o.B, Yo Gotti, Wale, Cory Gunz, Dose, Cory Mo, Nelly, Twista, Big Sean, Trae and Ace Hood. In other words, it was an entire mixtape on one song. But since then we haven't heard much from Y.C. himself.

Producer: The Beatstaz
Album: Jibbs Featuring Jibbs
Label: Geffen Records


Jibbs was another artist out of St. Louis, MS (labels were looking for the next Nelly, the next J-Kwon). His career was short lived, though, reduced to the 2006 ringtone rap song "Chain Hang Low." The tune lifted its main melody from "Turkey in the Straw," a popular minstrel-show tune that dates all the way back to the 1800s. Most people recognized it as the song the ice cream man plays when he drives around. Which may have helped score points with the kids, while turning off most adults.

Producer: Terminator X, DJ Skribble
Album: Dead Enz Kidz Doin' Lifetime Bidz
Label: MCA Records


And you thought V-Nasty was bad! None of the five members of Young Black Teenagers were actually black. But they had a cosign from Public Enemy producer Hank Shocklee, who released their records on his Sounds Of Urban Listeners record label, and they weren't disgraceful to the culture or anything-well, not counting group member Kamron's whiteboy dreads. "Tap The Bottle" dropped a few months after House of Pain's "Jump Around" in 1992, and rose to No. 6 on the Rap Singles chart. But that was their last real hit, and two years later the group broke up.

Producer: Calvin Miller Productions
Album: Notebook Paper
Label: Jive Records


Like J-Kwon before him, Huey seemed to have sprung from the Kansas City, MS rap scene overnight. "Pop, Lock & Drop It" was ringtone rap personified, and soon became a staple on 106 & Park. There was a follow-up single ("When I Hustle") and even two albums from Huey, but nobody remembers him for anything except this one song-making him a one-hit wonder personified.

Producer: Donald XL Robertson
Album: Nolia Clap
Label: Rap-a-Lot / Asylum Records


Juvenile left Cash Money Records in 2002, then formed UTP, a group which originally consisted of him, Wacko, Skip, Corey Cee, Soulja Slim and Young Buck. They dropped a few compillation albums before Buck defected to G-Unit, Corey Cee left the group, and Soulja Slim was killed. Whittled to a trio, Juvie, Wacko and Skip signed to Rap-A-Lot Records in 2003 and their single, "Nolia Clap," followed a year later. It was popular mostly on the rap and R&B charts, and received a ton of club play. But UTP never had another hit, which leaves them with one-hit wonder status.

Producer: Paul C.
Album: Girls I Got 'Em Locked
Label: Elektra Records


Super Lover Cee and Cassanova Rud were a duo out of Astoria, Queens, who had a few noteworthy jams in the late 80s. "Do The James" was a huge hit for them, and was produced by the legendary Paul C. But while it was blowing up at radio, Paul C was mysteriously killed, and people within the hip-hop community at the time thought Rud and Cee had something to do with it. The allegations tarnered their reputation and they never were able to capitalize on their initial success.

Producer: Jermaine Dupri
Album: POV City Hustler
Label: The Inc. Records


Before the concept of "ringtone rap" was even thought of, there was Cadillac Tah's "POV City Anthem," which used the then-popular 2-way pager alert to craft the song's melody. It was gimmicky, but it worked, and the song introduced Cadillac Tah as the next hip-hop artist on The Inc. Records after Ja Rule and Vita. It appeared on the soundtrack to The Fast And The Furious, which dropped through The Inc./Uptown/Universal Records, which is obviously why Tah got the single look. But despite the hype around his debut album, it never dropped, Cadillac Tah silently faded away, along with The Inc.

Producer: Rob Lewis
Album: Nine Livez
Label: Profile Records


Largely built off a sample of The Staples Singers' version of "The Dock of the Bay," Nine's "Whutcha Want?" brought the gruff-voiced Bronx MC notable acclaim in 1995, peaking at No. 50 on the Billboard Hot 100. But he was never able to make much of an impact on the charts again, and though he released three albums, Nine had faded into oblivion by the late '90s.

Producer: RNS
Album: AKA the Rugged Child
Label: Virgin / EMI Records


When ODB said "Wu Tang is for the children" he really meant it. Shyheim was a Wu-affiliated child MC who released his first single, "On And On," in 1994. The song detailed the gritty upbringing Shy experienced in Staten Island's notorious Stapleton Houses. At the time, the masses were eager for anything Wu-Tang-related and this track hit No. 7 on the Billboard R&B charts. Though he'd release a second LP, and go on to star in movies (The Preacher's Wife) and appear in sitcoms The Parent 'Hood), Shy was jailed in the early 2000s, effectively derailing his music career.

Producer: Young L
Album: Skateboards 2 Scrapers
Label: Up All Night / Jive Records / Indie Pop/ SMC Recordings


Before Lil' B became the Based God, he was part of The Pack, with Lil Uno, Young L and Stunnaman. Their single "Vans" initially caught a buzz off the groups's Myspace page, and then The Pack signed to Jive through Too $hort's Up All Nite Records. "Vans" was never a huge hit at radio, but it earned the group an online cult following, which B then capitalized on, creating the mythic rap figure he is today.

Producer: Redfoo
Album: Ahmad
Label: Giant / Reprise / Warner Bros. Records


The irony of Ahmad's hit single "Back In The Day" is that he was actually a 19-year-old kid when he sang the song that goes: "Back in the days when I was young / I'm not a kid anymore..." Perhaps owing to his maturity, the LA-bred MC would go on to graduate from Stanford and become a sought-after public speaker, despite never having another real hit.

Producer: Trackboyz
Album: Hood Hop
Label: So So Def / Arista


Missouri rapper J-Kwon will forever be remembered for this contribution to hip-hop. "Tipsy" went to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, but was staved off from the No. 1 position by Usher's "Yeah," which is totally understandable considering how popular that particular song was at the time. With its "We Will Rock You" drums and catchy hook, "Tipsy" seemingly came out of nowhere. Then Kwon disappeared just as quickly, which in hindsight, most rap fans are probably OK with.

Producer: Bruce "Grim" Rhodes
Album: Sittin' Fat Down South
Label: Short Stop Records


Lil' Troy was just one of a handful of MCs from Texas trying to break out nationally in the '90s. He did so when his song "Wanna Be A Baller" began picking up steam at radio in 1998, peaking at No. 70 on the Billboard Hot 100. Which is not exactly a high number, but it got Universal Records to pay attention to the independent artist. A year later the mega-label stepped in and re-released Troy's album Sittin' Fat Down South, and it eventually went platinum. But then Troy got arrested on a drug charge and had to serve prison time. When he was released, he was embroiled in all sorts of legal drama stemming from having Scarface appear on the album without consent, and was ordered to pay the legendary rapper over $200,000.

Producer: Jason Pit Pittman
Album: Rockstar Mentality
Label: OnDeck Records / Universal Republic


The Shop Boyz cashed in on a particular moment in rap when there was a renewed interest in what other genres were doing-namely rock n' roll. This, despite the fact that rock n' roll hadn't been interesting in years. But whatever. A mix of crunk with a wailing lead guitar line drove this song to No. 2 on the Hot 100. But it was mostly written off as a novelty tune, and the Atlanta-based group quickly faded into obscurity.

Producer: Kevin "She'kspere" Briggs
Album: Street Cinema
Label: Ruffhouse Records


One good turn deserves another, right? After TLC dropped their male-bashing anthem "No Scrubs," Sporty Thievz shot back with "No Pigeons," over the same beat. The song featured hilarious quips like "This ain't my car like that ain't your hair," and "your pussy ain't worth the Ramada" among others. And while the group had a few other noteworthy tunes, "No Pigeons" was the one that cemented them in the annals of one-hit wonder history.

Producer: Derik "D-dot: Angelettie
Album: Many Facez
Label: Universal Records


Tracey Lee was a Philly-bred rapper whose only real hit was "The Theme (It's Party Time)." Even though the Mark Pitts–managed MC had production from key hitmakers at the time like Deric "D-Dot" Angelettie and Ron "Amen-Ra" Lawrence of Diddy's famed The Hitmen production squad-as well as a guest appearance from The Notorious B.I.G.-his debut album, Many Facez (Bystorm/Universal, 1997) didn't perform well on the charts, and he disappeared only to later resurface in 2006 as a lawyer. A rapper turned attorney-wait, what?

Producer: Michael "Taz" Williams, Plat'num House
Album: Thug Misses
Label: Artemis Records


"My Neck, My Back" may be the most popular rimjob-related song in the history of music. Although it performed decently, it didn't soar up the charts. But like Akinyele's "Put It In Ya Mouth," its fame is derived from its cult favorite status. The song stands as an empowerment anthem for the female millennial generation, which desires more than just casual sex. If you want it, you've got to put some work in. The neck, the back, the pussy, the crack-all of dat.

Producer: D-Nice
Album: Call Me D-Nice
Label: Jive Records


Nearly two decades before he became an in-demand DJ and photographer, D-Nice was a rapper who was down with the BDP posse. He had one notable hit, "Call Me D-Nice," from the album of the same name. The song's notable because it doesn't really even have a hook-which by today's standards would be nearly unheard of.

Producer: Runway Star
Album: The Kickback
Label: Capitol Records


"Teach Me How To Dougie" was actually inspired by Lil' Will's "My Dougie," a 2007 song about a dance popularized in Dallas, Texas (it can also be seen in the GS Boyz video "The Booty Dew".) But while "My Dougie" was just a minor hit for Lil' Will, Cali Swag District's song went viral and wound up amassing over 30 million plays on YouTube. It also sold over 2 million copies. And oh yeah, it certainly didn't hurt (it can also be seen in the GS Boyz video Kate Upton's popularity. But CSD suffered a setback when M-Bone, the group's dancer, was shot and killed. They have yet to recapture the same level of success.

Producer: Mufi
Album: Da' Miilkrate
Label: Capitol Records


Miilkbone was a rapper from New Jersey whose song "Keep It Real" was a modest hit in '95. He also had another song, "Where'z Da Party At," which was not nearly as popular, but still helped solidify him as a serviceable MC with a few different styles. Miilkbone was never able to follow up on "Keep It Real," and when Eminem said "I'm on a search to crush a milkbone," in "Just Don't Give A Fuck," he may have put the final nail in dude's coffin. Miilkbone would eventually sign with Death Row Records and try to dis Em, but by that point nobody was even paying attention.

Producer: Hurby Luv Bug
Album: Dana Dane with Fame
Label: Profile Records


Dana Dane is an MC from Fort Green, Brooklyn, who's debut album, Dana Dane with Fame, was his landmark record. Released in 1987, it went Gold, and "Nightmares" was one of the more popular songs from the album. But with the changing sound of rap, Dane's style fell out of favor, and by the time he dropped his follow-up in 1990, he was something of an afterthought.

Producer: Teddy Riley, Knobody
Album: My Melody
Label: Lil' Man / Motown Records


On the strength of her appearance on BLACKstreet's '96 single "No Diggity," Queen Pen had a little buzz leading into the release of her debut LP, My Melody, which dropped a year later. And while she had a few noteworthy singles from the album ("Man Behind The Music" and "All My Love," respectively), it's the Earth, Wind and Fire-inspired "Party Ain't A Party" which proved to be her only timeless record.

Producer: Wildstyle
Album: The Final Tic
Label: Universal Records


While Common had come out of Chicago in the early '90s making East Coast-flavored hip-hop records, Crucial Conflict was one of the first groups to break out nationally with an identifiably Midwestern sound. "Hay," complete with its barnyard-themed video, peaked at No. 2 on Billboard's Hot Rap Singles chart and even made it to No. 18 on the Hot 100. It also showed the rest of the country a side of Windy City hip-hop that had yet to be exposed.

Producer: H. B. Barnum
Album: Que Pasa?
Label: JWP Records


"Rappin' Duke" was kind of a jokey song, where rapper Shawn Brown spit the rhymes as if he was John Wayne (The Duke). This song became widly popular in 1985-s if conceptual rap was a new thing-and was forever immortalized by The Notorious B.I.G. in "Juicy," when he spit the line, "Remember Rappin' Duke, dah-ha, dah-ha." Indeed, we do.

Producer: Wyclef Jean
Album: Can-I-Bus
Label: Universal Records


After Canibus sneak-dissed LL Cool J on an early version of his song "4, 3, 2, 1," from the Phenomenon LP (1997, Def Jam), L dissed him right back on the same track, then told 'Bis the only way he'd keep him on the song is if he changed his verse. Which he did. Except LL kept the original verse that he spit, which made Canibus look pretty lame. So he dropped "Second Round K.O.," which put the lip-licking rapper/actor in his rightful place. The song peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot Rap Singles chart, but Canibus had trouble providing a solid follow-up single and the rest of his debut album, Can-I-Bus, was plagued by shoddy production.

Producer: KRS-One, Rheji Burrell, Salaam Remi
Album: Station Identification
Label: Capitol / EMI Records


Years before weed rap became like, a thing, Channel Live hit it big with "Mad Izm," a song about... well... smoking. "Wake up in the morning got the yearning for herb," is how group member Hakim Green opens his verse. Indeed. Buoyed by an appearance from KRS-One, the song made it to No. 3 on Billboard's Hot Rap Singles chart. Although rap would continue to suffer from a chronic case of reefer madness, Channel Live never did recapture their spark.

Producer: PF Cuttin and Out Loud
Album: Blah Blah Blah
Label: Fader / Mercury / PolyGram Records


Blahzay Blahzay was a duo made up of DJ PF Cuttin and MC Out Loud, who hit it big in 1996 with "Danger." The song's strength came from its hook, which stitched together samples from Jeru the Damaja, Q-Tip and Ol' Dirty Bastard, to create a popular refrain-"When the East is in the house/ Oh my God / Danger!" Though they released a solid debut LP, Blah Blah Blah, the group never made much of an impact outside of this one song.

Producer: Walter "Kandor" Kahn
Album: I Wish
Label: Altra Moda Music


Skee-Lo's only hit is something of an underdog anthem. It's for everyone who wished they could be a little bit better at something. Who can't identify with that? Oddly enough, it rose up the charts and earned Skee-Lo a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Solo Performance in 1996 (he lost out to Coolio's "Gangsta's Paradise). But months after the song was released, Skee-Lo essentially retired from rap due to legal disputes with his label, Sunshine Records, over who wrote and produced the song. Earlier this year, the L.A. Times went and found Skee-Lo, who'd disappeared from the public eye since then. Turns out he still wishes he was a little bit taller.

Producer: Rick Rubin
Album: N/A
Label: Def Jam Records


"It's Yours" is an iconic song because it was actually the first tune ever released by Rick Rubin on Def Jam, back in 1984, before the now legendary producer had linked with Russell Simmons, and before the label was actually.... well.... a label. The track was mostly an underground hit at the time, but was hugely influential because T La Rock was a much more lyrical MC than most who were big at the time, and the song's production was largely composed of breakbeats and scratches. It had no melody. It was a sound that Rubin would hone in on in the coming years, and it came to define Def Jam during the 80s.

Producer: Ski
Album: Ruffhouse Records Greatest Hits
Label: Ruffhouse Records


Riding high off the buzz his group The Outsidaz had earned through their appearance on The Fugees' album The Score in '96, and an affiliation with Eminem, who had just released his Slim Shady LP, Pacewon seemed destined for greatness. "I Declare War" was a Ski Beats–produced gem that put all eyes on him. Its video even had an Eminem cameo. And yet things just never seemed to get rolling for the Jersey MC, or The Outsidaz for that matter. Em blew up and took his D12 crew with him, and Pacewon just sort of stalled out. In 2008 he lashed out at Em in the song "The Joker." 2008! Talk about beating a dead horse.

Producer: Eddie Berkeley, Kay Gee
Album: Informal Introduction
Label: Sire Records / London Records


This song came completely out of left field in 2000, off of a compilation album of the same name that Shade Sheist and producer Damizza put together. Built from a sample of Toto's "Waiting For Your Love," it was a feel-good record that popped at radio, reaching No.1 on the Billboard Hot Rap Singles chart and staying there for four weeks. The song's success lead to a 2002 solo album, Informal Introduction, for Sheist through MCA Records. But unfortunately he was never able to match the success of "Where I Wanna Be." Songs like this really exhibit just how awesome Nate Dogg was.

Producer: The Mega Baka Boyz
Album: Hip-Hopera
Label: RCA


Voume 10's debut LP, Hip-Hopera, was produced by The Baka Boyz, Cut Chemist and a DJ Homicide, among others, but that still didn't help it move many units. Nontheless, "Pistol Grip Pump"-which was renamed "Pump" to make it more radio friendly-peaked at No. 14 on the Rap Singles chart, making the something of a one-hit wonder. The song was later covered by Rage Against the Machine, who recruited Ice Cube and Mack 10 for the new version.

Producer: Mouse
Album: Trill Entertainment Presents: Survival of the Fittest
Label: Trill Entertainment / Asylum Records


With its buzzy synthesizer leads, rich piano chords and sticky hook, "Wipe Me Down" became a huge hit in 2007. Beyond that, it brought Trill Entertainment's cache of flagship artists-specifically Foxx, Webbie and Lil' Boosie-real national attention. Unfortunately, Boosie ran into legal problems (he recently beat a murder case, but is still doing time on drug charges), Webbie went a little crazy and Foxx just fell to the background, releasing mixtapes but never really capturing the public's ear again.

Producer: Cyrus Esteban, Frank "Franky J" Hudson, Jr.
Album: Don't Fight the Feelin'
Label: Chrysalis / Rag Top Records


Long before it became an Ice Cube–helmed movie, "Playaz Club" was a song by Rappin' 4-Tay, the San Francisco-bred MC introduced to the game by Too $hort. He told a story of about an exclusive mythical place in every city where the real Gs hung out together. At the same time, he detailed how he got on in hip-hop. Though he never had another real hit- the follow-up single, "I Get Around," was popular at the time but has been less revered since then- Rappin' 4-Tay will always be remembered for this classic cut.

Producer: Avery Johnson
Album: AttenCHUN!
Label: Arista / So So Def


Back when this song dropped in 2003, Bone Crusher had a lot of hype behind him. Jermaine Dupri had signed him to Arista through his label So So Def, and it looked like he was set up to win. "Never Scared" featured TI and Killer Mike, who were both super hot in the Atlanta scene at the time. And while it was certainly a popular song-getting more than its fair share of parties crunked up-Bone Crusher as an artist just sort of came and went. This was his only popular cut, which helped cement his status as a hip-hop one hit wonder.

Producer: The Bass Mechanics
Album: Quad City Knock
Label: Wrap Records


Not quite as popular as "Whoomp! (There It Is)," 95 South's song actually came out a month before Tag Team's, and was a hit in its own right. The two songs had similar beats-after all, they were Miami bass records-but 95 South actually came from Miami, while Tag Team hailed from ATL. "Whoot..." was certainly a less commercial sounding joint, which might have led to its greater critical acclaim, while "Whoomp!...." became a 'jock jam.' The producers behind "Whoot," C.C. Lemonhead and Jay Ski, collectively known as The Bass Mechanics, also had success as the 69 Boyz ("Tootsee Roll") and the Quad City DJs ("C'mon N' Ride It ").

Producer: M16
Album: Supply and Demand
Label: DTP / Def Jam Records


Before he was 2 Chainz, the artist known as Tity Boi rhymed along with Dolla Boy in the group Playaz Circle. As part of Ludacris' DTP crew, PC had one notable hit, "Duffle Bag Boy," some of whose appeal may have had to do with Lil' Wayne on the hook. The group dropped an album, Supply & Demand, that same year, but it largely went ignored. A second LP, Flight 360: The Takeoff, followed in 2009, before the group split from DTP and Tity Boi reemerged as one of the hottest rappers in the game.

Producer: Red Hot Lover Tone
Album: N/A
Label: Uptown Records


Little Shawn's biggest claim to fame might be that he was the rapper Tupac Shakur was going to record a verse for back when he was shot in the lobby of Quad Studios back in 1994. But prior to that Shawn had a minor hit on Uptown Records with "Dom Perignon," which sampled The Notorious B.I.G.'s "Party and Bullshit" on the hook. Biggie appeared in the video, which looked a lot of like "Juicy," and Little Shawn looked like he was on his way to having a pretty solid career. The Tupac fiasco might have derailed him, but then he went to jail in 1998 on an unrelated charge and never found his footing again.

Producer: Ced-Gee, Bobby Crawford, Tim Dog, TR Love
Album: Penicillin on Wax
Label: Ruffhouse Records


Proving once again that dissing other rappers is a sure-fire way to get people's attention, Tim Dog released "Fuck Compton" in '91, after an A&R rep at a major label turned him down and suggested he grow a jheri curl like Eazy-E. The song basically shitted on everyone on the West Coast not named Ice T, and became one of the earliest shots fired in the East Coast/West Coast beef. But after Snoop Dogg dissed him on "Dre Day," and he was poked fun at on Dre's classic skit, the "20 Dollar Sack Pyramid," popular opinion turned against Tim Dog, and he was shit out of luck.

Producer: DR Period
Album: Once Upon a Time in America
Label: Profile Records


"The chronic-smokin, gun-totin hearse initiator. The crack supplier, the human drug generator." No, Smoothe da Hustler was not describing a member of the NYPD. He was talking about himself on "Broken Language," the Brooklyn rapper's only noteworthy hit-recorded with fellow one-hit wonder Trigga The Gambler. We still love that flow though.

Producer: Positive K
Album: The Skills Dat Pay Da Bills
Label: Island Records


Despite rap's supposed beef with disco, the genre provided rappers with plenty of ammunition for great songs. Case in point, Positive K's usage of the opening guitar riff from A Taste of Honey's "Rescue Me." Coupled with a back-and-forth dialogue between him and another woman, "I Got A Man" was a true-to-life narrative that somehow made its way onto the pop charts. "What your man got to do with me?" Men will be asking that question for the rest of eternity.

Producer: David Michery
Album: Whoomp! (There It Is)
Label: Life Records


You've heard this song at every sporting event you've ever attended in your entire life, and you have the Atlanta rap duo Tag Team to thank for it. Despite the fact that the chorus was almost identical to 95 South's "Whoot! (There It Is)," the overall tune was notably cheesier—as was the video-which helped it sell 4 million copies and become the original jock jam.

Producer: KNS
Album: Make It Reign
Label: Columbia Records


Way before Cory Gunz was getting his "6-foot 7-foot" on with Lil' Wayne, his daddy, Peter Gunz linked with fellow Bronx MC Lord Tariq to create this New York City anthem. The song's main groove was lifted from Steely Dan's "Black Cow," and with its popular refrain ("Uptown baby, Uptown baby!"), it became the group's only hit.

Producer: Ski
Album: Uptown Saturday Night
Label: Profile Records


Much of the success of "Luchini" is derived from the song's beat, which was produced by early Jay-Z collaborator Ski. At the time that he was called to work on Hov's Reasonable Doubt LP, he'd already been hard at work on Camp Lo's debut album, Uptown Saturday Night. Some of the beats from that album went to Jay-Z ("Feelin' It"), but "Luchini" was kept in Camp Lo's possession, and the BX duo will forever be remembered for it.

Producer: DJ Kool, s/x, Fred Derby, Funkmaster Flex, DJ Mark the 45 King
Album: Let Me Clear My Throat
Label: American Recordings / Warner Bros. Records


Perhaps the most famous party-starter song ever made, "Let Me Clear My Throat" was recorded live at the Bahama Bay Club in Philadelphia. The song features DJ Kool rapping and nonsensically hyping up the crowd over Mark the 45 King's "900 Number" for about five minutes straight. It's a real throwback to the Busy Bee era of rapping, when the MC's purpose was to, well, move the crowd. Well done, DJ Kool.

Producer: Jean-Michel Basquiat
Album: N/A
Label: Profile Records


Outside of producing great art, Jean-Michel Basquiat can be credited for this classic old-school cut. Famed graffiti artist Rammellzee basically had a beef with Basquiat, claiming he was a fraud, and the two were supposed to battle on the track. But when him and fellow rapper K-Rob heard Basquiat's rhymes, they reportedly crumpled up his paper and took on the instrumental themselves. Fab 5 Freddy oversaw the session, and Basquiat is said to have merely paid for the studio time. Still, he got production credit on the track. Maybe Rammellzee was right about that whole fraud thing?

Producer: Chris Forte
Album: Put It in Your Mouth
Label: Stress / Zoo / BMG Records


Akinyele made some minor noise in 1993 with "The Bomb," a g-funk-inspired tune from his debut LP Vagina Diner. But when he channeled his sex addict persona on 1996's "Put It In Ya Mouth," he had a certifiable party anthem on his hands. Going back and forth with singer Kia Jefferies, the oral sex ode posed the question, "What do you choose to lick, pussy or dick?" The amount of dome that this tune has inspired is unmeasurable.

Producer: A Tribe Called Quest
Album: Apache Ain't Shit
Label: Tommy Boy


Rest in Peace, Apache, who died in January of 2010. The New Jersey-bred MC will always be remembered for "Gangsta Bitch," his only noteworthy hit. Till this day, we still want a gangsta bitch, dressed in Carharrt and leather, who's "always in trouble and definitely fuckable."

Producer: The Arabian Prince, Dr. Dre
Album: Supersonic
Label: Ruthless Records


Before N.W.A. hit it big, J.J. Fad were the ones keeping the lights on at Ruthless Records, moving 400,000 copies of this single independently before Eazy E and Jerry Heller were able to get them a real recording contract. Owing to the song's danceable electro groove, they were the first female rap group to earn a Grammy nom and a platinum plaque.with their first LP Supersonic. But when N.W.A. ushered in gangsta rap, this fun lovable trio were out.

Producer: Dr. Dre
Album: Above the Rim
Label: Interscope / Death Row Records / The Atlantic Group


In the early '90s Dr. Dre was as hot as anyone in the music business could be. Literally, everything he touched rose up the charts. So when he introduced The Lady of Rage with "Afro Puffs," a banger from Death Row's Above The Rim soundtrack -she looked like a force to be reckoned with. After all, she'd already made guest appearances on Dre's 1992 album, The Chronic, and Snoop Dogg's 1993 smash Doggystyle. Though "Afro Pufffs" rose to No. 5 on the Billboard Rap charts, Rage's debut LP, Necessary Roughness, kept getting pushed back. Little did we know it when the song dropped, but she'd rocked on with her bad self for the last time.

Producer: Daddy-O, Audio Two
Album: What More Can I Say?
Label: First Priority Music


One of the few songs in hip-hop's storied lexicon where it seems like everyone, young and old, knows every word. In reality, it's just Milk D spitting over a fobbled "Impeach The President" drum loop handled by Stetsasonic's Daddy-O. But even lyrics from '87- "I get money, money I got"- hold sway today. It was a true sign of things to come. A hustler's anthem.