Every No. 1 Rap Song in Hot 100 History

It's rare for hip-hop to top the charts. Here's a look at every time it happened.

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This feature was originally published on April 1, 2013.

Rappers can have platinum albums, clothing lines, stock in sports teams, and expensive jewelry, but rarely do hip-hop artists score a No. 1 hit on the almighty Billboard Hot 100 chart. To put things into perspective: Megastar Jay-Z has one No. 1 record—and didn't come until the tail-end of his career, with "Empire State of Mind."

Captivating an entire nation of 300 million citizens is more daunting than many assume, and often times when rappers do score massive hits, they're still kept out of the No. 1 spot by a record with just a bit more mainstream appeal. Of the hundreds of songs to top the pop charts, only 61 can claim hip-hop as their genre, and even that distinction is occasionally skewed.

Over the past five years, artists like LMFAO, Flo Rida, and Pitbull have blurred the lines of acceptability, but when it comes to topping the Hot 100, we'll take what we can get. At the end of the day, these guys are rapping. What we can't count are No. 1 records like Blondie's "Rapture," which, despite its historical significance, does not feature rapping as its core vocal element.

With those ramifications in mind, here's a look at Every No. 1 Rap Song in Hot 100 History. You might learn something about the reality of America's musical climate in the process.

RELATED: The 25 Biggest First-Week Album Sales in Music History

Vanilla Ice "Ice Ice Baby" (1990)

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Weeks At No. 1: 1

Producer: Vanilla Ice


Blondie's No. 1 hit "Rapture" was groundbreaking for its incorporation of hip-hop into pop music, but all it has is a rap verse. It's not a rap song. So with that, Vanilla Ice holds the distinction of being the first rap artist to land at No. 1 on the Hot 100. Though the song has been mocked and shamed for many years, "Ice Ice Baby," with its sample of Queen's "Under Pressure," is not the worst song to top the Hot 100 charts. Plus, the video is a pretty great relic of the early '90s, with flat top fades and Miami University sweatshirts (shouts to the 2 Live Crew).

Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch "Good Vibrations" (1991)

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Weeks At No. 1: 1

Producer: Donnie Wahlberg

So many elements were at work in the success of "Good Vibrations": the "Love Sensation" sample, the piano chord progression, Mark Wahlberg's torso. It didn't matter who you were or what your lifestyle was, "Good Vibrations" either made you want to air punch, or make out.

P.M. Dawn "Set Adrift on Memory Bliss" (1991)

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Weeks At No. 1: 1

Producer: P.M. Dawn


Most rap fans today hear the name P.M. Dawn and think, "You mean the guy KRS-One threw off the stage?" In reality, P.M. Dawn was actually a duo of Prince Be and DJ Minutemix. They might have been softer than the hemp T-shirts worn by hippies, but why should that matter when they scored one of rap's first No. 1 hits? "Set Adrift on Memory Bliss" doesn't sound like the typical rap record of its era, but it did blend Eric B. & Rakim's "Paid In Full" beat and incorporate a sample of Spandau Ballet's "True," something that might not have been seen possible just a few years before.

Kriss Kross "Jump" (1992)

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Weeks At No. 1: 8

Producer: Jermaine Dupri

Earlier this year, there was coverage about the return of Kriss Kross, and plenty of news stories had a joke about the duo wearing their clothes backwards. That is because, the one memorable thing about the young duo is this song and those backwards clothes. But, "Jump" should also be remembered for being the first huge hit by producer Jermaine Dupri. By borrowing from G-Funk styles of the day, Dupri was able to write and market the duo into a song that was "technically" bigger than anything going on out West.

Sir Mix-a-Lot "Baby Got Back" (1992)

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Weeks At No. 1: 5

Producer: Sir-Mix-A-Lot


"Baby Got Back" didn't try to hide anything. In fact, its dedication to being almost caricature-like is probably why it's so successful. The song is the aural equivalent of a cartoon with its whip crack sound effects, gratuitous record scratching, and outright denial for lyrical euphemisms. "Baby Got Back" sat atop the Hot 100 for five weeks, and penetrated the entertainment world, appearing in myriad films and television shows.

Snow "Informer" (1993)

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Weeks At No. 1: 7

Producer: M.C. Shan


With the legendary Shan on the boards, Snow had instant hip-hop cred. The record has gone down as a bit of novelty, but 20 years ago, it was the jam. The Canadian MC's track stayed on top of charts for a whopping seven weeks.

Coolio f/ L.V. "Gangsta's Paradise" (1995)

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Weeks At No. 1: 3

Producer: Doug Rasheed

The first few rap songs to reach No. 1 position skirted the line between serious rap and novelty. "Gangsta's Paradise" did not have the jokey appeal of "Baby Got Back," and seemed to have more authenticity than say, "Ice Ice Baby" or "Jump," but hearing it in 2013 makes it not feel too dissimilar from those songs. What really undercuts the song is also what made it so popular: the chorus by L.V. Hearing someone bellow about "living in a gangster's paradise" certainly had more cultural relevance during the height of '90s gangster rap, but with the era of gangster rap now long past, it sounds horribly dated.

Bone Thugs-n-Harmony "Tha Crossroads" (1996)

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Weeks At No. 1: 8

Producer: DJ U-Neek

This song has thug singing, fast rapping, and it was released during the heated East and West Coast mid-'90s rivalry. The Midwest's Bone Thungs-N-Harmony could not have picked a better year to release "The Crossroads." Though the group had been around for a few years, this was their biggest single, and it owned the summer of 1996. That this reflective and peace-calling song came from a group that was on neither side of the United States coasts seems to make even more sense some 15-plus years later.

2Pac "How Do U Want It" / "California Love" (1996)

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Weeks At No. 1: 2

Producer: Johnny "J"/Dr. Dre

This double A-side single from 2Pac offered two different sides of a similar type of party track. "How Do U Want It," with its K-Ci & Jojo chorus, sounds like an afternoon party; California Love" sounds like Dr. Dre taking the G-Funk styles he had perfected in the earlier part of the decade and making it as pop as possible. These crossover successes ended up being his highest charting songs.

Puff Daddy f/ Ma$e "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down" (1997)

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Weeks At No. 1: 6

Producer: Carlos Broady, Nashiem Myrick, Diddy, Stevie J


Rap music has always been based on classic samples, and Puffy singles of the late '90s take that style to the extreme. Here, the legendary Grandmaster Flash's "The Message" is flipped and heavily quoted by Puffy. Though Diddy would eventually have more extravagant singles—in the same year even—this single was sign that he never forgot about rap's roots.

The Notorious B.I.G. "Hypnotize" (1997)

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Weeks At No. 1: 3

Producer: Diddy, D-Dot, Ron Lawrence


"Hypnotize" was the first single from Life After Death, and the unfortunate timing of Biggie's death resulted in it becoming one of the songs to top the charts after an artist's death. "Hypnotize" was also the last song that Biggie shot a video for, and provides some of the most classic images of Biggie, with him and Diddy being chased by helicopters in speed boats.

Puff Daddy f/ Faith Evans & 112 "I'll Be Missing You" (1997)

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Weeks At No. 1: 11

Producer: Puff Daddy, Steven Jordan


Released in tribute to The Notorious B.I.G., "I'll Be Missing You" eventually became one of the biggest rap songs of all time. If the magic of Diddy's hits involved knowing the right sample to pick for a track, selecting the already beloved The Police's "Every Step I Take" was the right move. Though the song and video still fit within the extravagance of Bad Boy Records at the time, the personal lyrics of the song helped give the song a bit of transcendence for anyone who had lost someone in their life.

The Notorious B.I.G. f/ Puff Daddy & Ma$e "Mo Money Mo Problems" (1997)

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Weeks At No. 1: 2

Producer: Stevie J


Puffy and Biggie had a string of No. 1 rap hits, with this being their fourth in the tragic year of Biggie's death. However, considering the amount of future success that would follow Puffy, the extravagance of "Mo Money Mo Problems" seems like a fitting way to close out an amazing run. From beyond the grave, Biggie still adds a bit of necessary gravitas to this exuberant single.

Will Smith "Gettin' Jiggy Wit It" (1998)

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Weeks At No. 1: 3

Producer: Poke & Tone, L.E.S.


Will Smith already had earlier musical success with DJ Jazzy Jeff, but as Smith concentrated on acting, he started to move away from music. "Gettin' Jiggy Wit It" was his return to form—and the top of the charts.

Lauryn Hill "Doo Wop (That Thing)" (1998)

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Weeks At No. 1: 2

Producer: Lauryn Hill


The Fugees had hits, but none quite like this. With Pras and Wyclef in her rearview, Lauryn Hill exploded onto the pop charts. Her song "Doo Wop (That Thing)" didn't just hit No. 1, but it debuted at No. 1, becoming only the 10th song to do so. The soothing singing, poetic verses, and big band sound made Ms. Hill's anthem a unique record on radio programs filled with catchy tunes but little soul. Lauryn was the perfect medium. Pop audiences could enjoy her melodies and virtuous life lessons while rap fans gave the nod to her microphone technique.

Will Smith "Wild Wild West" (1999)

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Weeks At No. 1: 1

Producer: Rob Fusari, Mark Wilson


Will Smith is still a huge and highly respected star, but in the '90s, when he was staring in blockbuster movies and releasing multi-platinum albums at the same time, he was in another league. Though Wild Wild West is not a beloved Will Smith movie and the song is not his best, it was still able to reach that No. 1 spot in 1999. Having a summer blockbuster connected to the single certainly helped spread it across the country.

Outkast "Ms. Jackson" (2001)

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Weeks At No. 1: 1

Producer: Earthtone III

Outkast had been around for a number of years, but at the turn of the millennium, they finally started to conquer the pop world. "Ms. Jackson" was a slight departure from their previous sound, and featured Andre 3000 on a powerful hook, with he and Big Boi nimbly rapping to an ex-lover's mother. The song has been referenced numerous times by many other rappers, and helped put the first foot forward towards Outkast's later crossover songs.

Crazy Town "Butterfly" (2001)

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Weeks At No. 1: 2

Producer: Josh Abraham


Come my lady. Come, come, my lady. There's nothing quite like being compared to an insect to set a lady's heart aflutter. Crazy Town's "Butterfly" has a louche SoCal hip-pop sheen that sounds like raver pants, white-girl dreads, and lower back tats in song form. It had a gritty exurban romance that captured the hearts of teens nationwide. Crazy Town were more known as an alt-rap-metal group, but their biggest song was decidedly hip-hop. After the group's first two singles from debut LP The Gift of Game failed to make any mark on the pop charts, the Red Hot Chili Peppers-sampling "Butterfly" was released and led to 1.5 million in album sales. While the group's follow-up couldn't meet expectations, lead MC Shifty Shellshock managed to hit the Hot 100 again a few years later with DJ Paul Oakenfold's "Starry Eyed Surprise."

Ja Rule f/ Ashanti "Always On Time" (2002)

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Weeks At No. 1: 2

Producer: Irv Gotti

The early 2000s were an amazing time for rap and R&B music, as both genres were topping the charts with regularity. Looking back, the formula seems so simple: put a breezy R&B hook next to street raps, thus appealing to hard knocks and heartthrobs in fell swoop. "Always on Time" does this perfectly. Ja Rule's lyrics are aggressive, but you never really catch that in between Ashanti's hook and Irv Gotti's production.

Nelly "Hot in Herre" (2002)

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Weeks At No. 1: 7

Producer: The Neptunes

Nelly had previous hits with his album Country Grammar, and The Neptunes were launching into legendary stratosphere with a steady onslaught of hit-making, minimalist beats. When the two pop sensations linked, the results were tremendous, and Nelly continued his run as one of the most successful new rappers working.

Nelly f/ Kelly Rowland "Dilemma" (2002)

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Weeks At No. 1: 10

Producer: BAM & Ryan


"Dilemma" was even bigger than "Hot in Herre, "remaining on the top of the charts for nearly three months. Part of that can be attributed to Kelly Rowland's chorus, which carries the song. Through rap is not commanding the same amount of pop culture control it used to have, R&B seems to have fallen even more dramatically during the last decade. "Dilemma" shows just how much has changed in the pop world.

Eminem "Lose Yourself" (2002/2003)

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Weeks At No. 1: 12

Producer: Eminem, Jeff Bass


Though Eminem had three well-respected major label albums and a parade of successful singles, he still didn't have a No. 1 song until the end of 2002. Behind the power of his biographic film, 8 Mile, "Lose Yourself" reached the top of the charts and eventually won an Academy Award.

50 Cent "In Da Club" (2003)

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Weeks At No. 1: 9

Producer: Dr. Dre, Mike Elizondo

50 Cent's cold personality matched flawlessly with Dre's crisp production. Nearly every drug and party reference feels meticulous, with the unforgettable drum pattern giving the song a kind of timeless quality. If "In Da Club" ages as well as it has in its first decade, then the song won't be leaving party playlists anytime soon.

50 Cent f/ Nate Dogg "21 Questions" (2003)

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Weeks At No. 1: 4

Producer: Dirty Swift


"I love you like a fat kid love cake" is one of the most memorable lines of 50 Cent's career. Though it's a brief moment sandwiched between Nate Dogg's excellent hook, it best encapsulates this schmaltzy song, and America ate it up.

Nelly, P. Diddy & Murphy Lee "Shake Ya Tailfeather" (2003)

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Weeks At No. 1: 4

Producer: Nelly, Jayson "Koko" Bridges


No movie soundtracks in the past decade have produced a hit this big. "Shake Ya Tailfeather" was so inescapable that, for a minute, it seemed like Murphy Lee was truly on the brink of solo stardom. Bad Boys 2 got the best promotion it could have asked for with this record.

Ludacris f/ Shawnna "Stand Up" (2003)

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Weeks At No. 1: 1

Producer: Kanye West


One of the big early faces for Atlanta rap in the 2000s was Ludacris. It was the song where he collaborated with producer Kanye West resulted in his first No. 1 hit. Shawnna offered a catchy verse, and with Ye's drums booming, you couldn't help but do what the song demanded and "Stand Up!"

Outkast f/ Sleepy Brown "The Way You Move" (2004)

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Weeks At No. 1: 1

Producer: Big Boi, Carl-Mo


It seems fitting that after Andre 3000 had one of the biggest alternative records of the 2000s, the song to replace it at No. 1 would be one by his fellow Outkast member Big Boi. "Hey Ya" was a cultural force that would have been hard to follow up for any other act, but that it was Big Boi with his funk pastiche "The Way You Move" makes so much sense.

Twista f/ Kanye West & Jamie Foxx "Slow Jamz" (2004)

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Weeks At No. 1: 1

Producer: Kanye West

Kanye was pumping out some of his best beats, and starting to shine as an MC, too. "Slow Jamz," in a way, was his coming out party as a credible solo artist. The "Michael Jackson" quote was quoted endlessly, and though Twista and Foxx certainly did their fair share to make this record a hit, it will likely go down as the platform on which a new star was born.

Juvenile f/ Soulja Slim "Slow Motion" (2004)

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Weeks At No. 1: 2

Producer: Pro J

Soulja Slim was shot down in late 2003, and did not get to enjoy the success of his featured appearance on Juvenile's hit. Though, Juvenile had success with "Back That Ass Up" and "Ha," it had been years since he had a single of equal prominence, but all of that changed with "Slow Motion." The humid, country productiona and Juvie's entertaining verses put the New Orleans rapper back on top.

Terror Squad "Lean Back" (2004)

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Weeks At No. 1: 3

Producer: Scott Storch

Something about the opening synth on this song makes it feel far more intense than a record that's simply supposed to inspire people to "lean back." It's difficult to put your crew on, but Fat Joe had the perfect beat with which to do so.

Snoop Dogg f/ Pharrell "Drop It Like It's Hot" (2004)

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Weeks At No. 1: 3

Producer: The Neptunes

A couple drum hits, tongue clicks, and keyboard notes was all it took to get Snoop Dogg his first No. 1 hit. The sparse Neptunes beat set the perfect backdrop for Snoop to express his supreme coolness. It also marked the arrival of the occasionally deft lyricist within Pharrell. The term "drop it like it's hot" was back in a big way.

50 Cent f/ Olivia "Candy Shop" (2005)

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Weeks At No. 1: 9

Producer: Scott Storch

Candy Shop" sounds like something 50 Cent could have written is his sleep, but his grasp on pop culture in 2005 was so tight that no one rejected it. His ability to write hooks turned what may have been a series of forgetabble puns for any other artist into a No. 1 song.

Kanye West f/ Jamie Foxx "Gold Digger" (2005)

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Weeks At No. 1: 10

Producer: Kanye West, Jon Brion

Off the success of Jamie Foxx's portrayal of Ray Charles in the movie Ray, Kanye West turned Charles' "I Got A Woman" into his first solo No. 1, with Foxx singing the sample. With a close to three-month run in the top position, it remains Kanye's biggest hit to this day.

D4L "Laffy Taffy" (2006)

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Weeks At No. 1: 1

Producer: Born Immaculate, Broderick Thompson Smith, K-Rab

The short lived "Snap Music" genre only required a dance and some 808s. The minimalist "Laffy Taffy" sounds even more bizarre a few years removed from its chart-topping run, but there's still a hint of the niftiness that carried it to such heights in the first place.

Nelly f/ Paul Wall, Ali & Gipp "Grillz" (2006)

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Weeks At No. 1: 2

Producer: Jermaine Dupri

"Grillz" might not be the first, second, or even third song people think of when recalling Nelly's best hits, but those shiny mouth accessories into vogue like nothing had before. Aside from being culturally relevant, Nelly's hook was more than strong enough to make this hit No. 1.

Chamillionaire f/ Krayzie Bone "Ridin" (2006)

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Weeks At No. 1: 2

Producer: Play-N-Skillz

With "Ridin," Chamillionaire achieved a level of success no other rapper from the Houston boom saw. The track was not the traditional slowed-down music Houston was known for. Instead it was a high-energy track that featured the fast rapping Krayzie Bone. Though Chamillionaire had a few other singles and has never stopped releasing mixtapes, he's never stepped out of shadow of this particular hit.

Fergie "London Bridge" (2006)

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Weeks At No. 1: 3

Producer: Polow da Don

Fergie's known as a a pop starlet, but her solo LP featured a few rap songs; No. 1 hit "Glamorous" was more R&B than hip-hop, and throwback electro jam "Fergalicious" peaked at No. 2. "London Bridge" was a Polow da Don-produced rap smash, with interlocking horns and a martial marching band feel. The song felt of a piece with similar tracks from that era: pop songs like Gwen Stefani's "Hollaback Girl" and Destiny's Child's "Lose My Breath," and rap songs like Yung Wun's "Tear It Up" and Young Buck's "Get Buck" (also, it should be noted, produced by Polow).

Ludacris f/ Pharrell "Money Maker" (2006)

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Weeks At No. 1: 2

Producer: The Neptunes

Ludacris has a lot of hits. Pharrell and, by extension, The Neptunes also have many hits. On "Money Maker," Pharrell's hook is perfunctory and Ludacris' persona is larger-than-life. The combination lead to both artists scoring one of the biggest hits of their respect careers.

Mims "This Is Why I'm Hot" (2007)

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Weeks At No. 1: 2

Producer: Blackout Movement


Mims' "This is Why I'm Hot" was his only hit—and we knew it would be from the jump—but it was very successful, and stands as a bit of a time capsule of when the lane for rappers to succeed on the pop charts was wide open.

Timbaland f/ Justin Timberlake & Nelly Furtado "Give It To Me" (2007)

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Weeks At No. 1: 2

Producer: Timbaland, Danja

Despite his crucial role in several No. 1 hits by other artists (namely featured guests Timberlake and Furtado), this was Timbaland's first and only No. 1 as the top-billed solo artist. The song is best known as the platform on which Timbo took shots at Scott Storch. Timberlake and Furtado were also rumored to be dissing Prince and Fergie, respectively, on their verses. "We missed you on the charts last week, damn, that's right you wasn't there." Ouch.

Soulja Boy "Crank That (Soulja Boy)" (2007)

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Weeks At No. 1: 7

Producer: Soulja Boy

"Crank That" still divides dance floors between those who know what they're doing and those who don't. Fortunately for Soulja, most of America got the hang of his little jig and it became a phenomenon.

Kanye West "Stronger" (2007)

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Weeks At No. 1: 1

Producer: Kanye West, Mike Dean


"Stronger" was the single that sparked one's mind about what Kanye could and would eventually accomplish. His finger was on the pulse of the culture, and "Stronger" is a brilliant amalgamation of his wide-ranging influences. His expression broke through the masses, and for one week, Yeezy topped the charts with his futuristic electro smash.

Flo Rida "Low" (2008)

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Weeks At No. 1: 10

Producer: DJ Montay

If you had to guess what's the most-downloaded song of the 2000s, "Low" might not come to mind, but it is, in fact, the correct answer. Despite how much it's hated, the song spent 10 weeks at No. 1 and was eventually certified six-times platinum. The song owes much of its success to T-Pain's mind-numbingly catchy chorus, but at the end of the day, Flo Rida does rap on it. Ever since its explosion, the rap songs to top the Hot 100 have been decidedly less geared towards "traditional" hip-hop audiences.

Lil Wayne f/ Static Major "Lollipop" (2008)

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Weeks At No. 1: 5

Producer: Jim Jonsin

Half sung and half rapped, "Lollipop" was carried to No. 1 on the back of Wayne's contorted and mangled Auto-Tune vocals. The song was jarring to hear in 2008 and nearly five years later, it still is.

T.I. "Whatever You Like" (2008)

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Weeks At No. 1: 7

Producer: Jim Jonsin

T.I.'s sixth album Paper Trail is the most brazenly pop effort of his career. "Whatever You Like" followed the success of another Jim Jonsin-produced No. 1—Lil Wayne's "Lollipop—and successfully reinterpreted the formula for epic results.

T.I. f/ Rihanna "Live Your Life" (2008)

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Weeks At No. 1: 6

Producer: Just Blaze, Canei Finch


A few weeks after getting his first number single, T.I. returned to the top spot. Based on a sample from the "Numa Numa" viral meme, the song continued the pop path T.I. had begun to forge for himself. Though the lyrics of the song are far more introspective and reflective than the semi-romantic "Whatever You Like," it was effective marketing since he was preparing for jail.

Eminem f/ Dr. Dre & 50 Cent "Crack A Bottle" (2009)

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Weeks At No. 1: 1

Producer: Dr. Dre

"Crack A Bottle" was a testament to Eminem's ability to score massive hits with seemingly minimal effort. Adding superstars 50 Cent and Dr. Dre guaranteed that this effort would be a success.

Flo Rida f/ Ke$ha "Right Round" (2009)

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Weeks At No. 1: 6

Producer: Dr. Luke, Kool Kojak


This is when it became apparent that Flo Rida was here to stay and that his previous chart-topper, "Low," wasn't a fluke. "Right Round" turned Dead or Alive's 1984 hit on its head and found massive success in the process. The track broke digital sales records when it first dropped and introduced the world to a then-unknown (and uncredited) Ke$ha.

Black Eyed Peas "Boom Boom Pow" (2009)

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Weeks At No. 1: 12

Producer: will.i.am


The only track that stayed at the No. 1 slot longer than "Boom Boom Pow" in 2009 was "I Gotta Feeling." Needless to say, it was a good year for the Black Eyed Peas. "Boom Boom Pow" possessed an undeniable futuristic quality, both sonically with its digital effects, and lyrically with the still-referenced "two thousand and late" line. So what if its music video is essentially an ad for HP computers? We're still going to attempt the robot whenever it comes on.

Jay-Z f/ Alicia Keys "Empire State of Mind" (2009)

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Weeks At No. 1: 5

Producer: Al Shux

This song is a big love letter to New York that paints with the broadest strokes. Jay-Z references Sinatra, Harlem, Biggie, and even old stash spots. It's impressive that Jay-Z was able to include self-mythology about his old days in Brooklyn. The anthem became his first No. 1.

Black Eyed Peas "Imma Be" (2010)

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Weeks At No. 1: 2

Producer: will.i.am


Who cares about grammar with a hook this good? "Imma Be" was confident without being arrogant, making it extra relatable. The track's quick change from a snappy hip-hop beat to a smoother funk sound halfway through is likely the reason you heard it in the club so much; will.i.am kept the common DJ in mind, making "Imma Be" an easy song for DJs to work with.

B.o.B f/ Bruno Mars "Nothin' on You" (2010)

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Weeks At No. 1: 2

Producer: The Smeezingtons

Not to discredit B.o.B., who found mainstream success after making his name in the Atlanta underground for several years, but this song was all about Bruno Mars. His songwriting team the Smeezingtons did excellent work; with a chorus that goes, "Beautiful girls all over the world/I could be chasing/but my time would be wasted/they've got nothing on you" coming from someone with Bruno Mars' face and voice, who could turn down such a compliment? The answer was no one, as radio stations across the country kept the song alive that summer.

Eminem "Not Afraid" (2010)

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Weeks At No. 1: 1

Producer: Boi-1da, Burnett, Jordan Evans


If Eminem sounded old on Relapse, the first single from Recovery, he doubled down on "Not Afraid," offering a personal critique of both his drug addiction and last album. With multi-tracked vocals and a beat full of New Age swells, it seems like one of the stranger songs top the charts. The song is almost relentlessly positive, as Eminem says for listeners take his hand, that he won't disappoint them and even talks about excising his "Demons". It is big, clichéd and features lots of struggle singing. But, the sentiment is hard to deny, particularly for those who've ever needed to have that voice just say, "You can do it."

Eminem f/ Rihanna "Love The Way You Lie" (2010)

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Weeks At No. 1: 7

Producer: Alex Da Kid, Makeba Riddick

In 2010, the producer Alex Da Kid had a huge year, creating hits for B.o.B., Diddy, T.I. and Eminem. His formula: large, dramatic hooks that gave all his songs a stadium-filling quality. This style worked perfectly for the troubled relationship anthem "Love the Way You Lie," which had additional weight thanks to chorus vocalist Rihanna and rapper Eminem. The single turned into one of the biggest hits of Eminem's career. After a few years out of the public eye, Eminem seemed to finally find musical skin he felt comfortable in on the delicate song.

Far East Movement f/ The Cataracs & Dev "Like A G6" (2010)

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Weeks At No. 1: 3

Producer: The Cataracs

Much like the imaginary aircraft it fantasizes about (the song was said to be about a futuristic sequel to an actual airplane, the Gulfstream IV), "G6" was massive. The song's hook came to fruition when writers, The Cataracs, wanted to rhyme something with the line "Sippin' sizzurp in my ride, like Three 6." "G6" was what they came up with, because naturally, it would be "flyer than a G4." Even better than daydreaming about insane airplane models? Getting Dev's iconic voice to sing it.

Wiz Khalifa "Black and Yellow" (2011)

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Weeks At No. 1: 1

Producer: Stargate

Wiz Khalifa had a minor hit a few years back called "Say Yeah," but was eventually dropped from his label and had to go on the independent grind. Soon he was selling out shows across the country even before his first big mainstream hit. "Black and Yellow," produced by the Stargate, was not a smash success at first. But as the Pittsburg Steelers made their way to the Super Bowl, the song became the Steelers' playoff anthem. This synergy gave Wiz the biggest hit of career, and made rap fans across the nation annoyed as every rapper recorded their own hometown take on "Black and Yellow."

Pitbull f/ Ne-Yo, Afrojack & Nayer "Give Me Everything" (2011)

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Weeks At No. 1: 1

Producer: Afrojack

What Pitbull does well: passionately rhyme about things that are generally meaningless. On "Give Me Everything," he drops pop culture references including Ryan Seacrest and Lindsay Lohan with the utmost sincerity. It's probably the rave-y  wobble, or Ne-Yo's desperate crooning, but something made us believe in this song enough to push it out of its 4-week No. 2 spot to the top of the Hot 100.

LMFAO "Party Rock Anthem" (2011)

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Weeks At No. 1: 6

Producer: Redfoo, GoonRock

Even though it explores similar themes as a million other songs (going to a party, getting slizzard, going home with a girl), something about "Party Rock Anthem" seemed to stand out. That unique element was likely its mixture of unabashed dance-pop and rap, plus a catchy melodic hook that made you forget what it was about in the first place. You may not have known what "shuffling" was, but damn, it sounded fun.

LMFAO "Sexy and I Know It" (2012)

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Weeks At No. 1: 2

Producer: Party Rock


"Sexy and I Know It" is kind of like cough syrup: do not operate heavy machinery under its influence. It was the song you hated to love, but with a too-easy-to-follow lead up to the chorus and beat-drop, it was hard not to dance to it. The music video was essentially a dance tutorial, in which you could mimic the obnoxious moves of SkyBlu, Redfoo, or the beloved Shuffle Bot.

Flo Rida "Whistle" (2012)

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Weeks At No. 1: 2

Producer: DJ Frank E, Glass


In addition to its obvious fellatio reference, "Whistle" had a distinctive whistling melody that just wouldn't go away. The song's sexually suggestive lyrics were complimented by the chilled out guitar riff and parasitic hook. The video treatment matched the song's simplicity, with split screens of Acapulco, women, and bikinis, which helped prove that when it came to "Whistle," less is definitely more, in more ways than one.

Macklemore and Ryan Lewis f/ Wanz "Thrift Shop" (2013)

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Weeks At No. 1: 5

Producer: Ryan Lewis


Extolling the virtues of saving a few dollars at the second-hand store, rather than buying a Supreme shirt, Seattle-based Macklemore found surprise mega-success with this song from his album The Heist. A strong hook and profanity-laden chorus didn't hurt. Macklemore's outrageous video also featured the rapper in a fur coat prancing about an actual thrift shop, which playfully helped people appreciate the previously-unknown rapper.

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis f/ Ray Dalton "Can't Hold Us" (2013)

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Weeks at No. 1: 5

Producer: Ryan Lewis

Macklemore and Ryan Lewis’ second No. 1 pivoted away from “Thrift Shop”’s humor and brought in Seattle-born singer Ray Dalton for a more genuine, inspirational hymn. “Can’t Hold Us” topped the Hot 100 two years after its original release, and it remains Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’ last No. 1 single, after The Heist’s follow-up This Unruly Mess I’ve Made failed to produce a major hit.

Eminem f/ Rihanna “The Monster” (2013/2014)

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Weeks at No. 1: 4

Producer: Aalias, Frequency

Unsurprisingly, pairing one of this generation’s biggest pop stars with one of hip-hop’s biggest superstars ever once again turned out to be a winning formula. Though it didn’t improve on the success of their first collaboration—”Love The Way You Lie” stayed on top for seven weeks, three weeks longer than “The Monster”—the ballad became another reminder of the duo’s impressive longevity. “The Monster” was Eminem’s fifth No. 1, 15 years after The Slim Shady LP dropped, and Rihanna’s 13th, making her the fastest woman ever to achieve this.

Pitbull f/ Kesha “Timber” (2014)

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Weeks at No. 1: 2

Producer: Dr. Luke, Cirkut, Sermstyle

Mr. Worldwide used a kitschy harmonica and an obnoxiously on-the-nose hook (“It’s going down/ I’m yelling ‘Timber!’”). Pitbull’s last No. 1 hit would take on a more harrowing tone in later years as Kesha became embroiled in a lengthy legal battle with the song’s producer, Dr. Luke, after accusing him of sexual assault.

Iggy Azalea f/ Charli XCX “Fancy” (2014)

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Weeks at No. 1: 7

Producer: The Invisible Men, The Arcade, Jason Pebworth

Three years after releasing her viral hit “Pu$$y,” Iggy Azalea finally proved she was a legit star  with this slinky pop-rap number. Whether or not that’s a good thing depends on who you ask. While some might be inspired by an Aussie rapper somehow sliding into the mainstream, “Fancy” became a major firestarter in the cultural appropriation debate. Iggy’s chaffed response, which included her sneering at noted legend Q-Tip’s advice, did her no favors.

Wiz Khalifa f/ Charlie Puth “See You Again” (2015)

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Weeks at No. 1: 6

Producer: Charlie Puth, Kevin Weaver, Mike Caren, Andrew Cedar, DJ Frank E

You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who genuinely believes “See You Again” is Wiz Khalifa’s best song. But it’s easy to understand why it became a hit: “See You Again” was a tribute to the late Paul Walker and the closing song to Furious 7, which featured the actor’s final performance.

Rae Sremmurd f/ Gucci Mane “Black Beatles” (2016/2017)

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Weeks at No. 1: 7

Producer: Mike Will Made It

SremmLife 2’s prior two singles, “Look Alive” and “By Chance,” didn’t quite stick the way their breakthroughs “No Flex Zone” and “No Type” did. The album didn’t truly gain traction until a month after its release, when the duo wised up and gave “Black Beatles” the single treatment. Though Mike Will Made It’s bubbling production and Swae Lee’s floating performance should’ve been enough to power the song, “Black Beatles” truly took off thanks to the viral Mannequin Challenge. It was a legitimate enough phenomenon that even Paul McCartney got involved.

Migos f/ Lil Uzi Vert “Bad and Boujee” (2017)

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Weeks at No. 1: 3

Producer: Metro Boomin

Both as a trio and as individual artists, Migos has created a string of hits solidifying themselves as one of the decade’s most influential rap groups. It’s possible none of that would’ve happened if not for the success of “Bad and Boujee.” Released in October 2016, “Bad and Boujee” immediately stood out as one of the trio’s most intoxicating anthems, thanks to Metro Boomin’s psychedelic production and Offset’s ad-lib-happy performance (“WOO! WOO! WOO! WOO! WOO!”). Still, it wasn’t until 2017 that “Bad and Boujee” officially became a phenomenon, thanks to Donald Glover’s glowing Golden Globes endorsement and Twitter memedom.

Kendrick Lamar “Humble” (2017)

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Weeks at No. 1: 1

Producer: Mike Will Made-iT

After firing warning shots on the prior week’s “The Heart Part 4,” Kendrick Lamar formally announced it was his season by shouting about Grey Poupon over Mike Will’s plunking keys. “Humble” isn’t Kendrick Lamar’s first time at the No. 1 spot, though: he made it in 2015, too, appearing as a feature on the much-derided remix to Taylor Swift’s “Bad Blood.”

Cardi B “Bodak Yellow” (2017)

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Weeks at No. 1: 3

Producer: J. White Did It

Fans have been watching Cardi B since her hoe-never-gets-cold days on social media, so in many ways, “Bodak Yellow” felt like a win for all of us. History may look on the moment “Bodak Yellow” went No. 1 as a sea change in pop music: It was a regular degular girl from the Bronx who took that spot from mega-superstar Taylor Swift.

Post Malone f/ 21 Savage “Rockstar” (2017)

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Weeks at No. 1: 8

Producer: Tank God, Louis Bell

Post Malone already proved he was good at making sneakily melodic hits with 2015’s “White Iverson,” so it felt inevitable that he’d eventually get his first No. 1 hit. “Rockstar” holds that honor, and gave Atlanta’s 21 Savage his first No. 1 as well.

Drake “God’s Plan” (2018)

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Weeks at No. 1: 11

Producer: Cardo, Yung Exclusive, Boi-1da

Although Drake is objectively one of hip-hop’s biggest stars ever, it took him seven years after his 2009 debut Thank Me Later to get his first No. 1 hit as a lead artist with “One Dance.” It took him almost another two years to nab his second Hot 100 topper. “God’s Plan” featured classic Aspirational Drake and received a major push from its heartwarming accompanying video.

Drake “Nice For What” (2018)

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Weeks at No. 1: 7

Producer: Murda Beatz, Noah “40” Shebib, Corey Litwin, BlaqNmilD

Drake replaced himself at No. 1 with “Nice For What,” a ladies’ jam that rode on an instantly recognizable Lauryn Hill sample and New Orleans bounce influences. It looked like Scorpion szn was in full swing, until one anti-hero named Pusha-T got in the way.

Childish Gambino “This Is America” (2018)

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Weeks at No. 1: 2

Producer: Ludwig Göransson

Donald Glover’s beloved series Atlanta has received a swath of unanimuous acclaim, and it’s no surprise some of that praise extended toward his music. Premiered during his Saturday Night Live gig, “This Is America” and its Hiro-Murai-directed video stood out as career highlights, thanks to both the song and the visual’s ruminations on capitalism and police brutality. It was a quite the switch-up from “Redbone.

XXXTentacion “Sad!” (2018)

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Weeks at No. 1: 1

Producer: John Cunningham

XXXTentacion’s emo-rap highlight “Sad!” originally peaked at No. 52 on the Hot 100 before his untimely death at the age of 20 on June 18. The song skyrocketed to the top following the outpouring of grief from his fans, and XXX’s first No. 1 became the first posthumous one since Biggie’s “Hypnotize.”

Cardi B f/ Bad Bunny & J Balvin “I Like It” (2018)

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Weeks at No. 1: 1

Producer: Tainy, Craig, J. White Did It

The success of “I Like It” is an example of commercial synergy: Cardi B’s rise paralleled Latin trap’s, and Bad Bunny and J Balvin are two of the genre’s biggest stars. “I Like It” made Cardi B the first female rapper to achieve multiple No. 1 singles.

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