The 50 Best Rawkus Records Songs

As the anniversary of Black Star approaches, we look back at the label's greatest tracks.

Not Available Lead
Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

Not Available Lead

Hip-hop was at a crossroads in the late '90s. The genre was dealing with the aftermath of a senseless war that took the lives of two of its greats. The success of the "jiggy" era was was moving rap away from the street to the mainstream, and times didn't look any better with Big L's murder in 1999. The purists needed stability and a voice that proved credibility and quality weren't a thing of the past. That voice was Rawkus Records.

At its best, Rawkus represented a style of hip-hop that was both self and street-aware at the same time. Its first classic, Company Flow's Funcrusher Plus, foretold a desolate, abrasive form of rap that seemed too masterful to not be the future of the underground. But as much of a classic as that was, there was so much more to offer. By the end of the decade they had a roster of MCs that came to be revered as some of the greatest of all-time: Pharoahe MonchMos Def, and Talib Kweli, to name a few. At its peak, the label released iconic records like Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star, Monch's Internal Affairs, and Mos Def's Black on Both Sides.

However, Rawkus' dominance eventually took a turn for the worst when Company Flow and the label had a falling out do to its increasingly mainstream focus (a move that'd lead EL-P to create the Def Jux label). Then, a little known producer by the name of Kanye West expressed interest in joining Rawkus. It seemed like a match made in heaven, given 'Ye's epic beat for Kweli's "Get By." Unfortunately, the label passed up on the opportunity. As West blew up into superstardom, the once legendary label faded to irrelevance.

Still, the classics produced during Rawkus' run are too good to be forgotten. In honor of the anniversary of Black Star's legendary album, originally released on August 26, 1998, Complex has compiled a list of The 50 Best Rawkus Records Songs. Get enlightened.

Written by Brian Josephs (@Bklyn_Rock)

50. Talib Kweli f/ Common and Anthony Hamilton "Ghetto Show" (2004)

Not Available Interstitial

49. Smut Peddlers "That Smut" (2001)

Not Available Interstitial

48. Q-Tip "What Lies Beneath" (2002)

Not Available Interstitial

47. A.L. "Lyrics" (1998)

Not Available Interstitial

46. Rah Digga & Bahamadia "Be OK" (1998)

Not Available Interstitial

45. Mos Def, Q-Tip, & Tash "Body Rock" (1998)

Not Available Interstitial

44. Mos Def "Universal Magnetic" (1997)

Not Available Interstitial

43. Big L "'98 Freestyle" (2000)

Not Available Interstitial

42. The High & Mighty "Dirty Decibels" (2002)

Not Available Interstitial

41. Hi-Tek f/ Mos Def & Vinia Mojica "Get Ta Steppin" (2001)

Not Available Interstitial

40. Mos Def, Pharoahe Monch, & Nate Dogg "Oh No" (2000)

Not Available Interstitial

39. Talib Kweli f/ Mary J. Blige "I Try" (2004)

Not Available Interstitial

38. Company Flow "Lune TNS" (1997)

Not Available Interstitial

37. Da Beatminerz f/ Shadez of Brooklyn "Drama" (2001)

Not Available Interstitial

36. Hi-Tek f/ Jonell "Round & Round" (2001)

Not Available Interstitial

35. Reflection Eternal "The Manifesto" (1998)

Not Available Interstitial

34. Shabaam Sahdeeq "Arabian Nights" (1997)

Not Available Interstitial

33. Hi-Tek f/ Common & Vinia Mojica "The Sun God" (2001)

Not Available Interstitial

32. Reflection Eternal f/ Vinia Mojica "The Blast" (2000)

Not Available Interstitial

31. Eminem "Any Man" (1999)

Not Available Interstitial

30. Company Flow "Patriotism" (1999)

Not Available Interstitial

29. Talib Kweli f/ Kanye West, Black Thought, & Pharoahe Monch "Guerrilla Monsoon Rap" (2002)

Not Available Interstitial

28. Company Flow "Last Good Sleep" (1997)

Not Available Interstitial

27. Black Star "Definition" (1999)

Not Available Interstitial

26. Reflection Eternal "2000 Seasons" (1997)

Not Available Interstitial

25. Mos Def "Next Universe" (1999)

Not Available Interstitial

24. Mos Def f/ Ghostface Killah "Ms. Fat Booty 2" (2000)

Not Available Interstitial

23. Pharoahe Monch "Rape" (1999)

Not Available Interstitial

22. Company Flow "Silence" (1997)

Not Available Interstitial

21. Big L "The Heist" (2000)

Not Available Interstitial

20. Common, Kool G Rap, Mos Def, Pharoahe Monch, Posdnuos, Rah Digga, Shabaam Sahdeeq, Sporty Thievz, & Talib Kweli "One Four Love (Part 1)" (2000)

Not Available Interstitial

19. Black Star "Astronomy (8th Light)" (1999)

Not Available Interstitial

18. Mos Def "Umi Says" (1999)

Not Available Interstitial

17. Pharoahe Monch f/ M.O.P "No Mercy" (1999)

Not Available Interstitial

16. Reflection Eternal "Good Mourning" (2000)

Not Available Interstitial

15. Big L "Ebonics" (1998)

Not Available Interstitial

14. Mos Def "Mathematics" (1999)

Not Available Interstitial

13. Reflection Eternal "Move Somethin" (2000)

Not Available Interstitial

12. Black Star "Thieves in the Night" (1998)

Not Available Interstitial

11. Reflection Eternal f/ Bahamadia "Chaos" (1999)

Not Available Interstitial

10. Company Flow "8 Steps to Perfection" (1997)

Not Available Interstitial

9. Pharoahe Monch f/ Talib Kweli & Common "The Truth" (1999)

Not Available Interstitial

8. Pharoahe Monch "Simon Says" (1999)

Not Available Interstitial

7. Company Flow "Krazy Kings" (1997)

Not Available Interstitial

6. Mos Def f/ Talib Kweli "Know That" (1999)

Not Available Interstitial

5. Common & Sadat X, "1-9-9-9" (1999)

Not Available Interstitial

4. Reflection Eternal f/ Mos Def & Mr. Man "Fortified Live" (1997)

Not Available Interstitial

3. Talib Kweli f/ Busta Rhymes, Jay-Z, Mos Def, & Kanye West "Get By (Remix)" (2003)

Not Available Interstitial

2. Mos Def "Ms. Fat Booty" (1999)

Not Available Interstitial

1. Black Star f/ Common "Respiration" (1998)

Not Available Interstitial

Latest in Music