The 14 Best Rap Verses of 2014

The year in rap 2014 is ending on a sour note. Bobby Shmurda is falling as quickly as he rose, and the issue of race has become the center of attention, with Azealia Banks and Iggy Azalea looking across the divide from opposing sides. One thing has remained constant, though: bars. They're what makes this artform so special. We rap along on our way to school and work. Their words inspire us at the gym, and cause us to lose our minds at the party.

What 2014 hip-hop lacked in a plethora of great albums, it made up for in great songs. Drake stunted, Lil Wayne made a triumphant return, Kanye took us to church, Nicki went off, Jay Electronica keeps teasing us, and Vince Staples is making us pay attention. With America in social turmoil, the narrative rap brings to the table has played an important role. This genre is able to make us forget about the world's ills while at the same time giving a voice to the voiceless. We're able to party to the Rich Gang tape at night and then escape Earth with Run the Jewels as our trusty spaceship pilots. It's been the year of the Internet, with mixtapes, free albums, and loosies dominating the conversation. Check out the 14 Best Verses of 2014.

Album: Mastermind

While fans patiently waited for a new album from Kanye West in 2014, it never came to be. Thus, we were forced to settle for feature appearances from Yeezus to fill the void while waiting for the highly-anticipated project. Though those appearances were few and far between, they did serve their purpose, but none more effectively than the guest verse on Rick Ross' Mastermind-cut "Sanctified," which 'Ye co-produced with DJ Mustard and Mike Dean.

Over the soulful and Betty Wright-sampled production, 'Ye seemingly stole the show with the song's opening verse, as he rapped in a style that reminded fans of the old Kanye, though he certainly had the brash aggressiveness of the Yeezus era. Kanye even made mention of this during the verse, as he compared his current situation to the great Muhammad Ali with the line, "Niggas be lovin' the old 'Ye, they saying the new 'Ye, that nigga be spazzin', but when Ali turn up and be Ali, you can't never change that nigga back to Cassius." He then ended the memorable verse in a way that few could do, as he rapped a response to a message from God: "Really? Me? Too aggressive?" —Zach Frydenlund

Album: Broke With Expensive Taste

While she mostly maintained her bad girl image on social media this year, a lot of people have missed out on Azealia Banks’ impressive first verse on “Wallace.” Littered with historical references (“Friar/flyer, I’m the Nostra-dime and I say, I says how do ya?”) and highlighting her tightly constructed wordplay, this verse depicts a first meeting in a relationship that she knows is bound to be trouble from the start. She weaves her delivery over the unorthodox production, delivering her verse almost as an extension of the drums with different tones on every line. It’s a poetic and original delivery, masking her true intentions under her flow, much like the titular love interest on the song. —Justin Davis

Album: Mastermind

A song that was more of an olive branch for their beef than anything, Rick Ross’ “War Ready” featured himself and Jeezy trading violent verses that finally weren’t about each other. The MVP of the song is undoubtedly Jeezy, who gives off Trap or Die vibes in his aggressive verse. His fatalist lines are both violent and strangely poetic about street life as he raps that “Tomorrow ain’t promised, nigga roll up that weed, gotta stay strapped to live the life I lead,” while name dropping more weaponry than a Call of Duty load out. Could the fact that he was rapping next to his former nemesis Rick Ross have rejuvenated him? We may never know, but Jeezy’s “War Ready” verse was a return to form for the Snowman. —Justin Davis

Album: 2014 Forest Hills Drive

J. Cole sent shockwaves through hip-hop to end 2014 with the surprise release of his third album, 2014 Forest Hills Drive, which made a huge splash by moving over 300,000 units in the first week and debuting at No. 1 on the charts. Part of the reason for the hype and acclaim for this album was Cole's brutal honesty, which was never more present than on his third verse of "Fire Squad," where he compared the current state of the game to Elvis stealing the rock 'n' roll sound from black artists back in the day, while name dropping Eminem, Justin Timberlake, and Macklemore for doing the same.

Jermaine also peeked into the future to Grammy night, with the vivid line, "Look around, my nigga, white people have snatched the sound, this year I'll prolly go to the awards dappered down, watch Iggy win a Grammy while I try and crack a smile." Cole admits that he's playing around, but reminds his listeners that in every joke lies some truth before he breaks into an epic rhyme scheme where he sends the message that he plans to "break the chains and change minds, one verse at a time." —Zach Frydenlund

Album: Tha Tour Pt. 1

2014 was Atlanta rapper Young Thug’s victory lap, defying expectations and landing him on the rap charts. Though many judged him for his garbled and sometimes inaudible verses, his greatest showcase of lyrical ability was “Givenchy” from Rich Gang's Tha Tour, Part 1. Combining every aspect of his impressive array of skills, from his melodic delivery and tongue-in-cheek wordplay to his dizzying flow, “Givenchy” did more than serve as the intro; it seemed like a middle finger to his detractors.

Thug rapidly builds his voice to a crescendo, deciding to be calm while speaking to the ladies during the first half (“You can never diss me, baby, you know better”) before the incredible last half where he splits money “eight ways like an octopus” while giving his longtime fans one more listen to the absolutely batshit delivery of the 23-year-old rapper. “Givenchy” is Young Thug at his absolute best, and proof that he has the lyrical mastery to match his eccentric behavior. —Justin Davis

Album: N/A

Just like the most clutch players in the NBA and NFL, in 2014, Big Sean knew the importance of the "4th Quarter" and set out to prove that he had more than enough game to compete. Compete is exactly what Sean Don did in September when he released four brand new songs just a day after he announced that he was moving to Roc Nation management. Among those four tracks was his "4th Quarter" freestyle, which was a sequel to Sean's "1st Quarter" that both featured explosive production from his longtime producer, Key Wane. 

Though Sean snapped on the entire five-minute record, the second verse is easily one of the best of the year, as Sean rattled off line after line, and sequence after sequence for nearly four minutes while also displaying a number of dynamic flow changes throughout. Sean wasn't shy about airing his own laundry on the track either, with lines about his past relationship with Naya Rivera, such as, "Sometimes to win the war, man, you got to lose the battle, but if I lose a girl just know my next one gonna be badder." Sean kept the personal raps going on the track, as he touched on dealing with a friend's depression while also bringing up the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., rapping that the same thing could have happened to him growing up in the Midwest. So yes, even though Sean didn't release an album this year, there is no question that he controlled the 4th quarter. —Zach Frydenlund

Album: N/A

Jay Electronica verses are a true rarity in hip-hop, but the mysterious MC delivered one of the year's best on Vince Staples' "Kingdom" remix with Common. Following what were already impressive verses from Staples and Common, Jay ended the powerful remix with a reminder that though he rarely treats fans to new music (Act II in 2015?), when he does, it's a special occasion and shouldn't be taken lightly. 

Trust, there was nothing light about this verse from Jay though, as he effortlessly flowed over the soulful production, while piecing together vigorous rhyme schemes like, "Verbs and spices, giving out life to the lifeless, giving Christ out to the Christ-less, my handle with the dice been documented as priceless, I roll 7s naturally, devils who used to laugh at me bow to me internationally." Yes, the wait for Act II has seemed like forever and many doubt that it will ever come, but even with that, Jay's true greatness, however it is shown and in what sample size, should not be ignored. —Zach Frydenlund

Album: My Krazy Life

Kendrick Lamar has had a relatively quiet year, showing up a few times as a featured artist. His appearance on YG’s “Really Be (Smokin N Drinkin’)” was perhaps his strongest lyrical display, mixing a cocktail of pain and hopelessness and spilling through his erratic and drunk flow. Starting with “I swear this industry shit, to me is one big ass lick,” he describes the stress of being a star as the world around him gets colder. He continues his heart wrenching verse by naming his fallen friends (“They killed Braze, they killed Chad, my big homie Pup”) as he contemplates putting on a ski mask and going for revenge. “Really Be (Smokin N Drinkin’)” is a standout verse because it couples the harsh reality of Kendrick’s life with an eye opening view into the popular rapper’s inner thoughts. —Justin Davis

Album: Hell Can Wait EP

The confusing and frustrating incidents of police brutality this year have caused many young African Americans to question their place in society. With unrest growing after the deaths of Eric Garner and Michael Brown, Vince Staples took his thoughts to the booth on “Hands Up.” The second verse in particular is noteworthy for his questioning of the real intent of law enforcement (“I guess the pigs split wigs for the greater good, cause I ain’t seen them lock up a swine yet”) while taxpayers contribute to the senseless acts of violence.

Staples gives listeners a peek inside of the paranoia and fear that is growing within his generation and how it relates to the older generation (“Older homie told me in his day the pigs was planting bricks, in the trunks of niggas Chevrolets them traffic stops and shit”). In a year where many have reached out through protest, he acted as a voice for the voiceless. —Justin Davis

Album: Young Money: Rise of an Empire

Nicki Minaj’s scathing yet brutally honest “Lookin Ass” was a lightning rod for controversy this year. Her second verse took aim at no-good, bottle and chain sharing men, as she flips the script on the women-bashing songs that we hear on the radio daily. Though it may have caused men to turn up their nose in disgust, Nicki turns the tables on the facade of the “successful drug-dealer” by shining the spotlight on their pathetic antics in the club (“In the club with a credit card scam ass nigga”) before snatching their masculinity away by calling them “pussies.” “Lookin Ass” wasn’t just an anthem for fed up women, it was one of the most poignant social commentaries of the year. —Justin Davis

Album: Run the Jewels 2

Killer Mike and El-P as Run the Jewels delivered one of the best albums of the year with RTJ2, and though the project boasted plenty of outstanding verses, none was more timely or relevant than Mike's first on "Early." The verse didn't directly mention the situation in Ferguson, Mo., and the death of unarmed teenager Michael Brown, which Mike has been very vocal about since the incident took place, but the message was the same, as Mike tells a story of unnecessary police brutality and unfairness due to the color of his skin. 

Mike openly rapped about a police officer stopping him for smoking weed, and while he begged and pleaded with the officer not to take him away in front of his son and wife, that's exactly what happened in this vivid story. Lyrically, Mike was on point as usual, piecing together the structure of the verse with a solid flow while keeping the story together with lines like, "As I peered out the window, I could see my other kinfolk, and hear my little boy as he screamed, as he ran towards the copper and begged him not to hurt his momma, 'cause he had her face down to the ground, and I'd be much too weak to ever speak what I seen, but my life changed with that sound." With verses like this under his belt in 2014, in addition to every single other spectacular thing he did this year, it's unquestioned that Killer Mike is a true MVP in the game. —Zach Frydenlund

Album: N/A

Nicki Minaj's "Chiraq" instrumental was a favorite of other artists in hip-hop this year, but nobody took better advantage of the beat than Chicago's own Dreezy. The young female MC wasted no time with this remix, as she immediately began to spazz over the rattling production while rapping at a superior level for nearly three minutes and opening plenty of eyes in the process. The remix is literally littered with one-liners that would make most MCs call it a day on one release, but not Dreezy, as she continued to combine her rhymes together while displaying a number of flows that were almost more impressive than the dominant wordplay.

While rapping about her street credibility in Chicago, beasting on her ex's, and getting priced by record labels, Dreezy displayed a superior lyrical ability throughout the remix. That strong lyrical ability was especially evident with lines like, "I'm the reason y'all got rank, I'm just waiting on the thanks, they like, 'Dreezy, give me yo secret,' I get motivated by the hate, Serena throwing dem racks, shay gone fuck around and get smacked, and anybody that ain't team Dreezy, tell 'em suck a dick from the back." —Zach Frydenlund

Album: N/A

To no surprise at all, Drake was able to dominate 2014 even though he didn't release an actual album. The self-proclaimed "6 God" was able to stay fresh in the mind of hip-hop fans through the year with a number of loose releases, though none was bigger than his summer-cut, "0-100." Drizzy's opening line—"Fuck being on some chill shit"—basically sums of the the essence of the anthem's first verse, as Drake plays around with new flows while dropping plenty of quotables that seemed to fill up Twitter and Instagram captions for the entire summer. Among them, lines like, "OVO, man we really with the shits boy, really with the shits/I should prolly sign to Hit-Boy, cusI got all the hits boy," and "I been Steph Curry with the shot/I been cooking with the sauce/Chef, curry with the pot, boy," really stood out on a release showed almost every side of Drake. —Zach Frydenlund

Album: Tha Carter V

Years ago, Lil Wayne was once the Best Rapper Alive but ever since his release from prison, he’s been on a downturn as fans have generally met his music with relative indifference. 2014 was supposed to be a return to excellence for the (former?) Cash Money poster boy, as he hyped what would be his last album, *Tha Carter V*. Wayne—rhyming alongside former disciple turned Best Rapper Alive candidate, Drake—reignites the swagger that has gone missing for years on his first verse.

He kicks things off giving a shout out to his daughter (“His and hers Ferraris, nigga”) before coasting right to kidnapping and murder (“Out of duct tape so when he praying I ignore the nigga”) and throws in a Capone and Noreaga shoutout for good measure. Before the Twitter rants, and rampant speculation about his label issues, “Believe Me” created excitement for Wayne’s project, enough for some wayward fans to get their Cash Money pom-poms out of the closet. —Justin Davis