The 10 Best Summers in Hip-Hop History

Dear Summer, you know we’re gonna miss you.

From Kool Herc’s Bronx block parties to Hot 97’s annual Summer Jam concert, the heat and intensity of the months from June to September hold a certain sway over any hip-hop fan. Whether you hit the clubs, or just roll your windows down with the radio blasting, the music sounds different, and better. Hell, the season even has an official hip-hop anthem.

It’s the time of year that your favorite MC loves to romanticize in his lyrics (especially if it’s Hov), and that you’re thinking about as soon as the frost of Winter starts to melt away. But not all summers are created equal, and some left a mark that changed the way we think about the season.

So since today is the final day of summer, here’s one last look at the season, before we wait 9 months for the next one. These are the 10 Best Summers in Hip-Hop History, with the songs we banged, the fashions we might’ve worn, the news stories and sports phenomenons we obsessed over, and the Summer blockbusters we may have seen.

Take a trip down memory lane with hip-hop's ten best summers.

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Written by Al Shipley (@ShipleyAl)

Summer Jam: UGK f/ Outkast "International Players Anthem (I Choose You)"

Runner Up Summer Jams: Kanye West "Stronger," 50 Cent "I Get Money," Soulja Boy Tell 'Em "Crank Dat"

Hottest Albums: UGK Underground Kingz, Lil Wayne Da Drought 3, DJ Khaled We The Best

Hip-hop Fashion Trend: Shutter shades

Movie Of The Summer: 300

Athlete Of The Summer: Floyd Mayweather, Jr.

News Story Of The Summer: Live Earth holds simultaneous concerts around the world in 9 different cities.

Summer Jam: Jermaine Dupri f/ Jay-Z "Money Ain't A Thang"

Runner Up Summer Jams: Noreaga "SuperThug (What What)," Lauryn Hill "Doo Wop (That Thing)," DMX "Ruff Ryders' Anthem"

Hottest Albums: DMX It's Dark and Hell is Hot, Big Pun Capital Punishment, Goodie Mob Still Standin

Hip-hop Fashion Trend: Throwback jerseys

Movie Of The Summer: Out of Sight

Athlete Of The Summer: Michael Jordan...Again.

News Story Of The Summer: U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania are bombed.

Summer Jam: LL Cool J "Rock The Bells"

Runner Up Summer Jams: Run-D.M.C. "My Adidas," Doug E. Fresh "All The Way To Heaven," Run D.M.C. "Rock the Bells"

Hottest Albums: Run D.M.C. Raising Hell

Hip-hop Fashion Trend: Dookie rope chains

Movie Of The Summer: Aliens

Athlete Of The Summer: Larry Bird

News Story Of The Summer: Chernobyl suffers the worst nuclear power accident in history.

Summer Jam: DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince "Summertime"

Runner Up Summer Jams: Naughty By Nature, "O.P.P.," Cypress Hill "How I Could Just Kill A Man," Geto Boys "Mind Playing Tricks on Me"

Hottest Albums: De La Soul De La Soul Is Dead, Ice T O.G. Original Gangster, DJ Quik Quik Is the Name

Hip-hop Fashion Trend: Dickies suits

Movie Of The Summer: Boyz N The Hood

Athlete Of The Summer: Michael Jordan

News Story Of The Summer: An attempted coup d'etat in August prompts the eventual dissolution of the Soviet Union.

Summer Jam: Lil Jon & The Eastside Boyz f/ Ying Yang Twins "Get Low"

Runner Up Summer Jams: Chingy "Right Thurr," Bone Crusher f/ Killer Mike & T.I. "Never Scared," 50 Cent "In Da Club" (and every 50 Cent song)

Hottest Albums: 50 Cent Get Rich or Die Tryin', Freeway Philadelphia Freeway, T.I. Trap Muzik

Hip-hop Fashion Trend: Rocawear

Movie Of The Summer: Bad Boys II

Athlete Of The Summer: Yao Ming

News Story Of The Summer: On August 14, a massive power blackout spreads throughout the Northeast and Midwest.

Summer Jam: Busta Rhymes "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See"

Runner Up Summer Jams: Puff Daddy f/ The Notorious B.I.G., The LOX & Lil' Kim "It's All About The Benjamins," The Notorious B.I.G. "Mo Money, Mo Problems," The Notorious B.I.G. "Hyponotize"

Hottest Albums: The Notorious B.I.G. Life After Death, Wu-Tang Clan Wu-Tang Forever, Puff Daddy & The Family No Way Out

Hip-hop Fashion Trend: Shiney jumpsuits

Movie Of The Summer: Men in Black

Athlete Of The Summer: Tiger Woods

News Story Of The Summer: Diana, Princess of Wales, dies in a car accident.

Summer Jam: Jay-Z "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)"

Runner Up Summer Jams: Petey Pablo, "Raise Up," Fabolous f/ Nate Dogg "Can't Deny It," Ludacris f/ Pharrell Williams "Southern Hospitality"

Hottest Albums: Beanie Sigel The Reason, Missy Elliott Miss E...So Addictive, Project Pat Mista Don't Play: Everythang's Workin'

Hip-hop Fashion Trend: Fitted caps

Movie Of The Summer: The Fast and the Furious

Athlete Of The Summer: Ray Lewis

News Story Of The Summer: Vermont Senator Jim Jeffords leaves the Republican party, shifting the balance of power to the Democratic majority in the senate.

Summer Jam: Method Man f/ Mary J Blige "I'll Be There for You/You're All I Need to Get By"

Runner Up Summer Jams: The Luniz "I Got 5 On It," Bone Thugs-n-Harmony "1st of Tha Month," Notorious B.I.G. f/ Faith Evans & Mary J. Blige "One More Chance (Remix)"

Hottest Albums: 2Pac Me Against The World, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony E. 1999 Eternal, Raekwon Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, and many, many more.

Hip-hop Fashion Trend: Coogi sweaters

Movie Of The Summer: Friday

Athlete Of The Summer: Cal Ripkin, Jr.

News Story Of The Summer: Oregon Senator Bob Packwood steps down amidst allegations of sexual assault.

Summer Jam: The Notorious B.I.G. "Juicy"

Runner Up Summer Jams: Craig Mack f/ The Notorious B.I.G., LL Cool J, Rampage the Last Boy Scout & Busta Rhymes "Flava In Ya Ear", Nate Dogg & Warren G "Regulate," OutKast "Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik"

Hottest Albums: Nas Illmatic, OutKast Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony Creepin on ah Come Up

Hip-hop Fashion Trend: Rolex watches

Movie Of The Summer: Natural Born Killers

Athlete Of The Summer: Ken Griffey, Jr.

News Story Of The Summer: O.J. Simpson flees police in a white Ford Bronco following the murder of ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson.

Summer Jam: Rob Base and DJ EZ Rock "It Takes Two"

Runner Up Summer Jams: Big Daddy Kane "Aint No Half Steppin," Doug E. Fresh "Keep Rising To The Top," Biz Markie "Vapors," Eric B. & Rakim "Mic Fiend"

Hottest Albums: Public Enemy It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, N.W.A. Straight Outta Compton, Eric B. and Rakim, Follow the Leader

Hip-hop Fashion Trend: High-top fades

Movie Of The Summer: Coming To America

Athlete Of The Summer: Mike Tyson

News Story Of The Summer: 750 thousand acres of Yellowstone National Park blaze with wildfires between June and September.