Fresh off the conclusion of Hip Hop’s greatest battle, Drake vs. Kendrick Lamar, I proudly present my prized picks of many of Hip Hop’s finest moments in the spirit of competition.
Spoiler alert: there’s a new Big 3. Dot did.
100. Big Sean feat. Kendrick Lamar & Jay Electronica “Control” (2013)
99. The Game “Buddens” (2004)
98. Lil Kim “Black Friday” (2010)
97. Jaz “Ova” (2002)
96. 50 Cent “Be a Gentleman” (2000)
95. Cam’ron “You Gotta Love It” (2006)
94. Pastor Troy “No Mo Play in GA” (1999)
93. Jeezy “24, 23” (2009)
92. Rick Ross “Mafia Music” (2009)
91. Mobb Deep feat. Lil Kim “Quiet Storm (Remix)” (1999)
90. Drake “Charged Up” (2015)
89. Tragedy Khadafi “Blood Type” (1998)
88. Del The Funky Homosapien “Pissin’ On Your Steps” (1991)
87. Mack 10 feat. Ice Cube & WC “Westside Slaughterhouse” (1995)
86. DJ Pooh feat. Kam “Whoop Whoop” (1997)
85. Capone-N-Noreaga feat. Mobb Deep & Tragedy Khadafi “LA, LA” (1997)
84. 50 Cent feat. Tony Yayo “I Run New York” (2005)
83. Jadakiss & Styles P “Problem Child” (2005)
82. 50 Cent “Not Rich Still Lying” (2006)
81. Capone-N-Noreaga feat. Foxy Brown “Bang Bang” (2000)
80. Roxanne Shanté “Bite This” (1985)
79. Kool Moe Dee “How Ya Like Me Now” (1987)
78. Foolio “When I See You” (2021)
77. Spinabenz “Who I Smoke” (2021)
76. Young Dolph “Play Wit Yo’ Bitch” (2017)
75. Cam’ron “Curtis” (2007)
74. JAY-Z feat. Freeway, Geda K, Young Gunz & Memphis Bleek “I Get High (Freestyle)” (2002)
73. Jeru The Damaja “One Day” (1996)
72. Raekwon feat. Ghostface Killah “Shark N-ggas (Biters)” (1995)
71. Nas “Stillmatic (Freestyle)” (2001)
70. Lil B “T-Shirts & Buddens” (2010)
69. Joe Budden “Big Shot” (2004)
68. Prodigy “When You See Me” aka “Hail Mary (Freestyle)” (2001)
67. Tha Dogg Pound feat. Snoop Dogg & Jewell “What Would You Do” (1996)
66. Eminem feat. Dr. Dre “Say What You Say” (2002)
65. Machine Gun Kelly “Rap Devil” (2018)
64. Cam’ron “Dear Stan” (2004)
63. Beanie Sigel “Average Cat” (2009)
62. 50 Cent “Life’s On the Line” (1999)
61. Rick Ross “Champagne Moments” (2024)
60. Three Six Mafia “Live By Yo Rep” (1995)
59. U.N.L.V. “Drag ‘Em ‘N’ Tha River” (1996)
58. Tim Dog “Fuck Compton” (1991)
57. Kurupt “Callin Out Names” (1999)
56. Eminem feat. 50 Cent & Busta Rhymes “Hail Mary” (2003)
55. Ma$e “The Oracle” (2017)
54. Cam’ron & Jim Jones “Hate Me Now (Freestyle)” (2002)
53. Meek Mill “War Pain” (2016)
52. Pusha T “Infrared” (2018)
51. Drake “Duppy Freestyle” (2018)
50. J. Cole “False Prophets” (2016)
49. 50 Cent “How to Rob” (1999)
48. T.I. “What’s Up, What’s Haapnin’” (2008)
47. Remy Ma “Shether” (2017)
46. Megan Thee Stallion “Hiss” (2024)
45. Rick Ross “Idols Become Rivals” (2017)
44. Future & Metro Boomin “We Don’t Trust You” (2024)
43. T.I. “99 Problems (Lil Flip Ain’t One)” (2004)
42. Jeezy “Stay Strapped” (2005)
41. Gucci Mane “Truth” (2012)
40. Rick Ross feat. Drake & French Montana “Stay Schemin’” (2012)
39. The Notorious B.I.G. “Kick in the Door” (1997)
38. JAY-Z “Blueprint 2” (2002)
37. Mobb Deep “Drop a Gem On ‘Em” (1996)
36. Tha Dogg Pound feat. Snoop Dogg “New York, New York” (1995)
35. Kendrick Lamar “6:16 in LA” (2024)
34. DJ Quik “Dollaz + Sense” (1995)
33. LL Cool J “To Da Break of Dawn” (1990)
32. Boogie Down Productions “South Bronx” (1987)
31. MC Lyte “10% Diss” (1988)
30. Roxanne Shanté “Roxanne’s Revenge” (1984)
29. Eminem “The Sauce” (2002)
28. LL Cool J “Jack the Ripper” (1988)
27. Pusha T “Exodus 23:1” (2012)
26. Drake “Family Matters” (2024)
25. Kendrick Lamar “Meet the Grahams” (2024)
24. Makaveli aka 2Pac “Against All Odds” (1996)
23. Eazy-E feat. BG Knocc Out & Dresta “Real Muthaphuckkin Gs” (1993)
22. Makaveli aka 2Pac feat. Outlawz “Bomb First (My Second Reply)” (1996)
21. 50 Cent “Back Down” (2003)
20. Drake “Push Ups” (2024)
19. Eminem “Nail in the Coffin” (2002)
18. Jadakiss “Freestyle (Fuck Beanie Sigel)” (2001)
17. Beanie Sigel “Kiss the Game Goodbye Freestyle” aka “Empire Strikes Back Freestyle” (2001)
16. Jadakiss “Checkmate” (2005)
15. Canibus “Second Round K.O.” (1998)
14. Boogie Down Productions “The Bridge Is Over” (1987)
13. Kendrick Lamar “Euphoria” (2024)
12. The Game “300 Bars N Runnin’” (2005)
11. Dr. Dre feat. Snoop Dogg “Fuck wit Dre Day (And Everybody’s Celebratin’)” (1992)
10. Future & Metro Boomin feat. Kendrick Lamar “Like That” (2024)
Over Metro’s electrifying canvas, K. Dot asserts his authority over his rivals, Drake and J. Cole.
9. Lauryn Hill “Lost Ones” (1997)
L-Boogie breaks up with her boo, Wyclef, and disbands the Fugees at the same damn time.
8. Common “The Bitch in Yoo” (1996)
The Chi-Town lyricist cleverly assassinates and violates O’Shea Jackson.
7. Ice Cube “No Vaseline” (1991)
This deadly declaration of independence buried N.W.A and elevated Cube’s successful solo career.
6. Pusha T “The Story of Adidon” (2018)
King Push sinisterly exposes Drake’s unknown child to the world.
5. JAY-Z “Takeover” (2001)
Jigga asserts his King of New York dominance while putting Prodigy in his place and Nas on notice.
4. Drake “Back to Back” (2015)
It’s a diss song and a hit song as Drizzy seizes the moment and makes Meek Mill pay for his hesitancy to battle.
3. Kendrick Lamar “Not Like Us” (2024)
King Kendrick defeats Drake by giving him a taste of his own medicine. Victory lap.
2. Nas “Ether” (2001)
Hip Hop’s greatest upset as Nasir Jones cements his legendary status.
1. 2Pac “Hit ‘Em Up” (1996)
Still our culture’s most vicious soundtrack which sadly leads to real-life casualties.
To hear the 100 Greatest Diss Songs in one place, stream the full playlist on YouTube, TIDAL, Spotify or Apple Music.
