12 – Mobb Deep – “Shook Ones Pt. II” (1995) Album: The Infamous Producer: Havoc Key Sample: Herbie Hancock’s “Jessica” Why it’s great: A haunting, paranoid masterpiece that defined New York hardcore rap. Sub-genre: East Coast Hardcore / Boom Bap Legacy: Sampled 150+ times; featured in 8 Mile , Grand Theft Auto , and countless memes.
: Revolutionized rhyme schemes and delivery. Top 1000 GREATEST Hip-Hop Rap Songs of All-Time