Generic list post: 40 jams from 2004

2004 was an incredible 12 months for rap, but you wouldn't know it from the internet in 2014: the few rap blogs that did exist in 2004 didn't bother making year end lists, most rap message board threads and, indeed, rap message boards from '04 no longer exist, and all Google now throws up is a handful of the most basic ass 2004 song lists you'll ever see in your life.

Do we really want the rap nerds of 2024 judging us from Pitchfork 2004 staff lists or YahooAnswers pages which claim that My Band by D12, On Fire by Lloyd Banks, Roses by OutKast and the Dilated Peoples & KanYe West track were the year's best rap songs? Ya boy David RapS.O.S.A right hurr certainly doesn't, hence a best rap songs of 2004 post felt so necessary right now. Needless to say, this list is utterly subjective which is why you'll find no trace of some of the year's biggest singles like Breathe, Lean Back, Tipsy, Get Low, and Why?, and nothing from some of the year's most critical acclaimed albums like Madvilliany and Purple Haze.

T.I. - ASAP
AZ - Live Wire
Juvenile, Wacko & UTP - Nolia Clap remix
Lil' Wayne - BM J.R
Ghostface ft. Method Man, Streetlife & Trife - The Drummer
Mac Dre - Feelin' Myself
Cam'Ron - Shut The Fuck Up
The Diplomats - Crunk Muzik
Agallah - Gangster
Slim Thug - Like A Boss
Mike Jones ft. Slim Thug & Paul Wall - Still Tippin'
Too $hort - Burn Rubber
Z-Ro ft. Scarface - These N*ggaz
Trae - Same Thing, Different Day
The UN - Mind Blowin'
Crime Mob ft. Lil' Scrappy - Knuck If You Buck
Lil' Scrappy - No Problem
Twista ft. Jazzy Pha - Badunkadunk
Snoop ft. Pharrell - Drop It Like It's Hot
Nas - Thief's Theme
Cormega ft. Ghostface - Tony/Montana
The Jacka - Barney (More Crime)
Ludacris - The Potion
8Ball & MJG - Memphis City Blues
Turf Talk ft. San Quinn & Mac Dre - Hubba Rock
MF DOOM - Hoe Cakes
KanYe West ft. GLC & Consequence - Spaceship
Common ft. KanYe West - The Food
Consequence ft. KanYe West - Take It As A Loss
Devin The Dude - Briarpatch
Keak Da Sneak ft. E-40 - White Tee, Blue Jeans & Nikes
Sean Price - 60 Bar Dash
Suga Free ft. Morris Day - She Get What She Pay Foe
Big Noyd - Hoody Like That
Young Jeezy ft. Bun B & Slick Pulla - Trap Or Die
The Federation - Go Dumb
Lil' Wyte ft. DJ Paul - Bye 2 Da Bad Guy
50 Cent - Ski Mask Way
C-Loc & Max Minelli ft. Lil' Boosie - Throw It Up
Body Head Bangerz ft. Young Bleed & Lil' Boosie - I Smoke, I Drank
(Nolia Clap remix over Slow Motion 4 life for 2 crucial reasons: a beat which sounded like a Nappy Roots instrumental wasn't a fitting backdrop for the unofficial sequel to Back That Azz Up, and Twista's Badunkadunk was the best rap song about dem asses of 2004.)