Madness - Night Boat To Cairo (1979)
Spoonie Gee - Love Rap (1980)
ESG - Moody (Spaced Out) (1983)
INXS - Need You Tonight (1987)
Guns N' Roses - It's So Easy (1987)
Eric B. & Rakim - Lyrics Of Fury (1988)
Slick Rick - The Moment I Feared (1988)
808 State - Pacific 707 (7" mix) (1989)
Too $hort - The Ghetto (1990)
Brand Nubian - Step To The Rear (1990)
The Family Stand - Ghetto Heaven (Soul II Soul remix) (1990)
Nirvana - Breed (1991)
Ice-T - New Jack Hustler (1991)
SL2 - Way In My Brain (1991)
Geto Boys - My Mind's Playing Tricks On Me (1991)
L7 - Shitlist (1992)
MF DOOM ft. DJ Cucumber Slice - Rhymes Like Dimes (1999)
Mac Dre - Feelin' Myself (2004)
Max B - Where Do I Go? (BBQ Music) (2009)
What sorta basic bastard came up with the idea that 20 songs is a satisfactory number tho? Call me Marte Blanche because I'm breakin' the rules like Danze & Fame, switching it up to 25 songs, and including this quinary of legit 10/10 jams. John Peel was a nonce, but he was right about Teenage Kicks being a G.O.A.T choon.
Talk Talk - Life's What You Make It (1986)
Master Ace - Me & The Biz (1990)
T.I. - 24's (2003)
Todd Terje - Inspector Norse (2012)
Everybody should do one of these as a personal canon. Don't be givin' me no "oh it's so hard for me to choose 20 songs, darling" excuses either. Ain't it funny how the folks who pull that melodramatic shit tend to be middlebrow melon-farmers who only listen to music made between the late 1980s and the early 2000s? GTFOH. No shotz, just factz.
33 comments:
Damn, this is tougher than leather!
Personal canon:
The Jackson 5 - I Want You Back (1969)
Black Sabbath - Children of the Grave (1971)
Babe Ruth - The Mexican (1972)
Stevie Wonder - Superstition (1972)
Blue Öyster Cult - (Don't Fear) the Reaper (1976)
Cheryl Lynn - Got to Be Real (1978)
The Police - Roxanne (1978)
Iron Maiden - Phantom of the Opera (1980)
Shannon - Let the Music Play (1983)
Newcleus - Jam On It (1984)
Nu Shooz - I Can't Wait (1985)
Public Enemy - Black Steel in the Hour Chaos (1988)
Silver Bullet - 20 Seconds to Comply (1989)
LL Cool J - Mama Said Knock You Out (1990)
Saint Etienne - Only Love Can Break Your Heart (1990)
Eric B. & Rakim - Juice (Know the Ledge) (1991)
Geto Boys - Mind Playing Tricks On Me (1991)
Ice-T - New Jack Huster (1991)
Massive Attack - Unfinished Sympathy (1991)
Liquid - Sweet Harmony (1992)
Souls of Mischief - 93 'Til Infinity (1993)
Nas - N.Y. State of Mind (1994)
Viktor Vaughn feat. Apani B - Let Me Watch (2003)
Nneka - Heartbeat (Chase & Status We Just Bought A Guitar Mix) (2008)
Carpenter Brut - Le Perv (2012)
That top 20 is so you, just like mine is so me.
Gotta love a list containing 20 Seconds To Comply.
Very difficult to narrow it down to 25 and I feel bad about leaving out some of my favourites, but it is what it is. Strictly songs that bring me the most instant joy when I put them on, not my favourite or best of all time songs.
Isaac Hayes - Walk On By (1969)
Bananarama - Cruel Summer (1983)
Run DMC - Here We Go (1984)
Doug E Fresh & Slick Rick - La Di Da Di (1985)
Mary J Blige & Grand Puba - What's The 411? (1992)
Mark Morrison - Return Of The Mack (1996)
Natalie Imbruglia - Torn (1997)
Juvenile - Soulja Rags (1997)
TLC - No Scrubs (1999)
Black Rob - Whoa (1999)
Paul Wall & Chamillionaire - N Luv Wit My Money (2002)
P. Diddy & Friends - I Need a Girl Pt. 2 (2002)
Ashanti - Foolish (2002)
Boosie & Webbie - Do It Big (2003)
Mac Dre - Feelin' Myself (2004)
Mario Winans - I Don't Wanna Know (2004)
Cam'Ron - Dreams Freestyle (2005)
The Game & 50 Cent - Hate It Or Love It (2005)
Gucci Mane - Lemonade (2009)
Max B - Where Do I Go? (BBQ Music) (2009)
Fetty Wap - Trap Queen (O.G. Version) (2014)
Sada Baby - LLYGMISTA (2018)
Dua Lipa - Don't Start Now (2019)
Stunnaman02 - Big Steppin' (2021)
Peggy Gou - It Goes Like (Na Na Na) (2023)
Some major recency bias picks going on. Turns out I'm also a child of my times.
Damn, now that's a starting top 10. Considered most of those meself. 2nd half of your list is stacked too.
Made a decision yday when i banged this out to not think about it for more than a few mins, lists are too stressful for me man
frankie Beverly n maze - before i let go live in new orleans 1980
Mouse on tha track - raise a finga
Jimmy castor bunch - its just begun larry levan mix
Souls of mischief - cab fare
E-40 - 999,999+ 1$ = a mealticket + LIQ
george michael - lets go outside video
Cece peniston - finally choice 12 mix
Ill al skratch this is for my homiez
Thin lizzy - she knows
B-52s roam
eithne ni uallachain - bilingua
Christion - full of smoke
New edition - cool it now
Just-ice cold getting dumb
Ghetto mafia - for the good times
Big noyd - all pro feat prodigy n infamous mob
Cutty ranks - from mi heart
Kilo ali- white horse
Run dmc - beats to the rhyme
De la soul - keepin the faith
Already upon copy n pasting this im like wtf no bobby n ja - thug lovin, no max, no tribe, no talk talk, theres almost zero hits on mine too aside from cece run dmc n george michael smfh hipster lookin ass
Actually fuck it scratch de la kilo ali n noyd for LL - doin it + grace jones - pull up to the bumper n pete whifield 18 w a bullet, i can live with this
Reading the comments is killing me lol, trying not to see how can i fit juvie, return of the mack, got to be real in here
honorable mention- doja cat bottom bitch
Check out Lord Muck Donal here with his Larry Levan mixes.
On one hand, a list with Mouse's Raise A Finger gets a big thumbs up from me 👍
On the other hand, no Mac Dre????? 👎 If there's anyone I thought I could trust to come through with a list with a Dre song it was you.
Mac dre presents its own problems - wtf is the song - im in motion, exo n remi, doing my job? Sophie didnt have this many options our
Making lists sucks if youre completionist/ probably got adhd - realistically my list should be now thats what i call rap music vol 34-142 but how do you leave out the will smith singles, whens the last time I actually listened to 36 chambers or chronic 2001, how do you leave out memphis n include louisiana, how come new york gets 3 decades worth
Its a mugs game
Speaking of toffee nose remix picks - crying shame i missed celly cel - its going down remix, that ones burned in me
I'm N Motion would be a wild pick for Dre which I fully fuxwid.
If I was going early Khayree era, I'd probably go for All Damn Day... or On My Toes... or Young Playah.
Larry Adler "Rhapsody in blue"
Thelonious Monk "Round Midnight"
Pink Floyd "Great gig in the sky"
The swingle Singers "Prelude 18"
Parliament "Aqua Boogie (A Psychoalphadiscobetabioaquadoloop)"
Janis Joplin "Work me lord"
The The "This is the day"
Ben Folds 5 "Brick"
Traffic "Don't be sad"
Erasure "Stay with me"
Frank Zappa "Peaches en Regalia"
Tori Amos "Silent all these years"
Ian Dury "What a waste"
Regina Spektor "Apres moi"
Joanna Newsom "Sprout and the bean"
Thompson Twins "Hold me now"
Leo Sayer "The show must go on"
Nirvana "Lithium"
REM "Near wild heaven"
Toni Braxton "You're makin me high"
93 also in with a shout, what rap production sounded anything like that back then w the acoustic guitar, strings n keyboard sax? Its nuts n dre rides it over the phone like its nothing
As good as the new max is n c-murder made good shit that eps a bananas accomplishment, khayree must have played a metronome down the line or something while dre had some neer do well in the queue behind him itching to call his mother n youd never know
Anonymous, where is teh Rap???? I concur on the Pink Floyd and Erasure choices tho.
Donal, I'm N Motion is the absolute peak of prison-phone rap songs innit? Will NEVER be topped.
Let me join the party with my list.
King Tee - Paybacks A Mutha
Zapp - Doesn’t Really Matter
Jackie Wilson - Reet Petite
Mac Dre - Feelin Myself
Big Dady Kane - Set It Off
Stevie Wonder - Superstition
Audio Two - I Don’t Care
Bobby Brown - Two Can Play That Game (K-Klass Mix)
Elvis Presley - If I Can Dream
Courtney Buchanan - R U Conscious (Hip Hop Mix)
G.L.O.B.E. & Whiz Kid - Play That Beat Mr. DJ
UGK & Outkast - Int'l Players Anthem (I Choose You)
Z-Ro - Mo City Don
Beres Hammond - Tempted To Touch
Dignitary Stylish - Jah Send Me Come
M-Beat & General Levy - Incredible
Keak Da Sneak - Way Back
DJ DMD ft. Fat Pat & Lil Keke - 25 Lighters
Robert S - Good As Gold
Prince - Sometimes It Snows In April
Devin The Dude ft. Snoop Dogg & Andre 3000 - What A Job
Manic Street Preachers - Motorcycle Emptiness
Yellowman - Zunguzungguguzungguzeng
Glen Campbell - Wichita Lineman
70th Street Carlos - Sprite
*note to self: there's no James Brown in this list (I have to redo this before I press publish)
I was not expecting to see the Manic Street Preachers in your list 😄
Some legit 10/10 faves of mine there, particularly the Z-Ro and Bobby Brown choices 👏
Teh Rap score:
ATQC "Oh my god"
Open Mike Eagle "I rock"
Mobb Deep "Shook ones pt 2"
Gang Starr "You know my steez"
Geto Boys "Mind of a lunatic"
Da Lench Mob "Freedom got an AK"
LL Cool J "Mama said knock you out"
Wu Tang Clan "Da mystery of chess boxin"
MF DOOM "Ho cakes"
X-Clan "Funkin Lesson"
Kool Keith "Keep it real, represent"
MF Grimm "Foolish"
BDP "My Philosophy"
Tech N9ne "Horns"
Drunken Arseholes "Bomb Buckinham Palace"
Digital Underground "Packet man"
Paris "Coffee Donuts & Death"
Jedi Mind Tricks "Blood In, blood out"
K-Rino "The man who lived forever"
The Coup "Your parent's cocaine"
Finally a Digital Underground song! Probably the same Digital Underground I'd plump for too.
Ok this is a fun one, I’ve wrote down the songs in the order that they came to my mind, while simultaneously browsing through a part of my record collection to see if I was forgetting anything:
DJ Quik - Something 4 Tha Mood
UGK - It’s Supposed To Bubble
Seaside Lovers - Evening Shadows
Warumpi Bands - My Island Home
Air - Kelly Watch The Stars
The Click - Out My Body
Poison Idea - Just To Get Away
Chuck Brown - Bustin Loose
Tom Browne - Magic
Devin The Dude - See What I Could Pull
Fun Lovin Criminal - Love Unlimited
Underdog - Back To Back
Eightball & MJG - Funk Mission
Roscoe P Coldchain - Pussy
Big Mike - Havin Thangs
Skarhead - T.C.O.B.
Bobby Womack - Across 110th Street
Willie Hutch - I Choose You
Lamont Dozier - Shine
Warren G - Regulate ft Nate Dogg
Bad Brains - Banned In DC
Stone Roses - I Wanna Be Adored
Smiff N Wessun - Wreckognize
Too Short - Cocktails
Maximum Penalty - Could You Love Me
A few runners up:
Artifacts - Wrong Side Of The Tracks
Snoop Dogg - Press Play
Leeway - Kingpin
Mac Mall - Get Right
Rata Negra - En La Playa
Bernard Lavilliers - La Salsa
Ken Boothe - Black Gold & Green
Dion & The Belmont - Wanderer
Leaving quite a few things but that’s a good start I guess?
All the punk/hardcore songs either have a groovy/bouncy/melodic or anthemic vibe to them, so while they might not bring zen blissful joy in itself they’re still list-worthy I would say. I could do another list with fit-for-the-pit songs too haha.
Here was me thinking you'd be the first one to include something from Dag Nasty's first album.
Havin' Thangs, Banned In DC and The Wanderer are particularly great shouts. Best use of the latter: the alleyway gang meet-up scene in The Wanderers or introducing Seen in Style Wars?
Sad to say but prison raps got enough entries now to be its own category raw uncut n X-raided. It Don't Stop pairs up nicely W I'm n motion too, definition of a slump
I'd say the lads in the pokey were cracking up @ the "all she saw is 50 million babies swimming on her jaw"
Some a1 choices here - freedom got an ak, 25 lighters, sometimes it snows in april
Speaking of having thangs, Tommy Davidson was spitting when he sang a few bars in black dynamite. That's ran through my head more than most songs
Karen O & The kids "All is love"
Ayentee "Everybody's business"
The Goats "Got kinda high"
Ice Cube "I wanna kill Sam"
Johnny Cash "In my life"
MC Frontalot "Front the least"
Dr Octagon "Blue Flowers"
Da Odd Squad "Putcha lips"
Poor Righteous Teachers & The Fugees "Allies"
Public Enemy & Masta Killa "Resurrection"
Aceyalone "Headaches and woes"
Akinyele "Exercixe"
AWOL One & Daddy Kev "Rhythm"
Fu Schnickens "Movie scene"
Gunshot "Pain"
Jean Grae "Going crazy"
Spirit "Mr Skin"
Curtis Mayfield "Pusherman"
The Bees "A Minha Menina"
Nanci Griffith "Once in a very blue moon"
Akinyele and Odd Squad 👍
I've actually never really dug into Dag Nasty's catalog, the whole DC/Revolution Summer scene is a bit of a blind spot for me, but I probably should give it a try at some point.
Alleyway gang meet up from The Wanderers is my choice for sure. No shade on Style Wars though, but slick-haired Ken Wahl gathering his posse all dressed up in matching Varsity's is peak 70's NYsploitation.
Yohan's "The Game & 50 Cent - Hate It Or Love It" and D's "Ill al skratch this is for my homiez" are also pretty cool to see on here! All those list are better playlists than the best algorithms DSP' are trying to come up with.
I might take The Wanderers soundtrack CD to the pub with me tonight since there's no decent football on TV. There's at least six legit 10/10 G.O.A.T choonz on there.
Like Donal suggested, I tried not to spend too much time on it, and like our host suggested I stopped at 25, with one more rap song than "other music", because well of course.
Fun but impossible, how to choose between some trap classic that you scream along to every morning in the shower, and the oldie they played at your granny's funeral, and so on. Truthfully, a more accurate list of mine would also include a generous share of Swedish schlager and hillbilly music and also some local rap classics that would make NO sense in this context.
Curtis Mayfield - Billy Jack
Tim Maia - Gostava Tanto de voce
Kool & The gang - summer madness
Funkadelic - one Nation under a groove
Jimi Hendrix - All Along The Watchtower
Jorge Ben - Fio Maravilha
Kate Bush - Deal With God
Elvis - unchained melody (live 1977)
Erik Satie - gymnopedies
Aphex Twin - Xtal
Mr Fingers - Can You Feel It (instrumental)
Burial - Ashtray wasp
Rakim - paid in full
50 cent - doing my thang
Pete rock - The game
Cormega - Thun & Kicko
Max B - Picture Me Rollin
DJ Screw- 2pac never had a friend like me
DJ Screw - too short pimp c all about it
Snoop - Who Am I?
E40 - 43
The Jacka - death 2 my enemies
UGK - quit hating the south
Boosie - bottom to the top
Gucci Mane - street n***a
Honorable mentions:
Baden Powell - Marcia eu te amo
Louis Armstrong - all the time in the world
Pavarotti - nessun durma
Stooges - wanna be your dog
PNL - Onizuka
Future - codeine crazy
Biggie - Skys the limit
Gotta love a guy who comes through and drops a list containing 43 and Nessun Dorma 🙏
some good selections here. I posted mine on Twitter last week. Didnt over think it, turned out ok I think. Tried to cover all bases. I don't really do guitars.
Pete Rock - TROY
AZ - The Come Up
Rae, Ghost & Nas - Verbal Intercourse
Common - Resurrection (Extra P remix)
Biggie - Everyday Struggle
Dr Dre - Let Me Ride
Real Live - Money & Shows
Public Enemy - Black Steel...
Mary J Blige ft Smif N Wessun - I Love You (remix)
Bug Kann & Plastic Jam - Made In 2 Minutes
Adam F - Circles
Pascal - P Funk Era
High Contrast - Return of Forever
Deep Dish ft Everything but The Girl - The Future Of The Future (Stay Gold)
Inner City - Big Fun
Rhythim Is Rhythim - Strings Of Life
Soul II Soul - Keep On Movin
Martine Girault - Revival
Love Unlimited - Move Me No Mountain
Talking Heads - Once In A Lifetime
I'm a Black Steel.. guy too. Except on the days when I'm a 911 Is A Joke guy instead.
25
Konk - your life
Ministry - All day remix
Bo Diddley - Spanish guitar
Max B - Why You Do That
Mozzy - Baldheaded
Wizkid - Show You the Money
Gwen Guthrie - 7th heaven (Larry Levan Mix)
Devin the dude - do what you wanna do
Janet Jackson - thats the way love goes
The jacka - the mayor
Arthur Russell - in the light of the miracle
Dj quik - we still party
Lil Louis and the world - club lonely
Michael Franks - lotus blossom
John Martyn - sweet little mystery
Bassment Jaxx - fly life Xtra
Mr fingers - mystery of love
George Michael - fastlove
Duke Ellington - fleurette african
Kyla - Do You Mind (Crazy Cousinz Remix)
Randy crawford - don’t wanna be normal
Simply red - thrill me (steppin razor ambient instrumental mix)
Nightmares on Wax - Back To Nature (Lobos On Wax House Mix)
Maxwell - luxury: cococure gucci mane - pillz
this is insanely impossible lol
"Cop me a zip so I can concentrate
While I travel tryna make my rhymes elevate
And your trunk rattle at the same time
Feelin' fly, feelin' fly, mayne, at the same time"
On point choices re: Devin, Mr Fingers, DJ Quik and Basement Jaxx. As in, those are the songs by them I'd plump for too 🙏
Changed my mind and switched The Phantom's Love Me for Talk Talk's Life's What You Make It 🇬🇧
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