2020 felt like decades due to all of the chaos happening in the world, but the one consistency was the number of high-quality bars. While things have been quiet on the album front in the new year so far, there has been plenty of lyricism to keep rap fans engaged.
HipHopDX is putting a spotlight on the tracks that stand out from the overabundance of releases throughout the year, highlighting everything from Billboard chart-friendly singles to essential album cuts. Check back at the beginning of every month for updates and check out our other lists below and follow our playlist, which includes all of the songs mentioned in this article:
- If you’re looking for a more soothing list: The Best R&B Songs of 2021 …(so far)
- If you’re looking for a more melodic list: The Best Hip Hop Songs of 2021 …(so far)
- Check out our list of Best Hip Hop Songs of 2020 to catch up on anything you may have missed from last year.
Editor’s note: songs from this list were released between Dec. 2, 2020 – Jan. 29, 2021.
The Playlist
For your listening pleasure, here is HipHopDX’s Best Rap Songs of 2021 … so far.
Contributing writers: Trent Clark, Kyle Eustice, Josh Svetz, Dana Scott, Brandon Caldwell, David Brake, Kenan Draughorne, Devon Jefferson & Jeremy Hecht.
“Let It Breathe” – Joey Bada$$
Pro Era rap fans were undoubtedly hungry for more music from Joey Bada$$ following the release of The Light Pack EP at the tail end of 2020. That’s precisely his temporally aware bars sound so refreshing on his visual single “Let It Breathe.” Complimented by the mid-tempo muddled boom-bap production provided by Statik Selektah, Joey’s flow meanders between multi-tiered metaphors and brain-splitting aphorisms with the cerebral ideological might of Socrates — had the Greek philosopher hailed from New York City and pushed a lime green Porsche through the city.
“3:30 In Houston” – Benny The Butcher
Benny The Butcher recently revealed to DX that he actually didn’t feel famous until he got shot in Houston last year during an attempted robbery. In reality, though, the incident merely boosted his star power rather than manifesting it, and “3:30 In Houston” certainly played a roll in the spike due to the ferocious lyrical nature of his rebuttal to the assailants. It’s a moment in which the Griselda MC’s trademarked street-enamored huste raps and tenacious hardened vernacular shine like a beacon, and serves as a testament to the strength of the chips bearing on his shoulders.
“The Hurt Business” – Westside Gunn, Smoke DZA, Wale DJ
The Griselda Conflicted film soundtrack was jam packed with the type of bars and lyrical heat that Hip Hop purists dream of. “The Hurt Business” single is like a dream-come-true as it aligns three different type of lyricists on one of the grimies, East Coast boom-bap beats of the year, thus far. Between the stabbing punchlines of Westside Gunn, the foggy finesse of Smoke DZA and Wale’s deductive flow, “The Hurt Business” is like a rap masterclass on how to properly execute barred-up collaborations without losing appeal.
“Welcome Home DMX” – Dave East DJ
“Rap Up 2020” – Uncle Murda DJ
“LeBron James” – J. Stone f. Nipsey Hussle, Dom Kennedy
All Money In rapper J. Stone has consistently elevated the legacy and memory of his dear friend, West Coast legend Nipsey Hussle, since his unfortunate death in 2019. Building onto the blueprint the Nip inspired with The Definition Of Loyalty, J. Stone continued the album saga in 2020 with The Definition Of Pain. Embedded within the 18-track project is the “LeBron James” collaboration featuring Dom Kennedy and a posthumous verse from Hussle that makes us fall in love with the drive and leadership the Victory Lap rapper embodies.
“AHHHHH, Pt. 2” – YN Jay f. Sada Baby
Michigan is undeniably having a moment right now and as a result, there has been a nonstop flood of fledging artists and developing soundscapes emitting from the northern state. Flint rapper YN Jay, also known as the Coochie Man, is one the up-and-coming artists leading the charge and his “AHHHHH, Pt. 2” collaboration with Detroit’s own Sada baby is like a sneak peek into the future of Michigan’s music scene. It’s somewhat of a cross between the scammer raps popularized by Motor City artist Teejayx6 and the drilling hype Sada’s “Whole Lotta Choppas” hit record exudes.
“Joe Exotic” – Westside Boogie
“Still Trappin” — Lil Durk f. King Von
It might be a new year, but Lil Durk picked-up right where he left off in 2020. The underdog MVP of last year, Durkio landed scores of high-profile features and released two well-received albums in Just Cause Y’all Waited 2 and The Voice. “Still Trappin,” from The Voice and it’s subsequent deluxe edition, features the best verse from King Von since his passing last November. Go Grizzly and Hitmaka sonically recreate the streets of O’Block with dark drums and a haunting baritone piano loop. Von and Durk had undeniably cohesive chemistry, and “Still Trappin” is a reminder of what could have been.
“Onna Come Up” — Lil Eazzyy
Lil Eazzyy closed out 2020 with a bang and is looking towards 2021 with big goals. His debut full-length Underrated, dropped last November, led by the single “Onna Come Up.” Now in the new year, Eazzyy released the remix to his most popular single, adding fellow Chicago rapper G Herbo. The drill-inspired rapper unloads a clip of fast raps on a Hugo Buck produced beat. With Herbo’s verse added, “Onna Come Up” Lil Eazzyy is no longer on his way up rap’s hierarchy–he’s already there.
“Overtime” — Baby Smoove
“My Puppy” — KEY! & Tony Seltzer
Atlanta rapper KEY! closed out 2020 with the most cohesive album of his career, The Alpha Jerk, produced in entirety by New York’s underground bard, Tony Seltzer. KEY! raps in a JPEGMAFIA-style stream of consciousness, pumping high-intensity bars that occasionally borderline on screaming. “My Puppy,” is the standout track from an overall excellent project. Tony pairs a whining, distorted synth with rounded, booming drums as KEY! uses the production like a playground, swinging from the monkey bars, taking rides down the slide and doing flips off the swings.
“We Know The Truth” — Drakeo the Ruler, Icewear Vezzo, ALLBLACK
Despite the odds stacked so strongly against him, Los Angeles rapper Drakeo the Ruler continues to succeed. For years he fought a backwards conspiracy charge while being inhumanely muzzled and locked in solitary confinement. Last year, he managed to release Thank You For Using GTL. The album was recorded entirely over the phone from prison, which many have labeled the greatest rap album ever recorded from behind bars. Drakeo works at a breakneck pace, and has released both We Know The Truth (and its deluxe) and Because Y’all Asked since his release last November. “We Know The Truth” featuring Detroit’s Icewear Vezzo and burgeoning Oakland MC ALLBLACK, is a West Coast take on Midwestern Drill music.
“Guard Up” — Pooh Shiesty
The Pooh Shiesty stock is skyrocketing like GameStop; the only difference is there’s no crash in sight. The latest in a series of phenomenal young artists to arise from Memphis, Shiesty slid into prominence through an onslaught of single releases, including his latest “Guard Up.” Rapping is too easy for the 20-year-old MC who takes a lackadaisical approach as he maneuvers across the TP808 produced beat, finding pockets with ease, contorting his voice to push the boundaries of the rhyme patterns. The entire rap world has their eyes on Pooh Shiesty as we approach his debut album. So far he has yet to disappoint.
No Griselda? No 38 Spesh? No Roc Marciano? No Planet Asia? Y’all buggin. What da bag look like cuz these guys must have paid y’all
I see y’all got Royce wit da Benny feature but come the frrrck on!!!
No Griselda? There are 3 Griselda songs on the list. 2 Westside Gunn songs and 1 Conway the machine.
Upside Down is so fucking good.
Payroll Giovanni “Ex Dealer Flow”
Things are still fresh in da roc90
These are all great artist.
Drake and Future made the actually list and then got an honorable mention. Are the editors not paying attention when they work from home?
Sup
Easy wipping Mix visuals making Norm right . @ease all Shores , family need familys create fun straight safe place
All cultures true colours can you message past truths, maid light, mop right ?ARad
Rap died a long time ago. This is just trap beat, ad libbing bullshit.
Tech N9ne – Angel Baby
these songs are gutter trash
Everyone on here bitchin, take it easy. Ok to have opinions. Respect they put together some songs and made a Spotify playlist. Make your own if you hate.
No Tekashi 69, Rick Ross or Ja Rule? I’m not interested!
I know you’re trolling but Rick Ross is actually on a good Freddie Gibbs track “Scottie Beam” which is in the list
No Drake? This list is invalid. All the songs from the Dark Lane demo should be here
Cap
Get ya money – Joell and crooked should of been if this list was by far the best track on there album imo
Unless I missed it, y’all got 17 Gibbs songs except Something to rap about, the best song on the whole shit?? List trash…
It’s on there
Westside Gunn and Griselda are killing it right now. The only real hip hop!
How can u make a list and NOT have Jon Conner. SOS has to be i. Top 5 released this year!
This list is trash
So sad what happened to rap… literally trash
Very interesting choices.
Andale (Emis Killa & WSG), Bald! Remix, Black Mirror (Mr. Muthafuckin eXquire), Dead Flowers (Machine), Ego Death, Fully Loaded (Buckwild), No Skips (Oddisee), pots and pans (Boldy James & TCK), Riviera Beach (Curren$y), shine (Joey Bada$$), Souls in a Cypher (Remo Conscius), Versace (WSG), walking in the snow (RTJ), wash us in the blood (ye) is my playlist atm
Soul food 2 was so bad it ruined soul food 1 for me.
Cap
Top 25 Rap Songs of 2020 (SO FAR):
#1: Lil Baby – The Bigger Picture
#2: Eminem – You Gon’ Learn (feat. Royce Da 5’9″ & White Gold)
#3: J. Cole – The Climb Back
#4: Pop Smoke – Got It On Me
#5: Lil Baby – Commercial (feat. Lil Uzi Vert)
#6: Juice WRLD – Titanic
#7: Logic – Hit My Line
#8: DaBaby – GO
#9: Black Thought – Thought Vs Everybody
#10: Jack Harlow – WHATS POPPIN REMIX (feat. DaBaby, Tory Lanez & Lil Wayne)
#11: Polo G – Go Stupid (feat. Stunna 4 Vegas, NLE Choppa & Mike WiLL Made-It)
#12: Lil Baby – Sum 2 Prove
#13: Juice WRLD – Stay High
#14: Future – Life Is Good (feat. Drake)
#15: Jack Harlow – WHATS POPPIN
#16: Royce Da 5’9″ – Upside Down (feat. Ashley Sorrell & Benny The Butcher)
#17: Juice WRLD – Come & Go (with Marshmello)
#18: Lil Baby – Social Distancing
#19: Kid Cudi – The Adventures of Moon Man & Slim Shady (feat. Eminem)
#20: Joyner Lucas – Will
#21: Royce Da 5’9″ – FUBU (feat. Conway the Machine)
#22: Polo G – 21
#23: Eminem – Godzilla (feat. Juice WRLD)
#24: DaBaby – ROCKSTAR (feat. Roddy Ricch) – BLM REMIX
#25: Juice WRLD – Wishing Well
I would say all 13 cuts from Nas! King Disease album is lit! All songs!!!
lil baby the best social distencieng
Sean Don did his thing on Detroit 2. Listened to it 13 times so far.
he preety good
Bout Shit from the LOX featuring DMX and Car #85 by Nas are my favorite songs this year.
I’m fined with yah-yah by eminem on here, but why is the song on here and Godzillas not?
Fuck queensbridge where you at?
what’s the point
i want to rap can ya send a form
Kumbaya by Hopsin is my favourite banger from 2020
Devil’s Work – Joyner Lucas
No Regrets – Eminem ft. Don Toliver
Skip This Ad – Family Bvsiness
Harder Than My Demons – Big Sean
All of those songs are from 2020 … read the headline
lmfao….this is the dumbest “best of” list I’ve seen in awhile…No Joey Cool…No Jehry Robinson…no JL…no Chris Webby…no Vin Jay…and not a single mention of the G.O.A.T. himself, Tech N9ne…yall letting us down…
Wrek had the best album on Strange this year.
Chris webby? U not serious. Tech 9ine? Your music preference is trash
What you know about Rolling 50 Deep by DJ Kay Slay feat. everybody, this song hasn’t even been mentioned on this site like come on man,
Straight dookie
Lemon Squeeze
Yooo you gotta consider Morray – Quicksand
were the hell is whoopty from Cj