For a Hip Hop artist, making the Billboard Hot 100 is no easy task. Take someone like DJ Khaled, for example. After churning out star-studded collaborations for over a decade, Billboard announced earlier this week that his “I’m The One” recording featuring Quavo, Chance The Rapper, Lil’ Wayne and Justin Bieber became his first No. 1 on the chart.
It’s a cause for celebration — and the ultimate sign of true commercial and cultural viability. Or is it?
From Desiigner to Macklemore all the way down to Flo Rida, here are the last 10 Hip Hop songs to snag the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 prior to Khaled Khaled’s major key achievement. Let us know in the comment section if you see yourself bumping these tracks five years or even one year from now.
Kendrick Lamar — “Humble.”
Date It Hit No.1: May 6, 2017
Chances You’ll Hear This On The Radio/Party: Did you see Kendrick perform this at Rolling Loud in Miami? This song isn’t going anywhere in the foreseeable future.
“Humble.,” the first single from Kendrick Lamar’s Damn. has been on the Top 100 chart for four weeks, after debuting at the second slot, and since taking the crown for two non-consecutive weeks. With all of his success, it’s Kung-Fu Kenny’s first time topping this particular chart. Based on the impact of Damn., it’s easy to guess it will have a great run.
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Migos f. Lil Uzi Vert — “Bad And Boujee”
Date It Hit No.1: January 21, 2017
Chances You’ll Hear This On The Radio/Party: This song is a movement — and with the “Bad and Boujee” gear that just dropped, you can bet this will song be everywhere this summer!
With the major buzz of Culture and a major prime-time plug from Donald Glover, “Bad And Boujee” featuring Lil Uzi Vert has been bobbing and weaving out of the top spot, dethroning Rae Sremmurd and — at one point — Ed Sheeran. It’s a cultural phenomenon, with the song’s title becoming a verb used interchangeably; only bolstering the song’s power. It’s currently at #26 and has spent 24 weeks on the chart so far.
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Rae Sremmurd f. Gucci Mane — “Black Beatles”
Date It Hit No.1: November 26, 2016
Chances You’ll Hear This On The Radio/Party: It’s almost a guarantee you will hear this record all summer long — and that you’ll sing along. Every. Single. Time.
Rae Sremmurd’s surprise hit, “Black Beatles” featuring Gucci Mane dominated the latter half of 2016 on the Hot 100, and remains #35 on the chart after 27 weeks. “Bad And Boujee” seemed to absorb some of its buzz upon its release— but the SremmLife 2 album remains on the Billboard 200.
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Desiigner — “Panda”
Date It Hit No.1: May 7, 2016
Chances You’ll Hear This On The Radio/Party: The better question is, what are the chances you won’t hear “Panda?” Not great.
“Panda” was an undeniable, cultural phenomenon, clocking millions upon millions of spins, and has since gone 5x platinum. Desiigner’s opus spent a heavy 40 weeks on the Hot 100 chart and continued to rank on other charts.
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Wiz Khalifa f. Charlie Puth — “See You Again”
Date It Hit No.1: April 25, 2015
Chances You’ll Hear This On The Radio/Party: It may not bang at any party you go to, but if you turn on any commercial radio station and wait long enough, it will definitely come on — maybe even more than once.
Wiz Khalifa’s “See You Again” featuring Charlie Puth was an inescapable smash record. The biggest of Wiz’s career so far; however, it wasn’t his first time topping the Hot 100. His debut commercial single “Black & Yellow” had floated to the top a few years earlier. “See You Again,” though, spent a solid year on the chart, making it the most enduring of the past ten Hip Hop tracks in the chart. It still enjoys the streaming power and commercial radio play.
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Iggy Azalea f. Charlie XCX — “Fancy”
Date It Hit No.1: June 7, 2014
Chances You’ll Hear This On The Radio/Party: Not great — unless your on a road trip with your girls knocking a “best of 2014” playlist on Spotify.
T.I.’s southern-slang spitting Australian money train Iggy Azalea took control of the radio and internet streaming services with the Charli XCX-assisted “Fancy,” the first single from her debut, The New Classic. It ironically spent 33 weeks on the chart and — in its final week — ranked 33 on the chart. While Iggy is far from a one-hit wonder, this particular single has since drastically tapered off.
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Eminem f. Rihanna — “Monster”
Date It Hit No.1: December 21, 2013
Chances You’ll Hear This On The Radio/Party: Four years later, and this song still gets daily radio play. Unless he releases something bigger, that probably won’t change.
“Monster” is the second song that Eminem and Rihanna have placed on top of the Hot 100 chart. They previously took over the chart with the controversial “Love The Way You Lie,” which debuted at number one when it dropped. “Monster” spent 25 weeks on the chart.
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Macklemore & Ryan Lewis — “Can’t Hold Us”
Date It Hit No.1: May 18, 2013
Chances You’ll Hear This On The Radio/Party: Outside of a Macklemore concert, you may still hear this record on commercial radio from time to time.
“Can’t Hold Us” was the follow-up single (keep reading) by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, and essentially created competition for the former single; peaking at the top spot for a few weeks and enjoying 39 weeks on the chart.
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Macklemore & Ryan Lewis — “Thrift Shop”
Date It Hit No.1: February 2, 2013
Chances You’ll Hear This On The Radio/Party: You probably won’t hear this record much anymore — outside of your aunt’s wedding or a children’s party.
There was much debate about cultural appropriation — and topics in that bubble — after “Thrift Shop” by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis took control of everything, eventually helping the duo score a Grammy. The record was one of two the duo released in the same year to similar success. “Thrift Shop” enjoyed 49 weeks on the chart. It’s since disappeared but remains “one of those songs” that will forever hold some relevance.
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Flo Rida — “Whistle”
Date It Hit No.1: August 25, 2012
Chances You’ll Hear This On The Radio/Party: It still plays on radio, and if you’re at a party that has this type of vibe — or takes place in Miami — you’ll probably hear this one at some point during the night.
“Whistle,” which is undoubtedly the most commercially successful fellatio innuendo of all time, spent 29 weeks on the Hot 100, but wasn’t Flo Rida’s first time dominating the chart. His singles “Right Round” and the iconic party record “Low” both hit the top spot.
