The journey from the turntables of DJ Kool Herc to the addictive, meme-ified sounds of Megan Thee Stallion and Lil’ Nas X was long, but hip hop is here to stay. And it has become a truly global phenomenon, crossing ethnic, linguistic, and geographical boundaries. Kendrick Lamar won a Pulitzer Prize for his 2018 album DAMN. Young Thug has created a wake of imitators that span genres and sounds. Hip-hop has become a dominant cultural force, driving conversations about music, literature, and entertainment forward. The genre’s dominance of radio waves, streaming numbers, and billboard charts is undeniable, not to mention its influence on everything from avant-garde electronica to the DNA of mainstream pop music from artists like Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran and Ariana Grande.īut it’s more than that. Rapper’s Delight wasn’t the first hip-hop song, but it was the genre’s commercial Big Bang, and a sign that this music born in the housing project hallways and public parks of the Bronx was more than a passing fad. Then the song started moving units in the millions and climbed its way up the US Billboard charts, peaking at number 36 in 1980, and at number three on the UK Singles Chart. – N.R.When Sugarhill Gang’s Rapper’s Delight came out 40 years ago, it was dismissed by many tastemakers as a gimmicky track made to make money. Simultaneously, GloRilla follows in the footsteps of iconic single girl songs’ past, including “Single Again” by Trina and Beyonce’s forever anthem “Single Ladies,” cementing another unapologetic celebration of freedom – all while jumping out the window with her ratchet ass friends. ![]() With “FNF,” GloRilla achieved the holy grail: a universally loved song that is also an authentic window into her personality. It’s clear that the 23-year-old rapper is just being herself, flapping her arms around a vast parking lot with a squad of girlfriends, one of which flashes a 42-ounce bottle of malt liquor, all of which shout the infectious chorus at the top of their lungs. But it’s GloRilla’s husky, snarling delivery that makes “FNF” best-of-year material. Nevertheless, the CMG signee came, saw and conquered thanks to her hair-swinging hit record, “FNF.” The Hitkidd-produced beat is immediately enjoyable, inciting mischievous excitement by way of its simple dark piano melody and a drum pattern to get even the most reluctant partygoer out of their seat and onto the dance floor. Memphis newcomer GloRilla dropping one of the biggest hits of the year was probably not on most music fans’ bingo cards. Can 2023 carry the same momentum and “big energy”? Only time will tell until then, check out Billboard’s Best Hip-Hop Songs of 2022 below. The quality of hip-hop records in 2022 came from all walks of life and different sectors of the map, keeping us engaged, intrigued and hungry for more. Kendrick Lamar’s precision and innate ability to connect with listeners remains second to none, as proven on “Rich Spirit” and “N95,” while Jay-Z’s agile wordplay continues to be at a hall-of-fame level after rattling off an impressive 80-bar melee on DJ Khaled’s Grammy-nominated “God Did.” Vince Staples - who delivered a top-five effort on Billboard’s Best 20 Hip-Hop Albums of 2022 - doled out quality records as well, whether it was the DJ Mustard-anchored single “Magic” or the criminally underappreciated gem “When Sparks Fly.” ![]() ![]() Also, no one expected the Memphis rookie GloRilla to cause tremors in the genre with her earthshaking anthems “FNF” and “Tomorrow 2.” Her surplus of hits allowed men and women to get loud and rowdy together as they chanted her lyrics with gusto.Īnd when we weren’t in a partying mood, we received doses of high-octane lyricism and thoughtfulness from our most well-spoken MCs. Once the ball dropped, Gunna ignited the flame with his club-ready single “Pushin P’,” which made the 16th letter in the alphabet top-tier on social media. Hip-hop experienced twists and turns throughout 2022.
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