{"id":1253995,"date":"2019-12-12T14:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-12-12T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1253995"},"modified":"2019-12-12T14:00:00","modified_gmt":"2019-12-12T11:00:00","slug":"the-best-rap-songs-of-2019","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1253995","title":{"rendered":"The Best Rap Songs of 2019"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
Lists & Guides<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

The Best Rap Songs of 2019<\/h1>\n
<\/div>\n
\n
Featuring Lil Uzi Vert, Doja Cat, and Young Thug, along with many exciting young upstarts<\/div>\n
\n
\n
By <\/span>Pitchfork<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

\n
\n
<\/p>\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

Illustration by Drew Litowitz. Images via Getty Images.<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

The following list, sorted alphabetically, includes rap songs found on Pitchfork\u2019s main year-end tally as well as an additional 16 tracks that did not make that list but are still very much worth your time.<\/p>\n

Listen to selections from this list on our Spotify playlist and Apple Music playlist.<\/p>\n

Check out all of Pitchfork\u2019s 2019 wrap-up coverage here.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\"Def<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n

Def Jam<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

2 Chainz: \u201cNCAA\u201d<\/h2>\n

2 Chainz\u2019 Rap or Go to the League<\/em> unpacks a long-held belief: The only two ways for some kids to make it out of the hood are to rap or play ball. The marching, Honorable C.N.O.T.E.-produced \u201cNCAA\u201d is the album\u2019s centerpiece, detailing the rapper\u2019s rise from amateur baller to pro rapper while taking on corruption in the sporting world. The song marks college players as victims of institutional suppression of opportunity, implicating the system as exploitative of the primarily black stars who earn billions in revenue for others. Until recently, the governing body that oversees college sports wouldn\u2019t let student athletes profit in any way off their talents or likenesses, and 2 Chainz, a former player himself, weaponizes that hypocrisy into a rallying cry. Here, his flows are leisurely as usual but he sounds slightly perturbed, too, as if he can\u2019t believe the unmitigated gall of it all. \u201cNCAA\u201d reinforces a fundamental 2 Chainz philosophy: Balling hard should be rewarded. \u2013Sheldon Pearce<\/p>\n

Listen:<\/strong> 2 Chainz, \u201cNCAA\u201d<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\"Rimas\"<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n

Rimas<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Bad Bunny: \u201cCaro\u201d<\/h2>\n

When the concept of self-love has been commodified by hucksters selling $500 infrared sauna blankets, it can be tempting to toss all of your belongings into a dumpster and welcome a life of self-loathing instead. Luckily, with \u201cCaro,\u201d urbano shapeshifter Bad Bunny offers a more practical solution to embracing your worth. The song rescues ideas of empowerment from sponsored hashtag hell, with the Puerto Rican star flicking off critics of his androgynous style and class-collapsing brashness over a trap beat that\u2019s as quietly menacing as an alien hovercraft. \u201cDon\u2019t you see that I\u2019m expensive?\u201d he spits in Spanish, voicing the indignance of anyone who\u2019s been made to feel undeserving because of what they wear or who they love. Then, midway, the sinister instrumental evaporates, and Bad Bunny is joined by none other than Ricky Martin\u2014who was once lambasted by Puerto Rican clergy members after he came out as gay\u2014for a cloud-parting bridge that exposes the song\u2019s pristine core: \u201cWhy can\u2019t I just be?\u201d they plead. \u201cWhat harm is it to you? I\u2019m just happy.\u201d It\u2019s a startlingly vulnerable moment, one that makes this anthem of acceptance that much more invincible. \u2013Ryan Dombal<\/p>\n

Listen:<\/strong> Bad Bunny, \u201cCaro\u201d<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\"Image<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n

Glo Gang\/RBC<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Chief Keef \/ Zaytoven: \u201cSpy Kid\u201d<\/h2>\n

Zaytoven gets the most out of every rapper. As trap\u2019s preeminent pianist, he has produced inspirational turns for many accomplished stars, playing on career-defining records for Gucci Mane, Future, and Migos. \u201cSpy Kid,\u201d the gleaming centerpiece of Chief Keef and Zaytoven\u2019s collaborative mixtape GloToven<\/em>, puts the often aggressive rapper under the sway of Zay\u2019s eloquent keystrokes. Amid the glow of shimmering keys, organ swells, and pulsing 808s, Keef turns a day in the life of the youngest rap veteran into a game of I Spy, during which he has a moment of clarity: He\u2019s a trailblazer and he isn\u2019t even old enough to rent a car. \u2013Sheldon Pearce<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n

Listen:<\/strong> Chief Keef \/ Zaytoven, \u201cSpy Kid\u201d<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\"Image<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n

Interscope<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

DaBaby: \u201cSuge (Yea Yea)\u201d<\/h2>\n

The core of DaBaby\u2019s gauntlet-throwing year, \u201cSuge\u201d is one of 2019\u2019s most fun and infectious hip-hop songs, putting on display the rapper\u2019s signature bounce and his almost goofy, browbeating nature. His talky flows scan as bar-heavy despite most of his raps being filler, simply because their ferocity can raze beats to cinders. Invoking the name of the strongman turned Death Row Records boss Suge Knight, Da Baby\u2019s breakout single is all about graduating from thug to kingpin but still being ready to put hands on fools\u2014or, you know, dangle them off of a balcony (allegedly) if need be. He runs rampant, bullying, threatening, and coercing his enemies, his claims brought to life by his bum-rushing delivery. The song made clear that DaBaby was wound up and raring to go before he exploded this year, and no one has stopped him yet. \u2013Sheldon Pearce<\/p>\n

Listen:<\/strong> DaBaby, \u201cSuge (Yea Yea)\u201d<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\"Image<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n

Warp<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Danny Brown: \u201cDirty Laundry\u201d<\/h2>\n

On any given night in America, there is an open mic event where a green comedian jokes about paying strippers with change and inevitably uses the phrase \u201cmaking it hail.\u201d No one laughs. On \u201cDirty Laundry,\u201d being a broke, horny schmuck is the setup instead of the punchline, and Danny Brown kills. He recounts awkward drug sales, a hookup in a Burger King bathroom, and two encounters with a stripper: as a client and as a fellow patron at a laundromat. Skeevy and giddy, he makes the gutter sound like a theme park.<\/p>\n

Brown has been telling offbeat stories his entire career, and Q-Tip\u2019s bouncy production\u2014a funky drip of beeps, gurgly synths, and stretched vocal samples\u2014accents his poise. The rapper sounds at ease over this colorful backdrop, his laundry-themed wordplay as loose and entertaining as it is technical. These gonzo escapades lack the teeth-chattering urgency of Brown\u2019s previous music, but ultimately, his dirty-uncle act comes across as relief. He\u2019s a full showman here, his bits polished, his delivery smooth. Most acts don\u2019t mature this well. \u2013Stephen Kearse<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n

Listen:<\/strong> Danny Brown, \u201cDirty Laundry\u201d<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\"Image<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n

Dave\/Neighbourhood Recordings<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Dave: \u201cScrewface Capital\u201d<\/h2>\n

On \u201cScrewface Capital,\u201d the UK rapper Dave recounts his experience growing up with a single mother, and his transition from boy to man of the house. \u201cSo many days that I starved myself to make sure my family eats,\u201d he raps over a dramatic beat. Actually, Dave is barely rapping\u2014his slow, pointed cadence borders on spoken word; at one point, that beat drops away altogether, and it feels as though Dave is delivering an impassioned speech. The song is tagged with a moody, minute-long instrumental outro, which allows this harrowing origin story to properly sink in. \u2013Matthew Schnipper<\/p>\n

Listen:<\/strong> Dave, \u201cScrewface Capital\u201d<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\"Image<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n

Self-released<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Dee Watkins: \u201cHell Raiser\u201d<\/h2>\n

Dee Watkins begins \u201cHell Raiser\u201d with a simple question: \u201cIf you ain\u2019t talking money then why the fuck you in my face?\u201d He says the line casually\u2014he\u2019s not angry, just curious. The young Florida rapper keeps up this devil-may-care attitude for the entirety of the track, gliding through a Hot Boys-meets-hyphy instrumental courtesy of type-beat producer Rocktee. The accompanying video riffs on the horror flick The Purge<\/em>, but it\u2019s more carefree than sinister, with Watkins and his buddies kicking up some dirt with their ATVs. \u201cI\u2019m a bad motherfucker \u2019cause the good die young,\u201d Watkins concludes, and it\u2019s impossible to argue with him. \u2013Ryan Dombal<\/p>\n

Listen:<\/strong> Dee Watkins, \u201cHell Raiser\u201d<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\"Image<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n

Loma Vista<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Denzel Curry: \u201cRICKY\u201d<\/h2>\n

Denzel Curry blazed a trail for SoundCloud rap\u2014that gritty, bass-boosted sound that reverberated around South Florida and elevated its young practitioners into rock stars. But despite his fame, he\u2019s grown up with his head screwed straight. The rapper pays tribute to his father on \u201cRICKY,\u201d handing down paternal pillars of advice\u2014trust no one but your family, stick up for your day-ones, respect women like you would your mother\u2014to his followers, some of whom started out doubting him. The directives are austere, but a slowed-down sample of the British electronic producer Lukid\u2019s \u201cTwisted Blood\u201d infuses the song with life. \u201cRICKY\u201d clanks and bounces, as if an airplane climbing toward higher altitudes has just hit turbulence. \u2013Cat Zhang<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n

Listen:<\/strong> Denzel Curry, \u201cRICKY\u201d<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\"Image<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n

RCA<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Doja Cat: \u201cRules\u201d<\/h2>\n

Doja Cat is a good rapper, a capable singer, and a skilled troll\u2014but rarely has she put all of her talents together as she does on \u201cRules.\u201d Compared to the L.A. artist\u2019s viral 2018 hit \u201cMooo!,\u201d \u201cRules\u201d is tame, more centered around her fiery rapping and steady melody. Her personality still drips through her verses, which are loaded with offbeat humor and stylish pop culture references to Wendy Williams, the Olsen Twins, and Paris Hilton. Since her big break, Doja Cat has been trying to stay true to her meme-driven personality while being taken seriously at the same time. \u201cRules\u201d is that moment. \u2013Alphonse Pierre<\/p>\n

Listen:<\/strong> Doja Cat, \u201cRules\u201d<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\"Image<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n

Interscope<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Dreezy: \u201cChanel Slides\u201d [ft. Kash Doll]<\/h2>\n

Midwestern upstarts Dreezy and Kash Doll take turns showing off on \u201cChanel Slides.\u201d They both make the pursuit of luxury seem like sport, keeping up appearances even when it hurts; Dreezy \u201cgraduated from the U of Finesse,\u201d and she\u2019s pushing through the pain of wearing brand new Chanel slides just because they look fly. The performances really sell it: Dreezy with her devil-may-care attitude and Kash Doll with her \u201cyou can\u2019t sit with us\u201d energy. All this over a Pi\u2019erre Bourne beat that sounds like trap Christmas. \u2013Sheldon Pearce<\/p>\n

Listen:<\/strong> Dreezy, \u201cChanel Slides\u201d [ft. Kash Doll]<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\"Image<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n

Self-released<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Duwap Kaine: \u201cFlyin\u2019\u201d<\/h2>\n

Teenage Atlanta rapper Duwap Kaine has been releasing lo-fi bedroom recordings on SoundCloud for about three years with little fanfare, and his music feels almost yawned out, dotted with Chief Keef-inspired Auto-Tune melodies, mumbled punchlines, and featherlight beats. A cartoon fever dream about getting high like a pilot, liking girls\u2019 pics on IG, and the designer brands he wears while he glides through the streets of Georgia, \u201cFlyin\u2019\u201d is the quintessential Duwap single. It\u2019s hypnotic, effortless. On the song, he sounds like he\u2019s wandering around in a daze, and his music is a perfect soundtrack for doing the same. \u2013Alphonse Pierre<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n

Listen:<\/strong> Duwap Kaine, \u201cFlyin\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\"Image<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n

Keep Cool\/RCA\/Madlib Invazion\/ESGN<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Freddie Gibbs \/ Madlib: \u201cFake Names\u201d<\/h2>\n

\u201cFake Names\u201d is split into two acts. In the first, Freddie Gibbs recounts dirtying his hands with the drug trade, cutting out on a deal that made a close friend a casualty, and the tension is underscored by Madlib\u2019s sinister strings. The second act is ushered in by a subtle beat transition, and over a silky \u201970s soul sample, Gibbs relishes the lavish lifestyle such double-crosses have bought him. As a storytelling tag-team, the pair of veterans have rarely been better. \u2013Sheldon Pearce<\/p>\n

Listen:<\/strong> Freddie Gibbs \/ Madlib, \u201cFake Names\u201d<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\"Image<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n

Young Stoner Life\/300 Entertainment<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Gunna: \u201cWho You Foolin\u201d<\/h2>\n

The beauty of rap music is that just about any source material can be turned into a great song. All it takes is an adventurous enough producer and a rapper who is game. Wheezy, the beatmaker best known for his warped work with Young Thug, ventured even further into left-field for Gunna\u2019s \u201cWho You Foolin,\u201d which samples the Chinese folk-pop of singer Tong Li. The producer affixes trap drums to the song\u2019s guzheng plucks, and Gunna wades drowsily through them, his Auto-Tuned melodies blending in smoothly. Despite the underlying absurdity, it all just makes sense. \u2013Sheldon Pearce<\/p>\n

Listen:<\/strong> Gunna, \u201cWho You Foolin\u201d<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\"Image<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n

Iced Up Records\/Wavy Gang<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Icewear Vezzo \/ Babyface Ray: \u201cChampions\u201d<\/h2>\n

Icewear Vezzo and Babyface Ray are professional shit-talkers. On \u201cChampions,\u201d the two Detroit veterans join forces for a IG-caption-worthy marathon back-and-forth like no other. Icewear Vezzo is flashy without even trying; Babyface Ray is laid back, as if he\u2019s rapping while sifting through stacks of cash. In 2019, Detroit\u2019s hip-hop scene was prolific, and every day seemed to bring a new face. But the presence of experienced rappers like Icewear Vezzo and Babyface Ray is necessary: They\u2019re the connective tissue between the new generation and the city\u2019s funky roots. \u2013Alphonse Pierre<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n

Listen:<\/strong> Icewear Vezzo \/ Babyface Ray, \u201cChampions\u201d<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\"Image<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n

Black Butter Limited<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

J Hus: \u201cMust Be\u201d<\/h2>\n

In April, UK star J Hus made his first public appearance after being released from jail by joining Drake on stage at London\u2019s O2 Arena, briefly turning the world\u2019s most famous rapper into an afterthought. Then, in early November, after months of silence, J Hus made his official return with \u201cMust Be,\u201d a genre blending single with long time producer JAE5. On the single, J Hus pulls from various parts of the diaspora to exceed the heavy expectations that were placed on his comeback: an afropop rhythm, comforting reggae horns, and a chill grime delivery. It\u2019s the restart of a run that has no ceiling. \u2013Alphonse Pierre<\/p>\n

Listen:<\/strong> J Hus, \u201cMust Be\u201d<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\"Image<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n

Young Stoner Life\/300<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Lil Keed: \u201cIt\u2019s Up Freestyle\u201d<\/h2>\n

Lil Keed is from the same Cleveland Avenue apartments in Atlanta as Young Thug. He has an eccentric and versatile ear for melody similar to Thug, and has even remixed his songs. But Keed is more than just another Young Thug clone. On \u201cIt\u2019s Up Freestyle,\u201d Keed perfects his high-pitched delivery, screeching and harmonizing over a beat from JetsonMade that sounds ready for a dystopian sci-fi movie. Whether he\u2019s rapping at an inhuman pace or piecing together his ad-libs, whatever leaves Keed\u2019s mouth is recitable: \u201cWalked in, walked in, this Bentley truck you can crawl in,\u201d he wails on a hook that\u2019s since gone viral on TikTok. It\u2019s that sugary delivery and his control that elevates the track into a standout in a city that has no shortage of hits. \u2013Alphonse Pierre<\/p>\n

Listen:<\/strong> Lil Keed, \u201cIt\u2019s Up Freestyle\u201d<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\"Image<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n

Galactic\/Republic<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Lil Tecca: \u201cRansom\u201d<\/h2>\n

In his instantly famous Genius \u201cVerified\u201d video for \u201cRansom,\u201d teenage rapper Lil Tecca detailed what he made up while writing his not-so-humblebrag of a breakout hit: He has never gone to Europe, he doesn\u2019t wear designer clothes, and he can\u2019t mentally handle being a player. The Long Island MC may have verified<\/em> these fabrications, but his playfulness was obvious enough from the sound of things. Buoyed by an infectious hook, a sugar-cereal beat, and Tecca\u2019s Auto-Tuned verses, \u201cRansom\u201d is two glorious minutes of playing pretend. \u2013Matthew Strauss<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n

Listen:<\/strong> Lil Tecca, \u201cRansom\u201d<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\"Image<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n

Self-released<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Lil Uzi Vert: \u201cFree Uzi\u201d<\/h2>\n

It\u2019s been two long years since Lil Uzi Vert\u2019s Luv Is Rage 2<\/em>, and all we\u2019ve had to hold us over is leaks, label drama, and the occasional Instagram fit pic. But for one moment, Uzi slipped free of the grip of Generation Now label heads Don Cannon and DJ Drama with \u201cFree Uzi.\u201d Over a classic DJ L drill beat, Uzi explodes for three minutes of bars that feel like a blurry 2000s Philly freestyle\u2014probably featuring Meek Mill with fuzzy cornrows\u2014that you would find in the deepest corners of YouTube. It\u2019s a peek at the direction in which Uzi\u2019s rap is headed, raising his pitch and unveiling his take on the baby voice popularized by Playboi Carti. And truly, Uzi is the only rapper that could confess on record to being a loyal viewer of The Big Bang Theory<\/em> and still have it slap. Free Uzi forreal. \u2013Alphonse Pierre<\/p>\n

Listen:<\/strong> Lil Uzi Vert, \u201cFree Uzi\u201d<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\"Image<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n

Self-released<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Mavi: \u201cDaylight Savings\u201d<\/h2>\n

For much of his recent tape Let the Sun Talk<\/em>, Mavi sounds like he\u2019s caught inside an internal monologue. Then there\u2019s \u201cDaylight Savings,\u201d which feels a bit like cracking a window to let fresh air rush into a dank attic. He performs less groggily, his lyrics are echoed by a soothing singing voice, and he laments little things like a kiss or wasting away at school. It is the least cryptic of his songs, providing insight into his process and his world beyond his music. Mavi concedes that he\u2019s prone to languishing in his scars, but he takes this moment to sunbathe. \u2013Sheldon Pearce<\/p>\n

Listen:<\/strong> Mavi, \u201cDaylight Savings\u201d<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\"Image<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n

Big Persona\/88 Classic\/RCA<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Maxo Kream: \u201cMeet Again\u201d<\/h2>\n

Maxo Kream doesn\u2019t glamorize. He doesn\u2019t preach. He tells stories. With a reporter\u2019s sense for detail and a matter-of-fact delivery, the rapper tells of lives marked by crime and poverty with gut-punching pathos and bleak humor. Those abilities were on striking display on his breakout album, 2018\u2019s Punken<\/em>; \u201cMeet Again,\u201d the lead-off single from this year\u2019s Brandon Banks<\/em>, take them to another level. Borrowing the epistolary conceit of Nas\u2019 \u201cOne Love,\u201d Maxo narrates a letter to an incarcerated friend. The song hits an emotional peak when the beat drops and Maxo starts talking about his own family, ripped apart by prison sentences and drug addiction. \u2013Marc Hogan<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n

Listen:<\/strong> Maxo Kream, \u201cMeet Again\u201d<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\"Image<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n

300 Entertainment\/1501 Certified<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Megan Thee Stallion: \u201cCash Shit\u201d [ft. DaBaby]<\/h2>\n

As a joint thesis statement from two of rap\u2019s biggest breakout stars, \u201cCash Shit\u201d is almost suspiciously on-the-nose. Megan Thee Stallion and DaBaby\u2014both witty Southerners with distinct if borderline-conventional rap styles\u2014seize the Lil Ju beat as a stage. The production booms and yet is barely there, and actually elevates their vocals. The pair delivers some of the year\u2019s most-recited lyrics: Megan\u2019s capitalist-feminism (\u201cYeah I\u2019m in my bag but I\u2019m in his too\u201d) was inescapable, both as a club staple and as a trending social media philosophy. DaBaby, as 2019\u2019s reigning steal-your-girl lothario, made for plenty of Instagram captions, too. But even in its ubiquity, \u201cCash Shit\u201d didn\u2019t get old\u2014arguably, in part, because Megan and DaBaby both rap about sex like they have plenty of it, a transcendent feat among their peers who\u2019ve been clouded in a low-libido haze. Two much-hyped music videos were subsequently abandoned, making it quite clear: The song itself is plenty. \u2013Rawiya Kameir<\/p>\n

Listen:<\/strong> Megan Thee Stallion, \u201cCash Shit\u201d [ft. DaBaby]<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\"Image<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n

10 Summers\/Interscope<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Mustard: \u201cBallin\u201d [ft. Roddy Ricch]<\/h2>\n

After defining West Coast hip-hop with his signature minimalist sound in the decade\u2019s first half, L.A. beatmaker Mustard has spent the last several years flexing his range behind the boards on chart-topping R&B, moody pop, and glossy rap singles. On \u201cBallin\u2019,\u201d the centerpiece of his underappreciated album Perfect Ten<\/em>, he connects all the dots, flipping girl group 702\u2019s 1997 hit \u201cGet It Together\u201d into a top-down smash. Any weed carrier could\u2019ve done this groove justice\u2014it\u2019s that good. But Mustard is a savvy curator, so he taps the West Coast\u2019s premier melodic storyteller, Roddy Ricch, to turn his wizardry into a you\u2019re-broke-I\u2019m-not anthem. Give Mustard his flowers. \u2013Alphonse Pierre<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n

Listen:<\/strong> Mustard, \u201cBallin\u201d [ft. Roddy Ricch]<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\"Image<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n

Marlian<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Naira Marley \/ Zlatan: \u201cAm I a Yahoo Boy\u201d<\/h2>\n

In Nigeria, the government has made it their mission to crack down on so-called \u201cYahoo boys\u201d who participate in online fraud. With \u201cAm I A Yahoo Boy,\u201d UK-based, Nigerian-born artist Naira Marley and Nigerian rapper Zlatan tease the authorities over a track that blends afropop rhythms with trap and UK grime. Though the song boasts one of the smoothest grooves of the year, the Nigerian government didn\u2019t appreciate being mocked, or how the two rappers were representing the country. A day after \u201cAm I a Yahoo Boy\u201d was released online, both Naira Marley and Zlatan were arrested on charges related to online fraud. Five days later they were released. Let the scammer anthems breathe. \u2013Alphonse Pierre<\/p>\n

Listen:<\/strong> Naira Marley \/ Zlatan, \u201cAm I a Yahoo Boy\u201d<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\"Image<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n

Self-released<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

NoCap: \u201cGhetto Angels\u201d<\/h2>\n

In a year where a certain bold-name rapper tried to use gospel as a part of his performative redemption arc, Mobile, Alabama crooner NoCap provided a more convincing take on hip-hop repentance with \u201cGhetto Angels.\u201d \u201cWhy do I question God but I never pray?\/I think about you, I end up cryin\u2019 on my best days,\u201d he lilts on the soulful ballad, and you can hear the pain in his voice. This emotion carries over to the music video, as NoCap forms a street choir who sing an a capella version of the track on the block. It\u2019ll give you chills. \u2013Alphonse Pierre<\/p>\n

Listen:<\/strong> NoCap, \u201cGhetto Angels\u201d<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\"Image<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n

Columbia<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Polo G: \u201cPop Out\u201d [ft. Lil Tjay]<\/h2>\n

Chicago rapper Polo G came up listening to local greats like Lil Durk and G Herbo, whose storytelling balanced titillation and tragedy. His own music is a logical evolution of their writing, even more vulnerable and irrepressibly sad. \u201cPop Out\u201d was his breakout, the track that introduced his sorrow-stricken voice to the masses. Although it\u2019s set against a backdrop of action\u2014the robbery in the chorus is detailed with the kinetic precision of a Brian De Palma film\u2014its real drama is internal, as Polo G processes the toll that playing the villain takes on your psyche. He may be the shooter, but in Polo G\u2019s world, everybody\u2019s a casualty.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n

Telling his story, Polo G makes every word matter. It takes a special talent to rhyme \u201cpoverty\u201d with \u201canimosity,\u201d and an even more special one to do it so casually that you don\u2019t even really notice. That\u2019s Polo\u2019s great gift: His prose is intricate and purposeful, but it\u2019s the emotion that lingers. \u2013Evan Rytlewski<\/p>\n

Listen:<\/strong> Polo G, \u201cPop Out\u201d [ft. Lil Tjay]<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\"Image<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n

Republic<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Pop Smoke: \u201cWelcome to the Party\u201d<\/h2>\n

There\u2019s no greater honor in New York City than having the song of the summer. Past anthems like Bobby Shmurda\u2019s \u201cHot Nigga\u201d and Cardi B\u2019s \u201cBodak Yellow\u201d are immortal, and now Pop Smoke\u2019s \u201cWelcome to the Party\u201d can be added to that list. Like Bobby and Cardi, it happened fast for Pop Smoke: At the start of 2019, he was an unknown with only a single remix to his name. Four months later, \u201cWelcome to the Party\u201d dominated the city\u2019s airwaves and guided Brooklyn drill music beyond New York\u2019s state lines. His voice was almost preposterously deep for his age, like some kind of mysterious cartoon villain, and mixed with the haphazard, bass-heavy production, the song transformed Brooklyn into a dystopian playground. His was a swagger that couldn\u2019t be imitated, though people tried from every rooftop, apartment window, and car door. \u2013Alphonse Pierre<\/p>\n

Listen:<\/strong> Pop Smoke, \u201cWelcome to the Party\u201d<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\"Image<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n

Mello Music Group<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Quelle Chris: \u201cObamacare\u201d<\/h2>\n

\u201cObamacare\u201d is a retort to anyone who has ever said Quelle Chris\u2019 deadpan songs are too out-there. On this highlight from his latest album Guns<\/em>, the New York-via-Detroit rapper is more direct in his approach\u2014punchy, unswerving, wryly clever\u2014as he staggers in and out of cadences. Even in his straight-faced state he is the aggressor. The beat he co-produced with Chris Keys is likely his hardest hitting ever, but it isn\u2019t without his signature charms; it sounds like an 8-bit game booting up and then shutting down, with menacing chimes and slapping drums. \u201cI was never weirdo, they just had to acclimate,\u201d Chris spits, and this song proves his point. \u2013Sheldon Pearce<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n

Listen:<\/strong> Quelle Chris, \u201cObamacare\u201d<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\"Image<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n

Sugar Trap<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Rico Nasty: \u201cTime Flies\u201d<\/h2>\n

It was easy to submit to rage this year; there was good cause all around. Mercifully, Rico Nasty returned with her dynamic brand of catharsis, smashing through walls like a pint-sized Kool-Aid Man. Anger Management<\/em>, her collaborative project with the producer Kenny Beats, was released just as spring arrived, but by summer, Rico seemed to have gotten fight music out of her system. In July, she dropped \u201cTime Flies,\u201d a Dee B-produced loosie that appears on the Madden NFL 20<\/em> soundtrack. Ironically, the song sounds more like the brief, intoxicating respite that comes after scream therapy than the dyspeptic fury you\u2019d expect of anything associated with the NFL. Sparkly, melodic, and ultimately optimistic, \u201cTime Flies\u201d recalls the treacly, animated energy of Rico\u2019s early days. As the beat bubbles and then strikes, she catalogs her pain; there is loss, fear, undeserved hate. But even as the reasons for Rico\u2019s anger persist, her own attitude helps spur transformation: \u201cGot tired of complaining\/I got up and changed my situation,\u201d she sings. As summer turned into fall, that sentiment proved just as useful as her anger has been. \u2013Rawiya Kameir<\/p>\n

Listen:<\/strong> Rico Nasty, \u201cTime Flies\u201d<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\"Image<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n

Alamo Records<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Rod Wave: \u201cHeart on Ice\u201d<\/h2>\n

Rod Wave is a 20-year-old from St. Petersburg, Florida, with a voice that belongs in a Sunday morning church choir. The Kevin Gates prot\u00e9g\u00e9 has quickly become one of the signature voices of the Deep South, singing about his pain and inner demons over country guitars and dreary pianos. \u201cHeart been broke so many times I don\u2019t know what to believe,\u201d he sings here, sounding like a man in the midst of an emotional breakdown. \u201cHeart on Ice\u201d is made up of just a single verse paired with a hook\u2014but that verse is candid enough to sound like it was recorded on a therapist\u2019s couch. \u2013Alphonse Pierre<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n

Listen:<\/strong> Rod Wave, \u201cHeart on Ice\u201d<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\"Image<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n

Icy\/Artistry\/Warner<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Saweetie: \u201cMy Type\u201d<\/h2>\n

Invoking 2000s nostalgia in a bid to create her own rap hit, Saweetie samples from a crunk classic: Petey Pablo\u2019s Lil Jon-produced \u201cFreek-a-Leek.\u201d But instead of adopting Petey\u2019s suave, come-hither vibe, Saweetie delivers \u201cMy Type\u201d with bite: \u201cThat\u2019s my type!\u201d she yells, as if she\u2019s just spotted a man at the other end of the club and she\u2019s ready to take a swipe at any woman who dares approach him.<\/p>\n

Saweetie\u2019s raucous energy falls in line with another generation of women in rap: Three 6 Mafia\u2019s Gangsta Boo and Crime Mob\u2019s Diamond and Princess, who were exhilarating to listen to because they weren\u2019t<\/em> meek, pleasant, or well-mannered. Against the throwback beat\u2019s rumbling synthesizers that could get anyone on the dancefloor, Saweetie turns \u201cMy Type\u201d into an anthem for women who want to be unabashedly loud. \u2013Michelle Kim<\/p>\n

Listen:<\/strong> Saweetie, \u201cMy Type\u201d<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\"Image<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n

#Merky\/Atlantic<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Stormzy: \u201cVossi Bop\u201d<\/h2>\n

Two years after Stormzy\u2019s debut record lifted him from emergent grime talent to the all-around pride of London, the first single from his forthcoming second album took it back to the basics he built his name on. Best when he\u2019s blustery, he took the raring energy of his early singles and channeled it into an extended brag concurrent with the vibe of the dance that inspired him. In it, he celebrates his success as a musician and activist while hearkening to the long tradition of dance-instructive tracks in the UK funky club scene that he\u2019s drawn from. Stormzy’s delivery is as stealth and cool as a Lamborghini in a foggy alley at night, further codifying his versatility as an MC and expressing the sweatless confidence of a newly crowned king. \u2013Julianne Escobedo Shepherd<\/p>\n

Listen:<\/strong> Stormzy, \u201cVossi Bop\u201d<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\"Image<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n

Self-released<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Teejayx6: \u201cDark Web\u201d<\/h2>\n

If you\u2019ve ever woken up to see that Saks Fifth Avenue has charged thousands of dollars to your credit card, you probably won\u2019t love Teejayx6\u2019s brand of Detroit scam rap. On \u201cDark Web,\u201d after the government bans Teejayx6 from using those sites, he responds by downloading a Tor Browser so he can get back in, obtains a VPN so he\u2019s untraceable, and purchases a BIN so he can once again go about his scams freely. The hyper-specific details\u2014he makes it sound so easy that credit scams probably quintupled in the wake of this song\u2014are what makes his music both seedy and improbably exciting. It\u2019s the story of an underdog who just wants to scam a couple of unaware citizens and department stores so he can acquire some drip he can flex on IG: \u201cI paid five thousand for my fit\/ I\u2019m not fitting in,\u201d as he puts it. If you\u2019re going to scam, at least make a catchy song about it. \u2013Alphonse Pierre<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n

Listen:<\/strong> Teejayx6, \u201cDark Web\u201d<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\"Image<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n

M.A Music\/3D<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Young M.A: \u201cBig\u201d<\/h2>\n

On \u201cBig,\u201d Young M.A runs through her smooth-talking brags at a supremely unbothered pace. She\u2019ll steal your girlfriend while wearing a Fashion Nova outfit and drink carrot juice out of a double cup (the most underrated rap flex is good health). Over a pretty melody and thudding bass, she sounds as if she\u2019s delivering wisdom from a recliner, her feet all the way up. \u2013Alphonse Pierre<\/p>\n

Listen:<\/strong> Young M.A, \u201cBig\u201d<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\"Image<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Young Nudy \/ Playboi Carti: \u201cPissy Pamper\u201d<\/h2>\n

Even without an official release, \u201cPissy Pamper\u201d was irrepressible. Left off Young Nudy\u2019s Sli\u2019merre<\/em> due to sample-clearing issues, the song has lived a full life in corners of the internet\u2014uploaded, taken down, then uploaded again, sometimes as only one verse or an instrumental, sometimes under the name \u201cKid Cudi.\u201d (The real Cudi approved.) The sparkling, Pi\u2019erre Bourne-produced oddity has spawned countless freestyles and remixes, becoming a little phenomenon on its own. Nudy proves a capable leading man, and few rappers sound more untroubled while detailing how they evade cops, but it\u2019s his song in name only: Playboi Carti dominates with his spectacular, baby-voice verse. Only Carti is better at navigating Bourne\u2019s circus beats than Nudy\u2014they\u2019ve both had more practice than anyone\u2014but here, they prove they work best as a team. Nudy is a perfect sidekick, Carti is a born star, and Bourne is the most daring rap producer working now. Even as a leak, this is the new benchmark for the SoundCloud rap elite. \u2013Sheldon Pearce<\/p>\n

Listen:<\/strong> Young Nudy \/ Playboi Carti, \u201cPissy Pamper\u201d<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\"Image<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n

300\/Atlantic<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Young Thug: \u201cWhat\u2019s the Move\u201d [ft. Lil Uzi Vert]<\/h2>\n

One of the most consistent sources of joy on Instagram in the past year has been Lil Uzi Vert\u2019s feed, which serves as a running catalog of the rapper\u2019s outfits. There\u2019s something heartwarming about seeing the young talent\u2014his sartorial tastes unbridled and his budget now virtually unlimited\u2014take on looks that range from Resident Evil<\/em> hero to hypebeast Halloween ghoul. All of Uzi\u2019s various flexes coalesce during his appearance on \u201cWhat\u2019s the Move,\u201d a highlight from Young Thug\u2019s album So Much Fun<\/em>. Atop a bed of 808s and bird calls, Thugger\u2019s yearning melodies set his Philadelphia counterpart up for a captivating (if all-too-brief) guest verse. \u201cFlexin\u2019 on these haters,\u201d Uzi jeers, after rattling off all the designer labels on his person. \u201cRicher than your first, richer than your last.\u201d Success is the best revenge. \u2013Noah Yoo<\/p>\n

Listen:<\/strong> Young Thug, \u201cWhat\u2019s the Move\u201d [ft. Lil Uzi Vert]<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n

Source URL: https:\/\/pitchfork.com\/features\/lists-and-guides\/best-rap-songs-2019\/<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Lists & Guides The Best Rap Songs of 2019 Featuring Lil Uzi Vert, Doja Cat, and Young Thug, along with many exciting young upstarts By Pitchfork December 12, 2019 Illustration by Drew Litowitz. Images via Getty Images. The following list, sorted alphabetically, includes rap songs found on Pitchfork\u2019s main year-end tally as well as an […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[54],"class_list":["post-1253995","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-pitchfork-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1253995","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1253995"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1253995\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1253995"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1253995"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1253995"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}