My top five fave Hip Hop tracks each year, starting with 1985. A thread.
1.Doug E Fresh & The Get Fresh Crew âThe Showâ
2.LL Cool J - Rock the Bells
3.UTFO - Leader of the Pack
4.Hollis Crew - Itâs the Beat
5.Schoolly D - Gucci Time
1.Doug E Fresh & The Get Fresh Crew âThe Showâ
2.LL Cool J - Rock the Bells
3.UTFO - Leader of the Pack
4.Hollis Crew - Itâs the Beat
5.Schoolly D - Gucci Time
1986. I am obsessed with Ultras 


1. Ultramagnetic MCs - Ego Trippinâ
2. Kool G Rap & DJ Polo - Itâs a Demo
3. BDP - South Bronx
4. Eric B & Rakim, Marley Marl - Eric B is President
5. Kool Moe Dee - Go See the Doctor



1. Ultramagnetic MCs - Ego Trippinâ
2. Kool G Rap & DJ Polo - Itâs a Demo
3. BDP - South Bronx
4. Eric B & Rakim, Marley Marl - Eric B is President
5. Kool Moe Dee - Go See the Doctor
1987
1. Big Daddy Kane - Raw
2. Eric B & Rakim - Paid in Full
3. Public Enemy - Bring the Noise
4. Juice Crew - Juice Crew All Stars
5. T La Rock - Lyrical King
1. Big Daddy Kane - Raw
2. Eric B & Rakim - Paid in Full
3. Public Enemy - Bring the Noise
4. Juice Crew - Juice Crew All Stars
5. T La Rock - Lyrical King
1988 Couldnât stick to just 5!
1. Big Daddy Kane - Set it Off
2. Ultras - Watch Me Now
3. Sugar Bear - Donât Scandalize Mine
4. Eric B & Rakim - Microphone Fiend
5. N.W.A - Straight Outta Compton
6. EPMD - You Gots to Chill
7. Public Enemy - Night of the living Baseheads
1. Big Daddy Kane - Set it Off
2. Ultras - Watch Me Now
3. Sugar Bear - Donât Scandalize Mine
4. Eric B & Rakim - Microphone Fiend
5. N.W.A - Straight Outta Compton
6. EPMD - You Gots to Chill
7. Public Enemy - Night of the living Baseheads
1989
1. Schoolly D - Am I Black Enough For You
2. Chill Rob G - Court is now in Session
3. Kool G Rap & DJ Polo - Road to the Riches
4. Gang Starr - Manifest
5. MC Lyte - Cha Cha Cha
1. Schoolly D - Am I Black Enough For You
2. Chill Rob G - Court is now in Session
3. Kool G Rap & DJ Polo - Road to the Riches
4. Gang Starr - Manifest
5. MC Lyte - Cha Cha Cha
1990
1. LL Cool J - Mama Said Knock You Out
2. King Bee - Back by Dope Demand
3. Lord Finesse & DJ Mike Smooth - Funky Technician
4. Poor Righteous Teachers - Rock This Funky Joint
5. Chubb Rock - Treat âEm Right
1. LL Cool J - Mama Said Knock You Out
2. King Bee - Back by Dope Demand
3. Lord Finesse & DJ Mike Smooth - Funky Technician
4. Poor Righteous Teachers - Rock This Funky Joint
5. Chubb Rock - Treat âEm Right
1991
1. ATCQ - Scenario
2. Black Sheep - Flavor of the month
3. Gang Starr - Just to Get a Rep
4. Main Source - Looking out the front door
5. Ice T - New Jack Hustler
6. Nice & Smooth - Hip Hop Junkies
7. Del the Funky Homosapien - Mistadobolina
8. Tim Dog - Fuck Compton
1. ATCQ - Scenario
2. Black Sheep - Flavor of the month
3. Gang Starr - Just to Get a Rep
4. Main Source - Looking out the front door
5. Ice T - New Jack Hustler
6. Nice & Smooth - Hip Hop Junkies
7. Del the Funky Homosapien - Mistadobolina
8. Tim Dog - Fuck Compton
1992
1. Pete Rock & CL Smooth - T.R.O.Y
2. Diamond D - Fuck What U Heard
3. Brand Nubian - Punks Jump Up
4. The Pharcyde - Passinâ Me By
5. Eric B & Rakim - Know the Ledge
6. Diamond D - Best Kept Secret
7. Digable Planets - Rebirth of Slick
1. Pete Rock & CL Smooth - T.R.O.Y
2. Diamond D - Fuck What U Heard
3. Brand Nubian - Punks Jump Up
4. The Pharcyde - Passinâ Me By
5. Eric B & Rakim - Know the Ledge
6. Diamond D - Best Kept Secret
7. Digable Planets - Rebirth of Slick
1993 One of my fave years (so was â92)
1. Lords of the Underground - Chief Rocka
2. Souls of Mischief - â93 to Infinity
3. Wu Tang - C.R.E.A.M
4. Black Moon - How many Emcees
5. KRS One - Sound of the police
6. Wu Tang - Bring Da Ruckus
7. Black Moon - Who got da Props
1. Lords of the Underground - Chief Rocka
2. Souls of Mischief - â93 to Infinity
3. Wu Tang - C.R.E.A.M
4. Black Moon - How many Emcees
5. KRS One - Sound of the police
6. Wu Tang - Bring Da Ruckus
7. Black Moon - Who got da Props
1994 This was a tough year to pick!
1. Gang Starr - DWYCK
2. Method Man - Bring da Pain
3. Notorious B.I.G - Things Done Changed
4. Beastie Boys - Sabotage
5. Nas - N.Y State of Mind
6. Lady of Rage - Afro Puffs
1. Gang Starr - DWYCK
2. Method Man - Bring da Pain
3. Notorious B.I.G - Things Done Changed
4. Beastie Boys - Sabotage
5. Nas - N.Y State of Mind
6. Lady of Rage - Afro Puffs
1995
1. Showbiz & AG - Next Level
2. Mobb Deep - Shook Ones Part II
3. The Pharcyde - Drop
4. Big L - MVP
5. Mobb Deep - Survival of the Fittest
6. ODB - Shimmy Shimmy Ya
7. GZA - Shadowboxinâ
1. Showbiz & AG - Next Level
2. Mobb Deep - Shook Ones Part II
3. The Pharcyde - Drop
4. Big L - MVP
5. Mobb Deep - Survival of the Fittest
6. ODB - Shimmy Shimmy Ya
7. GZA - Shadowboxinâ
1996 This was hard to choose!
1. Nas - The Message
2. De La Soul - Stakes is High
3. Xzibit - Paparazzi
4. Fugees - Fu-Gee-La
5. Ras Kass - Nature of the Threat
6. Jeru The Damaja - Ya Playinâ Yaself
7. Bahamadia - 3 The Hard Way
8. Lost Boyz - Jeeps, Lex Coups, Bimaz & Benz
1. Nas - The Message
2. De La Soul - Stakes is High
3. Xzibit - Paparazzi
4. Fugees - Fu-Gee-La
5. Ras Kass - Nature of the Threat
6. Jeru The Damaja - Ya Playinâ Yaself
7. Bahamadia - 3 The Hard Way
8. Lost Boyz - Jeeps, Lex Coups, Bimaz & Benz
1997
1. EPMD - Da Joint
2. Notorious B.I.G - Kick in the door
3. Missy Elliott - The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)
4. Rakim - Itâs Been a Long Time
5. Jungle Brothers - How You Want It We Got It
1. EPMD - Da Joint
2. Notorious B.I.G - Kick in the door
3. Missy Elliott - The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)
4. Rakim - Itâs Been a Long Time
5. Jungle Brothers - How You Want It We Got It
1998
1. Black Star - Definition
2. Hieroglyphics - You Never Knew
4. Gang Starr - You Know My Steez
5. Jurassic 5 - Concrete Schoolyard
5. DMX - Ruff Riders Anthem
1. Black Star - Definition
2. Hieroglyphics - You Never Knew
4. Gang Starr - You Know My Steez
5. Jurassic 5 - Concrete Schoolyard
5. DMX - Ruff Riders Anthem