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this decade continued with the
diversification of styles and hip-hop
such as crunk snap and alternative and
saw an increase in its mainstream
popularity around the world welcome to
watchmojo.com and today we're counting
down our picks for the top ten rap songs
of the 2000s this is part of a series of
videos from the birth of rap music - mm
for this list we're choosing what we
feel are the most iconic rap songs of
the decade based on a mix of their
popularity commercial success production
and lyrical quality and cultural impact
so here go my single dog radio nice
anything except with
it's gone number 10 get your freak on
Missy misdemeanor Elliott Mississippi
putting it down on the hottest gram
y'all can stop me now
with an insane beat that borrows from an
Indian musical style called Bhangra get
your freak on translated well with
international audiences and various
commercial projects the song's message
celebrates dancing with abandon and
having a good time Missy rapping about
letting her freak flag fly in addition
to reaching the seventh spot on the
Billboard Hot 100 the track also earned
Elliott her first solo top ten in the UK
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[Applause]
number nine what you know TI
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a zoo
was as the theme song to the movie ATL
this hip-hop and trap track became much
bigger than the film
[Applause]
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but you going back
boasting a catchy hook and chorus what
you know also has TI calling out
wannabes and pretend gangsta
at the time of its release he was
actually fairly new to the scene so his
attitude and delivery make him both
intimidating and powerful as they showed
he wasn't afraid of the big dog also
found on his fourth effort the double
platinum-certified song won him a Grammy
for Best Rap solo performance
but you know
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number eight a milli ez is one of the
most prolific rappers of the early 21st
century and this song is his calling
card nothing back and goes hard over an
addictive okay you're at gobo what's
that going to work his wordplay is at
its best as evidenced by a Milly's many
quotable lines like Vijay in 2004 being
included on the Carter 3 the track
appeared on multiple mixtapes and one
low wane a Grammy at the award ceremony
held in 2009 their match don't you
completely cut the angle by the name
Adele seen it
generally they don't feel me but they
fear me I'm la number seven the light
common
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as a socially conscious rapper comment
is always at the top of the game
personal track explores his love for his
girlfriend at the time we decide to
Senate signed sealed delivered for us to
grow together the song is much more
sensitive and woman centered than most
hip-hop Tunes marking it as one of the
true and best love songs from the genre
I want to be the one to make the light
also cemented Commons place in the
industry
earning him a Grammy nomination and his
highest charting entry on the Billboard
Hot 100 at number 44
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number six southern hospitality
check out the Ludacris never let his
southern upbringing stop him from making
a splash in the East versus West Coast
dominated scene help from The Neptunes
and several other producers he brought
southern rap to the forefront and this
particular song serves as an anthem for
the sound loud catchy and in your face
and has Luda rapping about where he's
from southern hospitality was also
accompanied by a memorable music video
featuring some of his now signature
dance move number five gold digger Kanye
West featuring Jamie Foxx well we could
have called out Jesus walks
guys so my way because it's on a
breaking through the wires over yo MTV
and I ain't trying to make a ban I swear
this right here just be in the make your
name
or stronger it's this track more than
any other Kanye song that really had an
impact in pop culture after it
infiltrated the airwaves easy to see why
gold digger has a playful beat a catchy
chorus and its subject matter is
something we're all familiar with
Hyundai she was supposed to find his
shorty tight go with your money she went
to the Gothic at night pollution bunny
Jamie Foxx's pruning and the use of a
Ray Charles sample give it that bluesy
feel and hair oh so nicely with Kanye's
run it also spent ten weeks on the top
of the Billboard charts and sold over
three million copies
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number four miss Jackson Outkast this
tune has grown to be one of outcasts
most popular hits and serves as a
signature for their funky sound along
with other notable tracks like b.o.b
yeah
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[Applause]
originally starting off as an acoustic
number miss Jackson was turned into an
alternative hip-hop tracks after Andre
3000 thought this would make it easier
for an audience to connect with directed
to the mother of his ex-girlfriend
Erykah Badu it went on to top the hot
100 and when the duo a Grammy for Best
Rap performance number three in two club
fitty cent as the protege of Eminem and
dr. Dre audiences were expecting a lot
from fitty with his commercial debut
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luckily he more than delivered this
track was his first single and an
instant success selling over 2 million
copies and hitting the charts at number
one being a drumbeat pounding in the
knife that works nicely with fitties
gruff vocals into clubs lyrics call for
a celebration just try to find one music
fan who hasn't heard this song it's
virtually impossible
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you having girl problems that feel bad
for you son
number 2 99 problems jay-z even to this
day this song continues to be used to
parody countless situations when you
have a strong hook like this jay-z
number does it's not surprising that
it's become an earworm for the masses
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he's borrowed the hook and chorus from
ice-t single of the same name but he
improved upon the original by giving it
a rock influenced the beat produced by
Rick Rubin with Jay telling the story of
how he came up from the streets 99
problems is as political as it is catchy
big pimping may have reached higher on
the charts but it's this single from the
black album that's got us hooked
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before we unveil our number one pick
here are a few honorable mentions we get
the backyard the yard I sell it with one
big ice off the heart I'm the
neighborhood push up call me subwoofer
cuz I punk [ __ ] like that
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number one lose yourself eminem his
palms are sweaty knees weak arms are
heavy there's vomit on his sweater
already mom's spaghetti
this song is arguably one of the best
rap anthems of all time but he keeps on
forgetting what he wrote down Eminem is
at his Ross and most personal and while
this follows along the same vein as his
earlier hits dance anyways the hope you
did this man hit me back as the tech so
the doors the biggest fan it's bad it's
lose yourself
that tops our list
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why it's simply one of the best lyrical
descriptions of the feeling of battling
for something and being ready to triumph
over the naysayers song also received
five Grammy nods and won an Oscar
becoming the first rap song to do so
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do you agree with our list which
early-2000s rap song is your favorite
the universe
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