Top 50 Songs Of 2024

Here are some of my favorites songs from 2024 in independent hip hop. Again…not cumulative. I know your tastes my vary but maybe you will see something on the list you didn’t hear and enjoy. Click the song link to be taken to a youtube offering of that track. And as always…support the artist! Off to 2025!

Song ArtistNote
#1 T.I.M.E.K-Salaam, JdotL, Wrekonize, & Jae Skeese (ft. D.Lylez)This is the perfect song. The production is a vibe. The lyricism is fantastic. And the hook bridges perfectly!
#2 OppenheimerVega7 The Ronin & Ferris Blusa (prod. by Kalos Beats)Sometimes you just need a song to slap you in the face…this my friends is that slap. This joint is tough!!!
#3 Act Of GodEd OG (prod. by Tone Spliff)Our emcee has been doing this a long time…and he still knows how to craft GREAT music.
#4 DangerousBobby J From Rockaway & Dom DirteeThis joint not only knocks but can easily get caught in your head. Infectious.
#5 The MagnumDan Johns (ft. Amen)I’ve talked about this song at length. Trust me. Lyrics. Production. This is top notch.
#6 Fuck ItGrieves & Mouse PowellAnother anthem for when you can’t care. Exceptional musically and love the horns on this track.
#7 FlinchLocksmith (ft. Ekoh)If you are feeling like you are on the brink. Don’t give your enemies the satisfaction. Don’t Flinch.
#8 Spare ChangeJ. Lately (ft. Ian Kelly)The guitar licks. The vibe. And the style make this song play on in your head for days on end.
#9 Stupid. Dumb. Illiterate.Heems (prod. by Lapgan)This song has so much finesse and a great sound. The production and flow of the track is remarkable.
#10 Two Kids maticulous (ft. Elzhi)The art of storytelling is not lost in hip hop. Check out this case in point from 2024.
#11 OHLawdJ57 (ft. H3RO)This again is just beautiful music. I love this production , the chorus, and the lyricsm on display here.
#12 The WaySpit Gemz (prod. by Nickel Plated)Some music gives way to thought and makes you think with another light. This is that!
#13 CadillacBrother AliHipHop is primed to speak on social injustice and Brother Ali does that through his own story.
#14 DefianceIzrell & Dead PerrySometimes you just need something epic…dark and epic.
#15 Roc Nation BrunchMarv Won (ft. Freeway)Great concept, and creating a fun visual through words. Inventive.
#16 Delusions Of GrandeurK.A.A.N. & DJ HoppaThis is one of the best pairings of the year and you can hear exactly why on this track!
#17 Raised OnMic Bles & Level 13 (ft. ethemadassassin)I’ve talked about THIS track at length too. But this that authentic hip hop flavor!
#18 CloseM-Dot (ft. Kore)No one does that “life music” better than M-Dot. He speaks like you are in his shoes. You too are “close”.
#19 CrownsvilleRock & Ruste JuxxThe tandem takes you into the streets of Crownsville in the illest way possible.
#20 Broken MirrorsJae Skeese & SuperiorSkeese speaks to me on this one. Wow. Music that makes you feel something is invaluable.
#21 My Nephew and INef & Bobby J from RockawayThis beat from Nef! One of the best, and wow, Bobby J just continues to impress. Sure shot!
#22 Courtleigh ChemistDaniel Son & FinnHere you have a producer and emcee in perfect step delivering that head nodder.
#23 Budda PalmZaZa God“I’m Big Anubis…The Ra Royal!” This track just goes incredibly hard.
#24 What I’m AskingPro DillingerIs your relationship stressing you to the limits? Dillinger taps in. You know you’ve been there.
#25 HomeWaterr & Wavy Da Ghawd (ft. Spoda)One of the hardest working emcees in 2024 delivered many great moments but this is among my favorites.
#26 Sins Of The FatherSupreme Cerebral (ft. Eloh Kush and O The Great) (prod. by Swab)Swab laces a beautiful canvas and these emcees put it to work. One of the best posse cuts this year.
#27 Lunar StrollCG The Producer (ft. Revalation x MKDel x Lateb)Let your mind drift as though it was on a space walk. This song will help you. Great song.
#28 A Different Kind Of PayneRJ Payne & BPPayne gets deep and personal over some eloquent BP production. Hear the inner pain.
#29 LessonsWillie The Kid & VDon (ft. Eto and Rome Streetz)Another one of the best combos in the game unleashed excellence this year. And this is among the best.
#30 Symbiote SuitsDaniel Son & FuturewaveVicious. This joint is just vicious. If the phantom of the opera hit the streets, this is the epic it will tell.
#31 Illuminati MoneyPlanet Asia & 38 Spesh (ft. Klass Murda and Tristate)Spesh and Asia win again combining all their superlatives for another banger. This beat and these lyrical skills…wow.
#32 Korean KimchiJay Royale (ft. Vega7 The Ronin)Jay Royale is vastly underrated. Such a talent! Here you can listen to him deliver alongside Vega7 over a really dope production. Love the vocal sample.
#33 LoFiGuttr (Havoc x RJ Payne x Ras Kass)Hip Hop supergroup put the industry back in it’s place with this one. Lyrical swordplay over some glorious production from Havoc.
#34 We Never Believe AnybodyDouble Life (L*Roneous x Gennessee)Two emcees with distinctly different styles that unite to do something so dope…time and time again…favorite song off this year’s project.
#35 Green ScreenCopywrite (prod. by Evidence)Lyricism you are accustomed to from Copy over the years and doing so over the freshest of beats from Ev.
#36 The Iron I TossThe Bad Seed (ft. MIMS x Honey Dinero x Nam Nitty) (prod. by JR Swiftz)You want a dope posse cut? I got you. 6th Man shit! JR Swiftz laces the production as each emcee shows and proves.
#37 Hour After HourTek & Stu Bangas“No success without sacrifice…life without music” Tek and Stu Bangas created something memorable in 2024
#38 Gucci GambinosMickey Diamond (ft. Pro Dillinger)Umbrella over everything! Diamond and Dillinger over Big Ghost…you know it’s godly. Super tough.
#39 Mask On, Mask OffMaze Overlay & SwabBest song off of a great album from 2024. Maze and Swab give you some dope hip hop that knocks.
#40 Born Alone, Die AloneSnak The RipperYou want to hear the rock bottom of unhinged? Here we go! Snak delivers the darkness in the dopest way possible.
#41 EsotericSkyzooI said it before and I will say it again, Skyzoo is a PROFESSIONAL emcee. You can hear that on this excellent cut!
#42 Los AngelesBlu & EvidenceFrom their city to yours! Blu and Ev bring a piece of California to your eardrums with their superlative tradecraft.
#43 Master SeminarEyeree Beats (ft. Jay Royale, Snotty, and Supreme Cerebral)Producers getting their due on HHD. Beautiful production with right emcees to do the job!
#44 OMGPhilmore GreenOne of the best albums of the year also has one of the best songs. Great lyricism, production, and scratches.
#45 Heat WaveMurderers Row (Outerspace x King Syze x Reef The Lost Cause)Really looking forward to this full project. So great to hear these guys deliver such heat on the same song.
#46 Money On The LineChuck N Lock (prod. by Oppenheimer)The tandem never fails to deliver bars that make you rewind profusely. A style unto themslves. Genius.
#47 So LongParadimeParadime can make some great songs! This one has you reminiscing and singing that chorus alongside him.
#48 ListenV-StylesIntrospective and thought provoking music that will get you to do exactly that…Listen!
#49 Blood In, Blood OutBozack Morris (ft. Asun Eastwood x Lex Tallonis)Some songs on this list are just filthy. This song fits that category. Morris unleashes the sinister on this one!
#50 The SummitKail Problems & DJ HoppaAnother fiya beat from DJ Hoppa lends itself to another win with Kail Problems delivering bar after dope bar.

Pro Dillinger & Futurewave – Say So (Video)

Pro Dillinger and Futurewave not only are among the most talented in their respective crafts but they are two of the hardest working artists in the industry. They are relentless in putting out some of the best music we have heard in 2024 and they united for one of the best projects this year in Dirtwave, Vol. 1. On the joint Say So, you hear Futurewave bringing that magic on the boards (best way I can describe it, a style unto itself), and Dillinger delivering gritty bars, telling you that he is in full control of what he’s doing. This is a tremendous project. Don’t sleep!

Single You Out: Enoch – S.O.S. (ft. Estee Nack and Pro Dillinger)

I’ve been meaning to showcase this joint for a minute. I saw the features and tracklisting on Enoch’s new album, Waiting For Something To Happen, and felt compelled to pick it up. You can hear the vibe, on this track S.O.S. with Estee Nack and Pro Dillinger. This song has a hypnotic and grimy feel to it. And what a great pairing with Dillinger and Nack on the cut! The whole album is really dope with this understated, yet really intriguing sounds (which all the sudden makes sense when I see there is a relation with the group CYNE…I need to find out more about this meanwhile…Enjoy!)

Single You Out: The Umbrella – Shifty

The Umbrella is taking over. Of this there is no doubt and I love the fact the collective did a single under the name. Substance810, Pro Dillinger, Snotty and Josiah The Gift rock over some superlative production from Mosbeats. I love the beat flip that occurs on Josiah’s verse. But on the whole, these artists ALWAYS bring that A-Game. It’s so time for The Umbrella to release that ‘family album’. So much talent in this group. Each artist brings something to the table. Love that.

50 Best Songs Of 2022

Lists of this magnitude are tough to do and I take a great deal of pride in crafting. I think the first ten to fifteen are easy to distinguish and then after, I think the places can be somewhat become interchangeable. All great tracks, where the pecking order becomes less discernible. So many artists could have been included multiple times on this list, but then we lose depth. Artists like Mickey Diamond and Jay Royale could have had multiple entries. As it stands only one emcee, Ransom, got two tracks selected for this list.

In the end, this is a testament to the strength of hip hop in 2022. We can agree to disagree on many points but maybe you will find something dope you hadn’t heard or a new artist to support. This is my hope.

Thanks for your time and readership!

-Stef aka thathiphopguy

SongArtistNotes
#1 – Done M-Dot & Apollo BrownThis is the track that sets the tone for the entire year and this is what M-Dot and Apollo Brown typify: Hard work and talent!
#2 – Unruly Vandal & NottzA song that gets caught in the head and does not let go. It is a personal anthem.
#3 – Power Nap Nicholas Craven & Boldy JamesBoldy and Craven is a beautiful union and nobody makes me crave a little rest like this cut. Beautiful music.
#4 – A Most Dreadful Symphony Ransom & V DonThis song’s whole vibe gives me chills.
#5 – Chain GretzkyMickey Diamond & Big GhostNo song went harder than this in 2022.
#6 – War I BringSherm LaRock & MidazNo song went harder than this in 2022…except above
#7 – Area 57 (ft. Skyzoo)J57Dope rhymes. Fluid flows. A Change Up. Perfect.
#8 – QtnaDefcee & BoathouseFrom the best album of 2022, you would expect a Top 10 song.
#9 – Highly Favored (ft. Bub Styles & Mickey Diamond)Ty Farris & Slim OneIt’s raw hip hop with a fantastic producer and three consummate emcees.
#10 – Linchpins (ft. Prince Po)Guilty SimpsonThe strings are glorious and the rhymes abound.
#11 – Everywhere I Go (ft. Muja Messiah, Guilty Simpson, and Copywrite)Dub SonataThe connections and cohesion on this joint are unparalleled. So clever!
#12 – Paint Pictures (J.Rocc Remix)XP The MarxmanHip-Hop holds true to it’s purest form on this joint.
#13 – The Most ExaltedIAMGAWDPen game is strong with this one. Glorious.
#14 – 3xMadhattan & NVPied Piper type smooth. Follow the flute and dope flow.
#15 – Sal’s Pizza 38 Spesh & Harry FraudSpesh and Fraud are an elite combination, and you can hear it here.
#16 – Why BitchStarvin B & DustyVibesStarvin B is a regular on these lists and this year is no different.
#17 – No Time To Waste (ft. Jadakiss)Apathy & Stu BangasIf you love sick lyricism this is the joint for you.
#18 – Cancel Myself Ren Thomas & Brutal CaesarYou make a mockery of hip hop so Thomas and Caesar make a mockery of you.
#19 – Immortals (ft. Casual)Lunar HeightsGreat track and the Casual cameo is spot on.
#20 – Keeper Of The FlameMooch & Oh JaySmooth track and crisp flow.
#21 – Gunsmithz (ft. Phat Kat, Asun Eastwood, Recognize Ali)Ol’ Man 80zzzAnother track in 2022 that knocks harder than most.
#22 – Stuck In Our Ways (ft. Rigz, MAV, Mooch)Real Bad ManIt’s Da Cloth!!! Flames!
#23 – Carlito & KleinfeldJay Royale & Kool G RapIt’s that certified street shit featuring a legend with one of today’s strongest.
#24 – Bone TomahawkSpit GemzThis is an intro to Gemz project and packs a lot of heat in a minute’s time.
#25 – Fire Slingers (ft. Snak The Ripper)N.B.S.Yeah. This track stays true to the namesake. They are spitting flames on here.
#26 – Scud MisslePlanet Asia & SnowgoonsLegends unite to give you this heat rock. These guys are at the pinnacle of their craft.
#27 – Roar Of The LionsEl GantAnother track that just “feels” like hip hop. It gets you hype to be a fan.
#28 – SlayJohaz & NottzNottz does it again this time taking you to church with Johaz.
#29 – Dis Could Be BadMAVIt could be bad, but MAV is oh so good.
#30 – Raekwon’s Table Ullnevano & God Sense BeatsNot all are worthy to sit at Raekwon’s Table. But these artists show and prove.
#31 – Lo PanTeek HallTeek Hall is name you should know and when this song gets caught in your head, you’ll remember.
#32 – Hans Gruber (ft. Lil Fame)Wais P & Pete TwistBruce Willis may not approve but the hip hop community agrees this is a banger.
#33 – Diamond Backs (ft. Daniel Son)Maze OverlayNorthside and AZ link up over some Farma heat.
#34 – CompromisedRansomRansom is too talented to not make this list twice.
#35 – Guerrero (ft. Westside Gunn)Benny the ButcherThe power and talent of Griselda is undeniable. This joint feels like it was actually made in a lab.
#36 – Triple Threat (ft. RIM & Frankky Smaccz)Eddie KaineFlamethrower bars over some production from the talented Hobgoblin.
#37 – Both SidesThe TangiersEvery time this cut comes on, my head nods instantly. Drops heavy.
#38 – One Bridge (ft. Fashawn & K-Prez)SnowgoonsThe organ that drives this track is the perfect set up. And the emcees give such great energy!
#39 – Bars After BarsFatt Father & DJ Jewels BabyThe Wu-Tang flip is insane and the bars and flow speak for themselves.
#40 – Museum Piece (ft. Torae)Napoleon Da Legend & Just Music BeatsThis song has the necessary hype and talent equivalent to make the list. Lyricism for days.
#41 – Hamster Wheel LocksmithOne of the most authentic artists in hip hop delivers a virtuoso performance.
#42 – TyrantShabaam Sahdeeq & John Jigg$Two of my favorites link up for some lyrical gold here.
#43 – Dudesovadere (ft. Dro Pesci)Mic HandzThis project is full of bangers and needs to be heard. This is just one of those harbody tracks.
#44 – Too ConvincedNelson Dialect & BigBobThis joint is just so melodic. It honestly should be higher on this list but what’s done is done. Incredible track.
#45 – Queens GambitShaz Illyork & Buon AnniSo good to hear Illyork over these banging beats from Buon Anni.
#46 – Big Coffins (ft. Mickey Diamond and Pro Dillinger)SnottyIt’s The Umbrella posse cut that bodies the competition.
#47 – Bill and Fame (ft. Tone Spliff)The Bad SeedA tribute of sorts to M.O.P. and no one is more set to do it properly than Seed!
#48 – RiotDaniel Son x Futurewave x 36 CypherYes. This joint could easily cause a riot. Everything is intense on this cut.
#49 – It’s Like That (ft. DJ Grazzhoppa)Supreme CerebralSupreme Cerebral slays tracks and he takes this rock infused beat and wreaks havoc.
#50 – Gawds Wrath Massacre (ft. Don Streat x Rico Blox x J Fliz x Jae Hussle x Street Da Villain)Slik Jack & Kng Bondalero)I needed to set off the list with this ill posse cut because this beat by Bondalero is an anthem.

Mondo Slade – Tone Loc (ft. Pro Dillinger) (Video)

Here’s a fresh video single from Mondo Slade’s new album, Shoots & Ladders. The beat by King Rem is uptempo and infectious. It builds that good vibe and adrenaline for verses from Slade and Pro Dillinger. Both emcees deliver on their end of the bargain with some solid sixteens. Really dope collaboration that turned out to make this song the sure shot.

Make sure you go check the album if you are feeling this cut.

Single You Out: Zaza God – Heard You (ft. Pro Dillinger & Grea8Gawd) (Prod. Irie-1)

This song is THE joint right now. Wow. I really feel this jazzy boom bap beat from Irie-1. It really hits hard, yet has a melodic appeal. Zaza God, Pro Dillinger, and Grea8gawd all drop some stellar sixteens, but the opening verse (Is this Zaza God? I am guessing so) is a superlative introduction to this artist. From the jump, after I heard him flip the word “king” I was sold.

This is flames.

D.V. Alias Khryst & Pro Dillinger – O.T.A (On The Assignment) (Video)

Really high on Pro Dillinger’s music. His album, Pray For My Prey, was one of my favorite projects from 2021. And he and The Umbrella continue to rain down dope joint after dope joint. On this track here, you have D.V. Alias Khryst joining forces and not only supplying a dope hook (as per usual) but dropping a tight sixteen as well. The two compliment each other nicely over a beat from JP the Producer.