Solomon Burke
“The Judgement,”
from Don’t Give Up On Me

Oft slept-on soul singer rips a tearjerker written by Elvis Costello. It’s much less solemn when you don’t know the quirky lyrics like “there’ll be lies, there’ll be tears / there’ll be a jury of your peers.”

RJD2
“Chicken Bone Circuit,”
from Deadringer

The “Moby Dick” of this decade. Y’know, because they’re both basically drum solos. Except this one’s all samples.

Mac Lethal
“My Momma Izza Thug,”
from Men Are From Mars, Porn Stars Are from Earth

After he pops a cap in 5-0, his mom sings, “oh good boy son, I’m proud of you / if you’d missed that shot, I woulda grounded you / because of you, my freedom is saved / here’s five dollars, after school, hit the arcade.”

Skitzofrenics
“On My Own Shit Remix”

Even if it wasn’t a gem, I’m still respecting any track that ends almost every line with the S-word. What do you think, grandpa? Grandpa: “Hoo boy, that’s whole bunches o’cursin’!”

Del tha Funkee Homosapien
“Mistadobalina,”
from I Wish My Brother George Was Here

It’s my dad’s favorite rap song.

Tribe Called Quest
“Show Business,”
from Low End Theory

Even if it’s Phife Dog’s best verse yet, it still annoys people when you recite the whole thing along with the music.

Zapp
“More Bouce to the Ounce”

“Yo who let the robots into the studio?”

The Roots
“The Lesson pt. 1,”
from Do You Want More?!??!

Despite guest shots on numerous Roots tracks, affiliate Dice Raw has spit only two ill in his whole career. This jumbo freestyle and, coincidentally, his work on “The Lesson pt. 3.”

MF Grimm f/ Megalon and MF Doom
“Foolish,”
from Downfall of Ibyllis

MF Doom gets big ups for being the second rapper to mention the game Boggle in a rhyme. (Beastie Boys did it first on “Puttin Shame In Your Game.”)

This is one of the most ignorant joints I’ve ever heard. The first verse is about how your best friend should let you tap his baby mama. Added bonus: the liner notes of Layin feature a demonstration of the North Memphis Handshake.

Cage
“Too Much”
from Movies for the Blind

Undeniably tight, shermed-out lyrical brilliance from the man whom Eminem is scared to battle, all over a creepy track from Columbus, Ohio’s godfather of beats, RJD2.

Phantom Planet
“California”
from The Guest

I liked these guys back in 1998, before drummer Jason Schwartzman was in “Rushmore.” I don’t care that this song is three months old, it still rocks.

Clipse
“Grindin”
from Lord Willin

Quite possibly the best beat ever made. Plus emcees Pusha T and Malice’s drug talk make “Traffic” look subtle.

Ma$e
“Feel So Good”
from Harlem World

Since his departure from the rap game for more spiritual pastures, I can’t really say I’ve missed Murda Ma$e. Puff Daddy is enough, we don’t really need two monotone idiots on Bad Boy talking endlessly about haters and dough. But “Feel So Good” slipped through, somehow, and Ma$e actually sounded half decent on this one. And the beat is nice.

Non Phixion
“Rock Stars”
from The Future Is Now

For those of you who don’t know about Non Phixion, this would be a good place to start with everyone’s favorite thugged-out trio of Jewish Brooklynites. DJ Premier laces these kids with one of his best tracks in years, and they spit what could only be described as “that ill shit.”

Biz Markie
“Tear Shit Up”
from Weekend Warrior

The Biz never really had a style, so it never gets old. “Funky like ring around the collar, doo doo on the sleeve.” Fo sheezy!

Fatlip
“Story of Us”
from The Lonliest Punk

Remember The Pharcyde? You know, “Passin Me By?” Fatlip used to be one of them. He’s been doing the solo thing for a couple years now, and not half badly. The Alkaholiks’ J-Swift hooks up Fatlip with some smoothed out west coastish production, and Fatlip drops nostalgia and common sense about his ex-wife. The kind of joint that makes you nod your head and go “yeah…I feel it.”

Bill Cosby
“Abuse”
from Badfoot Brown and the Bunions Band

He can’t sing for shit, it’s more like wailing. But that didn’t stop him from releasing, like, five albums of music throughout his career. Bill doesn’t kick in until about halfway through the song. In the middle of a drum solo, Bill starts into it. “Here comes the dope pusher! He has a bag of things…that will make you feel…beautiful!” Later he breaks it down: “I don’t need no bad drugs…sing it with me!” This is also found on his album Bill Cosby Talks to Kids About Drugs. Yo, if Bill Cosby had been my drug education, I probably would have listened more.