25 Essential Singles You Should Know

Kanye West — “Jesus Walks”

“Jesus Walks” was a radical moment in Hip-Hop back when it dropped in 2004. The track was the fourth single from West’s The College Dropout and was a major thematic shift not only from Ye, but from the Roc. Up until this point in the label’s history, there hadn’t been a song so blatantly religious issued as a radio single. So, leave it up to Kanye to do something so intentionally different to go against the grain—sound familiar? “Jesus Walks” grapples with a man’s journey back into his faith; Mr. West pleads with God that he’s ready to give himself over to the Lord’s mission while also questioning Hip-Hop’s relationship with religion.

The song was a hit in 2004, winning the Grammy Award for Best Rap Song at the 47th Grammy Awards and peaked at No. 11 on the Billboard 100. The song has since been listed as one of the greatest songs of all time. One of the Roc’s finest.

Christión – “Full Of Smoke”

Christión was the first R&B act signed to Roc-A-Fella, so you know we gotta give them their flowers. “Full of Smoke” was released as the lead single for their debut album, Ghetto Cyrano, with its smooth and silky sound produced by Dash, JAY, and Burke. The track finds Kenni Ski and Allen Anthony crooning over wobbling keys and a lustful horn section, pleading with their lover and the world to understand that they’re hustlers who have built their lives on “being the man.”

The track and Christión themselves are a unique find on the Roc because of how sonically different they were from the record label. While the themes were mostly similar, the vibes from the San Francisco duo felt like something that could have grown Roc-A-Fella into a very different beast.

Nonetheless, “Full of Smoke” was the duo’s highest charting single as the song peaked at No. 53 on the Billboard 100. One time for the single that I find (mostly) synonymous with New York Undercover.

Amil – “4 Da Fam”

Amil‘s debut album, All Money Is Legal, was not the memorable LP that Roc-A-Fella was likely looking for. But, you’d be lying if you said that the record didn’t have joints on it. “4 Da Fam” is one of ‘dem ones—and it just so happened to be her album’s lead single. The posse cut featured Amil as the leading artist with contributions from Memphis Bleek, Beanie Siegel, and, of course, JAY-Z. Ty Fyffe laced the track something fierce, kitted with triumphant (you’re gonna hear that word a lot on this list) horns and keys by way of Roy Budd’s main theme for Fear Is The Key.

Amil and co. spit braggadocious rhymes on the cut, with sentiments and statements echoing the gloss and floss that would become synonymous with 2000s era Hip-Hop. And while Amil did her thing on the track, the song is most notable for Hov’s standout verse that features the future legend spilling about his life—including a bar about a child on the way that may have passed due to miscarriage.

“4 Da Fam” found some success on the Billboard charts, peaking at No. 99 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs list and No. 97 on the Hot Rap Songs chart.

JAY-Z — “Can’t Knock The Hustle” Ft. Mary J. Blige

But it was “Can’t Knock The Hustle” that busted the doors down for a young Jigga. The track was produced by Knobody, Sean C, Nomad, and Dahoud Darian and served as the third single off of Reasonable Doubt. A lot of controversy surrounded the song before the track even made it to the streets as Mary J. Blige, who was dating Dame at the time, decided to do him a favor and jump on a then relatively unknown Jigga’s track.

Combat Jack recalled in an interview with Complex that the song potentially was “the beginning of the end of my run with Roc-A-Fella” and that MCA/Universal Records didn’t want Mary associated with a random rapper. Ouch. After finally getting everything situated and settled, the track was done and instead of being pushed as the first single, it was used as Hov’s third joint. However, the back and forth between the late Combat Jack, Dame Dash, and a Universal exec led to a lot of bad blood, as Mary J did not appear in the official music video directed by the legendary Hype Williams. Nonetheless, the song peaked at No. 74 on the Billboard Hot 100, and with the Roc being indie, it was a huge win for the Jigga Man.

Cam’ron — “Oh Boy”

Cam’ron, Juelz Santana, and Jim Jones had something special with the Roc as The Diplomats. And the evidence arrived in 2002 with a string of singles to support Killa Cam’s label debut, Come Home With Me. While all of the album’s singles are hits, one stood out by far: “Oh Boy.”

The track featured Juelz, spread across vintage Just Blaze production energized by a sample of “I’m Going Down” by Rose Royce. Sh*t, the beat was so fire that Memphis Bleek once stated that he wanted to “f**k him up” just for giving it to Cam—yeah, it was that hot in 2002. Cam took it and ran with it, rhyming about selling drugs, his impeccable style, and how the ladies can’t get enough of him and Dipset.

“Oh Boy” was the most successful single from the rapper’s third studio album and gave the emcee an entry on the Billboard 100, landing at No. 4 on the competitive chart. Plus, the video is truly a marker in time; the visuals feature appearances from Dame Dash, Free Marie, La La Anthony, Angie Martinez, Huddy 6, and the late iconic Miya Granatella.

Kanye West — “Through The Wire”

Unfortunately, these days, Ye is known for his questionable antics. However, there was once a time when music dominated the conversation. And it all started with his debut single, “Through The Wire.” Kanye West‘s “Through The Wire” is nothing short of amazing. The College Dropout lead single was created after Ye had his mouth wired shut due to a pretty horrific car accident. Chicago’s very own would record the song from his hospital bed. The pain (and hunger for greatness) was expertly translated through the underdog anthem.

“Through The Wire” was built on a sample of Chaka Khan’s 1984 hit, “Through The Fire,” with Ye’s version playing on the fact that he was spitting the song through a wired jaw. Upon release in September 2003, “Through The Wire” was met with universal acclaim and eventually peaked on the Billboard 100. It’s one of those songs that you remember where you were when it dropped. It’s also one of those songs that makes you sad when you consider how far away from this version of Mr. West Ye currently is. A bittersweet jam.

State Property — “Roc The Mic”

State Property was set up to be a spin-off faction from the Roc-A-Fella camp that would dominate in movies, fashion and of course, music. And while things didn’t exactly pan out the way we all hoped, they did at least try to do their thing. All of these ambitions were put on display with the release of the State Property movie and soundtrack, with “Roc The Mic” as the lead single.

The track was released in January 2002 and served as a pivotal moment for both Beanie and Free, catapulting the latter into the mainstream spotlight while giving Beans the biggest hit of his career. “Roc The Mic” would peak at No. 55 on the Billboard Hot 100 and would snag multiple remixes, with one featuring Murphy Lee and Nelly of the St. Lunatics—a version which was also popular on radio. However, the planned remix with Aaliyah never materialized, as she passed away the previous summer in August 2001.

JAY-Z — “’03 Bonnie & Clyde” Ft. Beyoncé

“03 Bonnie & Clyde” is a joint that is important for a multitude of reasons. The track was the first collaboration between future husband and wife, Beyoncé and JAY-Z, establishing a long history of trust and chemistry in the studio. Secondly, the track was only Hov’s second top-ten single and was Bey’s first as a solo artist. Finally, “’03 Bonnie & Clyde” was the first song that found both Bey and Jay performing on Kanye West‘s production together. The hit song samples 2Pac’s 1996 song “Me and My Girlfriend” and includes an interpolation and sample of Prince’s “If I Was Your Girlfriend,” and is stacked with a flamenco guitar, electronic drums, and bass instruments.

The song has since been one of the most iconic Roc-A-Fella singles from the label, (somehow) catapulting Hov into another stratosphere and rolled out the red carpet for Beyoncé’s solo career. “03 Bonnie & Clyde” peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and has since been certified platinum in the United States. And it’s just an amazingly produced and arranged song—listen to this joint if you somehow missed it.

Peedi Crakk — “One For Peedi Crakk”

Easily one of my favorite Peedi Crakk cuts, “One For Peedi Crakk,” is the Puerto Rican emcee at his best. The track was the debut single from the Philadelphia native and appeared on 2002’s Paid in Full/Dream Team Soundtrack for the Charles Stone III movie of the same name. Crakk, alongside Freeway, Beanie Sigel, and Young Chris, spit like the rent was due. The emcees reference Stone’s film while holding their own on the microphone as the future of Hip-Hop at large, while Crakk’s choppy flow swaggers along the banger produced by Megahertz. “One For Peedi Crakk” is significant as it became the first song from Crakk to penetrate a Billboard chart, peaking at No. 33 on the R&B/Hip-Hop songs list.

Kanye West — “Monster” Ft. JAY-Z, Nicki Minaj, & Rick Ross

Another late Roc-A-Fella Records entry that could arguably be one of the label’s — or even Hip-Hop in general’s — best is Kanye West‘s “Monster” from his fifth studio album, 2010’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.

Boasting a star-studded lineup of Hov, Rick Ross, and Nicki Minaj, the “Harajuku Barbie” was looking to make a name for herself as the only woman on the cut. Ross offered a quick 8 bars on the track while Ye and JAY painted the canvas with bold, unsettling images of how they could be considered monsters on the microphone.

Nicki took the track to another level, though, spitting one of the greatest verses of her career. Weaving in and out of various characters, flows, and deliveries, Minaj gave Hip-Hop fans and beyond a warning shot; the Queens rapper made sure not to let an opportunity to shine the brightest be wasted, and 15 years later, Nicki’s verse is still the highlight of the posse cut.

“Monster” was a fan-favorite, catapulting to the top 20 on the Billboard 100, peaking at No. 18. Another legendary cut that you just had to be there to understand.

Memphis Bleek — “Is That Yo Chick”

“Roc-A-Fella is the army, better yet, the navy” was pretty accurate regarding how the label was moving in the early 2000s—everyone on the label was seemingly firing on all cylinders. Memphis Bleek kept the Roc’s winning formula going strong with his highest charting single to date, “Is That Yo Chick.” Released in September 2000 as the second single of Bleek’s sophomore LP, The Understanding, the track was produced by Timbaland and featured guest appearances from JAY and Missy Elliott.

Dubbed the “Lost Verses” version, the song originally appeared on the European release of Jigga’s Vol. 3 and was repurposed for Bleek with brand new verses from the Hov’s second-in-command. The song found Memphis Bleek the most solo success he had on the charts in his career, with “Is That Yo Chick” peaking at No. 7 on the Hot Rap Singles Billboard chart and then No. 68 on the Hot 100. Also, Bleek and Jigga’s flows on this song were impeccable. But just imagine if Missy would’ve had a verse on this? Mannnnnnn, still a good single though.

Beanie Siegel — “Feel It In The Air”

Roc-A-Fella was a champhionship winning team—and they knew it. But in between all the flexing, boasting and lusting, the Roc Boys always threw in a couple joints that peeled back their layers. Over a sample of Raphael Ravenscroft’s “Whole Lotta Something Goin’ On” (produced by Heavy D btw), Sigel anxiously meditates on a premonition that something unsettling is upon him, while also recalling moments from his life in the streets. When you dig a little deeper into the song, though, you begin to realize that the Philly native was actually examining the state of his championship team, the Roc, and predicting that the label and group’s dissolution was inevitable.

The stirring saxophone works in tandem with the eerie lyrics, making the track a seemingly odd choice for a radio single for his LP, The B. Coming. However, the song would prove to be the right move as the cut peaked at No. 55 on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. Oh, and about that paranoid feeling Beans had about the Roc? He was right.

Kanye West — “Power”

Kanye West‘s “Power” was a comeback single for the ages. After a very public meltdown in the face of white America for his infamous Taylor Swift debacle in 2009, West retreated from the limelight. The Chicago native took time away to deal with the controversy and the domino effect of the fallout. A year later, Ye returned in the summer of 2010 with his track “Power.” The track was motored by samples from King Crimson’s “21st Century Schizoid Man,” “Afromerica” by Continent Number 6, and Cold Grit’s “It’s Your Thing.” The track covers various topics, such as the United States as an oppressive system wrought with celebrity worship and the state of his mind after being ripped apart by his critics. The song was critically acclaimed upon release, peaking at No. 22 on the Billboard 100. The track would also receive Grammy recognition, as it was nominated at the 53rd Grammy Awards for Best Rap Solo Performance.  

Freeway — “Flipside” Ft. Peedi Crakk

Just Blaze‘s sound became one of the most vital pillars of the Roc sound. And when he produced “Flipside” for Freeway, it became almost inescapable. The track was released as the third single for 2003’s Philadelphia Freeway and featured Peedi Crakk as a guest. “Flipside” is a bombastic number, fusing elements of both Philly and NYC-based Hip-Hop to create a song that would ring out at block parties nationwide. I mean, the video itself was a love letter to the Black and Hispanic block party, with appearances from Hov, Dame, Bleek, Young Gunz, Killer Mike, Michael Blackson, Omillio Sparks, and more.

The song would also find its way into various popular pieces of media at the time, appearing on the NBA Live 2003 soundtrack, playing in You Got Served, a part of the Bad Boys II soundtrack, and even landing in Def Jam: Fight for New York—a video game in which Freeway was actually a playable character. “Flipside” peaked at No. 95 on the Billboard Hot 100 and also at No. 40 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.

JAY-Z – “Ain’t No Ni**a” Ft. Foxy Brown

“Ain’t No Ni**a” is hardly the best JAY-Z single ever. Hell, it’s hardly ever mentioned in the discussion of best-released songs in his catalog. However, the track played a pivotal role in catching the eye of Def Jam and setting Jigga on the path to greatness, but more on that later.

“Ain’t No Ni**a” was released as the lead single for the Nutty Professor soundtrack and then repurposed as the single for S. Carter’s 1996 debut album, Reasonable Doubt. The track featured a verse from Foxy Brown along with an uncredited contribution from Roc-A-Fella associate Jaz-O.

“Ain’t No Ni**a” was produced by Big Jaz, the man seen as a mentor to Hov, and included a sample of “Seven Minutes of Funk” by The Whole Darn Family. Jaz-O could be heard on the chorus of the song, interpolating the “Ain’t No Woman (Like the One I’ve Got)” by the Four Tops, giving the cut a funky and soulful bounce. The track would find its way to the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 50.

Now, more about the song’s legacy. In an interview, Nick Raphael, former Sony BMG A&R, recalled how he stumbled upon Hov and how it eventually led to Carter signing with Def Jam.

“I’m very open to the way I find my artists. I found JAY-Z because a friend of mine who ran a dance label in New York was distributing his album. Will Socolof of Freeze Records sent me a CD and a video and said to me, ‘This guy is incredible, but he needs a bigger label to take over. Are you interested?’ The record he sent to me was ‘Ain’t No Ni**a’ and I went crazy, thinking that I had to sign him!”

Kanye West — “Slow Jamz” Ft. Jamie Foxx, Twista

The College Dropout truly aged like the finest of wines, because how did we forget “Slow Jamz” was also on this DEBUT LP? Ye linked up with Twista and Jamie Foxx to bring forth one of the most satisfying singles ever in “Slow Jamz.”

The track samples Luther Vandross’ “A House Is Not a Home” and makes reference to R&B canon with some callbacks to Minnie Ripperton, Michael Jackson, Gladys Knight, New Edition, and more. The track is the smoothest record from West’s debut and finds the three men taking the role of smooth talkers chatting up women at a house party.

“Slow Jamz” was an immediate hit upon release and skyrocketed to No. 1 on the Billboard 100 where it stayed for 22 weeks, giving each man their first No. 1 song. The track would also be nominated for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration at the 47th annual Grammy Awards.

Also, how can you resist rapping, “She got a light-skinned friend look like Michael Jackson / got a dark-skinned friend look like Michael Jackson”—iconic.

Juelz Santana — “Dipset (Santana’s Town)”

The Diplomats were a movement within a movement speaking to a whole new generation of Hip-Hop. And Cam and Juelz knew that. So, why not make a song that is named after your movement and capitalize on the Harlem World imagery and brand? “Dipset (Santana’s Town)” was released in July 2003 as the lead single for Juelz Santana’s debut album, From Me To U. Killa is featured on the song by performing the chorus and providing scattered ad-libs behind Santana’s verses.

The track samples “Il Trovatore – ‘Vedi! Le Fosche Notturne Spoglie’ (Anvil Chorus)” from the Chicago Symphony Chorus and The Chicago Symphony Orchestra, with producer Edward Hinson lacing the beat with aggressive drums and a dizzying kick to bring the track’s intensity home. Around the time that “Dipset (Santana’s Town)” was released, Santana’s buzz was building after he appeared on Cam’s debut LP the previous year. Juelz’s debut single hit like a meteor in the hood on the charts, peaking at No. 70 on the U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The track was so hard that it even garnered Santana a nod from the Recording Academy, with the song being nominated at the annual 2004 Grammy Awards for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group.

JAY-Z — “Hard Knock Life”

You can’t talk JAY-Z and charting singles without mention of his joint, “Hard Knock Life.” This song helped change a lot for the Brooklyn emcee as he entered the new millennium, opening doors for him to comfortably insert himself in the American zeitgeist and markets outside of the United States. And that Annie sample has a lot to do with it.

“Hard Knock Life” was produced by the late legendary 45 King and sampled the 1977 Broadway song, “It’s a Hard-Knock Life,” sung by Andrea McArdle—one of the many ladies to play orphan Annie. With a couple of nods to The Notorious B.I.G, “Hard Knock Life” skyrocketed up the charts, giving Hov another top 20 track on the Billboard 100, landing at No. 15 and scoring him a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Solo Performance at the 1999 Grammy Awards.

Young Gunz — “Can’t Stop Won’t Stop”

Young Gunz’s future was bright, dawg. Neef Bucks and Young Chris were two spitters who embodied the hustler spirit of the Roc and had the rare ability to craft a hit record. And after the duo built buzz from their various appearances across State Property‘s debut offering, Hov’s Blueprint 2, Freeway‘s Philadelphia Freeway, and Bleek’s M.A.D.E, 2003 was the perfect time for the duo to advance their careers to the next level. “Can’t Stop Won’t Stop” was Young Chris and Neef Buck’s debut single for State Prop’s final album, The Chain Gang Vol. 2.

The song was a hit and had America in a chokehold, causing the song to peak at No. 14 on the Billboard 100 and even snagging a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group in 2004.

JAY-Z — “Excuse Me Miss” Ft. Pharrell

In 2003, Jigga was beginning to shed his player ways and playboy image. Songs like “Frontin’” and even “’03 Bonnie & Clyde” found him leaning and hinting harder into a possible relationship with a lucky lady (Beyoncé), so it’s no mistake that “Excuse Me Miss” thematically followed suit. Produced by The Neptunes and featuring a slick performance from Pharrell, JAY-Z gets into his grown-man B.I., pleading with a woman to give him a chance beyond just a single night alone, as he has fallen for her. The track samples Prince’s “Walk Don’t Walk” Biggie’s “Big Poppa,” and Luther Vandross’ “Take You Out” from 2001.

The result was a smooth number that warrants a mandatory two-step and, if you drink (which I barely do), a smooth whiskey neat or some wine—it’s classy, dawg. “Excuse Me Miss” peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 1 on the Billboard R&B chart, and was nominated for Best Rap Song at the 46th Grammy Awards. As for the video, leading lady Jeannette Chaves won a VIBE Award for Sexiest Video Vixen. So, shoutout to her!

Kanye West — “Stronger”

When you get to Graduation in Ye’s discography, you can’t help but revel in the atmosphere West crafted. The album embodied the “stadium status” he had absorbed while on tour with U2 on their Vertigo trek in 2005, with Kanye looking to bring more grandiose compositions to his musical canvas. So when you hear a track like “Stronger,” it all starts to make sense.

Ye sampled Daft Punk’s “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger” and flipped it into a power rap anthem, fusing elements of Hip-Hop and electronica—something quite foreign on Roc-A-Fella then. But the diverse nature of the sounds and the left-field execution paid dividends for Yeezy, as “Stronger” peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard 100 chart, becoming the rapper’s third hit single at that time. The song is also the first from K. West to receive a diamond certification.

JAY-Z And T.I. — “Swagga Like Us” Ft. Kanye West And Lil’ Wayne

T.I. Lil’ Wayne. JAY-Z. Kanye West. All on one song. You just had to be there.

“Swagga Like Us” finally dropped in 2008 on Roc-A-Fella records after various versions of the song leaked on the internet throughout the year. As the lore goes, “Swagga Like Us” was the first Hip-Hop beat that Ye cooked up after his mother’s untimely death due to complications from plastic surgery.

The result was a brash, moody, and dark cut motored by a sample of M.I.A’s “Paper Planes.” At the time of its release, the song was a huge deal; “Swagga Like Us” featured four emcees at the top of their game teaming up on some Avenger’s sh*t. And shockingly — or maybe not so shockingly — TIP rapped everyone out the room. Amazing what competition can do when it’s healthy. Despite the constant leaks, the song would peak at No. 5 on the Billboard 100.

Kanye West & JAY-Z — “Otis”

‘Member when JAY and Ye were like family? Good times.

After years of working closely with each other across a multitude of Roc projects, Kanye and his “Big Brother” Hov joined forces for 2011’s Watch The Throne—a project meditating on America’s race relations, the idea of celebrity, their humble beginnings, legacy, their future kids, and more. And on an album full of show-stopping moments, “Otis” may have been one of the most memorable.

The song is best known for being previewed by Funkmaster Flex on Hot 97 on July 20, 2011, in an iconic moment where he hyped the song for 25 minutes straight and often restarted it. Ye created “Otis ” by chopping a sample of Otis Redding’s “Try a Little Tenderness” akin to his College Dropout days. Hov and Yeezy’s record would end up being the highest charting song on Watch The Throne, peaking at No. 12 on the Billboard 100 and winning a Grammy award for Best Rap Performance.

Freeway — “What We Do” Ft. JAY-Z, Beanie Siegel

Man, if you don’t aggressively nod your head to “What We Do” you may not be hip to what we do, you dig?

“What We Do” was one of the first beats produced by Just Blaze for Freeway‘s Philadelphia Freeway album and consequently served as the lead single. Blaze created a gloriously confident atmosphere gassed by a sample of “I Just Can’t See Myself Without You” by Creative Source. Free, Jigga, and Beans all rap about consciously knowing what they do—selling drugs, gang activity, etc.—is wrong, but it’s the only way they know how to survive in a country based on the oppression of Black bodies.

The music video is a time capsule with various actors from HBO’s hit show, The Wire, appearing in various shots that pay homage to the show that was dominating the airwaves at the time. Actors such as Sherwin David “Wood” Harris, Hassan “Iniko” Johnson, Darnell “J.D.” Williams, and the late Michael K. Williams all shine in the video, reprising their roles from the iconic show. Much like many Just Blaze-Roc-A-Fella collaborations, “What We Do” is anthemic, and it is probably one of the greatest beats of all time in Hip-Hop history—in my opinion. As soon as you hear that opening sample, you should know what time it is.

“What We Do” peaked at No. 97 on the Billboard 100, but I promise you, it’s the perfect intro to what the Roc was all about: hard-hitting beats laced with honest street narratives.

Kanye West — “Gold Digger” Ft. Jamie Foxx

Ye and Jamie would link up once again for another hit record in 2005’s “Gold Digger.” The track was one of the first glimpses into the world of Late Registration, serving as the second single for West’s sophomore studio album. Ye flipped Ray Charles’ “I Got a Woman,” chopping up the musician’s vocal performance to create something new for their song’s narrative. West and Jamie discuss their troubles with scandalous women looking to be involved with them for money and fame, sending warnings to other men in their positions. Upon release, “Gold Digger” was an immediate hit. Ye and Jamie’s record won Best Rap Solo Performance at the 48th Grammys and even scored the duo another No. 1 song on the Billboard 100—Jamie and Ye just couldn’t miss.