The Greatest Dreamville Singles Of All Time, RANKED

Bas feat. J. Cole, Lil Tjay – “The Jackie”

“The Jackie” by Bas highlights an immensely special part to Dreamville’s story: New York City. An ode to the Jackie Robinson Parkway, Bas went full Queens mode down to the lyrics, the video, and tapping fellow New Yorker Lil Tjay for the assist. The summer 2021 release took a snapshot of a moment in time where everything was finally feeling fun again. The cherry on top was RDC World’s cameo in the visual, where the crew recreated the iconic “Jermaine? Cole?” sketch. So send the addy… I’m on the Jackie.

EARTHGANG – “Voodoo”

EARTHGANG always knows how to insert their unique vocals and intriguing flows into any offering, and their 2016 single “Voodoo” (under their Spillage Village collective) showed off how they can take any concept and make it their own in various ways. The song explores spirituality practices over a distorted beat, with Johnny Venus’ voice inflection telling the tales while impressively keeping the same “oo-oo” rhyme scheme throughout most of the song.

Lute – “Still Slummin”

By 2015, Dreamville Records had a solid roster and a familial bond. Any newcomer had big shoes to fill, and Lute’s “Still Slummin’” ushered him right in. The mellow, yet meaningful song is a perfect declaration of what he would bring to the table, setting the tone for all of his contributions on the label. Its chill, comforting hook (“I’m still slummin’ while I’m chasing life, took two steps back just to get it right”) laid the foundation for his relatability, reminding listeners that its okay to still be on the journey of “figuring it out.” A narration of his story and genuine to the core, it’s everything a debut single should be. 

Bas feat. J. Cole – “My N**ga Just Made Bail”

This early cut is an absolute gem amongst OG Dreamville fans. According to this decade-old VIBE interview, Bas randomly acquired the beat in Brussels, Belgium, and it inspired him to “convey a happy moment” — and that’s exactly the purpose this track serves. If you’re in the mood to be instantly transported back to the early Bas and Cole days, just throw on the “My N**ga Just Made Bail” music video from 2014, where Bas’ FIENDS shirt and Jermaine’s short hair are front and center.

Bas feat. A$AP Rocky – “Boca Raton”

Our friend Bas loves a good city reference when it comes to titling his tracks, and for the first preview of 2018’s Milky Way, he took fans to the Sunshine State with “Boca Raton.” Equipped with an assist from A$AP Ferg, this offering perfectly teeters the line between trap and mellow. The vibrant accompanying visual sees Bas sending us postcards from his breezy beach travels while still staying clocked into his day job as a lyricist. “Boca Raton” is a strong, fun performance from Bas, making it one of the standout singles in his catalogue.

JID, EARTHGANG, Ant Clemons – “Baptize”

Dreamville fans know to tune in whenever EARTHGANG and JID fuse their powers together on a track. “Baptize” juxtaposes lighthearted word play with eerie production, an accurate presentation of how you should expect the unexpected when it comes to these artists. The head-banging beat weaves in and out of drums and screams, gripping the listener with every turn the song takes.

JID – “151 Rum”

As the lead single from JID’s second studio album, DiCaprio 2, “151 Rum” led the charge to help him evade the sophomore slump. The horn-forward beat perfectly steered in his rapid-fire flow, emulating a siren-like loop that sent a warning to the other spitters in his class. The hook itself is a tongue twister (“151 rum and a blunt, young n**ga numb, numb, numb and he got a little gun/ A little bitty killer really doin’ it for fun, give him a little bit and he’ll get a n**ga done”) that had listeners chanting their way into his fanbase for good.

“LamboTruck” – Cozz, REASON, & Childish Major

Cozz, REASON, and Childish Major linked up to vent about their respective label situations and created the effortlessly cool “LamboTruck.” The rhymes included the rappers checking in with each other about their respective situations at TDE and Dreamville, deepening the lore that exists between the two Hip-Hop collectives. The Neal Farmer-directed video feeds into the narrative as it sees them jumping their head honchos, with REASON taking Cole and Cozz taking TDE’s Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith.

The single’s concept, visual, and synergy were so strong, that it had fans begging for a Cozz and REASON collaboration tape for years to come. Judging by how good the execution was for “LamboTruck,” that project would still hit the spot today.

J. Cole feat. Kendrick Lamar – “Forbidden Fruit”

Although J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar’s relationship has been closely documented throughout the years thanks to their similar career timelines, the number of times they actually hopped on a track together is relatively scarce. Enter “Forbidden Fruit,” a collaboration that struck a chord within the hearts of blog era lovers. It is anchored by a looped sample of jazz musician Ronnie Foster’s “Mystic Brew,” which was also famously sampled in “Electric Relaxation” by A Tribe Called Quest. With K. Dot slithering in on the hook and Cole staying on-theme with his bars about temptation, this number was a memorable moment of camaraderie in the long story of the Big 3 we know today.

“Whipped Cream” – Ari Lennox

Ari Lennox’s ability to craft timeless music is on full display with “Whipped Cream.” The song is a sweet and groovy offering produced by in-house Dreamville veteran Elite. Although sonically, the perfectly slowed sample of “Two Of Us” by Cameo makes it seem like the ultimate feel good two-step record, on the track, the DMV songstress is longing for an old flame and is reminded of them everywhere she looks.

In true Ari fashion, she keeps it all the way real with her lyrics. By the end of the song, she’s not even trying to hide how fed up she is, signing off by calling out her ex-lover’s “deceivin’, receivin’, non-givin’ heada**.” It’s safe to say a lot of women felt her closing remarks.

Bas feat. J. Cole – “Night Job”

Too High To Riot remains as one of the most underrated bodies of work under Dreamville, but at least its lead single got the love it deserved. The mint condition verses on “Night Job” speak to the dreamers who always knew deep inside that their passions would be the thing that would work out in the end. The ambient production instantly transports listeners back to the mid 2010s, courtesy of frequent collaborators Ron Gilmore, KQuick, and Cedric Brown. It currently sits at over 80 million Spotify plays, an impressive benchmark for a song that dropped relatively early in his career.

J. Cole feat. 21 Savage & Morray – “m y . l i f e”

When J. Cole made the conscious decision to break his tradition of having featureless albums, he recruited the right names that made the choice worth it. On The Off-Season, Cole recruited 21 Savage and Morray for “m y . l i f e,” a song that has every single element that makes a great rap record. The soulful vocals looped throughout the instrumental, a spotless performance from the main artist, his guests bringing their A-game. The intentional choices all paid off, as the flawless execution of “m y . l i f e” resulted in the song shooting to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, marking Cole’s highest charting single of his career.

Ari Lennox – “Waste My Time”

Ari knew she had to deliver another standout moment after setting the bar high for herself with her debut album. In came “Waste My Time,” a glittery anthem nestled in her sophomore album, age/sex/location, that sees the mood shifting from her previous reports from the dating trenches. On the song, Ari is with all the sh*ts, encouraging her love interest to rock her world, even if it isn’t the wisest choice to let him. Live renditions of the song also let Ari’s updated confidence on stage shine through during this era. Rocking sparkly ensembles to match the song’s glamorous vibe, she delivered stellar performances of the record at the 2022 Soul Train Awards, The Tonight Show, and even overseas. 

J. Cole – “Apparently”

This Grammy-nominated song served as the lead single from FHD and is anchored by a sample of “La Morte Dell’ermina” by Filippo Trecca. “Apparently” speaks to a young man reflecting on all the decisions he’s made and realizing the weight of his actions. It carries a sense of hope, as “I want my dreams to carry me” hits many listeners deeply during their quests to balance dreams and reality. The accompanying music video has garnered nearly 200 million YouTube views and 36K comments, despite it just being Cole rapping the lyrics in an empty room while proving his bars are potent enough to evoke emotion and relatability.

JID feat. 21 Savage, Baby Tate – “Surround Sound”

A masterclass in beat-riding and flowing, “Surround Sound” was brilliant since its initial release and remains as one of JID’s most successful offerings to date. This track houses an impressive 21 Savage verse, an expertly executed Baby Tate bridge, and a sample of “One Step Ahead” by Aretha Franklin. The gratifying task of keeping up with JID’s “Surround Sound” flow is enticing. Simply put, it’s just plain fun to rap, an itch that not all artists can scratch like JID can. In late 2023, the song gained a massive resurgence on TikTok thanks to the “Ceiling Challenge” trend, giving it the recognition it always deserved. The universe’s timing is never wrong.

Cozz feat. J. Cole – “Knock Tha Hustle (Remix)”

Cozz will forever be respected for “Knock Tha Hustle,” his career-launching track off of Cozz & Effect. Laced with the signature grit of an early mixtape cut, the song is reminiscent of the era of Hip-Hop when everyone rapped like they had something to prove. It’s straightforward hook puts the battery in the pack of anyone who listens: “You can’t knock the hustle, it’s way too strong… I been broke, man, for way too long.” It also spawned arguably one of Cole’s best guest features of all time, and the two paired over the bluesy, stripped-down beat was a stirring match up.

Ari Lennox – “Pressure”

“Pressure” sees our Dreamville darling having fun and being pampered with attention, as she should. The track sounds like it could have been dropped in the middle of the 1980s, or last month; it would still sound fresh and perfectly timed. For this age/sex/location fan-favorite, she assembled a superteam of veterans to create the magic with her, enlisting Jermaine Dupri, Bryan-Michael Cox, and Johnta Austin. She looks, sounds, and feels good — and she knows it — as she coyly calls out those who are a little too late for the Ari Lennox train (“Now you textin’ me, you know I won’t reply/ Why you ain’t f**k with me when I wasn’t this fly? Now I’m on top and now I’m ridin’ sky-high”).

J. Cole – “No Role Modelz”

No list of Dreamville singles could be complete without “No Role Modelz,” arguably J. Cole’s most recognizable hit of all time. From the memorable opening bar (“First thing’s first, Rest In Peace Uncle Phil”) to the quotable hook that’s been chanted all around the world (“Don’t save her, she don’t wanna be saved”), this 2014 Forest Hills Drive single is a career-defining offering that took on a life of its own. The instrumental gives it a film soundtrack-esque feel, an appropriate thought considering his career became even more of a movie from that point forward.

J. Cole feat. Missy Elliott – “Nobody’s Perfect”

Locking in a Missy Elliott feature on a debut album is no simple feat, but there couldn’t have been a more perfect choice. The expressive yet effortlessly smooth beat, crafted by Cole himself, was inspired by wanting a song “you could just ride to.” He said it was reminiscent of Aaliyah, which they smoothly nodded to during Missy’s verse (“We rock the boat, Poseidon”). The song embodies Cole’s playful chapter of being a young man enjoying his come up in NYC, a time period that is now gone, but never forgotten. 

It is one of three singles from his debut LP, and the timelessness of “Nobody’s Perfect” carries the weight from other moments on Sideline Story that may have lacked, making it the MVP of the project. 

Ari Lennox – “BMO”

No debut LP is complete without a radio-ready, upbeat tune, and Shea Butter Baby was rounded out with this flawless number. The flirty bop is the song a majority of fans would undoubtedly include in their “Ari Lennox starter pack” to recommend to a new listener because its charm hooks everybody in an instant. “BMO” shows off her range as a performer, as well, as she puts extra sass into every word every time she hits the stage with this one.

An unforgettable moment was when Ari got her flowers at the 2019 Black Girls Rock awards when “BMO” had everyone up on their feet dancing and appreciating the perfect hit it is. The song also strengthened her bond with her fanbase as the outro became a beloved inside joke, leaving no pot of garbanzo beans unattended to ever again.

J. Cole feat. Miguel – “Power Trip”

Putting J. Cole and Miguel together on a song guarantees it’ll be a hit. “Power Trip” is an important moment on Born Sinner, as it wove together mixtape era Cole with his sophomore album chapter with a continuation of the storyline from 2009’s “Dreams.” Commercially, it thrust him into the mainstream spotlight, this time, with a song that felt more like him. The song cracked the top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100, and Miguel’s iconic “Would you believe me if I said I’m in love?” hook is always one of the loudest crowd moments at any J. Cole show. 

J. Cole – “Middle Child”

“Middle Child” arrived when Cole was on top of his mountain. He had just garnered back-to-back platinum albums, a sold out inaugural Dreamville Fest in the books, an absolutely mind-blowing guest feature run, and fans were now wondering what he would do next. With “Middle Child,” he stuck the landing.

T-Minus, who was also on an All-Star run at the time, handled the triumphant instrumental while Cole nailed his intended message. He’s in a unique spot that consists of being wedged between Hip-Hop forefathers who led the way, and the younger generation of stars who have adopted a completely different style by now. Being the middle child of Hip-Hop isn’t so bad after all, and he has a Diamond RIAA plaque for this record to prove it.

Ari Lennox feat. J. Cole – “Shea Butter Baby”

 Serving as the title track to her 2019 debut album, “Shea Butter Baby” has aged as an absolute staple in Ari Lennox’s catalogue. The track sees Ari earnestly describing her sensual desires, balancing her tasteful approach with her insatiable yearning for her needs to be met. The J. Cole feature was the last piece to the puzzle that created a 10 out of 10 single. It’s soulful, seductive, and elegant; all of the reasons fans love Ari Lennox’s music.

JID, Bas, J. Cole, EarthGang, & Young Nudy – “Down Bad”

Summarizing the allure of Dreamville with one song is a nearly impossible task, but “Down Bad” gets pretty close. Serving as one of the main singles off Revenge Of The Dreamers III, the high-energy cut features JID, Bas, J. Cole, Johnny Venus of EARTHGANG, and Young Nudy. Its rowdy instrumental is highly reminiscent of “Rebel Without A Cause” by Public Enemy, although it isn’t a direct sample of the song. 

Each man holds their own on the track, as they let loose to rap about a difficult chapter in their life and how they pulled through. The teamwork is also absolutely pristine, as each spitter hands off the baton to the next.

J. Cole – “Lights Please”

“Lights Please” is more than just a masterclass in storytelling through bars; it’s a meaningful record about distractions that try to sway us from focusing on real life issues (“Baby, look at how they show us on the TV screen/ But all she ever want me to do is unzip her jeans”). The early record made its debut on The Warm Up, but was too impactful to not be included on Sideline Story, a move he made because he feels this song, “really represents my style.”

It holds an extra special place in his extensive catalogue, as Cole fans and Hip-Hop OGs will point to “Lights Please” as the exact moment they were sold on the North Carolina rapper’s skills. As the story goes, “Lights Please” was the one song that was played for JAY-Z, leading to Cole getting signed. It was also an early indicator of how much it means to Cole to rap about the issues that matter to him, a habit he has kept with him over a decade later. 

J. Cole – “Love Yourz”

Surrounded by an already sublime tracklist, “Love Yourz” on FHD remains J. Cole’s crown jewel. Other releases may have great production and memorable lyrics, but the potent message of this song propels it to the top of his résumé. It reminds listeners to love the journey they’re on and that true happiness comes from within, a simple concept that is often easier said than done. When he performs this record, there isn’t a dry eye in sight as fans reflect on how they have applied Cole’s words to their own lives. Real-life impact trumps everything else, and the multi-platinum “Love Yourz” could never be replaced.