5)

“March Madness” -Future

“March Madness” was Future’s biggest hit on his mixtape 56 Nights. The mixtape launched Future’s takeover in the trap world. The self dubbed “Future Hendrix” started leaning towards pop music on his previous album Honest, but after the release of this mixtape rumors of Future becoming a pop artist were thrown in the trash. “March Madness” targets police shootings and civil rights movements along with the explicit luxuries that are synonymous with a Future track. After the dozens of songs Future released this year during his takeover, it’d be foolish not to mention him on this list.

4)

“Trap Queen” -Fetty Wap

“Trap Queen” was the debut single from one-eyed rapping, bar slinging, New Jersey native rapper, Fetty Wap. With a plot reminiscent of Scarface, “Trap Queen” tells the tale of a man and woman dealing drugs together. The song took over the radio during the beginning of 2015. The supposed “one hit wonder,” Fetty Wap proved he would be more than a flash in the pan. Fetty supplied the charts with numerous successful tracks after dropping “Trap Queen.” The same way Tony Montana took over the drug cartel, Fetty Wap took over radio stations, clubs, and stadiums across the country. “Trap Queen” transformed Fetty Wap from a neighborhood name to an artist that would later sell out arenas.

17-38!

3)

“One Man Can Change the World” -Big Sean feat. John Legend, Kanye West

When your grandpa says rap music has no meaning, you can show him this song. Big Sean opens up about his life and delivers a powerful and positive message on this soulful ballad. He invites all time great John Legend, along with his good friend and mentor, Kanye West, to build credibility and provide a soft side of hip-hop that is too often missing from the genre. The ray of hope in the song brings out the gorgeous reality that one person can really change the world.Big  Sean looks for the best in people and uses juxtapositions and stories to show that anyone can do anything, including making it out of the streets of Detroit and performing to thousands across the nation. “I grinded out that black hole then performed out at the White House,” he raps and by extension encourages his listeners to reach for goals. Legend brings the last chorus to a close with his voice, which sounds like the voice of an angel. “One Man Can Change the World” is an incredible track of hardship and perseverance that offers a welcome perspective in the hip hop world.

2)

“King Kunta” -Kendrick Lamar

To Pimp a Butterfly was possibly the best album of the whole year! Kendrick Lamar brought African-American politics and different varieties of hip-hop music to the limelight with an album ranked No. 1 by Rolling Stone and Complex Magazine. Out of all the amazing songs off of the album it is a difficult pick, but as a popular track, powerful message, and groovy beat, “King Kunta” took top honors. The name itself has such a powerful meaning. Kunta Kinte is a black slave from Alex Haley’s novel Roots: The Saga of an American Family. In the novel, Kinte escapes multiple times from his owners before having his foot cut off as punishment. Lamar, a native of the turbulent city Compton, took his early childhood struggles and made the experience into a positive, to illuminate his rags to riches ascent. Today, he is arguably the King of the rap world. With popularity stemming from Lamar’s catchy lyrics, the song also grew in popularity when rumors circulated Lamar threw some dark shade at Drake when he referenced a ghostwriter on the first verse. With witty lines, deep meanings, and a great backstory, “King Kunta” is a solid classic.

1)

”Back to Back” -Drake

Drake’s infamous diss track battling Meek Mill takes No. 1 on the list of top 5 hip-hop songs of 2015.  The song is based around a back to back World Series Championship captured by the Toronto Blue Jays, (Drake’s hometown team) who beat the Philadelphia Phillies (Meek Mill’s home team) via a walk-off homerun by Joe Carter, which also served as the cover art for the song. Drake got involved in a ghostwriting scandal when shots were fired by Meek Mill over Twitter. Instead of talking it out like men, they instead went to social media to stage a war of words. Drake was accused of not writing his own lyrics. He answered the call with the release of disstrack, “Charged Up.” When Meek didn’t respond, Drake dropped “Back to Back,” four days later and flipped the beef upside down. He questioned, “Is that a world tour or your girl’s tour?” referencing Mill’s girlfriend Nicki Minaj and raising the idea Minaj outshines Mill. Mill later released his own diss track, and it turned Mill into the laughing stock of the year, giving Drake an easy “W.” From Degrassi to drinking shots straight from his Grammy award trophy, Drake has done it all. The song that took the summer by storm, also took No. 1 rap song of the year.

(We just wished he released one more diss track to put Meek Mill in his place for good)

Notable Mentions:

“This Could Be Us” -Rae Scremmurd

“Alright” -Kendrick Lamar

“White Iverson” -Post Malone

“Antidote” -Travis Scott

“Wanna Know” (Drake Diss Track) – Meek Mill (just kidding)