Hip-hop’s a genre made up of icons, Gods, and ghosts. From modern icons and noughties classics to the infamous game changers who created hip-hop in the first place, it’s no wonder that some (sorry, most) of our favourite songs fall into the category. This month we’re celebrating hip-hops 50th birthday and what better way to do it than by playing some f***ing iconic tracks. That’s why for this week’s Culted Sounds we’ve created a team playlist dedicated to the genre none of us can deny changed the course of rap: hip-hop. 

AURA

50 CENT – P.I.M.P

Always a crowd pleaser, need I say more?

JULIETTE

WU-TANG CLAN – TEARZ

Anything from Wu-Tang is gold but this one just hits different. No further explanation needed.

STELLA

NICKI MINAJ – DID IT ON ‘EM

Google classifies this track as Pop / Hip Hop, but universally it’s classified as a banger. The perfect heavy hitting beat to accompany a fast-paced stomp into work or to hype you up to go out, there’s nothing Nicki can’t do. Except maybe a Cardi collab.

LUCA

A TRIBE CALLED QUEST – ELECTRIC RELAXATION

Electric Relaxation was the first music video I ever watched around the age of 7 and I was immediately inspired by the Tribe Called Quest’s work. Filming in black and white, shot in the back of a crammed car, I remember thinking to myself that I want to make music videos when I grow up. From then on hip-hop music continued to shape my being, finding more rappers and groups to listen to. To this day, I still watch that music video and get the same feeling of inspiration. Best song ever!!!

SHEYI

JJ DOOM, MF DOOM, JNEIRO JAREL – GUV’NOR

Guv’nor is simply food for the ears!

SHAAN

JAY-Z – IMAGINARY PLAYERS

Imaginary Players sounds like wealth. Wealth I’ll never have lmao.

ROBYN

CYPRESS HILL – INSANE IN THE BRAIN

Halloween’s pending (whether you like it or not) and so it’s time to resurrect Cypress Hill’s iconic track. How often does a hip-hop anthem give gothic vibes this hard?

JORDAN

JAY-Z  – DEAD PRESIDENTS II

13 album’s later, and Jay is still very much the embodiment of Hip-Hop. Throughout the years he has excelled in a plethora of capacities with unprecedented success & longevity, “I’m not a business man, I’m a business, man”.

JOVELLE

LIL WAYNE – HOW TO LOVE

A timeless song, loved by 10 year old me and present day me. Banger. 

More on Culted

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See: Culted Sounds: The comeback of the team playlist for summer