Happy Birthday Hip-Hop: No. 1 Rap Songs by Year Since 1989
Hip-Hop was born on August 11, 1973, at a party in the Bronx. DJ Kool Herc used two turntables to loop breaks and keep dancers moving. MCs added rhymes, and a new culture emerged.
In its early years, Hip-Hop lived in block parties, parks, and community centers. Graffiti artists, breakdancers, and DJs formed the four main pillars of the culture. The music carried the energy of the streets and the voices of the people.
Over the decades, Hip-Hop grew from local expression to global force. It influenced language, fashion, politics, and advertising. It shaped entire generations and created superstars who crossed into film, television, and business. Brands now use rap in commercials, and universities teach courses on it.
Source: Rossa W. Cole / Getty
Billboard launched its Hot Rap chart in 1989, cementing Hip-Hop's commercial rise. Every year since, one rap track claimed the top spot. These No. 1 records capture not just sound, but moments in culture.
From conscious anthems to party hits, each song reflects its year's style, mood, and message. Some became timeless classics, others defined short-lived trends. Together, they tell the story of Hip-Hop's journey from the Bronx to the world.
Here's every No. 1 rap song since the chart began.
Best Hip-Hop Albums Of 2024
Hip-Hop's Evolution Through Tech: A Brief History of Advancement
BET Suspends Hip Hop & Soul Train Awards 'Indefinitely'
Happy Birthday Hip-Hop: No. 1 Rap Songs by Year Since 1989 was originally published on wzakcleveland.com
Lamar's latest single topped streaming charts with raw lyrical power.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Save the Dates: Zatima Season 4, KPop Demon Hunters Sing-Along and More
The good news? It looks like Fatima survived her brush with death in the Season 3 finale of Tyler Perry's Zatima. The bad news? As you'll see in the just-released trailer for Season 4, her troubles are far from over. BET+ has set a Thursday, Sept. 11 premiere date for the first two episodes of Season 4, with two more episodes dropping every Thursday until the Oct. 9 finale. More from TVLine Love Con Revenge Trailer: Romance Scam Victims Get Help From The Tinder Swindler Star in Netflix Series Wednesday EPs Defend 'Impactful' Death in Episode 4: 'Not Everyone Is Going to Make It Out Alive' Wednesday's Stalker Is Revealed in Episode 2 - EPs Explain How the Show's Fandom Served as Inspiration 'In the aftermath of Zac's battle with his brother, Jeremiah, Zac decides it's best he keep his distance to maintain his sanity and his temper,' reads the season's official logline. 'Although his friends attempt to get him to make amends with his brother, Zac refuses and only wants to center his attention on his immediate family. Season four of Zatima is riddled with action, suspense and surprises as Zac and Fatima must contend with someone from the past who isn't happy about their happiness. Their friends face their own challenges while still supporting Zac and Fatima in their time of need.' Hit PLAY on the trailer above for your first look at Zatima Season 4. In other scheduling news… * A sing-along version of the hit Netflix movie KPop Demon Hunters will hit select theaters Saturday, Aug. 23 and Sunday, Aug 24; tickets go on sale Wednesday. * Vampirina: Teenage Vampire, a live-action series based on Disney Junior's animated Vampirina and the Vampirina Ballerina books, will premiere Friday, Sept. 12, on Disney Channel. All episodes will begin streaming on Wednesday, Oct. 15, on Disney+. Watch a trailer for the series below: * Downton Abbey Celebrates the Grand Finale, a one-hour special featuring cast interviews and a first look at the franchise's Sept. 21 theatrical release, will air Wednesday, Sept. 10 at 9/8c on NBC. Watch a teaser trailer for the special below: * Mr. Scorsese, a five-part Apple TV+ docuseries about Hollywood legend Martin Scorsese, will be available to stream on Friday, Oct. 17. Get a first look at the series, directed by Rebecca Miller, below: * Karen Pirie, starring Outlander's Lauren Lyle, will return for Season 2 on BritBox on Thursday, Oct. 2. Watch a trailer below: Best of TVLine 'Missing' Shows, Found! Get the Latest on Ahsoka, Monarch, P-Valley, Sugar, Anansi Boys and 25+ Others Yellowjackets Mysteries: An Up-to-Date List of the Series' Biggest Questions (and Answers?) The Emmys' Most Memorable Moments: Laughter, Tears, Historical Wins, 'The Big One' and More Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Busta Rhymes Gets Emotional As Raekwon Credits Him With Saving His Life
Raekwon recently delivered an emotional tribute to Busta Rhymes that nearly brought the rap legend to tears, publicly crediting him with changing—and even saving—his life. The touching moment took place at a recent event in their shared hometown of New York City, where the Wu-Tang Clan lyricist stood beside Busta to honor his decades-long contributions to hip-hop and their personal bond. 'Thank you for saving my life,' Rae told Busta while standing alongside him. 'You saved my life, ni**a, you was in it first. You was in it first. New York City, I want y'all to know, we hold a certain merit in New York City that's most valuable.' The Chef then took a moment to highlight the city's enduring pride and influence. 'I don't give a f**k where you go, New York City is number one. Even when we're down. Even when we're down, we're number one.' Rae's heartfelt words came as Busta has been receiving a wave of long-overdue recognition, including the recent unveiling of his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The moment underscored the deep respect and camaraderie between two of New York's most respected MCs. 'Busta, I wanna thank you for everything. For the privilege to be here with you and share these moments, my ni**a. We're grown men. We're grown men, we do grown things. I'm so proud of you, man. Hall of Fame sh*t. You deserve it, you live it. New York City, Hall of Fame.' He concluded his speech by continuing to express his gratitude towards his longtime collaborator and friend. 'Thank you, I'm just a student of the game. I'm just a student of the game, that's all,' Raekwon added, drawing a warm and emotional reaction from the Flipmode Squad leader. See footage of Raekwon's speech in honor of Busta Rhymes below. More from Busta Rhymes Addresses Former Assistant's Assault Lawsuit: "It's An Attempted Shake-Down" Busta Rhymes To Be Recognized With Star On Hollywood Walk Of Fame Raekwon Breaks Silence On Leaked Nas Verse Allegedly Dissing Jim Jones Solve the daily Crossword
Hypebeast
8 hours ago
- Hypebeast
Missy Elliott: What Makes a Superstar?
When you hear the term superstar, what comes to mind for you? I would say fearless and bold — that's the biggest thing. I always look to superstars as truly original people who start things that aren't necessarily popular at the time. To me, they set the trends and have a huge global and cultural impact. How did your roots in Virginia shape your style? Where I'm from [Portsmouth, Virginia], all my friends had their own style. A lot of people don't even know that Virginia is down south. Because we weren't in New York City or up north, we always got things a little bit later, so we created stuff in the meantime — we had our own sound and our own style. Creating my own thing stayed with me throughout my entire career. Could you speak to the significance of the adidas Superstar silhouette within the Hip-Hop community? The first time I ever saw that sneaker was on Run DMC, they really popularized it for the Hip Hop community. That style, the sneaker with the sweats, was around for a long time, not just for rappers but also for breakdancers and DJs. It was a community that centered around that whole vibe; you had to have a full outfit with it to make it make sense. It represented the style of the streets. In the campaign, you wear a big hat, nodding to your collaborations with June Ambrose. How did the two of you meet? I met Hype Williams first, and he was already working with June. He said he had the perfect stylist for me.' I was like, 'nah, I already know how I like to wear my clothes!' But when I met June, she was everything and more. The first thing she said was, 'Darling, you're too matchy-matchy. And we don't crease our jeans anymore.' I was like, 'Who is this lady?' I was always fearless, but she never made me feel like I was doing too much. She'd just enhance what I already had and who I already was. We've been working together since 1997. Do you have favorite memories working with June? Every moment with June is a favorite memory. When we're shooting a video, June changes her clothes more than I do by the time we're done. Her energy is just amazing. She comes in when I feel tired and is always upbeat. You need that, especially when shoots are very long, sometimes three days. She's like 'Wake it up! We have something to shoot! Something historical.' So I feel like, OK — I'm gonna do it! In the 2000s, you collaborated on many sneakers for your adidas Respect M.E. line — how did that partnership emerge? The funny thing is, before adidas and I collaborated, I used to remix all my adidas outfits. I'd put rhinestones on my clothes or take the logo from one set and put it on another. People started going into the adidas stores asking for the outfits — I remember one specifically from the 'Gossip Folks' music video. People were coming in looking for these custom outfits, and the store would say, 'We don't have that; she remixed it!' So, someone told June Ambrose about the situation, and June was like, 'Well, why don't you just do a deal with her?' And we ended up doing a deal. Now, 20 years later, you're one of the faces of the brand's most iconic shoe. How does that feel? It feels amazing. It feels like I'm back in that time when I had Respect M.E. The nostalgia of it all feels so good. What do you think it takes for a sneaker or a style to achieve icon status? I think it takes consistency and commitment. You don't want to see the person promoting a sneaker in every other sneaker but that one. You have to make that look your thing. That's how it was with Run DMC. They were cool, they rocked them all the time with or without laces. It made it clear they believed in what they were selling. Who are some of your style icons? There are so many, but I'll say the ones from when I first started. Run DMC, because they made me love adidas. And Salt-N-Pepa — they had a style I hadn't seen on women in Hip-Hop before. And of course, June is one of them. I trust her. When June says something's fire, it's fire. If you're stepping out in Superstars today, how would you style them? Do you have a favorite color or custom you did? I would most definitely put some fat laces in them again because a lot of stuff from the '90s and '80s is being brought back. And of course, I would wear mine like I did in the shoot — I would get the platforms customized with the stones. I had those on for my birthday and stepped out a few weeks ago just like that. I'd wear them with some jeans and put on a Britney Spears t-shirt.
