FAV HIP HOP TRACKS of 2023
In 2023, the hip hop scene witnessed a plethora of groundbreaking singles that etched an enduring imprint on the genre. Spanning from introspective lyricism to avant-garde production, these tracks illuminated the varied talent and ingenuity within hip hop. Now, let’s delve into some of the standout singles of the year that enraptured both audiences and critics.
10 billy woods & Kenny Segal : “Babylon by Bus“
*it’s the Aphex Twin sample for me
“People don’t want the truth, they want me to tell ’em grandma went to heaven
What I do can’t be copied/ I take care of these words, Munchausen by proxy
Somehow beat the tox screen/ God save the Queen, but that train doesn’t stop here anymore”
09 MCKINLEY DIXON : “Run, Run, Run“
“I saw that boy, then I saw his soles/ Wondering what songs this canary holds
Glad he off the wall and his wings unfold/ Whole block gon’ cheer when he makes it home
Holding heavy hearts really makes it worse/ ‘Til we found the only way for us to lift this curse
If we run to a place where they know our worth”
08 EARL SWEATSHIRT & THE ALCHEMIST : “The Caliphate“
“He let it go, brodie left the heat on the coldest ground/ To wrap around the wound unwound
I poured the bruise blood into the sound (And let some of the bruise blood come out)
Stole the crown, grew out of poster child/ Serve a few once I stir the stew on the stovе around”
07 LITTLE SIMZ : “Silhouette“
“All problems deep-rooted/ Lost love and they need Cupid
No time for your words, please don’t smart talk if you been stupid
Oh, damn, she ruthless/ Been proven, Beethoven, no keys, deep music
When the drums speak to me, I just breathe through it”
06 ARMAND HAMMER : “The Gods Must Be Crazy“ (feat. BILLY WOODS, ELUCID & EL-P)
“The happiest Africans, how I started my verse for Live Aid (85)
Rehearsed for “We Are The World” and got cut for Chris Hayes (Super high)
I went to the edge of Earth, sunburnt black as Pompeii
White women with pepper spray in they purse interpolating Beyoncé/ Illegal formations”
05 VEEZE : “Safe 2“
“Young n****a came a long way, made a hundred K, blew it all, make it all back in one day
Pain from the words that I say, know it sound strange, but I make the best out it every day
Hope you got somethin’ in your safe ’cause it ain’t safe “
04 DANNY BROWN : “Jenn’s Terrific Vacation“
“Hoes sold pussy right here like Walmart/ I used to watch for them parked cars
Now it’s just white girls drinking on White Claw
Tell me what to do when the block gets slow, and the money get low, but the rent rise up
White folks coming out the blue, they done tore that down and made that to a Whole Foods
Landlords looking for a payday/ Now it’s rental scooters where we used to sling yay”
03 noname : “namesake“
“I ain’t fuckin’ with the NFL or JAY-Z/ Propaganda for the military complex
The same gun that shot Lil Terry out west/ The same gun that shot Samir in the West Bank
We all think the Super Bowl is the best thing/ Go, Rihanna, go Beyoncé, go Kendrick,
Watch the fighter jet fly high/ War machine gets glamorized
We play the game to pass the time…”
02 JPEGMAFIA & DANNY BROWN: “Kingdom Hearts” (feat. REDVEIL)
“All these crackers be soft as mink/ Hunter Biden, stay out my sync
Ketamine got me singin’ like Tink/ Hit just like a pill, I feel like I’m P!nk, bitch”
01 BY STORM / INJURY RESERVE : “Double Trio“
“Quietness in disguise is something I won’t take/ It’s time to break the silence, only time can wait
The pain it got me wide awake
The violence of this time is only by display/ Shit gon’ repeat if all you do is delay”
These singles offer a glimpse into the kaleidoscopic and pioneering hip hop landscape of 2023. From soul-searching reflections to poignant social commentary, these tracks shattered conventional norms and resonated deeply with listeners worldwide. As we reminisce about the year in hip hop, let’s honor the artists who persist in reshaping the genre and igniting our spirits with their boundless creativity and fervor.