Rap songs always have a way to pump you up. If you’re feeling down, a playlist with the best hype rap songs from Doja Cat, Nicki Minaj, Drake, Dr. Dre, and more will surely lift your mood.
Aside from simply enjoying the glory of rap music in your free time, these songs are also handy for a high-intensity workout. It’s also a good way to boost your adrenaline or make your long drive more fun.
Whether you’re a boomer, Gen X, millennial, or Gen Z, there’s a rap song that will surely match your taste. As we say, there’s always swag for every age!
While there are many rising stars over the years, there is only a handful that made the real mark. Far from mumble rappers, the list we have here is some of the best in the industry (in our opinion, of course).
If you’re planning to make a rap playlist, we listed here 30 of the best picks over the years. Listen to them and see what you’ll love. You might even discover a new favorite you haven’t heard before.
And if you have a rap song that you think deserves to be on this list, feel free to drop them in the comment section and we will listen!
| Nr | Song | Artist | About |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | My Money Don’t Jiggle Jiggle It Folds | Duke & Jones, Louis Theroux | Learn More |
| 2 | Mood | 24kGoldn & iann dior | Learn More |
| 3 | Industry Baby | Lil Nas X & Jack Harlow | Learn More |
| 4 | In My Head | Lil Tjay | Learn More |
| 5 | N95 | Kendrick Lamar | Learn More |
| 6 | Vegas | Doja Cat | Learn More |
| 7 | Montero (Call Me By Your Name) | Lil Nas X | Learn More |
| 8 | Fair Trade | Drake & Travis Scott | Learn More |
| 9 | Range Brothers | Baby Keem & Kendrick Lamar | Learn More |
| 10 | Missiles | Lil Gnar & Trippie Road | Learn More |
| 11 | ESCAPE PLAN | Travis Scott | Learn More |
| 12 | Spinback | Comethazine | Learn More |
| 13 | Savage | Megan Thee Stallion | Learn More |
| 14 | WAP | Cardi B & Megan Thee Stallion | Learn More |
| 15 | ROCKSTAR | DaBaby | Learn More |
| 16 | We Paid | Lil Baby & 42 Dugg | Learn More |
| 17 | Laugh Now Cry Later | Drake | Learn More |
| 18 | Like That Bitch | Flo Milli | Learn More |
| 19 | Old Town Road | Lil Nas X & Billy Ray Cyrus | Learn More |
| 20 | Suge | DaBaby | Learn More |
| 21 | Say So | Doja Cat & Nicki Minaj | Learn More |
| 22 | Higher | DJ Khaled | Learn More |
| 23 | Follow God | Kanye West | Learn More |
| 24 | Hood Rat Shit | Megan Thee Stallion | Learn More |
| 25 | In My Feelings | Drake | Learn More |
| 26 | Lucid Dreams | Juice WRLD | Learn More |
| 27 | SICKO MODE | Travis Scott | Learn More |
| 28 | Bed | Nicki Minaj & Ariana Grande | Learn More |
| 29 | What’s The Use | Mac Miller | Learn More |
| 30 | This is America | Childish Gambino | Learn More |
Best Hype Rap Songs of 2022
1. My Money Don’t Jiggle Jiggle It Folds – Duke & Jones, Louis Theroux
TikTok continues to invade our lives, whether we like it or not. True enough, one of the most viral rap songs here is ‘My Money Don’t Jiggle Jiggle It Folds’. It’s an unlikely collaboration between Duke & Jones and filmmaker Louis Theroux.
This rap song actually came from a 2022 interview with Louis Theroux posted on YouTube. Soon enough, musicians came up with a remix, which landed on TikTok. Currently, one of the original versions has 43 million views on the platform.
Recommended: 15 Most Famous Songs in 5/4 Time Signature.
2. Mood – 24kGoldn & iann dior
This collaboration between 24kGoldn and iann dior tells about their relationship experiences. Although the lyrics talk about the toxic part of relationships, this rap song is enveloped in an irresistible beat.
Like My ‘Money Don’t Jiggle Jiggle’, ‘Mood’ gained major success on TikTok. It’s so famous that 24kGoldn even dropped remixes featuring J Balvin and Justin Bieber.
3. Industry Baby – Lil Nas X & Jack Harlow
Following his ‘Old Town Road’ hit in 2018, Lil Nas X came back with another sensational song entitled ‘Industry Baby’ featuring artist Jack Harlow. In the song, Lil Nas X proves his critics wrong by flexing his success.
This is a cherry on top for the rapper after critics called him a one-hit-wonder after his 2018 success. While the music video is flamboyant at best, there’s no doubt that this song helped cement Lil Nas X’s career.
4. In My Head – Lil Tjay
In this song, Lil Tjay samples Iyaz’s 2009 hit ‘Replay’. Throughout the song, the rapper tells the story of having feelings for a girl after a previous hurtful relationship. It’s a hopeful song that unravels Lil Tjay’s feelings.
The music video of this song features Rubi Rose, the rapper’s on-off girlfriend. While it’s a new song, those who got hooked with Iyaz’s ‘Replay’ in the late 2000s will surely find this both refreshing and nostalgic.
5. N95 – Kendrick Lamar
Born in the midst of the pandemic, Kendrick Lamar’s ‘N95’ refers to the type of mask used to protect against COVID. Overall, this song is a social commentary on how the government handles the pandemic.
Lamar paints a picture of deceit, panic, and fear due to the spreading of the disease. He also commented about the fake authenticity ruling our society nowadays.
6. Vegas – Doja Cat
Doja Cat’s ‘Vegas’ was used as a soundtrack to the ‘ELVIS’ biopic directed by Baz Lurhmann. In the song, Doja Cat compares her lover to a hound dog and expresses her dissatisfaction over the sexual side of their relationship.
Also, the theme of this song is a nod to Elvis Presley’s song ‘Hound Dog’. The 1950s classic also talks about a selfish lover.
Best Hype Rap Songs of 2021
7. Montero (Call Me By Your Name) – Lil Nas X
The year 2021 isn’t short of rap songs to hype up the mood. Lil Nas X’s controversial hit ‘Montero (Call Me By Your Name)’ is probably one of the highlights of the year.
The song has a lusty theme paired with an equally hedonistic music video, which raised the eyebrows of his critics. Despite criticisms, ‘Montero’ became one of Lil Nas X’s most memorable anthems.
8. Fair Trade – Drake & Travis Scott
In this song, Drake and Travis Scott rap about cutting out fake friends. The theme of fake friends is no stranger to Drake as he previously used it in some of his songs.
In the third verse, Travis Scott recounts his experience of having phony friends. Overall, ‘Fair Trade’ is the fourth collaboration between the two highly-acclaimed artists.
9. Range Brothers – Baby Keem & Kendrick Lamar
Real-life cousins Baby Keem and Kendrick Lamar collaborated on the song ‘Range Brothers’. Here, they talked about their tough upbringing, material wealth, and other topics.
In the song, Lamar and Baby Keem trade ad-libs on each other’s verses. Paired with a peppy beat, it’s no wonder why this song already has 60+ million streams on Spotify.
10. Missiles – Lil Gnar & Trippie Road
In ‘Missiles’, Lil Gnar raps about women, wealth, and guns that he gained. It’s his first collaboration with Trippie Road. It’s produced by Bankroll Got It and Diego Avenue.
Laced with an attractive beat and smoothly engineered sonics, this rap song deserves a listen and a spot on your playlist.
11. ESCAPE PLAN – Travis Scott
‘ESCAPE PLAN’ is a collaboration between Travis Scott and Swiss beatmaker OZ. Nik D, a German producer, is also on the team as part of OZ’s own squad.
In the song, the rapper starts with what seems like an escape plan. Scott realizes that a multibillion-dollar fortune doesn’t come easy. He also disses ungrateful women who don’t appreciate the wealth their lovers give to them.
12. Spinback – Comethazine
‘Spinback’ is the first single from the rapper’s ‘Comethazine The Album’. It was first teased in January with a preview on Instagram. Then in September, it went on with the release.
The music video of this song is self-directed by Comethazine. It’s a worthy successor after the acclaimed ‘Bawskee 4’ album was released in 2020.
Best Hype Rap Songs of 2020
13. Savage – Megan Thee Stallion
While 2020 is marked by the onset of the pandemic, it also gave us some of the most memorable and hit-smashing rap songs – one of which is Megan Thee Stallion’s ‘Savage’.
True enough, this catchy beat gained traction on TikTok after a dance challenge was made. Megan herself shared the video, which garnered millions of views and versions. It became so popular that Beyoncé even hopped in for a remix.
14. WAP – Cardi B & Megan Thee Stallion
The year 2020 proved to be a great time for Megan Thee Stallion. In August 2020, Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s ‘WAP (Wet Ass Pussy)’ caught the internet by storm.
While raunchy at best, the music video of WAP is star-studded. It features the appearances of Kylie Jenner, Sukihana, Normani, Rubi Rose, and Rosalia.
However, for the song to fit radio regulations, the two rappers released a censored version that tones down the sexual side.
15. ROCKSTAR – DaBaby
DaBaby’s ‘ROCKSTAR’ explores the parallelism between the life of rock stars and hip-hop gangsters. It involved a re-telling of Da Baby’s 2018 self-defense case to protect his daughter by shooting an attacker.
In turn, he issues a warning that he’s willing to protect his family at all costs. After a few months, this song is supplemented by DaBaby’s song called ‘BLM’ triggered by protests following George Floyd’s killing.
16. We Paid – Lil Baby & 42 Dugg
‘We Paid’ is wrapped up in braggadocious imagery as Lil Baby and 42 Dugg rap about jewelry and luxury cars. They also paid homage to their Detroit and Atlanta origins.
Overall, this song served as the finale to 42 Dugg’s ‘My Turn’ Deluxe Album. So far, it has more than 284 million streams on Spotify
17. Laugh Now Cry Later – Drake
A rap list wouldn’t be complete without a masterpiece from Drake. ‘Laugh Now Cry Later’ is a phrase tattooed on 2Pac’s back, which serves as Drake’s homage to the late rapper.
In the song, Drake takes shots at an unnamed enemy. However, many speculated that this alludes to Pusha T. and Kanye West’s rift with The Toronto MC at that time.
18. Like That Bitch – Flo Milli
‘Like That Bitch’ is the third track on Flo Milli’s debut record ‘Ho, Why Is You Here?’. This isn’t the first time the rapper broke into the music scene. In 2019, she got Tiktok-famous after the Beef FloMix track became one of the most memorable songs on the platform.
Aside from ‘Like That Bitch’, Flo Milli’s album also includes hits like ‘In The Party’, ‘Not Friendly’, and ‘May I’, just to name a few.
Best Hype Rap Songs of 2019
19. Old Town Road – Lil Nas X & Billy Ray Cyrus
Old Town Road is the record that shot Lil Nas X to stardom. It’s a collaboration with Achy Breaky Heart hitmaker Billy Ray Cyrus. This is the country and rap crossover we never knew we needed.
During the time Lil Nas X uploaded this song on YouTube, he wasn’t signed to any label. But after it gained fame, the rapper received offers from the country’s biggest music companies.
Recommended: 23 Best Songs for Lyric Prank on Crush.
20. Suge – DaBaby
‘Suge’ is inspired by Marion ‘Suge’ Knight, the founder of Death Row Records. The defunct record signed names like Tupac Shakur, Dr. Dre, and Snoop Dogg.
DaBaby relates to Suge, being a young CEO of a record label himself. And according to an interview, DaBaby and his collaborator Jetsonmade wrote this song in just around 15 minutes.
21. Say So – Doja Cat & Nicki Minaj
‘Say So’ imbibes a disco bop paired with a steamy music video. Here, Doja talks about her frustration over a friend who she’s waiting to confess his love for her.
Those who are well-versed in the ‘70s music will surely notice the interpolation of ‘Say So’ with the song ‘Good Times’ by Chic. Both are groovy and a hit in their own rights.
22. Higher – DJ Khaled
‘Higher’ is a collaboration between DJ Khaled, John Legend, and Nipsey Hussle. Mixed with Legend’s jazz flavor, this rap song is an easy listen for those are yet to like the genre.
Overall, ‘Higher’ is John Legend’s fifth collaboration with DH Khaled. The music video for the song was cut days before Nipsy Hussle passed away. This makes the video one of his last performances.
23. Follow God – Kanye West
Kanye West might be remembered as the ex-husband of Kim Kardashian, but the rapper has no doubt made a mark for himself in the rap scene. His song ‘Follow God’ is the third track of his album ‘JESUS IS KING’.
In the song, West raps about the challenges of living with his father’s watchful eye. He then culminates the song by affirming his faith in God.
24. Hood Rat Shit – Megan Thee Stallion
In this song, Megan Thee Stallion raps about her upbringing and her rather complicated life. The phrase ‘hood rat’ is slang that describes a licentious woman in an impoverished area.
Throughout the song, Megan raps about being the same ‘hood rat’ despite leaving the place behind.
Best Hype Rap Songs of 2018
25. In My Feelings – Drake
‘In My Feelings’ is a head-bobbing masterpiece from Drake, which gained traction on TikTok, thanks to the In My Feelings challenge.
Throughout the song, Drake pretends to talk to his old lovers. The song became somewhat controversial as fans try to unravel who the women are in the lyrics.
Overall, this is a bouncy and smooth rap song that will uplift your mood without too much angst.
26. Lucid Dreams – Juice WRLD
In ‘Lucid Dreams’, Jared Higgins or known for his performing name Juice WRLD talks about his heartbreak after a breakup.
He used the metaphor of lucid dreaming to describe the paralyzing feeling and anguish that the experience brought him. This song also contains guitar samples from Sting’s 1993 track ‘Shape of My Heart’.
27. SICKO MODE – Travis Scott
‘SICKO MODE’ is a collaboration between Travis Scott, Drake, and Swae Lee. Throughout the song, there are samples of the 1991 song ‘I Wanna Rock’ by Luke and ‘Gimme The Loot’ by Notorious B.I.G.
It took 17 weeks for this song to climb #1 to the Hot 100 charts after the Skrillex Remix was released.
28. Bed – Nicki Minaj & Ariana Grande
In the song ‘Bed’ Nicki Minaj is joined by pop star Ariana Grande. Minaj talks about her sexual anticipation of joining her on the bed, thus the title of the track.
In some parts, Grande lends her seductive croons to match the steamy imagery of the song. The two artists first collaborated in 2014 when they both appeared on Jessie’s J hit song ‘Bang Bang’.
29. What’s The Use – Mac Miller
‘What’s The Use’ is the third track from Mac Miller’s last album, ‘Swimming’, released a few months before his death.
In the song, Miller explores his tumultuous relationship with alcohol and drugs, which ultimately claimed his life. Throughout this song, he expresses his attempts to get clean, something that never came.
30. This is America – Childish Gambino
In 2018, Donald Glover, also known as Childish Gambino released his politically-charged rap song ‘This is America’. Here, he raps about gun violence, police brutality, and racism towards black people. True to his roots, Childish Gambino included a gospel choir for the refrain and introduction.
The song is paired with an equally thought-provoking music video that got many critics talking. Overall, the song is very fitting, given the current incidents of police brutality and racism in the US.
Final Thoughts
Each year, we are gifted rap gems from various artists. From established names to breakout stars, we can expect more sensational rap songs to come our way.
With this, you shouldn’t forget to update your playlist to ensure that you have the freshest and newest rap discoveries to listen to.
Don’t hesitate to get out of your comfort zone when it comes to music. Be open to expanding your music taste because there are so many hidden rap treasures that you might discover.
Do you have other rap songs you love listening to? Share it with us and we will add it to our playlist!
