Top 10 Jay-Z Songs
#10: “Big Pimpin’” feat. UGK
Vol. 3… Life and Times of S. Carter (1999)
Although “Big Pimpin’” received its fair share of criticism based on accusations of it being misogynistic, its Egyptian-influenced production as well as a guest appearance from Houston’s UGK help make this track one of Jay’s most distinctive. Jay-Z may've also been sued over the tune thanks to the use of the sample, but the hip hop number remains one of his most commercially successful, and hit the top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts.
#9: “Izzo (H.O.V.A.)”
The Blueprint (2001)
Jay’s first ever top 10 single as a lead artist on the Billboard Hot 100 came not only thanks to a very recognizable Jackson 5 sample, but also as the lead single to The Blueprint, which would be acclaimed by some as his very best. When you aren’t hearing the catchy chorus, Jay’s pretty much telling you his life story in the 4-minute number; taking us back to his days when he dabbled in drug dealing, as well as his life growing up in Brooklyn’s Marcy projects.
#8: “I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)” feat. Pharrell Williams
The Dynasty: Roc La Familia (2000)
One of several excellent Jay-Z singles that were produced by Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo – otherwise known as the dynamic production duo The Neptunes – this track was declared the greatest song of the 2000s by Complex Magazine, charted within the Billboard Hot 100’s top 20, and can still be heard at clubs and from the subwoofers of people’s cars to this day. Blending hip hop and R&B, “I Just Wanna Love U” is also accompanied by a cameo-filled music video.
#7: “Dirt Off Your Shoulder”
The Black Album (2003)
When your song gets referenced by none other than U.S. President Barack Obama, you know you’ve made something people are going to remember. And even before Obama, that’s exactly what this track did: it caused many people to pretend as if they’re actually brushing dirt off their shoulders. The second single from The Black Album, the Timbaland-produced tune became a top-five single in the States, and was one of several Jay-Z songs mashed up with Linkin Park songs for their collaboration album Collision Course.
#6: “Takeover”
The Blueprint (2001)
Although it’s also known for being one of many solid tracks from The Blueprint, “Takeover” is even better known for being a diss song against Jay’s former rival Nas and Mobb Deep’s Prodigy. In it, Jay-Z mocks Nas for putting out subpar albums after his classic debut Illmatic, and claims that he used the line from Nas’ “The World is Yours” better as a sample in his own song “Dead Presidents II.” Nas swiftly responded a few months later with a great diss track of his own: “Ether.”
#5: “Empire State of Mind” feat. Alicia Keys
The Blueprint 3 (2009)
One of many great anthems about the Big Apple, this track came to life after two Brooklyn songwriters who were missing their hometown pitched the song to Jay. A love letter of sorts to the city, and with fellow New Yorker Alicia Keys on its huge sing-along chorus, “Empire State of Mind” ended up becoming Jay’s first ever Hot 100 chart-topper as the lead artist. It also bagged him two Grammy awards.
#4: “Renegade” feat. Eminem
The Blueprint (2001)
It’s easy to say that this track belonged more to Eminem than to Jay. Not only because Slim Shady did a lot of the production, but also because many think he out rapped Jay on it – and this even led Nas to claim Em murdered Jay on his own track in “Ether.” Whatever your thoughts on the matter, there’s no denying “Renegade” is one sick number, showcasing two of today’s biggest hip hop artists. On the track, the two rap heavyweights trade verses about Jay’s problems during his childhood and Shady’s problems with the music industry.
#3: “Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)”
Vol. 2… Hard Knock Life (1998)
Though it definitely stands out for its use of a sample from the musical “Annie,” “Hard Knock Life” is also notable as the track that helped establish Jay-Z as a commercial rapper outside the United States. Charting highly in a number of European countries, it landed just shy of the number one spot in the UK and was nominated for a Grammy. In addition to its memorable East Coast hip hop flavors, the song was also cemented into pop culture when it was parodied in “Austin Powers in Goldmember.”
#2: “Dead Presidents”
Reasonable Doubt (1996)
Jay’s first ever promo single is also one of his very best. It actually came in two different versions: one released as the single and featured in the track’s music video, while the other, with a completely different set of lyrics, was released on the album and is known as “Dead Presidents II.” Years later, both versions are still considered by critics as one of the greatest hip hop songs ever made, and multiple remixes have come out from many rappers that came after Jay. Not bad at all for a track from your debut.
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
- “Brooklyn’s Finest” feat. The Notorious B.I.G.
Reasonable Doubt (1996)
- “Can I Live”
Reasonable Doubt (1996)
- “Heart of the City (Ain’t No Love)”
The Blueprint (2001)
- “Can’t Knock the Hustle” feat. Mary J. Blige
Reasonable Doubt (1996)
- “N***as in Paris” with Kanye West
Watch the Throne (2011)
#1: “99 Problems”
The Black Album (2003)
This song was the first hip hop track Rick Rubin had produced in some time, and boy, did he ever make the most of it. The hard rock beat simply blares from your speakers, and Jay-Z’s got verses and a catchy hook to match. Telling the story of Jay’s run-in with the cops in New Jersey, “99 Problems” is considered one of the greatest tracks of the 2000s, and its black-and-white music video received tons of acclaim upon its release. A Hot 100 top 40 track, it also won Jay-Z a Grammy for Best Rap Solo Performance.
Do you agree with our list? Which Jay-Z track is your all-time favorite? With entertaining top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.
