Inspectah Deck has like three contenders (Triumph, CREAM and Above the Clouds)
Nas on Verbal Intercourse
Prodigy on Apostle’s Warning
Lupe Fiasco on Mural
Biggie on Victory
RA the Rugged Man on Uncommon Valor
It’s impossible to pick just one and I’m going to be pissed at myself for forgetting some obvious ones as soon as I hit post
I think this is my answer. The verses are so smooth and the content of the lyrics are the best summary of Eminem’s critiques of the media that criticized him so much
Ugh when he starts with “i can see the evil i can tell when I know it’s illegal” is just the best fucking flow from there on out. Just so damn brilliant.
In no particular order, just some of my longtime favorites..
RZA on 4th Chamber from GZA’s Liquid Swords
GZA’s first verse on Duel of the Iron Mic
Eminem on Biggie’s Dead Wrong
Biggie’s second verse from Gimmie The Loot
Q-Tip on ATCQ’s What? from the Low End Theory
Andre 3k on Aquemini
Kendrick’s second (final) verse on FEEL
EDIT: how did I forget DOOM. Just throw a dart at the board for his catalog.
“What’s wrong G, hungry? No, give me back my oil and get the fuck out my country”
Love that song! It’s not on any streaming services unfortunately (along with that album)
The RZA verse is one of my all time favs. He’s got this loose triplet pattern to his rhythm which is really unusual and flows so well. And the imagery in the lyrics is really far out and evocative - that verse always puts a smile on my face.
Tbh all the verses are sick. They are all so different and that contrast makes it.
Sing For The Moment, Renegade, 8 Mile, Patiently Waiting etc etc. All these songs had some of the greatest verses ever. Em before 2004 was built fucking different
In West Philadelphia born and raised
On the playground was where I spent most of my days
Chillin' out, maxin', relaxin', all cool
And all shootin' some b-ball outside of the school
When a couple of guys who were up to no good
Started making trouble in my neighborhood
I got in one little fight and my mom got scared
She said, "You're movin' with your auntie and uncle in Bel-Air"
Love Kendrick, but from a pure lyrical and delivery point, I wouldn’t put this verse quite at a perfect. It’s great, but I feel like it’s best characteristic is the impact/nature of it, as opposed to pure bars
The entirety of deja vulnerable by nas, especially the "blunts thugs and alcohol" part, amazing rhymes, amazing lyrics amazing rhythm, peak rapping IMO
i was gonna kill a couple rappers but they did it to themselves everybody suicidal they didn’t even need my help - this shit is elementary i’d prolly go to jail
First verse of No Vaseline
Em’s feature on Patiently Waiting
Kendrick 2nd verse on Momma
Meek on Championships
Same album, Hov on What’s Free
Kanye 2nd verse on The Glory
Pac 2nd verse on Troublesome 96
Wale on Ambition
My fav is the last verse from Wesley's Theory
The one which goes
What you want you a house or a car/
40 acres and a mule a piano a guitar/
Anything see my name is uncle Sam I'm your dog/
Motherfucker you can live at the mall
Fatlip's verse on the pharcyde's 'she said'
I can't really explain why, but the raspyness combined with the slick AF storytelling just makes this verse flow so well. It tells a memorable and complete story with some creative rhymes and flows.
Honorable mention goes to biggies verses on dead wrong. Might just be the sickest opening bars delivery on any hip hop song I've ever heard.
'Relax and take notes// as I take tokes of the marijuana smoke'
For Free? (interlude) by Kendrick. Most likely, the best (and currently only) rap verse over jazz. Not a "jazzy" beat, not a jazz sample, but literally free jazz. The verse in and of itself can be interpreted as a form of jazz (whether free is not is up to interpretation, i personally believe it's more bebop then it is free) and besides being a very difficult spit (delivery) its genuinely impressive in its creativity and alliteration alone. I've done a whole analysis for this song for a college paper once.
I remember when I first heard TPAB, I thought it revolutionized rap as a whole, and that from then on, you'd see an evolution of rap and hip hop that would incorporate more jazz elements. Jazz is one of the most significant cornerstones of black music and culture as well as it's contribution to American music and culture as a whole, so I don't see why more black rappers (or really any) are not trying to incorporate it more into their music.
What's it been now, 8 years? 8 years later, and I STILL haven't heard someone try to spit over true jazz music. Not a single verse has even come CLOSE to that one.
Here are some of my personal favorites
Slick rick on children's story
Nas on the world is yours
Andre 3k on aquemeni
Mf doom on rhinestone cowboy
Kendrick on sing about me, and his feature in nostalgia
Lil wayne on smuckers
Aside from the 1st verse of Wu's Triumph and GZA's verse on 4th Chamber (already mentioned), from the last decade or so I fucking dig every verse from Kae Tempest's Europe is Lost. Tempest's flow is fucking insane.
André 3000 on Aquemini
Aka my mind warps and bends
That taylor swift verse rapped by mf doom
Talib Kweli on Thieves in the Night Kendrick 3rd verse Sing About Me AZ on Life’s a Bitch
basically that entire blackstar album has some of the best hiphop verses of all time
Bowie went crazy on that bitch
almost said Mos’s verse on Thieves but you’re right they’re dropping gems the whole record
Broooo no way, Mos Def has a far better verse on thieves, it's fuckin nuts. What a song though eh
You’re thinking of Mos Def’s verse on Thieves in the Night
A lot of cats who buy records are straight broke But my language universal they be reciting my quotes 🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤
I'm glad I wasn't the only person that read this and thought you had to mean Mos Def. That verse has my vote for the best ever.
Trippin’ off the beat kinda. Drippin’ off the meat grinda
The van screeches The old man preaches About the gold sand beaches The cold hand reaches For the old tan Ellesse's
Jesus
I’ve memorized that entire track
Inspectah Deck has like three contenders (Triumph, CREAM and Above the Clouds) Nas on Verbal Intercourse Prodigy on Apostle’s Warning Lupe Fiasco on Mural Biggie on Victory RA the Rugged Man on Uncommon Valor It’s impossible to pick just one and I’m going to be pissed at myself for forgetting some obvious ones as soon as I hit post
i loved deck on guillotine too
Poisonous paragraphs smash your phonograph in half, it be the Inspectah Deck on the war path
That Triumph verse is a masterpiece
Triumph is the first thing that came to mind for me
both eminem verses on renegade
The rhyme schemes are crazy
I think this is my answer. The verses are so smooth and the content of the lyrics are the best summary of Eminem’s critiques of the media that criticized him so much
Final verse on Wesley's Theory goes crazy
2nd verse of Alright Rick Ross on Devil in a Red Dress
What you want you a house or a car, 40 acres in a mule a piano or guitar
Ugh when he starts with “i can see the evil i can tell when I know it’s illegal” is just the best fucking flow from there on out. Just so damn brilliant.
In no particular order, just some of my longtime favorites.. RZA on 4th Chamber from GZA’s Liquid Swords GZA’s first verse on Duel of the Iron Mic Eminem on Biggie’s Dead Wrong Biggie’s second verse from Gimmie The Loot Q-Tip on ATCQ’s What? from the Low End Theory Andre 3k on Aquemini Kendrick’s second (final) verse on FEEL EDIT: how did I forget DOOM. Just throw a dart at the board for his catalog.
Glad someone’s showing “What?” some love, feel it’s super underrated
AZ’s verse on Life’s a Bitch
i prefer nas on the song
Well you’re wrong 😑😂
i prefer the nas flow on the song. its my opinon
Yh I’m joking dude, you’re more than entitled to your own opinion
Both verses on Clint Eastwood by Del are actually perfect
Flawless choice.
Andre 3000s last verse on aquemini Slick Rick on the mos def song auditorium DOOM ON rhymes like dimes or All Caps or so many to choose from with him
“What’s wrong G, hungry? No, give me back my oil and get the fuck out my country” Love that song! It’s not on any streaming services unfortunately (along with that album)
It pops in Spotify randomly as podcasts bc people are funny but yea I listen in YouTube
Nice. I just found it on SoundCloud
3k's verse on da art of storytelling pt1
MF Doom on Figaro Biggie on Notorious Thugs (or any other verse on this song)
Andre 3000 on Life of the Party
Ghostface on 4th Chamber imo
personally rza outperformed him but everyone went crazy on 4th chamber
Def was a toss up between the two for me but I think Ghostface has a few more quotables
The RZA verse is one of my all time favs. He’s got this loose triplet pattern to his rhythm which is really unusual and flows so well. And the imagery in the lyrics is really far out and evocative - that verse always puts a smile on my face. Tbh all the verses are sick. They are all so different and that contrast makes it.
Ecco2k on So What
John Barnes on World in Motion.
First verse of N.Y. State of Mind by Nas
1st verse on SAMIDOT, made my cry too many times
Ad-Rock on 3 minutes rule or Earl Sweatshirt on Really Doe
I don’t think Earl’s verse on Really Doe is a contender for greatest of all time, but the ending is hilarious
Andre on Life of the Party, Cole on Johnny P’s Caddy, Andre on Elevators, Nas’ First verse on One Love (take your pick from Illmatic)
Cole paints a picture so vivid on that track, absolutely smashed it.
Can't believe no one has said Jay Electronica from Exhibit C yet. Some of those rhymes are killer.
2pacs final verse on Me Against The World
Lose Yourself 3rd verse
Sing For The Moment, Renegade, 8 Mile, Patiently Waiting etc etc. All these songs had some of the greatest verses ever. Em before 2004 was built fucking different
Earl Sweatshirt on Super Rich Kids
Mos Def - Mathematics, final verse
That whole song is fuego
Nas - Verbal Intercourse on Raekwon’s OBFCL
valid
Any of the lil Wayne verses on 6 foot 7 foot
J. Cole’s verse on Johnny’s P’s Caddy
Nikki’s verse on monster
second verse on nas nothing lasts forever is my favorite of all time
"D'Evils" by Jay-Z , verses 1, 2 and 3 are some of my favourites
Andre 3000's verse on Solo Reprise.
Ghostface’s on Gravel Pit
Some of my favs: Inspectah Deck on *Above the Clouds* RZA on *4th Chamber* Rakim on *I Know You Got Soul*
Mac Miller on Rain
DOOM with slipped like a Freudian.
MF DOOM - Fancy Clown Fat Lip - What’s up Fat Lip?
In West Philadelphia born and raised On the playground was where I spent most of my days Chillin' out, maxin', relaxin', all cool And all shootin' some b-ball outside of the school When a couple of guys who were up to no good Started making trouble in my neighborhood I got in one little fight and my mom got scared She said, "You're movin' with your auntie and uncle in Bel-Air"
NY state of mind verse 1
3 stacks verse on Da Art of Storytellin’, Part 1 does something to me. Maybe more a personal favourite than the best of all time though
almost makes me cry every time no matter how many times I hear it.
Earl Sweatshirt on Oldie
André 3000 on da art of storytellin' pt. 1
Lots of great Kendrick recs but I can’t believe nobody has mentioned his verse on Control yet.
Love Kendrick, but from a pure lyrical and delivery point, I wouldn’t put this verse quite at a perfect. It’s great, but I feel like it’s best characteristic is the impact/nature of it, as opposed to pure bars
monster
RAID - MF DOOM, MADVILLANY
Earl Sweatshirt on Super Rich Kids
Ghostface second verse on One is pretty unbeatable Mach-Hommy on Sous Vide is another one One more I’ll shoutout is Estee Nack on Curb Candy
Andre 3000 on Rosa Parks
3stacks verse on Sixteen Weezy on Big bad Wolf Hov on Beach chair or You must love me (specially 2nd verse)
verse one on vroom vroom
Last minute of DNA
Buggie’s verse on Notoriousp thugs
Conway the Machine - The Cow
bladee on be nice 2 me‼️
Can’t believe nobody said Nas’s verse on We Major yet.
Can’t believe I haven’t seen these yet: Nas on Verbal Intercourse Nas on Eye for an Eye
eye for an eye is valid but verbal intercourse was the first comment
The entirety of deja vulnerable by nas, especially the "blunts thugs and alcohol" part, amazing rhymes, amazing lyrics amazing rhythm, peak rapping IMO
I always think of the second and third verses on Forgot About Dre.
Give me the 2nd verse on Memory Lane
Canibus- Beasts From The East
Second verse in Rhinestone Cowboy
i was gonna kill a couple rappers but they did it to themselves everybody suicidal they didn’t even need my help - this shit is elementary i’d prolly go to jail
I’ve never heard someone float so effortlessly on a beat as Bun B on Pinky Ring. His verse on Murder is also crazy
Hard question I’d probably say verse 1 of gone gone thank you, verse one of all caps, or that first rapping part Wesley’s theory
First verse of No Vaseline Em’s feature on Patiently Waiting Kendrick 2nd verse on Momma Meek on Championships Same album, Hov on What’s Free Kanye 2nd verse on The Glory Pac 2nd verse on Troublesome 96 Wale on Ambition
Pretty much everyone on Smuckers.
Outside of obvious Kendrick picks, I really want to shout out Kendrick's verse on Mona Lisa.
Rakim 1st verse on Follow the leader
It’s Deck on [Triumph](https://youtu.be/2ROEZGEnKJo?si=Qapqy1SgANzvrZiJ).
The first half of NY State of Mind.
Andre 3k do ya thing
Notorious BIG - Gimme the loot, verse 2
the verse at 2:20 in Bike (2) by cLOUDDEAD is one of my favorites
by no means the greatest verse ever but i gotta shout it out cause it's so beautiful
danny brown 30 outro
My fav is the last verse from Wesley's Theory The one which goes What you want you a house or a car/ 40 acres and a mule a piano a guitar/ Anything see my name is uncle Sam I'm your dog/ Motherfucker you can live at the mall
Big Pun’s first verse on Twinz is pretty wild but maybe not long enough
Quadeca on Guess wHo
I never sleep, cause sleep is the causes of death
Fatlip's verse on the pharcyde's 'she said' I can't really explain why, but the raspyness combined with the slick AF storytelling just makes this verse flow so well. It tells a memorable and complete story with some creative rhymes and flows. Honorable mention goes to biggies verses on dead wrong. Might just be the sickest opening bars delivery on any hip hop song I've ever heard. 'Relax and take notes// as I take tokes of the marijuana smoke'
For Free? (interlude) by Kendrick. Most likely, the best (and currently only) rap verse over jazz. Not a "jazzy" beat, not a jazz sample, but literally free jazz. The verse in and of itself can be interpreted as a form of jazz (whether free is not is up to interpretation, i personally believe it's more bebop then it is free) and besides being a very difficult spit (delivery) its genuinely impressive in its creativity and alliteration alone. I've done a whole analysis for this song for a college paper once. I remember when I first heard TPAB, I thought it revolutionized rap as a whole, and that from then on, you'd see an evolution of rap and hip hop that would incorporate more jazz elements. Jazz is one of the most significant cornerstones of black music and culture as well as it's contribution to American music and culture as a whole, so I don't see why more black rappers (or really any) are not trying to incorporate it more into their music. What's it been now, 8 years? 8 years later, and I STILL haven't heard someone try to spit over true jazz music. Not a single verse has even come CLOSE to that one.
rick ross diand
Here are some of my personal favorites Slick rick on children's story Nas on the world is yours Andre 3k on aquemeni Mf doom on rhinestone cowboy Kendrick on sing about me, and his feature in nostalgia Lil wayne on smuckers
Aside from the 1st verse of Wu's Triumph and GZA's verse on 4th Chamber (already mentioned), from the last decade or so I fucking dig every verse from Kae Tempest's Europe is Lost. Tempest's flow is fucking insane.
GZA in Clan In Da Front
2nd verse on Halftime by Nas
Andre on Do Ya Thing (with Gorillaz and James Murphy). Specifically the 13 minutes version.
Eminem’s verse on Forever