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Hip-hop music had a massive run in 2024, thriving after artists released multiple singles that broke into Billboard's Hot 100 charts, redefining the global music soundscape.
From the intense week of back-to-back d3iss tracks released during the height of Kendrick Lamar and Drake's beef to hot singles from rappers like Tyler, the Creator, Travis Scott, and Future, the rap community remained highly engaged throughout the year.
Back in April, XXL did a report that covered the supposed resurgence of rap music, after 2023 saw hardly any chart-topping singles or albums. Tunji Balogun, Chairman and CEO of Def Jam Recordings, spoke on the current state of the rap industry, saying:
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"I definitely wouldn’t look at it like hip-hop is falling off. Audiences are fragmenting and the artists are not only competing against other artists, they’re competing against the news cycle, and what’s on Netflix this week, and which celebrity did something really ridiculous this week. It’s all kind of intertwined.”
Ranking 15 hip-hop singles that dominated charts in 2024
Looking back, the hip-hop soundscape has been highly entertaining for the past 12 months, from witnessing the 2024 rap beef unfold to artists like Eminem and delivering singles that have gone exceedingly viral across social media.
Kendrick Lamar returned to the rap scene with an extremely aggressive feature performance on Metro Boomin and Future's first collaborative album, We Don't Trust You, before eventually dropping one of the biggest singles of the year, Not Like Us.
Below is our ranking of 20 hip-hop singles that dominated charts and made it onto some of the biggest streaming playlists this year.
Disclaimer: This feature is rated explicit. Reader discretion is advised.
15) BAND4BAND (Lil Baby x Central Cee)
Lil Baby and Central Cee teamed up for BAND4BAND, an extremely entertaining hip-hop record that generated millions of viral interactions over the song's catchy hook and upbeat trap production credited to Ghana Beats and Geenaro.
The collaborative hip-hop record was distributed to all major DSPs on May 23, 2024, debuting at No.22 on Billboard Hot 100, and generating over 300 million streams on Spotify since its release.
"We can go band for band / Fu*k that, we can go M for M / Quarter mil' for the Maybach truck / Double R with the factory rims / I got the 90, the Urus, the Virgil, the Brabus, I'm really a threat / It's got to the point that I don't even care / I got jewels in the safe that I don't even wear," BAND4BAND's hook.
14) Get It Sexy (Sexyy Red)
After a massive 2023, following the debut of her sophomore mixtape, Hood Hottest Princess, Sexyy Red dominated Billboard charts this year during the build-up to her third career mixtape In Sexyy We Trust.
On March 15, 2024, Sexyy Red released a hard-hitting trap banger titled Get It Sexy, marking the second-highest charting single for her career after debuting at No.23 and peaking at No.20 on Billboard Hot 100.
"Slim thick, caramel skin / 5'5", this b*tch a ten (Yeah) / Hair done, bills paid / Catch me slidin' in a Benz (Vyoom) / I ain't lookin' for no man / Ain't recruitin' no new friends / Louis bag filled with bands / Go on, Sexyy, do your dance / Get it, Sexyy (Uh, uh), get it, Sexyy (Uh, uh) / Get it, Sexyy (Uh, uh), get it, Sexyy (Uh, uh)," Sexyy Red raps on 'Get It Sexy'.
13) Mamushi (Megan Thee Stallion x Yuki Chiba)
Another viral record for the year was Megan Thee Stallion's collaboration with Japanese rapper Yuki Chiba titled Mamushi.
While the song was released as part of the official tracklist for her self-titled third studio album, Mamushi gained popularity following a dance trend going viral over Megan's hook. Since its release, the hip-hop single has generated over 200 million streams on Spotify.
"I gеt money, I'm a star, star, star / Star, star, star, star / I get money, I'm a star, star, star / Star, star, star, star," Megan Thee Stallion's hook on 'Mamushi'.
12) ATTITUDE (Don Toliver x Charlie Wilson x Cash Cobain)
Don Toliver's collaboration with legendary singer-songwriter Charlie Wilson and 2024 XXL Freshman Cash Cobain titled ATTITUDE gave hip-hop fans one of the most entertaining drill-trap records for the year.
The single was included on Don's fourth studio album, Hardstone Psycho, and went on to debut at No.96 on Billboard Hot 100, giving Cash his first entry on the publication's popular music charts.
"Orange soda in my lean, I'm Baby Keem / Ring cost a quarter key / It's five percent when she ride with me (Oh, oh-oh) / It's like Tia, Tamera, can't even compare 'em / N***a, don't play with the Stones, you play, I dare ya," Don Toliver and Charlie Wilson on 'ATTITUDE'.
11) Type Sh*t (Future x Metro Boomin x Travis Scott x Playboi Carti)
While hip-hop continued to dominate charts, polarizing audiences with trap-infused albums, Metro Boomin and Future's We Dont Trust You album delivered some of the biggest singles for the year.
The Atlanta duo's infectious collaboration with Travis Scott and Playboi Carti didn't just enter multiple playlist rotations, following its release in March, but also contributed to one of the most popular Gen-Z slang for the year.
"I don't hang with rats, that's some new type sh*t / Get a n***a whacked on the news type sh*t / Sippin' drank and Actavis on some Screw type sh*t / Just a sad ho runnin' through the crew type sh*t / I got a bad b***h at home, voodoo type sh*t / Take down Meg Thee Stallions by the group type sh*t," Future's hook on 'Type Sh*t'.
10) Million Dollar Baby (Tommy Richman)
Virginia native Tommy Richman's breakout single Million Dollar Baby, released as the lead single for his debut studio album Coyote, easily made its way to the top of Billboard and DSP charts for its unique blend of hip-hop, funk, and R&B.
Contributing to its virality was the accompanying viral dance trends, that resulted in Million Dollar Baby holding the No.1 spot on TikTok Billboard's Top 50 for a total of 10 weeks following its release on April 26, 2024.
"I ain't never rep a set, baby (Tsk, tsk) / I ain't do no wrong / I could clean up good for you / Oh, I know right from wrong / 'Cause I wanna make it so badly / I'm a million-dollar baby, don't at me / Yeah, oh, hell no (Yeah, yeah)," Tommy Richman's hook on 'Million Dollar Baby'.
9) Big Dawgs (Hanumankind)
Social media users have likely heard the opening verse to Hanumankind's stand-alone hip-hop single Big Dawgs, with a trap-infused production credited to frequent collaborator Kalmi.
Marking the duo's first Billboard Hot 100 entry, the hip-hop record peaked at No.9 on Billboard's Global 200 charts. The song immediately caught the attention of global audiences for its visually stunning music video, directed by Bijoy Shetty.
The viral attention resulted in popular streamers like iShowSpeed sharing praise for Big Dawgs on-stream, seemingly surprised at the impressive cadence Hanumankind displayed on the record.
"Yeah, swervin', movin' to the money like it's urgent / Hands on guy, so I'm in it like a surgeon / The skin colour like the bourbon / A worldwide sign that we face closed curtains / Out here, yo, nothin' ever certain / Only thing that's promised is that promises are broken / So we findin' ways to cope then / Only thing I'm breaking is her back with the motions," Hanumankind raps on 'Big Dawgs'.
8) Plutoski (Future)
After delivering two chart-topping albums with Metro Boomin, Future went No.1 for a third time this year with the release of his seventeenth mixtape titled MIXTAPE PLUTO. The rapper performs 17 full-length tracks, all which which broke into Billboard's Hot 100 charts.
Debuting at No.29 on the chart was a hip-hop record titled Plutoski, which immediately caught the attention of the Atlanta rapper's fanbase for Future's signature "mumble-esque flow" and melodic trap production, credited to Southside and Wheezy.
"Chop off the doors again (Ski) / Chop all the doors off the hinges (Plutoski) / Whip up the bowl again (Ski) / Trappin' out loads (Plutoski) / Sippin' on dope again (Ski) / I'm back in that mode (Plutoski) / Told all the dogs, "Work the other one" (Ski) / We got another one (Plutoski)," Future raps on 'Plutoski'.
7) Houdini (Eminem)
After teasing the project earlier this year, Eminem dropped his 12th studio album, The Death Of Slim Shady, on July 12, 2024. Marking his 11th No.1 on Billboard 200, Em's latest project was deemed one of the largest hip-hop album debuts for the year, at the time, selling over 200,000 album-equivalent units in its first week.
In building anticipation for the album, Eminem dropped the lead single titled Houdini, which set the stage for themes he intended to explore on The Death Of Slim Shady.
The record primarily revolves around Eminem battling his alter-ego, Slim Shady, who seemingly time travels from the early 2000s to the present day, with Houdini's accompanying music video showcasing the chaos that ensues throughout the city of Detroit.
"Now back in the days of old me (when?) / Right around the time I became a dope fiend (oh) / Ate some codeine as a way of coping (mm) / Taste of opiates, case of O.E. / Turned me into smiley face emoji (woo) / My sh*t may not be age-appropriate / But I will hit an eight-year-old in the face with a participation trophy," Eminem raps on 'Houdini'.
6) Carnival (Kanye West x Ty Dolla $ign x Playboi Carti x Rich The Kid)
While Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign's Vultures 2 wasn't received well, the duo's first collaboration album, Vultures 1, delivered some of the biggest hip-hop hits earlier in the year.
Included on Vultures 1 was a collaboration with Playboi Carti and Rich The Kid titled Carnival, whose anthemic chants were credited to the Inter Milan Ultra fans. The record was extremely successful, holding the No.1 spot on Billboard's Hot 100 for four weeks, marking Ye's first chart-topping single since 2011.
"This that Game of Thrones, Yeezy, not the clones / Elon, where my rocket ship? It's time to go home / They served us the po*n since the day we was born / Anybody pissed off, gotta make 'em drink the urine / Now I'm Ye-Kelly, bit*h, now I'm Bill Cosby, bit*h / Now, I'm Puff Daddy rich, that's Me Too me rich," Kanye West raps on 'Carnival'.
5) NOID (Tyler, The Creator)
Tyler, The Creator's rollout for his eighth studio album, Chromakopia, was one of the most talked about events in hip-hop this year. The rapper rolled out the project in a single week, teasing fans with visuals and trailers, before drawing them deeper into the project by unveiling his lead single titled NOID.
The record dropped alongside a music video featuring Tyler as his new alter ego, St. Chroma, dealing with a constant state of paranoia. The lyricism on this track delves deeper into how fame and success affect one's mental health, as seen in lines like:
"No cameras out, please, I wanna eat in peace (Paranoid) / Don't wanna take pictures with you n****s or b***hes / Nervous system is shook, way before nineteen (Paranoid, yeah) / LA'll do that to you, where you from, n***a? Who ya? / Satellites (Satellite), screenshots (Noid) / Paparazzi (Noid), NDAs (Noid) / Privacy? Huh, yeah, right, I got a better shot in the NBA"
4) Like That (Metro Boomin x Future x Kendrick Lamar)
Another hit record off of Metro Boomin and Future's chart-topping We Don't Trust You album was their electric hip-hop collaboration with Kendrick Lamar titled Like That.
Featuring one of the hardest trap productions for the year, Like That shot to the top of Billboard's Hot 100 charts. The record went on to generate massive attention online over Kendrick's aggressive featured performance, which many believe was the catalyst for what would become the 2024 rap beef.
"Fu*k sneak dissin', first-person shooter, I hope they came with three switches / I crash out like, "Fu*k rap," diss Melle Mel if I had to / Got 2TEEZ with me, I'm snatchin' chains and burnin' tattoos, it's up / Lost too many soldiers not to play it safe / If he walk around with that stick, it ain't André 3K / Think I won't drop the location? I still got PTSD / Motherfu*k the big three, n***a, it's just big me," Kendrick Lamar raps on 'Like That'.
3) Family Matters (Drake)
At the height of the Kendrick Lamar vs Drake rap beef, after receiving two highly aggressive diss tracks from K-Dot, Euphoria and 6:16 in LA, the OVO CEO clapped back with a 7-minute diss track titled Family Matters.
The record, released on May 3, 2024, seemingly refutes claims and alleged rumors stemming from bars of Kendrick's diss tracks, while also taking shots at multiple other hip-hop artists like A$AP Rocky, The Weeknd, Rick Ross, Future, and Metro Boomin.
His final verse solely focuses attention on Kendrick Lamar, downplaying the Compton native's career, while also delivering multiple bars that suggest him of being an abusive partner to his fianceé Whitney Alford.
Drake keeps listeners entertained throughout the record, with lyrics that address K-Dot's supposed infidelity to an accompanying music video where he destroys a Dodge van, similar to the one used in the cover art for Kendrick's Grammy-winning sophomore studio album good kid, m.A.A.d city.
"Kendrick just opened his mouth, someone go hand him a Grammy right now / Where is your uncle at? 'Cause I wanna talk to the man of the house / West Coast n****s do fades, right? Come get this a** whoopin', I'm handin' 'em out / You wanna take up for Pharrell? Then come get his legacy out of my house / A cease and desist is for ho*s, can't listen to lies that come out of your mouth," Drake raps on 'Family Matters'.
2) Timeless (The Weeknd x Playboi Carti)
In building anticipation for his final studio album, Hurry Up Tomorrow, The Weeknd released his second lead single as a collaboration with Playboi Carti titled Timeless, fueled by a spacy production headed by Pharrell Williams and Mike Dean.
The track went viral across social media platforms, with fans praising the up-tempo collaboration, resulting in the record peaking at No.3 on Billboard's Hot 100 charts as well as topping over seven other Billboard music charts.
"Ever since I was a kid, I been legit (Jit, ooh, nah) / If I was you, I would cut up my wrist (Dumb bit') / XO tatted all over her body, yeah (Yeah) / She just wanna roll and I don't mind it, yeah / Ever since I was a jit, I been legit (Ooh, nah, uh) / You should let her go, she wanna be it (Oh, yeah) / Double-O tatted on her body, yeah / It don't matter what they say, I'm timeless, yeah," The Weeknd's hook on 'Timeless'.
1) Not Like Us (Kendrick Lamar)
Easily one of the biggest records released this year was the final diss track from Kendrick Lamar, released during the 2024 rap beef, titled Not Like Us, fueled by its high-energy West Coast production credited to DJ Mustard.
Filled with memorable bars and highly aggressive disses targetting Drake and his OVO entourage, Not Like Us rose to the top of Billboard's Hot 100 chart and retained the No.1 spot for a total of two non-consecutive weeks.
Over three months after the record was released, in May, Kendrick uploaded the official music video which also acted as the teaser for his chart-topping sixth studio album GNX, which dropped last month.
Generating close to a Billion streams on Spotify, Kendrick's Not Like Us was praised for "bringing the West together," creating a record that transcended rap beef. The song has also been nominated five times at the upcoming 67th Annual Grammy Awards.
"They tell me Chubbs the only one that get your hand-me-downs / And Party at the party playin' with his nose now / And Baka got a weird case, why is he around? / Certified Lover Boy? Certified pedophiles / Wop, wop, wop, wop, wop, Dot, fu*k 'em up / Wop, wop, wop, wop, wop, I'ma do my stuff / Why you trollin' like a bit*h? Ain't you tired? / Tryna strike a chord and it's probably A minor," Kendrick Lamar raps on 'Not Like Us'.
Other notable tracks for the year include Lil Yachty and Chief Keef's January collaboration Say Ya Grace, Playboi Carti's first solo single in four years ALL RED, and GloRilla's hard-hitting trap banger TGIF.
