"'No Vaseline’ not in Top 5 is crazy" — Fans react to HipHopDX's list of 100 greatest diss songs of all time

Hip hop fans have reacted to HipHop DX's list of 100 greatest diss songs of all time not including Ice Cube's No Vaseline among the top 5. On May 14, writer Elliott Wilson released his pick of the top 100 diss tracks of all time, published on Hip Hop DX.

The list featured 2Pac's Hit 'Em Up, NaS's Ether and Kendrick Lamar's Not Like Us in the top three positions respectively. The fourth and fifth position were given to Drake's Back To Back and Jay Z's Takeover.

But to the surprise of many fans, the list did not feature No Vaseline by Ice Cube from his 1991 album Death Certificate among the top five tracks. Wilson ranked the song in the seventh position of the list. In the article, Wilson wrote:

"This deadly declaration of independence buried N.W.A and elevated Cube’s successful solo career."

Hip hops fans were quick to react to Wilson's list on social media, expressing their dissatisfaction about the diss track not being among the top 5. One X user, @dennis_k_g, wrote:

"‘No Vaseline’ not in Top 5 is crazy."

Several other fans shared the same sentiment. Some wanted it to be at No. 3, while others believed the track deserved to be there over Drake's Back to Back.

"B2B there, but No Vaseline is not, lol" one fan wrote.

"Number 4 can be removed to make way for “No Vaseline” in the top 5 somewhere fa sho" another fan agreed.

"No Vaseline gotta be at 3", another user said.

"What’s the criteria? I’m surprised “No Vaseline” didn’t make it in the top 5 considering what did. I really think that diss tracks that were made during the social media age should be weighted differently than diss tracks made before it." another fan said.

"Apparently he doesn't know hip hop, No Vaseline and Dollaz and Sense are the best diss tracks off all time" another used agreed.

"As a song, 1/2 of ‘Hit em’ Up’ is really, really bad. The Bitch in Yoo’ and ‘No Vaseline’ would be great additions to be in this list." one X user opined.

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What is No Vaseline by Ice Cube about?

Released October 29, 1991, No Vaseline by Ice Cube is one of the most popular diss tracks of all time. The song was released as a part of Ice Cube's 1991 album, Death Certificate. It was produced and written by Sir Jinx and Ice Cube. The UK version of the album did not include the diss track, alongside another 46-second long track Black Korea.

The diss track was directed towards Ice Cube's former musical group, NWA, which the rapper left due to reported loyalty and financial issues in 1989. The rapper mentions Cube's former band members, Eazy-E, Dr. Dre, MC Ren, DJ Yella by name in his diss track. Cube also allegedly blamed the group's manager, Jerry Heller, for causing the rift in the group in his diss track.

Ice Cube recorded the song allegedly in response to what the NWA said about him in their albums, 100 Miles and Runnin' and Ni**az4Life. He used multiple homop*obic and anti-semitic slurs in the song, directed towards his former band members and Heller. The lyrics said:

"You little maggot, Eazy E turned fa*got / With your manager, fella -- f*ckin' MC Ren, Dr. Dre, and Yella/ It's a case of divide and conquer, 'cause you let a Jew break up my crew"

Cube allegedly constantly referred to Jerry Heller as the "white Jew" in his disstrack. The lyrics said:

"Get rid of that Devil real simple / Put a bullet in his temple / 'Cause you can't be the Ni*ga 4 Life crew / With a white Jew telling you what to do / Pulling wools with your scams / Now I gotta play Silence of the Lambs."

NWA did not respond to Ice Cube's song as a unified group in their career. Shortly after Cube dropped the diss track, Dr Dre also left NWA. The group was soon broken and their members began focusing on their individual careers.

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Ice Cube called No Vaseline the 'best diss track' of all time

In an episode of the Earn Your Leisure podcast in May 2023, Ice Cube was asked to list the top five diss tracks of all time. The rapper immediately named his own song as the best track of all time, claiming "it's not even close."

Speaking of his other favorites, the rapper named Hit 'Em Up, Ether, The Bridge is Over and Let's Go. He said:

“I mean, I would go with, you know, ‘Hit ‘Em Up’ is a good one. ‘Ether’ is dope. I would go with ‘The Bridge Is Over,’ and I don’t know, I think I gotta go with ‘Let’s Go.'”

The song was listed as Track 20 in Death Certificate, and is widely considered one of the best diss tracks of all time by fans.