Behind the Rhymes

Behind the Rhymes, a newsletter by Beats, Rhymes & Lists, is your go-to for cherry-picked hip hop profiles that are just too fly to miss. Every issue serves up deep dives into the world's most intriguing hip hop names - interviews, backstage access, raw, personal narratives.

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Featured Posts

👑 Ranking the Best Rap Albums of 2023

From NBA Youngboy’s I Rest My Case to Lloyd Banks’ The Course of the Inevitable III and Killer Mike ‘s Michael, we rank the best hip hop albums of 2023 (so far).

Beats, Rhymes & Lists

👑 Behind the Rhymes: Billy Woods, Lil Wayne, Larry June, DJ Drama and more

Welcome back to yet another round of Behind the Rhymes, where we make sure you're always up-to-date with the most compelling hip hop stories making waves online.

Beats, Rhymes & Lists

🎧🔥 Ranking the Top 150 Best ’90s Rap Songs

From Wu-Tang’s timeless hustler anthem “C.R.E.A.M.” to 2Pac’s call-to-arms on “Ambitionz az a Ridah” and Big’s rags-to-riches story on “Juicy,” we rank the top 150 best ’90s rap songs.

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Archive

The Top 100 Best Rap Debut Albums of All Time

From Ice Cube’s searing solo debut AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted to Nas’s gritty masterpiece Illmatic, we rank the top 100 best rap debut albums of all time.

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The Top 100 Best New York Rappers of All Time

From Nas, Jay-Z, Raekwon and Biggie, to Rakim, Big Daddy Kane, Kool G Rap and Slick Rick, here are the top 100 best New York rappers of all time.

Beats, Rhymes & Lists

The Top 25 Greatest Rap Songs about Moms

From Nas’ heartfelt”Dance,” to Ghostface Killah’s moving “All That I Got Is You,” and 2Pac’s timeless “Dear Mama,” here are the top 25 greatest rap songs about moms.

Beats, Rhymes & Lists

The Top 25 Greatest SoundCloud Rappers of All Time

From Lil Uzi Vert, Denzel Curry and XXXTentacion to Lil Peep, Trippie Redd, and Ski Mask The Slump God, here are the top 25 greatest SoundCloud rappers of all time.

Beats, Rhymes & Lists

The Top 100 Best Rap Albums of the 2010s

From Kendrick Lamar’s brilliant To Pimp a Butterfly to Drake’s confrontational If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late, here are the top 100 best rap albums of the 2010s.

Beats, Rhymes & Lists

What's Next for Beats, Rhymes & Lists? You Decide!

Beats, Rhymes & Lists wants your take: favorite '90s producer? Kendrick's best track? Share your hip-hop thoughts and influence our next features.

Beats, Rhymes & Lists

Ranking the 11 Rappers From Kendrick Lamar’s “Control” Verse, 10 Years Later

From Big Sean, A$AP Rocky, and Meek Mill, to Drake, J. Cole and Big K.R.I.T., we rank the 11 rappers mentioned on the “Control” verse, a decade on.

Beats, Rhymes & Lists

The Top 30 Best Independent Rappers of All Time

From E-40 selling tapes out the car trunk to Chance the Rapper’s Grammy-nominated success, here are the top 30 best independent rappers of all time.

Beats, Rhymes & Lists

The Top 50 Best ’90s Rappers

From West Coast legends like Ice Cube and Snoop Dogg to New York lyricists Nas and Biggie and Down South icons OutKast and Juvenile, here are the top 50 best ’90s rappers.

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The Top 100 Best ’90s Rap Albums

From the bohemian boom-bap of A Tribe Called Quest’s Midnight Marauders to the Bomb Squad-backed rage of Ice Cube’s AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted, here are the top 100 best ’90s rap albums.

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The Top 75 Best Lyricists in the Rap Game Right Now: 2023

From Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, and JID to Nas, Black Thought, and Lupe Fiasco, here are the top 75 best lyricists in the rap game today.

Beats, Rhymes & Lists

The Top 25 Best Mixtape Rappers of All Time

From Lil Wayne, Gucci Mane, Meek Mill and 50 Cent, to Young Thug, Future, Curren$y and Jadakiss, here are the top 25 best mixtape rappers of all time.

Beats, Rhymes & Lists