1998 - Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles
A snapshot of 1998’s most popular single releases, borrowing the top 40 list from the rap nerd’s bible that is Ego Trip‘s Book of Rap Lists. As we mentioned in connection with the 1997 list, as we enter the late 90s, the content of these release lists starts to deviate fairly dramatically from the personal tastes of the Classic Material curators (as is evidenced by the fact that very few of the records listed here appear on our 1998 mixtape):
1. Jay-Z: “Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)” (Roc-a-Fella)
2. Noreaga: “Superthug” (Penalty)
3. Big Punisher featuring Joe: “Still Not a Player” (Loud)
4. DMX: “Ruff Ryders’ Anthem” (Def Jam)
5. Outkast: “Rosa Parks” (LaFace)
6. DMX featuring Sheek: “Get at Me Dog” (Def Jam)
7. Silkk the Shocker featuring Mystikal: “It Ain’t My Fault” (No Limit)
8. Jay-Z featuring Amil & Ja Rule: “Can I Get a…” (Roc-a-Fella)
9. Jermaine Dupri featuring Jay-Z: “Money Ain’t a Thing” (So So Def)
10. Juvenile: “Ha” (Cash Money)
11. Master P featuring Fiend, Silkk the Shocker, Mia X and Mystikal: “Make ‘em Say Unngh!”(No Limit)
12. Redman: “I’ll Bee Dat!” (Def Jam)
13. Lauryn Hill: “Doo Wop (That Thing)”/“Lost Ones” (Ruffhouse)
14. Noreaga: “N.O.R.E.” (Penalty)
15. Pete Rock featuring Inspectah Deck & Kurupt: “Tru Master” (Loud)
16. Busta Rhymes: “Dangerous” (Elektra)
17. Def Squad: “Full Cooperation” (Def Jam)
18. Canibus: “Second Round K.O.” (Universal)
19. Jayo Felony featuring Method Man & DMX: “Whatcha Gonna Do” (Def Jam)
20. Puff Daddy: “Victory”/“Been Around the World (Remix)” (Bad Boy)
21. E-40: “Hope I Don’t Go Back” (Sick wid It)
22. Big L: “Ebonics” (Fat Beats)
23. Xzibit: “What U See is What u Get” (Loud)
24. Mystikal: “The Man Right Chea” (No Limit)
25. Snoop Doggy Dogg: “Still a G Thang” (No Limit)
26. Cam’ron: “357”/ “Pull It” (Untertainment)
27. Goodie Mob: “They Don’t Dance No Mo” (LaFace)
28. Cam’ron featuring Mase: “Horse & Carriage” (Untertainment)
29. Flipmode Squad: “Cha Cha Cha” (Elektra)
30. Dilated Peoples: “Work the Angles”/“The Main Event”/“Triple Optics”(ABB)
31. Missin’ Linx: “M.I.A.” (Fat Beats)
32. A Tribe Called Quest: “Find a Way” (Jive)
33. Mase featuring Total: “What You Want” (Bad Boy)
34. Kurupt featuring Baby S: “We Can Freak It” (A&M)
35. 2Pac: “Do for Love” (Interscope)
36. Gangsta Boo featuring DJ Paul & Juicy J: “Where Dem Dollas At” (Relativity)
37. Timbaland featuring Magoo & Missy Elliott: “Here We Come” (Atlantic)
38. All City: “The Actual”/“Priceless” (MCA)
39. Sporty Thievz: “Cheapskate” (Ruffhouse)
40. Lootpack: “The Anthem”/“Lost Art”/“Likwit Fusion” (Stones Throw)