Hip-Hop has been a driving force in music and culture for the past five decades, continuously evolving and pushing boundaries. As we celebrate 50 years of this influential genre, it’s essential to recognize the iconic verses and bars that have shaped hip-hop in recent years.
Numerous artists such as Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, Kendrick Lamar, and more have delivered unforgettable lines that have left a lasting impact on the rap scene. SOHH, here are the top iconic verses defining the eras between 2010 – 2020.
“Monster” by Kanye West ft. Jay-Z, Rick Ross, Nicki Minaj, & Bon Iver (2010)
“Pull up in the monster, automobile gangsta, with a bad b**** that came from Sri Lanka.”
Nicki Minaj’s verse on this track ignited a new era for women in rap, showcasing her lyrical prowess and solidifying her influence in the genre. – Yasmine Duhé
“6 Foot 7 Foot” by Lil Wayne (2011)
“Real Gs move in silence like lasagna.”
Lil Wayne’s clever wordplay and metaphors, especially in this verse, demonstrated his skill as a lyricist and his ability to captivate listeners with his unique style. – Yasmine Duhé
“m.A.A.d. city” by Kendrick Lamar (2011)
“This is not a rap on how I’m slingin’ crack or move cocaine / This is cul-de-sac and plenty Cognac and major pain.”
Kendrick Lamar’s verse in “m.A.A.d city,” showcased his storytelling ability, addressing the realities of his upbringing and introducing him as a powerful voice in West Coast Hip-Hop. – Yasmine Duhé
“Dreams and Nightmares” by Meek Mill (2012)
“Hold up, wait a minute, ya’ll thought I was finished? When I bought that Aston Martin, ya’ll thought it was rented.”
Meek Mill’s verse in this song became a staple at parties, especially at HBCU parties which resonated with audiences and created an anthem that brought people together. – Yasmine Duhé
“Stay Schemin’” by Rick Ross ft. Drake & French Montana (2012)
“Tell Lucian I said ‘f*** it,’ I’m tearin’ holes in my budget.”
Drake’s verse in “Stay Schemin’” solidified his rise to stardom and birthed the persona we now know as Champagne Papi. – Yasmine Duhé
“Shabba” by A$AP Ferg ft. A$AP Rocky (2013)
“Short n*gga but my dick tall, what I told your b*tch, dog.”
A$AP Ferg’s verse in “Shabba” became a fan favorite, displaying his confident and energetic delivery that resonated with listeners. – Yasmine Duhé
“Versace (Remix)” by Migos ft. Drake (2013)
“Versace, Versace, Medusa head on me like I’m Illuminati.”
Migos were still together, and they came in hot! Drake made the infamous “Versace” flow that lasted for a couple of years. – Kynedei Hobbs
“IDFWU” By Big Sean (2014)
“Little stupid ass b*tch, I ain’t f*cking with you.”
Big Sean’s catchy and straightforward line in “IDFWU” became an anthem for many. – Catherine Dallum
“Back to Back” By Drake (2015)
“This ain’t what she meant when she told you to open up more.”
Truth be told, he stabbed Meek with every line. – Steven Samuel
“Chicago Zoo” By Chief Keef (2015)
“Say hello to my little friend, he gone reply what it do / I got lions, tigers, bears, jaguars, panthers, sheeps, and goose / Hyenas and monkeys, monkey nuts up on my tool / I got giraffes and elephants, you know what’s in my room.”
You can never go wrong with a good Chief Keef song. All of his hits are bangers! I can honestly say that. – Kynedei Hobbs
“Father Stretch My Hands” By Kanye West (2016)
“Now if I f*** this model / And she just bleached her asshole / And I get bleach on my T-shirt / I’mma feel like an asshole.”
This track undoubtedly remains the most iconic song off of the album. – Yasmine Duhé
My favorite song on the whole album and this song was only 1 verse. – Serena Carter
“Black Beatles” By Rae Sremmurd ft Gucci Mane (2016)
“That girl is a real crowd pleaser / Small world, all her friends know me / Young bull livin’ like an old geezer / Release the cash, watch it fall slowly / Frat girls still tryna get even / Haters mad for whatever reason / Smoke in the air, binge drinkin’ / They lose it when the DJ drops the needle.”
This song was my Jam back in 2016, Rae Sremmurd was hot! – Catherine Dallum
“That Part” By ScHoolboy Q ft Kanye West (2016)
“Beggars can’t be choosers, b*tch, this ain’t Chipotle / N*gga with an attitude, I feel like O’Shea / Walkin’, livin’ legend, man, I feel like Kobe (Kobe) / I just left the strip club, got some glitter on me/Wifey gonna kill me, she the female OJ / Y’all don’t feel me, man, this ain’t okay / Four Seasons, take a shower, new clothes, I’m reloaded.”
No shade to ScHoolBoy, but Kanye kinda washed him on his own song. – Serena Carter
“The Story of O.J.” by Jay-Z (2017)
“Financial freedom my only hope, f*ck livin’ rich and dyin’ broke.”
I played the 444 album from front to back, this remains one of my favorite songs off of the album. – Yasmine Duhé
“No Limit” by G-Eazy ft Cardi B & A$AP Rocky (Cardi B’s Verse) (2018)
“My career takin’ off /These hoes jogging in place / Swear these h*es run they mouth / How these h*es out of shape?”
As the only female artist featured on “No Limit,” Cardi B carried her own. – Yasmine Duhé
“Freak Nasty” by Megan Thee Stallion (2018)
“I’m running through yo n*gga house / Like the Tomb Raider/ You got a pass around n*gga/ He a hot potato.”
This remains one of my top favorite songs from Megan. This was the start of an era for her. – Yasmine Duhé
“Mo Bamba” By Sheck Wes (2018)
“Oh! F*ck! Sh*t! B*tch!/Young Sheck Wes and I’m getting really rich (ching-ching)/See how I caught it ’cause I’m really with the shits (bang-bang)/See me in the streets and I be really with a (cling, cling), with a/Bad b*tch (b*tch), n*ggas straight rocking (rock)/N*ggas straight see me, when they see me, they be coppin’ (what?)/I’m the best drug dealer, n*gga, come and cop it (got it)/Young Sheck Wes, I’m like the f*ckin’ Green Goblin”
Now this song got me turnt EVERY time! – Catherine Dallum
“Baby” by Lil Baby ft Da Baby (DaBaby’s Verse) (2019)
“Huh? Baby probably still got them ‘bows / I tell my b**** I’m faithful, but I still got the h*es / Baby gettin’ jiggy, on stage with the Glizzy / Baby CEO, he shake the game like he Diddy / You would think it’s Mardi Gras, I got these b*****s showin’ titties / And I ain’t throwin’ beads, I pull them b*****s weaves”
“BABY” by Lil Baby ft Da Baby is quite memorable. I played it all throughout my freshman year of college. – Yasmine Duhé
“Big Ole Freak” by Megan Thee Stallion (2019) Album: Tina Snow
“Ain’t nobody freak like me/Give ya what you need like me/Ain’t nobody got on they tip, tip toes and rode to the tip like me/I got ’em addicted, he fiendin’/My body a drug and he need it/He begging me for the treatment/He throw a fit when I leave ’em
One of my favorite jams that I still blast in my car on my way out w/ the girls!” – Nicole Bartley
WAP by Cardi B ft Megan Thee Stallion (Megan’s Verse) (2020)
“Gobble me, swallow me, drip down the side of me (yeah)/Quick, jump out ‘fore you let it get inside of me (yeah)/I tell him where to put it, never tell him where I’m ’bout to be/I run down on him ‘fore I have a n*gga running me.”
I will never forget when WAP was released, along with the music video. Meg and Cardi delivered! – Yasmine Duhé