A revista americana Rolling Stone resolveu fazer diferente esse ano, para fechar a edição a revista apresentará quatro capas diferentes, com os 4 maiores rappers da historia, Eminem, The Notorius B.I.G., Jay-Z e Tupac. Juntamente com a capa especial a revista trará uma lista, com a severa opinião dos editores da revista, contendo as 50 melhores músicas de Hip-Hop de todos os tempos.
A lista contém apenas clássicos no cenário do Hip-Hop, músicas que marcaram a história desse gênero, e que até hoje são escultadas atenciosamente por seus ouvintes. Eminem, Tupac, Biggie, Jay-Z, Dr. Dre, Run DMC e 50 Cent aparecem na lista, com grandes canções suas.
50. Outkast – "B.O.B" // "Stankonia", (2000)
49. Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five – "Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel" // Внеальбомный сингл, (1981)
48. Marley Marl – "The Symphony' In Control" // "Volume 1", (1988)
47. Funky 4 + 1 – "That's the Joint" // Внеальбомный сингл, (1980)
46. Salt-N-Pepa – "Push It" // "Hot, Cool and Vicious", (1986)
45. Lauryn Hill – "Lost Ones" // "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill", (1998)
44. De La Soul – "Me, Myself and I" // "Feet High and Rising", (1989)
43. Audio Two – "Top Billin" // "What More Can I Say?", (1988)
42. Boogie Down Productions – "South Bronx" // "Criminal Minded", (1987)
41. 2Pac and Dr. Dre – "California Love" // Внеальбомный сингл, (1995)
40. Kurtis Blow – "The Breaks" // Внеальбомный сингл, (1980)
39. Eminem – "My Name Is" // "The Slim Shady LP", (1999)
38. Missy Elliot – "Get Ur Freak On" // "Miss E... So Addictive", (2001)
37. Ice Cube – "It Was a Good Day" // "The Predator", (1992)
36. Outkast – "Rosa Parks" // "Aquemini", (1998)
35. Mobb Deep – "Shook Ones Part II" // "The Infamous", (1995)
34. Schoolly D – "P.S.K. What Does It Mean?" // "Schoolly D", (1985)
33. Jay-Z – "99 Problems" // "The Black Album", (2004)
32. Kanye West – "Jesus Walks" // "The College Dropout", (2004)
31. Nas – "N.Y. State of Mind" // "Illmatic", (1994)
30. Notorious B.I.G. – "Hypnotize" // "Life After Death", (1997)
29. LL Cool J – "Mama Said Knock You Out" // "Mama Said Knock You Out", (1990)
28. Eminem – "Lose Yourself" // "8 Mile soundtrack", (2002)
27. Craig Mack, Rampage, the Notorious B.I.G., LL Cool J, Busta Rhymes – "Flava in Ya Ear (Remix)" // Внеальбомный сингл, (1994)
26. A Tribe Called Quest – "Scenario" // "The Low End Theory", (1992)
25. Big Daddy Kane – "Ain’t No Half Steppin" // "Long Live the Kane", (1988)
24. Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock – "It Takes Two" // "Takes Two", (1988)
23. Eric B. and Rakim – "I Know You Got Soul" // "Paid in Full", (1987)
22. EPMD – "Strictly Business" // "Strictly Business", (1988)
21. LL Cool J – "Rock the Bells" // "Radio", (1985)
20. 50 Cent – "In Da Club" // "Get Rich or Die Tryin'", (2003)
19. Beastie Boys – "Paul Revere" // "Licensed to Ill", (1986)
18. 2Pac – "Dear Mama" // "Me Against the World", (1995)
17. Run-DMC – "Peter Piper" // "Raising Hell", (1986)
16. Jay-Z feat. UGK – "Big Pimpin" // "Vol. 3... The Life and Times of S. Carter", (1999)
15. N.W.A – "Fuck tha Police" // "Straight Outta Compton", (1988)
14. Public Enemy – "Rebel Without a Pause" // "Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back", (1988)
13. Doug E. Fresh and the Get Fresh Crew – "La Di Da Di" // Внеальбомный сингл, (1985)
12. Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth – "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)" // "Mecca and the Soul Brother", (1992)
11. Wu-Tang Clan – "C.R.E.A.M." // "Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)", (1993)
10. Eric B. and Rakim – "Paid in Full" // "Paid in Full", (1987)
9. N.W.A – "Straight Outta Compton" // "Straight Outta Compton", (1988)
8. Notorious B.I.G. – "Juicy" // "Ready to Die", (1994)
7. Public Enemy – "Fight the Power" // "Fear of a Black Planet", (1990)
6. Dr. Dre feat. Snoop Doggy Dogg – "Nuthin' But a "G" Thang" // "The Chronic", (1992)
5. Geto Boys – "Mind Playing Tricks on Me" // "We Can’t Be Stopped", (1991)
4. Run-DMC – "Sucker M.C.'s" // "Run-D.M.C.", (1983)
3. Afrika Bambaataa & the Soul Sonic Force – "Planet Rock" // Внеальбомный сингл, (1982)
2. Sugarhill Gang – "Rapper's Delight" // Внеальбомный сингл, (1979)
1. Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five – "The Message" // "The Message", (1982)
