# I Need To Know The Greatest Rap/Hip Hop Beat Ever **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 28, 2002, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-know-the-greatest-rap-hip-hop-beat-ever/125886 "2002-08-28T03:11:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![surfersean22](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc8723/32.png) [@surfersean22](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/surfersean22)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2002, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-know-the-greatest-rap-hip-hop-beat-ever/125886/1 "2002-08-28T03:11:13Z")
I Think It May be Super Brooklyn by Cocoa Brovaz ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2002, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-know-the-greatest-rap-hip-hop-beat-ever/125886/2 "2002-08-28T03:19:13Z")
Duuuuude. Welcome to the Boards! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Gaudere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e495f1/32.png) [@Gaudere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gaudere)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2002, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-know-the-greatest-rap-hip-hop-beat-ever/125886/3 "2002-08-28T03:21:02Z")
[Moderator Hat ON] Moving to Cafe Society. [Moderator Hat OFF] ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2002, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-know-the-greatest-rap-hip-hop-beat-ever/125886/4 "2002-08-28T03:46:31Z")
Gangster’s Paradise. I know, it’s really Stevie Wonder but my god, that song has a hook that could land a blue whale, it’s so fat. Cartooniverse Welcome to The Boards, too !! ---
**Author:** ![DMC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dmc/32/18049_2.png) [@DMC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMC)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2002, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-know-the-greatest-rap-hip-hop-beat-ever/125886/5 "2002-08-28T04:48:53Z")
I’m both old and old school, so: The Haunted House of Rock - Whodini White Lines - Grandmaster Flash Planet Rock - Afrika Bambaataa and Soul Sonic Force It was a Good Day - Ice Cube (for those mellow rap fans) Men in Black - Will Smith (I think I only like this one since it’s actually just rap on top of Patrice Rushen’s “Forget Me Nots”) Joy and Pain - Rob Base (once again, helped greatly by the original, Frankie Beverly and Maze version). I’ll also second Cartooniverse’s choice and throw in Snoop Dogg’s “Nothin’ but a G-thang.” But, the best rap beat I’ve ever heard are by a white British lady who doesn’t consider her work rap at all. It’s music, and she’s talking, not singing, so too bad. 🙂 That is [Anne Clark](http://www.anneclark.com/)’s “Sleeper in Metropolis.” ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2002, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-know-the-greatest-rap-hip-hop-beat-ever/125886/6 "2002-08-28T06:42:57Z")
Dr. Dre is **widely** considered the best rap producer of all time and one of the best music producers of all-time period. At least a few of his beats would have to be on any kind of list. Timbaland also makes some pretty amazing beats. ---
**Author:** ![New\_Improved\_Scott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f17d59/32.png) [@New\_Improved\_Scott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/New_Improved_Scott)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2002, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-know-the-greatest-rap-hip-hop-beat-ever/125886/7 "2002-08-28T06:43:24Z")
Woo Ha (I got you all in check) - Busta Rhymes Bedtime Story - Slick Rick Let your Backbone Slide - Maestro Fresh Wes Root Down - Beastie Boys Go download them if you haven’t heard them. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2002, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-know-the-greatest-rap-hip-hop-beat-ever/125886/8 "2002-08-28T06:52:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Cartooniverse \* > \*\*Gangster’s Paradise. I know, it’s really Stevie Wonder but my god, that song has a hook that could land a blue whale, it’s so fat. \*\* Um, isn’t it Kenny Rogers? ---
**Author:** ![zen101](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c68b51/32.png) [@zen101](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zen101)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2002, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-know-the-greatest-rap-hip-hop-beat-ever/125886/9 "2002-08-28T11:00:43Z")
New And Improved nailed it. Root Down is it without a doubt. ---
**Author:** ![longjohn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@longjohn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/longjohn)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2002, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-know-the-greatest-rap-hip-hop-beat-ever/125886/10 "2002-08-28T13:43:23Z")
None of the above is a beat. They are all songs. There is however an easy answer. The greatest hip-hop beat ever is the sample from “Give the Drummer Some” by James Brown, as used by Public Enemy, and then just about everybody else. I don’t think there can really be any argument. Honorable mentions go to “Lyrical Gangbang” by Dr. Dre, which sampled “when the levee breaks” by Led Zep and anything based on a P-Funk break, so basically the entire Digital Underground / Redman back catalogue plus a large amount of Snoop dog, Dr Dre, Ice Cube, etc. ---
**Author:** ![gex\_gex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/94ad74/32.png) [@gex\_gex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gex_gex)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2002, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-know-the-greatest-rap-hip-hop-beat-ever/125886/11 "2002-08-28T14:05:28Z")
> [@](#): > > Honorable mentions go to “Lyrical Gangbang” by Dr. Dre, which sampled “when the levee breaks” Didn’t the Beastie Boys and/or Rick Rubin do this first (on _Licensed to Ill_’s “Rhymin and Stealin”, released in 1986)? It is a pretty cool beat though. How about Run-DMc’s beat in _Walk This Way_? Not the best, but it’s a solid contender. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2002, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-know-the-greatest-rap-hip-hop-beat-ever/125886/12 "2002-08-28T14:30:44Z")
Bow wow wow yippie yo yippie ye - Snoop Doggs in the muthafuckin houuuuse ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2002, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-know-the-greatest-rap-hip-hop-beat-ever/125886/13 "2002-08-28T14:43:09Z")
I’d have to say Digable Planet’s _Rebirth of Slick_ or Pharcyde’s _Passing Me By_. ---
**Author:** ![dalovindj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/65b543/32.png) [@dalovindj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalovindj)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2002, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-know-the-greatest-rap-hip-hop-beat-ever/125886/14 "2002-08-28T15:10:31Z")
Schooly-Mother-Fuckin’ D (later sampled by Biggie on “Life after Death” - 'B is for the bitches. . . '). People always ask me what the hell does that mean . . . DaLovin’ Dj ---
**Author:** ![Spit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/76d3ee/32.png) [@Spit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spit)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2002, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-know-the-greatest-rap-hip-hop-beat-ever/125886/15 "2002-08-28T15:23:35Z")
Not being a huge fan of rap, I can say that “Gin & Juice” by Snoop Dogg, and “Can I Get A…?” by Jay-Z caught my attention. Of course “California Love” Tupac was smooth too. However, as someone pointed out, 2 of my 3 choices are produced by Dr. Dre, so I suppose you would look at his beats, and go from there. ---
**Author:** ![davidw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c4cdca/32.png) [@davidw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidw)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2002, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-know-the-greatest-rap-hip-hop-beat-ever/125886/16 "2002-08-28T17:20:50Z")
EPMD “So what you sayin” Public Enemy “Rebel without a pause” Run DMC “King of rock” Eric B and Rakim “Know the Ledge” Gangstarr “Take it personal” Jeru “Come Clean” Whodini “Funky Beat” ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2002, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-know-the-greatest-rap-hip-hop-beat-ever/125886/17 "2002-08-28T19:18:27Z")
How about James Brown’s “Funky drummer”, because thats where half the beats in Hip-Hop originally were derived from. ---
**Author:** ![wikkidpis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f05b48/32.png) [@wikkidpis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wikkidpis)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2002, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-know-the-greatest-rap-hip-hop-beat-ever/125886/18 "2002-08-28T21:55:42Z")
“Funky Drummer” is indeed the best beat. I think that’s what longjohn was referring to with that “give the drummer some” remark. The best song? “Cold Lampin” by P.E. ---
**Author:** ![Ich\_Bin\_s](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Ich\_Bin\_s](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ich_Bin_s)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2002, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-know-the-greatest-rap-hip-hop-beat-ever/125886/19 "2002-08-28T22:09:57Z")
I think longjohn and World Eater have nailed it. Jack Dangers of Meat Beat Manifesto conjures up some amazing drum loops that always leave me scratching my head. How about the best beat that I’ve never heard sampled? Steve Gadd in “Fifty Ways to Leave Your Lover”. Good lord, tell me someone’s used that, it’s just…just…SICK! (Throws sticks in the air, runs away) ---
**Author:** ![im2evil4u](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b5ac83/32.png) [@im2evil4u](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/im2evil4u)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2002, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-know-the-greatest-rap-hip-hop-beat-ever/125886/20 "2002-08-29T03:03:44Z")
The Best RAP/HIP HOP beat? Beastie Boys - So Whatcha Want arrrgggghhhh awesome!!! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-know-the-greatest-rap-hip-hop-beat-ever/125886.md?page=2)