Best Hip Hop Songs Of 2024... So Far

The ceaseless influx of music in a web-based climate has made it tough to keep up with the latest releases. Furthermore, browsing through tracklists and singles on a regular basis tends to get exhausting and time consuming. Taking that into account, HipHopDX is devoted to ensuring that the process of keeping things interesting so far as Hip Hop is concerned never becomes tedious.

With artists churning out material non-stop, it’s important to have the freshest cuts set aside from the rest. For those who aren’t particularly fond of going through entire albums to find joints that resonate with them, our picks for best Hip Hop songs of 2024 is the alternative that makes the most sense.

Big Sean – “Precision”

Big Sean has been inactive over the past few years for the most part; so “Precision” feels like a fitting return to Hip Hop for the Detroit native. He’s only released music in collaboration with his peers since Detroit 2 dropped in 2020, but a hard-hitting solo effort like this has perked up his fans. The 36-year-old MC is often left out of conversations about the most dominant spitters of his generation, and he has once again proven that he’s still that guy with arguably one of the best Hip Hop songs of 2024.

Future & Metro Boomin (Feat. Kendrick Lamar) – “Like That”

“Like That” immediately began making headlines upon its release due to a surprise feature from Kendrick Lamar. On the track, the former TDE rapper takes a number of shots at Drake and J. Cole, and even directly references “the Big 3” (a term commonly used to reference modern Hip Hop’s primary stakeholders), claiming he’s the only one atop the rap chain. Even though this is a Future and Metro Boomin song, K.Dot pretty much takes full control of it from the moment he steps in.

Mac Miller – “The Quest”

In his brief yet impassioned time on Earth, Mac Miller accomplished more than the average creative. His family and estate have thankfully handled his legacy with a great deal of care, treating his fanbase to tidbits of his memory even in his absence. Recorded as part of the Watching Movies With the Sound Off  sessions in 2013, “The Quest” was initially released as a vinyl exclusive for the album’s 10-year anniversary in 2023 and is now available across streaming platforms. In what turned out to be a full circle moment, the Pittsburg native sampled Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind soundtrack song “Phone Call” by Jon Brion, who worked on the late rapper and producer’s last two albums years later.

Rapsody – “Stand Tall”

Rapsody seems to have caught wind of all the chatter about her appearance and demeanor, and she’s addressed the hearsay about her sexuality on new track “Stand Tall.” Acknowledging how ridiculous it is, she spits: “So I ain’t got no answers/ You can believe what you choose.”

Ray Vaughn (Feat. Pusha T) – “Problems”

Another percussion-less rap gem, “Problems” brings Ray Vaughn and Pusha T’s endless skillsets to the forefront. This joint is centered on bars and lyricism, which isn’t to take away from the production — Rayo and WizzleGotBeats play their parts to perfection, allowing the voices on the project to steer it.

ScHoolboy Q – “Blueslides”

When ScHoolboy Q revealed the tracklist for Blue Lips, the title “Blueslides” immediately caught people’s attention given that his late friend Mac Miller named his debut album Blue Slide Park. Sure enough, the track features a heartfelt lesson derived from the Pittsburg rapper’s untimely passing in 2018 that’s bound to leave some listeners clogged up.

Cam’ron & Swizz Beatz – “Last Stop”

Released as part of a KITH fashion campaign, Cam’ron and Swizz Beatz joined forces on the first release from the fashion brand’s new record label. According to a press statement, the joint effort “serves as the soundtrack to KITH Spring 2024, which features Cam’ron as the face of this season’s campaign.” A trademark Swizz chop, Killa rides the instrumental with a calm flair that epitomizes NYC rap, easily making it one of the best Hip Hop songs of the year.

Blu & Roy Royal – “The Royal”

Los Angeles to its core, this crossover features two of the most underrated technicians in Hip Hop representing their city to the max. Taken from the joint EP Royal Blu, the track puts Blu’s lyrical prowess on full display over a hard-hitting beat by Roy Royal; add to that the Dodgers-themed video and there’s no question about LA’s place in the culture.

Logic – “Fear”

On the first offering from his long-anticipated Ultra 85 album, Logic turns up the energy with an upbeat dance instrumental, over which he spits at lightning-fast pace. Furthermore, the accompanying music video for the disco-influenced track features a number of drag queens readying themselves and rehearsing before they are shown in full costume, enhancing his lyrics about identity, shedding fear and judgement of others.

Machine Gun Kelly – “don’t let me go”

In his pivot back to rap, Machine Gun Kelly opens up on “don’t let me go” about the complex workings of his mind by elaborating on his vulnerabilities and weaknesses. In doing so, he addresses his emotional instability, childhood trauma, suicidal tendencies and substance abuse as well as succumbing to trust issues from being ignored despite publicly crying for help. Regardless of the concerning admissions throughout the song, it ends on an optimistic note as he asks fans and listeners to give him space to recover.

aroomfullofmirrors (Feat. Roberto Horns) – “50 First Dates”

Handpicked by Top Dawg Entertainment’s Terrence “Punch” Henderson to be a part of the aroomfullofmirrors collective, Roberto Horns is not only glowing with potential but he’s also walking the walk. “50 First Dates” is just one of many examples that showcase his flow, charm and creativity, giving listeners every reason to believe there’s more to follow.

Don Toliver – “Bandit”

Something like Travis Scott meets Black Sabbath, Don Toliver’s latest offering is outrageous for all the right reasons. With rock making a comeback through Hip Hop, “Bandit” serves as the perfect specimen of this fusion while demonstrating that nothing is off limits in music anymore.

Lil Nas X — “J CHRIST”

Being as openly gay as Lil Nas X goes against the longstanding machismo of traditional Hip Hop; add to that his newfound fascination with Christianity and the controversy surrounding him is guaranteed to persist for a while. Still, he has managed to retain his artistry through all the noise and ensured that the music always takes precedence over the shock factor of his mere presence in the entertainment space, and “J CHRIST” confirms that.

Kid Cudi (Feat. XXXTentacion) — “X & CUD”

Kid Cudi has countless dream collaborations under his belt at this point, but the posthumous track with XXXTentacion on his most recent album is arguably one of his finest. Both artists have a reputation for cultivating profound connections with their fans, and this crossover has doubled the glow that made them such beloved figures in the first place.

Benny The Butcher – “BRON”

Produced by Hit-Boy, “BRON” exhibits the California beatmaker’s knack for eloquent instrumentation in mechanical form. Add to that the conviction with which Benny The Butcher delivers his lines and it’s impossible not to fantasize about a Tiny Desk band rendition of the track (you heard it here first).

Eminem – “Doomsday Pt. 2”

All it took was a few bars for the Eminem to reignite his 20-plus year beef with Benzino. He immediately became the center of attention when Lyrical Lemonade’s All Is Yellow went live because it’s practically impossible to ignore what he has to say about his long-time rival’s appearance.

Paul Russell — “Say Cheese”

A great example of the good TikTok has done for the music business, Paul Russell emerged from online virality and created a brand all on his own. Furthermore, the rapper and singer is proof that pop can still retain the essence of Hip Hop — “Say Cheese” makes that very clear.

Erick The Architect (Feat. WESTSIDE BOOGIE) — “Instincts”

Known best for cooking beats and rapping on them as a member of the Flatbush Zombies, Erick The Architect is the last member of the group to drop a solo project. Teaming up with WESTSIDE BOOGIE on the fourth single from his debut LP, I’ve Never Been Here Before, the Brooklyn native takes on a wise and tranquil temperament that speaks to his experience.

Conway The Machine — “Give & Give”

Forever on his A-game, Conway The Machine has teamed up with Cool & Dre on the luxurious “Give & Give.” Be sure to check out the music video for a bonus track halfway through that, from the sound of it, was produced by fellow Griselda trooper, Conducer Williams.

HipHopDX’s search for the best Hip Hop songs of 2024 involves recurring alterations and upgrades. Join us in curating this living, breathing shortlist and hop in the comments section to let us know if we missed anything.

Be sure to also check out our other shortlists for updates at the end of the month:

The Best Hip Hop Albums of 2024
The Best R&B Albums of 2024
The Best R&B Songs of 2024