It’s been a good year for artistes across genres in the world, and as the year comes to an end, let’s take a look at some of the top hip-hop songs of the year 2023, as identified by Spotify.
1. Fukumean – Gunna
Released on July 11, 2023, this song by American rapper Gunna comes from his fourth studio album, (A Gift & a Curse. It was written together with producers Flo and Dunk Rock.
Its official video is quite explicit, but it has had about 20 million views since its release five months ago. The track has received gold and platinum certifications in many countries and ended the year at No.1 on Billboard‘s Hot RnB/Hip-Hop Songs in the US.
With this record, it is not surprising that Spotify has also rated the track highly.
2. All My Life – Lil Dark, J. Cole
All My Life is the lead single from Lil Dark’s eighth studio album, Almost Healed, released on May 12, 2023.
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It has received a nomination for Best Melodic Rap Performance at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards. Like other well-recognised hip-hop records, the song has been certified in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Switzerland. It peaked at No. 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 this year.
3. Paint The Town Red – Doja Cat
Released on August 4, 2023, this tune is described as a hip-hop track with jazz influences. It appeared on charts in 19 countries, including Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
It’s also said to have broken several streaming records on Spotify, making it the first solo female rap song to top the platform’s US Top 50 daily chart.
Paint The Town Red also has several accolades, including a nomination for Best Pop Solo Performance at the 2024 Grammys. The song was performed for the first time by Doja Cat at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards.
4. Sprinter – Dave, Central Cee
Released in March 2023, this song has recorded several commercial successes. It reached number one in Australia after selling 13,000 units in its first week.
The song again debuted at number five on the Canadian Hot 100 on June 17, 2023. On the Billboard Global 200 Chart, the track climbed to number 98.
5. First-person shooter – Drake, J Cole
This is a record off Drake’s eighth studio album, For All the Dogs. Aside from the recognition on Spotify, it debuted at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming Drake’s thirteenth and Cole’s first number-one song to reach the spot.
It came with a coveted picture that mimics football legends Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo playing chess and received good patronage outside the United States.