Kool G Rap has one of the best discographies in Hip-Hop.
The Queens rap legend has more than 35 years of heat; from his early Juice Crew bangers, to his Mafioso rap classics from the mid-90s; to brilliantly conceptual work from the early 2000s, and a present-day resurgence as one of the game’s most reliable scene stealers. With DJ Polo, he helped cement Cold Chillin’ as a powerhouse label of its era; and after that acrimonious ending, G Rap went to one of the most storied indie careers in music.
He’s delivered masterworks like Wanted: Dead Or Alive and Roots Of Evil, always maintaining that distinctively dexterous wordplay and knack for dark, street-themed story telling. His influence can be heard in virtually every East Coast street rap artist that has followed in his wake; from Nas to Mobb Deep to Benny The Butcher. More than anyone, he’s the father of Mafioso rap and “street hop” of the most unflinching variety. We picked 25 of his dopest songs to give a crash course on his Kool Genius.
