No. 1 “The Message” by Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five
Written by Duke Bootee and Melle Mel, this is hip-hop’s definitive single. Reflecting the fear, anger and hopelessness of the ghetto through a series of stories about prostitutes, addicts and violence, the Furious Five helped hip-hop break free of its early, party-dominated persona and introduced topicality to the genre. And it has one of the greatest beats of all time.
