No Subliminal: The Best Rap Diss Records Of All Time

Source: L. Busacca, Jason Kirk, Peter Kramer / Getty

Rap has always been a genre of music that not only appreciates petty disagreements, but it encourages them. We’ve listed some of our favorite diss tracks of all time below. Trust me, No. 23 is one that you may not know about – but certainly don’t want to miss! Rap beef and ‘diss records‘ have been around for decades. Most of hip-hop’s highest-ranked members have almost certainly been involved in back-and-forths on wax during their careers.

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Plus, let’s be honest. Most of us love the pettiness that comes from diss songs. As listeners, they keep us on our toes. They also give fans ammunition to use in their ‘best rapper alive’ arguments. However, there’s a difference between subliminal bars and an entire verse or song specifically aimed at a certain person. This generation has gotten away from the up-frontedness of a good diss song. Subliminal bars leave the purpose of the rhyme up in the air. It allows bloggers and commenters to freely assign whatever narrative they’d like to push, without having any real incite as to whether the rapper was dissing someone – or just trying to make a dope rhyme. With all that said, there’s a civil war brewing right now, and a lot of the vitriol seems to be aimed in the direction of a light-skinned MC from Canada. It’ll be interesting to see how that plays out. For now, keep scrolling and check out our favorite rap diss records of all time!

1. Tupac – Hit Em Up

When Pac says “That’s why I f*ck*d yo b*tch you fat mothaf*cka” literally 1 second into the song – we all knew exactly who he was talking about.

2. Nas – Ether

There was no guessing here, either. The first words you hear on Ether are ‘F*ck Jay-Z’. An absolute scathing track from Nas that some consider the best rap diss of all time.

3. Ice Cube – No Vaseline

This 5-minute diss from Ice Cube aimed at his former group N.W.A. is perhaps the king of diss songs, as it was released in 1991 – a decade before Nas gave us Ether.

4. Pusha T – Story Of Adidon

Drake has owned the modern era, but Pusha T proved that Drizzy isn’t untouchable. Not only is the artwork for the track unnerving, but the bars are fierce, and were enough to make Drake bring a few of his family members to light a bit sooner than he may have wanted to.

5. Kendrick Lamar – Control (verse)

Kendrick Lamar’s verse on Control set the rap world on fire. For starters, he rapped for three straight minutes. Many forget that this is actually a Big Sean song, but K. Dot is the only reason people remember. He pays homage to rap legends before calling out 11 other rappers, including; J. Cole, Big K.R.I.T., Wale, Pusha T, Meek Mill, A$AP Rockey, Drake, Big Sean, Jay Eloctrina, Tyler, The Creator, and Mac Miller.

6. Drake – Back to Back

Speaking of Drake, his catalog isn’t just filled with songs about his exes. Many believe that he got the best of Meek Mil with his second aimed diss, although Meek drew blood with his record, as well.

7. Common – The B*tch In Yoo

Long before Common started sniping (ok – ‘dating’) some of the most well-known sisters in the culture, he was ruthless on the mic. On this song, he aimed at Ice Cube and perhaps landed the hardest punches of any rapper who took on that challenge.

8. 50 Cent – Back Down

There are actually a handful of songs we could’ve selected from 50 Cent’s ruthless brawl with Ja Rule. This one stands out because it featured on his debut album Get Rich Or Die Tryin’, which some credit as the best debut rap album of all time.

9. Meek Mill – Wanna Know

Meek Mill didn’t get the same reaction as Drake’s Back to Back. However, he’ll always be remembered as the person who exposed Drake’s ghostwriters and put the Toronto rapper in a tough spot with true hip-hop heads.

10. Notorious B.I.G. – Kick In The Door

Released after his death, Biggie Smalls was the original King Of New York. This track was aimed at other NY rappers, including Nas, Raekwon, and Ghostface Killer.

11. Boogie Down Productions – The Bridge Is Over

If you were born in the 2000s you’re about to hear a bunch of words you’ve probably never heard before. This is one of the most OG diss records ever. KRS-One took to wax to end the ‘bridge wars’ between South Bronx’s Boogie Down Productions and Queen’s Juice Crew.

12. Canibus – 2nd Round KO

LL Cool J has some fire diss records in his category, but Canibus is the one that got the TKO during the height of their beef. He was even able to feature the legendary Iron Mike Tyson on the track and in the music video. Genius.

13. Jay-Z – Super Ugly

Everyone knows that Nas won the battle with Jay, but many also remember just how nasty Jigga’s bars got on this song right here. He went so hard at Nas that legend says Jay allegedly regretted making the song altogether.

14. Eminem featuring D12 – Quitter/Hit 'Em Up Freestyle

It’s only right that Eminem is featured on this list, as he’s the only one on it who actually made a movie about battle rapping. He’s got a lot of verses to choose from, but this 2001 freestyle aimed at Dilated Peoples, Limp Bizkit, and Everlast stands out for the lyricism.

15. LL Cool J – Jack the Ripper

Years before his spat with Canibus – and decades before becoming a regular face on network television – LL Cool J went hard at several rappers. Here, he goes at Kool Moe Dee. Rumor has it that a Kangol hat had a lot to do with these two’s disdain for each other.

16. Eminem – The Sauce/Nail in the Coffin

Who can forget the Eminem vs Benzino days? Well, that wouldn’t be too hard to do since they’re back at each other’s necks. Here’s one of the original songs that kicked off their longstanding battle.

17. Jay-Z – Takeover

We couldn’t make a list like this without including Jay-Z’s diss aimed primarily at Nas, with Mobb Deep catching some heat as well. Takeover featured on one of Jay’s most acclaimed albums, The Blueprint.

18. Remy Ma – Shether

Remy Ma took over the Ether beat and played on that title for her Nicki Minaj diss. For whatever reason the line ‘When the only shot you ever took was in your buns’ always stands out.

19. Gucci Mane – Truth

While the bars may not be as heavy on this one, Gucci Mane left no stone unturned when he took aim at Jeezy in this 2012 classic.

20. Eazy E – Real Muthaphuckkin G’s

There are a bunch of songs that go back and forth between Eazy E and Dr. Dre after the later exited N.W.A. Here, Eazy goes in on Dre, reading his entire life and poking holes in multiple holes in his character.

21. Beanie Sigel – Jadakiss Diss

The beef between Beanie Sigel and Jadakiss was real, and it could be one of the more underrated beefs in the last few decades.

22. Jadakiss – Beanie Sigel Diss

Even though this beef is long dead (we think) we had to allow for the Jadakiss track aimed at Beanie Sigel to get it’s recognition as well.

23. Pusha T – McDonalds Diss

If you’ve listened to every song on this list then you probably need a reason to smile. Who could forget when Pusha T took aim at McDonald’s!? Legend says that the Golden Arches never properly paid Push and his brother Malice for their roll in coming up with the catchy “I’m Loving It” jingle.