“Dance with the Devil,” - Immortal Technique: One of the greatest underground rappers of all time, Immortal Technique, wrote a masterpiece when he made this song. I’m not going to spoil the ending of the song, but it is one of the darkest, disturbing, and most depressing songs that I have ever heard. I highly recommend this song. The gloomy piano loop with the boom bap drum beat is a cold, gritty backdrop to the insanely horrifying and descriptive lyrics of this song. It’s easily one of the most well-written rap songs out there. The thing about this song is that it could totally be a real thing, even though it’s fictional, as gang violence destroys communities and corrupts the moral compasses of individuals. I can’t recommend this song enough.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9xRDC8qlYU
“Even Flow,” - Pearl Jam: One of my favorite Pearl Jam songs, from arguably their best album, Ten. I love the heavy guitar riffs, and the hook is very catchy. Probably my favorite song off of Ten.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q90DPCu_-zk
“Pork and Beans,” - Weezer: A rebellious 2000s rock album from a band that I’m not the biggest fan of, because their music is incredibly inconsistent. The Blue Album, is one of the best rock albums of the 1990s, but albums such as Ratitude are a blemish on their discography. I like the chorus of this song, and the verses are well-sung.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQHPYelqr0E
“Forgot About Dre,” - Dr. Dre featuring Eminem - When Eminem and Dr. Dre collaborate whether it be both of them rapping, or Eminem rapping over a Dre produced beat, they complement each other well. Rapping wise this is easily the best Em/Dre collaboration out there. Eminem’s psychopathic lyrics combined with Dre’s annoyance with the rap game, make for a truly dynamic track.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFcv5Ma8u8k
“Pata Pata,” - Miriam Makeba: I discovered this song through the BBC drama, Call the Midwife, and I instantly liked it when I first heard it. It’s an afro-pop classic sung in the Xhosa language, by South African singer Miriam Makeba. “Pata Pata translates to “touch touch” in English and the track has been covered by multiple artists. Highly recommend it.