Hip Hop is deeply rooted in storytelling, and this list runs down the 11 best story telling songs in hip hop.

The best story tellers are able to wrap you into their words, without you even realizing that everything rhymes and the beat is insane.

The list is scattered with the usual suspects, plus a couple of surprises for some.

The one thing that is most obvious from this list, is that there aren't any really recent songs on the list.  That speaks to the state that Hip Hop is in today.  Most artists are having a hard time putting together complete sentences, where ever word is understandable.

Please don't write this list off as a damnation of the current state of hip hop though, because eventually the art of being storytelling will dominate the landscape again.

In the meantime, check out the 11 best storytelling songs in hip hop, and weigh in with your opinion.

  • 11

    Jimmy Iovine

    Macklemore

    Macklemore walks you through the real story of how he was nearly signed to a major label early in his career. Shortly after The Heist was released, Macklemore told a story about meeting Jimmy Iovine after song was released. He simply said that he was glad Jimmy didn't kill him.

  • 10

    Last Call

    Kanye West

    This is the Kanye that nobody could ever say they didn't like.  Much different from the fashion designer, visionary, Kanye that we have now.  Kanye runs through his rise from obscurity to being an "I am".  One of the things that makes this track so special are the cameos from the people that are actually involved in the story, including Jay Z, and even his mom.

  • 9

    Love Is Blind

    Eve

    Eve has always been one of the most underrated female MC's in rap, but 'Love Is Blind' is too good to ignore.  This is a song that tells a story that stands the test of time.  Women today identify with it as well as when it was first released in 1999.

  • 8

    The Reminisce Over You

    Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth

    Everyone from the highest Hip Hop scholar to a Desiigner fan, knows the iconic horn from Reminisce.  The beat is so smooth that it's easy to roll passed the amazing story being told in the lyrics.  Being raised by a single mom, to fatherly advice from a not so fatherly dad.  Reminisce is full of life lessons for kids and parents.

  • 7

    You Got Me

    The Roots ft Erykah Badu & Eve

    Anyone that's been in a real relationship can identify with this song from jump.  The song won a Grammy, and I still feel like it's never been recognized as the true classic that it is.

  • 6

    Paul Revere

    Beastie Boys

    The song literally starts with, "Now here's a little story, I got to tell . . ." I dare you to find one person over the age of 30 who doesn't know this song by heart. The unique bass line combined with the individual styles of the Beastie Boys, makes this a no brainer.

  • 5

    I Left My Wallet In El Segundo

    A Tribe Called Quest

    Let me kick off the Top 5 storytelling hip hop songs by saying that any one of these could be number 1.  Tribe tells a perfect story, from beginning to end.  We've all driven our mom's car when we weren't supposed to.  We have all driven without having any idea where we were going.  But, we haven't all made it all the way to El Segundo.

  • 4

    It Was A Good Day

    Ice Cube

    "Even saw the lights of the Goodyear blimp, and it read Ice Cube's A Pimp!"  Nothing I can write here will match the lyrical mastery that Ice Cube put into this song.  This was the best track on the 'Lethal Injection' album, and that's saying a lot.

  • 3

    I Got A Story To Tell

    Notorious B.I.G.

    Biggie's 'I Got A Story To Tell' has turned into one of hip hop's most iconic songs, and mysteries.  People debated who the mystery Knick was for years, and that was assuming that the story was even true.  The validity of the story was confirmed, but it would take years for the Knick to be identified.  Fat Joe recently confirmed that the story was about Anthony Mason, but Mason still hasn't commented on anything like that.

  • 2

    Stan

    Eminem

    Eminem has about five songs that could make this list, but none are as unique as 'Stan.'  In fact, most people will be angry that this isn't number 1.  Using the two characters, Em draws you into a story so deeply, that most people thought he was writing about actual events when it was first released.  The song has reached legendary status in all hip hop circles, and is just another example of Em's lyrical prowess.

  • 1

    Kick, Push

    Lupe Fiasco

    I point out this song to more people than any other song in existence.  It's the perfect metaphor for life, and it's broken down to skateboarding.  A sport that most of us will never do successfully, but somehow Lupe uses it to draw listeners into a love story.  Admittedly, most people will disagree with this as the best storytelling song in hip hop, but I honestly don't care.  'Kick, Push' is the peak of music in my opinion.

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