From André 3000 and Killer Mike’s inimitable poetic skill on “Scientists & Engineers” to a sticky track that led to some of Cardi B’s best bars ever, and more—here are the 20 best rap verses of the year.

Perhaps the most persistent question echoing through the rap landscape this year has been the perceived decline of the genre. Once hailed as the most popular musical genre in 2018, rap has witnessed fluctuations, teetering between industry dominance and subdued chart presence. Despite acknowledging the challenges, it is heartening to know that all isn’t lost. In fact, rap has experienced a vibrant and diverse year.

Following the unveiling of our top 50 albums, we have meticulously whittled our standout rap verses of 2023 down to a succinct list of 20. This carefully compiled collection offers a comprehensive panorama of rap this year, encompassing the genre’s perpetual evolution through verses from both established luminaries and emerging artists. From André 3000’s poetic finesse on “Scientists & Engineers” (even though the artist most recently said he didn’t have “anything to talk about”), to Noname’s thought-provoking lyricism on “Balloons,” to  Dave’s distinctive delivery on “UK Rap,” and J. Cole’s rap masterclass on “The Secret Recipe,” this list serves as a celebration of diverse voices and perspectives. So, to those questioning the vitality of rap, direct them to the best verses of 2023—a testament to the genre’s resilience.

20.
Benny The Butcher, “Big Dog”

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Verse: 1

Employing a looser flow than usual, Benny the Butcher used his “Big Dog” verse to get off lifestyle lessons and succinctly imaginative put-downs. In just a couple bars, he explains that sometimes, the difference between tricking and dating is just a matter of semantics that he can’t be bothered to deal with. Elsewhere, he reminds us all that the COVID-19 outbreak was actually kind of a long time ago, and his opps haven’t gotten money since then. It’s all as sly as it is emphatic—the DNA at the core of one of the East Coast’s fiercest wordsmiths. —Peter A. Berry

19.
Conway The Machine, “Kostas”

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Verse: 3

This showcase off Westside Gunn’s alleged swan song, And Then You Pray for Me gets Griselda’s three musketeers together for one last job. Conway is arguably the Porthos of the crew, so it’s with some surprise that he steals the show. He gets the closing argument and makes the most of it, besting his half-brother Gunn, and cousin Benny by finding a vicious pocket in T Beatz and Tay Keith’s sonic bed, meandering through the first half of each bar and then crushing the second with a multisyllabic punch. It’s a Raekwon-worthy performance, spitting elegant mafioso shit talk with a blend of cockiness and disdain, both broad and complex, firing a scattershot sawed off with the precision of a sniper. —Abe Beame

18. 
Billy Woods, “Gospel”

Verse: 3

Romanticized as it may be, there’s nothing wholly beautiful about war and its outcome, and billy woods knows it. With his verse on Noname’s “Gospel?” he presents the aftermath as something simultaneously glorious and desolate. Recounting what sounds like a victory parade for the Zimbabwean War of Liberation, Woods threads images of Black joy with contrasting visions of sunken trauma; warriors with “dead eyes”—child soldiers with guns that are nearly as big as they are. The celebration is supposed to be a sign of a better tomorrow, but beneath the triumphant drums and joyous cheers, Woods distills the spiritual cost of life and death conflict. —Peter A. Berry

17. 
JID, “In The Room”

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Verse: 1

It doesn’t matter if it’s a movie soundtrack, commercial spot, guest feature or otherwise, JID is going to spit, and he does just that on the Creed 3 soundtrack cut “In The Room” featuring Tierra Whack and BJ The Chicago Kid. The Dreamville rapper’s brain is just wired differently, which allows him to come up with so many interesting similes, like comparing “weed crackle like the pops on a vinyl” or when he threatens to “pull up on yo’ set likе tape decks, rewind you.” This verse further proves that even in between albums and tours, JID is always in the lab. —Jordan Rose

16.
7xvethegenius, “Won’t He Do It”

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Verse: 2

There are fleeting moments in life where everything gets quiet and your most complicated dilemmas finally come into focus. (Picture a late-night drive on the freeway where you suddenly have a moment of clarity about a major life decision.) 7xvethegenius’ guest feature on Conway the Machine’s “Won’t He Do It” is the rap equivalent of a moment like that. Before she starts rapping, the drums fall out of the beat, surrounding her vocals in a feeling of calm. As she addresses her doubters head-on, 7xvethegenius recounts her come-up from less-than-ideal circumstances, clearly stating that she’s “bound to be the queen, it’s been written.” Delivered with poise and clarity, it’s the kind of verse that’ll stop you in your tracks, even if it’s the first time you’ve ever heard her rap. Stop what you’re doing right now, go listen to this verse, and then look up all of 7xvethegenius’ other music. You won’t be disappointed. —Eric Skelton

15. Doja Cat, “Paint The Town Red”

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Verse: 2

It’s been quite a year for Doja. She leveled up again by delivering Scarlet, one of the year’s best albums. On the other hand, the album’s buildup was marked by her fighting her fans, being accused of devil worship, and calling her albums “cash grabs.” Was any of this true, or was she just trolling? The rapper cleared the air with “Paint the Town Red.”

It topped the charts, but it wasn’t some empty pop song; it was a powerful woman asserting control over her narrative. A gifted rapper who sometimes struggled to find much to rap about, Doja took the reins on the second verse with unbreakable confidence about her pop dominance, lack of features, and her looks. “Fans ain’t dumb, but extremists are,” declares Doja, a pertinent summary of her worldview—and of our world today. —Insanul Ahmed

14.
Jadakiss, “Take Em Out”

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Verse: 1

The true measure of an elite rhyme-spitter is how they’re always able to find new things to rap about. Despite being in the game for three decades, Jadakiss is still consistently finding new and unique ways to conquer a verse. Kiss’ verse on Swizz Beatz’ “Take Em Out,” featuring Benny the Butcher and Scar Lip, stands out because it demonstrates how timeless the Lox rapper’s flow is, and how he still has his ear to the streets. There’s just something so hip-hop about Jadakiss rapping about throwing “the stocking over the Pooh Shiesty.” —Jordan Rose

13.
Nas, “Office Hours”

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Verse: 1

When you’re as legendary as Nas is, you don’t have much to prove. “Office Hours” doesn’t find the Queensbridge spitter dropping multisyllabic rhymes or complex metaphors, yet it’s as vital as anything on his Magic series. His delivery has the kind of verve you’d expect from younger rappers, but he makes the kind of claims only an O.G. can: “I’m from thе hood that started the YERRR!” A bunch of Fredos could never step to a boss. —Insanul Ahmed

12. 
Dave, “UK Rap”

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Verse: 2

The opening bar of “UK Rap,” “She don’t listen to UK rap if it ain’t Dave or Cench,” is not only the perfect introduction to the dynamic duo if this is your first soirée into UK drill/hip-hop, but it also speaks perfectly to the way the Split Decision rappers have cracked the mainstream these last couple years and how the genre is viewed in the States. UK hip-hop has yet to gain the footing that other subgenres have in the U.S. Whether that’s because of America’s culture of mocking and meme-ing British culture, the irrelevance of British street culture to many Americans, or simply people’s inability to embrace a different accent, is a discussion for another time, but Dave and Central Cee are bridging the gap. You can flip a coin between the two of them for best verse on this song and not come away with a wrong answer. For the sake of balance (Central Cee may or may not be later on this list), and acknowledgement that Dave has the slightly more memorable display of wordplay, we’ll take Dave on this one. Dave’s descriptive and extremely specific flexes, paired with his ominous delivery over the classic beat, complement each other perfectly. Give us more in 2024, please. —Stefan Breskin

11.
Gunna, “bread & butter”

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Verse: 2

Gunna can find the perfect pocket of any beat, but he typically has nothing to rap about besides dimes, drugs, and drip. The latter is not true of “Bread and Butter.” He rides the beat as always, but he finally has something compelling to rap about as he contextualizes his decisions in the sprawling YSL RICO case that ensnared his life. “Lawyers and the D.A. did some sneaky shit/I fell for it,” he raps, months after being dubbed a “snitch” by the hip-hop community. Whether you buy his narrative is up to the listener, but hearing one side of the most gripping story in hip-hop right now makes for a fascinating listen. —Insanul Ahmed

10.
Latto, “Smoking On My Ex Pack Freestyle”

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Verse: 1

Latto has had a tremendous year of music releases including charting songs like “Put It On Da Floor Again” and “Seven.” Though the rapper has demonstrated her star power in commercial standing, her true brilliance this year has shone even brighter in her rap freestyles. In January, Big Latto released her first of many, impressing audiences with “Smoking on My Ex Pack Freestyle.” Over Jay Versace’s soulful production, the ATL spitter flexes her lyrical finesse. Her assertive tone navigates the remnants of a past relationship, while also boasting about her most enduring qualities. “Smoking on my ex/Shitting on his bitch/Thinking ‘bout my sex/All this water on my wrist/Got ’em thinking I switched/Nah, Big Energy just hit,” she spits. The freestyle not only showcases her growth as a rapper but also highlights her versatility, proving that she can be the radio pop star and the MC. —Jessica McKinney

9.
Central Cee, “Sprinter”

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Verse: 3

Central Cee’s second verse on “Sprinter” is a master class for slick talk. For the track, he skates around a frenetic beat and anything close to true intimacy, using some quippy one-liners to make his point: “Give me my space, I’m intergalactic/Before I give you my Insta’ password, I’ll give you the pin to my Amex.” It’s fuckboy energy, but it’s all playful enough that he doesn’t come off as trying too hard to be toxic. It’s a blunt verse coated in a playboy’s mix of charm, finesse, and dismissal. —Peter A. Berry

8. Lil Wayne, “Brand New”

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Verse: 2

Lil Wayne emerged on the scene nearly 20 years ago, and yet that same insatiable hunger that earned him both respect from his peers and fans as well as the right to call himself the “best rapper alive” is still present in his verses released today. There are a handful of exceptional Lil Wayne verses out there, especially in the last three years or so, but his appearance on “Brand New,” his collaboration with Tyga and YG, stands out boldly. Lil Wayne’s verse on “Brand New” is a lyrical “tour de force” showcasing his unparalleled, clever wordplay. “Yeah, brand-new money, brand-new hundreds/Got a bunch of zeros like a bag of new Funyuns,” he spits, making even wordsmiths like Eminem gawk in amazement. Tunechi’s flow is also a masterclass in being in sync with the beat while also offering his own distinctive cadence. “Brand New” is yet another testament to Weezy’s enduring power in the game. —Jessica McKinney

7.
Karrahbooo, On The Radar Freestyle (The Concrete Cypher)

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Verse: N/A

Usually when a rap song goes viral on social media, it’s just the chorus or a specific bar; rarely ever is it the entire verse. Enter: Karrahbooo, the Atlanta rap newcomer and Concrete girl who owned the Concrete Boys’ “On the Radar” Freestyle cypher. Despite rhyming alongside heavyweights like Lil Yachty, Karrahbooo still manages to steal the show with her Midwest-inspired flow and infectious bars. Her verse barely clocks in a minute long, but even in that short amount of time she’s able to illustrate exactly what she’s about in such an infectious way that it’s taken social media by storm. “I was selling lemonade while y’all would double dutch/I used to scam, I used to trap, I never cuddled much,” she raps with ease. You don’t even have to be a rap fan to know Karrahbooo’s “On the Radar” freestyle, a testament to truly electric verse. It’s us. —Jordan Rose

6.Killer Mike, “Scientists & Engineers”

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Verse: 3

This track from Mike’s Michael made headlines because it was a family reunion that featured André 3000, pairing the old mentor with his mentee, and Future, Rico Wade’s little cousin. The result feels more like three good, disparate parts than something that coheres into a “song,” and the host’s section is the strongest. Over skeletal production, he tap dances in double time, packing multi-syllabic internal rhymes, coming in like Mariano Rivera to close even though he’s pitching nearly half the game. Mike has his peerless cutter going, relaxed but spitting with a dexterity it takes 10,000 hours to achieve. It’s a lyrical showcase, little substance but reveling in the pleasure of an expert rapper displaying his pen and delivery. Mike goes full Keyser Söze when he says, “I am a menace that’s movin’ on vengeance/I promise my opp that my anger is endless/It ain’t enough that I took out my opp and his block/We burned down his whole fuckin’ village/Did it with smile, not a grimace.” By the time he finally drops his mic, you’ll be smiling as well. —Abe Beame

5.Tyler, The Creator, “Sorry Not Sorry”

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Verse: 1

Some rap verses stand out because they’re well-written, full of witty entendres and poetic observations. Other verses are great because of their delivery, recited with passion and hunger. Tyler, The Creator’s “Sorry Not Sorry” verse is the best of both worlds. Over a ’70s soul sample (“He Made You Mine” by Brighter Side of Darkness), Tyler pulls off a clever concept—running through a list of apologies, both sarcastic and sincere—as he peels back layers of his own psyche. For the first three-quarters of the verse, he plays it cool, nonchalantly running through each apology (and non-apology) until he gets to the 2:30 mark. Then the drums speed up and Tyler allows his own pent-up emotion to spill into the verse, rapping about misconceptions (and accomplishments) until he’s full-on yelling over the beat. Heart on his sleeve, he lets his voice run ragged, gasping to the finish line with an all-important final two words: “fuck ’em.” Amen. —Eric Skelton

4.Noname, “balloons”

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Verse: 2

“Why everybody love a good sad song, a dark album?” Noname ponders on “Balloons,” a song drenched in critical thinking about the ecosystem that rap lives in and the part she plays in it. The Chicago rapper has always been suspicious of who is consuming her music and the motives behind it, but the second verse on “Balloons” says the quiet part out loud, asking why Black trauma elicits the most cheers from her white concertgoers. What makes this verse special is that it takes that criticism a step further by refocusing the questioning inward by the end, with Noname asking herself if she, too, is “just another artist selling trauma to her fan base.” Is that aching that she feels in the pit of her mouth when the crowd croons through Black death just a temporary sore, or a deeper cavity that needs to be purged from rap music altogether? —Jordan Rose 

3.Cardi B, “Put It On Da Floor Again”

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Verse: 2

Over the last few years, Cardi B has tickled our fancy with elite guest verses as we await her sophomore album. Staying true to her true girl’s girl and supreme spitter nature, Cardi elevates the already cheeky standout “Put It On Da Floor” with quick and slick references to everything from Britney Spears to Denim Tears as well as an effortless delivery of hard bars that came as subs like “What they got on me? Bodies and a couple years” while twerking on her man. “These hoes don’t do enough, that’s why I always do the most,” she says at some point, and this verse, as well as its delivery in video form, prove just that. Often, feature verses—even, and sometimes especially, the costly and precious sort—feel unfinished and unmotivated with a rushed, slurred, or basic coat that’s there for the look of having the name on the track but holds little to no weight. In feature verses past and perhaps most strongly here, Cardi proves she’s putting it all on the floor every time. —Ecleen Luzmila Caraballo

2.André 3000, “Scientists & Engineers”

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Verse: 1

André 3000 doesn’t do guest verses often, but when he does, it’s usually incredible. The latest example is his turn on Killer Mike’s “Scientists & Engineers,” a colorful exhibition for wordplay and air-tight rhyming. Here, he splits words and syllables into unpredictable halves and fluctuating flows, creating complex rhyme schemes that only materialize at the last possible second: “A stamina stampede of happily happenings, dabblin’ into oblivion, neon, beyond the ambience.” With alliteration, symbolism, and rare rap agility, 3 Stacks simply does it again. —Peter A. Berry

1.J. Cole, “The Secret Recipe”

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Verse: 2

The most interesting thing about J. Cole’s consistent domination of features over the last few years is that they all sound intentional yet effortless, and his verse on Lil Yachty’s “The Secret Recipe” epitomizes this. He bars up on the song, no question, but he does it without searching for exaggerated metaphors or outlandish references. Cole just sounds like he’s talking to you, but still manages to slip in crazy bars like “My greatest flex is that I made a Milli/Feel like I’m Bangladesh.” The power in this verse also lies in how self-aware it is. “He FaceTimed and asked for a feature, and saw the face of death/I’m on your song, your streams going up/Not quite the Drake effect,” he raps, giving himself props but hilariously still managing to stay humble through his flexes. This level of lyrical discipline—maintaining the same tail rhyme through the entire verse, finding a narrative pocket while still jumping between topics—is a feat that only the seasoned spitters can accomplish. And most of them can’t even do it like this. That’s why the track is footnoted by “the greatest yet.” —Jordan Rose