Best Rap Songs of the '00s, Vol. 1

Led by OGs like Jigga, Nas, and Snoop Dogg, rap music emerged from beyond genre walls to become a true mainstream force in the aughts. The game was irrevocably changed with classic cuts that infused rap with heavy doses of pop, opening the door for then-upstarts like Kanye West, 50 Cent, and Lil Wayne to carry the torch on their own journeys towards greatness.