64 Best Rap Diss Tracks Of All Time

“The Bridge Is Over” by Boogie Down Productions

Song Year: 1987

Boodie Down released this track to target Juice Crew, another NYC rap crew they had beef with. Most of the lyrics in the song have to do with defending their territory and stating that their area of the city and NYC crew are harder and better than Juice Crew. They prop up Manhattan and the Bronx but diss Brooklyn and Queens.

“Checkmate” by Jadakiss

Song Year: 2005

This diss track aims directly at 50 Cent and seemed like a long-time coming because 50 Cent had been releasing diss tracks left and right against his rivals. The track is one of the first responses to 50 Cent’s intense disses, finally knocking the confident rapper down a peg. Following this, many rappers released 50 Cent diss tracks, but none were as cold and impactful as Jadakiss’.

“Back Down” by 50 Cent

Song Year: 2003

Likely 50 Cent’s most famous and shocking diss track, Back Down aims at Ja Rule at the height of his fame. The song is extremely aggressive, with 50 Cent even threatening his family and friends. This rapper’s approach to diss tracks is an all-in mentality, so he holds nothing back and no topic is off-limits.

“Drop a Gem on Em” by Mobb Deep

Song Year: 1996

Mobb Deep dropped this track in response to 2Pac, and it’s a brutal one. The song was released just a few weeks before Pac’s murder and says some pretty awful things about him, making claims that he was raped on Rikers Isaldn when he was in prison and other nasty things. It’s a scathing track that never received a response and was eventually pulled off the radio by Mobb Deep as a sign of respect following Pac’s death.

“F*ck wit Dre Day (And Everybody’s Celebratin’)” by Dr. Dre ft. Snoop Doggy Dogg

Song Year: 1993

This song goes at Eazy-E, Tim Dog, and Luke Skyywalker and is one of the less nasty diss tracks, making solid points against the targets and maintaining a somewhat cool-as-a-cucumber tone that in many ways is more impactful than aggression and hostility. Many lines allude to a lack of loyalty and how the crews used to be allies.

“300 Bars & Runnin’” by The Game

Song Year: 2005

Produced by DJ Skee and aimed at G-Unit, this diss track is clever and scathing. It comes after The Game and G-Unit broke their truce with one another, reigniting their feud for a second time. While 50 Cent and his crew dropped some impressive diss tracks against the Interscope Crew, many consider this song the best one to come out of the feud.

“Stay Schemin” by Rich Ross ft. Drake, French Montana

Song Year: 2012

This diss track aims at Common and came out toward the beginning of Drake’s massive success. French Montana and Rick Ross drop some great lines about how their crew is different and better than all the other rap crews in the game. However, Drake’s aggressive verse takes the cake, showing the other rappers that he’s not some soft kid from Toronto.

“Exodus 23:1” by Pusha T ft. The-Dream

Song Year: 2012

Pusha-T and The-Dream aimed Birdman, Drake, and Lil Wayne in this diss track. It was a bold move for Pusha-T to essentially take on Young Money and OVO all by himself, but with this solid diss track, no one can say he missed. He samples B.I.G.’s “What’s Beef” adding to the intensity of the diss and roping in old crews.

“Calling Out Names” by Kurupt

Song Year: 1969

Kurupt and FredWrekc aimed at some of the biggest rappers in the game, targeting DMX, Ja Rule, Irv Gotti, Foxy Brown, and 50 Cent all on one track. Many thought the song was reigniting the beef between West Coast and East Coast rappers, but he specifically calls out some NYC rappers he’s cool with, honing in on his true targets.

“2nd Round K.O.” by Canibus

Song Year: 1998

Canibus aimed this diss track at LL Cool J, a rapper who, for the most part, stayed out of the feuds and beef between crews. The lyrics call out LL Cool J for being one of the softer and more commercial rappers, using his body and abs to sell records. Canibus also accuses LL Cool J of being the worst rapper, saying he has no skills and the only fans he has are women.

“L.A., L.A.” by Capone-N-Noreaga ft. Mobb Deep & Tragedy Khadafi

Song Year: 1996

Mobb Deep shoots back at the Dogg Pound with this diss track that accuses them of being commercial rappers who don’t understand the true grind. The lyrics call Mobb Deep rappers out for not being real thugs or criminals who understand how hard the streets can be, saying the rappers are only halfway thugs and could never handle the thug life.

“Lost Ones” by Lauryn Hill

Song Year: 1998

Lauryn Hill released this diss track aimed at Wyclef Jean following the end of their relationship. The song came out after the Fugees split up and there was a lot of beef among them. Lauryn Hill released this song to clear the air and say her piece about the feud, and the track went on to win a Grammy, adding insult to injury for Wyclef Jean.

“To Da Break of Dawn” by LL Cool J

Song Year: 1990

Likely LL Cool J’s hardest and most famous diss track aims at Ice-T, Kool Moe Dee, and MC Hammer. LL Cool J took a hiatus before returning to the game with this track, so he had a lot to say in this one song, bashing all three rappers and topping the charts with this vicious diss track.