BEST RAP SONG
“Attention” DOJA CAT
Songwriters: Rogét Chahayed,
Amala Zandile Dlamini, Ari Starace Doja became one of music’s brightest pop stars in recent years — but her allegiance to hip-hop brought her back to the genre she first considered home for her features-free fourth album, Scarlet. The set’s “Attention” is a lyrical masterwork for Doja, who thrives over a 1990s boom-bap beat with surgical precision. Her mic skills go uncontested as she skewers her opposition about her fashion choices, love for the craft and need for therapy. “I never learn to superstar from a textbook,” she snaps back.
“Barbie World (From Barbie: The Album)” NICKI MINAJ & ICE SPICE FEATURING AQUA
Songwriters: Isis Naija Gaston, Ephrem Louis Lopez Jr., Onika Maraj With RIOTUSA helming production, Minaj and Ice enter the Barbieverse with swagger, bouncing off each other seamlessly as they offer up a fun and catchy modern twist of Aqua’s ’90s pop classic. Minaj, rap’s original Barbie, dials in a speedy verse with plenty of punchlines (“The way Ken be killing shit got me yelling out like the Scream house”). Ice, in familiar territory with her go-toproducer RIOTUSA and frequent collaborator Minaj, finishes her verse strong as she brags about her prowess in the bedroom.
“Just Wanna Rock”
LIL UZI VERT
Songwriters: Mohamad Camara, Symere Woods, Javier Mercado
Upon its October 2022 release, “Just Wanna Rock” became Uzi’s most daring single, thrilling Jersey club enthusiasts and broader audiences alike with its high BPM and boundless production. Anchored by its gothic keys and fierce buildup, “Just Wanna Rock” quickly became TikTok gold. Despite the song’s brevity — it barely exceeds two minutes — Uzi’s frantic raps and showy, viral dance moves in the track’s visual elevated the lead single for 2023 set The Pink Tape into an unofficial anthem for his hometown NFL team, the Philadelphia Eagles.
“Rich Flex”
DRAKE & 21 SAVAGE
Songwriters: Brytavious Chambers, Isaac “Zac” De Boni, Aubrey Graham, J. Gwin, Anderson Hernandez, Michael “Finatik” Mule, Shéyaa Bin Abraham-Joseph
Drake and 21 Savage’s Her Loss opener was indeed a flex, as the two artists demonstrated their storied chemistry with braggadocious bars and unexpected beat switches. “21, can you do something for me,” Drake sings as he hypes up his partner-in-rhyme like they’re at a high school pep rally. The duo serves endless volleys to adversaries and, after Savage’s fiery exhibition, Drake wittingly interpolates T.I.’s “24’s” in his verse, boasting that he’s “going on a run like D.M.C.”
“Scientists & Engineers” KILLER MIKE FEATURING ANDRÉ 3000, FUTURE AND ERYN ALLEN KANE
Songwriters: André Benjamin, Paul Beauregard, James Blake, Michael Render, Tim Moore, Dion Wilson
This year, Run the Jewels MC Mike embarked on a solo journey for his new album, Michael — but he was far from alone. A Dungeon Family reunion of sorts, “Scientists & Engineers” features Mike, Future and the elusive André 3000, and despite their divergent styles, the song oozes soul courtesy of singer Kane. Future’s hazy calls, André’s reflective bars and Mike’s sermon-like delivery make “Scientists & Engineers” an instant home run — and a happy union between rap purists and Sunday morning churchgoers.