Top 5: Joey Bada$$’ five best songs
Since the beginning of his career, Joey Bada$$ has carved out a space that few young artists ever touch—one built on lyrical craftsmanship, generational awareness, and an unmistakable nod to hip-hop’s golden era. Born Jo-Vaughn Virginie Scott, the Brooklyn native rose to prominence at just 17, but his impact has outlasted the “child prodigy” tag. Whether trading verses with Pro Era peers or headlining festivals across the globe, Joey has consistently proven himself as one of the sharpest minds in rap.
What separates him from the rest is more than just skill. It’s the clarity of his vision. Joey has never been content to ride trends or water down his sound. He’s paid homage to the greats while developing a voice that’s uniquely his own. From boom-bap throwbacks to radio hits, his catalogue runs deep with insight, struggle, pride, and poetry.
Through each project, Joey balances grit and grace. He takes the rawness of East Coast street tales and filters it through a lens of thoughtfulness. His verses wrestle with identity, survival, injustice, and ambition. And when the production hits just right, he floats with a cadence that feels both classic and entirely new.
Here, we break down five of his greatest tracks, not necessarily his most streamed or most played, but the ones that showcase the full range of his artistry. These songs are proof that Joey Bada$$ is not just holding the torch for real rap; he’s adding his own fire to it.
The five best songs from Joey Bada$$
5. Ft CJ Fly – ‘Hardknock’, 1999 (2012)
A gem from the 1999 mixtape ‘Hardknock’ is one of the earliest examples of Joey Bada$$’ lyrical maturity. Alongside CJ Fly, he steps into the beat with the poise of a veteran. The instrumental is skeletal, slow-burning, and stripped back to the essentials. There’s no distraction from the words. Over five minutes, the duo paints vivid pictures of life growing up in Brooklyn, dealing with crime, dreams, and the threat of becoming another statistic.
The hook offers no easy answers. “One day I’m tryna have a wife and kids, so I just can’t live my life like this”: it’s a line soaked in internal conflict. Joey’s verse moves between theology, poverty, and poetry, capturing the paradox of being young, Black, and brilliant in a world that too often ignores all three. He doesn’t just rap for bars; he raps for clarity. This track became a foundational moment not just for his own journey but for Pro Era as a whole.
4. ’95 ’Til Infinity’, Summer Knights (2013)
If 1999 was Joey’s introduction, then Summer Knights was a statement of intent. ’95 ’Til Infinity’ is the centrepiece of that project. The beat is hazy and psychedelic, full of floating horns and a bounce that nods to the Soulquarians. But Joey doesn’t coast, he cuts through the fog with pointed delivery. He’s still hungry, still fighting for his place, and the bars come out swinging. “When did rap turn into a fashion show?” he asks. It’s not just a question but also a challenge.
There’s pride in how he carries himself on this track. You hear a kid from Brooklyn making it clear he won’t sell out just to fit in. His flow dances between defiance and rhythm, often flipping between almost spoken-word reflection and punchy, percussive hooks. ’95 ’Til Infinity’ is more than a time capsule. It’s a manifesto that captures the raw energy of his early years with a timeless quality.
3. ‘Devastated’, ALL-AMERIKKKAN BADA$$ (2016)
With ‘Devastated’, Joey pulled off something few underground legends manage—a mainstream hit that stayed true to his roots. The song exploded after he performed it live at Coachella, and from that moment, the chorus was etched into fans’ minds. “I used to feel so devastated…now we on our way to greatness”. The line isn’t just catchy; it’s a mantra. It’s also a rare moment of emotional openness, where Joey lets the audience into his internal highs and lows.
The production is cleaner and more radio-friendly, but that doesn’t mean it lacks depth. Joey himself described it as “uplifting and upbeat at the same time”, and that balance is what makes it special. It speaks to anyone trying to make it through a rough patch. It doesn’t hide from the struggle but refuses to glorify it either. ‘Devastated’ is a track for dreamers, built on the belief that pain can be turned into power.
2. ‘Paper Trail$’, B4.DA.$$ (2015)
‘Paper Trail$’ is Joey at his most reflective. Produced by DJ Premier, it’s a track that embodies everything that makes his music resonate. The beat is crisp, soulful, and sample-heavy, giving the rapper the perfect canvas to dive into one of hip-hop’s oldest themes: money. But he doesn’t preach. Instead, he reframes the conversation. “Money is the root of all people”: a subtle but powerful twist on a tired phrase.
What makes the song resonate is how grounded it feels. Joey isn’t fantasising about wealth. He’s confronting its consequences, both personal and cultural. Lines like “now I’m breezin’ out baby, cause my rent’s due” remind listeners that even as success grows, so do the stakes. It’s a grown man’s track, one that shows maturity, self-awareness, and a refusal to lose the plot. Like much of B4.DA.$$, this isn’t just rap for rap’s sake. It’s storytelling with real-world weight.
1. ‘Land of the Free’, ALL-AMERIKKKAN BADA$$ (2017)
Released on the same day as Donald Trump’s inauguration, ‘Land of the Free’ is a political document. From the opening bars, Joey sets the tone with bold, poetic rage. “The land of the free is for the freeloaders”, he raps, and the rest of the track follows suit. He doesn’t just scratch at America’s racial wounds. He tears them open, placing the country’s past and present side by side with devastating clarity.
But what truly elevates ‘Land of the Free’ is its balance. The beat is soulful and mournful, carried by soft piano and stirring vocal layers. Joey uses that foundation to deliver some of his most poignant verses, touching on everything from slavery to systemic oppression to modern media. The live performance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, where Joey stood draped in the American flag, brought the song’s urgency to a national audience. It’s protest music done right, with heart, with style, and with real consequences.