During a discussion between Torae, DJ Epps, Cool of the production duo Cool & Dre, and DJ Scratch on SiriusXM’s Rock The Bells Radio, a debate about the best hip-hop beat of all time took place during which they concluded Mobb Deep’s ‘Shook Ones’ is the best instrumental of all time.
Last year, hip-hop celebrated its 50th anniversary, and the spirit of celebration is being ushered into the new year on LL Cool J’s Rock The Bells Radio. Lists are always very contentious. However, they usually pertain to the ranking of rappers.
After a heated debate about a top 50, the panel unanimously agreed that, in order, Nas’ ‘NY State of Mind,’ Craig Mack’s ‘Flava In Ya Ear,’ A Tribe Called Quest’s ‘Electric Relaxation,’ Dr. Dre’s ‘Still D.R.E.,’ and Mobb Deep’s ‘Shook Ones Pt. II’ are the top five instrumentals ever made.
The song was the lead single of Mobb Deep’s 1995 album The Infamous, which is often cited as one of the best hip-hop albums ever and is also seen as a 1990s classic. Havoc produced the track, one-half of the Queensbridge duo.
As the only living member of the duo, following the honour, Havoc took to social media to show his gratitude, professing, “I just want to say how honoured I am to have ‘Shook Ones Pt. II’ by Mobb Deep, produced by myself, voted number one hip-hop beat of all time.”
He continued, “I remember being in the projects in Queensbridge, me and Prodigy just being there trying to make something for the world to hear our voice. And here we are this many years later, being saluted and held as the number one beat and Hip Hop greatest of all time.”
He concluded, “But I just want to say thank you to all the Hip Hop fans, rest in peace to my brother Prodigy. He would be just excited — as excited as I am, and I just want to thank all y’all fans, man. Salute.”
