Hip-Hop has been fighting to get a No. 1 hit single on the Billboard Hot 100 all year. We have not yet topped the charts this year – which is 50th anniversary of the genre. But that doesn’t mean that there have not been great songs this year.

Hip-Hop has had several features from Ice Spice, Nicki Minaj, J. Cole, this year. Ice Spice released her debut EP Like..? in January. It had one feature from fellow Bronx emcee Lil Tjay on “Gangsta Boo.” The six-track EP also contained “Princess Diana,” “Bikini Bottom,” “In Ha Mood,” “Actin a Smoochie,” and her breakout hit “Munch (Feelin’ U).” Nicki Minaj also hopped on “Princess Diana” with Ice Spice in April. The two linked up again to release “Barbie World” together in June for the Barbie film soundtrack.

As for Nicki, her only solo song of the year is “Red Ruby Da Sleeze” but she has stayed in the studio. Besides her feature on “Princess Diana,” she has also hopped on Kim Petras’ “Alone,” Sexyy Red’s “Poundtown Remix,” YoungBoy Never Broke Again’s “WTF,” and Machel Montano and Destra’s “Shake The Place.”

The latest has been her feature on Uzi’s “Endless Fashion,” and Young Thug’s “Money” with the late Juice WRLD.

J. Cole has since released “Procrastination (Broke)” and has hopped on Summer Walker’s “To Summer From Cole (audio hug)” from her Clear 2: Soft Life EP as well as Lil Durk’s “All My Life.”

R&B, however, has had a better chart record this year as SZA’s SOS hit “Kill Bill” stayed on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart for 16 weeks. It beat Mary J. Blige’s “Be Without You” as the longest-running No. 1 single by a solo female artist prior to SZA’s “Kill Bill.”

Take a look at the best hip-hop and R&B songs that have been released this year so far:

• "Princess Diana" Remix - Ice Spice ft. Nicki Minaj

  Nicki Minaj hopped on Ice Spice’s “Princess Diana” back in April. This was the first time the two collaborated on a song together. The original “Princess Diana” is from the Bronx rapper’s EP Like..? which was released in January.

• "Put It On Da Floor Again" - Latto ft. Cardi B

  Latto and Cardi B have a “Song of the Summer” contender with “Put It On Da Floor Again.” Latto released the original version of the song in April. The duo followed up with the remix in June. This was the first time the pair collaborated together on a song.

• "Boy's a liar Pt. 2" - Ice Spice and PinkPantheress

  Ice Spice and PinkPantheress set TikTok on fire with “Boy’s a liar Pt. 2.” Three weeks after the release “Boy’s a liar Pt. 2” climbed to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was first No. 1 hit for both artists.

• "Creepin' Remix" - Metro Boomin, The Weeknd, Diddy, & 21 Savage

  Metro Boomin recruited The Weeknd, Diddy and 21 Savage for “Creepin’ Remix.” The song samples the 2004 hit “I Don’t Wanna Know” by Mario Winans, Diddy, and Enya. The song is found on Metro Boomin’s album Heroes & Villains.

• "America Has A Problem" Remix - Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar

  Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar surprised fans when they dropped the remix to “America Has A Problem.” The original is found on Beyoncé’s seventh studio album Renaissance. This was the duo’s third collaboration.

• "Who Told You" - J Hus ft. Drake

  Drake hopped on J Hus’ “Who Told You” which dropped in June. This was Drake’s third song of the year following “Search & Rescue” and his feature on Popcaan’s “We Caa Done.” This is the first time the two rappers collaborated.

• "Red Ruby Da Sleeze" - Nicki Minaj

  Nicki Minaj released “Red Ruby Da Sleeze” in May. This is the rapper’s only solo song of 2023 thus far. She’s previously been on songs with Ice Spice, Uzi, Sexyy Young Thug, and the Juice WRLD.

• "Area Codes" - Kali

  Kali dropped “Area Codes” in March where she received her first top 10 on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The rapper also scored her first appearance on the Billboard Hot 100 when the song debuted at No. 54. The song interpolates the 2001 song of the same name by Ludacris featuring Nate Dogg.

• "Bread & Butter" - Gunna

  Gunna returned to music with “Bread & Butter.” In the song, he addresses the “snitch” allegations since his December release from jail. The song was the lead single to A Gift & A Curse.

• "Attention" - Doja Cat

  Doja Cat made her 2023 solo debut with “Attention.” The song serves as her lead single to her forthcoming album First of All. Her other offering of 2023 thus far was her feature of SZA’s “Kill Bill” remix.

• "To Summer From Cole (audio hug)" - Summer Walker ft. J. Cole

  J. Cole joined Summer Walker on “To Summer From Cole (audio hug),” the first track on her EP Clear 2: Soft Life. On the song, Cole teased that he is working on his album The Fall Off. This is the pair’s first collaboration.

• "Favorite Song Remix" - Toosie ft. Khalid

  Toosie brought Khalid in for the remix of “Favorite Song.” The record is found on his album NAUJOUR which was released back in June. Future also joined Toosie with another remake of the song titled “Favorite Song (Toxic Version).” Toosie earned his first No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Rap Songs chart with “Favorite Song.”

• "Lipstick Lover" - Janelle Monáe

  Janelle Monáe became a trending topic when they dropped “Lipstick Lover.” The video was repeatedly shared online due to its NSFW content but helped market their fourth studio album The Age of Pleasure. “Lipstick Lover” followed Monáe’s “Float” which was released in February.

• "Cuff It (Wetter Remix)" - Beyoncé

  Beyoncé released a remix of her popular track “Cuff It.” The “Cuff It (Wetter Remix)” is a slow-downed more sexualized version of the poppy track off of Renaissance. The “Cuff It (Wetter Remix)” was the first official remix off of Renaissance.

• "The Hillbillies" - Kendrick Lamar and Baby Keem

  Kendrick Lamar and Baby Keem linked up for “The Hillbillies.” The cousins have collaborated together multiple times, including their Grammy-winning “Family Ties.”

• "Pelle Coat" - Lil Durk

  “Pelle Coat” debuted at No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. “Pelle Coat” is found on Lil Durk’s Almost Healed. Almost Healed debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Chart making it the Chicago rapper’s fourth leader.

• "What It Is (Block Boy)" - Doechii feat. Kodak Black

  Doechii might be a rising artist but she has proved that she is here for the long haul with her song “What It Is (Block Boy).” The song features Florida rapper Kodak Black. “What It Is (Block Boy)” samples TLC’s 1999 hit “No Scrubs.”

• "Kill Bill Remix" - SZA ft. Doja Cat

  Doja Cat made her first appearance of 2023 with her feature on SZA’s SOS hit “Kill Bill Remix.” The original “Kill Bill” from SZA’s SOS made history by staying on top the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart for 16 weeks. Mary J. Blige’s “Be WIthout You” was the longest-running No. 1 single by a solo female artist prior to SZA’s “Kill Bill.” The song title references Quentin Tarantino’s 2003 film, starring Uma Thurman of the same name.

• "All My Life" Lil Durk ft. J. Cole

  “All My Life” was the lead single to Durk’s Almost Healed. The record topped the Rhythmic Airplay Chart making it Durk’s first No. 1 as the lead artist. This is the first time Durk and J. Cole appear on a song together.

• "Without You" - Quavo

  “Without You” was Quavo’s first song of 2023. The song is about the passing of his former Migos groupmate and nephew Takeoff. Takeoff was shot and killed in Houston in 2022.

• "Pull Up" - Summer Walker

  “Pull Up” is from Summer Walker’s EP Clear 2: Soft Life. The music video features her boyfriend Lil Meech who stars in 50 Cent’s BMF. EP Clear 2: Soft Life follows Clear which the singer released in 2019.

• "Dogtooth" - Tyler, The Creator

  “Dogtooth” is from Tyler, The Creator’s CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST: The Estate Sale. The deluxe edition of the album arrived on March 27, 2023. The songs added to the project never got a chance “see the light of day” Tyler noted on Twitter on the day of the release.

• "Moonlight" - Kali Uchis

  Kali Uchis’ Red Moon in Venus arrived on March 3 which included “Moonlight.” The track is the R&B singer’s second single from the album. Red Moon in Venus has songs in both Spanish and English.

• "Act Bad" - Diddy ft. City Girls and Fabulous

  Diddy grabbed The City Girls (consisting of JT and Yung Miami) and Fabulous for their summer of the song contender. The song is about having someone your dating fund your activities like vacations, shopping, expensive meals, etc. This the first time all four artists have been together on a song.

• "Gangsta Boo" - Ice Spice ft. Lil Tjay

  “Gangsta Boo” is from Ice Spice’s debut EP Like..?. Lil Tjay was the sole feature on the six-track EP. The project arrived in January.

• "Pray It Away" - Chlöe

  Chlöe released her debut solo In Pieces which “Pray It Away” is found on. Her project had guest appearances from Chris Brown, Future, and Missy Elliott. She previously has three studio albums with the latter being Grammy-nominated with her younger sister Halle Bailey.

• "Summer Too Hot" - Chris Brown

  “Summer Too Hot” is Chris Brown’s 2023 “Song of the Summer” contender. This is Brown’s first solo song of 2023. The song was released in June.

• "Two Tens" - Cordae ft. Anderson .Paak

  Cordae recruited Anderson .Paak for “Two Tens.” The song is about trying to get with two friends who are both “tens.” This is the first time the two have collabed together.

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