Illuminati Birthday Party: What’s Your Favorite Jay-Z Song of All-Time? Posted by Nathan S. on 12/04/12 | Filed under Opinion, Jay-Z

I'm not going to get back into the greatest rapper of all-time conversation again, but by any measure Jay-Z has to be considered the most successful rapper of all-time. He's sold 50 million albums, is worth about $500 million, has won 14 Grammys, helped bring an NBA team to Brooklyn, is widely respected as an artist and impregnated this woman. So yeah, life has been good for Sean Carter, all 43 years of it.

That's right, Hova turns 43 today - it's an Illumanati birthday party!



Not that the man needs any more adulation, but to celebrate I thought we'd take the opportunity to discuss our favorite Jay-Z song of all-time.

Now, I know these things are usually more about proving that you know Jay's entire catalog and you were listening to him before anyone else than just actually naming the songs you enjoy listening to the most. It's unavoidable, but just know you'll get bonus points for naming some songs no one else is, and a million bonus points if you can make a legitimate case for anything off "Kindgom Come". (Note: Bonus points not actual currency.)

Personally, I've got two selection. On a pure enjoyment level I can't top "Big Pimpin". The beat is one of Timbaland's best, the video is iconic, it introduced me (and the world outside Texas) to UGK, it's got instant quotables, just the definition of a classic:



On a more rap nerd level, holy sweet baby jesus "U Don't Know" is dope. I can't even tell you how many times I've listened to that opening verse: "I'm from the streets where the / hood could swallow 'em and, bullets'll follow 'em / and there's so much coke that you could run the slalom." And you've got to be impressed by any rapper who would say he's going to rape his record label for $100 million.



Alright RefinedHype Nation, those are my top two picks - what you got?