The 25 Best Rap Verses of 2025

25.Lil Baby, “Atlanta Tears”

Best Line: “Irritate me, but if I pop up, it get worse, these n****s pimples”

On one hand, it’s cool that Baby and 21 Savage, two of Atlanta’s best rappers, put their differences aside to collaborate.

On the other hand, “Atlanta Tears” shows exactly what we’ve been missing all these years: when these two are motivated—and the production hits that right soulful pocket—they can produce some of the best raps in hip-hop. 21 puts forth a noble effort, but Baby smokes him here, coming through with a verse that sounds like a venting session—blending his usual shit-talking style with a touch of melancholy. —Dimas Sanfiorenzo

24.Samara Cyn, “vitamins n minerals"

Verse: 2

Best Line: “Play this for a living, this ain't patty-cake bitch/ New Cyn pop a biotin, won't spar a bald bitch.”

On “vitamins n minerals,” Samara Cyn finds a balance between lyrical substance and playful banter. In the attention-grabbing second verse, she comes to terms with her disdain for the digital world and the ways she protects her well-being, delivering nice rap lines that reveal a strict supplement regimen—including B12, zinc, and magnesium—alongside other healthy practices.

The animation in her delivery, paired with catchy yet meditative lyricism, makes this one of the best rap verses of the year. Details like her shifting vocal tone—first emphasizing her disgust with the internet, then transforming into a faith-driven, self-motivated presence—add an extra layer of character. —DeMicia Inman

23.Posdnuos, “EN EFF"

Best Line: “Matrimony of time and body intervenes with wisdom/To right the wrongs of any would-be king/They offerin' a castle, but who owns the land?/Questions rarely asked in becoming a man.”

Obviously, stepping into the booth alongside Black Thought is a huge challenge for any rapper.

But Posdnuos, one third of De La Soul, is no slouch. The veteran holds his own lyrically, bringing his A-game with a verse that reflects on the hard lessons of navigating a decaying music industry and the pitfalls of youthful ignorance. —Mackenzie Cummings-Grady

22.Freddie Gibbs, “Empanadas"

Best Line: “Gracias, de nada, I'm blessin' tables and sayin' grace/ Smacked him in Miami, his boys jump me, he played it safe/ Bitches in Buffalo get the same thing, they was throwin' plates/ Limped away on his good foot, but he ain't bust a grape.”

Freddie Gibbs is a rapper who isn’t afraid to take beef to the booth. On “Empanadas,” he colorfully and confidently portrays himself as victorious in rumored squabbles with Jim Jones and Benny The Butcher, addressing gossip about physical altercations with a braggadocious, straightforward line: “these n****s fake.”

The verse doesn’t dwell on these petty alleged incidents. With just a few bars, Gibbs clears the air and then launches into rhymes about his luxurious lifestyle, high-quality lovers, and his almost superhuman ability to stay unfazed by his vices or adversaries. — DeMicia Inman

21.Monaleo, “Spare Change"

Verse: 1

Best Line: “A young girl wept, she was yelling for a fathеr/ I'm praying that the bum didn't die beside his daughter.”

Monaleo knows how to get deep into her storytelling bag. On “Spare Change” she takes a break from her fan-favorite aggressive bars and catchy adlibs, showcasing her ability to not only take creative risks but to succeed in her endeavors. In the first verse, she approaches an ordinary day turned traumatic, providing social commentary on addiction and the stigma associated with the disease, grief, and how society views poverty and homelessness. With keen awareness, Monaleo narrates from a first-person perspective, and establishes characters, setting, plot, and conflict—all of the makings of an impactful story. —DeMicia Inman

20.Pooh Shiesty, "FDO"

Best Line: “Unfortunately, I'm CEO and the top shooter for my gang/ My grandma told me keep my grass low, the whole time, I'm the snake.”

Continuing a decades-old rap tradition made popular by his mentor Gucci Mane, Pooh Shiesty joins the ranks of Tee Grizzley and JT with “FDO,” his first post-prison track, released a little over a month after his October release.

There’s no hook here. For nearly five minutes, the Memphis rapper fires off, loudly boasting that his three years behind bars didn’t slow his momentum. The lyrics skip introspective thoughts of redemption, remorse, or rehabilitation. Instead, he focuses on his rivals, his street authority, and the declarative mantra: “I ain't choose to rap, it chose me.” — DeMicia Inman

19.Jay Electronica, "Abracadabra"

Best Line: “The entire trajectory of my career scream ‘Fuck the industry / Yet you can’t have a debate about the greats and not mention me.”

Five years after his album with Jay-Z, Jay Electronica returned this fall with a series of surprise EPs, a data dump of both new and unfinished tracks. “Abracadabra” is a standout—despite the regrettable presence of Diddy on the intro. Over a soulful beat co-produced by Conductor Williams, Jay Elect weaves through his favorite topics and themes—religious imagery, magic, his beloved grandmother and his personal narrative—with the precision and care of a true craftsman. He rhymes with dedication and command, while his boasts are grandiose, yet rooted in self-awareness. —Thomas Golianopoulos

18.Nino Paid, "Joey Story"

Best Line: “Took one look at the sky, that's when he felt that shit deep down in his heart/Nobody really got love for you, if somebody did, they would've been here from the start”

In an era dominated by non-sequiturs, genuine, legible storytelling that follows a clear throughline has become a lost art in rap. That’s one reason Nino Paid has emerged as one of the best rappers of 2025: not only is there lucidity in almost every verse, but a genuine empathy at the core. “Joey’s Story” is a devastating song that details a man’s final moments on Earth, delivered with the kind of passion that would make Scarface proud. The song is rich with vivid imagery and weight, but also efficient: an entire emotional arc captured in just two minutes. —Dimas Sanfiorenzo

17.Doechii, "EGYPT" (Remix)

Best Line: “Literary swamp, bitch n*ggas can't book me/Came up out the mud, same color as a Tootsie”

Even with all the Grammy wins, magazine covers, and brand deals, don’t forget Doechii is from the swamp. Which means she knows how to get dirty when she wants to. On the "EGYPT" remix, she outguns Westside Gunn with a verse full of bonkers imagery (“almost choked on my grills tryna eat the lamb chop”), big money flexes (“embroidered bedsheets, 500 thread count”), and cool rap sayings (“Snuck up on his mama, hit the n***a where it hurts”).—Dimas Sanfiorenzo

16.Veeze, Signed A Napkin"

Verse: 1

Best Line: “I'm havin' checks, just numb' it like you track a package/I can't ride 'round like Pac, we got blick method/Your lil ass ain't read your deal, probably signed a napkin”

Every Veeze song is a masterclass of olympic-level shit talking. “Signed A Napkin” is the testament of a hustler who’s having his way, and an ego buster for peons who falsely flag superiority. Each line is a brilliant display of Veeze’s growing status as an insidious lyricist: “Pants ripped, shirt ripped just like I'm beggin'” he raps early on. Adding to his track record of elite beat selections, the sample of Loose Ends’ 1986 classic “Slow Down” combined with his trademark gruff is the perfect needle drop to this player anthem. —Kemet High

15.billy woods, "Cold Sweat"

Verse: 1

Best Line: “It's a room full of record execs on the other end and you dancing on the desk/Wakе up in a cold sweat/In a barber chair, Math Hoffa asking if anyone triеd to make you wear a dress”

billy woods has the unique ability to turn the tangible visceral and animate the inanimate. He’s an alchemist as much as he’s a rapper, spinning fairytales into nightmares and mundane observations into the most profound shit you’ve ever heard. Just look at this way he ties together the history of rap executives and pop cultural phenomena in the most haunting way imaginable on “Cold Sweat”: “It's a room full of record execs on the other end and you dancing on the desk.” My nightmare? Being called out in a billy woods song. —Will Schube

14.Drake, "Gimme a Hug"

Verse: 1

Best Line: “You Neo in the matrix, these n****s just Nemo in the ocean/ Small fish, making kids feel emotion/Using you for promotion, truer words had never been spoken”

The second part of “Gimme a Hug”—where the beat switches and Drake takes shots at Joe Budden while giving Melyssa Ford her props—grabbed the headlines upon release. But it’s the opening stanzas that stand out. The first line—“Drake elimination, fake intimidation/Take a minute, take a deep breath, have a little bit of patience”—plays like a pep talk, a moment of self-reassurance that he can still pull Thriller-level numbers, even after taking an L. Released on $ome $exy $ongs 4 U, “Gimmie a Hug” is an important checkpoint—Drake reminding us, and himself, that he’s still that guy in rap. —Jordan Rose

13.J. Cole, "cLOUDs"

Verse: 2

Best Line: “I proceed with caution, and I'm not flossin'/Unlike some, I'm not defined by my fortune/I'm defined by rhymes, though I'm in my prime/There was times that I was down 'cause I'd thought I'd lost it”

J. Cole’s stint as a blogger might have been short but at least it gave us “cLOUDs,” a track that kind of functions as a think piece. Jermaine sounds like he’s in a flow state, delivering a verse that touches on everything from personal doubts and religion to the dangers of AI. When it comes to loosies, few are as brutally effective as Jermaine. —Dimas Sanfiorenzo

12.Earl Sweatshirt, “exhaust"

Best Line: Kings of the county, angels around me/Sailed in on lightning/Prepare for the fight, go to church if you scared or you frightened

Earl Sweatshirt’s wit hits its peak on “exhaust.” He reflects on the lessons learned from his rise to indie hip-hop star—“The fake shit don't surprise me / Things change, so a n***a stayed improvising”—balancing introspection with sharp lyricism. He throws playful jabs at his rivals, twisting a 2 Chainz hook into a diss—“Ya love stank bitches, that’s your fuckin’ problem”—before turning his attention to the archetypal Earl hater: “No amount of sugar gon' help with the taste / At the end of the day / It's really just you and whatever you think.” —Mackenzie Cummings-Grady

11.Young Dro, “U Deserve"

Suggested best line: “Shawty you can get it, you ain’t nothing but with it/I’m rushing to get it and I just wanna touch it and feel it”

Metro Boomin brought all the major players from Atlanta’s futuristic era back into the spotlight, and the OGs sounded fantastic. Especially 46-year-old Young Dro, who makes several appearances, with the standout being his performance on “U Deserve.”

He spits with the hunger of an elder statesman who’s been waiting for a chance to prove he still has the juice. It’s no small feat to stand out on an album with over 20 gifted collaborators, but Dro more than delivered—crafting a remarkable comeback and proving that the world’s rap capital is still unmatched when it comes to talent. —Kemet High

10.YoungBoy Never Broke Again, "Alive"

Best Line: “Every time that I step on the scene, I just want 'em to test me, they know that I been livin' reckless/I'm lovin' myself, I been havin' a fetish/I'm ready to eat, I been countin' up lettuce”

YoungBoy Never Broke Again is back home and “Alive”—a collaboration with either Playboi Carti or Ye, depending on who you ask—felt like his unofficial “First Day Out” verse. It’s his State of the Union address to the rap game, a proclamation that he’s back and hasn’t missed a step, despite the legal battles he’s faced over the past few years. The lyrics are strong, but what truly makes this one of the year’s standout verses is the raw energy and tenacity he brings to every line. Not gonna lie—this energy was missed. —Jordan Rose

9.G Herbo, “1 Chance"

Verse: 1

Best Line: “What you know 'bout old guns jammin' up on the drill?/ What you know 'bout using bleach 'cause you got blood in your nails?”

G Herbo has long been known for wearing his heart on his sleeve, but never has he done so as poetically and biographically as in the first verse of “1 Chance.” The verse is particularly emotional, as he details, in excruciating detail, some of the mental and physical toll of life in the streets. —Mackenzie Cummings-Grady

8.Aesop Rock, “Complications"

Best Line: “I talk to my dead friends, treat 'em like it's 3D/Brief 'em on the rest of the amoebas in the Petri like/"So and so had a kid, so and so caught a case/So and so is on the stuff and ultimately lost his way/Life moves pretty fast”

Is it possible that Aesop Rock, one of the densest and most visually creative writers in rap history, delivered the verses of his career just before turning 50? Steel sharpens steel, and on “Complications,” Aesop Rock collaborated with the equally heady and apocalyptic-driven billy woods. On this verse, AES leans fully into the emotive. His delivery is deadpan, letting the emotion come through in the writing itself, with the most goosebumps conducting moment arriving when he’s commuting with the spirits of those who have passed. —Dimas Sanfiorenzo

7.Chris Patrick, “Mafiathon Freestyle"

Best Line: "Swear to god this shit feel so surreal/Used to watch your streams, when streams of income couldn't hold the bills"

Real rap comes from the heart. Chris Patrick proved this, baring his soul for over six minutes over Kendrick’s “Man at the Garden” beat during Kai Cenat’s Mafiathon 3 stream. He reached another level in the final two minutes, rapping about losing his grandmother and the struggle to balance chasing his dreams with making a living. It was the equivalent of Derrick Rose’s 50-point night in 2018, with tears streaming down Patrick’s face as he finished.

That single moment earned him an opening spot on JID’s tour and a co-sign from Nas—all because he rapped from the heart—like a true Jersey MC is supposed to. —Jordan Rose

6.Pusha T, “M.T.B.T.T.F."

Best Line: “Twist and turn, these guns blitz and burn/Too many flip and turn, had to get rich to learn/The Bezos of the nasal, that's case closed/Got a team full of J. Bo's on they toes”

Of course a Clipse song titled “Mike Tyson Blow To The Face” is going to be explosive.

Pusha T makes good on that promise, spitting his first few venomous bars completely a cappella. Pharrell’s drums then kick in, providing the theatrical gut punch the song’s title implies.

King Push’s tongue-twisting wordplay—“At your door when we address him, we gon' bless him / Tried to bring him, shoulda left him, learned my lesson / Poker faces keep 'em guessin', no expression / Ice dressing on my chest and leave impression”—is impressive on its own.

But it’s his reinterpretation of dead presidents as “white slavemaster souls” stacked in his safe, paired with the comparison of broke opps to Riesling wine, that really drives the point home. — Mackenzie Cummings-Grady

5.Cardi B, “Pretty and Petty"

Verse: 2

Best Line: “Thirty-two and you get acne on your face/Dirty bitch, go and change your pillowcase”

Beef doesn’t expire when it comes to Cardi B. She waited 475 days after Bia’s “Sue Meee?” to deliver her clapback on Am I The Drama?, and it was worth every second. The real fireworks hit in the second verse, where Cardi unloads a series of ruthless punchlines over a Shoreline Mafia–style beat.

Each line is sharp enough to make the target flinch, yet playful enough to have everyone else laughing. It’s a masterclass in combining intimidation with entertainment—pure Gangsta Bitch Music-era Bardi energy.

See what happens when you play with the Brim Reaper? —Kemet High

4.JID, “For Keeps"

Best Line: “Told my mama I'd make it, she like, ‘I hope you right’/ Worked up the courage to hit up the local open mics/Me and these raps got a bond so tight/ I'm back the next week even if I bombed that night.”

JID is one of the best when it comes to getting real on wax. In God Does Like Ugly’s closer, “For Keeps,” he takes a triumphant victory lap, partially by reflecting on his early career.

With heartfelt gratitude for both his day-one fans and casual listeners, the 35-year-old candidly explores his tug-of-war with rap and fame. Each line unveils a new layer of his journey, keeping listeners hooked for what comes next. The song not only showcases his dedication to the craft but also reveals a new chapter in his life: fatherhood. An adorable affirmation from his young child highlights the deeply personal connection JID has to his art. —DeMicia Inman

3.Kendrick Lamar, "Chains and Whips"

Best Line: “The things I seen under my eyelids/Kaleidoscope dreams, murder and sirens/Let's be clear, hip-hop died again/Half of my profits may go to Rakim”

After arguably his best rap year ever in 2024, Kendrick Lamar slowed down in 2025, releasing only two new verses: his feature on Playboi Carti’s “Good Credit” and a blistering verse on Clipse’s “Chains and Whips.”

The latter is the true highlight. Clipse gives him the final verse—a clear sign of respect—and Kendrick goes absolutely ballistic. He sounds furious, rapping as if in the same session as “Euphoria,” gradually building intensity throughout. The peak arrives when Kendrick masterfully merges alliteration with internal rhyme schemes, delivering lines like: “The two-time Gemini with the genocide / I’m generous; however you want it, I’ll be the gentle kind.” —Dimas Sanfiorenzo

2.Meek Mill, "Proud of Me"

Best Line: “Hundred dollar nightmares turn to million dollar dreams/ Ridin' past the block where my dad got left on the scene/Look at your lil' boy now, we done turned to kings/ Shit turned me a grown man 'fore I was seventeen”

The newly independent Meek Mill has been on a tear all year, but nothing matches the intensity of his verse on Fridayy’s sentimental standout, “Proud of Me.”

This is Dreamchasers-era Meek—spitting pure pain in every bar. We haven’t heard him this impassioned in years, as he opens up candidly about the death of his father, Robert, who was killed when Meek was just five.

In many ways, the verse highlights the strength and range of Philly rappers. Yes, they’re battle-tested—capable of delivering bars that could rip another MC apart. And they’ve got a knack for anthems. But their real power lies in their ability to be emotive.

Think Beanie Sigel on “This Can’t Be Life.” Meek channels that same lineage—capturing not just the devastation of the streets, but the lifelong weight of trauma. —NWO Sparrow

1.Malice, “F.I.C.O."

Best line: “Used to call me Windex 'cause this thing I spray gon' make you change minds/ I done seen Hercules run/ We was powerlifting 2.2's”

Very few rap duos in hip-hop history stand on truly equal footing like Malice and his younger brother, Pusha T.

The common narratives about Clipse have mostly held true: both rappers are accustomed to the fast life, but they approach it from very different angles. Malice, the older brother, is the reflective veteran; Pusha, the brash talker, thrives on extremes and is fully enthralled by the lifestyle. In rare instances, the brothers inherit each other’s strengths—think Pusha channeling Malice’s vulnerability on “The Birds Don’t Sing” or Malice adopting Pusha’s swagger on “F.I.C.O.”

And that latter verse—the capstone of the song—stands out as the verse of the year: a nasty, dense example of extended shit-talking. Almost every line is quotable. (”Hands 3 and 9 on the wheel as I'm crossing the state line / Dumb, ditty, dumb, ditty, dumb” is just absurd.)

If we’re being honest, there are numerous Malice verses that could have been highlighted. On Let God Sort ‘Em Out, he raps 13 verses—and every single one hits, embracing his role as a reformed drug trafficker and delivering the best rapping performance on an album this year.

And while “The Birds Don’t Sing” is the Grammy-award-winning moment—the verse that gets Malice to the Vatican—when you factor in blood-pumping energy and sheer lyrical ability, no performance reaches the heights of “F.I.C.O.” —Dimas Sanfiorenzo