1: Wu -Tang Clan - Triumph

Premise: Ol' Dirty Bastard is on top of a building threatening to jump, while swarms of killer bees are invading the city. All of the Wu-Tang members are scattered across the city but need to save him, which apparently can only be done by forming like Voltron. The premise may not sound great but it is fleshed out well by the effects and cool opening sequence featuring ODB on the news.

Impact: The blueprint for nearly everything to come after, "Triumph" was one of the first hip-hop videos to have a solid storyline and awesome special effects. "Triumph" also kick-started the trend of placing different group members of a crew in different settings.

Highlights: Inspectah Deck's verse, maybe the best of all time, is spit while running down the side of a building in the effort to catch ODB. RZA, with burning wings, solidifies his nickname of The Abbot. Masta Killa actually gives sight to the blind, as he says in his verse. GZA is in space watching over the world. Ghostface and Raekwon spit their verses behind bars. Hell, the whole video is a highlight.


2: The Firm - Phone Tap

Premise: Featuring a highly original song and acting as follow up to the awesome "Affirmative Action" video, Dr. Dre makes his entrance to the Firm as a technician tracking the phones of the Firm. The Firm, in the video and song, are believed to have murdered a cop and his girlfriend. The song itself is highly original in that the MCs are rapping to each other by phone and believe they're being tracked by the feds. Nas, Nature, and AZ do a great job selling this fear in both the song and video.

Impact: One of the first videos to be a mini-movie. A few others had framing sequences before, but not like "Phone Tap", which had scenes that seemed to be tailor-made to the video. The fake phone echo and interference were also a welcome addition.

Highlight: The framing sequences featuring the cops finding the bodies and AZ killing them like a pro. The acting was over the top and rightfully so, starting a trend of imposters that hasn't ended. "Phone Tap" made you want to see the whole story that you didn't feel you were getting, as the director chose to only include quick shots that told the story. It left fans in anticipation for the next Firm video, which sadly never came.


3: Nas - One Mic

Premise: Nas tells stories in the verses of the song and the video fleshes them out. The stories are powerful: a group of people get chased by the cops and a revolt in Africa. The song is equally powerful and the words and images fit together to made this video a cross-over hit, which it perhaps wouldn't have been otherwise.

Impact: Nas has had many crossover hits, but none as straight hip-hop as this. "One Mic" was the perfect song and video for the state of rap music, focusing on lyricism and concepts, instead of flashiness and money.

Highlight: The first time Nas begins to raise his voice and speed as he stands out of his chair and kicks it away, becoming animated and angry, showing emotions that few rappers have expressed on videos before.


4: Sway and Tech - The Anthem

Premise: The cooler, but less impacting, cousin to "Triumph". The Wake-Up Show Allstars don't really have a purpose, but they're all in different and very cool settings delivering the verses for this quintessential posse cut, done exactly as how videos should be done.

Impact: None, really, just that the video is so well done, as are the effects.

Highlights: Chino XL busting out of ice to deliver one of the best verses ever. Xzibit with a pack of snarling dogs. Eminem completely 2-dimensional. Kool G Rap changing the scenery by crumpling it into a paper ball. Pharaohe Monch levitiating.


5: Mobb Deep - Shook Ones

Premise: Havoc and Prodigy of Mobb Deep are hard as hell and will kill you.

Impact: When you saw "Shook Ones", you were shook yourself. Both Havoc and Prodigy were only 19 when they filmed this video, but you were scared of them. Their abrasive and brutal raps defined one of the greatest singles of all time, but the video was even scarier in its simplicity and gruesome reality. "Shook Ones" made you afraid to watch, afraid that if Mobb Deep knew you were a fan, they'd get you too.

Highlight: The beauty of this video is that it isn't supposed to impress you or stand out. The purpose is to let all the fake rappers know that Mobb Deep is coming and they better watch out. The only thing that comes close is when Prodigy makes his debut with "I got you stuck off the realness / We be the infamous / You heard of us? / Official Queensbridge Murderers", one of the hardest verses of all time over one of the hardest beats of all time making it one of the hardest videos of all time.


6: Dr. Dre & Snoop Dogg - Nuthin' But a G Thang

Premise: Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg cause mischief at a cookout. Girls get sprayed with 40's. Cars display their hydraulics. Hijinks ensue.

Impact: It isn't that original, but it's everything people think of when they imagine a rap video. An instant classic, it had non hip-hop fans getting down to the G-Funk era of hip-hop and was one of the first rap videos to be accepted by mainstream rock fans. Besides setting the standard for parties, this video looks exactly like one of my cookouts.

Highlight: Dre's White Sox hat that had everyone in an uproar as to why it was blurred, the naked girl playing volleyball with the huge chest that had everyone talking about her and wanting to see the uncut video (which doesn't exist, according to Suge Knight).


7: Redman - I'll Bee Dat

Premise: Redman is switching channels on his TV to stations that all include him. See Redman as a fat girl doing aerobics! See Redman in a cereal commerical! This is classic Redman insanity.

Impact: None. It's simply the funniest video EVER.

Highlight: Redman stealing a man's BMW, then driving slow enough so he can laugh in his face. Not to be underestimated, a girl riding a bike waving to Redman then hitting a car HARD Wayne's World style.


8: Scarface - On My Block

Premise: "On My Block" goes through Scarface's life, revealing the real 'Face at the end of the video. The video is his way of showing that despite all his talent and success, 'Face is still a human being and grew up just like we did.

Impact: None yet, as the video just debuted. May not have a lot of future impact but is masterfully done and reminded me of my younger days, even though I'm not from the ghetto. I expect that many newer videos will follow the motifs started in this (not having the artist appear until the end, showing more childhood scenes, etc.).

Highlight: The game of cee-lo between the choir boys being broken up by Scarface's preacher father starts the real meat of the video, and the video isn't supposed to have moments that get people discussing and talking. The video and song itself speak for themselves rather than shock tactics of controversial imagery or quick cut MTV-style cinematography.


9: Big Tymers - Number One Stunna

Premise: Utilizing their guests, the Original Kings of Comedy, to their fullest, "Number One Stunna" is a great example of taking a generic video concept and pumping new life and imagination into it. The Cash Money Millionaires go around and receive services from the Kings, like buying diamonds from Steve Harvey, and then win the money lost buying diamonds back immediately in a poker game.

Impact: The Big Tymers mission statement and purpose is to tell everyone just how rich they are. This video did that perfectly. Granted, it isn't very original, but it's funny and the breakneck scene-switching was more than just a novelty when this video started that trend.

Highlight: Baby, referring to the number of karats in his teeth, points to them and says "I got 10... I want 20".


10: Method Man & Redman - Y.O.U.

Premise: The video cleverly starts at the ending, where Redman is talking to the cops and Method Man is talking to his girl. The cops want to know where Red got the stolen TV he has, and Method Man's girl wonders he's been. The music starts with them both denying anything and simultaneously saying "That's my story and I'm sticking to it". For the record, Method Man was at a club with a LOT of girls and Redman stole the TV from two girls' apartment.

Impact: Very little in the way of influencing future videos, but the humor is enough to make it on this list. Too funny for words, as Method Man and Redman are great visual comedians and do a good job of selling the viewer on their brand of humor that many may not normally enjoy.

Highlight: Redman settling between two girls, whose apartment he is robbing, to watch a porno with them, starring him.


Honorable Mention:

Ludacris - Saturday (Ooh, Ooh) - Purely ridiculous
Snoop Dogg - Gin and Juice - Classic party joint
Wu-Tang - Protect Ya Neck - So poorly done but has so much charm
Mobb Deep featuring Nas - It's Mine - Classic Hype Williams joint
Nas - If I Ruled The World - Most ambitious and poignant video of its time