Top Tens: The biggest Jay-Z tunes

Jay-Z is one of the world's best-selling music artists, with over 50 million albums and 75 million singles sold worldwide.

It's a career that began in 1995.  Benny G has pulled out the ten best Jay-Z tracks.

10. The Story of OJ

A powerful statement from Jay Z’s most recent studio album, with a must-watch animated video to hit home the message.

9. Big Pimpin‘

A Jay-Z classic, showing off his first few years of success with money, girls and a super yacht.

8. Empire State of Mind

This one broke into the mainstream but you’ll hear this song at every celebration, complimented by Alicia Keys’ vocals.

7. Brooklyn’s Finest

A collaboration with the legendary Biggie Smalls. Listen to these two king lyricists go back and forth over a keyboard-led beat.

6. Public Service Announcement

The song title says it all. In this track we hear a more mature Jay-Z, still as brash as ever.

5. Can’t Knock The Hustle

The first song from his first album Reasonable Doubt. One of Jay’s best lyrical performances and a mainstay in any 90s hip-hop playlist

4. Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)

Jay-Z? Annie: The Musical? An elite sample that demonstrates Jay’s hardship growing up in Brooklyn which has become one of his most recognisable songs.

3. N**gas in Paris

Often regarded as one of the best rap songs of all time, Kanye West and Jay-Z trade aggressive bars over an ever-changing, alarm-like beat culminating in a modern rap classic.

2. Izzo (H.O.V.A.)

The peak of Jay-Z and his sampling ability, flipping the Jackson 5 into a happy hip-hop beat and paving the way for the next generation of sample techniques.

1. 99 Problems

This track displays all of Jay-Z: proud, brash, honest. Our number 1 song is a whirlwind of Jay’s flow, crudely truthful lyrics and a beat you can’t help but love.