20 iconic hip-hop party anthems

Dr. Dre has always produced songs for a party atmosphere. 50 Cent saw major mainstream success when he worked with Dre on his hit single “In Da Club.” Starting with the song intro, 50 Cent paints the party scene — pulling up to the club in a fly car, rolling with an entourage, and sipping on some of the finest champagne.

The horn intro on House of Pain’s “Jump Around" may surprise a first-time listener because it sounds like a completely different song once the official beat drops. The production sounds like a hype mash-up between hip-hop and rock, as the song lyrically details how people can toughen up if anyone steps to them. “Jump Around” reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.

On “California Love,” 2Pac and Dr. Dre show their appreciation for the West Coast while claiming California as a place for anyone to have a good time. They're advocates for letting people know that the West is the best. As the chorus says, “California knows how to party.”

Lil Jon is a master at making party anthems, and “Get Low” could easily be at the top of his discography. When “Get Low” was released, everyone belted, “To the window / To the wall.” It was an essential twerk song before “twerking” was popularly referenced as a dance.

Missy Elliott has always gone against the grain, which is why she continues to be one of the best MCs in the industry. She teamed up with Timbaland, her friend and frequent collaborator, on her hit single “Get Ur Freak On.” The bhangra elements and Missy reiterating her legendary genius make for a perfect club track.

Swizz Beatz knows how to make an anthem for any club, party, or outdoor event. One of his most iconic productions is laced on DMX’s hit song “Party Up (Up In Here).” Although DMX seemingly addresses his frustrations, the enticing production and catchy hook make it a perfect party song.

Sometimes the best party anthems come with a dance-along step. That’s exactly what Fat Joe and Remy Ma brought to the world when they released “Lean Back.” The Scott Storch-produced record became a No. 1 hit across the Billboard Hot 100 and Hip-Hop/R&B charts.

At times, the club scene will have special promotions catered toward women. In addition, women will always advocate for female anthems, and Lil' Kim’s “Not Tonight (Ladies Night Remix)” is the perfect vibe. She teamed up with Da Brat, Left Eye, Missy Elliott, and Angie Martinez on the song to celebrate women in hip-hop.

When people are partying a little too hard in the club, things start heating up. Nelly knows this all too well on his single “Hot In Herre,” in which he tells the story of partying in a club and perhaps getting a little intimate with another partygoer afterward. 

Ludacris's hit song "Move" is a track to play en route to a party. It's the type of song that reflects on telling slow drivers to move and get out of the way. The song became a top-10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.

Production and songwriting duo The Neptunes took over the hip-hop world in the early 2000s. Busta Rhymes called on the duo for his hit single “Pass the Courvoisier, Part II,” a track that easily gets listeners enticed with a strong horn section. Before the beat even drops, Busta sets the tone.

Sometimes, it’s OK to show off the lavish lifestyle and ball out. That’s the sentiment on Jim Jones’ 2006 hit single “We Fly High.” On the track, Jones is boastful about his fly rides, weekends at the club, and living life in the fast lane. "We Fly High" was a club staple and peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100.

M.O.P.’s “Ante Up” is 2000s hip-hop at its finest. From the DJ scratch in the song’s intro to an intro from Funkmaster Flex and people not truly knowing the meaning behind the "Ante Up" slang, the hype aura of the song makes for a perfect club banger. 

Bay Area rapper Too $hort was instrumental in the music industry's hyphy movement. He worked with producer Lil Jon on his 2006 single “Blow The Whistle,” a track that uses whistles across the beat and helped coin the rapper's iconic phrase, “What’s my favorite word?”

In 2006, Remy Ma teamed up with producer Swizz Beatz on her debut single, "Whuteva." At the beginning of the song, Swizz is heard telling listeners, "Are you ready? / I need everybody to report to the dance floor / Now Remy Martin just stepped in the building." Swizz is the perfect hype man to get everyone excited about this club banger. 

Although Snoop Dogg got his start in the industry in the early '90s, he didn't receive his first No. 1 until he teamed up with The Neptunes on his 2004 single "Drop It Like It's Hot." Not only did the track help elevate Snoop's stardom, but it also became one of The Neptunes' most distinct productions. 

E-40 is known as the Ambassador of the Bay for a reason, and he teamed up with fellow Bay Area rapper Keak Da Sneak for “Tell Me When To Go.” The Lil Jon-produced track is easily a premiere song of the hyphy movement, with references to Bay Area lingo, riding in fly cars, and distinct hairstyles.

“Ain’t nothing but a gangsta party” is heard from 2Pac before the beat drops on “2 Of Amerikaz Most Wanted.” The title was perfect for 2Pac and Snoop Dogg as sort of a celebration of not getting stuck in the prison system. 

Waka Flocka Flame has quite a few party anthems in his discography, but one of the standouts is his 2010 single “No Hands.” Teaming up with fellow rappers Roscoe Dash and Wale, it was a time in which all three of them were pretty early into their respective music careers. Since "No Hands" is all about seeing women dancing in the club, it's no wonder the song won Best Club Banger at the 2011 BET Hip-Hop Awards. 

Meek Mill’s “Dreams and Nightmares” is a rags-to-riches anthem. While the song starts as a piano-driven melody in the first verse ("Dreams"), the production completely changes in the second verse ("Nightmares"), which ultimately is the portion that has Meek fans rapping every word.