Throughout the history of hip-hop, rappers have crafted riveting songs with many twists and turns to keep listeners on the edge of their seats. From the takeover of the West Coast, which brought us legends like Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg and 2Pac, to the renaissance that took place on the East Coast during the middle of the decade, birthing supreme talent like Nas, Jay Z and the Notorious B.I.G., various trends, movements and even the sound has gave way to the evolution of hip-hop. But one thing that remains constant are the emotion rap artists convey. Whether it's the game's top spitters or the unknown artist paying their dues, the common link they share is expressing their thoughts, feelings or emotions on wax -- happiness, frustration or despair, to name a few.

One emotion that has been prevalent in hip-hop over the last 35 years has been anger. Coming from the lower rungs of society, the environment many rap artists are groomed in is not for the faint of heart and can instill a mean streak strictly in the name of survival. Bitterness with their station in life has also been a topic rappers have touched on, but the most common catalyst for anger or aggression in rap boils down to beef, which usually stems from some form of disrespect. And within the world of hip-hop, the code of the streets dictates that disrespect is not to be tolerated and no slight is to be taken lightly, which accounts for many of the threats, taunts and vows of vengeance that litter many of our favorite rap records.

XXL digs up 20 notable songs from some of your favorite rappers featuring lyrics in which they seek revenge or respond to someone who has wronged them. Tread lightly.

  • "Many Men (Wish Death)"

    50 Cent

    "In the Bible it says what goes around comes around/Hommo shot me, three weeks later he got shot down/Now it's clear that I'm here for a real reason/Cause he got hit like I got hit, but he ain't fucking breathing."

  • "Somebody's Gotta Die"

    The Notorious B.I.G.

    "Pass the chocolate, Thai/Sing ain't lie/There's Jason with his back to me/Talking to his faculty/I start to get a funny feeling/Put the mask on in case his niggas start squealin'/Scream his name out, squeezed six, nothing shorter/Nigga turned around holdin' his daughter."

  • "Against All Odds"

    2Pac

    "Payback, I knew you bitch niggas from way back/Witness me strapped with Macs, knew I wouldn't play that/All you old rappers trying to advance/It's all over now, take it like a man/Niggas looking like Larry Holmes, flabby and sick/Trying to player hate on my shit, you eat a fat dick."

  • "What Ya Life Like"

    Beanie Sigel

    "You gotta wash out your drawers same water you shit/Brush, gargle, and spit same water you piss/You down wit this nigga, you done killed his brotha/But dog, don't think he don't know a thing/Think he a sucker cuz he don't show it/Paybacks a muthafucka, and he won't blow it."

  • "Jesse James"

    Scarface

    "And lately I'm under a lot of pressure/It seems to me you can't come clean, so yo, I gots to check ya/I pull my .45 and (buck, buck, buck, buck)/And right before he die I (fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck)/I could give a motherfuck about the sentence/I snatch yo ass up off the hinges cause I'm screaming for vengeance."

  • "Down for My Niggaz"

    C-Murder

    "And everywhere I go I got Mr. Magic here/Because I know that nigga don't care/He'll have that red shit pourin out your hair/Nigga, any fuckin time nigga, any fuckin where/Make 'em bleed is the motto that, I live by/If you fuck with me it's a must you die/Them niggas might goin run but them niggas can't hide/It's like shootin yourself, it's a suicide."

  • "Spaceship"

    Kanye West

    "If my manager insults me again/I will be assaulting him/After I fuck the manager up/Then I'm gonna shorten the register up/Let's go back, back to the Gap/Look at my check, wasn't no scratch/So if I stole, wasn't my fault/Yeah I stole, never got caught."

  • "Losing Weight Part 2"

    Cam'ron

    "When it comes to beef it becomes a talent/Remember me, ODB, I'm the one from violence/Digital 10, shit get critical friend/I got 800 invisible men/That mean it could be the bankman/Person at the gas station filling up your tank, fam/Lady at the frank stand/Or rat poison your relish right in the center, babe/Bitch is a renegade, she'll piss in your lemonade."

  • "Sing About Me/Dying of Thirst"

    Kendrick Lamar

    "But the type of bullet that stuck had went against his will/As blood spilled on your hands, my plans rather vindictive/Everybody's a victim in my eyes/When I ride, it's a murderous rhythm and outside became pitch black/A demon glued to my back whispering, 'Get em'/I got 'em, and I ain't give a fuck/That same mentality that told my brother not to duck."

  • "Cradle to the Grave"

    Prodigy

    "I hope the word gets back to him, cause I'll screw him/He shitted on my man and we got plans to do him/Lets get it over with quick, I'm tired of waiting/Ain't no fair overhead deal, we just debatin' on when and how/ Later on right now/Spoke to Killa yesterday, he said to chill for a while."

  • "Hot Nigga"

    Bobby Shmurda

    "And tell my niggas, Shmurda teamin', ho/Mitch caught a body about a week ago/Fuck with us and then we tweakin', ho/Run up on that nigga, get to squeezin', ho/Everybody catching bullet holes/Niggas got me on my bully, yo/I'm a run up, put that gun on 'em/I'm a run up, go dumb on 'em."

  • "Guilty Conscience"

    Eminem

    "Alright, calm down, relax, start breathing/Fuck that shit, you just caught this bitch cheating/While you at work she's with some dude trying to get off/Fuck slitting her throat, cut this bitch's head off!"

  • "Love Sosa"

    Chief Keef

    "You know I got bands boy/And it's in my pants boy/Disrespect them O Boys/You won't speak again boy/Don't think that I'm playin boy/No we don't use hands boy/No we don't do friends boy/Collect bands I'm a land lord."

  • "Strap on the Side"

    Spice-1

    "Six niggas carry ya, momma in hysteria/Walk up to your muthafuckin' coffin, and I stare at ya/Cause, you're a dead muthafucka black/And you never should have fucked with the 187 Fac/So nick-nack paddywhack, give a G a gat/And put some bullets in that ass crack."

  • "Pound Cake/Paris Morton Music 2"

    Drake

    "My classmates, they went on to be chartered accountants/Or work with their parents, but thinking back on how they treated me/My high school reunion might be worth an appearance/Make everybody have to go through security clearance/Tables turn, bridges burn, you live and learn/With the ink I could murder, word to my nigga Irv/Yeah, I swear shit just started clicking dog/You know it's real when you are who you think you are."

  • "Cheese and Dope"

    Project Pat

    "Always trying to be slick, you done stepped in some shit/You done broke ghetto laws, you done tore ya fucking draws/Wit me boy, yeain't know, cause the streets never lies/Walk right up on yo ass, shoot right between the eyes/You'll be stankin' wit the flies/Ridin on chrome, wit yo bitch, smokin' dro/Fucking all in yo home."

  • "Time for a 187"

    Master P

    "Some nigga got some bad ice cream, came short on the d-zough/Bout to hit the window gats out the window/And goin crazy, niggas can't phase me/If you come up short, niggas bout to read daisies/This your final call, I mean your final breath/And when I hit you with that tech I'm bout to put you to rest."

  • "Get Money"

    Lil' Kim

    "Me shifty? Now you wanna pistol whip me/Pull out your 9 while I cock on mine/Yeah, what nigga? I ain't got time for this/So what, nigga? I'm not trying to hear that shit/Now you wanna buy me diamonds and Armani suits/Adrienne Vittadini and Chanel 9 boots/Things that make up for all the games and the lies/Hallmark cards saying "I apologize"Is you with me? How could you ever deceive me?/But payback's a bitch, motherfucker, believe me."

  • "Here We Go Again"

    DMX

    "I should have, followed my first instinct, cause I knew/Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do/Now this nigga's fuckin with the competition (what?)/Ungrateful motherfucker, shoulda got him missing (what?)This nigga got the nerve, to take my kindness, for a weakness/Gotsta get back on some street shit so I can creep this/Rat, when I act, take one, set him up, to take two/Get him there, take three, get him done."

  • "Danger Zone"

    Big L

    "Some nigga named Dex, was in the projects layin threats/I jumped out the Lincoln, left him stinking/Put his brains in the street, now you can see what he was just thinking/I'm chokin enemies til they start turning pale/Satan said I'm learning well, Big L's gonna burn in hell."

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