If writers and music pundits decide to create a book about the the history of hip-hop / rap music, it should include a long chapter about feuds / beefs or rap diss tracks because these aspects are essential parts of the hip hop / rap culture.
Alright, first and foremost before you get to the main list, there are certain factors analyst put in the forefront in order for them to upvote or to praise a certain diss track, what they consider as factors that made these tracks classic songs.
What made these diss songs classic ones
The writers played around with the emotions of their targets (Emotionalization)
It's not about showing your target how successful you are or how much you earn annually, its about dealing with their emotions. What made Pusha T's "The Story Of Adidon" an undeniable classic? It's because he drifted away from talking about success or showing off his richies and chose to deal with Drake's emotions by exposing hidden secrets to the world.
Secret Exposition
This is the only way used by most rappers who get themselves into a beef, to overtake their targets and win the battle. Exposing someone's secret life is a psychological misuse of his / her emotions and therefore, influencing their behavior (as mentioned in the last paragraph)
What Impact will the track have on the writers career as well as their targets.
This is the most essential concept when it comes to beefs. A diss should incite a positive impact to the writer's career or his / her next project. It should also negatively affect his target.
It should be able to change the listener's perspective
One Essential thing that made these tracks classics: it changed the listener's perspective on how they viewed artists who were being dissed.
These are the best rap diss tracks that deserves to be included rap history books.
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2PAC - 'HIT 'M UP'
Target - Notorious B.I.G., Jnr Mafia, The East Coast
The feud or competition, what ever it was, between the East Coast and West Coast rappers back in the 80s and 90s is analogous to the world War 1 & world War 2 situation.
An insignificant thing or a petty issue was good enough to trigger war, thus, death. For instance, the beef 2Pac had with the Notorious B.I.G
2Pac decided to stand up and go against Biggie and his colleagues (Jnr Mafia, Diddy etc) after Pac was shot by an unknown group of people, who were believed to be B.I.G and his colleagues. He released one of the most offensive rap diss tracks in history, 'Hit Em Up'
ICE CUBE - 'No Vaseline'
Target - NWA
The feud between Ice Cube and His bandmates 'N.W.A' was induced by their manager Jerry Heller. It was all about the paper work (contracts) and corrupt moves done by Heller.
This whole drama was noticed by Ice Cube. Cube tried to enlight his colleagues, but they thought it was a negative mentality. This forced Cube to abandon his friends.
Ice Cube left N.W.A to rap solo. The group fired shots to Ice Cube in their songs . 'No Vaseline' was Cube's response.
KENDRICK LAMAR - 'Control'
Target - J.Cole, Asap Rocky, Drake, Pusha t, Meek Mill, Mac Miller, Jay Electronica, Wale, Big Sean, Big K.R.I.T., Tyler The Creator.
No one had any Idea why Kendrick fired shots to his close friends. According to analysts, Kendrick's intentions were to incite competition within the hip-hop universe.
This track is believed to have sparked tension between Kendrick Lamar and the Canadian star, Drake.
Notable Lyrics - "I got love for you all, but im tryna murder you n##gaz Tryna make sure your core fans never heard of you n##gaz".
NAS- 'Ether'
Target: Jay-Z
It was crystal clear that Jay Z's track 'Takeover', was an offensive message to rap stars, Nas and Prodigy. Nas responded to Jay-Z with one of the greatest Hip Hop diss tracks of all time, Ether.
PUSHA T - 'The story of Adidona'
Target - Drake.
Pusha T took the Drake's beef too seriously and chose war, to put the whole nonsense in the trashcan. In this track, Pusha exposed Drake's top secrets, triggering Drake's emotions.
Notable Lyrics -" Deadbeat mo###f#ker playin' border patrol oh. Adonis is your son and he deserves more than an Adidas press run, that's real Love that baby, respect that girl Forget she's a pornstar, let her be your world, yuugh! How dare you put Ye in my verses? I'm selfish, I want all of the curses I'm pre-bookin' the churches Me versus three hearses If we all go to Hell it'll be worth it ".
J. Cole - 1985
TARGET - Lil Pump
There is a huge gap between Cole's planet and Lil Pump's planet. Lil Pump thinks that J. Cole's perspective on rap culture and lyrics is now old-fashioned. This pushed Pump to fire shots to J. Cole.
In response, Cole decided to fully explain his own views about the rap industry / business, how most of the 21st century rappers are falling into deep holes because of their type of mindsets they impose in the rap music.
PUSHA T - ' Infrared '
Target - Drake
Pusha T and Drake's group YMCMB went to a point where they could put pen and paper aside and pull out guns and knives. This situation persisted until Drake decided to Takeover the wheel. As a result, Pusha pressed the war mode button.
Notable Lyrics.- " The game's fucked up Niggas beats is bangin', nigga, ya hooks did it The lyric pennin' equal the Trumps winnin' The bigger question is how the Russians did it It was written like Nas but it came from Quentin "
Eminem - Killshot
Target - Machine Gun Kelly
Eminem took the issue personal after M.G.K. (Machine-Gun Kelly) went on to spat out crap about Eminem's daughter and in response, Slim Shady went to the studio for a rap diss track.
It was on this track when Eminem accused Kelly's boss, P Diddy as the 2pac killer.
EMINEM - 'Nail In The Coffin' 'The Sauce'.
Target - Benzino, The Source magazine.
Rapper and owner of The Source magazine, Benzino went on to challenge Eminem by downvoting for Eminem's album 'The Marshal Mathers LP'. He gave the album a two-star review in his magazine.
Benzino kept on poking the legend, mentioning his ethnicity, dropping subliminal shots in his freestyles.
It is believed that Benzino's career was jeopardized by this diss track.
DRAKE - 'Back to Back'
Target - Meek Mill
Meek Mill challenged Drake via Twitter, downvoting and discrediting him because of using ghost writers, who craft most of his best lyrics.
In response Drake dropped 'Back to Back'
