Shea Serrano’s The Rap Year Book has taken the book market by storm since its release last October, landing on the bestseller lists at the New York Times, the Washington Post and Amazon. Now, the former Grantland staffer’s detailed analysis of the best rap song from every year, 1979-2014, looks to be getting a documentary production deal. The ever-excitable Serrano announced the news yesterday on his Twitter feed:
AYYYYYYYYYYYYE listen to this a real actual production optioned TRYB they’re gonna try and make it into a documentary series oh shit oh shit
— Shea Serrano (@SheaSerrano) March 21, 2016
the production company was hella cool they got all kinds of awards and whatnot they flew me out to NY and we hung out it was real dope
— Shea Serrano (@SheaSerrano) March 21, 2016
i just signed the contract today this shit is nuts shoutout everyone who bought TRYB y’all made so much noise you got everyone looking at us
— Shea Serrano (@SheaSerrano) March 21, 2016
i wish i had more details for y’all but it was kinda hard to read the proposal or hear what anyone was saying cuz i was crying so much
— Shea Serrano (@SheaSerrano) March 21, 2016
FYI if you bought a copy of TRYB i want you to tell everyone you’re an executive producer now ok wow congratulations on your new job
— Shea Serrano (@SheaSerrano) March 21, 2016
If you haven’t checked out The Rap Year Book yet and you care about the genre, now might be a good time. Here’s the list Serrano’s come up with:
1979: “Rapper’s Delight” – The Sugarhill Gang
1980: “The Breaks” -Kurtis Blow
1981: “Jazzy Sensation” – Afrika Bambaataa and the Jazzy Five
1982: “The Message” – Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five
1983: “Sucker M.C.’s” – Run-DMC
1984: “Friends” – Whodini
1985: “La Di Da Di” – Doug E. Fresh and Slick Rick
1986: “6 in the Mornin’” – Ice-T
1987: “Paid in Full” – Eric B. and Rakim
1988: “Straight Outta Compton” – N.W.A
1989: “Fight the Power” – Public Enemy
1990: “Bonita Applebum” – A Tribe Called Quest
1991: “Mind Playing Tricks on Me” – Geto Boys
1992: “Nuthin’ but a ‘G’ Thang” – Dr. Dre, featuring Snoop Dogg
1993: “C.R.E.A.M.” – Wu-Tang Clan
1994: “Juicy” – The Notorious B.I.G.
1995: “Dear Mama” – Tupac
1996: “California Love” – Tupac, featuring Dr. Dre and Roger Troutman
1997: “Can’t Nobody Hold Me Down” – Puff Daddy, featuring Mase
1998: “Ruff Ryders’ Anthem” – DMX
1999: “My Name Is” – Eminem
2000: “Big Pimpin’” – Jay Z, featuring UGK
2001: “Takeover” vs. “Ether” – Jay Z vs. Nas
2002: “Grindin’” – The Clipse
2003: “In Da Club” – 50 Cent
2004: “Still Tippin’” – Mike Jones, featuring Slim Thug and Paul Wall
2005: “Gold Digger” – Kanye West, featuring Jamie Foxx
2006: “Hustlin’” – Rick Ross
2007: “International Players Anthem” – UGK, featuring Outkast
2008: “A Milli” – Lil Wayne
2009: “Best I Ever Had” – Drake
2010: “Monster” – Kanye West, featuring Rick Ross, Jay Z, Bon Iver, and Nicki Minaj
2011: “Niggas in Paris” – Jay Z and Kanye West
2012: “Same Love” – Macklemore and Ryan Lewis
2013: “Control” – Big Sean, featuring Kendrick Lamar and Jay Electronica
2014: “Lifestyle” – Rich Gang, featuring Young Thug and Rich Homie Quan