16

Numbers on the Board - Pusha T

Before Yeezus season was even approaching, the creative mastermind of Kanye West had his fingers in several other projects. His jocular, competitive, and yet malicious influence carried through to Terrence Thornton's first solo release, and its single visual offering on May 10, 2013. 

Jay-Z had put together a freestyle-esque diss track directed at his his dissenters a week or two prior, "Open Letter." He addressed media disapproval over a recent vacation to Cuba with his spouse, Beyonce Carter (né Knowles). As readers of this post may have noticed, that song did not make it into the Top 150... But it did beget the release of "Numbers on the Board." Terrence tells the story of Ye phoning him from Paris to notify that he would drop the track, to keep up with the real hip-hop "fire" from Jay Z. In 15 minutes.

The Don Cannon-produced beat received a special Mr. West touch-up (Kanye executively produced the album; the dark, minimal Yeezus vibe is embedded in the song). Terrence gets boastful, even scary. The old-ass Jay Z sample only adds to the mystique of one of the darkest songs to chart highly on this list.