Ranking the Best Songs on Clipse’s Lord Willin’

There was something about the year 2002. I don’t think we realized how good we had it.

Twenty years ago today, I shuffled my way to Best Buy to purchase (yes, actually BUY) what would become one of my favorite albums of the decade. I was already a big fan of Virginia duo Clipse, and not just because they were hometown boys. They had the rugged lyricism and chemistry of a Mobb Deep but the backing of current hitmakers the Neptunes. I was vaguely familiar with their unreleased album Exclusive Audio Footage and was already a big fan of their single “Grindin’.” I had a feeling that their official debut would be a hit.

I’m never wrong.

Today my guy Justin Jones, one of the headlines at the Soul In Stereo Cypher on Facebook, to revisit and rank the album that helped solidify Va’s rap scene and became the launching pad for rap’s most dangerous duo.

Talk about your selection for best song.

Justin: “Grindin'”

“Grindin” is the only choice. It’s the definitive Clipse record, and pretty much among the top songs of the 2000s.

Edd: “Grindin'”

Social media LOVES to throw around words “classic” and “defining” and “game changing” and nine times out of 10 those claims are as legit as a Nigerian prince offering your cash in your inox. But in this case, the claims are absolutely true – from its iconic production, to Pusha T and Malice’s matchless chemistry, to the grimy Va video, “Grindin” is a classic hip-hop track in every sense of the word. Objectively, it’s the best song on the album.

The Neptunes were on top of their games in this era. Which song has the best production?

Justin: “Grindin'”

“Grindin” is the best beat on the album and it’s not up for debate. This joint dropped back in the spring of 2002 and all of the hip-hop heads I went to school with (including me) were mimicking this Neptune’s beat on the lunchroom table. I’ll go a step further and say that it’s one of the greatest rap beats ever made considering how it’s still being received in the last 20 years. Some of your favorite rappers freestyled to this on Rap City: Tha Basement. The beautiful thing about it was that the beat was simple, yet in the climate of 2002, it was different than anything out at that time.

Edd: “Grindin'”

Really, was there any doubt here? Unfortunately I had JUST aged out of the ‘banging beats on the cafeteria table’ portion of my life (cuz old) but I dare you to find a better beat in the Neptunes’ storied career. I already did the work for you right here – you cant. There’s a reason why this beat has been copy/pasted for years (still side-eying you, J-Kwon). It’s hip-hop production at its finest.

Which guest delivered the best feature?

Justin: Roscoe P. Coldchain on “Cot Damn”

            “They say what you do comes back on you two times/

            I should’ve been died, but I’m still walking around with two nines”

I’m going with the unknown Roscoe P. Coldchain as the best feature on the album. Even though I loved the Jadakiss & Fabolous features on the album, Roscoe just felt different when he showed up on “Cot Damn.” His flow was unorthodox but very authentic and matched the gritty VA street narrative that Malice & Pusha T conveyed on the mic.

Edd: Ab-Liva on “Cot Damn”

This album has a ton of great features – and that says a lot when you take the level of elite lyricism into account. I ALMOST went with Jadakiss on “I’m Not You,” but instead let’s show love to Ab-Liva. He never got his due outside of those We Got It 4 Cheap mixtapes, and that’s a shame. He’s quietly one of the better MCs of this era, thanks to his blend of wordplay and aggressive delivery. When he says “The pimp, the hustler, the crook, the killer, gorilla,” you FEEL his hunger. You rarely hear that passion in today’s bars.

Tough question: What’s the best verse on the album, and who spit it?

Justin: Malice’s second verse on “Virginia”

            “Don’t ask about my music, and how that’s coming ‘bout/

              Don’t ask about my album, or when it’s coming out/

             ‘Cause I feel like you really being funny on the sly/

             Now face down, layin’ on your tummy or you die”

While Pusha T would eventually become one of the best lyricists of the culture, I always felt Malice was the standout on Lord Willin’. His bar work throughout the album was menacing, often reflecting little to no remorse about how he approaches the streets. His performance on the 2^nd verse of “Virginia” made me feel as if I was actually in the streets of VA. Mannnnnnnn.

Edd: Pusha T’s first verse on “Virginia”

Same song, different verse. “Virginia” is my personal favorite song on the album and while it’s a slight step below “Grindin,” to me, it’s Clipse at their most authentic. Malice’s verse is pure flames, but Pusha’s goes in nuclear territory. I’d put the first four bars of Pusha’s first verse up against any verse out there. And his OJ Simpson rant? Speaking as a fellow Virginia, he ain’t wrong, that definitely was the sentiment. That one verse is Clipse in a nutshell – witty, dark and brutally honest.

What’s the most underrated song on the album?

Justin: “Comedy Central”

Looking back on this album, “Comedy Central” went pretty hard. The beat reminded me of a Neptune’s version of Jay-Z’s “Reservoir Dogs.” Dark, yet you could bop your shoulders to it. Malice and Pusha of course delivered, but this was Fabolous in peak form when he was killing every feature he rhymed on in this era.

Edd: “I’m Not You”

I’m glad Justin gave “Comedy Central” props. It went overlooked at the time but it’s the type of metaphor-heavy track that would define Lil Wayne’s mixtape run three or four years later. But THE most overlooked track here is “I’m Not You,” a breathless showcase of spitters. No hook to speak of, just bars galore and everyone brings their A-game.

And what’s the most overrated song?

Justin: “Ma, I Don’t Love Her”

“Ma, I Don’t Love Her” by far! I was in high school when this came out as the 3^rd single and I wasn’t a fan of it even then. This was the typical Neptune’s “radio” record that was everywhere in 02’/03’. Also Faith Evans was a wasted feature. Vocally she didn’t add much and was more of a background vocal on this record.

Edd: “Ma, I Don’t Love Her”

Yeah this is an easy one. I wasn’t a huge fan of “Ma, I Don’t Love Her” because, as Justin said, it feels like a template Neptunes radio track. This was also around the time I started to get a little bored with the Neptunes’ arcade-sounding beats. If it pops up on a playlist I wouldn’t smash my phone in a fit of rage but it’s typically a skip for me.

Which track should have been a single?

Justin: “Virginia”

I’ll say this…the 4 singles they choose were fine, but sometimes I wish they’d have made “Virginia” a street single (they played it at the end of the “When the Last Time” video, so I thought they were going in that direction).

Edd: “I’m Not You”

Clipse did a pretty good job picking singles on this album so this tough to answer. Now, I love “Virginia” as much as (and probably even more than) Justin, but that song’s way too dark for mainstream play. The only options seem to be “Young Boy” – which is a cool song but definitely more of an album cut – or “I’m Not You” as a brooding bar-fest for the Rap City crowd. I guess I’ll go with the latter because it’s the better song.

Is Lord Willin’ Clipse’s best album?

Justin: Noooooo…Hell Hath No Fury is! This album is their 2^nd best out of the 3 that they have though, and none of their albums are bad

Edd: I thought Hell Hath No Fury was universally recognized as Clipse’s best album – that is until I ranked all their albums last year and strangers on the internet yelled that I was wrong. Story of my life. But no, as great as Lord Willin is, and even though it’s clearly beloved two decades later, it can’t match the might of HHNF – better production, stronger bars and way more consistency across the board. But take nothing away from Lord Willin – if it dropped in 2022 it would be an instant album of the year contender.

Is Lord Willin’ a hip-hop classic?

Justin: Lord Willin’ is a VERY GOOD debut album, but not a classic per se. Clipse would go on to release their definitive classic a few years later, but I give this album a 4 out of 5 from beginning to end. Lord Willin’ does have 2 or 3 classic songs on it, and not many rap albums can say that. This album does bring back a lot of nostalgic vibes for me though because it was apart of a certain era in hip-hop that I grew up in.

Edd: Justin be knowin. Lord Willin is home to a classic song, “Grindin,” which more than most rap albums could ever say. And it will always live in our hearts as the official debut of rap’s coke kings. But, as I outlined above, the album itself doesn’t check all the boxes needed to qualify as a rap classic. But who cares? It’s a great album that still holds up today. Sometimes, that’s all you need.

Whose side are you on, Justin or Edd’s? Share your Clipse commentary below.