The theme of winning lays the foundation of rap music. Whether artists are demonstrating their escape from poverty, their accumulation of wealth, or simply relishing in the glow of the limelight, the exhibition of achievement has been rooted in the genre since the start.
Our playlist of rap songs about winning features some of the best tracks ignited with that adrenaline-fuelled motivation you need to inspire your own success and draw your dreams towards you.
Rap Songs About Winning
1. Ty Dolla $ign, Jack Harlow & 24kGoldn – I Won
Ty Dolla $ign, Jack Harlow and 24kGoldn’s collab, I Won, is shaped by its addictive hook, conjuring a compelling track with an expensive, gold-dipped lustre.
I Won is about pure indulgence in your amassed luxuries and splurging in life-long celebration of your earned success, “And I’m not gon’ stop winning and I’m not gon’ stop spending, lifestyle, I’m locked in it.”
Whilst artfully comparing a rapper’s golden chains to first prize medals, I Won’s chorus harbours a profound and unexpectedly sweet sentiment about what it truly means to be a winner: sharing your luxuries with the people who most deserve it;
“Now my momma set ’cause I won, I won, out here making bands, do what I want.”
2. Lil Baby & Kirk Franklin – We Win
Lil Baby & Kirk Franklin’s 2021 track, We Win, is anchored in the line , “We win, yes sir, what didn’t break me made me better, with you by my side, we can touch the sky,” fashioning a track of sheer success perfect for friends, couples, sports teams and any other group celebrating their combined achievements.
Padded with a gospel choir and masterfully inspired jazz harmony, this rap track blends a bounty of uplifting pop and soul-style influences beneath its lyrics. Lil Baby blankets his verses in the theme of fruitful aspiration, with a gleaming sense of wisdom underlying his abundant community spirit;
“We will be better than ever, made a promise we can do it together and I ain’t breaking my word … Striving for greatness, at the same time keeping my patience, can’t be racing to no early grave, I’m cool with just pacing.”
3. DJ Khaled ft. Ludacris, Rick Ross, T-Pain & Snoop Dogg – All I Do Is Win
This 5-way collaboration between DJ Khaled, Ludacris, Rick Ross, T-Pain and Snoop Dogg was bound to be legendary from its mythical collection of world-class rap artists.
All I Do Is Win is a powerhouse track with a radio appeal, ignited with a fresh and enlivening energy to conjure your own unstoppable force.
Threading cut-throat verses with a crowning chorus melody, T-Pain’s lyrics resound with a golden sense of success and a rapper’s delight of narcissistic self-glorification;
“All I do is win, win, win, no matter what, got money on my mind, I can never get enough, and every time I step up in the building everybody hands go up and they stay there.”
This is a track for anyone lacking the self-love they need to achieve their vision whilst putting opposition to shame.
4. Drake – Started From The Bottom
Doubtlessly the most iconic track on our list, Drake’s 2012 hit, Started From The Bottom is the rap anthem about winning the game of life.
Drake crafts his verses with a clever mix of detail and ambiguity, allowing you to place your own life story within his lyrics; “I done kept it real from the jump, livin’ at my momma’s house, we’d argue every month, I was tryna get it on my own, workin’ all night, traffic on the way home.”
Drake’s landmark chorus is backed by an astonishing line, narcissistically depicting the illustrious extent of his rise to fame and fortune; “I just think it’s funny how it goes, now I’m on the road, half a million for a show, now we started from the bottom, now we’re here.”
5. Busta Rhymes ft. Linkin Park – We Made It
Busta Rhymes’ unlikely 2008 collaboration with nu-metal band Linkin Park was destined to be dark in some way.
Grounding their track in an atmospheric piano riff overlayed with a captivating beat, the three vocalists split their sections to demonstrate their own rise to fame, each adding their own layer of personalised depth to the celebratory title.
We Made It is a track for those finding pride in amassing accomplishments, made even greater by the lows they once endured;
“From nights in jail on a bench using my muscles son, to counting money like Dre and Jimmy and Russell was, but now I live when I dream, you see we finally did it, let’s make a toast to the hustle regardless how you get it, sing it.”
6. Jamie Foxx ft. Justin Timberlake & T.I. – Winner
Jamie Foxx, Justin Timberlake & T.I’s 2009 collab, Winner, is mostly centred in its bright, power-spurring melodies, but we’re just going to focus on T.I’s exceptional rap addition to the track.
Hidden within his high-speed verse is a stunning line which strikes at the heart of what it truly means to be a winner; “Turn pain into progression in every studio session, passion into perfection, to failure I’m an exception.”
Winner is driven by pure determination to be on top, surmounting all expectations with flawless, practised ability; “I ran from the bottom to the best, no auto-tune.”
7. Jay Rock – Win
Jay Rock’s 2018 single, WIN, is a contemporary rap anthem capturing the relentless energy and searing motivation it takes to keep on the top of your game. This brass-clad track carries a shamelessly catchy riff and rhythm, matched by an invigorating lyrical message of empowerment.
From quirky, uplifting instrumental choices to lyrical composition, Jay Rock’s WIN is irrepressibly self-confident and driven towards success, conjuring a feel-good atmosphere unleashing your inner potential; “Get out the way, get out the way… You either with me or against me… F*** everything else, win, win, win, win.”
8. Puff Daddy ft. Notorious B.I.G & Busta Rhymes – Victory
Appearing as the second track on Puff Daddy’s 1997 debut album, Victory is devoted to the self-indulgent display of extravagance commonly adopted by rappers worldwide.
This song is about waving your achievements in the face of your failed opposition, detailed with comically god-like comparisons between the narrator and celebrity legends; “Excellence is my presence, never tense, never hesitant… I perform like Mike Anyone — Tyson, Jordan, Jackson.”
Victory is crafted for anyone rightfully indulging in their winnings, using it to push them even further into prosperity; “See you later dog, I’ma get my stash on, there’s a bed full of money that I get my ass on, I never lose the passion to go platinum, said I’d live it up til all the cash gone.”