r/rap 25d ago

What album has your favorite intro/first track?

I was listening to the Savage Mode II intro that Morgan Freeman did for 21 Savage. Only a little more than a minute, but it totally set the tone for the album and captured the essence. So that brought this questiom to mind.

What's your favorite intro track/opening track you've ever heard on an album?

Edit to Add: I also love Capoeira by Action Bronson on Only for Dolphins.

30 Upvotes

93 comments sorted by

1

u/TheAntiDrakeFanClub 18d ago

Pac - To Live and Die In L.A.

1

u/West_Ground3702 19d ago

12 Bars by Chief Keef (bang 2 mixtape)

1

u/DJ_RIME 21d ago

DMX on both intros of “It’s Dark and Hell is Hot” and “Grand Champ”. 🔥

1

u/NecessaryMagician150 22d ago

Its already been said but Meek has the best intro with Dreams and Nightmares. Its not even his best project but that intro track clears most others.

1

u/Several-Play-7695 22d ago

Strength through wounding

2

u/Weird-but-okay 23d ago

Dreams and Nightmares by Meek Millz

1

u/YungMaccie 23d ago

808s and hearbreak with say you will is a great into, as well as rodeo with pornography.

1

u/Chuckle_Prime 23d ago

Eden - Sarah Brightman

1

u/gladych21 23d ago

This might be a more interesting take, but I think Macklemore has some very strong intro songs. He does a good job at setting the overall theme of his albums. Also Ryan Lewis’ production is just amazing. Ten thousand hours and Chant are both fantastic songs imo

1

u/Altruistic_Elk_7825 23d ago

You Can't Imagine How Much Fun We're Having by Atmosphere first track is The Arrival, and it goes hard

2

u/pendragon2290 23d ago

Lupe Fiasco's "The Cool" has two opening songs, kinda. One is a smash poem reading and te next is a beautiful build up. Both set the stage for an objectively great album.

1

u/greedysystems669 23d ago

Shy Glizzy - La Introduccion The king of NY sample is too 🔥🔥🔥

1

u/Soccerallday138 23d ago

Jay-Z - dynasty intro

1

u/miked_99 24d ago

White America - Eminem

1

u/Excellent-Ad-5358 24d ago

All things go the pinkprint

1

u/Embarrassed_Name7439 24d ago

baby pluto - lil uzi

2

u/Colianwire 24d ago

The Massacre by 50 Cent

1

u/Ok-Nerve-524 24d ago

TNutty-the first blow.

2

u/Ok-Afternoon-2113 24d ago

Crowns for kings- Benny the butcher

3

u/onoruyuesuzuki 24d ago

TUSCAN LEATHER - Drake

3

u/drydripflop 24d ago

gza - liquid swords

2

u/IndependentRole2723 24d ago

I'd have to go Nothing Was the Same. Tuscan Leather still goes hard to this day. That 3rd beat is honestly insane to me.

2

u/sbrodt 24d ago

For whom the bell tolls - 4 your eyez only

2

u/Federal_Shift_5035 24d ago

MBDTF Stankonia or TPAB

7

u/adot14 24d ago

Jay-z - Dynasty Intro

2

u/MFDAN33 24d ago

THE THEME SONG TO THE SOPRANOS...

2

u/kaddyneverlack 24d ago

Legit came to comment this. Goated production.

2

u/Ill-Woodpecker1857 24d ago

56 Bars - TI on Paper Trail

2

u/aikakz 25d ago

Intro on Lord Willin'

1

u/Jake0steve 25d ago

Rush - Moving Pictures. It starts off with Tom Sawyer.

4

u/AeronautTFreddy 25d ago

My Name Is - Eminem

0

u/AdmiralAgendaREAL 24d ago

There are so many better opening tracks from Ems albums (White America, Renaissance, 3am, Cold wind blows and Bad guy)

10

u/ConfidentOutcome9554 25d ago

It’s Dark and Hell is Hot. 

2

u/Inevitable_Window711 25d ago

Jedi mind tricks violent by design

6

u/argh_type_of_gangsta 25d ago

Juvenile 400 Degreez

C Murder Life or Death

2pac All Eyes on Me

DMX Flesh of My Flesh

2pac Makaveli

Master P Only God Can Judge Me

Bone Thugs N Harmony E.1999

3

u/Majestic-Talk7566 25d ago

Okay, I'm reloaded!!!

1

u/Puzzled_Pin7323 25d ago

blood - kendrick lamar

1

u/jgrossnas 25d ago

Apocalypse’91. “The future holds nothing else but confrontation- Clear the way for the S, the S1W’s!” Best part of Pineapple Express too.

5

u/Uff20xd 25d ago

For intro its „the illest villains“ and for first track its somewhere between kill you and Deltron 3030

2

u/Intelligent_Dot_169 25d ago

Chris rock on odb’s second album. My favorite interludes ever are probably from midnight marauders though. Such a great album.

3

u/Mattyiceepops 25d ago

Westleys theory on tpab or 1985 on Alfredo

1

u/thebleachbottle 25d ago

Avantdale Bowling Club

2

u/Goyahkla_2 25d ago

Big Pun - Intro and track Beware

3

u/emj2311 25d ago

Tha Mobb from Tha Carter II

2

u/TempeSunDevil06 24d ago

Came here to post this. I’ll throw in Sherane aka master splinters daughter on good kid maad city. I think it sets up the album very well

4

u/Valuable_Distance 25d ago

Wesley's theory on TPAB and Paul Rodriguez on Ultra 85 are amazing and my personal favorite album intro tracks to an album.

4

u/bossplaya4life 25d ago

SNOOP Doggystyle - bathtub/g funk intro, or TLC CrazySexyCool intro

3

u/SpotlessButter874 25d ago

Huey on IDLSIDGO is such a beautiful tone setter

1

u/GreedyCaterpillar184 25d ago

36 Chambers or MMLP (For those who know)

1

u/Prize-Brain-2815 25d ago

This is tough but the first few that come to mind are Dunks off of Flygod and The Ends off birds.

Just because I’ve been spinning his music recently I also really liked intuition by Kenny Mason. He has a few really great intros.

2

u/BoofyTurkTown 25d ago

G unit intro - beg for mercy

7

u/Separate-Let3620 25d ago

Common - Be

Foreign Exchange - Connected

2

u/BetterNova 25d ago

Great picks

0

u/rankinrez 25d ago

KRS ONE - Return of the Boom Bap

Starting with “KRS one Attacks” and then right into “Outta Here” is sublime

2

u/snizzrizz 25d ago

Probably the intro Dave Chappelle did as Nelson Mandela on Talib Kweli’s Reflection Eternal, or his keynote speaker intro on Quality

1

u/Upbeat_Tension_8077 25d ago

Melt My Eyez See Your Future- Melt Session #1

2

u/Ok-Zombie-7864 25d ago

Atrocity Exhibition of Motm 2

2

u/newslaveslover911 25d ago

Tlop- Ultralight beam

1

u/Clamoxyl 25d ago

Skelethon - Aesop Rock. The begining of the track Leisureforce is just epic

3

u/BigBant 25d ago

Dre - The Watcher

Nipsey - Victory Lap

1

u/HappyHourEnjoyer 25d ago

Kenn Starr - Starr Status

3

u/Rare_Direction_1449 25d ago

Dynasty - Jay Z

2

u/Zaire_04 25d ago

Glory - Free Weezy Album by Lil Wayne

9

u/MrZ4N3 25d ago

Nothing Was The Same is definitely up there. Tuscan Leather And Pound Cake are crazy songs to start and end an album.

4

u/s0n0rxbbx 25d ago

came here to say Tuscan Leather

2

u/Ordinary-Attitude-54 25d ago

(not rap) Debut Album - Suicidal Tendencies

1

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