Hip-hop celebrated its fiftieth anniversary two years ago, and from its early renegade beginnings to becoming a big fish in the mainstream, many a clever lyric has been turned out by talented rhymers who hit home runs with powerful wordplay.

Whether they're poking fun at competitors with scathing cyphers or acknowledging poignant truths about life, the following 50 lyrics stood out for their sharp witticisms, the context they provide to the time they were written, and more.

Keep reading for the full countdown to see which rhymes struck as some of the best of all time.

50. Mos Def - "Mathematics"

"Crack mothers, crack babies, and AIDS patients / Youngbloods can't spell, but they could rock you in PlayStation."

Mos Def raises the stakes of this rhyme in the first line by presenting the

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