The Smithsonian released a 129-song track list to their rap anthology, showing the genre's evolution over the past 4 decades

• "The Smithsonian Anthology of Hip-Hop and Rap" features 129 songs from the last four decades.
• The anthology will be paired with a 300-page book featuring relevant essays and pieces.
• The anthology will be released on August 20.

The Smithsonian released the track list for its anthology of rap and hip hop on Monday, traveling through four decades of the genre. "The Smithsonian Anthology of Hip-Hop and Rap" is set for release on August 20. It's split into nine discs, which will encapsulate four decades-worth of hip hop and rap into 129 songs.

In an announcement made by Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, the Smithsonian Insititute said that the goal of the anthology was to tell "the story of a defining era of music 'of, by, and for the people.'" The article also described it as a "first-of-its-kind multimedia collection chronicling the growth of the music and culture from the parks of the Bronx to solidifying a reach that spans the globe."

This is the Smithsonian Folkway Recordings' third anthology, following "Anthology of American Folk Music" (1953) and "Jazz: The Smithsonian Anthology" (2011).

The anthology, which is a partnership between Smithsonian Folkway Recordings and the National Museum of African American History and Culture, is paired with a 300-page book, designed by Cey Adams, the founding creative director of Def Jam Recordings. The book will feature essays and photos. The entire project centers on the evolution of rap and hip hop.

Those involved in the selection and curation process were: rappers MC Lyte and Chuck D; the artist Questlove; scholars Jeff Chang and Mark Anthony Neal; and early Def Jam executives Bill Adler and Bill Stephney.

The anthology features monumental songs in hip-hop from giants like NWA, MC Lyte, Queen Latifah, Sugarhill Gang, Public Enemy, Salt-N-Pepa, and more. It captures an excellent mix of new and old - and for some, it's also a solid mix of familiar and unfamiliar tracks.

While the Bronx is known as the birthplace of hip-hop, as this anthology indicates, some argue that "Rapper's Delight" by The Sugarhill Gang is the pioneering hip-hop song (Disc 1, Track 2), it's also important to note that some point to Gil Scott-Heron as the "Godfather of Rap." Though Heron preferred the label "bluesologist," his work has been referenced or sampled by industry giants like Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar, and Common, and Queen Latifah. His song "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" is featured in Jay Electronica's song "Exhibit C" (Disc 9, Track 9), but his original work is not included in the anthology.

Find the official trailer and track list to The Smithsonian Anthology of Hip-Hop and Rap below.

Track List

DISC: 1

1. Fatback - King Tim III
2. Sugarhill Gang - Rapper's Delight
3. The Sequence - Funk You Up
4. Kurtis Blow - The Breaks
5. Funky Four +1 - That's the Joint
6. Spoonie Gee Feat. the Sequence - Monster Jam
7. Treacherous Three - The Body Rock
8. Blondie - Rapture
9. Grandmaster Flash - The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel
10. Afrika Bambaataa & the Soulsonic Force - Planet Rock

DISC: 2

1. Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five - the Message
2. The Fearless Four - Rockin It
3. Cold Crush Brothers - Punk Rock Rap
4. Herbie Hancock - Rockit
5. Afrika Bambaataa & the Soulsonic Force - Looking for the Perfect Beat
6. Run-DMC - It's Like That
7. Whodini - Friends
8. Cold Crush Brothers - Fresh, Fly, Wild & Bold
9. T. La Rock - It's Yours
10. The World's Famous Supreme Team - Hey! DJ
11. Newcleus - Jam on It
12. Utfo - Roxanne, Roxanne

DISC: 3

1. Roxanne Shanté - Roxanne's Revenge
2. Fat Boys - Fat Boys
3. Doug E. Fresh & MC Ricky D - la Di Da Di
4. LL Cool J - I Can't Live Without My Radio
5. Schoolly D - P.S.K. 'What Does It Mean?'
6. Run-Dmc Feat. Aerosmith - Walk This Way
7. Beastie Boys - Paul Revere
8. Ultramagnetic MC's - Ego Tripping
9. Ice-T - 6 'N the Mornin'
10. Kool Moe Dee - How Ya Like Me Now
11. LL Cool J - I Need Love
12. Eric B Feat. Rakim - Eric B Is President
13. Mantronix - King of the Beats

DISC: 4

1. Stetsasonic Feat. the Rev. Jesse Jackson & Olatunji - A.F.R.I.C.A
2. Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince - Parents Just Don't Understand
3. Audio Two - Top Billin'
4. MC Lyte - Lyte As a Rock
5. Big Daddy Kane - Raw
6. Marley Marl Feat. Master Ace, Craig G, Kool G Rap, & Big Daddy Kane - the Symphony
7. MC Lyte - I Cram to Understand U (Sam)
8. Tone LŌC - Wild Thing
9. Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock - It Takes Two
10. Jungle Brothers - I'll House You
11. N.W.A. - F*** Tha Police
12. Public Enemy - Fight the Power
13. The Stop the Violence Movement - Self Destruction
14. Too Short - Life Is... Too Short
15. Slick Rick - Children's Story
16. 3rd Bass - the Gas Face

DISC: 5

1. Queen Latifah Feat. Monie Love - Ladies First
2. Public Enemy - Bring the Noise
3. De la Soul - Me Myself and I
4. Biz Markie - Just a Friend
5. The D.O.C. - It's Funky Enough
6. 2 Live Crew - Me So Horny
7. Digital Underground - the Humpty Dance
8. MC Hammer - U Can't Touch This
9. Vanilla Ice - Ice Ice Baby
10. Brand Nubian - All for One
11. Geto Boys - Mind Playing Tricks on Me
12. A Tribe Called Quest - Scenario
13. Black Sheep - the Choice Is Yours
14. Salt-N-Pepa - Let's Talk About Sex
15. Yo-Yo Feat. Ice-Cube - Can't Play with My Yo-Yo
16. Naughty By Nature - O.P.P

DISC: 6

1. Dr. Dre Feat. Snoop Doggy Dogg - Nuthin' But a 'G' Thang
2. Ice Cube - It Was a Good Day
3. Sir Mix-A-Lot - Baby Got Back
4. Arrested Development - Tennessee
5. Digable Planets - Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)
6. House of Pain - Jump Around
7. Positive K - I Got a Man
8. Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth - They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)
9. UGK - Pocket Full of Stones
10. Wu-Tang Clan - C.R.E.A.M
11. Cypress Hill - Insane in the Brain
12. The Pharcyde - Passin' Me By
13. Eightball & MJG - Comin Out Hard
14. Common Sense - I Used to Love H.E.R
15. Da Brat - Funkdafied
16. Nas - N.Y. State of Mind
17. Craig Mack Feat. the Notorious B.I.G., Rampage, LL Cool J, Busta Rhymes - Flava in Your Ear

DISC: 7

1. Beastie Boys - Sabotage
2. The Notorious BIG - Juicy
3. Gang Starr Feat. Nice & Smooth - Dwyck
4. Warren G Feat. Nate Dogg - Regulate
5. Snoop Doggy Dogg - Murder Was the Case
6. E-40 Feat. Suga T - Sprinkle Me
7. Goodie Mob - Cell Therapy
8. Coolio Feat. L.V. - Gangsta's Paradise
9. 2Pac - Dear Mama
10. Mobb Deep - Shook Ones, Part 2
11. Method Man Feat. Mary J. Blige - I'll Be There for You / You're All I Need to Get By
12. Foxy Brown Feat. Jay-Z - I'll Be
13. Lil Kim Feat. Puff Daddy - No Time
14. Bone Thugs-N-Harmony - Tha Crossroads
15. Wu-Tang Clan Feat. Cappadonna - Triumph
16. Busta Rhymes - Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See
17. Master P Feat. Silkk the Shocker, Mia X, Fiend - Make 'Em Say Uhh!

DISC: 8

1. Missy Elliot - the Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)
2. Lauryn Hill - Doo Wop (That Thing)
3. DMX - Ruff Ryders' Anthem
4. The Roots - the Next Movement
5. Mos Def - Mathematics
6. BG - Bling Bling
7. Dead Prez - Hip Hop
8. Eminem Feat. Dido - Stan
9. Outkast - Ms. Jackson
10. Nelly - Country Grammar (Hot Shit)
11. Ludacris Feat. Pharrell - Southern Hospitality
12. Nas - One Mic
13. 50 Cent - in Da Club
14. Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz Feat. Ying Yang Twins - Get Low

DISC: 9

1. Talib Kweli - Black Girl Pain
2. Kanye West - Jesus Walks
3. Three 6 Mafia Feat. Young Buck, Eightball & MJG - Stay Fly
4. Rick Ross - Hustlin'
5. Lupe Fiasco Feat. Nikki Jean - Hip-Hop Saved My Life
6. Young Jezzy Feat. Nas - My President
7. David Banner Feat. Chris Brown & Yung Joc - Get Like Me
8. Lil Wayne Feat. Robin Thicke - Tie My Hands
9. Jay Electronica - Exhibit C
10. Nicki Minaj - Super Bass
11. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Feat. Wanz - Thrift Shop
12. J Cole Feat. TLC - Crooked Smile
13. Kanye West - Blood on the Leaves
14. Drake - Started from the Bottom

Watch the trailer to the anthology below: