On June 30, Complex released its list of the best rap verses of 2025 so far. Big names like Kendrick Lamar, Drake, Pusha T, and 2 Chainz made the list. The outlet sticks to its rule of including only one verse per artist. Verses were picked for their storytelling, strong writing, emotion, and cultural impact.

Complex’s list is as follows:

  1. Meek Mill — Proud Of Me
  2. Kendrick Lamar — Chains & Whips
  3. Pusha T — So Be It (Verse 3)
  4. Drake — Gimme A Hug (Verse 1)
  5. NBA YoungBoy — Alive
  6. JID — Bodies
  7. Billy Woods — Cold Sweat (Verse 1)
  8. Malice — Ace Trumpets
  9. Joey Badass — Crash Dummies (Verse 1)
  10. J. Cole — cLOUDs (Verse 2)
  11. Doechii — EGYPT Remix
  12. Nino Paid — Joey Story
  13. Central Cee — Don’t Know Anymore
  14. Little Simz — Free (Verse 2)
  15. 2 Chainz — Bad Choices

Fans online have reacted to Complex’s list, as one X user wrote:

“Chains and whips? It’s not even out yet”

“There’s no way Gimme a hug is top 5 and cLOUDs should atleast be top 3,” another user wrote.

“Gimme a hug not a rap song Why is it here?,” another user asked.

Many fans shared their criticism towards either the entire list by Complex or the order of it, as one wrote:

“Id switch the order but soliddddd ngl… Meek’s proud of me verse is insanely hungry…. delivery 10/10… Kendrick being #2 is silly, I think JID should hold that spot.”

“The whole Kendrick verse aint even drop yet lol. And Pusha verse was only like 6 bars lol. JID should be #1 as it stands. Then after Dot verse comes out fully, then he can at the top,” another wrote.

One user also supported Complex’s list, writing:

“damn a publication came out with an actual interesting hiphop list for once.”

Chains & Whips, meanwhile, hasn’t been released yet and is expected to come out with Clipse’s Let God Sort Em Out album on July 11.

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Kendrick Lamar’s verse in Chains & Whips led to Clipse joining Roc Nation

Clipse's Chains & Whips features on Complex's list (Image Source: Getty)Clipse's Chains & Whips features on Complex's list (Image Source: Getty)
Clipse’s Chains & Whips features on Complex’s list (Image Source: Getty)

Clipse is set to release their first album after 16 years, Let God Sort Em Out, on July 11, 2025. The album is produced by Pharrell and features multiple rappers, alongside Clipse, comprising Pusha T and No Malice.

In an interview with GQ, published on June 2, Pusha T revealed that the album could’ve been released in 2024 itself. However, Kendrick Lamar’s verse in Chains & Whips led to Def Jam and UMG parting ways with the duo.

“They wanted me to ask Kendrick to censor his verse, which of course I was never doing,” he said. “And then they wanted me to take the record off. And so, after a month of not doing it, Steve Gawley, the lawyer over there, was like, ‘We’ll just drop the Clipse.’ But that can’t work because I’m still there [solo]. But [if] you let us all go….”

Roc Nation later picked the duo, and the album was then completed and is set for a July 11 release. Meanwhile, Chains & Whips is unreleased, but Kendrick Lamar’s verse came out last month.

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