Except for the songs that made my Top 20 songs of 2005 and the representative tracks from my Top 20 Albums of 2005, these are the rest of the best mainstream hip hop tracks of 2005, volume one. Note: These tracks are generally harder and darker than the tracks on volume two. To be eligible, a song needed to be included on an album released in the United States between December 1, 2004 and November 30, 2005.

Click here to get this iTunes iMix.

1. Tony Yayo (featuring 50 Cent) “So Seductive” Thoughts of a Predicate Felon (Interscope)
2. Fort Minor “Petrified” The Rising Tied (Machine Shop/Warner Brothers)
3. Slim Thug “Like A Boss” Already Platinum (Geffen)
4. Mike Jones (featuring Slim Thug & Paul Wall) “Still Tippin’” Who Is Mike Jones? (Swishahouse/Asylum)
5. Kanye West (featuring Cam’ron & Consequence) “Gone” Late Registration (Roc-A-Fella)
6. Miri Ben-Ari (featuring Scarface & Anthony Hamilton) “Sunshine to the Rain” The Hip Hop Violinist (Universal)
7. The Game (featuring 50 Cent) “How We Do” The Documentary (Interscope)
8. Damian Marley “Welcome to Jamrock” Welcome to Jamrock (Universal)
9. Paul Wall (featuring Big Pokey) “Sittin’ Sidewayz” The People’s Champ (Swishahouse/Asylum/Atlantic)
10. Slim Thug (featuring Pharrell) “Already Platinum” Already Platinum (Geffen)
11. 50 Cent “Get In My Car” The Massacre (Interscope/Shady/Aftermath)
12. The Game (featuring Tony Yayo) “Runnin’” The Documentary (Interscope)
13. Kanye West (featuring Paul Wall & GLC) “Drive Slow” Late Registration (Roc-A-Fella)
14. Beanie Sigel (featuring Freeway & Young Chris) “I Can’t Go On This Way” The B. Coming (Roc-A-Fella)
15. Miri Ben-Ari (featuring Styles P) “We Gonna Win” The Hip Hop Violinist (Universal)
16. U-God “It’s A Wrap” Mr. Xcitement (Free Agency Media)
17. 50 Cent “Hustler’s Ambition” Get Rich Or Die Tryin’ Soundtrack (G Unit/Interscope)
18. The Game “Dreams” The Documentary (Interscope)