Except for the songs that made my Top 20 songs of 2003 and the representative tracks from my Top 20 Albums of 2003, these are the rest of the best mainstream hip hop tracks of 2003. To be eligible, a song needed to be included on an album released in the United States between December 1, 2002 and November 30, 2003.

1. Lil’ Kim featuring Twista “Thug Luv” La Bella Mafia (Atlantic)
2. 50 Cent “Many Men” Get Rich Or Die Tryin’ (Interscope/Shady/Aftermath)
3. Nas “The Cross” God’s Son (Columbia)
4. Jay-Z “My 1st Song” The Black Album (Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam)
5. Outkast (Big Boi) “Knowing” Speakerboxxx (Arista/La Face)
6. Killer Mike “Akshon (Yeah!)” Monster (Sony)
7. T.I. “Be Easy” Trap Muzik (Grand Hustle/Atlantic)
8. Lil’ Kim featuring 50 Cent “Magic Stick” La Bella Mafia (Atlantic)
9. Nas “Get Down” God’s Son (Columbia)
10. 50 Cent featuring Eminem “Patiently Waiting” Get Rich Or Die Tryin’ (Interscope/Shady/Aftermath)
11. DMX “X Gon Give It To Ya” Cradle 2 the Grave Soundtrack
(Def Jam)
12. Jay-Z “Dirt Off Your Shoulder” The Black Album (Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam)
13. Dirt McGirt featuring Pharrell Williams “Pop Shit” Neptunes Present…Clones (Star Trak/Arista)
14. Ludacris “Stand Up” Chicken-N-Beer (Def Jam)
15. Joe Budden “#1” Joe Budden (Def Jam)
16. Nas “Made You Look” God’s Son (Columbia)
17. 50 Cent “U Not Like Me” Get Rich Or Die Tryin’ (Interscope/Shady/Aftermath)
18. DMX “Where the Hood At?” Grand Champ (Def Jam)
19. Jay-Z “Lucifer” The Black Album (Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam)