It's been a bit for this thread... I was just having a conversation yesterday about my top hip hop songs of all time... and I made the case that, now that its over 20 years old, Lose Yourself is a contender for the top spot, but as of yet, I cannot bump #1 Rappers Delight, or #2 The Message, because, 1. they created hip hop, and 2. gave hip hop a real "message" ...
However, Lose Yourself, represents a shift in rap from a more underground genre, to 100% mainstream pop, including winning an Academy Award.. which would have been unheard of for so many people for so many years...
So, congratulations Eminem, I feel like you have entered the mount rushmore of hip hop songs