Old-school classic tops hip-hop poll

A pioneering classic from the early days of hip-hop has come top of a poll to find the 50 greatest tracks from the genre.

The Message by Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five was voted number one in a poll of journalists, industry executives and hip-hop artists conducted by Rolling Stone magazine. Superstar rappers Nas and Busta Rhymes were among those asked by the bi-weekly US music journal to nominate their favourite hip-hop tracks.

In a distinct nod to the genre's heritage, four of the top five were 'old-school' classics from hip-hop's adolescence: Behind 1982's The Message came the groundbreaking Rapper's Delight by The Sugarhill Gang from 1979; the track that launched Sugar Hill Records and influenced so much of what followed - from the stripped-down beats of Run-D.M.C. (who came fourth with Sucker M.C.'s) to so-called "gangsta rap", to Eminem and other contemporary superstars like Jay-Z, Nas and Kanye West.

The list also includes key figures such as Notorious B.I.G., 2Pac, Outkast, Public Enemy, Beastie Boys, De La Soul, 50 Cent, Snoop Dogg and Dr Dre; but in a genre that has often been under fire for its attitudes towards women, only three female acts - Salt 'N' Pepa, Lauryn Hill and Missy Elliot - make the top 50; an indication perhaps of the historic male dominance of the rap scene.

The Top Five

1. Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five - The Message (1982)

2. The Sugarhill Gang - Rapper's Delight (1979)

3. Afrika Bambaataa and the Soul Sonic Force - Planet Rock (1982)

4. Run-D.M.C. - Sucker M.C.'s (1983)

5. Geto Boys - Mind Playing Tricks on Me (1991)

The full list can be found at http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/the-50-greatest-hip-hop-songs-of-all-time-20121205/grandmaster-flash-and-the-furious-five-the-message-19691231.