The Ultimate Hip Hop Christmas Music Playlist
Looking for the perfect Christmas music to get you into the holiday spirit? Look no further than this hip hop Christmas playlist! From classics like Run DMC’s “Christmas in Hollis” to more modern tracks like Kanye West’s “Christmas in Harlem”, there’s something for everyone on this list. So turn up the volume and get ready to celebrate the season!
Christmas Rap Classics
If you’re looking for the perfect hip hop Christmas music playlist, look no further. Here’s a list of some of the best Christmas rap classics that are sure to get you in the holiday spirit. From classics like “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” by Run DMC to more modern tracks like “Christmas in Hollis” by Run DMC, there’s something for everyone on this list.
“Christmas in Hollis” by Run-D.M.C.
Christmas in Hollis is a holiday rap song by the group Run-D.M.C., released on their 1986 album Raising Hell. The song tells the story of the group’s experiences growing up in the Hollis neighborhood of Queens, New York City, during the Christmas season. It samples snippets of several well-known Christmas songs, including “Frosty the Snowman”, “Here Comes Santa Claus”, and “Jingle Bells”.
The song was a huge hit, peaking at #53 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and #9 on the Hot Rap Songs chart. It has since been ranked as one of the greatest Christmas songs of all time by multiple publications, and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2007.
“Santa Claus Goes Straight to the Ghetto” by Snoop Dogg
This rap classic by Snoop Dogg tells the story of a Christmas Eve visit to the ghetto, where Santa is surprised by what he sees. The lyrics paint a picture of poverty and desperation, but also of hope and resilience. “Santa Claus Goes Straight to the Ghetto” is a moving portrayal of life in America’s inner cities, and an important reminder that Christmas is for everyone.
“Christmas in the Hood” by Ice Cube
This song is from Ice Cube’s 1991 album, Death Certificate. It is a Christmas rap classic that tells the story of a young girl who witnesses a drive-by shooting on Christmas Eve.
Hip Hop Christmas Songs
If you are looking for the best hip hop Christmas songs, look no further. This playlist has all of the classics that you know and love, as well as some newer songs that are sure to get you in the holiday spirit. From Snoop Dogg to Run DMC, this playlist has something for everyone.
“All I Want for Christmas” by The Notorious B.I.G.
“All I Want for Christmas” is a song by American rapper The Notorious B.I.G., released as the second single from his album Ready to Die (1994). The song samples “Christmas in Hollis” by Run-DMC. Despite its title, the song is not a holiday carol; rather, it describes a scene of gang violence on Christmas Eve.
B.I.G. described the song’s composition in an interview with The Source: “That was actually one of the first joints we did for the Ready to Die album, the ‘All I Want for Christmas’ joint… We just set up some mics in the studio and Puff was like ‘Just rap about anything.’ So we just started rappin’ and that sh*t came out hard.”
The single peaked at No. 70 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it B.I.G.’s first solo single to chart on the US pop charts. The song has been featured in numerous films and television episodes, including The Big Lebowski (1998), 8 Mile (2002), and Entourage (2004).
“Christmas in Harlem” by Kanye West
“Christmas in Harlem” is a song by American hip hop recording artist Kanye West. It was released on December 17, 2010, through GOOD Music and Roc-A-Fella Records as a digital single. The song features rapper Cyhi the Prynce and singer Teyana Taylor, both of whom co-wrote their verses with West. Musically, the song is an up-tempo hip hop track that incorporates R&B influences. The song includes an interpolation of “O Tannenbaum” performed by Edward H. Marshall.
“Christmas in Harlem” was recorded in November 2010 at Ike Turner’s studio in North Hollywood, California. The song features label mates Cyhi the Prynce and Teyana Taylor, both of whom co-wrote their verses with West. It was produced by Hit-Boy and written by Kanye West, Cyhi the Prynce, Teyana Taylor, Ervin Pope and Nikki Williams who also provided additional vocals on the track. Noah Goldstein mixed “Christmas in Harlem”, while Mike Dean served as an additional engineer for the track and provided instrumentation along with Jeff Bhasker who also contributed additional keyboards to the track.”Christmas in Harlem” was released to iTunes on December 17, 2010 as a digital single under GOOD Music and Roc-A-Fella Records. It subsequently charted on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs at No. 22 and peaked at No. 23 on Christmas Day of that year before falling off the chart two weeks later.”
“8 Days of Christmas” by Destiny’s Child
“8 Days of Christmas” is a Christmas song by American girl group Destiny’s Child, from their second holiday album 8 Days of Christmas (2001). The song was written by band member Beyoncé, with Angola-born production duo Full Force. It was released as the album’s lead single in November 2001.
The track is a contemporary R&B-styled uptempo Christmas tune with elements of pop and hip hop, similar to the sound of the group’s previous material. The lyrics are about buying expensive gifts for a romantic interest during the Christmas season. “8 Days of Christmas” was widely panned by music critics, who noted its materialistic theme and criticized its composition. However, it peaked at number fifty-four on the US Billboard Hot 100 and reached the top forty in Australia and New Zealand. The single was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipments of over one million copies in the country.
In 2010, Billboard ranked it as the ninety-second biggest Christmas hit of all time on their “Billboard Holiday 100” chart. Directed by Sanaa Hamri, the accompanying music video for “8 Days of Christmas” was inspired by The Nutcracker ballet and shows Destiny’s Child performing choreography in Santa hats and winter clothing.
Christmas Rap Parodies
Christmas is the time of year when people all around the world come together to celebrate. What better way to celebrate than with some festive Christmas music? This playlist features all of the best Christmas rap parodies. From classics like Santa Clause is Coming to Town to modern hits like Jingle Bells, these songs will get you in the Christmas spirit in no time.
“Christmas in da Hood” by Lil’ Wayne
Wayne doesn’t technically rap on this track, it’s more of a spoken word piece set to a menacing beat. But it’s one of the more entertaining songs on this playlist, and it definitely gets points for originality.
“What Christmas Means to Me” by Eminem
‘What Christmas Means to Me’ is a rap song by Eminem, released in December 2019. The song is a parody of the Christmas carol ‘What Christmas Means to Me’, with the lyrics adapted to reflect Eminem’s own life and experiences.
The song starts with Eminem’s mother, Debbie Mathers, sending him a text message wishing him a Merry Christmas. Eminem then reflects on his own childhood Christmases, including one where he woke up to find his mother had left him a presents. He also recalls being teased by other children for being poor, and how he would always get coal in his stocking from Santa Claus.
Eminem then goes on to rap about how much has changed since those early Christmases, including becoming a successful rapper and father himself. He reflects on how he now has the ability to give his own children the sorts of Christmases he always wanted, and how that makes him feel.
The song ends with Eminem thanking his fans for their support, and wishing them all a Merry Christmas.
“A Milli Christmas” by Lil’ Wayne
“A Milli Christmas” by Lil’ Wayne is a rap parody of the classic Christmas song “Jingle Bells.” The song is about Santa Claus coming to town and giving gifts to all the good boys and girls. Lil’ Wayne raps about how he wants Santa to bring him lots of money and materialistic things for Christmas.
