The Hottest Hip-Hop Holiday Hits
There are a few pop artists whose careers come to life during the holiday season – however there doesn’t seem to be a hip-hop equivalent. Although no rappers are synonymous with Christmas the way Mariah Carey or Bing Crosby is, rappers have tried.
Chance the Rapper and Jeremih’s Christmas mixtape Merry Christmas Lil’ Mama is probably the most well-produced and well put together holiday project there is. Beyond Merry Christmas Lil’ Mama – some unexpected hip hop artists have dropped Christmas projects, like Gucci Mane’s The Return of East Atlanta Santa, Snoop Dogg’s Christmas In The Dogghouse, and Afroman’s A Colt 45 Christmas.
There are not many full length rap Christmas albums, but there are dozens and dozens of really fun hip-hop holiday songs.
Christmas In Hollis by RUN DMC
“It’s Christmas time in Hollis, Queens. Mom’s cooking chicken and collard greens!” This is the number one overall, cream of the crop, champion of all Christmas rap songs. There is no discussion of this subgenre without RUN DMC’s Christmas In Hollis.
Christmas In Harlem by Kanye West, Teyana Taylor, and Prynce Cy Hi
Every year it surprises me that Christmas In Harlem doesn’t get mainstream play or love. It feels like people don’t even care that Kanye West has a Christmas song, and they should! This is a great Christmas song, it’s produced by Hit-Boy, Teyana Taylor kills the hook, and the verses are memorable. If you’ve never heard Christmas In Harlem, give it a shot!
St. Brick Intro by Gucci Mane
This is not only a great Christmas song, it is quite possibly the greatest Christmas trap song ever made. “Trapping through the snow!” Gucci yells.
St. Brick Intro is the opening track to The Return of East Atlanta Santa and the best song on the album. Try out a taste of East Atlanta Christmas to see how you like it.
Christmas Rappin’ by Kurtis Blow
Kurtis Blow’s Christmas Rappin’ walked so that Christmas In Hollis could run. This is a throwback that’s worth listening to, however it doesn’t sound much different than any other Kurtis Blow song. The references to Christmas are vague and few, but it’s the 1970’s so who cares! Enjoy this songs light hearted lyrics and funky music.
Beyond Those Classics
We’ve put together a playlist of some of the best Christmas rap song, which includes Mariah Carey’s All I Want For Christmas Is You Remix with Jermaine Dupri and Bow Wow, which sounds much more like Afrika Bambaataa’s Planet Rock than the original song. Our playlist also features Rae Shremmond, TLC, Run The Jewels, Chris Brown, Tyler, the Creator, and Smino.