As Christmas approaches, it’s time to start dusting off those classic Hip Hop Christmas platters. Here’s our run down of 10 all time classics:
Lightnin Rich, Big John & The Maniacs – Santa’s Groove (1985)
A classic piece of mid 80s drum machine rap complete with Orch5 stabs. Delivered in first person as if rapped by Santa himself: “Santa Claus is here in the flesh and you best believe he’s totally fresh”.
Showboys – That’s What I Want For Christmas (1987)
Taken from Profile Records classic ‘Christmas Rap’ LP, downtempo drum machine hand claps provide the unlikely backdrop to samples of Bing Crosby‘s ‘White Christmas’. Best known for 1986’s Drag Rap, the track credited with spawning whole movements in Southern Rap, Showboys were flossing back in 87 with a Christmas list that included mansions and yachts.
Coldcut – Coldcut’s Christmas Break (1989)
Not strictly speaking a rap record, but nonetheless in the hip hop cut up tradition of the late 80s, Coldcut apply their then groundbreaking cut and paste techniques to a catalog of Christmas classics and classic breakbeats alike.
De La Soul – Millie Pulled a Pistol on Santa (1991)
The least old school of our selections, the decidedly un-festive subject matter characterizes this tale of abusive relationships lifted from De La Soul’s sophomore LP. Classic breakbeats from Funkadelic and Melvin Bliss make up the sample material. Also worthy of mention is The Roots perhaps ever more somber cover version.
Hard Call Xmas – My Christmas Bells (1987)
Taken from the B-Boy Records Christmas record, Hard Call parody LL Cool J‘s 1985 anthem ‘Rock The Bells’ in a Christmas style.
The Treacherous Three – Santa’s Rap (1984)
One of the more creative Christmas raps from the era sees LA Sunshine, Kool Moe Dee and Special K exchange bars, Kool Moe Dee playing the role of Santa defending himself in response to the complaints of the other two.
Disco Four – He’s Santa Claus (1987)
Another track taken from Profile’s Christmas Rap LP, this time in funkier, more uptempo territory.
Blondie & Freddie – Yule Town Throwdown (Rapture) (1981)
Blondie enlists the help of fixture of the early New York hip hop scene Fab 5 Freddy for this Christmas themed reprise of her 1980 pop-rap hit ‘Rapture’.
Kurtis Blow – Christmas Rappin’ (1979)
Among the first rap records ever released, 1979’s ‘Christmas Rappin’ is the record that gave birth to the Christmas Rap trend and is still a go to party favorite 35 years down the line.
Run DMC – Christmas in Hollis (1987)
The undisputed champ of Christmas Rap records, this Clarence Carter sampling feel good cut remains a popular classic. Run DMC revisited the theme with 1992’s ‘Christmas Is’ giving the Christmas rap tend an early 90s update. Run returned for a third pass alongside an all star cast including Puff Daddy, Mase, Snoop Dogg & Onyx with 1997’s Fugees sampling ‘Santa Baby’.
Listen to a selection of these tracks and others like them in Chris Read‘s Merry Chrismixx!:
Merry Chrismixx! (World's Greatest Christmas Mix) by Chris Read (Musicofsubstance) on Mixcloud
