Source: Victoria Said It/C McGraw / Victoria Said It/Carissa McGraw
Find your holiday spirit with these Christmas rap songs from your favorite artists including Snoop Dogg and Gucci Mane.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! The holiday spirit is in the air, the hot chocolate is brewing, the trees are adorned with Christmas lights and all your favorite Christmas jingles are in rotation on the radio. While we all recognize that most Christmas carols are corny, there are plenty of tunes that are great enough to be enjoyed year-round. In fact, some of your favorite rappers enjoy the holiday so much, they created their own festive tracks.
The Christmas spirit has always lived in rap, dating back to the genre’s earliest years. In 1979, Kurtis Blow released “Christmas Rappin’,” a spruced-up version of “’Twas The Night Before Christmas.” Since then, rappers have shared their anticipation for the holiday season with absolute bangers to rock the bells of your home.
Who has the Best Christmas Rap Songs?
Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer – DMX
DMX’s impromptu performance of “Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer” in 2012 interview going viral every holiday season. His raspy voice singing the jovial holiday carol makes the listening experience just as wholesome as it is joyful, reminding us every year how the Mount Vernon megastar took a mundane moment and turned it into an iconic cover.
Christmas In Hollis – Run-D.M.C.
Run-D.M.C.’s funky “Christmas In Hollis” tells the cheerful, yet heartwarming story of how Christmas is celebrated in their hometown of Hollis, Queens. The track kicks off with a hilarious recollection from Rev Run, in which he mistakes Santa and his reindeer for “a man chilling with his dog in the park.” It is full of Christmas cheer as the group rhymes about drinking eggnog, admiring the luminescent white snow and enjoying a home-cooked meal from mom. It doesn’t get any more festive than that.
St. Brick Intro – Gucci Mane
Gucci Mane is known for many aliases, but his East Atlanta Santa alter ego really captures the essence of Christmas in the hood. Produced by Zaytoven, The Return of East Atlanta Santa album opener finds Gucci doubling down on his status as the “Santa Claus of the hood,” rhyming over the faint melody of “Jingle Bells.” Following up his Everybody Looking and Woptober projects, The Return of East Atlanta Santa is the gift that keeps on giving every holiday season.
Deck da Club – Ying Yang Twins
For those moments when you crave a touch of humor in your playlist, look no further than Ying Yang Twins’ track “Deck da Club.” This playful banger seamlessly blends chiming bells with the distinctive early 2000s Atlanta trap production style. The duo injects their signature flair into a holiday classic, transforming the familiar tune into a catchy and cheeky rendition. In this festive twist, they encourage decking the club with stacks of cash, rhyming with a whimsical spirit: “Deck da club with piles of money / Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la, la, la.”
Ludacrismas – Ludacris
“Ludacrismas” finds Ludacris sharing his Christmas wishlist as he anticipates Santa’s arrival. Rhyming over a chopped and screwed instrumental, the Atlanta star reveals a list with pretty specific requests: “Yeah, I tell ’em all I want for Christmas is two gold front teeth / And ten-carat diamonds on a fat gold wreath / That I could wear around my neck / Get money and respect.” The Fred Claus movie soundtrack standout is the perfect banger to blast out of that brand new whip you might get for Christmas.
Santa Claus Goes Straight To The Ghetto – Snoop Dogg
The holidays are all about giving, and Snoop Dogg’s 1996 “Santa Claus Goes Straight To The Ghetto” is a tuneful reminder of such. The laidback track finds Snoop putting his own unique twist on the imagery of Santa Claus giving gifts to children around the world; he focuses on Santa spreading that loving spirit in less fortunate neighborhoods. The song sends the positive message that everyone deserves some holiday cheer regardless of their socioeconomic status. This classic track truly captures the spirit of the season and still hits over two decades later.
Christmas Rappin’ – Kurtis Blow
Although Kurtis Blow’s “Christmas Rappin’” was a holiday hit in the late ’70s, the song’s origin story isn’t necessarily rooted in the Christmas spirit. A new father at the time, Billboard reporter and aspiring producer Robert “Rocky” Ford decided to pen a rap version of “’Twas The Night Before Christmas” in hopes of making money off of holiday music. Tapping fellow Billboard colleague J.B. Moore for the creative process, the duo collaborated with Kurtis Blow to recite the rhyme and add his own personal flair to it. Despite starting off as a cash grab, “Christmas Rappin’” remains the turn-up track of any holiday party.
Ballin’ on Xmas – Jim Jones
On the heels of his No. 1 hit “We Fly High (Ballin’),” Jim Jones followed up with A Dipset X-Mas, an energetic Christmas compilation album by the New York rap posse. Paying homage to Run-D.M.C.’s “Christmas In Hollis,” the Harlem native kept the ballin’ trend rolling on the track as he sprinkled yuletide happiness into his slick flexes: “The holidays remind me of the game / The reindeers remind me of the Range (Supercharged) / Icicles remind me of the ring.”
