This Christmas, add a little Hip Hop into that stale holiday playlist.
Now I love Christmas music, but after working in an H-Mart and sitting through 8 hour loops of said songs, I wouldn’t exactly hate not hearing “Jingle Bells” for a while. I actually found the normal H Mart non-holiday loop of Fun and Katy Perry a lot more enjoyable.
These tracks aren’t all traditionally Christmas-y but I think they speak to the sound and attitude that come with the holidays.
- Atmosphere – Fortunate
Straight off their last LP Southsiders, “Fortunate” has Atmosphere handing us some reasons we ought to be happy. If nothing else, the fact we’re able to sit here and listen to the song means we’ve got more than a good chunk of the world. It’s a message applicable to any time of year but something about those bells Ant samples in takes me to a sleigh ride…although I’ve never been on one.
2. Run The Jewels – A Christmas F**king Miracle
Christmas in the United States has undoubtedly been overtaken by consumerism. Shifting the focus from family to material possessions has left those with less feeling inadequate. Jamie and Mike take that dark reality and suplex it into a snow bank, reminding us that love is worth more than paper plastered with dead presidents.
3. Cold Chillin’ Christmas – Big Daddy Kane, Roxanne Shante, MC Shan & Fly Ty
For an extra hard throw back, you can take your Christmas to 1988 and make sure you aren’t half steppin’ this holiday season. “Cold Chillin’ Christmas” is great because it brings together some of the meanest emcees of the time and has them kick some fun Christmas rhymes over a funky beat.
4. RUN-DMC – Christmas in Hollis
Do I even have to say anything about this one? It’s RUN-DMC with a Christmas song. Probably one of the more well-known Christmas Hip Hop tracks, but a classic nonetheless. Maybe you can get your grandparents to wear matching tracksuits instead of ugly sweaters.
5. Kanye West – Christmas In Harlem
There’s no track out as of now that can top this one. From the instrumental, to the hook, and verses from amazing emcees this song is a perfect way to celebrate the holidays. It’s also a track I found that I could really relate to as someone who wasn’t exactly ballin’ as a kid. To all the kids and families trying to get some Holiday cheer without breaking the bank, “Christmas In Harlem” is the perfect soundtrack.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from The Knockturnal!
art by your homie, Arthur Banach
Check out more on my Insta @wildhxir