25 Best Christmas Hip-Hop Songs: Critic’s Picks
Get into the holiday spirit with some classics from Run-D.M.C. and Eazy-E, among many more.
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Christmas and hip-hop have enjoyed plenty of overlap over the years as rappers have thrown on the Santa Claus suit and helped get fans in the holiday spirit.
While some of the tradition’s patina has faded since artists have moved away from Christmas-themed albums and holiday classic covers, plenty of rappers have dabbled in the Kris Kringle section at various times throughout their careers.
From Kanye West’s “Christmas in Harlem” to Run D.M.C.’s “Christmas in Hollis” and DMX’s “Rudolph The Rednose Reindeer” remix, there’s something for just about every type of rap fan out there looking to sprinkle in some cheer to their holiday playlist.
Now it’s not all sleigh bells and stocking stuffers as some artists’ reality had them finding coal under the Christmas tree and they let their holiday frustration be heard on wax. Some of the tracks aren’t exactly going to be memorialized in the hip-hop hall of fame either.
There’s still clearly an appetite for Christmas music as Mariah Carey seemingly defrosts every holiday season. “All I Want for Christmas” first topped the Billboard Hot 100 in 2019 and returned to No. 1 on this week’s Hot 100 chart 30 years after its original arrival way back in 1994. It’s essentially holiday gospel at this point for all ages.
“It’s something that I look forward to all year,” the Queen of Christmas told The New York Times. “Maybe people think it’s something that I put on, but it’s really my favorite time of year.”
Pour up some egg nog and launch your streaming service of choice while running through our top 25 Christmas hip-hop songs below, presented alphabetically by artist.
