Here’s a dive into the complicated relationship of hip-hop and Christmas music.
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE — ‘Casey Affleck’ Episode 1714 — Pictured: (l-r) Chance The Rapper and Darryl McDaniels during the ‘Jingle Barack’ sketch on December 17,2016 — (Photo by: Caroline De Quesada/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images) Getty
Every time the holidays roll around, it seems as though a set of pre-selected festive carols are on a never-ending looping cycle everywhere you go — especially (and respectively) Mariah Carey’s iconic jingle, “All I Want For Christmas Is You.” While the classics have their deserved places every holiday season, the one genre that seems most absent from playlists and holiday charts is hip-hop music.
It shouldn’t be said that hip-hop doesn’t fully embrace Christmas, as they have released some of the most iconic holiday songs to date, including Run-D. M. C.’s “Christmas in Hollis,” Easy-E’s “Merry Muthaf*ckin’ Xmas” and Kurtis Blow’s “Christmas Rappin’.” No one can forget DMX’s studio version of “Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer” after a video of him rapping the song went viral in 2012.
Snoop Dogg, Outkast, Kanye West, Ying Yang Twins, Master P and Ludacris are among those who have provided hip-hop aficionados with holiday bangers.
From Chance the Rapper to Gucci Mane, fans have been gifted with celebratory tunes for nearly the last three decades. So, why aren’t rappers’ yuletide tunes considered masterpieces of the season when hip-hop is responsible for the majority of music consumption today?
Hip-hop originated in a time where the voiceless needed an outlet, and ultimately served as a form of protest against institutions that marginalized minority communities and low-income neighborhoods. On the contrary, traces of Christmas music could be found in the Middle Ages, and went on to associate itself with Christianity and the celebration of church festivals. Christmas music originates from tradition, opulence and comfort. Today, Christmas songs center around quality family time, love and consumerism.
