Contributed by Chaz Kangas on 12/18/07
It’s that time of year again. With the Christmas Season now in full effect, we find ourselves reflecting on family, togetherness, the birth of Jesus, and presents. Yes, the annual red and green juggernaut bombarding our senses is inescapable regardless of one’s faith, and along with it comes almost 2,000 years of seasonal music.
It should come as no surprise that several rap artists have acknowledged this holly-jolly phenomenon over the years. Whether it be a landmark debut single (Kurtis Blow’s “Christmas Rappin”), an effort for charity (Run DMC’s “Christmas in Hollis”), or a Christmas cash-in (just about everything on A Dipset Xmas) the Holiday has run the gauntlet in both quality and quantity. Since this is the season for giving, I’d like to share with you some of my favorite lesser-known Christmas classics.
The Treacherous Three f/ Doug E. Fresh - “X-Mas Rap (Uncensored)” (1984)
The final single from one of rap’s most influential groups, “X-Mas Rap” is perhaps most known for it’s elaborate performance in the 1984 film Beat Street. Here LA Sunshine and Special K take the position of children upset that Santa (Kool Moe Dee) has given them nothing of worth over the years (except for beatboxer and my second favorite Scientologist: Doug E. Fresh), while the disgruntled Claus attempts to defend his gifts and appeal to the children’s better nature over how hard recent years have been on him. Funny, poignant, and very entertaining, here it is in it’s UNCENSORED six minute glory, previously only available on the five-disc Sugar-Hill Records collection.
Tru - “Christmas in the Ghetto” (1992)
Many rap labels have tried their hands at full-roster Christmas compilations. Everyone from Profile and Cold Chillin’ to Death Row and Psychopathic have attempted to use the Yule-tide season to promote their artists to mixed results. The first cassingle (cassette single for the 90’s babies reading) from the tastefully titled No Limit release West Coast Bad Boyz - High Fo’ X-Mas, is a real one of a kind gem from Master P, the man who once boasted “If you don’t bring back my motherfuckin’ money or my motherfuckin’ dope, you can forget about Christmas nigga, cause you ain’t gon’ even see New Years.” This version contains the additional “Three Days of Christmas” at the end. You really can’t front on the production, some of early 90’s NO pre-Beats By the Pound finest.
Outkast - “Player’s Ball (Original Christmas Version)” (1994)
With all the critical acclaim and commercial success Andre 3000 and Big Boi have had over the past decade-and-a-half, it’s easy to forget that the boys started their career with a Christmas song. Originally on LaFace Records’ Christmas compilation, “Player’s Ball” told of all the festivities that happened when “The Player’s Ball was happenin’ on Christmas Day.” The 2001 compilation “Andre and Big Boi Present…” has the misleading inclusion of the song as the “Original” despite Sleepy Brown’s chorus still celebrating the Ball “All day er’y day.” This rip (by way of cocaineblunts.com) comes from the Player’s Ball 12″, the first 1,000 or so copies with the Christmas chorus still in tact.
I’ve tried my hand at the Christmas Rap game as well. For further Holiday tidings, please enjoy “2 Girls 1 Christmas” and “A Chaz Kangas Christmas” at myspace.com/chazraps and let it guide your sleigh tonight.
Happy Holidays,
Chaz Kangas
RELATED CONTENT
• T.I.: ‘Worry About Bush, Not Hip Hop’
• Indiana U Students Form First Hip-Hop Frat [allhiphop.com]
• Thanks, but No Thanks: The debate over “the war on Christmas” spreads to Thanksgiving [slate.com]
• HHW Announces Hollywood Honors & Movie Awards
• Jeff Chang And KRS Beef Up the Discussion
