We all tend to listen to music that reflects our environments. You don’t listen to Christmas music in spring. Will Smith’s “Summertime” doesn’t ring off the same when it’s snowing outside. Whether it’s region or season, we’re all inclined to match the vibe and energy in a given setting.
Thankfully, hip-hop has always had us covered in this department. At the start of every year, once the temperature drops just a little bit and we bust our coats out, certain rap songs hit that much more. Consequently, Noisey has selected four different rap songs spread out across different regions and eras that all have that wintry feel. All records that sound like dead trees, bone-chilling winds, and wearing thermals underneath your pants.
Four Rap Songs You Need for Your Winter Playlist
Mobb Deep- “Shook Ones, Pt. II”
New York specializes in wintertime raps. The mecca of hip-hop is used to wearing long johns and Timberland boots to protect from the harsh, cold weather. Consequently, artists like Wu-Tang Clan and albums like Illmatic make sense in the frigid concrete jungle. Mobb Deep’s music freezes you to your core, where the streets are wicked and will kill you if the weather doesn’t do it first. On “Shook Ones, Pt. II,” Prodigy said he’ll “rock you in your face, stab your brain with your nose bone.” Cold-blooded music, in more ways than one.
Kendrick Lamar- “Sing About Me, I’m Dying of Thirst”
Tony! Toni! Tone! once said it never rains in southern California. Similarly, it never really gets cold either. Sure, a native might beg to differ but those 50 degree days are heaven to those who know what it’s like to have your fingers go numb. Usually, their chilling songs come less from weather and more as a result of general environment.
However, “Sing About Me, I’m Dying of Thirst” is ideal for a different reason: seasonal depression. The somber tone and devastating writing of Kendrick Lamar’s opus evokes the grayness that comes with the wintertime blues. “Am I worth it? Did I put enough work in?” Kendrick raps in exhaustion. When the lack of vitamin D starts to sink in, “Sing About Me” hits like a brick.
Goodie Mob- “Cell Therapy”
Southern hip-hop typically summons a lot of humidity and sunlight. Given global warming and positioning on the globe, those harsh winters are harder to come by than up north. Still, the South aren’t averse to making some freezing rap songs. Take “Cell Therapy” by Goodie Mob, a record that can pose in any season. It’s spooky come Halloween but intense and uneasy in the heat of summer as well. However, in the winter, the frigid, haunting chords hit hard enough to give pneumonia.
Boldy James- “Grey October”
Michigan winters are serious. The sidewalks icy, the winds unrelenting, and the temperatures can dip below zero. Naturally, the dry, weary demeanor of Boldy James’ voice matches the glacial atmosphere of his music and his hometown. “Grey October” depicts this bitter cold the best, where Alchemist drops the drums completely and depicts a never-ending field of snow in his production.
The post 4 Cold Rap Songs That Are Perfect for a Wintertime Playlist appeared first on VICE.
