The news is out! LeBron James has picked Philly as the setting for his next chapter in the NBA, leaving the Los Angeles Lakers for the Philadelphia 76ers.
Philly is an incredible town, one full of rich history and significant cultural importance. Certainly, it would be an injustice not to acknowledge the energetic and visceral hip-hop the city has borne. Some of it even serves as a better timeline for Philadelphia than any sports doc ever could. And we should talk about some of it.
I do want to be clear about something though. Just because you don’t see someone on this list does not mean they weren’t profoundly relevant to Philly’s hip-hop scene. Schooly D, for example, is the dude who put Philly rap on the map. And I’m a huge fan of Lil Uzi Vert. But choices had to be made, and these are them.
“Summertime” by DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince
When it comes to Philly rap’s big breakout moment, it’s almost definitely “Parents Just Don’t Understand,” but DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince, Will Smith.
But when we’re talking about telling the story of Philly through local hip-hop, it’s the duo’s “Summertime” (1991) that makes a better first chapter.
Across Jazz’s grooving retro tune, Smith recounts life in a Philly summer. The people, the experiences, the sheer bliss of chillin’ out, maxin’, and relaxin’ all cool.
“What They Do” by The Roots (1996)
You simply cannot have a list about Philly rap and not include The Roots. Even I know that, and I’m “puts extra mayonnaise in his potato salad” white.
There are a lot of Roots songs that would serve to rep Philly with integrity and class. I am choosing, however, “What They Do” from the group’s 1996 album, Illadelph Halflife. Mainly for one particular line.
In the song, frontman Black Thought raps: “Open your head wide, and let the thought inside
My style fortified by all of Philadel-phi.” There’s maybe no better identifier for the City of Brotherly Love than the pure essence of Black Thought.
“What We Do” Freeway, ft. Jay-Z and Beanie Sigel (2002)
The State Property fellas, featuring Freeway and Beanie Sigel, are the quintessential Philly rap crew.
In 2003, Freeway dropped his debut record, the hometown homage album Philadelphia Freeway. That project featured a song with Sigel and NYC rapper Jay-Z, “What We Do”. The track is an honest expression of Freeway’s life coming up on the streets of Philly; a perspective that’s crucial to the city’s heritage.
“Championships” by Meek Mill (2018)
Jumping forward about 15 years, Meek Mill led a new generation of Philly rappers putting a spotlight on the city.
Whereas “What We Do” is a bit of reluctant boasting about life on the city’s streets, Meek’s track “Championships” (2018) is a realistic lamentation of the result, with an emphasis on rebirth.
Oh, and that directly reflects how that same year the city became Super Bowl champs when the Eagles defeated the New England Patriots. This seems like a great theme from what LeBron is seeking with the 76ers.
“Philly Freestyle” by Lil Dicky (2026)
Bookending our list, I’ve chosen Lil Dicky’s 2026 “Philly Freestyle”. The clip is very much a tribute to the city that made him. He even name-drops Jeff Hornacek, who played for the Philadelphia 76ers in the 90s.
Then there’s the music video. Dicky filmed the entire thing on the Rocky steps in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, where the Rocky statue sits, overlooking the city.
It’s a beautiful homage to Philadelphia, and a fitting epilogue for our brief journey through incredible hip-hop art that the city has inspired.
Photo by Lexie Moreland/WWD via Getty Images
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