Top 10 Rap Songs To Start The Summer Off (Article)
What up one & all. Sky Bento here on the check-in once again. Hope you and yours are doing well, protecting your mental health, drinking your water, knowing the vibes and all that. Gotta get right for the Summer after all, because it is officially here. So on this solstice, I wanna make sure you got your playlist right for the function, the drive to the function, the pregame before the drive to the function, and everything in between. We all know how important music is to setting a vibe, and Summer specifically got a vibe worth setting so I figured I’d run down some classic songs that should be in everybody Summer playlist. These are my picks for the top 10 rap songs to start your Summer off right. The only pre-requisite is that the song gotta be by a rapper (whatever that is these days).
As always this is just my opinion and does not reflect the views of TDN as a staff, label or a m************ crew. Feel free to crucify me on twitter @plzsaythebento … Iight, let’s get right into it.
10. “Ride Wit Me” by Nelly featuring City Spud
“Hot In Herre” is played out. But we can’t have a list of Summer songs and not have Nelly on it. So as a concession, this other Summer banger caps off the list. Something about them c-a-m-p-f-i-r-e-s-o-n-g ass guitars and that breezy ass hook just make this perfect for a Summertime ride with the top down, joint lit, beach winds blowing. Nelly is one of the most Summer ready artists of all time with his knack for both cool calm melodies and “oh sh*t shorty just took her top off” kinda energy. This record perfectly embraces the former. Just off the first few guitar strings I can already see Ice Cube pulling up in a ’04 Escalade to submit a step-daddy application to Nia Long.
9. “Summer Nights” by Lil Rob
We not gon invite Lil Rob to the cookout or nothing but we also not gon act like this ain’t a Summertime classic. Time has been unreasonably good to this record. I wouldn’t be surprised if it go viral on Tik Tok. Maybe it’s just my nostalgia talking, but this joint reeks of simpler times. “Summer days just sitting around but when the sun goes down I’ll be ready to party”. I don’t know about you, but I’m not sitting around all day. Wish I could sometimes but you know, adulthood. Regardless, the chill whistling synth over them guitar chords is a match made in heaven and really makes you want to just sit around and enjoy the vibe.
8. “I Get Around” by 2Pac featuring Digital Underground
POOL PARTY MUSIC. First off, RIP the greatest. This record just hits different poolside. You can almost feel water guns disrupting your relaxation. Towels snapping at fat asses. The aroma of weed & ribs swirls around in the Summer air. This record is so whimsical and playful while also being nostalgic and self-aware. It’s like the song knows it has a time and place it belongs at. I heard this song won’t even play if there aren’t any women around. True story. Sh*t just skips itself. What else I gotta say? It’s a 2Pac song so the verses are pretty poetic despite the subject matter. It may not be Dr. Dre’s G-Funk (which also could’ve been on this list), but “I Get Around” is every bit as timeless and symbolic of the West Coast. It’s also every bit as Summerish. That’s a word now. But “I Get Around” is looser, and Pac’s charisma just sells the fun.
7. “Big Pimpin’” by Jay Z featuring UGK
Jigga held us down at least 6 Summers, damn. Honestly, “I Just Wanna Luv U” was a close one but overall, them middle eastern flutes just get you too ready for the beach. Timbaland snapped with this slow steady groove that’s just sexy enough to make you wanna buy shorty a drink but smooth enough to make you wanna light a Cuban instead. This is really beach music. Every sound in this beat matches the ambience of waves crashing into a shore. Then there’s the blatant IDGAF-ness of Hov, Bun B & Pimp C. Pimp legendarily did not even want to do this song because 2Pac didn’t like Jay Z and the beat sounded too mainstream to him. When he was finally convinced he “phoned it in” and gave Jay the most country sh*t ever. Ironically, this “halfass” Pimp C verse is one of my favorite rap verses of all time, if not my absolute favorite. RIP Uncle Chad, your influence is forever felt. UGK Forever.
6. “It Was A Good Day” by Ice Cube
This record plays better with the more chill Summer days. You know them days you just feel lucky to be alive, them days you fall in love with the smell of fresh air. Everything’s just better in the Summer. I remember watching a Big Sean interview recently where he spoke about reframing your thought process to think “what’s the best that could happen?” And this joint right here encapsulates that. Cube walks us through every single thing that goes right on his good day and you just can’t help but feel happy for the homie. Maybe it’s just the fact that this song sounds like the exact opposite of the Ice Cube classic “Friday”. I don’t know. All I know is he deserves to enjoy this day as much as we all do. And damn it do we all. So put this joint on full blast and enjoy your day.
5. “Ballin’” by Mustard Featuring Roddy Ricch
The most recent record on this list. I’ll admit, I’m very biased toward West Coast music as its what I was raised on and living in LA for a few years gave me a whole new appreciation for it. That said, this would’ve made the list without it. This one of them records that the grown folk who don’t even like rap can get down with. It’s a modern negro spiritual. Summer gospel music. Maybe it’s the simpler fact these cats grow up around actual palm trees, but this joint is just different entirely. This is like Young Thug’s “Lifestyle” but for the family cookout. Grannies and aunties and out-of-touch uncles alike all eat this one right up. Them pianos just feel so cozy. The 702 sample gives it just enough familiarity and nostalgia to keep things warm and lively. This one em joints you just get ya two step on to while you making your plate. In a few years we gon all be hitting the electric slide to this one. Ay, nephew, pass me the barbecue sauce!
4. “Always On Time” by Ja Rule & Ashanti
Much like Nelly, you gotta have some Ja Rule on here. Specifically, some Jashanti (trademark pending). You could probably fill up half this list with them alone, so in all fairness I’m gonna choose this as their most Summer-ready bop. It got that lil off-beat snare that dancehall joints be having. The rhythm just goes super crazy, plus its a duet so get your favorite lady friend at the party and… oh damn. I shoulda put “Put It On Me” instead for the back and forth. But whatever. This joint still feel more Summery. I think it’s them guitars. This shoulda just been a list of joints where the guitars sound like Summer. But yo this just screams Summer love in every way. Pair this with a sunset and wooooo we outside with it.
3. “I Need A Girl Part 2” by P. Diddy featuring Loon, Ginuwine & Mario Winans
That synth guitar. Again with the guitars. But this just got that cool Diddy bop to it. The beat aint got much going on in it, which makes it perfect for a Summertime two step or a real dance. It’s smooth all the way through. This one ‘em joints that make you wanna put an umbrella in your drink. Everything about this just screams SUMMER FUNCTION. This spot could’ve gone to “Part 1” with Usher as well, with its more Caribbean-influenced instrumental. But this one is pure grown & sexy hip-hop. Sunglasses, toothpicks, crispy fit, whole nine. It may not be the most romantic sounding joint but it got that young love feel to it that will always make a brother nostalgic for Summer flings of the past. One thing’s for sure though. When this come on, it’s go time. Find your Summer love. And don’t ask for her Snapchat you clown. Time to move on from that.
2. “Summertime” by DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince
You knew this one was gonna be on the list, but probably not this low. I mean the song doesn’t just have Summertime in the name, Summertime IS the name. Much like “Good Day”, the Fresh Prince goes through all of the little details that make a Summer day what it is. Not to take anything away from Cube, but this is just Will Smith’s forte. He’s always been the family friendly storyteller with a comedic eye for detail. On this one, he feels like the cool uncle telling all the kids to go enjoy themselves and there’s just something so classic about that. This record will never get old. Granted, it banks a lot on the already incredible Kool & The Gang sample, but Will himself brings it home with his warm yet cool, collected demeanor. The family friendly angle makes it all the more comforting. This would be the #1 pick very easily if I weren’t being honest with myself. But I am so let’s get right into it.
LOLJK. Can’t get to the number one spot without an honorable mention to both Drake’s “One Dance” & French Montana’s “Unforgettable”. They’re not really rap songs so I couldn’t include them but props to both of these two brothers for stepping outside of rap to provide us with some dance floor bops for the ages. Classics fasho. Iiight NOW let’s do this.
1. “Beautiful” by Snoop Dogg featuring Pharrell Williams and Charlie Wilson
OH OH OH OHHHHH. Off the rip you know this one of them ones. It’s really undeniable. It takes everything that makes 2000’s hip-hop great, and gives it some extra funk with a Summertime twist. Once again, them guitars. The Neptunes could not miss. Unlike a lot of the other joints on this list, Snoop is actually a big part of what makes this joint so special. Smoothest rap cat of all time. He delivers verses in a steadily chill tone to offset the bounce guitar licks. Pharrell’s falsetto hook has so much soul to it and yet still has so much youthful fun in it. That Uncle Charlie breakdown on the back half is phenomenal as well. Again, a joint that even your grandparents gon sing along to. You can’t even wait until Summer time to break this one out, I’m turnt up to it soon as the sun break out from behind them April clouds. Everything about this song fits the title, and it is the greatest Summer rap song of all time.