10 Classic Hip Hop Trax

In the 1980s Hip Hop became the biggest underground musical movement to explode out of the inner cities. It was a multimedia based culture which included artistic entertainment/expression such as breakdancing, emceeing, graffiti, fashion, and turntablism. Following its initial entry into the realm of pop culture it was featured in many movies ranging from documentaries to dramas to comedies. Over the past three decades, the rebellious, exciting sounds of this music have become a major part of the pop cultural landscape, reaching audiences all across the world.

For our latest furious list we’ve picked 10 of our favorite classic Hip Hop tracks featured in mad as hell movies from the 80s right up to the 2000s. We strongly urge you to turn up the volume on your PC before hitting play!


WILD STYLE (1983, Dir: Charlie Ahearn)
Double Trouble At The Amphitheater
This first official hip hop film featured such acts as Grandmaster Flash, Cold Crush Brothers, Grandmixer DST and others.


BEAT STREET (1984, Dir: Stan Lathan)
Beat Street Breakdown by Melle Mel
A coming of age teen drama/romance that was set around the New York City hip hop/graffiti/breakdancing scene. Pioneering stars like Kool Herc, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five make appearances.


KRUSH GROOVE (1985, Dir: Michael Schultz)
She’s On It by The Beastie Boys
A teen romance/drama based around the business side of Hip Hop (inspired by the Def Jam Records label). Featuring acts like RUN DMC, LL Cool J, Sheila E and The Fat Boys.


NEW JACK CITY (1991, Dir: Mario Van Peebles)
Nino’s Theme (New Jack Hustla) by Ice T
In the tradition of classic Blaxploitation films of the 70s, this crime drama featured Ice T in a starring role as a NYC cop who is out to get a ruthless drug kingpin (Wesley Snipes).


JUICE (1992, Dir: Ernest Dickerson)
Juice (Know The Ledge) by Eric B. and Rakim
A young aspiring turntable DJ (Omar Epps) tries to break away from the dangerous influence of a friend (Tupac Shakur) who is on a path to self destruction.


DEEP COVER (1992, Dir: Bill Duke)
Deep Cover (187) by Dr. Dre and Snoop Doggy Dogg
A Cincinatti police officer (Laurence Fishburne) is recruited by the DEA to go undercover and help bust a drug ring in Los Angeles.


DO THE RIGHT THING (1989, Dir: Spike Lee)
Fight The Power by Public Enemy
A close up look at the highly charged multi-cultural relationships of NYC’s Bed Stuy neighborhood on a sweltering hot summer day.


WHO’S THE MAN? (1993, Dir: Ted Demme)
Hip Hop Hooray by Naughty By Nature
Yo! MTV Raps stars Doctor Dre and Ed Lover play barbers who decide to become police officers. On the streets they encounter a wide variety of hip hop stars who have cameos as different characters.


GHOST DOG: Way of the Samurai (1999, Dir: Jim Jarmusch)
Samurai Showdown by The RZA
A man (Forest Whitaker) who lives by the ancient spiritual guide of the samurai works as a contract killer for a local mobster who once saved his life.


8 MILE (2002, Dir: Curtis Hanson)
Lose Yourself by Eminem
“B-Rabbit” (Eminem) a lower class kid from the wrong side of the tracks with a gift for rapping tries to break into the Detroit hip hop scene.

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