Hip hop and food have a lot in common. They both get people excited while bringing people together. Here are 6 food raps to get your hands in the air.
1. Be Healthy by Dead Prez
So there was a time when I dated a lovely woman who was a dedicated vegan. She was cool vegan – she managed to convert her ethical eating beliefs into a spot on an FBI watchlist (long story.) Despite my failures, many of which involved bacon, she saw fit to try and bring me along to the right side of things. To wit, she’d introduced me to Dead Prez. To this day Be Healthy finds it’s way onto the random mixes I play as I cook… bacon.
2. Combination Pizza Hut & Taco Bell by Das Racist
Some songs leap out and grab you instantly; others take a moment to really unfold before their brilliance is revealed. Combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell is clearly of the latter variety. The premise is simple: one guy is at the Pizza Hut, the other at the Taco Bell – or is it the other way around? After the 50th time they assert their possible location (on Jamaica Ave no less) it’s impossible to not like this song – or wash it from you mind.
3. Tapas by Action Bronson
Action Bronson is a rap singer. He’s legit. He sells his cd’s for about 13 bucks on the internet. He’s also a talented chef and a huge foodie. I couldn’t make a list like this without including Tapas. Any rap that makes a reference to poutine is going to be something I’ll bump on my Ford Focus’ factory stereo. Because that’s how I roll.
4. Soul Food by Goodie Mob
“All food is soul-food” wrote noted anarchist Hakim Bey, “to treat it otherwise is to court indigestion, both chronic and metaphysical.” The Goodie Mob understand what makes food and eating such a central part of living a good life – it’s about your community. “Sunday morning where you eating at?” They ask, because they’re at their favorite place, just like you should be.
5. Bitties In The BK Lounge by De La Soul
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1B1-naHt1aA
When it comes to a battle rap, this one might be a favorite of all time. The whole concept of flirt-fighting with a girl behind a food counter takes me back to high school. I’m pretty sure I only ate BK Broilers because Angela from history class worked there. And even with every bit of questionable beef I ate, she never noticed me. In retrospect I can’t blame her: I was that kid with coke-bottle glasses and a severe case of fast food induced acne.
6. Red Beans & Rice by Spearhead
Michael Franti knows a thing or two about eating right. His song Red Beans and Rice blends hip hop, soul and funk into something simple and delicious. From dorm rooms to Bonnaroo, red beans and rice have kept heads happily fed and healthy. My only objection to this song was a former housemate played it way too many times while practicing his flower stick routine, but that’s only partly Franti’s fault (after all the song is damn catchy.)
Bonus Track:
Grill Skills by Wendy’s Training Video
I really have nothing to say about this video, other than it could only have been improved with a cameo from Dave Thomas.