Talk show host Jimmy Fallon and pop star Justin Timberlake took to the Late Night stage the other night and gave the audience a rousing performance of "A History of Rap and Hip-Hop". (Check out hip-hop timeline from About Rap!)
The infectious medley, backed up by Fallon's house band The Roots, has gone viral. If you haven't seen video of the medley yet, you can be sure you will soon. (Or just follow the link and start doing the Humpty Dance.)
So the question is, what songs do they include? Here's a full list:
- Sugar Hill Gang's "Rapper's Delight"
- Run DMC's "Peter Piper"
- Beastie Boys' "Paul Revere"
- A Tribe Called Quest's "Award Tour"
- Digital Underground's "Humpty Dance"
- Snoop Dogg's "Ain't Nutt'N But G Thang"
- Tupac's "California Love"
- The Notorious B.I.G's "Juicy"
- The Roots' "The Seed (2.0)"
- Eminem's "My Name Is (Slim Shady)"
- Missy Elliot's "Work It"
- Soulja Boy's "Crank That (Soulja Boy)"
- T.I. 's "Live Your Life"
- Kanye West's "Golddigger"
- Jay-Z and Alicia Keys' "Empire State Of Mind"
Did they hit them all? Or are there some classics missing? Include your favorites in the comments section below!
Comments
Jay Z dream? which part of that was this song??
Hey E,
Jay-Z’s “Dream” comes in at 2 mins and 20 seconds on the clip. The specific lyrics:
It was all a dream,
I used to read Word Up magazine,
Salt’n'Pepa and Heavy D up in the limousine,
Hanging pictures on my wall,
Every Saturday, “Rap Attack,” Mr. Magic, Marley Marl…
That’s actually the first verse from Biggie’s “Juicy”.
E,
You’re right! The lyric appears in both songs. And I see where I made my edit error – I meant to include both “A Dream” and “Juicy”, since I officially don’t know which song the lyric comes from.
What about Jay Z’s Empire State Of Mind?
Hi Andy,
It’s included in the list, at the bottom!
Tom
Those lyrics were originally in Juicy as duh mentioned. Jay Z just put Biggie’s same rap in the song Dream.
History Of Hip Hop medley
I said a hip hop the hippie the hippie
to the hip hip hop, a you don’t stop
the rock it to the bang bang boogie say up jumped the boogie
to the rhythm of the boogie, the beat
Now what you hear is not a test–i’m rappin to the beat
and me, the groove, and my friends are gonna try to move your feet
Now Peter Piper picked peppers but Run rocked rhymes
Humpty Dumpty fell down that’s his hard time
Jack B. Nimble what nimble and he was quick
But Jam Master cut faster Jack’s on Jay’s trick
Now here’s a little story I’ve got to tell
About three bad brothers you know so well
It started way back in history
With Adrock, M.C.A., and me – Mike D.
We on Award Tour with Muhammad my man
Goin’ each and every place with the mic’ in their hand
Humpty Dance is your chance to do the hump
Oh do me baby! Do the Humpty Hump, watch me do the Humpty Hump
One two three and to the four
snoop doggy dogg and Dr.Dre is at the door
its the capital S
yes sir
press it P O D oh double G Y
D-O double D ya see
California!
It was all a dream, I used to read Word Up magazine
Salt’n'Pepa and Heavy D up in the limousine
Hangin pictures on my wall
Every Saturday, “Rap Attack,” Mr. Magic, Marley Marl
I push my seed in her push for life
Its gonna work because I’m pushin’ it right
If Mary drops my baby girl tonight
I would name her Rock-N…
Hi! My name is.. (what?) My name is.. (who?)
My name is.. [scratches] Slim Shady
Is it worth it, let me work it
I put my thing down, flip it and reverse it
It’s your fremme neppa venette
It’s your fremme neppa venette
Soul, Watch me crank it
Watch me roll
crank that soulja boy
super man I this
Because of you
(crank that soulja boy)
Because of you
(crank that soulja boy)
Because of you
(ha ha soulja boy)
Ma ya hee, ma ya haa
Ma ya hee, ma ya ha ha ha
So you gotta live your life,
(Hey, hey, hey, yeah)
Who said she takes my babe…
She take my money when I’m in need
Yea she’s a trifflin friend indeed
(she certainly is!)
Oh she’s a gold digger way over town
That dig’s on me, me, me!
Yeah, Imma up at Brooklyn,
Now I live in Tribeca,
Right next the river,
But I’ll be hood forever,
Statue of Liberty, long live the World trade,
everybody sing it! everybody sing it!
In New York,
Concrete jungle where dreams are made of,
Theres nothing you can’t do,
Now you’re in New York, New York, New York.
I said a hip hop the hippie the hippie
to the hip hip hop,
Helpful for people to make this list, but you should really take Jay-Z “Dream” out of there. Any rap fan would know they were paying homage to Biggie and not that.
Really enjoyed this performance by the way. Had to watch it twice – once for entertainment value, the second time to strictly focus on The Roots’ skillful live covers of these classics.
Francis: Duly noted – and edit made! Thanks so much.
Tom
Great delivery. Solid arguments. Keep up the amazing effort.