The top 10 New York political mentions in hip-hop

Hip-Hop music found its political voice with Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five’s “The Message” in 1982. And by 1983, the Treacherous Three were namedropping the mayor in “Action.” “And when I’m on the stage the fly girl says, ‘Watch’/ The rhyme sayer, not the mayor like Ed Koch.”

Since then, an old Eric Adams for Congress campaign poster showed up in the Notorious B.I.G.’s “Juicy” music video, and a background actor in EPMD’s “Da Joint” music video went on to become New York City public advocate – stand up, Jumaane Williams.

Has anyone noticed that an Eric Adams poster makes a cameo in the video for Biggie Smalls’ “Juicy”? (h/t: my son.) pic.twitter.com/xjDPU1LIIy

— Jesse Drucker (@JesseDrucker) October 22, 2021

That’s part of the story of how hip-hop has taken over New York politics, as we wrote in this week’s cover story. And in a smaller way, New York politics has influenced hip-hop. Even if many of the mentions in lyrics aren’t exactly positive.

• “Mr. Dinkins, would you please be my mayor?/ You’ll be doing us a really big favor.” – “Can I Kick It,” A Tribe Called Quest, 1990

• “I’m seeing body after body and our mayor Giuliani/ Ain’t tryin’ to see no Black man turn to John Gotti” – “Everyday Struggle,” The Notorious B.I.G., 1994

• “You unhappy, scrappy?/ I got Pataki at me” – “Killa Cam,” Cam’ron, 2004

• “Someone tell Eric Adams if he banning wack rappers he got my vote” – “Gods of the City,” Dyme-A-Duzin, 2022

• “Uh, it’s Black AOC/ No matter what they try to say they can’t K.O. me” – “Shut Yo Bitch Ass Up / Muddy Waters,” JPEGMAFIA & Danny Brown, 2023

• “Change more law in New York than Mr. Cuomo/ Godfather novels I write like Mario Puzo” – “American Royalty,” Childish Gambino ft. RZA, 2012

• “He knows the time with the fresh Gucci watch/ He’s even more over than my mayor, Ed Koch” – “Johnny Ryall,” Beastie Boys, 1989

• “Fuck Bloomberg, that man absurd/ Throw him in the trunk right up on the curb” – “Amerikkkan Pie,” Flatbush Zombies, 2013

• “If you gon’ vote you gon’ vote for them Rangel/ Charlie, Charlie, Charlie Rangel – “Vote 4 Charles Rangel,” Fireboy LD and Don Swagg, 2014

“Eric Adams, get out of my room/ what you doing in my room?” – “Eric Adams Please Get Out of My Room,” Paperboy Prince of the Suburbs, 2021