Kanye released "Christmas In Harlem" in 2010
as part of his GOOD Fridays series of free music giveaways.
It samples
songs by Marvin Gaye and Shuggie Otis, tacks on a slew of verses by
other artists, and "raps" (sorry, I had to do it) them up neatly with a
bow.
The song takes a look at the holiday season
from the perspective of Harlem residents, and includes the typical
themes of family, gifts, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, and
last-minute shopping. It also touches on drugs and luxury, and includes some of West's most atypical sex references:
"The streets lit up, it feel like Christmas officiallyTold her that 'You the star at the top of my Christmas tree'My only question is, 'Where my presents?'She said, 'Shhh,' she got a gift for me that ain’t for the kids to see"
While many of us might think of Christmas
music as sappy, sentimental tracks laden with too many jingling bells
and kids' choirs, West is actually tapping into a rich tradition of hip
hop artists releasing holiday-themed music that brings different themes
to the table.
Run-DMC
is perhaps the most famous example. The group released its classic
horn-filled ode to the holidays, "Christmas in Hollis,"
in 1987. Much like "Christmas In Harlem," the track references a New
York City neighborhood — Hollis, Queens, where the duo is from.
Other major hip hop artists such as Ludacris, Snoop Lion, and Outkast
have all tried their hand at Christmas tracks. While West and Run-DMC
have left the strongest impressions with their takes on the holidays,
the hip hop holiday tradition is as rich as the Christmas pudding you'll
soon be devouring.
