5 Christmas Songs by Hip Hop Artists that Aren’t DMX’s “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”

While we’re all used to the traditional Christmas covers by the Josh Grobans of the world, hip hop artists have cultivated a fairly robust catalog of their own seasonal sounds. Many of us are probably familiar with DMX’s unparalleled rendition of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” or maybe for the older crowd you’re partial to Run D.M.C’s “Christmas in Hollis,” but hip hop artists of all subgenres have been rapping their Christmas tidings for decades. Christmas may have come and gone, but here are five songs you might not have heard that you can enjoy all year round:

1. Snoop Dogg, Bad Lucc & Soopafly – “Landy in my Egg Nogg”

Snoop Dogg actually released an entire album, Christmas in the Dogghouse, back in 2008, and I won’t lie, I had a hard time choosing my favorite track. I ultimately landed on “Landy in my Egg Nogg” because it most closely matches mid-00s Snoop Dogg’s work with Pharrell on classic hits like “Drop It Like It’s Hot.” Much of the album relies on more traditional Christmas singing (Nate Dogg and Chris Starr have multiple credits), but “Landy in My Egg Nogg” brings the classic Snoop swag with a song dedicated to celebrating Christmas with Cognac: “We gon’ do it real big, tonight I’m going in/I need some Landy in my egg nog.”

2. Master P & C-Murder – “Christmas in da Ghetto”

While Snoop spent Christmas in the dogghouse, Master P and C-Murder took us to Christmas in the ghetto back in 1995. This is a decidedly different version of Christmas than Snoop’s ode to Cognac and eggnog, with C-Murder discussing the harsh realities of a Christmas with no job, no money, and no hope. It’s important to remember that Christmas isn’t always an easy time for those who are struggling to get by.

3. Jeremih and Chance the Rapper – “I’m Your Santa”

Jeremih was born to make sultry Christmas music. He has a generational voice with a knack for making really raunchy sex acts sounds romantic. On “I’m Your Santa,” he’s in rare form, turning mundane lyrics like “Turn your fireplace on” into some of the most sexual Christmas music I’ve ever heard.

4. David Banner – “The Christmas Song”

Like C-Murder, David Banner’s Christmas anthem covers the harsh realities of Christmas for people who have to hustle to survive: “So we rob, and we steal/We're just tryna get a meal/Cuz it's Christmas time and we're broke again, broke again.” David Banner is one of the best at narrating the desperation of the down and out, and “The Christmas Song” exemplifies his matter-of-fact style at its best.

5. Ying Yang Twins – “Deck Da Club”

Rapping to a slowed-down version of “Deck the Halls,” the Ying Yang Twins give us a veritable Chrismas banger for when you’ve had a few too many and are ready to hit the club. The crunk stylists manage to transform simple lyrics like “Merry Christmas, Happy New Year” into a call-and-response sure to get the whole family hyped. Just don’t forget the Landy in the eggnog.