Great Tunes Set to Rap

[IrishCanadian25]

I was in the car this morning driving to work, and my current company car has Sirius Satellite Radio in it. LOVING IT. Anyway, I was tuned in to "90's on 9" and heard MC Hammer's "Can't Touch This."

On many another day, I've been listening to "80's on 8" and heard Rick James' "Superfreak."

They are, of course, set to essentially the same tune. Both songs were HUGE, despite the fact that MC Hammer's deal was just James' tune set to a rap beat and rap lyrics.

It got me thinking...how many classic rap tunes have been set to classic rock tunes? Is it a formula for success?

Queen and David Bowie had "Under Pressure." Vanilla Ice turned it into iconic 90's rap tune "Ice, Ice Baby." At least that's what the courts told him.

Van Halen rocked the world with "Jamie's Crying." Tone Loc took it and gave us "Wild Thing."

How many times has Jay Z put together significant rap tunes using remixed work from Led Zeppelin?

So I ask you - what are some other iconic rap songs that were based on rock or funk tunes? And do you think it's just a successful endeavor right off the bat? Which are the best, and which are the worst?

 

[D-Man]

IC - If you don't mind, I'm going to expand on this a bit more. The formula can't be narrowed down to rap songs only being transcended from rock or funk songs. There are many other songs that have been remade from previous smash hits that went on to be HUGE successes.

Old: Ray Charles - "I Got a Woman"
New: Kanye West - "Gold Digger"

The most recent standard in remade songs. Kanye West took a song that was a mix of gospel, soul and had a bit of rock and roll from back in 1954 and turned it into the biggest hit of 2005.


Old: The Police - "Every Breath You Take"
New: Puff Daddy - "I'll Be Missin' You"

Come on, you all remember this one. The controversial death of Notorious B.I.G. and emotional trauma sparked creative juices in the head of Puff Daddy, creating this heart-felt song about his recently murdered, best friend.


Old: Stevie Wonder - "Pastime Paradise"
New: Coolio - "Gangsta's Paradise"

This song was HUGE back in 1995. Not many people know that it sampled a previous Stevie Wonder hit from 1976.

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I could probably go on and on, but this is a good start until others get their choices in.