Best HipHop Video Game Soundtracks

Video games are made better when they have the right soundtrack. These soundtracks not only affect how you enjoy these games but also how you remember them. In fact, hearing a similar sound will make you think of that game and what experiences you had playing it.

Among the variations of song genres used for games, hip hop is one of the most popular. You might not be a hip-hop fan, but you might vibe to it when used in the right game. Here, we name some video games with the best hip-hop soundtracks. 

NBA Street Vol. 2

NBA Street Vol. 2, released in 2003, did a better job than any other video game in capturing the spirit of basketball. Its iconic hip-hop soundtrack became just as well-known as its engrossing and captivating gameplay. 

The soundtrack includes various hip-hop musicians, including Nate Dogg, Eve, Pete Rock & CL Smooth, Black Sheep, and Lords of the Underground. Of course, the highlight was the exclusive tune by Nelly during the height of his fame. 

NBA Street Vol. 2 demonstrated that hip-hop has a permanent place in games. It also showed that video game soundtracks could be just as unique as any movie soundtrack.

Besides video games, a few video slots are inspired by hip-hop songs. One of these games is Guns N’Roses by NetEnt, which takes you to a world of entertainment once you hit the spin button. You can try out the demo mode of these games at Vegas Slots Online. In addition, the platform provides well-written and unbiased reviews on each operator to give you a better overview. And when you’ve read the reviews and played the demo, you are able to claim a generous welcome bonus when you’re ready to play for real money.

Grand Auto Theft 1997

The original series was released in 1997, and since then, hip hop has been more prevalent in the GTA video game series. Besides changing video gaming in several ways, it infused hip-hop culture into its plot and soundtrack. 

The initial Grand Theft Auto game featured the hip-hop radio station N-CT FM. With this, it became the first game to use in-game radio stations to accommodate players’ musical preferences. 

Grand Theft Auto has moved from concentrating on the West Coast scene to incorporating hip-hop musicians from all over the US. Its soundtrack features songs from Freddie Gibbs, A$AP Rocky, and Gucci Mane. Other hip-hop game soundtracks followed in the footsteps of the Grand Theft Auto series.

Fight Night 2004

Boxing games are so much fun, but Fight Night takes the fighting game to a new level. You can throw punches while vibing to the likes of Tity Boi, Lil Scrappy, and David Banner. 

The soundtrack to the game effectively captures the intensity of a boxing battle. Hip-hop fans won’t be let down by the lively, combat-ready music of Fight Night 2004.

Tony Hawk’s Underground

Skateboarding and hip-hop are inseparable, and Tony Hawk’s Underground developers’ incorporated rap and skating into one game. Underground’s soundtrack is a combination of different rappers, including Busdriver, Dan the Automator, and Aceyalone. However, The World Is Yours by Nas is the best song on the soundtrack because it complements the game’s plot.

Def Jam: Icon

The Def Jam series had some excellent games, but Def Jam: Icon wasn’t one of them. Nevertheless, the wrestling video game has one of the all-time great hip-hop soundtracks. Thus, playing it for the music alone is worthwhile. 

Some of the top hip-hop artists from the 2000s are featured in the 2007 game. It is so jam-packed with hip-hop treats that identifying highlights is a real challenge. Some of its best songs are Soul Survivor by Jeezy and Akon, We Fly High by Jim Jones, and Make It Rain by Fat Joe.

Conclusion

Artists are very passionate about hip hop and will do anything to protect the culture as written about in sahiphopmag.co.za. 

We have games like Auto Grand Theft to thank for the marriage of video games and hip-hop tracks. With the number of hip-hop artists today, expect more video games to use this genre of music in years to come.