Almost everyone I know loves to sing, especially when they’ve got a few drinks in them. However, that doesn’t mean that everyone I know can sing. Some folks are completely tone deaf, and while some are blissfully unaware of their inability to carry a tune, many are all too conscious of their lack of singing talent. But should this lack of talent preclude them from joining in and having fun when out at the bar with the gang for karaoke night? Ideally no. But for those who can’t hold a note the thought of getting up in front of a crowd of strangers and exposing their dreadful voice is completely mortifying. However, thanks to rap music there is an option for those pitch-challenged crooners. Sure, it still requires plenty of skill to belt out a karaoke rap song, but at least those attempting to do so don’t necessarily have to be talented singers. With that in mind I’ve come up with a list of the top 10 rap songs to sing karaoke to. Here are my picks for the rap songs that made the cut:
10 – Kriss Kross – Jump – This is the ideal karaoke rap song if you have two friends that don’t possess golden pipes. This song from these dimunitive one hit wonders is a blast for karaoke, and will have the audience up on their feet jumping along. To make it even more authentic put on a couple of backwards baseball jerseys. Make sure to practice this one a few times before hitting the big time. Kriss Kross threw a few lip-tripping lyrics into their signature hit.
9 – Naughty by Nature – HipHop Hooray – From a one hit wonder to a two hit wonder. This hiphop karaoke song is dead simple to rap along to, and is another great audience participation song. Without the tongue twisting lyric’s of Kriss Kross’s Jump, HipHop Hooray is about 90% chorus, and is definitely a nice choice for the absolute karaoke beginner.
8 – Beastie Boys – Fight For Your Right (To Party) – You don’t have to be able to sing to nail this one; shouting at the top of your lungs will suffice. The Beastie Boys’ first mainstream hit continues to be a popular choice for karaoke enthusiasts, and don’t worry if you blow it, the crowd will be shouting too loud to hear any mistakes you might make.
7 – House of Pain – Jump Around – One of the all time favorite night club songs is also a very popular karaoke song, and though the lyrics can be a bit tricky Everlast’s gravelly voice is relatively simple for even the completely tone-deaf to emulate. If Kriss Kross can’t get the audience jumping this tune definitely will.
6 – Salt-n-Pepa – Shoop – Finally, something for the females in the crowd. Yes, the majority of the top 10 rap songs to sing for karaoke are performed by males, but Salt-n-Pepa is representing the fairer sex with this classic hiphop tune. Nervous about getting on the mic yourself? Get a friend or two to help you out. If you can master this you can also give Let’s Talk About Sex or Push It a try.
5 – Vanilla Ice – Ice Ice Baby – Under Pressure by Queen would challenge even the most adept karaoke singers, but thankfully the rap song that samples heavily from it is a much easier task for the would be rap stars among us. Arguably the biggest one hit wonder in music history Vanilla Ice has endured the mockery of millions following his incredible rise in fall in the early 1990s. If you can get your hands on the music video try and study some of Vanilla Ice’s dance moves. Pull a few of those off and the audience will be laughing too hard to worry about how well you are rapping.
4 – Tone Loc – Wild Thing – This monster hit by Tone Loc might just be the easiest song to rap karaoke to. Tone Loc’s monotone is incredibly easy to immitate, the lyrics flow nicely, never so fast they threaten to trip up the singer. The song, though now 20 years old, was a monster hit and will be immediately recognizable by the audience. If you knock Wild Thing out of the park you can always give Funky Cold Medina a try.
3 – Eminen – The Real Slim Shady – The song that really launched Eninem’s music career and made him an international rap star also grabs a high spot on this list of the top 10 rap songs to sing karaoke to. Be warned though, if you are going to get on the mic and try and karaoke this song make sure you do a few trial runs at home first. The Real Slim Shady is deceptively tricky, and if you try and rap it you’ll get a new appreciation for Eminen’s rhyming ability. Can’t quite nail it down? Without Me and Lose Yourself are a couple of other Eminen karaoke songs you could give a shot.
2 – MC Hammer – U Can’t Touch This – You had to know this song would make an appearance somewhere on the list of the top 10 karaoke rap songs. MC Hammer would trump Vanilla Ice as the ultimate one hit wonder, but songs like 2 Legit 2 Quit and Pray performed well enough in the charts to keep Hammer from getting labeled with that particular moniker. Want to really take this karaoke performance to the next level? Grab yourself some Hammer pants, and mimic Hammer’s dance moves. If you can get a friend to drop popcorn chicken down from above while you dance and catch it you will go down in history as one of the greatest karaoke performers of all time.
1 – Sir Mix-a-Lot – I Like Big Butts – You really want to get your audience singing and dancing along? Bust out this classic karaoke hiphop song and you will have a roaring chorus of voices for accompaniment. I can promise you that the line, “My anaconda don’t want none unless you got buns, hon!” will whip them into a frenzy. Yes, this is personal experience speaking here. All of these hiphop beats are great choices for the singing challenge, but this Sir Mix-a-Lot classic is the only choice, in my humble opinion, as the number one pick on the list of the top 10 rap songs to sing for karaoke.
