No one car has had an impact on the culture of hip-hop like Chevrolet's Impala. Birthed out of Southern California by Mexican-American servicemen returning home from World War II, the lowrider scene crowned the Impala its king, not for its speed, but for its long frame, large trunk space, and customization abilities. Lowrider Impalas are customized to ride lower than their factory counterparts and adorned with chrome wire-rimmed wheels, intricate paint jobs, and hydraulic lifts triggered by switches and pumps to create a hopping effect. But the Impala didn't become the phenomena it is today until Compton rapper Eazy-E name-checked his six-fo' in his song. After being heralded by early 90s West Coast rappers such as Snoop, NWA, Dr. Dre, and Cypress Hill, the Impala, specifically the '64 model, was popularized through all of hip-hop, and eventually worldwide.
Lyrical Mention: Cruisin' down the street in my six-fo’/Jockin' the bitches, slappin' the hoes -Eazy E, "Boyz-N-The-Hood"
"Let Me Ride" was one of the first videos to predominantly feature the 1964 Impala and was nominated for an MTV Video Music Award for Best Rap Video.