Image via Complex Original
For the last three decades, hip-hop has not only soundtracked many of America’s parties but also shaped our idea of what a party is. Whether you’re “In Da Club” like 50 Cent or throwing a “Backyard Boogie” like Mack 10, there’s a hip-hop song that sums up the time that you’re having, or that you’d want to have. So we culled lyrics from some favorite party bangers to give you tips on how to throw a killer party, according to your favorite rappers.
Stay Out Late
"Just show me where that party at, dirty/Somewhere where it's crackin right around 1:30/Never get done too early/Come in as is, doo-rags and Timbs"
Guesting on Jagged Edge’s 2001 hit “Where the Party At,” Nelly suggests that a good party doesn’t concern itself with punctuality or dress codes—show up when you feel like it, preferably after midnight, and dress for comfort.
Tap Into Nostalgia
"You're invited to a barbecue that's startin' at 4/Sittin' with your friends 'cause y'all reminisce/About the days growin' up and the first person you kiss/And as I think back, makes me wonder how/The smell from a grill could spark up nostalgia/All the kids playin' out front, little boys messin' 'round/With the girls playin' double-dutch/While the DJ's spinnin' a tune as the old folks"
DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince’s classic single “Summertime” can make us all reminisce about the song’s early ’90s heyday. But Will Smith’s lyrics on the song itself concern themselves with nostalgia for the past, and the way that a good time with good people can put you in the mood to think about all the parties of your past.
Bring People Together
"You gon' be here for a while?/I'm gon' go call my crew, you go call your crew/We can rendezvous at the bar around 2"
A good party brings together people from different social groups, who might have mutual friends but haven’t met yet, and provides an opportunity to mix and mingle. And the Notorious B.I.G.’s “Big Poppa” is all about getting his boys and her girls together and letting everybody get to know each other. We can do this every weekend.
Break the Rules a Little
"Listen we don't pay admission and the bouncers don't check us/And we walk around the metal detectors/And there really ain't a need for a VIP section/In the middle of the dance floor reckless, check it"
In the verse on Terror Squad’s chart-topping hit “Lean Back” that jumpstarted her career, Remy Ma shows a rebellious side, detailing how some crews have the juice to do what they want in the club and get in the mix instead of staying behind the velvet rope of the VIP room.
Drink Without Overindulging
"Now I'm just a player sipping sauce every now and then/To catch a buzz like a bumble bee"
Big Boi of OutKast established his cool, calm, and collected persona on the title track to the group’s platinum debut, Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik. He offered a key to how he stays the life of the party: He sips enough of his drink to stay buzzed but not much more than that.
You Can Have More Than One Party in a Night
"After the show it's the after party/Then after the party it's the hotel lobby"
In the timeless couplet that opened the hit remix to R. Kelly’s “Fiesta,” Jay Z laid out how a good night doesn’t have to just stay in one place. You can have fun at the concert, the after party, or anywhere else the good times take you.
Don’t Let Bouncers Ruin a Good Time
"Security bail slow up in the club/Remember when they push and shove/It's only love"
On Ice Cube’s rowdy anthem “We Be Clubbin’,” he asks the security to tread lightly—things might get a little rough on the dance floor, but it’s all in good fun and won’t turn into a fight.
Bring a License
"Bring the women in to chill for free/Let me tell ya girl, don't try me/You better have I.D."
Women are always welcome in the club and often don’t have to pay a cover fee. But as LL Cool J advises on “Headsprung,” it’s always good to make sure you have some I.D. on you to verify that you’re old enough to be there.
Get Your Flirt On
"I want homegirl over there in red/Cause baby got backs like Mix-a-Lot said/When I keep my composure, kick back like a pro"
“Backyard Boogie,” the 1997 hit by Ice Cube’s Westside Connection compatriot Mack 10, is all about enjoying warm weather and barbecue, but it’s also about finding sexy people and getting to know them. And Mack 10’s advice is to relax and just see where the moment takes you instead of aggressively pursuing someone.
Don’t Forget the Music
"Now the system's on and the girls are there/You definitely have a rocking affair/But let me tell ya something there's still one fact/That to have a party ya got to have a rap"
The very first mainstream hit in hip-hop history, the Sugarhill Gang’s “Rapper’s Delight,” is all about having a good time. And Master Gee’s verse imparts some indispensable advice—it’s good to pack the party with girls and music to dance to, but above all else, you need some rap in the mix, preferably a live MC on the mic.
