Hip-hop and horror have been locked in for decades, with one of the first appearances of a rap song in a horror movie being 1988’s A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master. They got Robert Englund (who plays the iconic Freddy Krueger) to rap along with the Brooklyn group The Fat Boys on “Are You Ready For Freddy?” The two beloved music and movie genres have continued to join forces to terrify audiences (or get them to turn up to blood-curdling beats).
Tis the season to get into horror, and these are the best of each category, from appearances in horror classics to the most vile music videos.
Best Rapper Horror Movie Cameos
LL Cool J in ‘Halloween H20: 20 Years Later’ (1998)
Michael Myers will forever have smoke with anyone he comes across (even though he might finally be gone for good after Halloween Ends). Nevertheless, LL Cool J as the campus security guard Ronald Jones in Halloween H2O: 20 Years Later, had to fight for his life.
Not only did he provide comic relief in the film as he performed his freaky erotica for his girl while on the clock (not joking), but he also beat the “Black Guy Dies First” stereotype seen throughout horror movies even today. He also used the role to land himself in the Deep Blue Sea a year later to fight off a killer shark.
Snoop Dogg in ‘Bones’ (2001)
Snoop Dogg can look cool doing anything, from working at the Olympics or playing a murderous ghost. Rocking a legendary bussdown, the rapper plays the titular character of Jimmy Bones in the film (ironically titled) Bones. Despite being a beloved member and protector of his neighborhood, he gets taken out by a crooked cop.
Twenty years later, though, Bones returns from the dead to not only get back at those who hurt him but also save his neighborhood. The film might not have had the greatest reviews online. However, there are terrible horror movies that are seen as classics (Jason X, anyone?) Plus, Snoop Dogg will always be a fan favorite for those young and old.
Ice Cube In ‘Anaconda’ (1997)
Once again, Ice Cube beat the “Black Guy Dies First” stereotype — against a giant murderous snake. In the movie Anaconda, his character Danny Rich and his crew (which includes Jennifer Lopez) are filming in the jungle for National Geographic. However, they end up being used as bait by a crazed hunter who is trying to secure a giant bag by capturing the snake once and for all. While others obviously become anaconda palette cleansers, surviving the movie in its entirety is what got him to sign onto the role in the first place.
Method Man in ‘Vampires vs. The Bronx’ (2020)
You’ve probably seen Method Man before, either from his rhymes with Wu-Tang or shirtless on your auntie’s lock screen. In the Netflix film Vampires vs. the Bronx, though, he gets in his “holier than thou” bag as Father Jackson.
The film goes deeper than just kids fighting off vampires invading their neighborhood in the Bronx. It talks about how gentrification can get just as evil and ghoulish. Method Man isn’t a stranger to the big (or small) screen, from classics like How High to The Wire.
Best Horror Rap Songs
“Scary” by Megan Thee Stallion and Rico Nasty (2022)
It can get scary once this duo steps onto the screen. With Megan as a certified horror fan and Rico sporting a signature edgy aesthetic 24/7, this match was made in hell. Their 2022 song “Scary” has Halloween vibes, but it can be played all year round due to its quotable lyrics, perfect for your costume post or daily flex.
Quotable lyrics: “Say my name like Candyman, and bitch, you know I’m there, These hoes wish they saw me when they lookin’ in the mirror.”
“4 Minutes of Hell” by Lil Herb/G Herbo (2012)
The 2012 track started a series of songs where G Herbo shares his struggles, triumphs, and life in Chicago. As the song shows, it can get violent, with the rapper telling the story of a murder and how anyone in his crew is game to commit another one for him. While the song isn’t necessarily spooky and doesn’t have any demons, it’s terrifying because it sounds so realistic.
Quotable lyrics: “Maintenance man hate the block, cause we always leave a mess, And they call us hotboyz, but we always leave em wet, And the ops don’t come outside cause they always need a vest.”
“Diary of a Madman” by GraveDiggaz (1994)
Gravediggaz is seen as one of the most influential groups in horrorcore rap, using menacing sounds and instrumentals while rapping gruesome lyrics with dark humor. Made up of rappers RZA, Frukwan, Too Poetic, and Prince Paul, they each take on the persona of a murderous man in 1994’s “Diary of a Madman.” The song is essentially a horror movie set to a beat, with the group’s great storytelling shining through as they break down how evil this person truly is.
Quotable lyrics: “Possessed by evil spirits, voices from the dead, I come forth with Gravediggaz and a head full of dread, I’ve been examined ever since I was semen, They took a sonogram and seen the image of a demon.”
“U” by Kendrick Lamar (2015)
Dot is fighting his demons for real on the 2015 track. Despite his success, the evil voices in his head tell him in the song that no matter what, he is still a failure because he wasn’t able to help the ones that he loves the most. On a less serious note, the music video is the origin of that one screaming meme that took over TikTok.
Quotable lyrics: “You was deserted, where was your antennas again, Where was your presence? Where was your support that you pretend, You ain’t no brother, you ain’t no disciple, you ain’t no friend.”
Best Rapper Horror Music Videos
“Martians Vs. Goblins” by The Game ft. Lil Wayne & Tyler, The Creator (2011)
The lyrics for the song are controversial, but these artists took a trip to the psych ward to shoot the music video for the 2011 track. While The Game is seen bound up and eventually killed by injection, Tyler, the Creator is rapping in his quarters with a cat to keep him company.
Weezy is missing from the video, but the other patients in the ward lip-sync his verses for him. With blood all over the walls and patients losing their sanity along with The Game, the music video might keep you up at night for all the wrong reasons.
“Demons” by Doja Cat (2023)
Having horror icon Christina Ricci (think: The Addams Family and Yellowjackets) star in your music video is already a flex. Doja takes it a step further and plays a demon haunting a house. Throughout the music video for the 2023 track filled with thumping bass and suspenseful strings, Doja weaves in references to classic horror tropes and scenes.
Her bathtub scene is reminiscent of the creepy bathroom from the scary movie classic The Shining. Plus, being surrounded by goats (which are associated with Satan) pretty much confirms that the rapper isn’t scared of her haters or what goes bump in the night.
“Monster” by Kanye West ft. Jay-Z, Rick Ross, Nicki Minaj & Bon Iver (2010)
The music video’s vibe is “the more shocking, the better.” After all, it opens with women hanging dead as Rick Ross casually chills like he’s in a normal setting at his giant estate. Ye has a handful of disturbing moments in the video. From holding a dead head like a Louis Vuitton briefcase to sitting with dead bodies and rapping near bloodthirsty zombies—take your pick. Arguably, though, he wasn’t the standout in the video.
The 2010 hit is a classic song from Ye’s catalog. However, it is the song that helped solidify Nicki Minaj’s status as one of the biggest voices in rap. Showcasing her two alter egos Barbie and a murderous Roman, Minaj only raised the bar and controversy from there.
“3 a.m.” by Eminem (2009)
Eminem has an entire catalog of controversial music videos, like the video for the 2000 song Stan. However, his music video for 2009’s “3 a.m.” takes the cake as scariest (it’s even age-restricted on YouTube). He runs through the woods and is seen in footage that pays homage to 1999’s The Blair Witch Project. There are also brief but jarring flashes of blood and dead bodies. Eminem also spends some time in a psych ward, but his stint in a bloody bathtub gives off much deeper murderous intentions.