Nia Long holds an honored place in Hip Hop culture and her name can often be heard among rappers at bars. Recently she met up with Larry King to address all the mentions she receives within this genre.
She even recited one of the most memorable lines about herself: “Like Nia Long in a cherry thong with all the lights illuminated…”.
1. J. Cole – No Role Modelz
Nia Long has long been a source of inspiration for rappers, and she recently discussed some of their songs that mention her. After hearing news of Ime Udoka allegedly cheating scandal, Long pointed out that he wouldn’t be the last one to “fumble the bag”.
J Cole’s No Role Modelz from his 2014 Forest Hills Drive album is an enduring single that emphasizes the value of having positive role models in our lives. The track starts by paying tribute to Uncle Phil – played by James Avery who passed away this past February – who made an appearance as Philip Banks on The Fresh Prince of Bel Air series. From there, Cole laments being left alone to navigate life without anyone there to guide or teach him, detailing several shallow women that drained him dry; including one whom he wishes he could save but realises she won’t because of fame or attention from others.
Cole asserts his desire for an honest relationship, drawing inspiration from Aunt Viv’s portrayal in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Furthermore, using a dark-skinned actress as his ideal lover exemplifies how fictional characters can shape our values and ambitions.
2. Meek Mill – Dreamchasers 3
Nia Long has long been beloved by celebrity fans. From playing Craig’s love interest in Friday, to Darrius’ troubled romantic interest in Love Jones and even as just the wholesome girl next door on The Fresh Prince of Bel Air – she has long been popular. Because of this, rappers have often referenced Nia in their songs; when Nia appeared on Larry King recently she provided insight as to why this love had always existed between them and herself.
Nia has always been popular among men because she exudes purity and innocence, according to her interviewer. “She won’t try and seduce you into submission by trying to seduce or seduce you outright. “They like her because she won’t mess with them – just going about being in love and having sex.” Meek Mill’s 2013 mixtape Dreamchasers 3 provides ample evidence of this actor’s popularity. Birdman and Diddy deliver plenty of smack talk, while Nicki Minaj, French Montana, Future Yo Gotti Jadakiss as well as Dream Chasers Records artists Lil Snupe and Louie V Gutta make special guest appearances. This project is the perfect amalgamation of Meek Mill’s smooth production and radio-targeted widescreen triumph-rap from his Maybach Music Group days with his electric Philly street-rap. No other A-List rapper can match his delivery with as much ferocious urgency and demon-hunting fury – hence there being a twitter hashtag (@MeekMillRapLike) in honor of Meek.
3. A$AP Ferg – Nia Long
Nia Long has long been considered an icon within hip hop culture since her breakout role in Boyz N the Hood and she continues to inspire artists today. Recently she met with Jimmy Kimmel and was asked why so many rappers continue referencing her in their lyrics.
Kanye West, J Cole, and A Tribe Called Quest have all made note of Nia Long in their songs, while A$AP Ferg went one step further by dedicating an entire track called “Nia Long” on SoundCloud today that will surely have you bopping along for weeks to come.
This song features A$AP Ferg displaying his energetic, charismatic performances over an epic instrumental. As an affiliate of the Mob, Ferg unleashes some big enunciations and ad-libs that are sure to get any crowd amped up for his verse about being attracted to Hollywood starlets. While both hook and instrumental are impressive pieces, what really stands out is Ferg’s verse about their attraction to one particular celebrity starlet.
He proclaims his crush as his Nigga while extolling her body and how perfect she is for him. While this verse contains many cliches, it works due to his energetic delivery on track – take a listen below!
4. Ghostface Killah – The Hilton
Nia Long has been featured in many songs over the course of her career as both an actor and rapper singer, and recently spoke about some of these on Jimmy Kimmel Live.
Two rappers dedicated songs to her and used her name in its title. A$AP Ferg wrote a love song with actress Natalie Portman’s nickname in its chorus while Raekwon the Chef also mentions her in his verses as someone “Glittered Out, Stout Facial Features, and Teh.”
Ghostface Killah may not have honored Ferg by naming a track after her, but The Hilton does include her in its title. This song tells the tale of an illicit deal made inside a hotel room – its lyrics reveal violence and danger lurking just beyond luxurious amenities.
This song features Ghostface in collaboration with Toronto band BadBadNotGood and produced by Alchemist. Alchemist gives the song an atmospheric jazz sound which serves as the ideal setting for Ghostface’s clever raps. Although not as successful as his 36 Chambers or Supreme Clientele albums, this record remains an indispensable addition for Wu-Tang fans’ collections.
5. Lil’ Wayne – Novacane
Nia Long has long been considered an icon in Hip Hop culture since her film debut in Boyz N The Hood in 1999. Since then, she has been mentioned numerous times by famous rappers including A Tribe Called Quest, J Cole and Kanye West; Long recently discussed her place in Hip Hop music during an appearance on Larry King Live.
Long was not surprised to see her name mentioned so frequently in rap tracks, since rappers have an ability to “spin a story” according to what fits into a particular track’s need. Furthermore, none of the lyrics have caused any offense.
In 2000, a remix of “Oochie Wally” from Bravehearts featuring Horse included lyrics about Nia Long in a cherry thong which mentioned her and stated she would make him “scream.” Though not released as a single, this was one of the first instances when Hip Hop artists mentioned Long in a song.
Roddy Ricch made headlines for rapping about money, luxury cars and sex during his 2017 Feed Tha Streets mixtape release when he addressed money, luxury cars and sexual encounters on “Sak Passe.” However, in that same track he also described an attractive woman reminiscent of Nia Long who shared similar features – having “street attitude” as well as having body proportions similar to Nia’s body – although no mention was ever made regarding their relationship or any potential sexual encounters occurred between themselves or both parties involved.
6. Nas – Oochie Wally
Actress Nia Long recently appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live to talk about how many rappers had mentioned her name in their songs, as well as her admiration of hip hop culture in general and feeling honored to be included on such iconic tracks of this genre.
One of the best-known songs that mention Long is Nas’ 2000 single “Oochie Wally,” released as part of Nas & Ill Will Records Presents QB’s Finest compilation album and featuring fellow New York rappers Mobb Deep, Bravehearts and Cormega. It became widely renowned due to its explicit depiction of street life that ignited debate about artistic freedom versus censorship.
Critics charged that the song perpetuated negative stereotypes and glorified violence and promiscuity; its advocates maintained its underlying social commentary. With explicit lyrics that spoke directly about street culture and an authentic depiction, this track opened the way for future artists to address similar topics through music.
Though controversial at first, “In My Place” quickly became a hit and helped solidify Nas’s standing within hip-hop culture. It highlighted his skills as a storyteller while showing how influential gangsta rap had become during this era of hip-hop music. Since its initial release, “In My Place” has become a timeless classic that’s featured on remixes and releases featuring hip-hop culture as a tribute. The song boasts catchy choruses with instantly recognisable lyrics, making it ideal for tribute artists looking to pay their tributes by including tribute tracks with similar tracks that pay homage.