Video Game Beats – Top Hip Hop Songs You Didn’t Know Used Video Game Samples

At the top of the list we have Eminem’s “Hellbound” track. Released in 2002, this track was slated for the 2000 compilation album Game Over for Yosumi Records. The track samples “Sacrifice”, a composition by Takanori Otsuka from the video game SoulCaliber released in 1997.

Coming in at number 9 is the track by Rapper XV entitled, “When We’re Done”. Released in 2011, this track samples the song “Sanctuary” by Utada Hikaru which is featured in the ending for the video game Kingdom Heart II, released in 2005

At number 8 we have the title track “Welcome To Forever” off Logic’s 2013 mixtape called, “Welcome To Forever” by the same name. This was a standout track off the album and helped propel Logic into the mainstream. The song itself samples “Never More”, the ending theme from the 2012 video game Persona 4.

Weighing in at number 7 we have the song “Locals Only” by Dom Kennedy. Released in 2010 this song helped propel Dom Kennedy into the National Spotlight. The Los Angeles based rapper better known as Dominic Ross Hunn, hit the independent Hip Hop scene hard when this song was featured on his Mixtape, “West Side With Love”. Locals Only samples “Secret of the Forest” from the 1995 game Chrono Trigger.

Way before the hit movies and Number 1 albums, Childish Gambino aka Donald Glover released his 2012 song called “Eat Your Vegetables” after the release of his 2011 album, “Camp”. This song samples Composer David Wise’s 1994 “Aquatic Ambience Theme” from Donkey Kong Country.

Fresh into their second album, “E. 1999 Eternal” released in 1995, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony released, “Eternal” as the intro track for their Album. This song in particular sampled the video game, Eternal Champions which was released on the Sega Genesis in 1993. The E. 1999 Eternal album as a whole was a Mega commercial success selling over 5 million copies.

Releasing his debut album Cole World in 2011, J. Cole was on fire at this point. The opening track, “Dollar & A Dream is the third track with the name he done with the previous two appearing on his mixtapes. This one slated for his album samples 2005’s Kingdom Hearts II, with the track Darkness of The Unknown.

2015 would have us see another Drake album titled “If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late”. One of the standout tracks on the album would be the track entitled, “6 God”. This track samples of Composer David Wise’s 1995 Haunted Chase Theme for Donkey Kong Country 2. The song was produced by the producer Ness.

For his third album, Jay-Z released In My Lifetime Vol 2. In 1998 and the streets went crazy. One of the lead singles off the album was a track with DMX called, “Money, Cash, Hoes”. The track itself samples the 1989 Sega Game, Golden Axe, “Theme of Thief”. The song was produced my Swizz Beats.

Coming in at number one we have Wiz Khalifa’s 2010 track “Never Been” off his 2010 Mixtape Kush and Orange Juice. This song was an Anthem when it came out and highly successful. The song samples the 1995 Video Game Chrono Trigger. More specifically, “Schala’s Theme”. The track was produced by Sledgren.