December 10, 2008
Get Funky with Santa Baby This Season!
Christmas time can be tough on a DJ. Everybody wants to hear at least a little holiday music, but you wanna keep it funky. No problem — I always keep some traditional and not-so-traditional tracks with a holiday groove.In no particular order, here are five of my favorites:
5. Santa Baby by various rappers, including Joseph Simmons, P. Diddy, Salt-N-Pepa and Snoop Dogg. This cut is super-cool, with lyrics such as (and without the burden of proper punctuation), “When its eight twenty fo, I be lookin’ at the do for the ho-ho-ho cause i know when it’s christmas uptown there aint no chimney for Santa to come down.”
4. Happy Holidays by The Ohio Players. This one is a little more traditional, with that Ohio Players smooth four-part harmony. This is some "snuggle-up to the fireplace with your loved one and get those chestnuts roasting" kind of music.
3. Merry Christmas Baby by Wyclef Jean and Stevie Wonder. A nice combination of Stevie’s soul and Wyclef’s hip hop, this is a very bluesy cut that’ll get your holiday party moving.
2. The Little Drum Machine Boy by Beck. PARENTAL WARNING: EXPLICIT LYRICS. This is definitely an irreverent take on The Little Drummer Boy — maybe a little too irreverent for this list, but Beck is just too cool. I had to include him. Just don’t get all offended and tell me that I didn't warn you.
1. Christmas in Hollis by Run-DMC. OK, so I said that this list is in no particular order, but that’s not completely true. Christmas in Hollis is my all-time No. 1 Christmas song, regardless of genre. I just love the lyric, “It’s Christmas time in Hollis, Queens, mom’s cookin’ chicken and collard greens.” Now that...is genius!So, when you see me playing around town during the holidays, ask me to drop in some Christmas cheer. I have it in the crate and, although I don’t usually take requests, I will make it my present to you.
