'Hamilton's' Hip-Hop History
'Hamilton's' Hip-Hop History
The Founding Fathers in Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “Hamilton” have been known to communicate via rap battle, shout out their fair share of “Yo!”s and, as carefully crafted by Miranda and company pay homage to many of the founding fathers of hip-hop. Can you catch the references? You’ve only got one shot, do not miss your chance to ace this quiz.
The Founding Fathers in Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “Hamilton” have been known to communicate via rap battle, shout out their fair share of “Yo!”s and, as carefully crafted by Miranda and company pay homage to many of the founding fathers of hip-hop. Can you catch the references? You’ve only got one shot, do not miss your chance to ace this quiz.
What 1997 Notorious B.I.G. hit does the rhythmic line “A-L-E-X-A-N-D-E-R / we are / meant to be ...” in “My Shot” mimic?
Which rapper solidified Lin-Manuel Miranda and “Hamilton” director Thomas Kail’s bond?
What line does Miranda refer to as “one of the Big Pun-est lines in the show”?
“Hamilton” scenic designer David Korins was a creative director for this megastar:
The line “Only 19 but my mind is older” in “My Shot” comes from which 1995 Mobb Deep track?
In the “Hamilton” song “Meet Me Inside,” the company echoes “Meet ‘im inside! Meet ‘im inside! / Meet ‘im inside, meet ‘im meet ‘im inside!” after Washington’s post-duel demand. In this 2001 single, rapper DMX repeats “Meet me outside, meet me outside”:
The stress on the beginning syllables of “stressin’” and “blessin’” in “Helpless” are inspired by this Beyonce song:
The 1994 Notorious B.I.G. song “Juicy” influences this second-act “Hamilton” song:
In “Cabinet Battle #1,” Thomas Jefferson delivers the line: “Such a blunder sometimes it makes me wonder why I even bring the thunder.” This rhymed line echoes which hip-hop anthem?
In “My Shot” and “Yorktown (The World Turned Upside Down),” Hamilton’s rallying cries of “I am not throwing away my shot” and “We have one shot to live another day” are inspired by the “one shot” made famous by which rapper in 2002?
Jay Z and Pharrell’s 2002 jam “Excuse Me Miss” sneaks its way into this “Hamilton” song in Act 1:
Miranda once imagined this Chicago rapper as the George Washington character:
Rappers who have seen “Hamilton” include:
In “Washington On Your Side,” Jefferson raps: “I’m in the cabinet I am complicit in / Watching him grabbin’ at power and kiss it. / If Washington isn’t gon’ listen / To disciplined dissidents, this is the difference. / This kid is out!” In “Hamilton: The Revolution” Miranda notes this rapper inspired that intricate Jeffersonian comeback: