“Larry, people will still be listening to their music in the year 2000 – mark that down.” — Brian Epstein, The Beatles’ manager.
Decades later, Brian Epstein’s prediction still rings true. The Beatles remain one of the most influential bands in music history, and their creative impact stretches far beyond rock. From pop to electronic, and even into the world of hip hop, traces of The Beatles can be found in some of the most unexpected places.
Rap and The Beatles might not seem like obvious bedfellows, but hip hop has always thrived on sampling, reinvention, and cultural nods. Whether through clever lyrics or creative sampling, rap artists have repeatedly drawn inspiration from the Fab Four.
Here are five rap songs directly influenced by The Beatles — each showcasing a different way the Liverpool legends have shaped hip hop.
1. Frank Ocean – “White Ferrari” (2016)
Frank Ocean’s Blonde is full of layered, dreamlike textures, but one of its standout tracks, “White Ferrari”, carries a hidden Beatles connection. The song samples “Here, There and Everywhere” from The Beatles’ 1966 classic Revolver.
Paul McCartney himself once called that ballad one of his personal favorites, and Ocean repurposes its melodic DNA to create something haunting and futuristic. The Beatles’ tender romanticism is woven seamlessly into Ocean’s modern, introspective soundscape — a subtle tribute that many fans miss on first listen.
2. Mac Miller – “Loud” (2012)
The late Mac Miller wasn’t shy about his Beatles fandom. On his track “Loud”, Miller sampled elements of “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”, the psychedelic centerpiece of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.
Though the Beatles famously denied that the song was written as an ode to LSD, its swirling imagery and hallucinatory feel made it a natural fit for a rapper experimenting with mind-expanding beats. Miller flipped the sample into a track that’s brash, energetic, and uniquely his own.
3. Run-D.M.C. – “King of Rock” (1985)
Sometimes the influence isn’t about sound but swagger. In their iconic track “King of Rock”, rap pioneers Run-D.M.C. drop a playful lyrical reference to The Beatles:
“There’s three of us, but we’re not the Beatles.”
The joke, of course, is that there were actually four Beatles — a small mistake from Rev Run at the time. Still, the line became a memorable crossover moment, highlighting how The Beatles’ cultural status was so huge that even early hip hop acts used them as a measuring stick for fame.
4. Kanye West – “Gorgeous” (2010)
On his critically acclaimed album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, Kanye West references The Beatles in the song “Gorgeous.” The line goes:
“They rewrite history, I don’t believe in yesterday. What’s a black Beatle, anyway?”
The lyric is a nod to “Yesterday”, one of The Beatles’ most famous ballads, while also raising questions about cultural ownership, race, and influence in music. Some even credit Kanye with popularizing the phrase “Black Beatle,” years before Rae Sremmurd’s hit of the same name.
5. Wu-Tang Clan – “The Heart Gently Weeps” (2007)
Few homages are as direct as Wu-Tang Clan’s “The Heart Gently Weeps.” Inspired by George Harrison’s “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” from The White Album (1968), the track not only borrows the title but also samples the original melody.
Featuring contributions from Dhani Harrison (George’s son) on acoustic guitar and John Frusciante of Red Hot Chili Peppers on electric guitar, the track bridges classic rock with hip hop in a way few songs have. It remains one of the most significant Beatles-inspired rap songs to date.
The Beatles’ Lasting Impact on Hip Hop
These five songs are just the tip of the iceberg. From subtle nods to direct samples, The Beatles’ presence in rap underscores their cross-genre legacy. They weren’t just a rock band — they were innovators whose influence transcends generations.
Whether it’s Kanye questioning history, Wu-Tang reimagining George Harrison, or Frank Ocean weaving Paul McCartney into modern R&B, one thing is clear: The Beatles’ music continues to inspire new voices, even in places the Fab Four might never have imagined.
