# what's the name of this hip hop song? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 9, 2009, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-this-hip-hop-song/495808 "2009-05-09T01:08:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Omega\_Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7c8e57/32.png) [@Omega\_Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omega_Glory)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2009, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-this-hip-hop-song/495808/1 "2009-05-09T01:08:38Z")
It came out between 2006 and 2008, and had sort of Middle Eastern inspired sound. It was popular enough to have been on the vh1 countdown for awhile. That’s not a lot to go on, but it’s all I remember. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2009, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-this-hip-hop-song/495808/2 "2009-05-09T01:20:32Z")
Is [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lad9PVjKwOE&videos=_DS4Bl4en5A&playnext_from=TL&playnext=1) it? ---
**Author:** ![Omega\_Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7c8e57/32.png) [@Omega\_Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omega_Glory)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2009, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-this-hip-hop-song/495808/3 "2009-05-09T01:29:19Z")
No, thanks for trying, though. I should’ve said in the OP, IIRC, the rapper/singer, or whatever had a non American sounding accent. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2009, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-this-hip-hop-song/495808/4 "2009-05-09T01:34:29Z")
Was it something by MIA perhaps? [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/7sei-eEjy4g/hqdefault.jpg "M.I.A. PAPER PLANES official video") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sei-eEjy4g) [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/knQuxZj9rTA/hqdefault.jpg "Sunshowers by M.I.A.") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knQuxZj9rTA) Either way, listen to this: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ZrGzdJEEAJs/hqdefault.jpg "M.I.A. - 10 Dollar") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrGzdJEEAJs) ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2009, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-this-hip-hop-song/495808/5 "2009-05-09T01:35:12Z")
Well there’s [Arab Money](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8T5hbz3wI2k) by Busta Rhymes, but somehow I doubt they would put that on VH1. Also, just remembered Jay-Z and Punjabi’s [Beware of the Boys](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3c915Sohhs) which was popular for a while. ---
**Author:** ![SylverOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@SylverOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SylverOne)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2009, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-this-hip-hop-song/495808/6 "2009-05-09T01:36:43Z")
Try this one… Chaiyya Chaiyya - Bollywood Joint" Performed by Sukhwinder Singh, Sapna Awasthi featuring Panjabi MC It’s on the soundtrack of Inside Man, but I’ve heard it elsewhere. Sting (I think?) also had a song come out within the last couple of years that had an Eastern sound, but I don’t remember the name of it… I’ll do some more digging. ---
**Author:** ![JSexton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@JSexton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JSexton)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2009, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-this-hip-hop-song/495808/7 "2009-05-09T02:16:08Z")
Is it [King Without a Crown](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Buy8dLlfBZE), by Matisyahu? ---
**Author:** ![shy\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@shy\_guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shy_guy)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2009, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-this-hip-hop-song/495808/8 "2009-05-09T02:27:10Z")
Was it a man or a woman rapping? ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2009, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-this-hip-hop-song/495808/9 "2009-05-09T02:28:20Z")
> [@JSexton](#): > > Is it [King Without a Crown](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Buy8dLlfBZE), by Matisyahu? Although Matisyahu is awesome, I don’t really see how that (or any of his songs) would be considered “Middle-Eastern inspired”, discounting the obvious fact that Israel is geographically in the Middle East. Also, he’s usually classified as reggae rather than hip hop. ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2009, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-this-hip-hop-song/495808/10 "2009-05-09T02:33:29Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > Well there’s [Arab Money](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8T5hbz3wI2k) by Busta Rhymes, but somehow I doubt they would put that on VH1. > > Also, just remembered Jay-Z and Punjabi’s [Beware of the Boys](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3c915Sohhs) which was popular for a while. I was racing to find the name of that song, I am so sure that is it. Beware of the Boys, I mean. ---
**Author:** ![JSexton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@JSexton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JSexton)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2009, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-this-hip-hop-song/495808/11 "2009-05-09T04:52:58Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > Although Matisyahu is awesome, I don’t really see how that (or any of his songs) would be considered “Middle-Eastern inspired”, discounting the obvious fact that Israel is geographically in the Middle East. Also, he’s usually classified as reggae rather than hip hop. Well, it does start with some chanting. Worth a shot. ---
**Author:** ![robardin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@robardin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robardin)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2009, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-this-hip-hop-song/495808/12 "2009-05-09T04:57:28Z")
[Truth Hurts](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTjPmgN98H8), Addictive f. Rakim? ---
**Author:** ![Laalune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/977dab/32.png) [@Laalune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laalune)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2009, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-this-hip-hop-song/495808/13 "2009-05-09T14:02:44Z")
Maybe something by Outlandish? [Aicha](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8krO7Q3vSys&feature=PlayList&p=7AC0556F2850E236&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=4) or [Callin’ U](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAU9HfvWeUg)? ---
**Author:** ![Omega\_Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7c8e57/32.png) [@Omega\_Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omega_Glory)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2009, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-this-hip-hop-song/495808/14 "2009-05-09T17:25:48Z")
> [@shy\_guy](#): > > Was it a man or a woman rapping? A man, but I’m glad I forgot to mention that before, since these songs **Cosmic Relief** linked to are pretty catchy. > [@Cosmic Relief](#): > > Was it something by MIA perhaps? > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sei-eEjy4g](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sei-eEjy4g) > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knQuxZj9rTA](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knQuxZj9rTA) > > Either way, listen to this: > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrGzdJEEAJs](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrGzdJEEAJs) None of the songs in the thread are the one I was thinking about though. ---
**Author:** ![anu-la1979](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/47e85d/32.png) [@anu-la1979](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anu-la1979)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2009, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-this-hip-hop-song/495808/15 "2009-05-09T17:27:46Z")
Beware the Boys-Jay Z and Punjabi MC? ---
**Author:** ![tds1273](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/df705f/32.png) [@tds1273](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tds1273)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-this-hip-hop-song/495808/16 "2009-05-11T17:10:10Z")
Put me down as another who’s first guess was “Beware of the Boys”, but the time line doesn’t quite fit; I believe that one came out around '04. I also thought of Iraqi-American rapper Timz’s [Iraq](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRiy4yfh-IM), but something tells me that didn’t make it to VH1. Do you remember anything about the sound of the rapper? His voice? Fast, slow, or unique type of flow? Any lyrical content? If I may piggyback and get some help from those who have already posted, I too have a hiphop song I can’t figure out. It was on MTV2(don’t remember if it was a countdown or not) about a month or two ago. The video was, at least partially, in a classroom and the artist/music had a very Andre 3000 sound. Anyone? ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-this-hip-hop-song/495808/17 "2009-05-11T18:40:35Z")
I don’t know why but I always thought “Smack That” by Akon had a sort of middle-eastern sound.