20 of the Best Hometown Hip-Hop Anthems

Hip-hop has historically praised the power of storytelling and an artist’s innate ability to create lush, introspective narratives about a wide array of topics, including hometowns. One of the earliest homages to an MC’s hometown is Boogie Down Production’s 1986 single “South Bronx,” named after the same New York borough where hip-hop was born. With KRS-One employing his unmistakeable bravado for each carefully crafted verse, the song offered a unique perspective on his local community with lyrics like, “Remember Bronx River, rolling thick/With Kool DJ Red Alert and Chuck Chillout on the mix/When Afrika Islam was rocking the jams/And on the other side of town was a kid named Flash.”

While there are many tracks that included references to specific boroughs in New York City prior to “South Bronx,” the lyrics typically were not dedicated to the hometown concept in the same way. However, with each passing year, more artists started showing love to the city that raised them in their rhymes. The music served as a reflection of each city’s culture, challenges and colorful landscapes.

Whether it’s Tupac Shakur’s poetic yet fiery tribute to California on “California Love” or Jermaine Dupri’s classic Down South banger “Welcome to Atlanta,” these tracks evolved into bona fide anthems. They resonate with listeners from all walks of life who found their own stories mirrored in the lyrics. There’s nothing like repping the place called home. Here’s a look at 20 of the best hometown anthems in hip-hop that have contributed to the rich tapestry of the culture’s geographical diversity.