90s Hip Hop Music Quiz: Guess the Rap Song From the Beat

This is the quiz for the friends who still argue about East Coast versus West Coast. It's built on golden-era hip hop, from G-funk to Wu-Tang to Bad Boy and Roc-A-Fella, and it plays best with people who grew up on it. Most of these tracks give themselves away through the sample before the first bar, so even the ones who never learned the verses can score.

How to play this quiz

1. Hit "Play this quiz" on the big screen (a smart TV browser, a laptop hooked up to the TV, or just a laptop) and press "Start". The room opens with the playlist already loaded.
2. Everyone scans the QR code with their phone and types a name. The first person in is the host and picks the mode and points.
3. Our pick: "Song only" mode with search set to "Title and artist". Plenty of rap titles never show up in the hook, and being able to type "Biggie" or "Nas" and choose from the suggestions makes the 20-second answer window a lot fairer.
4. Keep "Seconds to buzz" at the default 30 for your first game. Some of these tracks open with skits, scratches or a slow drum intro. Once your group knows the list, drop it to 15.
5. First to 10 points makes a good 30-minute game. For experts, switch to "Song and year": the dates on this playlist have a few traps in them (see below).

Track Attack runs in the browser: no app, no account, and the phones are the buzzers.

Songs you might hear

Deezer maintains the playlist, so it can change over time. These are some of the tracks on it, among others.

West Coast and G-funk

• "Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang" – Dr. Dre: the G-funk sound in its purest form, built on a Leon Haywood sample. It's on The Chronic (1992); the single came out in January 1993.
• "Regulate" – Warren G (1994): built on a sample of Michael McDonald's "I Keep Forgettin'". It first appeared on the Above the Rim soundtrack.
• "Changes" – 2Pac (1998): the piano from Bruce Hornsby's "The Way It Is". Recorded in 1992, released in 1998 on his Greatest Hits.

New York

• "Big Poppa" – The Notorious B.I.G.: the smooth Isley Brothers "Between the Sheets" sample. Released on Christmas Eve 1994, which is why so many people file it under 1995.
• "Hypnotize" – The Notorious B.I.G. (1997): Puff Daddy's flip of Herb Alpert's "Rise".
• "Shook Ones, Pt. II" – Mobb Deep (1995): the dark piano loop, a slowed-down, re-pitched Herbie Hancock sample. One of the most recognizable beats in New York rap.
• "If I Ruled the World (Imagine That)" – Nas feat. Lauryn Hill (1996): laid-back beat sampling Whodini's "Friends", with Lauryn on the hook.
• "Can't Knock the Hustle" – JAY Z feat. Mary J. Blige (1996): Mary J. sings the chorus.
• "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)" – JAY Z (1998): the kids' chorus from Annie. Nobody misses this one.

Wu-Tang and friends

• "Shimmy Shimmy Ya" – Ol' Dirty Bastard (1995): produced by RZA; ODB's voice is unmistakable from the first line.
• "I'll Be There for You/You're All I Need to Get By" – Method Man feat. Mary J. Blige (1995): a reworking of the Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell classic. It won a Grammy.

Party starters

• "Insane in the Brain" – Cypress Hill (1993): the whole room will shout the hook.
• "Ready or Not" – Fugees (1996): the ghostly Enya sample and Lauryn Hill's voice.
• "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See" – Busta Rhymes (1997): a Seals and Crofts sample under Busta's rapid-fire flow. The Hype Williams video is a Coming to America tribute.
• "Player's Ball" – Outkast (1993): their first single, which first appeared on a label Christmas compilation.

Difficulty and tips to win

Outside a group of fans, this one is tough. There are crossover hits anyone knows ("Hard Knock Life", "Insane in the Brain", "Changes"), but also deep cuts like Organized Konfusion's "Fudge Pudge" or Das EFX's "Real Hip-Hop" that only the heads will get.

• Listen for the sample, not the rapper. The first seconds are usually just the beat. If you can name the record it's built on (Enya, Herb Alpert, Annie, Bruce Hornsby), you're halfway there.
• Know the big three voices. 2Pac, Biggie and JAY Z each show up several times. If you can place the voice but not the title, type the artist and pick from the suggestions.
• Don't type long titles in full. "I'll Be There for You/You're All I Need to Get By" will eat your 20 seconds. Type the first two words and tap the match.
• Watch the dates in "Song and year". Not everything here is strictly 90s: Outkast's "Ms. Jackson" came out in 2000, and Dr. Dre's "Forgot About Dre" is on 2001 (1999) but was released as a single in January 2000. Add "Big Poppa" and "Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang" and you've got four great trick questions.

Make it a hip hop night

• Pair this quiz with the 90s songs quiz for a second round from the same decade across all genres, so the people who were never into rap get a shot too.
• Winner picks the next playlist. Track Attack also lets you paste any public Spotify or Deezer playlist link, so someone can bring their own mixtape.
• No setup at all? A shuffled Spotify playlist, one person on pause duty and a notepad still works. Our guide to hosting a music quiz at home covers the details.

FAQ

Do we need to install an app?

No. The big screen runs the game in a browser and players join by scanning a QR code. No account needed, and nobody needs Spotify or Deezer.

How many people can play?

A group of friends or family, each on their own phone.

Can we play without a TV?

Yes, a laptop works as long as everyone can hear it. A decent speaker makes these basslines hit properly.

Is the music explicit?

Some of it, as you'd expect from 90s rap. Only 30-second clips play, but if there are kids around, pick a different quiz.