The Top 5 Usain Bolt References in Hip-Hop

There's no better athlete for a rapper to reference than Usain Bolt. The dominance, the swagger, and the likability of the Jamaican Olympian makes for a perfect, relevant hip hop reference point. Rappers know this as well as anyone, and, in the recent history of hip hop music, there has been a major outburst of emcees name dropping The King of Speed. Whether it be through metaphors, analogies, or a basic punchline, a Usain Bolt reference in rap is sure to garner "oohs" and "ahhs" from listeners.

In light of Bolt's recent gold medal sweep of his two London 2012 events (the 4x100m relay on Saturday could make him three for three), KWT has compiled five of the best Usain mentions hip hop has to offer. Hit the jump to hear and read the lines, our thoughts, and our Olympic-themed grading scale.

Artist: Wale

Song: "Cypher" (feat. Young Chris, Beanie Sigel & Freeway)

Project: Back To The Feature (Mixtape)

Line: "Ready for war/We bring it to 'em like Usain Bolt...GONE!"

KWT Says: Who else would you expect to nab hip hop's first Usain Bolt reference then the genre's go-to sports name dropper? Just days after the Jamaican sprinter made huge waves at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, the DC rapper dropped hip hop's first Usain Bolt simile in his 9th Wonder produced posse cut "Cypher."

Medal Awarded:.Gold. Right away, Wale scores big for being the first rapper to reference the Jamaican speedster. That alone merits the emcee at least a silver. Throw in the fact that the line's not the typical, overused "I run this sh*t, call me Usain Bolt," and the rhyme's a winner. It may not be the best Bolt reference ever spit, but it's definitely top tier.

   

Artist: Lupe Fiasco

Song: "Thank You"

Project: Enemy of the State: A Love Story (Mixtape)

Line: "I run the game, Bilderberg Group/In the lead with The Flash/Usain Bolt ain't even leavin' this fast."

KWT Says: Lupe has always been a lyrical mastermind, so he's no stranger to clever, intelligent rhymes like this one. In "Thank You," a track that can be found on the Chicago veteran's onslaught of hip hop instrumentals known as Enemy of the State, Fiasco spits a couplet that just might be the best of the entire list. While most rappers would compare themselves to Bolt, Wasalu takes it a step further, analogizing himself with The Flash, who, of course, is the only being in existence who's faster than Usain Bolt.

Medal Awarded: Gold, again. I've got a feeling there'll be more golds than anything on this list. It takes swagger, charisma, and smarts to pull off a great Usain Bolt rhyme, but in Lu's freestyle over Jay's BIII beat, he simply outdoes the competition. Including Bolt himself. We'd previously only heard rappers comparing themselves to the gold medalist, but claiming to be better, faster, and stronger than him puts Lupe over the top. 

 

Artist: Pusha T

Song: "Speakers Going Hammer" (Freestyle)

Project: Fear of God (Mixtape)

Line: "She oblivious her girl wanna come with 'em/Can't blame her, other n*ggas can't run with 'em/Usain Bolt through these b*tches then I'm done with 'em."

KWT Says: In typical King Push fashion, the G.O.O.D. Music spitter drops a relevant name to get his point across in his solo debut mixtape. The name? Usain Bolt, of course, whom's athlete status Pushaton uses to further describe just how he treats the women who throw themselves at him on the daily.

Medal Awarded: Silver. Though a very respectable, dope line, I think it's an obvious level below Lupe's analogy. Also, by the time Fear of God dropped, Usain Bolt references were as common as ever, so it doesn't gain the "Wale boost of originality." Regardless, it remains one of hip hop's toughest, most creative Usain Bolt mentions in recent history.

Artist: Pusha T

Song: "City of Dreams" (feat. Travis Barker)

Project: Give The Drummer Some (Album)

Line: "I'm livin' life at a faster pace/Usain Bolt, runnin' in a faster race/Record deal is the king-pin's masquerade/Deep dimples in the D-Cup to masturbate."

KWT Says: Much like Bolt himself, Pusha comes through with another shot at a medal thanks to a second reference to the Olympic legend. This time, when he and brother Malice are featured on Travis Barker's Give The Drummer Some joint, Push drops a Bolt analogy in the midst of an already crazy few bars packed full of multi-rhymes and imagery. He lets everyone know that his coked-out life is as high-speed as one can become.

Medal Awarded: Gold. Pusha T outdoes the above line, pairing his Usain reference with lines that could leave any hip hop fan making the stank face. Be right back, I'ma go toss a brick through my neighbor's windshield.

Artist: Rick Ross

Song: "White Sand, Pt. II"

Project: The Albert Anastasia EP (EP)

Line: "Five mil from LA Reid, let's see how long that last me/I sign for mills and run through it just like an athlete/I'm in the same boat, as Usain Bolt."


KWT Says: Rick Ross is always on his A game when it comes to sports lines, and the MMG Bawse takes no days off when it comes to track and field. His Bolt reference on the Albert Anastasia EP cut "White Sand, Pt. 2" is much like Pusha T's "Speakers Going Hammer" rhyme, using Usain's favorite activity to describe how he handles his money.

Medal Awarded: Bronze. Rawse stans will plead he deserves at least a silver if Push's comparable rhyme merited one, but this line, while still respectable, is an obvious bottom tier bar to me. His delivery is lacking where Push's wasn't making this our sole bronze recipient of the list. I've got a feeling this might be ranked higher if the dude TS was writing, so if you're upset, hit him up on Twitter and y'all can chop it up about everything "UGHN!" til the night's end.

Leave a comment in the comment section below. Any discussion, positive or negative, is appreciated. Share it on Twitter, Facebook, and other social networks. Bookmark us for daily hip hop updates.