10 Hip-Hop Artists With Dope Super Hero Aliases

Superheroes have had a major influence on hip-hop. The colorful comic book characters that opened up the imagination of children worldwide changed our perception of the world. Heroes of every color saved the world, from Black Panther to Doctor Strange, Batman to Wonder Woman. The same super-powered characters that inspired us to run around at playtime as kids also sparked the interest of several rappers and DJs in hip-hop. 

The difference between superheroes and rappers aren't that great. We treat our favorite rappers and DJs like heroes, and hold them higher than the regular man in our minds. We paint them as something more than normal, and we rely on them for the music that powers our lives. A new song from your favorite artist might save you from moments when you feel like the world is over. Or music may energize you in the gym as you use its power to help you get amped up. Among the many rappers that have drawn influence from comic books, we decided to pick ten who really fit their characters. They may not fly, or smash, but their personalities or their commitment to the character has captured audiences around the world. From Big Pun to Jean Grae, enjoy our list of hip-hop artists with on point superhero alter egos. 

“Bobby Drake, I stay with a stallion,”- “Focus”

Slick Pulla likes to think of himself as the young X-Man Bobby Drake. Drake, aka Ice Man, is one of the founding members of the X-Men. He’s cool, so cool in fact that he can manipulate the temperature of the air around him. He drops the air to temperatures below freezing, which coats his skin in ice. As his power increased, Drake as able to turn himself into ice. Slick Pulla uses Drake’s influence to deliver ice-cold lyrics.

Just Undeniably Some of The Illest Composers Ever, or J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, took their name from DC's fabled group of heroes. The Justice League is comprised of Batman, Superman, Aquaman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, and others. This Floridian production team likes to think of themselves as the real-life version of a super squad. With some of the dopest beats in hip-hop, J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League makes a good case for picking up the capes. Unlike the ill-fated DC movie, this team actually works well together.

“So unlogical, the prodigal daughter returns/With them horror comic comedy terms,’ - Fyre Blazer

Jean Grey, aka Phoenix, is one of the most powerful telepaths in Marvel comics. Her powers rival Professor X’s, and even surpass his at one point. Jean ends up driving herself mad with power, and dies a tragic death. She is revived several times in the X-Men universe, and her power is always a threat to her and her friends. Jean Grae took on the mantle of the powerful mutant, proving that the ladies are just as much a threat as the males.

Green Lantern doesn’t get enough respect. Batman and Superman run the DC world, but Green Lantern is a boss. He wears a ring that creates whatever he can think of. Whether it be a machine gun, a spaceship, a gorgeous woman, or roller coaster, Green Lantern can create anything he can fathom. DJ Green Lantern takes his name from the powerful hero, and he also cooks up whatever musical madness his imagination can create

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Who wouldn’t want to be Superman? He’s the most overpowered hero in DC’s universe. When Superman was created, he was so unstoppable that the writers had to invent Kryptonite as a weakness to save the comics. Who wants to read a story where the hero just beats the villain effortlessly every time? DJ Clark Kent borrowed the government name of Superman to give himself an appropriate alter ego. Clark Kent is just trying to live the normal life, yet his unlimited power is lurking just beneath the surface. 

"V. Vaughn—the travelin' Vaudeville Villain/ Who don't give a flyin' fuck who ain't not feelin' him,"- Vaudeville Villain

Victor Von Doom is a piece of work. The Marvel villain wears a mask to hide his face, which was scared during an accident in college. Doom is exceptionally brilliant, but his fatal flaw is his perfectionism. His obsession with making sure everything is perfect drove him to hate his scared face and in turn, drove him mad. Teetering between super-villainy and anti-heroism, Doom has been a menace to the Marvel universe for decades. MF Doom has adopted the villains mask and mysterious energy, brining Victor’s essence to life through hip-hop music. He even has an alias named Viktor Vaughn.

“I created an iron suit, to protect my people/Escaped, bound to be Ironman the great/ The billionaire Tony Starks'll renew your fate/ Built Stark Towers, throw the biggest events,” - “Slept On Tony”

Iron Man may be the face that jump-started the MCU, but he was a less popular hero when Ghostface Killah took his name as an alter ego. Now, The Wu-Tang member seems to be more partial to Starks billions than his suit, but he does reference the armor in several songs. He even went as far as naming his debut solo album Ironman, fully committing to the character that would one day face off against Thanos on the big screen. Fun fact: In the first Iron Man movie, Robert Downey Jr. and Terrence Howard party on a plane to “Slept On Tony”... mayne.

"Dav-Dav-Dav-David Banner."

David Banner may not compare himself to the Hulk in his songs, but his name is a clear nod to the green hero. The Incredible Hulk television show of the 70's changes Bruce Banner’s name to David Bruce Banner, which isn’t the first time the Marvel hero had a name swap. David Banner took the name of the Hulk, who was played by Bill Bixby. Banner’s tag at the beginning of his productions is a friendly reminder of the classic television show.

“Johnny Blazing, nightmares like Wes Craven/ Niggas gunning, my third eye seen it coming before it happen/ You know about them fucking Staten kids, they smashing,” - “Shadowboxin'”

Johnny Blaze has a tragic story. He was adopted after his mother left his father, and his dad died while performing a stunt. Blaze fell in love with his adopted family, which would lead to his demise. As time passed on, it was discerned that Blaze’s stepfather had cancer. Turning to the demon Mephisto, Blaze sold his soul in order to save his paternal figure. When Mephisto returned for Blaze’s soul, after tricking him into a bad deal, the purity of the love Blaze had for Roxeanne chased the demon away. So, Mephisto cursed Blaze to become Ghost Rider. Method Man must have seen the irony in the story of a man trapped in a deal with the devil, or possibly, he just likened his fire bars to a man with his head on fire.

“Hop in your Hummer, The Punisher's ready / Meet me at Vito's with noodles, we'll do this dude while he's slurping spaghetti,” - “Twinz”

Frank Castle is the almighty Punisher, a rogue vigilante whose past has left him shattered. The Punisher is one of the most feared characters in Marvel’s comics. Unlike Captain America, Spider-Man, or Black Panther, Punisher is known to brutally kill and torture his enemies. Villains would rather be captured by Iron Man that face off against The Punisher. The same fear The Punisher leaves on the streets of New York influenced Big Pun to take his name.