<p>The inspiration rappers draw from mob films can&#8217;t be denied. Flicks such as The Godfather, King Of New York, Casino, Goodfellas and <a href="/profile/ScarfaceHouston" class="text-word" target="_blank" >Scarface</a> have helped shape the persona of many of your favorite emcees. Artists tend identify with characters that rise above all odds and prosper, in a criminal field or otherwise. Tony Montana, Frank White, Vito Corleone, Sam Rothstein  &#8211; the list of &#8220;inspirational&#8221; characters is a long one.</p>
<p>Other than character inspiration, mob movie references appear constantly in rap lyrics, whether an artist is repainting a particular scene or comparing his or herself to a specific character. Also, sampling mob flick scores and dialogue has been a staple of hip-hop production since the early years. </p>
<p>Read on, and if you haven&#8217;t seen all of these films, do so ASAP. </p>
<p>(Keep in mind, they appear in no particular order). </p>
<p><strong>Sponsored by</strong> the upcoming crime lord flick &#8220;<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQeap_zRjRU" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Force Of Execution</a>&#8221; starring Steven Seagal, Ving Rhames and Danny Trejo, out for release December 17th. <br><br><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQeap_zRjRU" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener"><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://editor.urbanlinx.net/wp-content/uploads/userfiles/05/47/914705_5a40517cf9783adc2108030fc0256805.png" alt="5 Mob Films Essential To Hip-Hop"></figure></a></p><br><h2>The Godfather (Francis Ford Coppola, 1972)</h2><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://editor.urbanlinx.net/wp-content/uploads/gallery/25/60/1386346025_3861ed5fa655d05c634b98e593f62d24.jpg" alt="5 Mob Films Essential To Hip-Hop"></figure><p></p><p>Although it appeared earlier on, the Godfather was one of the first films to both romanticize mafia life and delve deep into the mafioso psyche. It set a standard and paved the way for future films that have had an even more direct influence on hip-hop, such as Martin Scorsese&#8217;s Goodfellas and Abel Ferrara&#8217;s King Of New York. The trilogy as a whole remains a point of reference in the rap game to this day. </p>
<p><strong>Example: </strong>The album cover of Nas, Foxy Brown, AZ and Natures&#8217;s 1997 group project <strong>The Firm</strong> was styled after the aesthetic of the film, both in font and imagery. Peep it in the gallery above. </p>
<p>There&#8217;s also <a href="/profile/TonyYayo" class="text-word" target="_blank" >Tony Yayo</a>&#8217;s recent <a href="http://www.hotnewhiphop.com/tony-yayo-godfather-of-the-ghetto-mixtape.88264.html?song-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8220;Godfather Of The Ghetto&#8221;</a> mixtape, which you can stream and/or DL below.</p>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/sY1S34973zA" width="600" height="337" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" class="embedded-mixtape" src="http://www.hotnewhiphop.com/m/88264/2/" width="100%" height="336" frameborder="no" scrolling="no" data-length="15"></iframe></p><h2>Goodfellas (Martin Scorsese, 1990)</h2><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://editor.urbanlinx.net/wp-content/uploads/gallery/38/24/1386342438_3196840c1ff25d0a9415fd630f2787cd.png" alt="5 Mob Films Essential To Hip-Hop"></figure><p></p><p>Once again, this one needs little explanation. Martin Scorsese&#8217;s <strong>Goodfellas</strong> is one of the most important mob flicks ever released, and it&#8217;s loved in the hip-hop community and beyond. Although an ill-fated rags-to-riches story much like <strong>Scarface</strong>, Henry Hill&#8217;s relentless drive for success remains an inspiration to this day. The fact that it&#8217;s based on true events doesn&#8217;t hurt either. </p>
<p><strong>Example: </strong>Compton&#8217;s Most Wanted&#8217;s 1992 track &#8220;Def Wish II&#8221; samples some of Henry Hill&#8217;s narrative reflections. </p>
<p>There&#8217;s also <a href="/profile/Vado" class="text-word" target="_blank" >Vado</a>&#8217;s September 2010 cut of the same name, which you can stream and/or download below. </p>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" class="embedded-song" src="http://www.hotnewhiphop.com/s/87812/2/" width="100%" height="160" frameborder="no" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/qo5jJpHtI1Y" width="600" height="337" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p><h2>Casino (Martin Scorsese, 1995)</h2><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://editor.urbanlinx.net/wp-content/uploads/gallery/83/27/1386342783_106a18843661a98c484da36c1722a525.jpg" alt="5 Mob Films Essential To Hip-Hop"></figure><p></p><p>Martin Scorsese has mob moviemaking down to a science, and we didn&#8217;t think twice about including two of his films here. His adaption of author Nicholas Pileggi&#8217;s novel* of the same name defined our perception of the gambling underworld. It&#8217;s based on real-life handicapper Frank Rosenthal, who the Chicago Outfit hired to run the Hacienda, Fremont and Stardust casinos in Vegas for in the 70s and 80s. </p>
<p style="text-align: left;">De Niro&#8217;s Sam Rothstein is a powerful gambling handicapper enlisted by the mob to run the fictional Tangiers Casino in Vegas, and Joe Pesci&#8217;s Nicky Santoro is a ruthless enforcer who keeps the operation in check. Despite an ultimately negative outcome, power is the focus and the appeal is there, and many emcees compare themselves to both. </p>
<p>Casino also happens to be #5 on the list of films that use the word &#8220;fuck&#8221; the most. </p>
<p><strong>Examples:</strong></p>
<p>&#8220;Waited for a while, though you was my right thing / Then things got frightening, peep the scene / Sort of like Sam Rothstein.&#8221; -<a href="/profile/TheNotoriousBIG" class="text-word" target="_blank" >The Notorious B.I.G.</a>, &#8216;Another&#8217; </p>
<p>&#8220;Niggas walkin&#8217; across the casino floor like Sam Rothstein / Striding like Goliath and we ain&#8217;t sweatin&#8217; the small things.&#8221; -Crooked I, &#8216;Vegas On Biz&#8217;</p>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/QiZvG_jcX0g" width="600" height="337" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>*Pileggi also wrote &#8216;Wiseguys&#8217;, which inspired Goodfellas. </p>
<p> </p><h2>King Of New York (Abel Ferrara, 1990)</h2><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://editor.urbanlinx.net/wp-content/uploads/gallery/29/26/1386342629_720d4f2ffb084d301e7f45c6d0a9d742.jpg" alt="5 Mob Films Essential To Hip-Hop"></figure><p></p><p>&#8220;If a nickel bag gets sold in the park, I want in.&#8221;</p>
<p>With NYC being the birthplace of hip-hop, how could Abel Ferrara&#8217;s <strong>King Of New York </strong>not have had an effect? Christopher Walken&#8217;s Frank White is a charismatic but ruthless drug kingpin aiming for total control of the city, similar to how many emcees aim for dominance in their respective cities. He&#8217;s an anti-hero, but a hero nonetheless, and his name continues to ring throughout the rap game. </p>
<p><strong>Example: </strong>&#8220;The nigga Bigge Smalls tryna turn into the black Frank White.&#8221;</p>
<p>-The Notorious B.I.G. </p>
<p>There&#8217;s also <a href="/profile/Papoose" class="text-word" target="_blank" >Papoose</a>&#8217;s October 2011 mixtape of the same name, which you can stream and/or DL below.</p>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/vLvi01UW3vk" width="600" height="337" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" class="embedded-mixtape" src="http://www.hotnewhiphop.com/m/27980/2/" width="100%" height="336" frameborder="no" scrolling="no" data-length="26"></iframe></p><h2>Scarface (Brian De Palma, 1983)</h2><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://editor.urbanlinx.net/wp-content/uploads/gallery/35/23/1386342335_3a54194c2b42b4a34786cd953511ab8c.jpg" alt="5 Mob Films Essential To Hip-Hop"></figure><p></p><p>&#8220;The world is yours.&#8221;</p>
<p>This one speaks for itself. Brian De Palma&#8217;s <strong>Scarface</strong> is possibly the most referenced film in all of hip-hop. Countless rappers name-drop Tony Montana and identify with his rags-to-riches story, and although the celebrated anti-hero meets a violent end, his ruthless ambition remains an inspiration.</p>
<p><strong>Examples:</strong> Veteran Houston emcee Scarface (of the Geto Boys), Nas&#8217; &#8220;The World Is Yours&#8221; and samples in Raekwon&#8217;s &#8220;Criminology&#8221;. </p>
<p>And need we remind y&#8217;all of Future&#8217;s <a href="http://www.hotnewhiphop.com/future-atl-tony-montana-song.355296.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8220;Tony Montana&#8221;</a>? </p>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" class="embedded-song" src="http://www.hotnewhiphop.com/s/355296/2/" width="100%" height="160" frameborder="no" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/7pQQHnqBa2E" width="600" height="337" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>