Nia Long Has An Undeniable Imprint In Hip Hop Thanks To These Songs

It may be her boyfriend of 10 years who is facing troubles with the NBA, but Nia Long became an even greater trending topic. We've continued to report on the scandal out of the NBA as Boston Celtics coach Ime Udoka has faced disciplinary action after it was revealed that he carried on an inappropriate relationship with a female staffer. Speculative follow-up reports have flowed nonstop since the explosive news dropped, and almost immediately, Nia Long was the center of attention.

Throughout the entirety of Long's expansive career, she has maintained a reputation as being the beautiful, yet unattainable, unproblematic, girl next door that every man wanted to be with. Her films helped propagate that standing: whether she was the object of Craig's affections in Friday, struggling through a passionate love affair with Darrius in Love Jones, or trying to keep Tre on the straight and narrow in Boyz n the Hood. 

The public has been commenting on the Udoka scandal and many in Hip Hop have questioned how the now-suspended coach could "fumble the bag" on a beloved celebrity like Long. Some may not understand the praise that Nia Long has received within Rap culture, but she has long been preserved in Hip Hop thanks to the dozens of rappers who have lauded over her in their songs. 

While this list is certainly not exhaustive, we've pulled together just a few noteworthy tracks that mention the actress—some released as hit singles and others not as easy to find—and while those inclusions are brief, they speak volumes to the adoration that the industry had, and still has for the star.

The classic "Girls, Girls, Girls, Pt. 2" was a clandestine track on Hov's The Blueprint, but like dozens of other songs shared by Jay-Z, it has earned its stripes. Kanye West was responsible for production, so it came as no surprise that when a remix was reportedly offered, his talents would be enlisted. In his verse—portions of which also appeared elsewhere in West's catalog—West spinned rhymes about several women in pop culture including Gwen Stefani, Aaliyah, Jennifer Lopez, and Nia Long. This is, of course, not the only time he's mentioned the actress (as stated elsewhere on this list)—but she is the only non-music act on this cut.

Lyrics

2-way or phone me if you tryna bone me
Yo man got moe-nee, you still feel lonely
Claim he love you, it's no doubt, it's Gwen Stef-phony
You a light skinded Nia, a dark skinned Aaliyah
A Black Jennifer Lopez, a ghetto senorita

Immediately following the news of Ime Udoka's Celtics scandal, J. Cole's name began to trend as people revisited this 2014 playlist staple. This Cole record is one that people shout in the club when it comes on—thanks to an introductory verse about paying respects to Uncle Phil—but the track in itself is a warning against shallow women. J. Cole laments over a certain type of woman that strives for fame and attention over substance, and he mentions famous figures he wishes he could have been with, and they include two desired actresses and two beloved singers. 

Lyrics

My only regret was too young for Lisa Bonet
My only regret was too young for Nia Long
Now all I'm left with is hoes from reality shows
Hand her a script, the b*tch probably couldn't read along
My only regret was too young for Sade Adu
My only regret, could never take Aaliyah home

Once again, New York City rappers prove that their love for Nia Long runs deep. While this Long mention is included on a Nas track, it wasn't the rapper who penned a bar about the star. In 2000, this remix emerged with a look from Hip Hop group Bravehearts, and it was member Horse who included a bar about Long. His explicit raps set the scene for bedroom antics and in his verse, he lusted after his lady and compared her to a near-naked actress.

Lyrics

Head in the studio, the bathroom or the booth
Head from a project chick or one with crazy loot
Like Nia Long in a cherry thong with the lights on
Sipping Perignon with Kelly Price on
I pull out my python, I hit it while my wife's gone

Before he was widely known as "Ye," Kanye West was taking over the industry in the early 2000s. It was then that we received Late Registration, a now-classic album that hosted a fan favorite, "Touch The Sky." This Just Blaze and Ye-produced single hosted a feature from Lupe Fiasco and covered an array of topics, including infidelity. West mentioned Long in a verse where he spit bars about having a wandering eye and cheating on his lady because he thought he needed someone better, or at least more like the actress.

Lyrics

Any girl I cheated on, sheets I skeeted on
Couldn't keep it at home, thought I needed a Nia Long
I'm tryin' to right my wrongs
But it's funny them same wrongs helped me write this song

Two artists on this list (one is an honorable mention) didn't just include Nia Long's name in their songs, but titled the tracks after her, outright. This track from Ferg first surfaced on SoundCloud and throughout, he shows that his attraction to Long runs deep. The actress's name is the title, chorus, and is mentioned all over as Ferg raps about a woman he's attracted to that has a street attitude with Long's looks.

Lyrics

Pretty b*tch like Nia Long
Short head no weave on
Finger lickin', ice cream joint
Butter Pecan for the weekend
She f*ckin with T Lord
'Cause I know what her knees on

In 2013, Meek called on a few of his famous friends to help round out a remix where he uses Nia Long's praised looks to describe the "bad b*tches" he was entertaining in his circle. On the Dreamchasers 3 track, Meek doesn't just use Long's name in a verse; he includes it in his chorus. As Meek brags about his elevated status thanks to his Rap career, he couldn't help but brag that the women resembling the actress that he now surrounds himself with.

Lyrics

Yeah n*gga I'm leanin', leanin'
Young rich n*gga, I'm leanin'
Puffin' on strong, getting gold, bad b*tches
Looking like Nia Long I mean it
N*gga I'm leanin', leanin'

Six years ago, Lucci delivered Wish Me Well 2, and on it, the rapper reflected on his personal life. We've seen many of these types of songs from rappers as their introspective bars gain insight to their upbringings, rise in the Rap game, and ultimate distrust for those who aren't in their circles. While the lyrics on "Thoughts to Myself" often drift to a more sober tone, Lucci did slide in a brief mention of Long as he compared her to a beautiful woman who keeps applying pressure.

Lyrics

I'd rather die and go to hell than live a lie
I swear sh*t was f*cked up had to get it right
Yeaaa you know we gone ball every minute
Got a b*tch look like Nia Long call every minute
See ion really get along with too many

While it may seem that those Nia Long mentions only arrive with our veteran rappers who were smitten with the actress during her 1990s heyday, the newer generation of artists also appreciate her beauty. On his 2019 EP Brown Boy, hit-making producer-rapper Nav joined the dozens of others who likened a woman he was interacting with to the actress. This time, however, he referenced her age range when also mentioning that his lady friend was a "cougar."

Lyrics

I don't need nobody, I could do this on my own
F*ck everybody, born alone and die alone
I got a cougar b*tch, and we get along
'Cause my cougar b*tch look like Nia Long
You can tell I'm gettin' money by what I got on

The Los Angeles rapper's Feed Tha Streets mixtape arrived in 2017 and helped solidify him as a formidable force in the industry. The project featured "Sak Passe," a track that showed Roddy spitting bars about money, luxury, and sex—a favorite trio of topics for rappers for decades. Amid his bars about foreign cars and shining chains, Ricch added a few explicit lines about admiring a woman whose body mirrored that of Nia Long.

Lyrics

All my n*ggas foreign, when we pull up, skrrt
Light skin with a nice body looking like Nia Long
Private head with the private p*ssy looking like FlySavion
Rich sex, having rich sex on the nights we alone

Juicy J's "Bandz a Make Her Dance (Remix)" with 2 Chainz & Lil Wayne

A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie's "Undefeated"

Migos's "In Too Deep"

Dave East's "Dreams of F*cking Nia Long"

Lil Wayne "Novacane"

Webbie's "Like That"

Young Money's "Steady Mobbin'"

Chingy's "Dem Jeans" ft. Jermaine Dupri

Busta Rhyme's "Touch It (Remix)"

Ghostface Killah's "The Hilton" ft. Raekwon

Papoose's "Control"

Which Nia Long track is your favorite?