Star Wars premiered in 1977, and rappers have been referencing it pretty much ever since. From Luke Skywalker's Jedi journey to Darth Vader’s villain arc, the galaxy far, far away has inspired decades of Hip Hop references. By extension, that connection resulted in Childish Gambino, aka Donald Glover, playing Lando Calrissian in Solo: A Star Wars Story and Lizzo joining the likes of Jack Black in “The Mandalorian.”
Whatever the reason, artists like Eminem, JAY-Z, Big Sean, and Tyler, The Creator have tapped into George Lucas’s universe on multiple occasions. Below, see 14 rap lyrics that reference Star Wars.
1. I. Pink Toes by Childish Gambino: She on my back about it (C-3PO, C-3PO, C-3PO)
In Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, Chewbacca famously carried C-3PO on his back while escaping Imperial forces in Cloud City. Childish Gambino cleverly uses that iconic image as relationship shorthand, suggesting his partner's nagging feels like he's literally hauling her complaints around. It’s certainly not the rapper and actor’s first Star Wars reference, having made a nod to Greedo in 2009’s “The Stand”: “Opposite Al Pacino/ I keep a light saber like I f**k around with Greedo.”
2. Hypnotize by The Notorious B.I.G.: Hit 'em with the Force like Obi
Perhaps the inspiration behind the mashup album Life After Death Star, The Notorious B.I.G. took a break from his braggadocious raps for a brief Jedi moment on “Hypnotize.” In the classic hit, he compares his lyrical dominance to Obi-Wan Kenobi’s mind-control skills, proving even Biggie couldn’t resist referencing a galaxy far, far away.
3. Funny Papers by Mac Miller: Oh s**t, here come the icebreaker/ It's danger when he's bringin' out the lightsaber
Mac Miller began his final verse on fan-favorite "Funny Papers" by pulling out a lightsaber, the Jedi’s iconic weapon. Considering the Philadelphia rapper’s personality, it’s not hard to imagine him wielding a less traditional blade, maybe something like Samuel L. Jackson’s purple saber from Attack of the Clones. Either way, Miller’s love for Star Wars was well-documented (there’s no shortage of references across “What Do You Do,” “Mackin’ Ain’t Easy,” and “In The Morning”).
4. X-Wing by Denzel Curry: If I make that b**ch an inch taller, then I upgrade to a Skywalker
Disney+’s “The Mandalorian” Season 2 finale gave way to two iconic moments: Luke Skywalker’s return and the inspiration behind Denzel Curry’s “X-Wing.” Named after the Rebel Alliance's iconic starfighter, the Florida rapper explained his excitement to WIRED: “An X-wing shows up. And it’s like, ‘An X-wing? Great!’ And then I was thinking, ‘Wait a minute. There’s only one person that drives that s**t. They ain’t gon’ do that s**t.’ So, you see somebody with a cloaked hoodie.” He continued, “Then you see the glove and the green lightsaber, and it was like, ‘They did that s**t! Oh s**t!’”
5. Stay Wide Awake by Eminem: Jump out on you now like I was a Jawa from f**kin' Star Wars/ Jabba the Hutt, beddy-bye-bye, beddy-bye-bye, it's time to die-die
Only Eminem could take two of Star Wars’ weirdest creatures — the Jawas and grotesque Jabba the Hutt — and use them as simultaneously hilarious and threatening punchlines. The Detroit legend’s fascination with the franchise’s darker side goes back years, like his Darth Vader nod in “Rain Man, but there is a redeeming Princess Leia and Obi-Wan name-drop on 2024’s “Tobey.”
6. I Ain't Got Time! by Tyler, The Creator: Walk weird 'cause my pockets look like thick Yoda/ With a Skywalker, riding 'round solar/ Anakin skin Sprite, and my tint cola
Tyler, The Creator raps like someone who probably spent their childhood afternoons assembling LEGO Star Wars ships. Comparing his wallet to a “thick Yoda” might be the weirdest flex about money ever recorded but coming from the rapper behind Cherry Bomb and several other internet-era classics, it feels oddly appropriate.
7. Change Clothes by JAY-Z: Let I breathe, Jedi Knight/ The more space I get the better I write
On "Change Clothes," JAY-Z compared his creative process to a Jedi Knight honing their skills. Similar to Luke Skywalker hiding out on Ahch-To or Yoda retreating to Dagobah, the New York native implied his lyrical pen grows stronger with distance. Of course, that’s a bit ironic coming from a rapper known for never writing down his rhymes.
8. Starstruck by Big Sean: “B**ch, I go full force, Skywalker/ You, you lukewarm, I am your father
Big Sean flips one of cinema’s greatest reveals — Darth Vader’s “I am your father” moment from The Empire Strikes Back — into a jab at his “lukewarm” rivals. “Starstruck” isn’t as widely celebrated as some of his later hits, but the Detroit MC’s cockiness definitely helped the punchline stick, even if Vader might find it a little cheesy.
9. Happy Valentine’s Day by OutKast: Han Solo 'til I'm hit by the bullet, so may the Force/ Be with you and I'll hit you when better time permits
Valentine’s Day came early (or late, depending on when you heard it) on OutKast’s sprawling double album, Speakerboxxx/The Love Below. On the second disc’s standout “Happy Valentine’s Day,” André 3000 compared himself to Han Solo, arguably the most charismatic character in the Star Wars galaxy, before dropping the series’ oft-repeated phrase: “May the Force be with you.”
10. Lightyear by Logic: Rollie gold like C-3PO, and I'm busting off like R2/ That's COD-level, I'm all through, now f**k you
Logic turned Star Wars' most beloved droid duo into a watch flex in “Lightyear.” The rapper’s Rolex shines like C-3PO’s metallic casing, while he himself packs as much energy as R2-D2. Of course, he also decided to close the bar with a Call of Duty reference.
11. Used by SZA featuring Don Toliver: N**gas love to break my focus, b**ch, I'm Obi-Wan
On “Used,” one of the more underrated gems from SOS, SZA channels Obi-Wan Kenobi’s unshakeable composure. Spiritually, she’s far above her distractions, similar to how the legendary Jedi mentor stood apart from both Anakin and Luke Skywalker. And if you doubt SZA’s rap credentials, just revisit the album’s title track or “Smoking on my Ex Pack.”
12. Get By by Talib Kweli: We smell the musk of the dusk and the crack of the dawn/ We go through episodes too, like Attack of the Clones
Talib Kweli’s classic “Get By” references Attack of the Clones — quite literally the second episode of the Star Wars saga — to symbolize life’s repetitive struggles. In retrospect, the film is widely regarded as the saga's weakest sequel, so Kweli's bar aged remarkably well.
13. Hellz Wind Staff by Wu-Tang Clan: Lethal weapon, step through your section/ With the Force like Luke Skywalker
Wu-Tang Clan’s early discography was a hotbed for pop culture Easter eggs, though Inspectah Deck’s Luke Skywalker line on “Hellz Wind Staff” is admittedly less groundbreaking than others in the group’s extensive catalogue. Sandwiched between Method Man and RZA’s references to George Bush and Johnny Unitas, it just goes to show that even a lukewarm Star Wars metaphor is better than none at all.
14. Whoa by Earl Sweatshirt featuring Tyler, The Creator: Ha, vagabond, had it since a Padawan/ Rapping hot as f**king cattle brands wearing flannel thongs
Odd Future, like many of us who grew up listening to the Hip Hop collective, apparently loved Star Wars. On “Whoa,” Earl Sweatshirt compared himself to a Padawan, or Jedi apprentice, implying that he was the hottest rapper out even when he first started.