There's something irresistible about writing a song about cars for many rappers. Whether it's the adrenaline of flooring it down the highway or the fact that luxury cars are some of the most desirable possessions on the planet, pretty much any high-end car has been name-dropped in at least one huge track by a rapper throughout history.

Rising star Jack Harlow has just dropped a new track, and if you guessed that it was about cars, then give yourself a pat on the back. He's teamed up with Pooh Shiesty on SUVs (Black On Black), and it's a track that sees them flexing their status on the streets and in the rap game.

The track is the latest example of an artist celebrating their love of cars and comparing this with their success, and it's easy to see why. A black car immediately brings to mind someone that's trying to move incognito, which in Jack Harlow and Pooh Shiesty's case, is because of their sustained success.  It's hard not to make enemies here and there when you're rising to the top, and tinted windows go a long way to protecting yourself against those who might wish you harm.

Back in 2019, Car And Driver went through more than four decades' worth of lyrics in hip-hop and rap songs to work out which ones were name-dropped the most.  BMW has been mentioned over 1000 times, while Ferrari, Cadillac and Lamborghini have all had their time in the spotlight. It's no wonder, too - how many times have you heard a rapper mention their car collection as a way to flex their wealth? Having a huge car collection is a universally recognised sign of affluence, and that's going to filter into their lyrics.

When it comes to artists that love to rap about cars, it's hard to go past Gucci Mane and The Game. In 2015, a Medium article by the aptly named MC Big Data revealed that The Game's mentioned Chevrolet in 93 of his songs as of 2015, while he's mentioned Mercedes Benz in 75 of them. These aren't the only two brands to get a shoutout from The Game, either - he's also shown a lot of love to Lamborghini, Porsche and Aston Martin. Gucci Mane isn't far behind with his love of cars either, referencing Bentley 72 times. Due to his prolific nature, Gucci Mane's referenced cars over 300 times and counting, the most of any artist. When something works, you stick with it.

It's easy to imagine why these rappers are including car brands in their lyrics. Listen to multiple freestyles from any rapper and you'll notice that they have comfort words/phrases that they use to ensure their rhyme schemes are fitting together, and for artists like The Game and Gucci, they know exactly what rhymes with different car brands. If they're ever stuck for a way to round off a bar, then turning to a tried-and-true word/phrase will get them over the line. 

Interestingly though, not all rappers can actually drive the cars they're always flexing. Rick Ross recently took to social media to admit that he might have had 100+ cars, but he was only now working on getting his driver's license. For him, it's as much a business decision to own that many cars as it is anything else because he's able to rent them out for photoshoots, ensuring that he's able to get the cars paying for themselves. In that sense, owning luxury cars is as smart an investment as you can make - as it's one rappers can enjoy while seeing a return. 

It's not just rappers associating hip-hop with cars, either. Australians will undoubtedly associate Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five's The Message with Kia's hugely successful ad from the early 2010s. The video even features Grandmaster Melle Mel and Scorpio in the ad, and it's an example of how music and cars belong together. A follow-up Kia ad went on to feature Salt-N-Pepa singing their monumental track Push It, introducing the song to a whole new generation. To be fair, we'd love to be crusing around the suburbs with Salt-N-Pepa - imagine the stories they'd have to tell!

Then you think about how, visually, having a car or two in your music video takes things up a notch, which savvy directors take advantage of. Back in 2011, Jay-Z and Kanye West teamed up with Spike Jonze for the music video for Otis, including a 2004 Maybach 57 (with the pair pulling the car apart in the video). The video depicted the allure of a luxury car being literally stripped away, being transformed from a luxury car into something those involved say wouldn't have been out of place in Mad Max. 

It's a powerful statement, and proof that as much as rappers are attracted to the mystique of high-end cars, they're also not afraid to critique their place in pop culture. As for the car? It ended up being put up for auction as a piece of contemporary art, fetching $60,000 USD at auction in March 2012. A portion of the proceeds went to Save The Children, meaning the car's cultural significance was used for good.

Across the history of rap, different items have had their time in the sun. Whether it's been shoes, watches or cars, it's a lot easier to create an image of wealth in the listener's mind by name-dropping a Ferrari than it is talking about different investments. No matter your life experiences, car brands like BMW, Lamborghini and Mercedes-Benz are ubiquitous, and rappers take full advantage of this.

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Next time your favourite rapper drops a new track, keep an ear out for any reference to the most fun you can have on four wheels. Chances are they'll drop a bar about putting the pedal to the metal and speeding off into the sunset.