The Legendary Status of Taco Bell in Rap Lyrics

Rap and Taco Bell and rap goes together like, well, wraps and Taco Bell. The fast food powerhouse has long used rap in its commercials, and big-name rappers have co-signed the brand.

This year seems to be a moment for the relationship between rappers and the Mexican monolith, with Lil Nas X making the move from former fast food worker to Chief Impact Officer and Doja Cat taking credit for the return of the Mexican pizza to menus.

Doja Cat announced the return of the popular menu item during her Coachella set alongside Rico Nasty—a.k.a. Tacobella. She even made a video featuring an unofficial Mexican pizza rap on TikTok, which was followed by an official Taco Bell commercial featuring a rap all of its own.

Rap and Taco Bell have been in bed for decades, way back to when MC Hammer was shilling shells in a 1991 commercial. It’s deeper than just business deals, though, as many rappers have dropped a reference to Taco Bell with no hint of an endorsement check.

Let’s take a trip down Mexican fast food-inspired memory lane and see who, like Lil Boom “stay rapping like Taco Bell.”

Sir Mix-a-lot – “Posse On Broadway”

Way back in 1988, Seattle’s “Baby Got Back” superstar dropped this gem about how cool he and his pals were when out on the town. “Now the freaks are getting hungry & Mix-a-Lot’s treatin’/We stopped at Taco Bell for some Mexican eatin’/But Taco Bell was closed the girls was on my tip.” They have to eat at Dick’s instead.

The Pharcyde – “Ya Mama”

It was 30 years ago when Fat Lip and the crew dropped this schoolyard classic, and the Bell drops right in the first verse. “Ya mama is so big and fat that she can get busy/With twenty-two burritos, but times are rough/I seen her in the back of Taco Bell with handcuffs.” It might not be the most memorable Ya Mama diss, but it gets the party started.

Beanie Sigel – “Mack Freestyle”

The Philly rapper got his big break on Roc-A-Fella’s 1998 Hard Knock Live bonus CD (remember them?), which featured the line “Fuck Taco Bell/I run south of the border.” This seems a missed opportunity for a vegetarian-friendly “Beanie Burrito” tie-in, much like the rapper never quite hitting his undoubted potential.

The High & Mighty (ft. Eminem) – “The Last Hit”

Hipster favourites The High & Mighty were joined by Eminem for the 1999 track with the duo’s Mr. Eon opening proceedings: “In Taco Bell screaming ‘Viva Gorditas,’” he says, though it sounds like Eminem screaming the Spanish. That was not Eminem’s first Taco Bell-linked record, nor would it be his last.

People Under The Stairs – “The LA Song”

One for the foodies as Thes One raps of his favorite taco spots in 2002: “Home of the drive-by where they pop the shells/I eat at Chano’s and La Barca, not Taco Bell/And if you’re not from the city then you should probably bail.”

Outkast – “B.O.B.”

Big Boi drops the Taco Bell reference on the 2000 worldwide smash hit: “Pullin’ off my belt ‘cause a whipping’s in order/Like a three-piece fish before I cut your daughter/Yo quiero Taco Bell, then I hit the border.” Plenty of other Southern rappers have followed suit including Offset, Chamillionaire and Project Pat.