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5 Hip-Hop Records That Sampled Billy Joel

From Boogie Down Productions to Action Bronson, Billy Joel’s unexpected influence on East Coast hip-hop is a testament to the power of music to transcend boundaries.

By Brittany Benton

Action Bronson/Billy Joel mashup image.

In the bustling landscape of New York hip-hop, where street life meets the bumptious swagger of the East Coast sound, there exists an unexpected influence that shaped the genre’s sonic identity. Enter Billy Joel, the Piano Man himself. Despite his unlikely association with hip-hop, Joel’s melodies and storytelling prowess found their way into the beats and rhymes of East Coast artists, adding an extra layer of bravado to their music and reshaping the genre’s sonic landscape. Check out these five tracks that sampled Billy Joel’s sound, redefining East Coast swagger in the process.


De La Soul

“Plug Tunin'” (1992)


Boogie Down Productions

“The Bridge Is Over” (1987)


Terror Squad and Cam’ron

“New York State of Mind” (2005)


Action Bronson

“Brand New Car” (2015)


Joe Budden

“Big Shot (G-Unit Diss)” (2004)

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