Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day, takes its name from the date June 19, 1865, the day General Gordon Granger and Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, and announced to slaves in the state that they were free—some two years after Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, the executive order outlawing slavery in the United States. Though Juneteenth has been observed by many Black Americans since 1866, with parades, picnics, and other celebrations, its declaration as a federal holiday in 2021 has highlighted both the continued painful effects of slavery and the irreplaceable contributions of Black Americans and the descendants of slaves. Since this year is also the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, Apple Music is celebrating Juneteenth by going all in for this year’s playlist, with covers of beloved classic rap songs and a few originals by up-and-coming stars like Blxst, Lola Brooke, 2Rare, and more. It’s an opportunity for newer artists to pay homage while also celebrating the culture. Read the stories behind their selections as we celebrate Juneteenth, hip-hop, and the invaluable legacy of Black music. Blxst, “21 Questions” “I chose to cover 50 Cent and Nate Dogg’s ‘21 Questions’ simply because it’s a childhood favorite of mine,” says Blxst. “That song is a classic, and I can relate to the theme of the song, which is speaking about a loyalty that lasts no matter the position I’m in in life.” 2Rare, “Hit My Phone (267-762-2285)” For Freedom Songs 2023, Philadelphia rapper 2Rare covered Soulja Boy’s 2008 hit “Kiss Me Thru the Phone.” “I chose to cover this song because everyone labels me as this new generation of Soulja Boy, bringing that dance back, bringing that hype back,” he tells Apple Music. “I added the club bounce to it. I added my own little flavor to it—you know, the Rare way.” Lola Brooke, “Life’s on the Line” “The first time that I fell in love with hip-hop was when 50 Cent dropped the video for ‘Wanksta,’” says Lola Brooke. For Freedom Songs 2023, the rising Brooklyn rapper covered 50 Cent’s “Life’s on the Line,” which was a no-brainer for her. “I chose the song because that’s my favorite artist, and I created my own style with it, by just being me.” redveil, “Didn’t Cha Know” “Even though people wouldn’t technically consider Erykah Badu to be hip-hop, J Dilla’s influence on her definitely made her a relevant option for this,” redveil says of “Didn’t Cha Know,” his song selection for Apple Music’s Freedom Songs 2023. “I also felt like I would have a lot of fun covering an Erykah Badu song, given how layered, melodic, and beautiful her music is. And I did have a lot of fun. I did some reharmonization with the chords and did some of my own little things melodically. I had a lot of fun with it.” Symba, “Keep Ya Head Up” “I chose this song because I feel like we’re in a time now where life was when 2Pac made this song,” Symba tells Apple Music. “A lot of people lost their families, a lot of people are losing their jobs and getting laid off, so I just wanted to make something for today’s era to remember that song in times of what we’re going through today. No matter what you’re going through out there, keep ya head up.” Baby Tate, “My Biznazz” “To celebrate 50 years of hip-hop, I decided to cover one of the Atlanta greats, the one and only, DTP’s finest, Ludacris,” says Baby Tate. “I decided to cover ‘Rollout’ because I’m from Atlanta as well, and I just wanted to show love, give flowers, and give respect to one of my OGs in the game. I hope that I did it justice. I added my own little spin, we switched up the beat and I added some harmonies here and there, because you know the girl still sing at the end of the day.” Big Yavo, “Yay Tiggy” Alabama rapper Big Yavo chose to reimagine OJ da Juiceman’s 2009 hit “Cop a Chicken” for Freedom Songs 2023 because of how iconic the song was in the South. “I chose this song because Zaytiggy [Zaytoven] is well-known for his beat style, and OJ da Juiceman, if you know where I’m from down south, they just one of them ones,” says Big Yavo. “Shout-out to OJ, shout-out to Zaytiggy. Both are good at what they do, and I just put my flavor on there. I just loaded up, went in there and went about how I felt right then.” BEAM, “GSM (BEAM Remix)” “A legacy to me is something that the next generation will be inspired by,” says BEAM. For his selection for Freedom Songs 2023, the rapper and producer selected Busta Rhymes’ 1998 track “Gimme Some More.” “I’m inspired by fast rapping, whether it’s from my dad or whoever make a verse or whoever is doing it now. That song inspired me, and soon as I saw it on the list, I had to do it. I was so excited.”