Straight Outta Brampton: Why the Dodge Hellcat twins are the new gods of rap

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Every generation of popular music has its cars, from Ike Turner’s Oldsmobile in “ Rocket 88 “; to Prince’s “ Little Red Corvette .” It’s the same in rap, whether it’s Ice Cube spitting bars about his Impala drop-top; or Vanilla Ice’s Five-Point-Oh Mustang. More recently, the young guns of modern rap have crowned a new king of the whips: the Dodge Hellcat.

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Straight Outta Brampton: Why the Dodge Hellcat twins are the new gods of rap Back to video

It can’t be overstated how pervasive the Hellcat Charger and Challenger are in today’s rap. The cars show up in dozens of songs, chasing down prey or outrunning the law. Names like Soulja Boy , Lil Baby , Lil Uzi Vert , and Quavo have all called out the big, supercharged Dodges. “ Hellcat ” is the title of several rap tracks by young, up-and-coming rappers. The video for “ Hellcats and Trackhawks ,” by Lil Durk, is about to crest 47 million views on Youtube.

Obviously, there are some questions to be asked about the phenomenon. One: Why is every third rapper these days apparently called “Lil”? Two: How did a domestically produced sedan and coupe suddenly start outshining the typical conspicuous consumption of a Ferrari or a Lamborghini? Three: How did we get to a place where the must-have icon of cutting-edge rap music is a car built in Brampton, Ontario?

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If you’re of a certain age, you may be aware that rap has moved on from the era of Tupac and Biggie Smalls. It can be somewhat disconcerting to learn that some of these young millionaires were born a half-decade after both those legends were dead. You might have to go ask your kids who is currently shooting up the charts in rap.

However, there’s no doubt that rap is now a thoroughly mainstream and global music form. Personally, I like Run The Jewels , and also a group out of East Belfast that raps almost entirely in Irish. Rap comes up from the streets, crosses over by blending in with pop music, and suddenly fame and fortune descends.

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Now, as then, rap is basically a form of weaponized bragging. I’m tougher than you, quicker than you, smarter than you — and I’ve got my whole crew to back me up. There’s more to many tracks, of course, storytelling and wordplay. For the most part, though, rap comes from swagger.

And if there’s one thing Dodge does well, it’s swagger. Especially in widebody form, a Hellcat always shows up looking like it owns the place. It announces its arrival, too, with a blend of piercing supercharger scream and thundering V8. It’s a visual flex.

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This one’s a Charger Redeye, and it’s an absolute beast. The supercharged 6.2L V8 makes just shy of 800 hp, and its top speed is above 320 km/h. The widebody swallows 305-mm tires at all four corners, but even these struggle to get that ferocious V8 power to the ground. It’s a car that demands respect.

Besides looking like a clenched fist, the Hellcat also sends off vibes that are less confrontational. It’s not an exotic, and that’s an important distinction over a Rolls-Royce, Ferrari, or other high-dollar import. The latter are symbols of having made it, found your hold in the mainstream. Instead, the Hellcat shows that its owner still has roots in the street: it’s just the most powerful version of a familiar car.

Also, especially in today’s world, it’s an outlaw. We’ve reached the point at which even an ultra-potent Charger like this widebody Redeye will be out-dragged in silence by some Silicon Valley type in their high-optioned Tesla Model S Plaid. Yet, there’s something slightly nerdy about a car named after a joke from Spaceballs . That movie’s almost 35 years old. It’s a bit middle-aged dorky.

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By comparison, one of the Dodge Hellcat twins is, despite being an older car, one that appeals to a younger audience. You expect the modern muscle-car recipe to target an audience of Baby Boomers, looking back fondly with nostalgia at Barracudas and Road Runners. But the big Dodge’s loud, junkyard dog ferocity is the perfect foil for the braggadocio of a young rapper.

Make no mistake, this is a badly-behaved car. It swills fuel at an astonishing rate and will turn its tires into vapour at a stab of the throttle. The supercharged eight bellows at the slightest provocation, and sustained throttle will quickly get you into trouble. As Talladega Nights erroneously attributed to Eleanor Roosevelt, the Hellcat is all about, “hot, nasty, badass speed.”

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For the most part, rap comes from swagger—and if there's one thing Dodge does well, it's swagger

Having said that, there is a charisma to both Dodges. The Hellcats are true muscle cars, relatively ordinary cars fitted with massive engines. Maybe a young rapper grew up cruising the streets in an ordinary Charger, dreaming of a big break that’d put a Hellcat in reach. It’s a dream that’s within reach.

A Ferrari? That’s an Armani suit, invitations to the Grammys, an entry into the whole corporate business of selling music. A Charger Hellcat is baggy jeans and a platinum-and-diamond chain. A blend of the urban familiar and a show of power and wealth at the same time.

And it’s made in Canada. Which does seem a bit strange when you see Hellcats flexing everywhere from Atlanta to Los Angeles, but then again, Drake was born in Ontario . The good people of the Brampton Assembly plant have been pumping out Chargers and Challengers since 2004, Hellcat versions of both since 2014.

Time passes, tastes change, and something will supplant the Hellcats as the most popular vehicle in rap. For now, though, a pair of the meanest Dodges are at the forefront of modern rap culture. Straight outta Brampton.