via the Dallas Museum of Art’s “DallasSITES”
“New York, New York,” “Chicago,” “I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” “Oak Cliff, That’s My Hood.” Or is it “Oak Cliff Bra?”
There are a few songs out there about Oak Cliff. Since we don’t know which one is best (although we’re pretty sure which one is worst), here are all the ones we know about, in chronological order.
Please let us know if we’re missing one.
Seminal Dallas rap group Nemesis produced their song “Oak Cliff” in 1987. Some of these guys are still around. DJ Snake has gone on to produce tracks for Too Short and Lil Jon, among other big names. Nemesis’ “Oak Cliff” is so ’80s and almost innocent compared to now. It does not even contain a curse word.
Edie Brickell is loyal to her hometown, Oak Cliff. In 1990 Edie Brickell and the New Bohemians included “Oak Cliff Bra” on their album “Ghost of a Dog.” It’s a story about sitting on the porch in Oak Cliff, and it’s the only Oak Cliff song we could find that’s not a rap.
Here is the “clean” version of “Oak Cliff That’s My Hood,” a track that will be associated with our neighborhood for a long time to come. Beware, the clean version does include foul language.
This one from Christian rapper Cleo McClain, “Go Oak Cliff,” is not bad. Looks like they shot this video during one of the recent icepocalypses.
Prolific Oak Cliff rapper Dustin Cavazos, who is on tour right now, released his track “Oak Cliff” last year. He borrows the “Oak Cliff That’s My Hood” hook but the song is all Cavazos.
And finally, this one from Wes Dog, “Oak Cliff 4 Eva,” contains foul language AND Auto-Tune.
