Every Music Easter Egg & Reference

Summary

• The music references in
  Hamilton
  are diverse, paying homage to everyone from Wagner to Beyoncé, contributing thematically to the musical.
• Miranda confirms some theories but won’t reveal all the Easter eggs, keeping the search exciting for fans who enjoy finding them.
• Each homage in
  Hamilton
  , carefully selected and placed, helps the show feel well-rounded as it switches between genres, keeping audiences engaged.

Lin-Manuel Miranda’s hit Broadway musical Hamilton is filled to the brim with music references. Some songs in Hamilton feature nods to other musicals or operas, while others reference hip-hop, R&B, and pop songs. But with so many allusions flying by at such a quick pace, it can be hard to catch them all. The musical references in Hamilton are diverse, as Miranda pays homage to everyone from Wagner to Beyoncé. Each allusion contributes thematically to the musical, and Hamilton fans have had plenty of fun finding these Easter eggs.

Miranda has confirmed some theories, but he won’t reveal all the Hamilton Easter eggs, as he wants to keep the search alive. The music references in Hamilton help the show feel full and well-rounded as it switches from genre to genre. With each homage being so carefully selected and placed, audiences would be remiss to ignore them. The Hamilton easter eggs reference some incredible rap, hip-hop, and RnB hits, and spotting all of them has been a key reason many fans keep coming back to it.

17 “What’s Your Name?”

Multiple Artists

One of the first Hamilton Easter eggs many viewers spot is also one of the most contested, as it could be referencing several popular hip-hop or RnB songs. In “Alexander Hamilton,” the musical’s opening song and introduction to the main character, Aaron Burr asks Hamilton multiple times, “what’s your name, man?” While “what’s your name” sounds like a simple question on the surface, it’s one that many, many rappers and RnB singers have incorporated into their tracks.

Miranda has never confirmed the lines in “Alexander Hamilton” are an intentional reference to any of these songs, but the refrain certainly sounds familiar.

This could be a reference to a number of songs, such as “Who Am I (What’s My Name)” by Snoop Dogg, and “What’s My Name?” by DMX. Rihanna also has a song called “What’s My Name?” Miranda has never confirmed the lines in “Alexander Hamilton” are an intentional reference to any of these songs, but the refrain certainly sounds familiar.

16 “Empire State of Mind”

Jay Z & Alicia Keys

One Hamilton Easter egg could be a reference to one of the biggest hits of 2009 — “Empire State of Mind” by singer Alicia Keys and legendary New York rapper Jay-Z. This ballad to New York City might have been referenced in Hamilton’s opening song, titled “Alexander Hamilton”. The lyrics to Alexander Hamilton include “In New York you can be a new man.”

These seem to echo Alicia Keys’ chorus in “Empire State of Mind” as she sings “There’s nothing you can’t do / Now you’re in New York / These streets will make you feel brand new.” It’s not only the lyrics that make this a possible reference either, but the way they’re sung. The repeated harmonies from the ensemble as they belt out “New York” also sounds similar. The fact that Miranda has performed “Empire State of Mind” multiple times gives credence to this theory.

15 New York Subway Performers

Multiple Street Artists

One possible Hamilton Easter egg isn’t actually referencing a particular song or artist, but a common tradition of New York street and subway performers. In “Aaron Burr, Sir,” Hamilton meets his new friends: Laurens, Mulligan, and Lafayette. The three introduce themselves by shouting, “What time is it? Showtime!” While this is a reference that will likely go over the heads of those unfamiliar with New Yorks thriving street performance scene, many Hamilton fans who know the city well spotted it instantly.

This is an Easter egg that many have also mistakenly seen as simply a reference to performing arts and musicals in general, but with a creator like Lin Manuel Miranda the chances are it’s much deeper and more specific.

This is an Easter egg that many have also mistakenly seen as simply a reference to performing arts and musicals in general, but with a creator like Lin Manuel Miranda the chances are it’s much deeper and more specific. In New York, litefeet dancers often call out this phrase before they start performing on the subway. Moments like this are a way of connecting the historically distant world of Alexander Hamilton with a world that modern audiences are more familiar with.

14 “Shook Ones Pt. II”

Mobb Deep

While many of the Hamilton Easter eggs don’t directly take lyrics from existing songs, there are some that pull lines from hip-hop and RnB classics almost word for word. This is the case with the third musical number in Hamilton, “My Shot”, which contains an incredibly clear reference to the 1995 rap hit “Shook Ones Pt. II”.

In “My Shot,” Hamilton describes himself by saying, “I’m only 19, but my mind is older.” This is an almost verbatim quote from Mobb Deep’s “Shook Ones Pt. II” – only the Mobb Deep song says “old” instead of “older.” Mobb Deep was a ’90s rap group made up of two members: Havoc and Prodigy. At the time the two were only 19 years old, but their album “The Influence” was still extremely impactful to the music industry.

13 “You’ve Got to Be Carefully Taught”

South Pacific

The third song in Hamilton, “My Shot”, doesn’t only contain a pretty clear reference to Mobb Deep’s 1995 hit, but also has lyrics that pull inspiration from other well-known hip-hop songs too, as well as other musicals. In Hamilton, Aaron Burr raps, “I’m with you, but the situation is fraught / You’ve got to be carefully taught,” during the song “My Shot.”

It’s references like this that demonstrate just how wide Miranda cast the net with his inspirations for
Hamilton.

This Hamilton Easter egg is a reference to a song called “You’ve Got to Be Carefully Taught” from the musical South Pacific. The show South Pacific is based on a Pulitzer Prize-winning book from 1947 called Tales of the South Pacific, and takes place on an island in the south pacific during World War II. It focuses on an American nurse who falls in love with a French plantation owner. It’s references like this that demonstrate just how wide Miranda cast the net with his inspirations for Hamilton.

12 “Going Back to Cali”

Notorious B.I.G.

Few US rappers have had as much of an influence on the genre as the late Notorious B.I.G., so it seems only fitting that there’s a Hamilton Easter egg referencing one of his greatest hits — 1996’s “Going Back To Cali” from the album “Life After Death.” This reference is the final nod to an existing song in “My Shot,” and while it’s not directly pulling lyrics in the same was as other Easter eggs in the song, it’s still quite a clear nod.

Hamilton spells out his name in “My Shot,” and Notorious BIG does the same thing in “Going Back to Cali.” The two moments have a very similar cadence, and this seems to be one of the most obvious music references in Hamilton. It’s a moment in Hamilton that shows just how much of an influence Notorious B.I.G. had too, since there are many other hip-hop artists who have done the same since.

11 The Pirates of Penzance

Gilbert and Sullivan

Before the genre of rap was even invented, the 19th century musical dueo Gilbert and Sullivan were showing audiences just how much fun can be had with syllable heavy lyrics that featured incredibly tight multi-syllabic rhyme schemes, and one of the Hamilton Easter eggs is a great tribute to them. “Right Hand Man” contains a reference to The Pirates of Penzance, a comic opera from 1879.

Miranda stated, “
I always felt like ‘mineral’ wasn’t the best possible rhyme
,” so he modified it in George Washington’s rap.

The original line was “I am the very model of a modern Major-General, / I’ve information vegetable, animal, and mineral.” This is one of the few Hamilton references Miranda has fully acknowledged, and he stated, “I always felt like ‘mineral’ wasn’t the best possible rhyme,” so he modified it in George Washington’s rap. The Hamilton version is “The model of a modern Major-General / The venerated Virginian veteran whose men are all / Lining up, to put me on a pedestal.”

10 “Party Up In Here”

DMX

The late DMX was known for his high-energy hip-hop tracks that dominated (and continue to dominate) the night club scene, and so it seems only fitting that the energetic musical Hamilton contains an Easter egg or two that reference his 2000 hit “Party Up In Here”. Hamilton references DMX’s “Party Up In Here” in two songs: “Right Hand Man” and “Meet me Inside.”

In “Right Hand Man,” the repetition of the word “What!” echoes the DMX song. In “Meet Me Inside,” the ensemble chants “meet him inside” in the same rhythm that DMX raps “meet me outside.” Interestingly, both of these “Party Up In Here” references occur in songs featuring Washington as he builds a relationship with Hamilton.

9 “Scenario”

A Tribe Called Quest

While Hamilton is an incredibly energetic musical and so fittingly contains an Easter egg or two referencing DMX, it’s also an incredibly cerebral one, When it comes to smart lyrics in hip-hop, few names spring to mind faster than A Tribe Called Quest. So, while it’s for entirely different reasons, it’s equally fitting that Hamilton references a popular A Tribe Called Quest song too.

Although Miranda has not confirmed this theory, the lyrics are so similar that it seems highly likely.

“Right Hand Man” has another possible musical Easter egg when George Washington raps “Boom goes the cannon” — a possible reference to Busta Rhymes lyrics in 1992’s “Scenario,” a popular A Tribe Called Quest track that was also a breakout moment for Busta Rhymes (who wasn’t actually a member of the group, but featured on the track) In “Scenario,” the lyrics are “Boom from the cannon.” Although Miranda has not confirmed this theory, the lyrics are so similar that it seems highly likely.

8 “Countdown”

Beyoncé

There are several Hamilton Easter eggs that reference pop artists and songs, and when it comes to modern pop music few artists have managed to dominate the cultural zeitgeist as much as Beyoncé. Hamilton contains a reference to a notable Beyoncé hit, and it’s one of the Easter eggs that Miranda has actually confirmed.

Miranda included Beyoncé’s “Countdown,” released in 2011 from the album “4″, in a playlist of songs that inspired Hamilton, and that influence is most noticeable in “Helpless.” Like Beyoncé, Eliza has a cadence that falls somewhere in between rapping and singing. Additionally, the lyrics “down for the count” may be another clue that “Countdown” influenced this love song.

7 “I’m Real (Remix)”/“Mesmerize”

Jennifer Lopez ft. Ja Rule/Ja Rule ft. Ashanti

Much like the “What’s my name” Hamilton Easter egg, this hidden reference is a little contested as there are multiple songs it could be referencing, though both feature rapper Ja Rule. In “Helpless,” Hamilton growls out “And long as I’m alive, Eliza, swear to God / You’ll never feel so…” This is one of the clearest references in Hamilton, and it’s also one of the handful that Lin Manuel Miranda has confirmed was deliberate.

A fan on twitter correctly guessed that this vocal quality was a reference to Ja Rule’s section on either “I’m Real” or “Mesmerize.”

A fan on twitter correctly guessed that this vocal quality was a reference to Ja Rule’s section on either “I’m Real” or “Mesmerize.” Miranda confirmed the theory, tweeting “WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER.” However, while Miranda made it clear that he was indeed referencing Ja Rule with this line in “Helpless,” he didn’t confirm which specific track it was in reference to.

6 Lohengrim

Wagner

Most of the Hamilton Easter eggs can be found in the song lyrics, though this isn’t always the case. There’s a key nod to a well-known classical composer hidden in the instrumental melody of one of the most popular Hamilton songs, which itself shows just how diverse Miranda’s influences actually were when putting together the hit musical.

“Helpless,” the duet between Hamilton and Eliza, contains a familiar Wagner tune. The wedding music often known as “Here Comes the Bride” is actually from Wagner’s opera Lohengrim. In Lohengrim, the same tune plays during Elsa and Lohengrim’s wedding. It’s a fairly obvious reference, but it’s one that works incredibly well all the same.

5 “Ten Crack Commandments”

Biggie Smalls

Biggie Smalls was a pseudonym of The Notorious B.I.G., and Lin Manuel Miranda makes more than one reference to the pioneering hip-hop artist in Hamilton. 1997’s “Ten Crack Commandments” is one of the most well-known Biggie tracks, taken from the album “Life After Death”. It’s been consistently praised thanks to its conscious lyrics that drew attention to the crack cocaine epidemic of the early 1990s.

While there are many cryptic
Hamilton
Easter eggs and references throughout the musical, this one is incredibly blatant and almost impossible to miss.

“10 Duel Commandments” is one of the most overt music references in Hamilton. Not only does the song reference “Ten Crack Commandments” in its title, but it also follows the same structure of the song. While there are many cryptic Hamilton Easter eggs and references throughout the musical, this one is incredibly blatant and almost impossible to miss.

4 “Lose Yourself”

Eminem

Like the Notorious B.I.G., Detroit rapper Eminem is an artist who’s had a huge influence on the genre and has a phenomenal number of hits under his belt. It’s no surprise that among the many hip-hop Hamilton Easter eggs is a reference to a Slim Shady track, with 2002’s “Lose Yourself” being given a subtle nod in the song “Yorktown”.

Miranda listed “Lose Yourself” in the playlist of songs that inspired Hamilton. In “Yorktown (The World Turned Upside Down),” Hamilton raps, “We only have one shot to live another day.” This sounds very similar to Eminem’s lyrics, “You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow.” Given the song’s inclusion on Miranda’s playlist, it’s plausible that this moment was a direct reference to Eminem.

3 “The World Turned Upside Down”

Traditional British Military Ballad

This Hamilton Easter egg is one of several that doesn’t reference a rap, hip-hop, pop, or RnB track, but instead is a nod to the more traditional historical setting of the story itself. In “Yorktown (The World Turned Upside Down),” the ensemble repeats the lyrics “the world turned upside down” multiple times.

While ”
the world turned upside down
” seems to simply be a turn of phrase that’s fitting for the song, it’s actually possibly a reference with a deeper historical meaning.

While “the world turned upside down” seems to simply be a turn of phrase that’s fitting for the song, it’s actually possibly a reference with a deeper historical meaning. “The World Turned Upside Down” is the name of an old English ballad that British troops sang while leaving Yorktown, according to Ron Chernow’s biography Alexander Hamilton. Miranda based most of Hamilton on Chernow’s book, so it’s highly likely that he was alluding to this ballad.

2 “Nobody Needs To Know”

The Last Five Years

Several songs in Hamilton contain references to other musicals, and this Hamilton Easter egg is one of the best examples of existing shows that influenced Lin Manuel Mirand. In Hamilton’s “Say No To This,” Hamilton cheats on his wife with Maria Reynolds, and the final line of the song is “nobody needs to know.”

This Hamilton Easter egg, which Miranda has owned up to, a reference to the musical The Last Five Years, which has a song entitled “Nobody Needs to Know.” The musical focuses on how a marriage goes awry, and the main character sings this song as he cheats on his wife. Miranda told Slate that the song was “the ultimate infidelity jam,” confirming the reference.

1 “Juicy”

Notorious B.I.G.

The final music Hamilton Easter egg that’s been spotted by fans (so far) is in “Cabinet Battle No. 2.” After Jefferson rips Hamilton apart, he turns to Washington and says, “If you don’t know, now you know.” This a direct quote from Notorious B.I.G.’s “Juicy,” an iconic song from the rapper’s 1994 debut album. Each of these music references contributes something different to Hamilton. References to “Juicy” and Wagner’s Lohengrim help set the tone of certain songs, while the reference to “Nobody Needs To Know” primarily serves as a fun Easter egg.

Certain references help modern audiences relate to 18th century characters, while others remind viewers of the show’s major themes.

Certain references help modern audiences relate to 18th century characters, while others remind viewers of the show’s major themes. Hamilton pays homage to many iconic musicians throughout history. While some theories are confirmed and others are unconfirmed but obvious, fans are still on the lookout for more allusions in the show.