MSN Autos' cars of hip-hop stars

The recently redubbed rapper, producer and actor has long been at the forefront of hip-hop car culture, most closely associated with the '90s obsession with hydraulic-suspension-equipped Impalas (1964 models, if you knew what was up). These days, his ride of choice is an oddball: a 1967 Pontiac Parisienne, which for decades was General Motors' top-of-the-line car in Canada. The classic car isn't without customization of course, the biggest change being the LA Lakers' purple-and-gold color scheme on the top and body.

Bing: Which hip-hop star is driving this car?
Search: He reportedly owes a big sum to the IRS.
Find: Get details on what he recently did on stage.

This rapper's record with Lamborghinis is the stuff of legend, and for all of the right and wrong reasons. His Murcielago coupe starred in the now-infamous video he posted after taking delivery of the car, which showed him loading the trunk with $2 million in cash. The video is a high-water mark in stuntin' history, but the story of his Murcielago roadster is almost better. He bought the car for singer Ciara as a birthday gift, but repossessed it after word leaked that Ciara was dating an NBA star (whom?).

Bing: Which ballin' rapper owns this ride?
Search: He's been feuding with another rapper.
Find: See which reality show he called 'trash'.

2011 Lamborghini Murcielago

PhotosPricesSpecsReviews

This mega hip hop star's Wrangler may be the most understated vehicle on this list, but it also may make the most sense. This Jeep doesn't have much flash or try to throw shine at the other cars here, yet at a second glance you notice that the roof and doors simply don't exist, and that along with the new tires, wheels and step painted to match the body, it all comes together in a unique way. When he rolls the streets of New York in the Wrangler, you don't see a man showing off — you see a man as comfortable in his own skin as he is in the ride that suits him well.

Bing: Which humble rapper owns this car?
Search: See him with his powerhouse wife.
Find: He's helping to remake a classic movie.

2013 Jeep Wrangler

PhotosPricesSpecsReviews

This "Get Low" rapper aims high when it comes to supercar purchases; the Bugatti Veyron is state-of-the-art, and with a price tag of more than $1 million, it had better be. He has had some fun with his Veyron since buying it in 2008, especially with its look. From the original red over black, it's been painted all white and, most recently, wrapped in chrome with silver center panels from bonnet to boot. It's not exactly a subtle look, but the Veyron isn't a subtle ride.

Bing: Who owns this stylish ride?
Search: He wants to team up with an iconic singer.
Find: Watch his music videos.

While this outspoken star has been spotted in a Maybach 57 and a Landaulet convertible sedan, it's the 57S from one of his music videos that always stands out. In the video, he lets loose on the ultrahigh-end luxury car with a blowtorch. Later, he not only auctioned the Maybach for charity but also wrote off the car's $300,000-plus cost as a tax deduction, which may be the first example of attaining "financially responsible balla" status.

Bing: Which rap star owns this stand-out whip?
Search: Watch the music video the car is featured in.
Find: See him with his pregnant reality-star girlfriend.

2012 Maybach 57

PhotosPricesSpecsReviews

This female rapper/singer showed up in her custom "Barbie Bentley" in 2011, and the collective facepalm of car enthusiasts worldwide registered on the Richter scale. With a 500-horsepower V8 engine, this pink Continental GT has a candy coating that belies a mighty roar. One of the first public appearances of the ride was at a Grammy Awards concert in 2011, and like the enigmatic star, this car makes a statement on multiple levels.

Bing: Who owns this "Barbie Bentley"?
Search: The diva she's been feuding with
Find: See more of her unique style.

2012 Bentley Continental GT

PhotosPricesSpecsReviews

Frankly, we're conflicted looking at the Lotus Evora GTE belonging to this hip-hop producer. On one hand, it's a Lotus Evora, hardly a car regularly seen in hip-hop circles. Not only that, it's a GTE, a race-inspired performance car with 470 horsepower, built for agility and handling prowess. On the other hand, that blood-orange finish is fly, but the body kit makes the GTE look more appropriate for slicing vegetables than carving corners.

Bing: Who owns this flashy ride?
Search: See him with his chart-topping wife.
Find: Watch his music videos.

2012 Lotus Evora

PhotosPricesSpecsReviews

A car guy with an affinity for American muscle, this rapper got his Dodge Challenger SRT8 in 2010 and adorned it with his hometown sports team colors of black and yellow. In fact, the car inspired his first big hit about those colors. His whip has also become a celebrity in its own right. The smart yellow accents on it make the car pop — and even make the now-commonplace gigantic rims work.

Bing: Who owns this popular car?
Search: What's his real name?
Find: See him with his model fiancee.

2013 Dodge Challenger

PhotosPricesSpecsReviews

One half of the production team The Neptunes, as well as a member of N.E.R.D. (watch music videos), this music man is known for many of the best backing tracks in hip-hop. He also has an eye for cars: His black-on-black Ferrari Enzo is a fine example of one of the rarest supercars ever made.

Bing: Who owns this one-of-a-kind car?
Search: He's working with a former Disney star.
Find: See him with his fiancee.

This rapper has a vast car collection, including an Aston Martin convertible, a Bugatti Veyron and a Bentley Mulsanne, but it's his nigh bone-stock Cadillac CTS that gets the spotlight here. He has a tendency to leave his rides mostly as they were rolling off the lot, and it's a sign of his eye for design: The CTS is a great performance sedan that would only be overwrought with unnecessary appointments.

Bing: Who owns this classic ride?
Search: His recent claim about an NBA player's wife
Find: Find out how many kids he has.

2013 Cadillac CTS

PhotosPricesSpecsReviews

Already an owner of a Ferrari 458 and a Rolls-Royce Phantom, this hip-hop star was spotted in December 2011 putting some custom touches on a new $300,000 Ferrari FF. In fact, he was so excited about the FF that he rented out Atlanta Motor Speedway to properly thrash his new car on the track. It's nice to see the 200-plus-mph hatchback — with all-wheel drive and a screaming V12 engine — get flogged the way it should. Not bad for a grocery getter.

Bing: Who owns this sporty speedster?
Search: Get details on his upcoming movie.
Find: See him with his daughter.

2012 Ferrari FF

PhotosPricesSpecsReviews

Give this young rapper/singer points for opting for the Continental GT Convertible; at least it looks somewhat different from the legions of Bentleys being snapped by paparazzi every day in Los Angeles. Purchased after his meteoric rise to hip-hop superstardom, the Continental GTC is his signal to the world that he has arrived — a car that exemplifies flossin' at its finest.

Bing: Who owns this stylish car?
Search: Find out why he's suing Chris Brown.
Find: Watch clips of the TV show he was on.

2011 Bentley Continental GTC

PhotosPricesSpecsReviews

Of all the luxury cars in his collection — and there are many — this rapper says this Spyker C8 is his favorite. Not satisfied with merely owning a rare-as-hen's-teeth Spyker, he turned out his C8 with a fully customized interior and yellow-painted calipers behind one-of-a-kind, 20-inch Savini Centerlock rims. While this C8 might go a bit heavy on the aftermarket touches, this star definitely earns props for seeking out something different and finding it in the excellent C8.

Bing: Who owns this tricked-out ride?
Search: What's his real name?
Find: Watch his music videos.

We guess "imported from Detroit" isn't strictly limited to Chrysler products for this longtime rapper. The artist, who famously starred in an ad campaign for the Chrysler 200 that premiered during Super Bowl XLV (who won the game?), was also spotted in a Cadillac Escalade. Often written into song lyrics, the Escalade has become a mainstay in the lexicon of hip-hop culture, therefore inevitable on this list. At least the luxury SUV inspires reaction from the passionate to the pragmatic.

Bing: Who owns this set of wheels?
Search: Watch clips of his 2002 hit movie.
Find: See when his eighth album is set to be released.

2013 Cadillac Escalade

PhotosPricesSpecsReviews

If dropping $1.5 million on a car isn't impressive enough, try this story on: The founder of a well-known record label placed a $1 million bet on this team to win the Super Bowl in 2011. When his bet came up good, he says, he spent the winnings on a Maybach 62S Landaulet convertible. Bet $1 million, win the bet, spend $1.5 million on a new ride an hour later — you can't help but admire swagger that hard.

Bing: Who is the lucky owner of this ride?
Search: See his strange tattoos.
Find: Watch his music videos.

2012 Maybach 62

PhotosPricesSpecsReviews

For more information on the vehicles in this slideshow, click the links below:

-Lamborghini Murcielago
-Jeep Wrangler
-Maybach 57
-Bentley Continental GT
-Lotus Evora GTE
-Dodge Challenger SRT8
-Ferrari Enzo
-Cadillac CTS
-Ferrari FF
-Bentley Continental GTC
-Cadillac Escalade
-Maybach 62S

James Tate cut his teeth in the business as a race team crew member before moving to the editorial side as Senior Editor of Sport Compact Car, and his work has appeared in Popular Mechanics, Automobile, Motor Trend and European Car. When not writing, Tate is usually fantasizing about a vintage Porsche 911.