Eminem’s ‘Lose Yourself,’ from the 2002 film 8 Mile, was the first rap song ever nominated for an Oscar. It won. Three years later, Three 6 Mafia’s ‘It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp’ became the second rap nominee (and winner). 2014’s Selma won its sole Oscar for ‘Glory,’ a rap song written and performed by John Legend and Common.
Three for three. No musical genre is more sure-fire. Clearly, if you want to win a Best Original Song Oscar, you just have to get a rap song nominated. Of course, that’s the hard part.