"Kevin Hart & Chris Rock: Headliners Only" Soundtrack Lyrics

"Kevin Hart & Chris Rock: Headliners Only (Documentary Soundtrack & Songs)" – Album Guide to Tracks and Key Scenes

Overview

How do you soundtrack two comics taking over New York for a week? With boom-bap lineage, arena swagger, and a few sly curveballs. Kevin Hart & Chris Rock: Headliners Only folds East Coast rap staples (Public Enemy, JAY-Z, Gang Starr), indie and alt touchstones (Bloc Party, Radiohead), and contemporary heavy-hitters (Tyler, The Creator; Baby Keem & Kendrick Lamar) into a tour diary that’s really a story about legacy.

The film cuts between Jones Beach, Barclays, Prudential Center, and Madison Square Garden. Music cues mark each space: classic New York flex for the boroughs, introspective picks for career flashbacks, and victory-lap energy when the lights drop at MSG. According to a detailed cue-by-cue listing with timestamps, many placements are called at minute-mark precision and line up with venue reveals and backstage beats.

Questions & Answers

Is there an official album?

No single “soundtrack album,” but the full set of used songs is documented and playlisted on major services.

Who handled music supervision and clearances?

Music supervision is credited to Rashidi Natara Harper; music clearance to Matthew Harter (as per trade credit lists).

Is there original score?

Yes—composer Michael Bearden is credited, with score used as connective tissue between licensed cues.

Runtime?

About 82–83 minutes (classification runtime: 82m 34s).

Where can I verify basic release info?

Netflix’s title page lists the documentary (Dec 12, 2023) with trailer and teasers.

Trailer Video ID for the figures?

tCl6KP2ACU4 (Netflix trailer upload).

Notes & Trivia

• Timestamps for many cues are publicly documented (down to the minute), including Jones Beach, Barclays, Prudential Center, and MSG sequences.
• End credits roll over Mac Miller’s “People Under the Stairs” (often mistaken by viewers for a different sample; corrected in fan notes).
• The BBFC lists an official runtime of 82m 34s for VOD/streaming in the UK.
• Trailer music includes M.O.P.’s “Ante Up (Robbin Hoodz Theory)” in promo materials.

Genres & Themes

Golden-era & 2000s NYC rap → Pedigree and place: Public Enemy’s “Brothers Gonna Work It Out,” Gang Starr’s “Step In The Arena,” and JAY-Z’s “Roc Boys” underline lineage and borough pride.

Modern hip-hop shock & lift → Momentum: Tyler, The Creator (“IGOR’S THEME,” “LUMBERJACK”) and Baby Keem & Kendrick Lamar (“family ties”) flip the doc from memory to movement.

Left-turn indie/classic picks → Perspective: Bloc Party’s “Helicopter,” Radiohead’s “Karma Police,” and The Temptations’ “Papa Was A Rolling Stone” reframe the comedy-tour story as career history.

Tracks & Scenes

Timestamps are approximate to the 1h22m cut; “diegetic” indicates on-camera playback the characters can hear. Scene notes are aligned with a published minute-by-minute cue list.

“Daytona 500 (feat. Raekwon & Cappadonna)” — Ghostface Killah
Where it plays: ~00:01, over the opening intro stings and title setup (non-diegetic).
Why it matters: Old-school snap out of the gate—frames the doc like a fight-night card.

“Spicy (feat. Fivio Foreign & A$AP Ferg)” — Nas
Where it plays: ~00:02, Hart and Rock talk about doing a New York run (non-diegetic).
Why it matters: Modern NYC flex for a borough-by-borough takeover plan.

“Legacy” — Coast Contra
Where it plays: ~00:12, gearing up for Day 1 at Jones Beach (non-diegetic).
Why it matters: Statement title; the cut literalizes what the film is really about.

“IGOR’S THEME” — Tyler, The Creator
Where it plays: ~00:23, Kevin rewinds to his Philly/early-days origin (non-diegetic).
Why it matters: Controlled chaos—buzzing synths for an origin story that never sat still.

“Helicopter” — Bloc Party
Where it plays: ~00:32, Barclays Center night two montage (non-diegetic).
Why it matters: Indie guitar angles match cutaway snap and the arena’s cold steel.

“Roc Boys (And The Winner Is)…” — JAY-Z
Where it plays: ~00:43, Rock family huddles at Barclays as Tony Rock hits the stage (non-diegetic).
Why it matters: Champagne toast energy for a hometown moment.

“Brothers Gonna Work It Out” — Public Enemy
Where it plays: ~00:53, SNL exit → In Living Color chapter in Rock’s career (non-diegetic).
Why it matters: Perfect caption: brotherhood, craft, and a second act.

“Step In The Arena” — Gang Starr
Where it plays: ~00:59, Prudential Center show prep (non-diegetic).
Why it matters: Title says it—locker-room cadence for pre-show nerves.

“LUMBERJACK” — Tyler, The Creator
Where it plays: ~01:05, MSG build (non-diegetic).
Why it matters: Brash horn stabs for the planet’s most famous arena.

“All the Critics Love U in New York” — Prince
Where it plays: ~01:08, celebrity roll-call heading into the Garden (non-diegetic).
Why it matters: A wink: New York, ego, and the press—all in one title.

“Fallin Up” — Dr. Dre, Thurz & Cocoa Sarai
Where it plays: ~01:11, Dave Chappelle camaraderie segment (non-diegetic).
Why it matters: Mood glide between legends talking shop.

“Karma Police” — Radiohead
Where it plays: ~01:13, Chappelle’s set at MSG (non-diegetic).
Why it matters: A left-field art-rock turn to dial attention to the room.

“1, 2 Y’all (feat. JAY-Z, Lil’ Cease & Geda K)” — Memphis Bleek
Where it plays: ~01:14, Rock’s entrance after Dave (non-diegetic).
Why it matters: Brooklyn DNA for a Brooklyn-crowned night.

“family ties” — Baby Keem & Kendrick Lamar
Where it plays: ~01:14, Hart closes the co-headline (non-diegetic).
Why it matters: Tag-team energy for a double-bill.

“People Under the Stairs” — Mac Miller
Where it plays: ~01:18, end credits (non-diegetic).
Why it matters: A fan-favorite closer; widely discussed post-release due to sample memories.

“Papa Was A Rolling Stone” — The Temptations
Where it plays: Briefly referenced/quoted among source bites (non-album, transitional use).
Why it matters: A classic that lands like a thesis on fathers, idols, and inheritance.

Music–Story Links

• Venues as chapters: Songs aren’t random—they label cities and halls. Old-guard NYC rap = Barclays; maximalist horns and bounce = MSG.
• Brotherhood on the beat: “Brothers Gonna Work It Out” scores the SNL → In Living Color pivot and underlines a literal brotherhood backstage.
• Legacy vs. now: Ghostface/JAY-Z frame the past; Tyler/Keem push the present tense. The cut order mirrors the doc’s argument.

How It Was Made

Directed by Rashidi Natara Harper, produced by Hartbeat and partners, the film tracks a one-week NYC run that turns into a mini-memoir for both stars. Music supervision and clearances are explicitly credited; composer Michael Bearden provides score beds to bridge venue jumps and archival pivots. (Trade listings and program pages corroborate music department roles.)

Reception & Quotes

Press blurbs pitched it as a “behind-the-scenes glimpse” with first-person histories and cameos. Viewers and cue trackers quickly compiled the playlist with minute marks.

“Behind the scenes of two comedy titans… a week of sold-out shows in NYC.” Netflix synopsis

“Official trailer drops ahead of the Dec. 12 global launch.” industry trailer roundups

Availability: Streaming globally on Netflix (Dec 12, 2023). Public playlists mirror the film’s cue order; trailer features “Ante Up.”

Additional Info

• Trailer/teaser assets are accessible on Netflix’s title page; multiple official cuts exist.
• Runtime confirmations (classification boards) are useful for timing notes that differ by regional encodes by a few seconds.
• Some viewers mis-ID’d the closing song; corrections note it’s Mac Miller’s “People Under the Stairs.”
• A fan-curated Spotify playlist assembles the film’s 16–17 used tracks in order.
• The cue “All the Critics Love U in New York” is a deep Prince pick that reads like commentary on the setting.

Technical Info

• Title: Kevin Hart & Chris Rock: Headliners Only (Documentary)
• Year: 2023
• Type: Documentary — licensed songs + original score
• Composer (score): Michael Bearden
• Music Supervision / Clearance: Rashidi Natara Harper (supervision); Matthew Harter (clearance)
• Key placements: “Daytona 500” (Ghostface Killah); “Spicy” (Nas feat. Fivio Foreign & A$AP Ferg); “Legacy” (Coast Contra); “IGOR’S THEME” & “LUMBERJACK” (Tyler, The Creator); “Helicopter” (Bloc Party); “Roc Boys” (JAY-Z); “Brothers Gonna Work It Out” (Public Enemy); “Step In The Arena” (Gang Starr); “All the Critics Love U in New York” (Prince); “Karma Police” (Radiohead); “1, 2 Y’all” (Memphis Bleek feat. JAY-Z, Lil’ Cease & Geda K); “family ties” (Baby Keem & Kendrick Lamar); “People Under the Stairs” (Mac Miller).
• Runtime: 82m 34s (UK classification)
• Trailer Video ID: tCl6KP2ACU4

Canonical Entities & Relations

Sources: Netflix title page; BBFC classification; TV Guide composer page; Metacritic credits; curated cue list with timestamps; trailer coverage and official uploads; public playlists (Spotify/YouTube) mirroring the film’s music.

November, 12th 2025