The Clash - (White Man) in Hammersmith Palais - [1977]

The Clash song '(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais' [video | lyrics] off their eponymous first album is full of cool historical references. The title itself refers to a popular venue in London that was built as a ballroom, used as a tank factory during WWII and converted to a tram repair station/hockey rink until it started being used for musical acts in the 1960's. 

The beginning of the song is about a show Joe Strummer went to see there with a badass lineup:

   "Dillinger and Leroy Smart
Delroy Wilson, your cool operator"

...but he didn't really like it too much.  Apparently too showy and not gritty enough:

"But it was Four Tops all night 
with encores from stage right... 

Onstage they ain't got no roots rock rebel"

Then he goes on to rip on some of the new "punk" bands for being pussies:

"Punk rockers in the UK

They won't notice anyway

The new groups are not concerned

With what there is to be learned

They got Burton suits, ha you think it's funny

Turning rebellion into money" 

The Burton suits line refers to the Burton Clothing Company which has been an English staple for about 100 years. They even landed a government contract to supply every soldier returning from WWII with full three-piece suit with waistcoat, which became known as "The Full Monty".  

I love the image of these new "punks" wearing the clothing of not only one of the most historic symbols of the mainstream British culture, but more insultingly, the same stuff their parents most certainly wore.  This type of shit is unsettling to Joe and he makes sure to point out that while amusing, its really not "funny".  These "new groups" are going against everything punk music has come to stand for, while exploiting the sound and subject matter to be rich and famous.

Eminem - Guilty Conscience - [1999]

"The song 'Guilty Conscience' [video | lyrics] has gotten such rotten responses"* even Eminem knows this song is thought to be pretty fucked up from a content perspective, but it's actually pretty tame compared to this blatant reference to a pretty nasty event, even for an ex-NWA member, delivered via the biggest punch line in the song.  This exchange form the last verse covers it:

 [Eminem]

Okay, Thought about it, still wanna stab her?
Grab her by the throat, get your daughter and kidnap her?
That's what I did, be smart, don't be a retard
You gonna take advice from somebody who slapped Dee Barnes?

[Dr. Dre]
What'chu say? 

 [Eminem]
What's wrong? Didn't think I'd remember?

[Dr. Dre]

  I'ma kill you motherfucker!

[Eminem]
Uhhh-aahh! Temper, temper!

Apparently Dre didn't approve of how the group was portrayed in Barnes' interview with Ice Cube about why he left NWA in 1990. So when he ran into her at a party and had this to say about their encounter:
"People talk all this shit, but you know, somebody fuck with me, I'm gonna fuck with them. I just did it, you know. Ain't nothing you can do now by talking about it. Besides, it ain't no big thing-- I just threw her through a door." 

Others say it was worse than just that and she eventually sued for an insane amount which was settled by Dre out of court.  Would have loved to have seen the look on Dre's face when Em came up with those lyrics.

[*]From"Whatever You Say I Am" on the Marshall Mathers LP

Sizzla - Babylon Cowboy - [1997]

Sizzla tends to be a polarizing figure in mainstream music circles and even amongst reggae fans.  He has been banned from performing in Europe a couple times due to his homophobic lyrics, yet is a local hero praised for his undeniable eloquence on other important social matters.  In the first verse of 'Babylon Cowboy' [video | lyrics*], he is essentially reminding kids what the ultimate price is for leading a life of guns and crime, and he's pretty damn convincing and pissed off while doing it.   I love his lyrics here and can go on forever about this song, but this is the cool history reference:

"For rights, not justice, you no bust it for none
Well since ya slaughter,  Selassie I come
Emperor sit down 'round de biggest machine gun
Mussolini test and get them skull turned down"

 Here Sizzla invokes a painful part of Ethiopian history and explains that the people doing the killing of local youths in Jamaica today, have just as little justification for their actions as Mussolini and the Italians did when they invaded Ethiopia in 1935. 

I love this image of His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie I behind "the biggest" machine gun, just mowing down the invading troops and according to Sizzla, the same figurative fate awaits those who "slaughter" innocent people.  

 But Ethiopia was just plain outgunned overall when Italy invaded in 1935, so I assume the just plain badass phrase "skull turned down" stating Selassie's army destroyed Mussolini's troops, Sizzla is referring to the one bright spot for Ethiopia in the war, The Christmas Offensive in which they were finally able to kick a little Italian ass (~3000 according to them). Despite Selassie's now famous pleas to the League of Nations to stop the fighting, they refused to help him and he was forced into exile in England.

 It wasn't until 1941 and World War II that European powers had a reason to want the Italians taken out of North Africa, and Selassie was ultimately able to return and rule very successfully for over 30 years.

* I recommend reading the lyrics if you bother listening to the song