Rap lyrics that have raised an entire generation
Rap gets a bad rap.
There are many reasons to point the blame at rap music for many of the ills in society, particularly in urban culture. The degradation of women and glorifying some of the negative aspects of society is enough for parents to try and keep away the music genre from their kids.
While the music is scapegoated for everything wrong, rap music has raised me and many others with perspectives and stories that I can’t get from my vanilla parents.
Artists like Jay-Z, Outkast, Kendrick, 2pac, and even Pimp C have shared game with me like a distant uncle, allowing me to get close enough to a world without getting burned by the downfalls of the players in it. Some of the lyrics run thru my mind in the same way you hear the voice of your grandma about staying away from the wrong crowd, just in a way cooler way.
Jay Z- Regrets
“This is the number one rule for your set
In order to survive, gotta learn to live with regrets
On the, rise to the top, many drop, don’t forget
In order to survive, gotta learn to live with regrets”
Reasonable doubt is undoubtedly the best album in Jay-Z’s discography. Regrets is tale of the thoughts that keep us all up at night. Could I have done something better? Where would I be in life if I decided to go to college, stayed in a certain relationship, chose a different career path, or stayed more focused?
This track captured the angst I was feeling growing up and helped me deal with revising all the steps in life.
Drake- Fear
“People think I’ve changed just because my appeal’s grown
And now security follow me everywhere
So I’m never actually am alone, I just always feel alone
I think I’m scared of what the future holds
I was wishing for some things and now am used to those
Every girl I meet thinks I’m fucking groupie hoes
The honesty of my music has left me too exposed
All my old friends think I got a new crowd
And people seem to notice every time I do smile
I guess that mean they come few and far between
Even though am living out what you would call the dream”
Coming out of high school there’s a certain shell that you shed. The transition from teen to young adult is a process many don’t understand or even acknowledge.
The awkward coming of age process is felt while listening to Fear from Drake. One of his last releases before his debut album, Drake’s self reflective thoughts reveal feelings about outgrowing his hometown relationships and the strains of his newfound success.
Kendrick Lamar- Growing Apart( to get closer)
“So in conclusion, we all seem to stumble, planning our own demise
Forgetting the big picture and making it wallet size
So to what’s important in my life, I apologize
I promise to stay faithful, focused and sanctified
We all get distracted, the question is would you bounce back or bounce backwards?
Would you not know how to act or take action? It’s just a part of life
And if your vision’s impaired, you probably lose it all tonight”
We all have felt like the world is crashing down on us; only to realize that everything that is truly important is working in our favor. How rare it is to not have to struggle for food, water, shelter, and love in today’s world.
Kendrick raps about zooming out and focusing on what matters. The words and flow of Lamar match perfectly with Jhene Aiko’s voice and early Sailing Soul vibe on the chorus.
Mos Def- Respiration
“Where mercenaries is paid to trade hot stock tips
For profits, thirsty criminals take pockets
Hard knuckles on the second hands of workin’ class watches
Skyscrapers is colossus, the cost of living
Is preposterous, stay alive, you play or die, no options
No Batman and Robin, can’t tell between
The cops and the robbers, they both partners, they all heartless
With no conscience, back streets stay darkened
Where unbeliever hearts stay hardened
My eagle talons stay sharpened, like city lights stay throbbin’
You either make a way or stay sobbin’,”
As a Millennial, very early on in life I realized things weren’t as peachy as they appeared on TV. The fantasy of the American dream was escaping many in the country because of war, inflation, recessions, school shootings etc.
Mos Def, Talib Kweli, and Common laid bars about the world thru their lenses on this BlackStar track. Their verses of keen observations peaked my interests, adding validity to the confusion I felt growing up.
Kanye West- Good Morning
“Good morning
Look at the valedictorian scared of the future
While I hop in the Delorean
Scared-to-face-the-world complacent career student
Some people graduate, but we still stupid
They tell you read this, eat this, don’t look around
Just peep this, preach us, teach us, Jesus
Okay, look up now, they done stole your streetness
After all of that, you receive this”
Everything about college just seemed..uneasy. Regardless, the pressure of attending a university was felt.
The biggest champion of taking the alternate route was from non other than college dropout Kanye West. The cookie- cutter- business-degree character expected from millennials was being chastised by West in the verse off his Graduation album (ironically). College isn’t for everybody, and ‘Ye was a voicebox for that notion.
Kanye West- All Falls Down
“We buy our way out of jail, but we can’t buy freedom
We’ll buy a lot of clothes, but we don’t really need ‘em
Things we buy to cover up what’s inside
’Cause they made us hate ourself and love they wealth
That’s why shorty’s hollerin’, “Where the ballers at?”
Drug dealer buy Jordan, crackhead buy crack
And the white man get paid off of all of that”
People constantly judge people on how they present. I’ve learned that the people who judge the most always seem the be lacking the most internally.
Its an age old problem, and West perfectly sums up the hypocrisy of it all on All Falls Down. One of the first records that made me a huge fan of Kanye, mostly because I felt he was just venting to me on the song.
Andre 3000- Aquemini
“Sin all depends on what you believing in
Faith is what you make it — that’s the hardest shit since MC Ren
Alien can blend right on in with your kin
Look again, ’cause I swear, I spot one every now and then
It’s happening again, wish I could tell you when”
The subjectivity of religion never sat well with me. The rebel attitude in hip hop lended credence to my apprehension about following in line with any religion.
Andre 3000’s verses always tend to touch on subjects deeper than the surface, showcased on his and Big Boi’s Outkast album, Aquemini. Cautionary tales from the southern rappers contain the same parable type of game from OG’s from the south that migrated to Chicago.
