Rap songs with real emotional context.
LaserWolf
Portland Oregon 11,517 Posts
In soul music singers bared their souls. They sang with emotion about real life love and heartbreak. You could do a whole mix tape of Motown stars singing about crying. (But that would be another thread.)Which rappers (old and new) are setting aside their macho image to share true emotions? LL Cool J I Need LoveFresh Prince Parents Just don't UnderstandAdd on.
Comments
Pharcyde - Otha Fish
LL Cool J - 2 Different Worlds
unnecessary apostrophe usage.
ghostface - in the rain, i can't go to sleep
scarface - what can i do, heaven
geto boys - mind playing tricks on me
z-ro - help me please, everyday same thing
trae - swang, song cry, dedicated to you
devin - anythang, briar patch, just tryna live
ugk - one day, diamonds and wood
eightball and mjg - confessions, daylight
cant forget "Be A Father To Your Child" by Ed O.G. & Da Bulldogs:
Be a father if not why bother son
A boy can make 'em but a man can raise one
If you did it admit it and stick with it
Don't say it ain't yours 'cause all women are not whores
Ninety percent represent a woman that is faithful
Ladies can I hear it? Thank you.
When a girl gets pregnant her man is gonna run around
Dissin' her for nine months when it's born he wants to come around
Talking that I'm sorry for what I did
And all of a sudden he wants to see his kid
She had to bear it by herself and take care of it by herself
And givin' her money for milk won't really help
Half of the fathers with sons and daughters don't even wanna take 'em
But it's so easy for them to make 'em
It's true, if it weren't for you then the child wouldn't exist
After a skeeze, there's responsibilities so don't resist
Be a father to your child
You see, I hate when a brother makes a child and then denies it
Thinking that money is the answer so he buys it
A whole bunch of gifts and a lot of presents
It's not the presents, it;s your presence and essence
Of being there and showing the baby that you care
Stop sittin' like a chair and having your baby wonder where you are
Or who you are----fool, you are his daddy
Dib;t act like you ain't cause that really makes me mad, G.
To see a mother and a baby suffer
I've had enough of brothers who don't love the
Fact that a baby brings joy into your life
You could still be called daddy if the mother's not your wife
Don't be scared, be prepared 'cause love is gonna getcha
It will always be your child even if she ain't witcha
So don't front on your child when it's your own
'Cause if you front now, then you'll regret it when it's grown
Be a father to your child
Put yourself in his position and see what you're done
But just keep in mind that you're somebody;s son
How would you like it if your father was a stranger
And then tried to come into your life and tried to change
The way your mother raised ya----now, wouldn't that amaze ya?
To be or not to be, that is the question
When you're wrong, you're wrong, it's time to make a correction
Harassin' the mother for being with another man
But if the brother man can do it better than you can,
let him. Don't sweat him, duke
Let him do the job that you couldn't do.
You're claimin you was there, but not when she needed you
And now you wanna come around for a day or two?
It's never too late to correct your mistake
So get yourself together for your child's sake
And be a father to your child
Blackstar and Mary J- Beautiful
Akrobatik- Woman
DITC- Tribute
btw, since when is rootless the grammar police?
it's not just me, mayne. read-up on your read-ups: there has been a concerted group effort as of late to eliminate the superfluous apostrophes. pitch in!
SAYING!
Tell me why
Why must I cry
Tell me why
Why must I cry
Why must I cry
Why must I cry why must I cry why ( 6 times)
Tell me why
(Verse)
No matter what I did I tried to love this kid, ever since he was eight
All he ever did was lie and steal from me
Now he???s seventeen and I thought that he???d change his ways but when I look at kid
He???s still hating on me
It makes me sad to see this kid, he???s still hating on me, he???s bad I just can???t lie anymore
I gotta push him through the door
Recently the kid stole my jewelry, I turn my back and he steals my gun from me
Kid be careful you???re gonna shoot someone and end up in jail
A death sentence is that what you want? I know that you really hate me but why did you have to do these things to me. It???s not fair you really don???t care.
Don???t understand why you gotta go this route, don???t you understand without a doubt it???s the wrong path, understand
(Chours)
Tell me why
Why must I cry
Tell me why
Why must I cry
Why must I cry why must I cry why (3 times)
Tell me why
Why must I cry why must I cry why (3 times)
Tell me why
(Verse)
Tammie Starr, who do you think you are, using those kids as weapons you know it???s not fair Tyler I really love you and I really miss you and Deja
Now I got twins on the way, Tammie Starr you???ve gone away
California haven???t heard from ya that???s why
(chorus)
Tell me why
Why must I cry
Tell me why
Why must I cry
Tragedy - Grand Groove
Tragedy - Permanently Scarred.
LOL, dude, you're actually gonna hate on an alltime classic in favor of a track featuring Jacki-O?
A remarkably bad look, even for you.
this thread has evolved away from what I thought was a good topic: real life love and heartbreak. there's a whole lot of grew-up-on-the-crime-side-hardknock-life-now-I'm-scarred type contributions here.
not saying these are not important songs, I just think it's more interesting to look into who has bared their soul on some love and heartbreak shit rather than on the I-had-it-rough-growing-up shit.
the former are more rare I think.
I don't ride for Jacki-O. but the bottom line is I can't really listen to all I got is you. it's boring. take me back is funny with a great outro. (that's right; step your outro game up).
There is an MC Shan break-up song I can't remember the name of.
Else where someone suggested that emotion was nagl in rap. Here was my response.
If an artist can't get in touch with their emotions... then they are not much of an artist.
If some one is telling a story about slanging crack and all the girls and cars it gets them and how they are 10 feet tall, I call BS. I want to hear how does slanging crack make you feel when you are done using the girls and you turn off the lights and lay down in bed. Most crack dealers can't express, or even acknowledge those emotions. That is what makes them crack dealers (or make believe crack dealers) and not artists.
This whole thread is a bad look. You guys need to quite giving each other virtual hugs and start training for next year's strongest man. Emotions are NAGL unless they involve revenge, anger, and/or extreme rage.
^^^^^NEEDS A VIRTUAL HUG.
Yahmean!? These dudes need to get familiar with that Jacki-O level emotional heartstring tugging lyricism! Word up son!
WOW
dude I'll assume you can actually understand the point I am making here and only goading me to up your post count.
what I was saying, as you surely understand, is that there are two distinct sub-genres being mentioned here.
1. hardknock childhood I love my mom raps
2. heartbreak/breakup love raps
Number 1 we got plenty of (as evidenced in this thread). Number 2 are actually a lot more rare in hip hop.
I would actually say this is a prerequisite for significant success in the rap game. The mass rap buying population wants to hear tales of guns, drugs, ho's, busters, and snitches... but they want to know at the end that the rapper has learned the error of his ways, feels remorse, and is so glad to be making money legally now. It empowers the listener to feel like they're not just contributing to a criminal culture but supporting its escapees with their purchasing power. Were it not for young Timothy and Amanda, 50 Cent might indeed die trying to get rich. Thank god for them.
In another thread people wondered why Fat Joe couldn't break like 50 - and while sex appeal, well-written hooks, and production choices certainly factor in, another important factor is, to bring it all back full circle, Joe doesn't make you feel shit.
He makes me feel sort of bloated, and his new song makes me feel like I already heard it the last three times he released it.
But he was once capable of provoking a greater range of emotions.