3 Rap Songs About Love for the Romantic Hip-Hop Holdout
If love were a genre of music, it would be rap. It can be easy-going, hard-hitting, fun, and devastating. It can make you want to dance, but also make you sit and analyze your life. Some people enjoy it, and others think it’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to modern society. These descriptions actually fit a lot of music genres (and things in general). So, what’s the real reason why rap is the perfect genre for love? It’s selfish and egotistical, really. You see, they’re both things that I once thought were not for me.
Rap music and I have been getting along well for a long time now, but it didn’t happen until I heard the right song. Up until my middle school crush and I listened to “I Know I can’ by Nas, I had been convinced by church moms and home-schooling dads that rap music was the downfall of civilization. After that day, I consumed every ounce of the genre I could get a hold of. I’ve encountered rap I love and hate; rap that speaks to my soul and some that has made my skin crawl. As an adult, I actually find myself turning to rap music to reflect on my love life on a frequent basis. It can be one of the most relatable places to hide, and I am offering this list to anyone else who wants to wallow to a nice beat.
1. Hypocrite by Allan Kingdom
In a recent interview with Arts and Raps, Allan Kingdom told two young boys that he ruled his own imaginary kingdom. The older boy said it was an illogical answer, but I think it was right on the nose. Allan Kingdom seems likable, a little goofy, and brilliantly creative. I would venture to say that his imaginary kingdom is a place where no one is ashamed to be who they are and push boundaries. He seems to long for this place in Hypocrite, where he confronts the fact that the negative qualities he sees in others are also his own. Emotional vocals and harmonies by Jared Evan, along with layered, down-tempo production create a safe space for Kingdom to reflect on his interpersonal relationships. Ultimately, he seems to accept the idea that we are all flawed, especially when sex is involved, and tries to get his partner to see from this new perspective.
Favorite Lyrics: “I just fantasized / Gotta plan inside you”
Take Home Message: The things I hate about you are the things I hate about myself. But the same is true for you.
2. Lost by Chance the Rapper
I’ll admit that the limited length of this list caused a lot of good rappers and songs to slip through the cracks, but I couldn’t let Chance the Rapper be one of them. The Chicago native always hits hard, but on this song, his lyrics are not only clever and thought-provoking, but also evocative and wise . “Lost” is a conversation between Chance and his feature, Noname, about the meaning of sex and love and what happens when they don’t coexist. His sample of Willie Hutch’s “Brother’s Gonna Work it Out” adds a touch of soul to the already smooth and hypnotic track.
Favorite Lyrics: “her pu**y likes me / her heart’s like f**ck it”
Take Home Message: Sex is best when real feelings are involved; and worst when the only real feelings are yours.
3. Save It by Tory Lanez
I love this last entry for many reasons, but one of them is that Tory Lanez not only samples Ed Sheeran, but also samples Ed’s cover of one of Tory’s own songs. That is something that requires skill and finesse, two things that populate Tory’s long list of positive attributes. In this song from Chixtape 3, we hear how Lanez feels about the affair that’s been chronicled for the entirety of the concept mixtape. This song is complex because there are two sentiments being discussed: Tory has feelings for the girl and is hurt that she’s been seeing someone else, but he is also just angry that another man has taken what he believes is his. Though jealousy and possession are often seen together, the character-revealing track almost makes them conflict as we hear him alternate between lines like “My heart was way in it / And now it’s hard to stay in it” and, “Only reason we fucking / is cuz I know that you love him / and back then you let him get one up on me”. However, conflicting emotions is a huge part of love and life in general, which made this song an easy pick for me.
Favorite Lyrics: “He can have your sex / I got your soul”
Take Home Message: You’re a cheating cheater who cheats, but I’m still working through my feelings for you.
The best thing music lovers can do for themselves is explore and venture outside of their familiar genres. Hopefully, hearing that there are rap songs out there that express exactly what you’re feeling will help all of you hip-hop holdouts out there.