I love to listen to rap music because it builds up my energy to go on with my day. Rap music is way more than a genre of hip-hop because of the resonance of its emotion. Its joyful noise soothes me. The background of rap is not really known that well and it will amaze you how much you probably don’t know about it. There are many different types of rap artists each with their unique form of rap. So there are many kinds of rap artists you can try out if you don’t enjoy a specific artist’s music. Many people have a lot of stereotypes for rap music. Their opinions ruin their thoughts for rap music and leave them not wanting to give rap music a try. I know not all people on this earth are going to enjoy rap music, but a majority of people that haven’t tried rap music have their opinions that rap music is horrible.
People assume rap music is only about sex and drugs. Although some rap is about that, it’s not all based on those topics. Artists also rap about real events that you probably can relate to, such as growing up colored, the struggles of growing up with low income, and many more than you can think of. Just because you can’t relate to a song’s message, doesn’t mean you won’t like the song. Rap artists also do an excellent job making their songs have catchy beats that you’ll vibe to. The song “Changes” by Tupac is about growing up poor, the problems of being colored, and growing up in the hood. Many people love this song because of the message it gives and the flow of the music. People enjoy Tupac’s way of rapping, but of course not everybody enjoys the way he raps, so you can explore different types of artists. One of my favorite rappers from Chicago is G Herbo. He raps about different types of topics I can relate to and with a different type of flow and talent that others do not have. “By Any Means” is one of G Herbo’s songs that is on the top of my chart. This song has a very nice beat, even though of course I can’t relate to everything he is rapping about. But this song makes me feel like I’m untouchable by haters because I’m so proud of what I’ve accomplished that they can’t tell me anything. It also gives me motivation to keep on hustling in life so I can keep looking down at haters when they want to get in my head.
The history of rap music goes so far that it’s incredible and you’ll be amazed by it. Hip-hop was started in the 1970’s by poor Bronx residents as a way to express their culture, the way they lived, and a way to celebrate at block parties. Hip-hop’s most central component is rap. In the mid 1980’s rap was changed by technology and studio equipment. DJ Kool Herc is considered the “grand-daddy” of rap music. He is credited to have released the first rap song, “Back To School Jam.”
Rap music can create many moods for the listener. It can have you energetically dancing or leave you deep in your feelings. The best thing about rap music is that there’s always a song that can match your mood, whether you’re out partying or tired going to sleep. Now let me introduce you to some artists you can possibly enjoy:
| Era | Recommended artists |
| Old school rap from the 1990’s | 2pac, Biggie, Snoop Dogg, DMX, Ice Cube, Jay Z, Master P, Dr. Dre, N.W.A, Eazy-E, Missy Eliot, Rakim and many more. |
| Early 2000’s | T.I, Lil Wayne, Nas, Outkast, Young Jeezy, Cam’Ron, Kanye West, Eminem, Drake, Nelly, T-Pain, LL Cool J, and a whole bunch more. |
| Today’s newer rappers | Lil Baby, Polo G, J. Cole, Lil Durk, A boogie wit da hoodie, Rod Wave, Lil bibby, Moneybagg yo, Tee Grizzley, G Herbo, Kendrick Lamar, 21 Savage, Elvy The God, L’A Tone, and way more amazing artists. |
| Way back in the 1980’s | Kurtis Blow, MC Hammer, DJ Jazzy & The Fresh Prince, Salt-N-Pepper, The Sugar Hill Gang, Slick Rick, Big Daddy Kane and a whole lot more! |
I’ve listed a lot of artists you can give a try, but if you don’t like one artist, continue to look for an artist you love. Many people stop looking for an artist they love after they hear an artist they’re not into, but this can limit their possibility to look for an artist they’ll love and listen to for the rest of their lives. Exploring your interest in rap can take time, but you wont regret it when you’re jamming to your favorite artist with your headphones in.
Angelina Sanchez
Trinity
Photo by Stephen Leonardi on Unsplash