Rap Songs To Listen To

10 rap songs that you have to listen to when you’re mad, sad or even whatever mood that you are in. I grew up listening to rap music with Will Smith being my favorite. He is on this list of rap songs to listen to along with some big names like Jay Z and Nas of course. So here goes. Enjoy!

Nas – Hate Me Now ft. Puff Daddy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKSJN3WWR3E&ob=av2n

If you haven’t heard of Nas, then it is about time you stood up and took note. This rapper with his Illmatic and Stillmatic albums shook the rap world and listening to his raps actually gives you an education. For this particular song, I feel that the music video is a must watch and especially the part at the start about how people have been crucified since the beginning of time for their beliefs and anything that they were bold enough to say.

Jay Z – Girl’s, Girl’s, Girl’s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUg7G3CPos0

You talk about a playa track. This is definitely it! It never fails in making me happy when I am sad or mad. I have always found rap music to be my solace in trying times and the lyricist that Jay Z is totally comes through in this song.

Will Smith – Parents Just Don’t Understand

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jW3PFC86UNI

I guess I wouldn’t be here if not for the Fresh Prince and really it is an understatement to say how much of an impact Will Smith has had on my life and in the lives of a lot of others.

This song which was actually ranked number 96 on VH1’s 100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop has a music video that is pretty hilarious and takes me back to my childhood days when I took my Dad’s car without his permission for a jaunt around town without even having a license.

What memories those were! But at the time, it was really scary because my Dad did find out about the whole situation. Parents Just Don’t Understand!

While you click on the link to check out the music video on YouTube, I suggest you to check out the other songs like ‘Summertime’ and ‘Girls Ain’t Nothin But Trouble’. Actually, all of Will Smith’s music should listened to, but then as I promised this is the top 10 rap songs to listen to.

Nas – Ether

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ePQKD9iBfU

"Put it together/ I rock hos; y'all rock fellas." With many verses like this, Nas was able to resurrect his career in what is widely agreed as the best diss songs in hip hop. It was part of that high-profile feud between Nas and Jay Z.

I put this track on here mainly because of the significance of the feud for the ‘King of New York’ status that both artists were battling it out for and how both rappers were really able to get their careers to unprecedented levels as a result of their rivalry.

Puff Daddy, Mase and The Notorious B.I.G. – Been Around The World

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCoAwpQagm0

Puff Daddy and the Family with their ‘No Way Out’ album have to be included in the rap songs to listen to. ‘It’s all about the Benjamins’ and ‘Mo Money Mo Problems’ are all great rap songs with Mase rap album ‘Harlem World’ also being pretty awesome.

The same way that Will Smith impacted my life in a very positive, I could say the same for Puff Daddy and even though he has been criticized as not being a good rapper, it is just his entrepreneurship skills from a very young age and that flashy lifestyle that is just so appealing.

Notorious B.I.G. – Sky’s The Limit

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3vOeCkeCNA&feature=relmfu

I had to mention the Notorious B.I.G. here and this is always a special song for me that is very inspiring. Just look at the title ‘Sky’s The Limit’ and the pretty awesome music video that is to be expected from Sean John Combs and his greatest creation The Notorious B.I.G. Imagine how it would be today if Biggie was still around.

2Pac – I Ain’t Mad at Cha

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kt1XjVdyJ6o

I had to mention Tupac Shakur here obviously. Again, there were a ton of songs that I enjoyed from 2Pac, but this one really sticks out because of it being so similar to the death of the late rapper.

Additionally, I did enjoy how he was reminiscing about the times that he shared with his friend and this brought back memories of old friendships that I had and how I have moved on from them.

G-Unit – Feel Good

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AJ2XbjOLz0

This was the hip hop group that was all that when I was in back in high school and there are so many tracks and music videos that are really so amazing. I went and chose this one because for me it epitomizes what G-Unit was all about and the members in it 50 Cent, Lloyd Banks and Tony Yayo have a pretty similar theme in most of their songs.

Really, who can forget that legendary P.I.M.P music video!

Nelly – Heart of a Champion

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jwZBqGPgVE

This is such a killa track with verses like “I'm like Magic to Kareem, mayne you tell me I ain't Worthy” and I have to include Nelly here because he is not only such a huge rap star but also one of biggest stars the last decade has seen. I mean when you sold as many as 21 million albums in the United States alone, it is a pretty big deal.

Sweatsuit which is a compilation of the albums Sweat and Suit that were released in 2004 is really so awesome and had the distinction of being played before every New York Yankees game at Yankee Stadium from the period of 2004-2009.

Rap music encourages violence and excess and this is what has given it a bad rep, but from the rap songs that I have chosen it is pretty evident that all I really care about and take away from listening to rap songs is how to have a good time and the entertainment value of some of these music videos.

I guess this is my 10 rap songs to listen to. What are yours?