604-103-MQ
  • Home Page
  • Short Stories
    • The Black Cat
    • The New Dress
    • Wide and Deep
    • Désirée's Baby
    • The Magic Shop
  • Midterm Rap Project
    • Introduction to rap
    • Songs for Midterm Presentation
  • Bad Book Podcast Project
    • Template
    • Doom: Repercussions of Evil
  • Template

Rap Songs for Analysis​

Picture
Important context 
  • Rodney King Riots
  • The War on Drugs
  • Gang violence in the 1990s

Ice Cube
​It Was A Good Day

Lyrical complexity: Low​
Genius link
NWA
​Fuck Tha Police

Lyrical complexity: Low
Genius link
The Notorious B.I.G.
​Juicy

Lyrical complexity: Low
Genius link
2Pac
​Changes

Lyrical complexity: Medium​
​Genius link
Nas
​N.Y. State of Mind

Lyrical complexity: Medium
Genius link
KRS-One
​Sound of da Police

Lyrical complexity: Medium
Genius link
Wu-Tang Clan
​C.R.E.A.M.

Lyrical complexity: High
Genius link 

Picture
Important context
  • Black Lives Matter Movement
  • Unarmed Black People Killed by the Police in the United States
  • Ferguson Organizers Keep Committing Suicide in Strange Ways for Some Reason

Childish Gambino
​This is America

​Lyrical complexity: Low
Genius link
Video essay

​
Warning
The music video adds a lot to the meaning of the song so you might want to discuss it during your presentation. Be careful, however, not just to repeat the information in the video essay.
​
Jay-Z
The Story of O.J.

Lyrical complexity: Low
​Genius link
Video essay
​
​
​
Warning
The music video adds a lot to the meaning of the song so you might want to discuss it during your presentation. Be careful, however, not just to repeat the information in the video essay.
​Kanye West
New Slaves

Lyrical complexity: Low
Genius link
Joyner Lucas
I'm Not Racist

Lyrical complexity: Low
Genius link
Killer Mike
Reagan

Lyrical complexity: Low
Genius link
Run The Jewels
Close Your Eyes

Lyrical complexity: Low
Genius link
Joey Bada$$
Land of the Free

Lyrical complexity: Medium
Genius link
Ab-Soul ft. Danny Brown
Terrorist Threats

Lyrical complexity: High
​Genius link
​Kendrick Lamar
Alright

Lyrical complexity: High
Genius link

Picture
This section contains songs that may have a social/political message but the words and the poetry are the main point of the songs. Most of those songs are much more abstract than the other ones on this list and should be approached like you would approach a poem. Additionally, I do not recommend trying to work on any of those songs if you are not 100% confident in your abilities as they are much more complex than the songs from the two previous categories.
Tyler, The Creator
New Magic Wand

Lyrical complexity: Low
Genius link
Earl Sweatshirt
Grief

Lyrical complexity: Medium
Genius link
MF DOOM
​Beef Rapp

Lyrical complexity: High
Genius link
Frank Ocean ft. Andre 3000
Solo (Reprise)

Lyrical complexity: High
Genius link
Madvillain
Figaro

Lyrical complexity: Very High
Genius link

But, Simon, none of this is challenging enough for me, please give me the most difficult song of all times!


But, Simon, I hate rap music!

Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Home Page
  • Short Stories
    • The Black Cat
    • The New Dress
    • Wide and Deep
    • Désirée's Baby
    • The Magic Shop
  • Midterm Rap Project
    • Introduction to rap
    • Songs for Midterm Presentation
  • Bad Book Podcast Project
    • Template
    • Doom: Repercussions of Evil
  • Template