Today is the day all dudes with suspect game dread like the plague, Valentine’s Day. No doubt instead of say Al Green, Marvin Gaye or Isaac Hayes, various Hip-Hop love ballads will be dusted off and played today. But they don’t all have to be syrupy simp anthems.
Hip-Hop has provided plenty of rap song’s that serenade (sort of) the opposite s-x without making you come off looking like a sucker for love if you choose to sing/rap along.
If you’re one of those characters out there that chooses to roll with a significant other that you don’t particularly like or juggles a bunch of them, your struggle is very real today, and good luck to you.
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Here are 10 rap songs you can rock with your lady and not feel like you’re at a Boyz II Men concert and maybe send a message if she’s more Erica Mena than Michelle Obama. No shots.
Also, no, we didn’t go for the obvious when picking this list.
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Photo: VEVO
Slum Village – “Climax”
J Dilla, then known as Jay Dee, on the rhymes and beats along with the entire SV gang (T3 and the late Baatin). [sheds tear for the freshness]
KMD – “Peachfuzz”
No hollering at girls? This is what this 90’s beauty of a song is all about. Get familiar.
A Tribe Called Quest – “Electric Relaxation”
Everyone picks “Bonita Applebum”; a dope tune but you might sound like a Herb reciting that one. For the record, it’s “Relax yourself girl, please settle down.”
OutKast – “Happy Valentine’s Day”
Yeah, it’s an easy pick, but it’s 3 Stacks, yo. Also, that rap verse, >. The “Strawberry Letter 23” sample is a winner, too.
Poor Renee took an L. Sorry if that was a spoiler.
The Fugees – “Killing Me Softly”
Pre-Rohan L Boogie on the vocals over a break beat. So classic.
E-40 – “Captain Save-A-Hoe”
Forty Water warned y’all way back in 1994. Consider this a friendly reminder of not being that guy.
Ghostface Killah ft. Raekwon & Cappadonna – “Camay”
You can’t lose with a Teddy Pendrergrass sample, and Tony Stark asking a woman if she can cook turkey wings.
Pete Rock & CL Smooth – “I Got A Love”
They just don’t make them like this anymore.
Gang Starr – “Love Sick”
No way we were going to leave this classic from DJ Premier & The Guru Keithy E off this list.
Method Man f/ Mary J. Blige – “I’ll Be There for You/You’re All I Need to Get By (Razor Sharp Remix)”
The “Puff Daddy Mix” used the Marvin Gay & Tammi Terrell’s “You’re All I Need To Get By” sample. Pass on that and rock RZA’s version aka the one used in the video. Rugged but smooth.
LL Cool J – Pink Cookies In A Plastic Bag
Consider this a balancing out of the simp apex that is LL’s “I Need Love.”
Heavy & The Boyz – “The Overweight Lover’s In The House”
