Top Conscious Rappers of All Time
Hip-hop is a culture, a lifestyle, and a way of life. Its music and poetry are put together in one beautiful expression. Conscious rappers use their music to empower people, educate them on social issues, and motivate them to be the best version of themselves. Growing up in the hood exposed many rappers to drugs, violence, and crime growing up in the hood.
These rappers used their music to express social issues, politics, and other things not usually discussed in mainstream hip-hop. Hip-hop is a worldwide cultural movement, and these are the 20 top conscious rappers of all time.
Common
The common primary goal is to make an impact, especially among students. He considers himself socially conscious, and his songs portray profound wisdom. He has a foundation that helps students from underserved communities and supports many charitable activities.
Common is passionate about the youths and strives to share his wisdom with them at every given opportunity. He understands that the future leaders need nurturing and support in all areas to be their best.
Tupac
He put together lots of charity concerts and worked with other celebrities to fulfill kids’ wishes. Tupac is still one of the most iconic hip-hop figures worldwide years after his death, and his impact is still felt globally.
J.Cole
He is known as one of the most generous hip-hoppers for a good reason. He bought back his foreclosed childhood home and turned it into a place where struggling families could live free. He has a foundation that helps uplift poor youths.
JClay
Many people are still stunned by his performance since he sprouted from nowhere and took a solid position among acclaimed artists. He stands firm in his beliefs and isn’t afraid to air them through his songs. He is not ashamed of exposing false beliefs that limit people from attaining their full potential.
JClay is also a big supporter of various charities and believes in supporting the youth when it comes to educational matters and helping them maximize their talents.
Jay-Z
He runs a charitable foundation that provides scholarships to disadvantaged youth and communities. He is also a big supporter of different foundations and is passionate about social activism. He is not shy about speaking up when he sees something wrong.
Joey Bada$$
Most of his song speaks about politics and social justice. He creates his music after carefully thinking through the lyrics. He is generous when it comes to monetary donations and supports endeavors he believes in.
Joey Bada$$ has launched a new record label that will support young black artists and support them to grow and excel in the music industry. Joey knows how hard it can be to make it on your own, and this is why he is extending a helping hand to others. He knows too well how the industry works and when upcoming musicians get support from legendary ones, they can reach their full potential.
Nas
Despite not believing in any religion, Nas’s kindness, driven by his quest to make the right choices, is commendable. He has an existing agreement with UNICEF that allows him to
give financial aid to poor Africans. He is a big supporter of charitable foundations.
Mos Def (Yasiin Bey)
Mos Def is a big supporter of Muslims and black communities. His songs recognize social injustices, and he is not afraid of pointing them out. He uses his song as the voice for the voiceless and oppressed.
Both communities recognize him because of his work and support. He believes that we can all get along and achieve great goals when combined efforts.
Talib Kweli
Most of his songs are about building equality and fighting oppressing systems. He is active in political and social activism and dedicates his mic to the Black Lives Matter and Occupy Wall Street Movements. He is among the world’s most-in-demand rap artists.
He uses his fame to ensure that people are enlightened at all times. Most people are likely to follow what he says as an influential person.
Kendrick Lamar
Lamar has received an honor on the senate floor for speaking up on political activism and his charitable causes. He goes on yearly charity tours to benefit the world’s poorest cities. He believes the change must first be on him before extending it to others.
Lauryn Hill
She is a big supporter of the Black Lives Matter Movement and has her foundation. She supports all her charities through her tours. She has set aside a portion of ticket sales to support her foundation for her concert.
Most times, her concerts are for charities, and she believes that what gave her the courage to grow was when she decided to follow her heart and have her baby at a young age. Not giving the baby away showed her how strong she could be.
KRS-One
Raised in a humble background, KRS-one has never forgotten his roots. He supports various charities through hip hop and is recognized by many for his generous acts. He believes in being charitable at all times.
Queen Latifah
Latifah is known as a champion for charity. She is very passionate about supporting what she believes in, incredibly empowering women, and rallying support for AIDS and cancer research. She also speaks openly through her songs and is an active socialist.
Lupe Fiasco
The rapper has never shied off when he sees people suffering. This was evident in 2010 when he took part in Summit on the Summit to raise awareness about clean drinking water. He understood the billions of people worldwide suffering because of this plight.
He founded the Lupe Fiasco Foundation, which works to inspire and help educate youths around the Chicago area. He is also passionate about feeding programs and is strong on his songs. He understands how music can impact a lot of people and uses this to channel his thoughts and feelings about different situations affecting people globally.
Sa-Roc
She believes in speaking the truth and knows this can help liberate young black women. All of her songs talk about finding your inner power and refusing to be held back by anything. She believes people are supposed to fight off oppression and take an active role in women’s rights.
She also incorporates her lifestyle and supports it through veganism. She takes courage in trusting her heart to lead her in doing what is correct at all times. Her songs have also worked in her favor as they have helped unleash her true nature and belief in assisting others in attaining the same.
Chance the Rapper
Most of his songs are on specific topics that touch on common societal issues. He believes you get power when you embark on something bigger than yourself and strives to motivate people to follow the same path. He is generous when it comes to donations, especially in the public sector.
He has given out money to improve public schools and mental health programs. He doesn’t shy off from politics and openly endorses candidates he believes in. Chance understands how powerful his voice can be and maximizes the platform to make his voice heard.
Conscious rappers are a rare breed of artists that spit clever rhymes and reflect on the world around them and shed light on the everyday struggles of their listeners. They may not be as mainstream as some artists, but conscious rappers have managed to break into America’s consciousness through their music.