Music and romance are intrinsically linked. The beauty of dating service like this is the way it can bring such a diverse range of singles together, and this means people with a variety of musical tastes. A lot of these blossoming relationships will share a passion for one of the world’s most popular styles: Hip-Hop. The lyrics in this urban music often focus on romance, and here are seven of the most notable examples where romantic relationships have been championed by Hip-Hop.
Heavy D & The Boyz – Now That We Found Love (1991)
As the head of influential Hip-Hop act Heavy D & The Boyz, Jamaican-born rapper and music producer Heavy D enjoyed chart success in the 1990s with five well-received albums. When he turned solo, one of his biggest hits was a cover of the O’Jays’ soulfully romantic ‘Now That We’ve Found Love.’
Meek Mill – Dangerous ft. Jeremih and PnB Rock (2018)
The best Hip-Hop/pop songs are often straight to the point. Demonstrating Hip-Hop can be emotive and heartfelt rather than just angsty, this classic contains the simple observation, “No angel, but you got a halo … When it’s nights like this … I really wanna be right here.”
Method Man and Mary J Blige – I’ll Be There for You/You’re All I Need to Get By (1995)
Ranked number 44 on VH1’s ‘100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop,’ this song went on to earn a Grammy Award. There was clearly a lot more to the pulsating song’s lyrical content than many Hip-Hop standards. “Like an eagle protects his nest for you I’ll do my best … Stand by you like a tree, dare anybody to try and move me” is quite poetic in comparison!
Drake – Marvin’s Room (2011)
Canadian rapper Drake spins a cautionary tale featuring someone drunkenly calling an ex. “Talk to me please, don’t have much to believe in … I need you right now, are you down to listen to me?” More poignant than romantic, but a powerful message all the same.
MC Lyte – Ruffneck (1993)
New York City-born rap artist Lana Michelle Moorer, aka MC Lyte, became the first female to launch an album in this genre, with 1988’s acclaimed ‘Lyte as a Rock,’ encapsulating her strong feminist drive. Five years on she released this striking example of romance-inspired Hip-Hop. The lyrics, rapped with tongue in cheek, reveal an aspiration to meet an edgy rather than squeaky-clean guy (i.e. a ruffneck), someone with an “evil grin with a mouth full of gold teeth, startin’ beef is how he spells relief, actin’ like he don’t care.”
Outkast – Hey Ya (2003)
Leaning more towards the soul/funk end of what is always a multi-genre spectrum, this single by Hip-Hop duo Outkast shot straight to the top of the charts in the USA, Canada, Australia and parts of Europe in 2003. In finding his inspiration for the melodies, singer André 3000 jammed ideas on an acoustic guitar based on pop-punk classics by the Ramones, as well as the more bittersweet harmonies of English alt-rock bands Buzzcocks and The Smiths. But the moment it kicks in with the lyrics, “My baby don’t mess around … ‘Cause she loves me so … This I know fo sho!” this romantic song is upbeat and utterly infectious.
Kendrick Lamar – LOVE ft. Zacari (2017)
Taken from his fourth album, ‘Damn,’ in entitling this track ‘Love,’ Kendrick was laying himself open to claims of being too obvious, even cheesy. But the lyrics are too heartfelt to be so casually dismissed, and the resulting single is a memorable slice of Hip-Hop.
