A hip-hop love song. A rapper’s tale of love.
In recent years, thanks in part to the influence of MC battles like Freestyle Dungeon, the number of hip-hop listeners seems to be on the rise, doesn’t it?
Among those who love hip-hop, some of you might be on the lookout for love songs!
So in this article, we’ll be introducing hip-hop love songs from both Japan and abroad.
From that classic by a heavyweight of Japanese hip-hop to noteworthy tracks by up-and-coming artists, we’ve put together an article that listeners from hardcore heads to those who just started getting into hip-hop can enjoy.
- Songs to give to your lover or someone you like. Love songs devoted wholeheartedly to your boyfriend or girlfriend.
- A love song in Japanese pop rap
- [Japanese Hip-Hop] Classic Tracks of Japanese Rap
- A special feature on love songs to color your Instagram Stories
- [A Gem of a Love Song] Classic and Popular Tracks to Listen to When You're in Love
- [Unrequited Love] Heart-wrenching Love Songs | A Roundup of Tear-Inducing Crush and Breakup Tracks
- Songs that make you want to fall in love just by listening! Classic love songs recommended for Gen Z
- Captivating in many styles and forms! Love songs in Japanese rap
- A love song in Western rap
- Recommended love songs for men: A collection of classic hits that sing about men's love
- Popular love songs on TikTok, from upbeat tracks to emotional love ballads.
- Recommended! Love songs by male artists — popular romantic songs
- A love song that's very popular on Instagram Reels
Hip-hop love songs. Love songs told by rappers (71–80)
Lumennnoon
noon’s “Lumen,” which adds a fresh hue to the hip-hop landscape, is a love song that gently cradles a heart in love.
A standout on the EP “Body,” this track captures the beauty of love in a relaxed atmosphere and is sure to leave listeners with a lingering afterglow.
Its genre-blurring style carries the smooth rhythms of R&B and the warmth of soul, nestling close to the listener’s everyday life.
“Lumen” is a masterpiece by noon that conveys a calm, radiant feeling from start to finish.
In live performances, arrangements that go a step beyond the recording delight audiences and delicately bring out the song’s dramatic arc.
Good Enough feat.kiki vivi lilyDakkii × Sweet William
A track born from a collaboration between Okinawa-born rapper Tsubaki and rising beatmaker SWEET WILLIAM.
The jazzy, breezy production makes it easy to listen to even for those not usually into hip-hop.
A rapper without a steady footing, candid lyrics about not wanting a regular job, borrowing money from a girlfriend who’s mentally struggling…
the honest, lazy rap hits with raw authenticity.
The stance of “a rapper only needs rap talent, right?” meshes perfectly with the refined track, creating a uniquely addictive vibe.
Me and my BitchThe Notorious B.I.G.
A track included on the debut album Ready to Die, released in 1994 by American rapper The Notorious B.I.G.
It samples Minnie Riperton’s 1974 track Take a Little Trip.
BeautifulSnoop Dogg ft. Pharrell Williams
A collaboration by Snoop Dogg and Pharrell Williams.
Released as a single in 2003, it became a hit worldwide and won a Grammy Award.
The music video, directed by Chris Robinson, was filmed in Rio de Janeiro.
Youth loveKubota Kai
Youth love by Kubota Kai, released digitally in February 2021.
The lyrics, themed around “love is blind,” are absolutely wonderful.
It continues the worldbuilding from the previous track, MIDNIHT DANCING.
When you fall in love, alongside the joy and happiness, there’s also a certain pain, right? You might lose sight of what’s around you, or feel like you’re not quite yourself.
He sings those sweet-and-sour tingles and heart-throbbing moments lightly over mellow sounds, making it the kind of song you’ll want to listen to while taking a walk at night.
Just A Lil Bit Feat. Sik-KJP THE WAVY
Released in January 2019, this mellow Japan–Korea collaboration features the popular Korean rapper Sik-K.
It portrays the aching feelings of wavering between lingering attachment to an ex and the reality that there’s no going back, interweaving Japanese and Korean lyrics.
JP THE WAVY’s melodious flow that shifts between singing and rapping intertwines perfectly with Sik-K’s singing-rap, creating a smooth, pleasing groove.
The track was also included on the April 2020 album “LIFE IS WAVY,” and later served as a springboard to their 2023 follow-up collaboration, “I.Y.A feat.
Sik-K.” Recommended for anyone who wants to feel the universality of love that transcends language and borders, and for fans of mellow hip-hop.
Young Love (feat. KOWICHI)MC TYSON
This track features MC TYSON, representing Osaka’s Suminoe Ward, and Kawasaki rapper KOWICHI.
It’s a love song included on the 2018 album “THE MESSAGE II,” where unrequited feelings are poignantly sung over a mellow trap beat.
While harboring feelings for a woman who already has a boyfriend, the protagonist waits for calls and messages; his emotions are depicted through modern motifs like smartphones and social media, conveying the wavering heart of a youthful, ambiguous relationship with striking realism.
The melodic flows of these two artists—standard-bearers of Kansai and Kanto—intertwine to create a sound that shines both in clubs and on streaming.
It’s a track you’ll relate to when you’re struggling with a fuzzy, undefined romance.