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.
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Hip-hop love songs. Love songs told by rappers (41–50)
Fake loveSTUPID GUYS
An emotional track by the internet-born hip-hop unit STUPID GUYS that candidly depicts a relationship connected only by the body.
As Riu Domura and Takayan’s contrasting vocal timbres intersect, the song vividly expresses the ache of being called only when convenient, the dependent feelings of longing for the other person, and a psyche tangled with self-loathing and guilt.
The gap between the mellow track and the brutally honest lyrics creates an addictive pull.
Released in July 2019 as the title track of the digital album “Giai” (Fake Love), it reached 3 million streams after going viral on social media.
A live-action music video was also released in September 2020.
Recommended for those troubled by unrequited love or ambiguous relationships, and for fans of chill hip-hop × R&B sounds.
Poetic JusticeKendrick Lamar ft. Drake
A collaboration between Kendrick Lamar and Drake.
Released as a digital download in 2012, it became a hit in countries like the United States and Belgium.
It samples Janet Jackson’s 1993 track “Any Time, Any Place.”
How’s It Goin’ DownDMX
A sentimental track released as a single in 1998 by the American rapper DMX.
It reached No.
19 on the U.S.
charts.
It samples The Headhunters’ 1975 track “God Make Me Funky.”
Hey Girl feat.CORN HEADOZROSAURUS
OZROSAURUS is a hip-hop band formed in 1996.
They’re known as one of the groups that helped popularize hip-hop from the 1990s into the 2000s.
Their 2008 release “Hey Girl feat.
CORN HEAD” is one of their beloved love songs.
The track is very famous, so many people will likely recognize the beat.
Although they were active in the mainstream scene, they also released thug-style tracks.
This song, too, is a love song that exudes a strong thug vibe.
I.Y.A feat. Sik-KJP THE WAVY & JIGG
The collaborative track I.Y.A feat.
Sik-K by JP THE WAVY, JIGG, and Sik-K is a hip-hop love song that expresses deep affection for a lover.
Released in April 2023, the song’s passionate message stirs listeners’ emotions.
The three artists’ unique styles blend harmoniously, adding depth to the lyrics.
By earnestly singing about their feelings for someone special, they create a work that conveys both the joy and the bittersweetness of love at the same time.
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.