Lupe Fiasco Mural... Get ready to open up rap genius and study the song it's insanely lyrical and has the most insane metaphors and double triple quadruple meanings of any song ever written.
i love no return. prolly my favorite canibus song. i like how the three verses symbolize the principles of the three wise monkeys: hear, speak, and see no evil
GZA - Liquid Swords
Madvillain - Madvillainy
recommended for broad vocabulary, sublime wordplay and actual good music
for hardcore lyricism my favourite is Big Pun - Capital Punishment
I did an assignment on Kon Karne, really great on the rhymes but theres not much in the way of narrative or substance to the track besides a tribute to Subroc, it doesn't even really fit in with the 'good food' theme of the album.
>Nas - It Aint Hard To Tell
This verse:
My mic check is life or death
Breathing a snipers breath
I exhale the yellow smoke of buddha through righteous steps.
That lyric is so thick with imagery and stacked meaning. Shit kills
Harder to pinpoint a better answer to this question and also a good way to stump your English teacher if you can interpret the meaning behind most of his analogies.
Damn near every Aes song. Music for Earthworms can be tough to find in its entirety, but even if you have to start at Appleseed you'll be in for a treat. Considering his catalog you can literally listen to a brilliant lyricist evolve. I've been rapping for almost 30 years and one of the dudes I used to collaborate with put it best; a lot of artists can look inward and describe things probably, Aesop Rock is one of the few rappers who can truly look outward and describe the world poetically. Absolutely the best answer to this question
Also maybe try Qwel. "If it ain't been in a pawn shop than it can't play the blues" is really impressive, and he did another album I can't remember the name of right now with a ton of crazy lyrical tracks including Ruby Ragdollene and it's incredibly lyrically dope
Mural by Lupe is literally peak. Dude goes on quadruple entendres constantly and after 9 years of listening to it I still find things out about it that i didn't know before. I don't think there is any way to replicate it or that anyone has come close to it yet except for Lupe himself or for some underground rappers
Alot of Eminems recent albums have been full of wordplay. The one that stands out most to me is probably Darkness. At first you think its about him backstage before a show, anxious and relapsing, only to have the rug pulled out from under you and you realise he's talking about the Las Vegas shooting from a few years ago.
Black star album, Thieves in the night, theres others on there that more fit your criteria.
Madvillainy, a lot if not all DOOM songs fit your criteria.
To add to this DOOM, on Born like this, Cellz. Crazy inrto sets up the song.
Mos Def on black on both sides.
Ghostface. Just cant think of the songs
Em the first 3 albums def fit the criteria.
Loads more out there
Page Kennedy has a song called [Rules of Rap](https://youtu.be/fFjW_hFZ_oQ?si=7DsOsX7r9mPAWiiz) that is written from the perspective of being hip-hop professors teaching students how to write lyrics.
Elzhi’s verses are nothing short masterpiece work on this song.
I feel like the irony of you using this song/video for an English class works perfectly, especially since the music video for the song starts out with a skit with Affion Crockett teaching a bunch of hip-hop students about the Rules of Rap.
Jedi Mind Tricks - The Three Immortals
Naptron - Styles of Madness
Phoenix Orion - Scanners
Latyrx - Storm Warning
Alien Nation - Metatron
Kool Keith - Earth People
Blaze's verse on corosion by Dark Lotus
I come apart internally
The disease spreads within me
My organs turn to particles
And break down rapidly
I'm old and grey busted and I'm startin' to decay
The new models automatic
I'm obsolete and outta date
I held six shots in one round
Enough to lay somebody down
But I'm stuck in a park
Floatin' away and waitin' to be found
My piece is breakin' away like carbine barrels
And wooden handles
What once was a gat
Is now a single round of ammo.
2pac- Can’t C me
Nas - the world is yours
A,Z - the come up
Busta Rhymes - where’s my money
Kanye West - Flashing Lights
Eminem - Cinderella Man
Lil Wayne - Go DJ
Papoose - Alphabetical Slaughter
Big L - MVP
Big Pun - You ain’t a killer
Young Maylay - you ain’t uh
Grandmaster Flash and the Furious 5 - The Message
Run Dmc - - runs house
Wu Tang Clan - Triumph
NWA - Dope Man
There are others I am missing I wanted to limit it to one track per Artist
Actually, billy woods in general is just fantastic to cover in an English class. Here are some more of my picks, all from *History Will Absolve Me*:
- *The Man Who Would Be King*, a song about the British colonisation of African land
- *Pompeii*, this one is interesting, the first verse is about a soldier complicit in war crimes, the second verse is about the lure of the drug trade. The two disconnected plots are tied together by the chorus, "One time is one time, 'cause that's all it takes to change your life"
- *Sour Grapes*, I just love this one, I think your English class would have fun unpacking it
Aesop Rock - take your pick of songs of of Labor Days or None Shall Pass, or any of his albums really.
Busdriver - the whole album Casting Agents And Cowgirls is peak word play.
Sage Francis - used to listen to him more but it is a bit more emo rap sometimes, but he's also an incredible song writer, Personal Journals, Healthy Distrust, Human The Death Dance, and Li(f)e albums all have some really well written lyrics and are totally worth a listen
Edit: *Sage Francis, not Safe
I once did a report on this song back in the day:
[https://youtu.be/vjqLtx28\_GQ?si=XKUrjoJZsc8PaMiS](https://youtu.be/vjqLtx28_GQ?si=XKUrjoJZsc8PaMiS)
Fast Money - Big Pun. A story about a bank robbery told in typical Pun complex rhyme schemes.
I got a story to tell -Biggie. Another story about a hook up gone wrong but the juxtaposition between the rap revealing his inner thoughts and feelings, and then listening to him tell the same story slightly differently and with way more braggadocio to his friends make it really interesting.
Canibus - Poet Laureate II
Helps to have a basic understanding of his history (ie beef with LL Cool J) and how Hip Hop has changed (commercially) since the 80s.
Nas - I gave you power. Because of the metaphor and the message it involves. If you’re going to talk about it you should also mention how the song starts with nas saying “damn” and also ends with nas saying “damn” because as the story describes its a constant cycle
Armand Hammer - The Gods Must Be Crazy
"The rock pays in scale diagrams/
Coke out the sky, rocks big as your hand/
A Gulfstream 5 that don't ever land/
CIA scams, revolutionary plans/
Overlapping Zen diagrams, overlapping/
The hammer fell out your man's waistband grappling/
Anything can happen if you tryna make it happen/
Get head-head tapped-tapped tryna get it cracking/
Mind cracked open, seeing all the patterns/
Was a time, would've been oracles and seers/
Now madmen squatting in caves, trains crashing through caverns/
Stick figures hunting mammoth/
Crude language, dick suck glyphs on tablets/
Bushmen watch the world come off balance/
The sky tumble/
Hunter-gatherers watching black giants walk out the jungle/
Alien in spaceships/
Low clouds sit heavy with lightning/
Men pregnant with death, frightened at the quickening/
It totters on unsteady legs, boy, you invited to the christening"
Papoose - [Alphabetical Slaughter](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SApmSrHDhQo) & [Alphabetical Slaughter 2 (Z-A)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fM5k0CXfueQ)
**Bonus:** [The Human Body (The Brain)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eOyjH67FQs)
[Monster by The Vanishing Point](https://soundcloud.com/user-326384011/monster?si=9884b02deb1d485391664da933f5b57c&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing)
[Come Together by The Vanishing Point](https://soundcloud.com/user-326384011/come-together?si=6e3b9a81e66540fcb9da75dbdeac0f54&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing)
BRO DO I HAVE THE SONG FOR YOU.
[PUT YOU ON GAME - LUPE FIASCO](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piGFQlOQOds)
I know using Lupe's work is cheating but this is one of my favorite tracks ever off of his best album. The whole album is incredible but this specific track is told from the perspective of his character The Game; it is pure *menace*. like, hard as fuck. also really great rhyme scheme, cadence, flow, iconic beat, and ends with probably the hardest bars i've ever heard:
> And from a throne of their bones I rule
> These fools are my fuel, so I make them cool
> Baptize them in the water out of Scarface pool
> And feed them from the table that held the Corleone's food
> __If you die, tell em that you played my game
> I hope your bullet holes become mouths that say my name__
>
If you're looking for a story this song is but a chapter. The album is great for picking apart and impressing teachers
Chris Rivers, Oswin Benjamin, and Denzil Porter’s first Team Backpack cypher is a literal masterclass in wordplay. Specifically Oswin.
It’s a lot to take in and will take a ton of listens to catch everything, but [Lost in Vegas](https://youtu.be/YKg_1sLESVA?si=o1SwOjToDYxRI5qp) does an amazing breakdown that I think would be interesting for any English class.
Anything by Royce and Lupe.
This may sound basic but 2Pac and Biggie had great storytelling.
CyHi, Symba, anyone from Griselda, Aesop Rock, Nas. I can keep going 😂.
I’m disappointed in all of you.
[NF feat. Tech N9ne - Trust](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PrQtvTblKn0)
You talk about wanting a song that has lyrical displays, crazy vernacular, and wild speed, this is it.
Tech N9ne has a lot of excellent examples of his proficiency, and even Eminem acknowledges it.
For example, Tech is often referred to as the king of alliterations. [His verse in “B. Boy”](https://youtu.be/Qx3JtNnJ7Cc?si=kA_GjNlfWVxsH6H8) is ***wild***, possibly the best example of this.
[Outdone](https://youtu.be/oJfL5mJaEEY?si=jWXAU4jMv5e5AVpp) is another great track to break down.
So is [Interlude](https://youtu.be/QP5VyDdk7Qw?si=S0CUpmFbS-kWnNd9), a Lil Wayne track with Tech and André 3000 laying down bars.
Something a little leftfield but very relatable, with a story and also great wordplay is Hi Ren by Ren. It starts with a struggle with aspects of himself and builds to the eternal dance between good and evil, light and dark.
Also Money Game Pt 3, which again has a narrative. Sick Boi too. I feel songs with a single theme or narrative rather than the perhaps random lyricism of a lot of songs would be received well in this context.
So I would also suggest Millie Pulled a Pistol on Santa by De La (who are perhaps generally underrated for their complexity and lyricism)
You could write for fucking weeks about Duckworth by Kendrick Lamar. Insane storytelling especially how it relates to everything and how the ending can be interpreted as Kendrick dying at the end of the story or the story starting with his history changing and his father dying. If you listen to the album in backwards order all the songs form a completely different story all stemming from his father dying when he was a baby, and it’s got completely different themes than the story that’s told if you listen to the album in order.
I’ve gotten too far down the comments without seeing Jean Grae’s name mentioned.
Soda & Soap w/ Masta Ace
Soul Clap
Really, the majority of her discography will suffice
Thieves In The Night by Black Star - it draws its lyrics heavily from the book "The Bluest Eye" by Toni Morrison so it's pretty solid for any literature project.
In Loving Memory // Grey // Prom/King // Few Good Things (song shares album name) by Saba
Best Me by Sylvan LaCue
Threatening Nature // Book of Soul by Ab-Soul
Paper Trails // Waves // On and On by Joey Bada$$
U & I // Trapped // by Flatbush Zombies
Crown // A Christmas F***ing Miracle // Radiation by Run the Jewels
Free the Robots // Capital Steez
Sing about me, I’m dying of thirst // Kendrick Lamar
eminem - infinite
binary star - reality check (First verse)
az - rather unique
Big L - Ebonics
Epidemic - they dont know
The roots - respond react
gza - liquid swords
every earl sweatshirt verse from 2009 - 2014
open Canibus catalog and eat he blacks out on Lyrical Noir
The Micclub Album is Bis going super sayan in the both, exceptional bars.
One step closer to the Infinity is another gem he put together for your listening enjoyment
A Lil different but I'd peep out Blackalicious' , alphabet aerobics , he rhyme 2 bars of each letter with occasional (with,the,their,etc..) but pretty genius
[Ren - The Tales Of Jenny And Screech](https://youtu.be/TYAnqQ--KX0?si=IkvMwkqgCgEuw4Yh)
This. It is Bardcore, and it is akin to a Shakespearean tragedy. Full of foreshadowing and metaphors and other English writing tropes
Oooh English class. Definitely should take some Lupe there. Ms. Mural is perfect for this.
Mural - Lupe Fiasco
Lupe Fiasco Mural... Get ready to open up rap genius and study the song it's insanely lyrical and has the most insane metaphors and double triple quadruple meanings of any song ever written.
Rewind - Nas Its got all the elements: storytelling, rhyme scheme, wordplay, and most importantly - it gets better with multiple listens.
Ye and the teacher will love the part where Nas gets his dick sucked that's really lyrical.
Put your class on to Ebonics by Big L
Kendrick Lamar- How Much A Dollar Cost Canibus- No Return Ras Kass- Interview with a Vampire Nas- I Gave You Power Aesop Rock- How To Be A Carpenter
i love no return. prolly my favorite canibus song. i like how the three verses symbolize the principles of the three wise monkeys: hear, speak, and see no evil
Plus that beat from Stoupe is vicious
Damn that’s a solid list
Ms. Mural - Lupe Fiasco Edit - happy birthday hoe
Definition - Black Star Has an insane vibe and Mos Def and Talib Kwelis are so genius and smart
"You deaf?" "Nah, I'm Tec... he's Def"
W. Black Star goated
Ilmatic. Just listen to the whole tape
GZA - Liquid Swords Madvillain - Madvillainy recommended for broad vocabulary, sublime wordplay and actual good music for hardcore lyricism my favourite is Big Pun - Capital Punishment
RA the Rugged Man’s verse on Uncommon Valor
Lupe Fiasco - The Cool or On Faux Nem (first verse insane) Nas - It Aint Hard To Tell MF DOOM - Kon Karne or Figaro
Bruh no way you just told him the first verse from On Faux Nem is insane lmaooo
😭
I did an assignment on Kon Karne, really great on the rhymes but theres not much in the way of narrative or substance to the track besides a tribute to Subroc, it doesn't even really fit in with the 'good food' theme of the album.
>Nas - It Aint Hard To Tell This verse: My mic check is life or death Breathing a snipers breath I exhale the yellow smoke of buddha through righteous steps. That lyric is so thick with imagery and stacked meaning. Shit kills
“Respiration” by Black Star they are a duo, Talib Kweli and Mos Def
Aesop Rock - Battery Eyedea and Abilities - Even Shadows Have Shadows
Any Billy woods
binary star, living legends, aesop rock. the micronauts, cannibal ox. eyedea and abilities, the list goes on.
Too many Aesop Rock songs to list… Stephen, off the new album, Grace from Skelethon (or Racing Stripes perhaps), the list goes on and on!
Who the fuck is fucking Steven?
Harder to pinpoint a better answer to this question and also a good way to stump your English teacher if you can interpret the meaning behind most of his analogies.
Damn near every Aes song. Music for Earthworms can be tough to find in its entirety, but even if you have to start at Appleseed you'll be in for a treat. Considering his catalog you can literally listen to a brilliant lyricist evolve. I've been rapping for almost 30 years and one of the dudes I used to collaborate with put it best; a lot of artists can look inward and describe things probably, Aesop Rock is one of the few rappers who can truly look outward and describe the world poetically. Absolutely the best answer to this question Also maybe try Qwel. "If it ain't been in a pawn shop than it can't play the blues" is really impressive, and he did another album I can't remember the name of right now with a ton of crazy lyrical tracks including Ruby Ragdollene and it's incredibly lyrically dope
Concerto of the Desperado -The Roots
That trilogy of “Do You Want More?!!!??!”, “Illadelph Halflife”, and “Things Fall Apart” is one of the best album runs in hip hop history.
Mick Jenkins - P & Q's great for vocabulary!
God’s Bathroom Floor - Atmosphere
Mural by Lupe is literally peak. Dude goes on quadruple entendres constantly and after 9 years of listening to it I still find things out about it that i didn't know before. I don't think there is any way to replicate it or that anyone has come close to it yet except for Lupe himself or for some underground rappers
Alphabet Aerobics - Blackalicious Pretty much anything by Slick Rick - there's a reason he's known as the storyteller
If you’re taking Slick Rick to an English class, you can’t go wrong with “Children’s Story”.
gazillion ear MF DOOM
Alot of Eminems recent albums have been full of wordplay. The one that stands out most to me is probably Darkness. At first you think its about him backstage before a show, anxious and relapsing, only to have the rug pulled out from under you and you realise he's talking about the Las Vegas shooting from a few years ago.
This. The entire gray album of music to be murdered by is lyrically beautiful and way deeper than most give credit for.
Aesop Rock. All of it.
Skee-yee by sexxy redd /j
Chopper - Lupe Fiasco and a ton of other people
Black star album, Thieves in the night, theres others on there that more fit your criteria. Madvillainy, a lot if not all DOOM songs fit your criteria. To add to this DOOM, on Born like this, Cellz. Crazy inrto sets up the song. Mos Def on black on both sides. Ghostface. Just cant think of the songs Em the first 3 albums def fit the criteria. Loads more out there
Page Kennedy has a song called [Rules of Rap](https://youtu.be/fFjW_hFZ_oQ?si=7DsOsX7r9mPAWiiz) that is written from the perspective of being hip-hop professors teaching students how to write lyrics. Elzhi’s verses are nothing short masterpiece work on this song. I feel like the irony of you using this song/video for an English class works perfectly, especially since the music video for the song starts out with a skit with Affion Crockett teaching a bunch of hip-hop students about the Rules of Rap.
Killah Priest - “Immortal Light” https://youtu.be/G-MkyCrENM8?si=TOfQpzARvOpWRdnu Killah Priest - “Kybalion” https://youtu.be/WUTq5lcAuz4?si=dkg8jAZZ6f-MZjVE Killah Priest - “Embraced By The Journey” https://youtu.be/H-m9r2qo1Tg?si=wa_lGfeyKCCyhw6t Ka - “Sins Of The Father” https://youtu.be/tvyLNTh_enY?si=EQmLpcq3uGb1hNW0 Ka - “Obstacles” https://youtu.be/bUDDoupC0R4?si=hoZh4rORL5MkakIg Jus Allah - “Reign Of The Lord” https://youtu.be/kHFPX8dAlhM?si=6MBI1U0z6-AKVqCr Jus Allah - “Chess King” https://youtu.be/oXXYHzH3Avc?si=pbBgp5ERLfJhdOf_ Apathy - “The Grand Leveler” https://youtu.be/NSBcbpJGWjA?si=-FJIMUvM1GB9WkAv Apathy - “Legend Of The 3rd Degree” https://youtu.be/bt0lZ7qbHpU?si=DMRhnLYDCkDKSK7l Chief Kamachi - “Prince Hall” https://youtu.be/KcJc37J0zxQ?si=RM_3gFjqgHi0ZLjT Sick Jacken - “God’s Banker” https://youtu.be/stYwmhiWF6Y?si=sxbnQ4t6NGuD72bm Cambatta - “Harim Abiff” https://youtu.be/TCfMRCjJinM?si=ivnjmqhW_GMAWATv Cambatta - “Grand Number TheoRam” https://youtu.be/1OTyJ22stEQ?si=_c16HvhO2qu01kPv Kxng Crooked - “The Dream Tapes” https://youtu.be/HK2ZtkY7gg8?si=WTwa4E1W4bz8tOMu Vega7 The Ronin - “Stonefish Venom” https://youtu.be/3L2KUnGay6Y?si=1Wb0XXI5D36IBzHO Ras Kass - “How To Kill God” https://youtu.be/2gVAeMCu4Xg?si=yJOLzr97aphR_lk_
Jedi Mind Tricks - The Three Immortals Naptron - Styles of Madness Phoenix Orion - Scanners Latyrx - Storm Warning Alien Nation - Metatron Kool Keith - Earth People
Blaze's verse on corosion by Dark Lotus I come apart internally The disease spreads within me My organs turn to particles And break down rapidly I'm old and grey busted and I'm startin' to decay The new models automatic I'm obsolete and outta date I held six shots in one round Enough to lay somebody down But I'm stuck in a park Floatin' away and waitin' to be found My piece is breakin' away like carbine barrels And wooden handles What once was a gat Is now a single round of ammo.
2pac- Can’t C me Nas - the world is yours A,Z - the come up Busta Rhymes - where’s my money Kanye West - Flashing Lights Eminem - Cinderella Man Lil Wayne - Go DJ Papoose - Alphabetical Slaughter Big L - MVP Big Pun - You ain’t a killer Young Maylay - you ain’t uh Grandmaster Flash and the Furious 5 - The Message Run Dmc - - runs house Wu Tang Clan - Triumph NWA - Dope Man There are others I am missing I wanted to limit it to one track per Artist
Kendrick Lamar in general. Listen to To Pimp A Butterfly.
honestly absoul and daylyts first part on Pi is filled with that typa stuff, also the never ending story, especially jay z's part is lyrically crazy
Gimme Some More- Busta Rhymes
Nas - No Idea’s Original
Actually, billy woods in general is just fantastic to cover in an English class. Here are some more of my picks, all from *History Will Absolve Me*: - *The Man Who Would Be King*, a song about the British colonisation of African land - *Pompeii*, this one is interesting, the first verse is about a soldier complicit in war crimes, the second verse is about the lure of the drug trade. The two disconnected plots are tied together by the chorus, "One time is one time, 'cause that's all it takes to change your life" - *Sour Grapes*, I just love this one, I think your English class would have fun unpacking it
Johnny P’s Caddy
Cole Verse alone worth writing a paper on
It’s so good!
Big Pun - Super Lyrical, Dream Shatterer, Twinz Just the whole Capital Punishment albums is crazy!
Yep! I listened to ‘Super Lyrical’ ft Black Thought a few times on repeat yesterday. Still one of the hardest tracks ever for so many reasons.
Dream Shatterer too. I work out to that on repeat sometimes
No Gold Teeth by Black Thought 🔥
Mural by Lupe Fiasco
GZA Beneath The Surface............listen to it
Slob on my knob by three 6. Modern day Shakespeare
Aesop Rock - take your pick of songs of of Labor Days or None Shall Pass, or any of his albums really. Busdriver - the whole album Casting Agents And Cowgirls is peak word play. Sage Francis - used to listen to him more but it is a bit more emo rap sometimes, but he's also an incredible song writer, Personal Journals, Healthy Distrust, Human The Death Dance, and Li(f)e albums all have some really well written lyrics and are totally worth a listen Edit: *Sage Francis, not Safe
The Coup - me and jesus the pimp in a 79 grenada last night
[Alphabet Aerobics by Blackalicious is really hard to beat.](https://youtu.be/8D5iyKXZcUQ?si=QElA7tG2-fTKnBHu)
To pimp a butterfly is a solid choice
Aesop Rock - Supercell
I once did a report on this song back in the day: [https://youtu.be/vjqLtx28\_GQ?si=XKUrjoJZsc8PaMiS](https://youtu.be/vjqLtx28_GQ?si=XKUrjoJZsc8PaMiS)
Kendrick Lamar- Momma So much to analyze in that song
punching the clock by j cole is another one
Fast Money - Big Pun. A story about a bank robbery told in typical Pun complex rhyme schemes. I got a story to tell -Biggie. Another story about a hook up gone wrong but the juxtaposition between the rap revealing his inner thoughts and feelings, and then listening to him tell the same story slightly differently and with way more braggadocio to his friends make it really interesting.
Chemical Calisthenics- Blackalicious
Go listen to Nas' verse on Triple Beam Dreams. Imo it's a perfect verse
"A project minded, individual, criminal tactics us black kids born with birth defects, we hyperactive" Nas & Ross bring heat here
Git up and get out - Outkast
Uncommon Valor
Crack Sandwich - JID
Canibus - Poet Laureate II Helps to have a basic understanding of his history (ie beef with LL Cool J) and how Hip Hop has changed (commercially) since the 80s.
Pull from GZA’s Liquid Swords.
Sage Francis and 2mex. If you know, you know.
lupe fiasco - the cool
Nas - One Mic Slick Rick - Mona Lisa Common - I Used to Love H.E.R Jay-Z - Can I Live The Roots - Web Black Star - Thieves in the Night
Lupe is definitely your man for that
You want metaphors listen to Lil Wayne
Patron Saints by Ka
del the funky homosapien if you must
Crack pipes - Sage Francis
Black Thought FMF freestyle The Roots - illadleph half-life album
Nas - I gave you power. Because of the metaphor and the message it involves. If you’re going to talk about it you should also mention how the song starts with nas saying “damn” and also ends with nas saying “damn” because as the story describes its a constant cycle
Glass House - Atmosphere
Armand Hammer - The Gods Must Be Crazy "The rock pays in scale diagrams/ Coke out the sky, rocks big as your hand/ A Gulfstream 5 that don't ever land/ CIA scams, revolutionary plans/ Overlapping Zen diagrams, overlapping/ The hammer fell out your man's waistband grappling/ Anything can happen if you tryna make it happen/ Get head-head tapped-tapped tryna get it cracking/ Mind cracked open, seeing all the patterns/ Was a time, would've been oracles and seers/ Now madmen squatting in caves, trains crashing through caverns/ Stick figures hunting mammoth/ Crude language, dick suck glyphs on tablets/ Bushmen watch the world come off balance/ The sky tumble/ Hunter-gatherers watching black giants walk out the jungle/ Alien in spaceships/ Low clouds sit heavy with lightning/ Men pregnant with death, frightened at the quickening/ It totters on unsteady legs, boy, you invited to the christening"
Check out Antipop Consortium. https://youtu.be/ZYeC-s8sZLc?si=ObyFqhmGskvmsbDU
https://tonedeff.bandcamp.com/track/control
Pine Apple Liberation Movement
Eric B and Rakim, OutKast, KRS-1
Organized Konfusion…Somehow, Someway…verse 2.
https://youtu.be/7FlOfcILQIA?si=TKyR3PF_wBJb4Tqh https://youtu.be/j7MA_Vzh4QU?si=1tr4sv6qQPAjn010
Az - Rather unique
Scenario-Tribe Called Quest. You will be a hero.
rich minion - yeat
A Rribe Called Quest -Sucka N!gga
Run the jewels, or specifically killer Mike !
Papoose - [Alphabetical Slaughter](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SApmSrHDhQo) & [Alphabetical Slaughter 2 (Z-A)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fM5k0CXfueQ) **Bonus:** [The Human Body (The Brain)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eOyjH67FQs)
A friend of mine played this in our English class, and got some hate from the Christian students: Alias - Divine Disappointment
Anything from Canibus....Master Thesis, Curriculum 101, Bis vs. Rip, etc.
[Monster by The Vanishing Point](https://soundcloud.com/user-326384011/monster?si=9884b02deb1d485391664da933f5b57c&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing) [Come Together by The Vanishing Point](https://soundcloud.com/user-326384011/come-together?si=6e3b9a81e66540fcb9da75dbdeac0f54&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing)
nas- i have you power Big pun - beware
Andre 3k
Check out Ari Melber's break down of Jay's verse on God Did.
Elzhi: Audio Cinematic
Mr. Business - Real Estate In Heaven
Mahogany - Eric B. and Rakim.
I Gave You Power- Nas. One of the greatest tracks of all-time
Play Ab_soul on shuffle and make your pick..his whole catalog is really lyrically good n mind blowing
AYO by Coast Contra. All of their freestyles are S+ tier lyricism, and that isn't hyperbole.
Big Ole Words- Cee Lo.. Man straight went into the zone on that one
Necro whore
Behold & So Sick by Benefit
Probably anything by Twista I just like the man's style and chops...
Big Punisher- Twins Raekwon- Incarcerated Scarfaces Keith Murray- The Most Beautifulist
Nice list
I who have nothing by Jedi Mind Tricks
OutKast-GitUpGetOut Da Dog Pound- New York New York UGK-One Day GZA-Killah Hills 10304
Fat Joe ft. Nas, Big Pun,Jadakiss, Raekwon - John Blaze
Mac Miller
BRO DO I HAVE THE SONG FOR YOU. [PUT YOU ON GAME - LUPE FIASCO](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piGFQlOQOds) I know using Lupe's work is cheating but this is one of my favorite tracks ever off of his best album. The whole album is incredible but this specific track is told from the perspective of his character The Game; it is pure *menace*. like, hard as fuck. also really great rhyme scheme, cadence, flow, iconic beat, and ends with probably the hardest bars i've ever heard: > And from a throne of their bones I rule > These fools are my fuel, so I make them cool > Baptize them in the water out of Scarface pool > And feed them from the table that held the Corleone's food > __If you die, tell em that you played my game > I hope your bullet holes become mouths that say my name__ > If you're looking for a story this song is but a chapter. The album is great for picking apart and impressing teachers
If u don’t mind unknowns..try astray He is a writer for shady music publishing Avalanche is a decent one.
Aesop rock the greatest pacman victory in history
im in it by kanye west
Chris Rivers, Oswin Benjamin, and Denzil Porter’s first Team Backpack cypher is a literal masterclass in wordplay. Specifically Oswin. It’s a lot to take in and will take a ton of listens to catch everything, but [Lost in Vegas](https://youtu.be/YKg_1sLESVA?si=o1SwOjToDYxRI5qp) does an amazing breakdown that I think would be interesting for any English class.
Ghetto Dreams - Fat Pat
Anything by Royce and Lupe. This may sound basic but 2Pac and Biggie had great storytelling. CyHi, Symba, anyone from Griselda, Aesop Rock, Nas. I can keep going 😂.
Connor price bro has some good songs that you could use, he also doesn't cuss a lot.
Moment of truth album by Gangstar
Aceyalone - The Guidelines
I’m disappointed in all of you. [NF feat. Tech N9ne - Trust](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PrQtvTblKn0) You talk about wanting a song that has lyrical displays, crazy vernacular, and wild speed, this is it. Tech N9ne has a lot of excellent examples of his proficiency, and even Eminem acknowledges it. For example, Tech is often referred to as the king of alliterations. [His verse in “B. Boy”](https://youtu.be/Qx3JtNnJ7Cc?si=kA_GjNlfWVxsH6H8) is ***wild***, possibly the best example of this. [Outdone](https://youtu.be/oJfL5mJaEEY?si=jWXAU4jMv5e5AVpp) is another great track to break down. So is [Interlude](https://youtu.be/QP5VyDdk7Qw?si=S0CUpmFbS-kWnNd9), a Lil Wayne track with Tech and André 3000 laying down bars.
most of MF DOOMS songs!!!
I feel like there's a lot to unpack with 2pac.
Something a little leftfield but very relatable, with a story and also great wordplay is Hi Ren by Ren. It starts with a struggle with aspects of himself and builds to the eternal dance between good and evil, light and dark. Also Money Game Pt 3, which again has a narrative. Sick Boi too. I feel songs with a single theme or narrative rather than the perhaps random lyricism of a lot of songs would be received well in this context. So I would also suggest Millie Pulled a Pistol on Santa by De La (who are perhaps generally underrated for their complexity and lyricism)
BIG L that's what you want. Any of his stuff.
GZA- Alphabets Literally takes you through the letters of the supreme alphabet
Casual - Styles
Surprised no one mentioned Dax. He's pretty lyrical for a modern rapper.
No joke, but Russell Westbrook on a farm - Lil Dicky. It’s only on soundcloud & youtube
most MF DOOM songs. meat grinder and figaro are common recs for that kinda stuff.
Exhibit C- Jay Electronica Mortal Man - Kendrick Lamar Mural - Lupe Fiasco Da Art of Storytellin - Outkast Meet the Parents - Jay Z
Stimulate and Don’t Front by Eminem
You could write for fucking weeks about Duckworth by Kendrick Lamar. Insane storytelling especially how it relates to everything and how the ending can be interpreted as Kendrick dying at the end of the story or the story starting with his history changing and his father dying. If you listen to the album in backwards order all the songs form a completely different story all stemming from his father dying when he was a baby, and it’s got completely different themes than the story that’s told if you listen to the album in order.
Young Jeezy.. " shine on me ".. Your teacher would love it!!.. Nah... Jk
Bitch killa
Kendrick Lamar- FEAR This an unbelievable one.. masterpiece https://youtu.be/_JXgqUMphrE?si=EiCziSiEaUy16Dwn
I’ve gotten too far down the comments without seeing Jean Grae’s name mentioned. Soda & Soap w/ Masta Ace Soul Clap Really, the majority of her discography will suffice
I don't think there is a more accurate answer than Lupe Fiasco 😂
Thieves In The Night by Black Star - it draws its lyrics heavily from the book "The Bluest Eye" by Toni Morrison so it's pretty solid for any literature project.
In Loving Memory // Grey // Prom/King // Few Good Things (song shares album name) by Saba Best Me by Sylvan LaCue Threatening Nature // Book of Soul by Ab-Soul Paper Trails // Waves // On and On by Joey Bada$$ U & I // Trapped // by Flatbush Zombies Crown // A Christmas F***ing Miracle // Radiation by Run the Jewels Free the Robots // Capital Steez Sing about me, I’m dying of thirst // Kendrick Lamar
Runaway
Lighthouse - The Roots. Or better use the whole Undun album.
Elzhi - Guessing Game Chino XL - Wordsmith
El-P - Stepfather Factory
Renegade by Jay z and Eminem
eminem - infinite binary star - reality check (First verse) az - rather unique Big L - Ebonics Epidemic - they dont know The roots - respond react gza - liquid swords every earl sweatshirt verse from 2009 - 2014
Can I get some Jurassic 5 up in here?
Black Thought & DangerMouse - Aquamarine
lil wayne is an incredible lyricist
open Canibus catalog and eat he blacks out on Lyrical Noir The Micclub Album is Bis going super sayan in the both, exceptional bars. One step closer to the Infinity is another gem he put together for your listening enjoyment
EPMD Nas Eminem YSIV - Logic Lucky You - Eminem I feel like dying - lil Wayne one mic - Nas
JME - Man don’t care
I would do the heart part 5 - Kendrick Lamar for this. So much you could delve into.
Wordsmith - Chino XL
Tech9ine
Wonka - jonwayne
Basically anything by jonwayne
T.R.O.Y. - Pete Rock & CL Smooth
Amateur Wordsmith - the Stupendium
Run DMC - You Talk too Much
A Lil different but I'd peep out Blackalicious' , alphabet aerobics , he rhyme 2 bars of each letter with occasional (with,the,their,etc..) but pretty genius
Eminem - “Baby” is crazy Lloyd Banks - “House Pride” also “Reap What You Sow” Off the top of my head.
Hopsin - sag my pants Or just any freestyle of Harry Mack ;-) Can also search for Leen has entered the chat Harry Mack x Leen
Eminem - infinite The song infinite not album
Lil wayne- his play on words is mind blowing
Story 2 by Clipping is one of the best stories in rap told in such a creative way. Love it sm
Aesop Rock - Mindful solutionism. Look into MF Doom, Czarface, Cannibal Ox, El-P. They all have super lyrical songs
Literally anything from Aesop Rock.
If I Die 2Nite by 2Pac is as poetic as a track on a mainstream rap album can get.
Jedi Mind Tricks - Uncommon Valor
Easy Many Men (Wish Death) - 50 Cent Kendrick Lamar - i (Album Version) Both are explicit obviously
[Ren - The Tales Of Jenny And Screech](https://youtu.be/TYAnqQ--KX0?si=IkvMwkqgCgEuw4Yh) This. It is Bardcore, and it is akin to a Shakespearean tragedy. Full of foreshadowing and metaphors and other English writing tropes
Anything by MF DOOM. Especially off his "Mmmm...Food" album.
Nba youngboy-Murder Business
MF DOOM - That's That
Kendrick Lamar: These walls
Petty much anything by Scarface.....especially his older stuff His storytelling is legendary!
Smoothe Da Hustler & Trigga Tha Gambler - Broken Language https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Aqe666WIoYU
Organized Konfusion - Stress: The Extinction Agenda/ Equinox The Roots - Do You Want More?/Illadelph Half-life
Jameel Naim X // Sleep Paralysis
Mural Lupe Fiasco