Emotional and sad rap songs are no longer a foreign word in the hip-hop music industry. Music has always been a powerful tool to express and convey emotions. Rap songs can seem too upbeat to listen to when you're down. Also, people often think that rap songs are about arrogance, brutality, and materialism.
But in recent years the concept has changed. Rap artists are now expressing their emotional and touching feelings and dark thoughts in their attractive lyrics.
Well, someone has to express what you're feeling inside and put it into words. Alongside the stylistic, upbeat music, the emotional lyrics can focus on anything from breakups to suicide.
Like everyone else, rappers deal with their own pain and sadness. Some of them choose to pick up the mic and let it down.
This article compiles 20 best sad rap songs of 2021 that you can listen to and take care of your depressed mind on.
Index
Here are our 20 sad rap tracks.
1. Call my phone
(Lil Tjay, 6 APARTMENTS)
Lil Tjay released this song as a Valentine's Day gift to his fans. The song will be released on February 12, 2021 with a music video directed by Cam Busby. Also, American singer 6LACKS performs in the song.
Calling MY Phone talks about trying to escape the clutches of an ex-lover. Gentle piano composition throughout the song sets the perfect mood for the lyrics with a catchy beat.
Calling My Phone is Lil Tjay and 6LACK's most successful single. It debuted at number three on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.
This is our top choice in our collection of sad rap songs.
2. Gang style finesse
Lil Durk, little baby
Lil Durk and Lil Baby have collaborated on several tracks. Finesse Out The Gang Way is the latest sad rap song to be released.
The song begins with a beautiful piano intro that carries the melody of the entire song. Lil Durk talks about his difficult career in this song. He also opens up about the deaths of his fellow Chicago rappers and childhood friend King Von.
The song ends with a powerful verse from Lil Baby talking about his own coming off the streets.
3. The world of clowns
tom macdonald
The latest release from Pink Floyd-inspired Canadian rapper and songwriter Tom Macdonald is Clown World. This song lyrically focuses on the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020. It also hints at the hot topic of 2021, namely gender roles and mainstream unisexuality.
Clown World was #1 on the US iTunes Hip Hop/Rap Sales chart.
4. Fools (I can't help but fall in love)
Foster, Sody, sarcastic sounds
Nashville artist Colin Foster Taylor and British singer-songwriter Sody collaborated on this song. "Fools" is the modern rap version of the Elvis Presley classic "can't help fall in love". Packed with rewritten rap verses, classic smooth chorus and steady beat throughout the song, it's a perfect lo-fi hip hop/pop anthem.
With over 15 million streams, this song made it into the top 10 of the US Spotify Viral Chart.
5. Toxic Punk
Boy never broke
Young Boy (real name Kentrell DeSean) had a successful run with three No. 1s on the Billboard 200 last year. Toxic Punk is his first track this year, produced by Dj Trebble, Dmac and TnTXD with a guitar-driven trap melody.
In this sad rap song, YoungBoy sings about the toxic effects of drugs on his life.
6. Fake Awakening
tom macdonalds
Canadian musician Nova Paholek collaborated with MacDonalds on this track.
MacDonalds breaks up American rappers Eminem and Cardi B for being seen as role models in the song's intro. He also protests the idea that white privilege exists and that black lives matter.
7. Street Racer
rod shaft
Rod Wave wrote the song Street Runner as a letter to his girlfriend in Florida. In this song, Rod Wave announces himself as a street racer busy chasing success in life.
Rod Wave apologizes to his girlfriend for not being there for her when she was in distress. Now she misses his touch, his laughter and holding his hand. The piano composition throughout the song fits the lyrics perfectly.
8. Declared dead
Youngboy never broke
Kentrell DeSean Gaulden is known professionally as YoungBoy Never Broke Again. His emotional rap song Death Enclaimed is dedicated to Father's Day. The song emphasizes the importance of family. With an accompanying music video, the lyrics fit perfectly into the picture.
YoungBoy has six children. He likes to spend as much time as possible with everyone.
9. Broken love
Mo3Kevin Gates
Dallas rapper Mo3 and Kevin Gates collaborated on this emotional rap song. Surrounded by beautiful women, luxury cars, friends and money, they sing about the harsh reality of their lives.
The Northside street artist tells the hair-raising tale with a snappy voice that complements the beat, describing the hard-hitting realities of his life, alliances and cunning women. Kevin Gates describes his feelings for fake friends, how his mother lives and falls in love with prostitutes.
10. I'm not perfect
Mozzy, Blxst
Mozzy's emotional rap I Ain't Perfect features Blxst in the chorus. Mozzy reflects on moments from his past life through the eyes of a bird with a flamboyant lifestyle. After finding success in music, Mozzy recalls the trauma he experienced.
The music video reflects Mozzy's local hangout around the neighborhood. The clip goes perfectly with the melancholic lyrics. The song showcases Mozzy's struggle with depression and his awareness of social unrest.
11. P2
Lil Uzi Vert
P2 is the follow-up to Lil Uzi Vert's 2017 single "XO Tour Llif3". It is composed to the same melody as the original track.
P2 stands out as Part 2. Like the sad rap "XO Tour Llif3", Lil Uzi Vert raps in P2 about his ex-girlfriend's problems and drug addiction.
12. Suicide
YNW Melly, Jugo WRLD
Suicidal is a song about the feelings of depression and hate that Melly develops after breaking up with her friend. Anger and suffering are so high that he thinks about losing his life.
He also says that this suicidal idea did not come from him. The toxicity of her partner's affection led Melly into this situation.
13. It doesn't take time
HOTBOII, little baby
HOTBOII wrote this song to commemorate his late friend. In this song, HOTBOII plays with the idea of living the fast life. Illustrates the concept that time waits for no one. In the end you have to play fast with the time.
Lil Baby added a verse to this song in a remixed version. And definitely this version sounds more interesting than the original HOTBOII composition.
14. Diva
The Kid Laroi, Lil Tecca
Kid Laroi is a 17 year old rising star from Sydney, Australia. We'll see some of the biggest forces in teen rap come together to produce a chart-topping song with this latest song. The LAROI boy is smaller than Tecca in the US, but in his native Australia the 17-year-old gets a lot of noise.
15. Voice
smaller Durk
Lil Durk introduces himself as the voice of the street in this sad rap. Despite his enormous success, he is still anchored in neighborhood life.
Lil Drake begins to summarize the essence of his beliefs with specific statements. Even if you cling to reality all the time, you will still have your doubts.
16. Through the wire
rod shaft
This track is not a sample of the famous Kenye West track of the same name. Although Rod Wave uses the reference.
On "Through the Wire," Wave raps about his issues with the substances that almost killed him, revealing he was high when his car collided: "He ran and hit a pole, head-on / He was walking thinking 'mine Lifestyle I've lost my sight." We see him in the video sitting against his own disabled limousine.
17. Lost
NF, Hopsina
NF (real name Nathan John Feuerstein) is known as a Christian rapper. He raps along with Hopsin on this song.
Lost's deep lyrics will remind you how resilience, anger, trust issues and paranoia will sound. The song is driven by soulful beats to deliver both artists' groovy and aggressive rap flow.
18. stay
Tommy Christo
Californian rapper Tommy Kristo brings a new level of creativity and emotion to this song. In this song, Tommy Kristo expresses his feelings for his ex-lover. He is so alone without her that he no longer feels the pull of life.
19. It was too early
NUSKI2SQUAD, chords
Sixteen year old Nuskisquad is a famous rapper from Missouri. On this track, NUSKI delivers his pained lyrics with Toosii, another up-and-coming hip-hop/rap artist. The lyrics flow seamlessly into a catchy beat.
20. Dor
came in Dutch
Rising star Bradley Cowens Jr. is known by his stage name Kam Dutchie. The song Pain debuted with a music video on February 7.
The video begins solemnly with a car driving through a graveyard and Kam Dutchie goes on to explain the sad story. He places roses on monuments and describes his struggles with romantic relationships and family trauma. This is our last choice in our collection of sad rap songs.
This is our list of our favorite sad rap songs. Let us know which one is your favorite from the list above. If you have personal favorites, please share the songs with us in the comments box below.
Also check:
- Our Best Frank Ocean Songs [2022]
- Our list of the best Maroon 5 songs of all time
FAQs
Who is the best sad rapper? ›
- Rarin. 57,804 listeners. We don't have a wiki here yet...
- killedmyself. 85,722 listeners. Emo Rap/Trap producer from North Carolina.
- Nicoteen Ninyo. 20,349 listeners. ...
- zwall. 4,707 listeners. ...
- Pardyalone. 23,331 listeners. ...
- Gavn! We don't have a wiki here yet...
- ChrispyD. 26,218 listeners. ...
- Cloudy Nueve. 12,574 listeners.
- 'Nothing Compares 2 U' by Sinéad O'Connor. ...
- 'Hurt' by Johnny Cash. ...
- 'Only Love Can Break Your Heart' by Neil Young. ...
- 'Teardrop' by Massive Attack. ...
- 'I Know It's Over' by The Smiths. ...
- 'No Distance Left to Run' by Blur. ...
- 'The Boxer' by Simon & Garfunkel. ...
- 'No Name #5' by Elliott Smith.
- "Hurt" – Nine Inch Nails / Johnny Cash.
- "Someone Like You" – Adele. ...
- “Something in the Way” – Nirvana. ...
- “Nothing Compares 2 U” – Sinéad O'Connor. ...
- “Tears in Heaven” – Eric Clapton. ...
- "I Will Always Love You" – Whitney Houston. ...
- "Close to You" – Rihanna. ...
- "It's Too Late" – Carole King. ...
- REM – “Everybody Hurts”
- Sinead O'Connor – “Nothing Compares 2 U”
- Eric Clapton – “Tears in Heaven”
- Whitney Houston – “I Will Always Love You”
- The Beatles – “Yesterday”
- Adele – “Someone Like You”
- Celine Dion – “My Heart Will Go On”
- Roy Orbison – “Crying”
2. Rebel XD – “Record Breaker (World's Fastest Rap)” The current Guinness World Record for “World's Fastest Rapper” is held by Los Angeles rapper Rebel XD. He first obtained the title in 1992 for rapping 674 syllables in 54.9 seconds, breaking Twista's record set earlier that year.
Who started sad rap? ›Mid 2010s to present: Popularity and deaths. Emo rap was pioneered by Bones, whose VHS-recorded music videos and dark production and aesthetic were so influential on the hip hop underground of the time that Dazed described him as the "underground rap king."
What to listen to when you need to cry? ›...
- “Someone Like You” by Adele.
- “Hallelujah” by Jeff Buckley. ...
- “Class of 2013” by Mitski. ...
- “The Book of Love” by Peter Gabriel. ...
- “Echoes in Rain” by Enya. ...
Tears and chills – or “tingles” – on hearing music are a physiological response which activates the parasympathetic nervous system, as well as the reward-related brain regions of the brain. Studies have shown that around 25% of the population experience this reaction to music.
Do sad songs cure depression? ›Sad music does not — as many people believe — make you feel worse. In actuality, it can help you feel better. It makes logical sense that, when you're sad, you would feel better by changing your mood.
Why are sad songs the best? ›The psychology of sad music. A key reason we enjoy sad songs is because they profoundly “move” us. This experience is sometimes called kama muta, a Sanskrit term meaning “moved by love”. Feeling moved can involve chills, goosebumps, a flood of emotions (including romantic ones), a warmth in our chest, and elation.
What are sad songs on Spotify? ›
- Life Without YouOlivia Broadfield.
- Forget Me - Piano AcousticLewis Capaldi.
- Keep Me - AcousticAshley Singh.
- Good WithoutMimi Webb.
- Fingers CrossedLauren Spencer Smith.
- I miss you, I'm sorryGracie Abrams.
- Someone You LovedLewis Capaldi.
- My Heart Says OehMarnix Emanuel.
It Stimulates the Release of Comforting Hormones
On a biological level, listening to melancholic music has been shown to boost levels of hormones such as prolactin. Among its numerous functions, prolactin is considered to modulate feelings of sadness by preparing the body to deal with traumatic events.
Sentimental R.E.M ballad Everybody Hurts has been voted the song most likely to make men cry. In a survey by songwriters and musicians group the Performing Right Society for Music, published online, the 1992 hit topped the list of men's top tear-jerkers, followed by Eric Clapton's Tears in Heaven at number two.
How do sad songs make me cry? ›The Science of a Music-Induced Cry
The same study also found that sad music brought up feelings of nostalgia, an often "bittersweet emotion" that makes people experience a longing for the past, despite the sadness that might be associated with it.
“Last Hope” by Paramore
“Last Hope” is one of those songs that hits the nail on the head for many people when it comes to describing what having depression is like.
- 3 The Smiths – 'This Night Has Opened My Eyes'
- 4 Lou Reed – 'The Kids' ...
- 5 Bruce Springsteen – 'The River' ...
- 6 Frank Ocean – 'Swim Good' ...
- 7 Peter Gabriel – 'Mercy Street' ...
- 8 Bone Thugs-N-Harmony – 'Tha Crossroads' ...
- 9 Robyn – 'Dancing On My Own' ...
- 10 Glasvegas – 'Daddy's Gone' glasvegasVEVO. ...
- REM – Everybody Hurts.
- Sinead O'Connor – Nothing Compares 2 U.
- Eric Clapton – Tears in Heaven.
- Whitney Houston – I Will Always Love You.
- The Beatles – Yesterday.
- Adele – Someone Like You.
- Celine Dion – My Heart Will Go On.
- Roy Orbison – Crying.
'Everybody Hurts' by REM has been named the saddest song of all time. A poll of 2,000 music lovers declared the 1992 track as the ultimate tearjerker, ahead of 'Nothing Compares 2 U' by Sinead O'Connor, and Eric Clapton's 'Tears in Heaven'.
How fast is Rap God? ›The song's tempo is 148 BPM.
Who is faster than Rap God? ›Eminem's New Track 'Godzilla' Just Broke the World Record for Fastest Rap Verse. The controversial artist spits bars at 10.65 syllables per second on the track's third verse. ... According to Genius, the verse outpaces his previous speedy hit 'Rap God', and his feature on Nicki Minaj's 'Majesty'.
Who is the fastest rapper in history? ›
The fastest rapper in the English language is US artist Ab-Soul, rapping 8.31 seconds per second on average. The fastest Italian artist is Shiva, who raps an impressive 6.33 syllables per second on average. Puerto Rican artist Kendo Kaponi is the fastest in Spanish, rapping an average of 6.11 syllables per second.
What drugs are emo rap? ›Some believe it promotes destructive habits and encourages suicidal ideations. In 2018, during a joint investigation by the New York Police Department and Drug Enforcement Agency, emo-rap lyrics were blamed for “glorifying” fentanyl and Xanax, directly influencing the opioid epidemic.
Who named rap? ›By the late 1960s, when Hubert G. Brown changed his name to H. Rap Brown, rap was a slang term referring to an oration or speech, such as was common among the "hip" crowd in the protest movements, but it did not come to be associated with a musical style for another decade.
Who is the most emo rapper? ›- Juice WRLD. 1,294,234 listeners. ...
- The Kid LAROI. 1,052,312 listeners. ...
- iann dior. 474,715 listeners. ...
- brakence. 189,351 listeners. ...
- Lil Tracy. 191,786 listeners. ...
- jxdn. 227,792 listeners. ...
- CONVOLK. 133,343 listeners. ...
- lund. 279,120 listeners.
- Favorite SongToosii.
- How Do I Say GoodbyeDean Lewis.
- The ExitConan Gray.
- Best Friend BreakupLauren Spencer Smith.
- I'll Be WaitingCian Ducrot.
- Until I Found YouStephen Sanchez.
- Fall in Love with You. Montell Fish.
- God Is A Freak - AcousticPeach PRC.
Indeed, when people listen to sad music, only around 25% say they actually feel sad. The remainder experience other, often related emotions, most commonly nostalgia. This feeling of nostalgia can help increase our sense of social connectedness, mitigate feelings of meaningless, and reduce anxiety.
Why are sad songs so sad? ›For many, sad songs are often associated with a person, place or experience from the past. While this could range from high school days, a break up or death of a significant person, it is found that it can be a powerful trigger for what is gone.
What is the number 1 best rap song? ›- “Rapper's Delight” – The Sugarhill Gang.
- “The Message” – Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five.
- “Lose Yourself” – Eminem.
- “Fight The Power” – Public Enemy.
- “Nuthin' But A 'G' Thang” – Dr. ...
- “Mind Playing Tricks On Me” – Geto Boys.
- “Juicy” – Notorious B.I.G.
Emo rap is a fusion genre of hip hop and emo music. Originating in the SoundCloud rap scene in the mid-2010s, the genre fuses characteristics of hip hop music, such as beats and rapping, with the lyrical themes, instrumentals, and vocals commonly found in emo music.
Who is the best emo rapper? ›- Juice WRLD. 1,294,234 listeners. ...
- The Kid LAROI. 1,052,312 listeners. ...
- iann dior. 474,715 listeners. ...
- brakence. 189,351 listeners. ...
- Lil Tracy. 191,786 listeners. ...
- jxdn. 227,792 listeners. ...
- CONVOLK. 133,343 listeners. ...
- lund. 279,120 listeners.
What is the best song ever? ›
- “Strange Fruit” by Billie Holiday. ...
- “Heartbreak Hotel” by Elvis Presley. ...
- “Stand By Me” by Ben E. ...
- “Imagine” by John Lennon. ...
- “Killing Me Softly” by Roberta Flack. ...
- “God Only Knows” by Beach Boys. ...
- “Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson. ...
- “Can't We Be Friends” by Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong.
1. Yo Yo Honey Singh: Honey Singh is the one who took the rap industry to this level. He was out of the rap industry for many years. However, now he has made his comeback.
What was the #1 rap song in 2000? ›Single | Artist | Reached number one |
---|---|---|
"Callin' Me" | Lil Zane featuring 112 | July 15, 2000 |
"Bounce with Me" | Lil' Bow Wow featuring Xscape | August 19, 2000 |
"Callin' Me" ↑ | Lil Zane featuring 112 | September 2, 2000 |
"Bounce with Me" ↑ | Lil' Bow Wow featuring Xscape | September 9, 2000 |
HASN'T BROKEN: Most No.
Drake has tallied 11 No. 1 hits on the Hot 100 in his career, the most among rappers. Among all artists, though, he's tied with Whitney Houston for the seventh-most, after The Beatles (20), Mariah Carey (19), Rihanna (14), Michael Jackson (13), The Supremes and Madonna (12 each).
- DJ Lil Sprite – “Undaground Choppers 6”
- Twisted Insane – “The Chop Shop” (2015) ...
- Tonedeff – “Crispy (192)” (2013) ...
- NoClue – “New West” (2005) ...
- Tech N9ne – “Worldwide Choppers” ft. ...
- Busta Rhymes – “Break Ya Neck” (2001) ...
- Logic – “100 Miles & Running” ft. ...
- Twista – “Mista Tung Twista” (1992) ...
- #1 Jay-Z.
- #2 Lil Wayne.
- #3 Kanye West.
- #4 Kendrick Lamar.
- #5 Notorious B.I.G.
- #6 Tupac Shakur.
- #7 Dr. Dre.
- #8 Snoop Dogg.
One of the main pioneers of modern emo rap is an artist called Bones. He combined rap with the older sounds of rock bands to form the base for all modern emo rap, and became one of the first emo rappers.
Who invented emo? ›Born out of Washington D.C.'s 1980s hardcore-punk scene, emo's roots are often traced back to Rites Of Spring. Musically similar to the scuzzed-up riffing of post-hardcore, it was Rites Of Spring's personal lyricism that saw them picked out as the fathers of emo.
What are the 5 types of emo? ›- 2.1 Emocore.
- 2.2 Midwest Emo.
- 2.3 Emo Pop.
- 2.4 Screamo.
- My Chemical Romance. To kick off this list, we're just going to get the "Big 4" emo bands out of the way. ...
- Paramore. Next up is Paramore: another major headliner at the first When We Were Young. ...
- Fall Out Boy. ...
- Panic! ...
- Taking Back Sunday. ...
- All Time Low. ...
- Jimmy Eat World. ...
- Sunny Day Real Estate.