"Mother..." playlist contributed by Salome Agbaroji (2025)
The genre of hip-hop is characterized by its rhythmic beats, booming bass, and other elements, but one prominent feature of hip-hop that exists in seemingly no other genre is the bravado. In rap, it is part of the culture to establish yourself as a dominant, cool, impenetrable figure by flaunting wealth and social status. I don’t think this is a bad thing at all, it makes hip-hop great for feel-good party anthems and self-confidence boosts. However, behind every emcee is a human being dealing with the complexities of life and emotions, which will inevitably make its way into the music.
Rap as a literary genre, which is very similar to spoken word poetry, is a great stage to journal and untangle the complicated process of grief. Just as much as hip-hop values bravado, it values realness. And a vulnerable and honest reflection about the process of grief is just about as real as it gets. I have included songs from some of my favorite rappers—Kendrick Lamar, Killer Mike, and André 3000—who have written verses on losing a maternal relationship, whether it be a mother or grandmother. These lyrics are raw and unfiltered, and hopefully can help anyone else who is also learning to live through loss while maintaining a healthy masculinity.
Link to Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2xr1WeIRjcF4TXsLdgcjLj?si=04b0a012297b4ce9
Quotes from the playlist:
“All my grandmas dead, ain’t nobody playing with me, I’m on your head” - ELEMENT, Kendrick
“My momma dead, my grandmomma dead” - Mother, Killer Mike
“You ain’t felt grief till you felt it sober” - Mother I Sober, Kendrick Lamar
“I’m starting to believe ain’t no such thing as Heaven’s trumpets. No after, over, this is it, done. If there’s a Heaven you would think they let you speak to your son.” - Life of the Party, Andre 3000
This page has paths:
- Acknowledging Loss: Music George Shaohua Qiao