The 30 best conscious rappers of all times
by ruffcoaley | created - 11 Nov 2015 | updated - 12 Jan 2016 | PublicSelf conscious, worldly conscious, spiritually conscious, Politically conscious
1. Tupac Shakur
Actor | Juice
Born in New York City, Tupac grew up primarily in Harlem. In 1984, his family moved to Baltimore, Maryland where he became good friends with Jada Pinkett Smith. His family moved again in 1988 to Oakland, California. His first breakthrough in music came in 1991 as a member of the group Digital ...
Early 2pac was as conscious as they come... And he stayed conscious until the end... Tupac related to us and us to him like the world has to another rapper... He spoke the struggle and I felt his passion for the cause... some of tupac best conscious songs, since he had so many... 1. Dear momma 2. Keep your head up 3. white mans world 4. Changes *** 5. My block 1995 original ( my fav )
2. KRS-One
Soundtrack | The Manchurian Candidate
Lawrence "Kris" Parker better known by his stage names KRS-One (an abbreviation of "Knowledge Reigns Supreme Over Nearly Everyone") and Teacha, is an American rapper, lyricist and occasional producer from New York. He rose to prominence as part of the hip hop group Boogie Down Productions, which he...
Most would prob give the number spot to Krs one for being one of the original conscious rappers but I think pac deserve the num #1 spot
3. Nas
Soundtrack | Belly
Nas, born Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones on September 14, 1973, is the son of Olu Dara, an unconventional jazz musician. At age nine he was a member of the Devastatin' Seven in the mid-1980s, the fruits of which can be heard on his 1994 debut, "Illmatic," which was released on Columbia/SME later that ...
Arguably nas could be considered number 1... I love nas but nas was more worldly conscious, and religiously conscious... some of nas best conscious songs 1. Life is what you make it 2. If I ruled the world 3. I wanna talk to you ( my fav ) 4. The message 5. last words
4. J. Cole
Soundtrack | Project X
Jermaine Cole (a.k.a. J.Cole) was originally born in Germany. But his origins are from North Carolina/Charlotte and he never hides it. He was signed by Jay-Z as the first artist for his record label Roc Nation. He dropped his first mix tape there, 'The Warm Up' and it had received great reviews ...
J cole has so many conscious songs if he wasn't so new he would have ended up in the top 5... we looking at the child of nas and tupac... This guy is increditable... some of his songs 1. Be free 2. January 28th 3. Apparently 4. sideline story 5. too deep for the intro
5. Scarface
Soundtrack | Narc
Scarface, a.k.a. Brad Jordan, was born and raised in Houston, Texas, in the South Park neighborhood. He is one of the rappers of the Geto Boys, and has recorded solo albums like Mr. Scarface is Back, The Diary, and The World is Yours. In real life, he was a high school dropout at 16, and suffered ...
He would be number 2 on this list if it was my fav conscious rapper but im not being bias... some of scarface conscious songs 1. Faith 2. Smile 3. this cant be life 4. Win lose or draw ( my fav )
6. Goodie Mob
Soundtrack | Any Given Sunday
Goodie Mob is known for Any Given Sunday (1999), 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003) and Moonlight (2016).
This group dropped so many conscious songs I almost put them ahead of public enemy... some of goodie mob conscious songs 1. Beautiful Skin 2. Thought process ( my fav ) 3. Guess who 4. cell theropy 5. black ice
7. Public Enemy
Soundtrack | Do the Right Thing
Public Enemy is known for Do the Right Thing (1989), Star Trek Beyond (2016) and End of Watch (2012).
Could arguably be in the top 3 on this list
8. DMX
Soundtrack | Exit Wounds
Earl Simmons (December 18, 1970 - April 9, 2021), known by his stage name DMX ("Dark Man X"), was an American rapper and actor. He began rapping in the early 1990s and released his debut album It's Dark and Hell Is Hot in 1998, to both critical acclaim and commercial success, selling 251,000 copies...
a lot of people might disagree with the fact I got dmx num 9 of all time out of conscious rappers but lets check out the track record... 1. ready to meet him 2. slippin 3. lord give a sign 4. Let me fly 5. for the love
9. Tip 'T.I.' Harris
Actor | Ant-Man
T.I. was born Clifford Joseph Harris, Jr. on September 25, 1980, in Atlanta, Georgia, to Violeta Morgan and Clifford "Buddy" Harris, Sr. He is also known as T.I.P. and "Rubberband Man". T.I. is from the streets of Westside Bankhead Zone 1 in Atlanta. His original stage name, T.I.P., it stems from ...
1. Don't hate shawty 2. Doin my job 3. live in the sky
10. Queen Latifah
Actress | Chicago
Often considered hip-hop's first lady, the woman behind the moniker Queen Latifah was born Dana Elaine Owens on March 18, 1970, in East Orange, New Jersey. She is the daughter of Rita (Bray), a teacher, and Lancelot Owens Sr. She came from a police family-both her father and her older brother were ...
Her movement was so strong that she is the only female in the top 10 and 1 of only 2 that made the list
11. Common
Actor | John Wick: Chapter 2
First known as a rapper who became one of the more prominent voices in hip-hop's new millennium renaissance, Common later transitioned into acting. He was born in Chicago, and is the son of educator Dr. Mahalia Ann Hines and Lonnie Lynn, an ABA basketball player turned youth counselor.
On October 6,...
Common track record is so long with the poetic flow that he grip the beat with im not going to mention song people would just complain that I left off they fav common song
12. Fiend
Soundtrack | Transformers: Age of Extinction
Fiend is known for Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014), I Got the Hook Up (1998) and Bb (2016).
13. Jay-Z
Soundtrack | The Harder They Fall
Jay-Z was born Shawn Corey Carter on December 4, 1969 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York. Carter was a school friend of The Notorious B.I.G.. He first started releasing records in the late 1980s. In 1990, he appeared on records by his close friend, Jas ("The Originators") and Original Flavor ("...
1. Never change 2. Some how some way 3. cant be life 4. song cry 5. Anything
14. UGK
Soundtrack | Shaft
UGK is known for Shaft (2000), 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003) and Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood (1996).
1. one day you here 2. Diamonds and wood 3. High life ( my fav )
15. Ye
Soundtrack | The Great Gatsby
Kanye Omari West (born June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, entrepreneur and fashion designer. His musical career has been marked by dramatic changes in styles, incorporating an eclectic range of influences including soul, baroque pop, electro, indie rock, ...
1. Jesus Walks 2. Diamonds remix
16. Slick Rick
Soundtrack | Face/Off
Born to Jamaican parents in London, on January 14, 1965, Slick Rick, born Ricky Martin Lloyd Walters, is the most successful British-American rapper in music history. Brilliant word play, the effort-less ability to bring life to the stories he rhymed about, dead on pop-culture references and ...
1. Hey young world
17. Geto Boys
Soundtrack | Narc
Geto Boys is known for Narc (2002), Office Space (1999) and Set It Off (1996).
1. Geto fantasy 2. world is a geto 3. GB
18. Arrested Development
Soundtrack | Malcolm X
Arrested Development is known for Malcolm X (1992), Definitely, Maybe (2008) and Reality Bites (1994).
1. Mr. Windle 2. Tennesse
19. Eight Ball
Soundtrack | 2 Fast 2 Furious
Eight Ball is known for 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003), Hustle & Flow (2005) and Kin (2018).
1. In the line of duty
20. Outkast
Soundtrack | Flight of the Phoenix
Outkast (sometimes written as OutKast) was an American hip hop duo formed in 1992 in East Point, Georgia, consisting of Atlanta-based rappers André "3000" Benjamin (formerly known as Dré) and Antwan "Big Boi" Patton. Outkast is often regarded as one of the greatest and most influential hip hop acts...
1. Get up get out 2. Crumblin erb
21. Young Gunz
Soundtrack | Entourage
Young Gunz is known for Entourage (2004), So You Think You Can Dance (2005) and What We Do (2009).
1. Life we chose
22. Beanie Sigel
Soundtrack | State Property
Beanie Sigel was born on March 6, 1974 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. He is an actor and composer, known for State Property (2002), Boiler Room (2000) and Hustle (2022).
1. cant be life 2. Some how some way ( my fav beans verse )
23. Eminem
Soundtrack | 8 Mile
Eminem was born Marshall Bruce Mathers III in St. Joseph, Missouri, to Deborah R. (Nelson) and Marshall Bruce Mathers, Jr., who were in a band together, Daddy Warbucks. He is of English, as well as some German, Scottish, and Swiss-German, ancestry. Marshall spent his early childhood being shoved ...
1. cleaning out my closet
24. MC Lyte
Actress | Girls Trip
A philanthropist who has presented almost $900,000 in scholarships over the past seven years, an actress on Power, Queen of the South, SWAT, and more, MC LYTE is ONLY female solo hip hop artist to receive the BET I Am Hip Hop ICON Award. First female to perform hip hop in the White House and first ...
1. Georgy porgy
25. Boosie Badazz
Soundtrack | Step Up 2: The Streets
Boosie Badazz is known for Step Up 2: The Streets (2008), The Week Of (2018) and RSVP (2024).
1. Black rain
26. Yasiin Bey
Soundtrack | The Italian Job
Regarded as one of hip-hop's most introspective and insightful artists, Mos Def has shaped a career that transcends music genres and artistic medium. Taking a cue from the Afrocentric stylings of the Native Tongues crew, which included De La Soul, Jungle Brothers, A Tribe Called Quest and Andres ...
27. Talib Kweli
Soundtrack | Superbad
Talib Kweli was born on October 3, 1975 in Brooklyn, New York, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Superbad (2007), Freedom Writers (2007) and Stick It (2006).
28. Lupe Fiasco
Soundtrack | Taken
Lupe Fiasco was born on February 16, 1982 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He is an actor and composer, known for Taken (2008), Suicide Squad (2016) and Prom Night (2008).
29. Trick Daddy
Soundtrack | Training Day
Trick Daddy was born in 1973 in Miami, Florida, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for Training Day (2001), Exit Wounds (2001) and The A-Team (2010).
30. A Tribe Called Quest
Soundtrack | The Wackness
A Tribe Called Quest is known for The Wackness (2008), Tag (2018) and Dope (2015).
31. Nappy Roots
Soundtrack | The Happytime Murders
Nappy Roots is known for The Happytime Murders (2018), Daredevil (2003) and Osmosis Jones (2001).
32. Wale
Soundtrack | Free Guy
Wale was born on September 21, 1984 in Washington, District of Columbia, USA. He is a music artist and actor, known for Free Guy (2021), Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (2019) and American Honey (2016).
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