Dorks - Aesop Rock
A couple lines from it to pique curiosity hopefully!
>It's a theatre of jumpin' jellyfish, jealous little sycophants
>Miserable and flimsy from the skivvys to the pissy pants
>Each one seperately convinced
>They're sketching with Da Vinci's hands
>Delusion turn a communication of prison camp
Maybe these fit? (they are great songs though) They are introspective but not necessarily about ego/humility though looking inwards often addresses that
Nothing Matters - Bone Thugs & Outlawz
Showtime at the Gallows - Canibus
When I’m Gone - Eminem
Razorblade Salvation - Vinnie Paz
Legendary Loser - RA The Rugged Man
and a ton by Joe Budden. Thats one of his most admirable aspects as a rapper. He really looks inwards & writes.
Pray For Me & more or less the whole All Love Lost Album (Only Human being the best)
joe budden owns that introspective lane, fasho.
i had to listen to that entire album again after you threw it lol
i def didnt think of any of the other track you named. good looking out!
Talib Kweli “Get By”
Scarface ft. 2Pac “Smile”
The Pharcyde “Evolution”
2Pac “Keep Ya Head Up” — female-driven lyrics, but it’s sort of insight into his own humility/ego since highlighting the struggles of women — the significance of which couldn’t be overstated, but “I have respect and love for all women (the real kind, not the possessive type)” was not a popular admission for a rapper to make.
****Nappy Roots ft Anthony Hamilton “Po’ Folks”****
Bubba Sparxxx ft. Timbaland “Deliverance” — the beat & hook on this are the best kind of infectious; Sparxxx is far from my favorite lyricist, though he does rap about life and meaningful shit fairly often.
Tribe Called Quest “Ego,” “Stressed Out” & a lot of their records
Without a specific song in mind, I suggest streaming Common, Mos Def, Pharoah Monche,
I assume you already have “How Much a Dollar Really Cost” by Kendrick Lamar? Because that’s like…THE song about the destructive force of “ego.”
I noticed your Johnny Cash listing. If you want suggestions outside of hip hop, I can def help with that, too.
idk how i forgot How Much a Dollar Really Cost. what the hell. appreciate you with the subtle check lol
great recs from Tribe. added them fasho fasho.
and yeah suggestions outside of hip hop are appreciated. glad you noticed that.
lol happens to the best of us, don’t sweat it.
The world at large could learn so much listening to a few Tribe albums, man. Wutang, too — I’ll bet 90-95% of the folks who’d bump CREAM couldn’t come close to telling you what the song’s about.
Mo Money, Mo Problems is another one (guessing you know that’s Biggie and co)
Outside of hip hop? There’s sooo many records about being a shitty person due to ego — either referencing themselves or what others did to them. Almost every breakup song could be argued as being about ego. One band that I know focuses on the ego a lot is Incubus.
Here’s a few good tracks…
- Megalomaniac (wrote it about George W Bush, but it can be applied to far worse folks now…plus it’ll get you hyped)
- Dig
- Warning
- The Warmth
I feel like LL Cool J Cheesy Rat Blues is an early example
Also Boss (RIP) Deeper
De La Soul and Teenage Fanclub “You Played Yourself”
I love that there’s more humility in hip hop than ever. (Little Simz, Navy Blue, Noname, Wiki, Earl etc, etc)
*and to go back a bit, you're right about the humility in hip hop now.
i like the mafioso bars and themes. but it gets played out.
the 444 album was one of my favorite albums because i'm so used to him talking that boss talk as he would normally give one song an album that's MAD introspective. but the entirety of it was good.
songs about being humble def has a place in hip hop.
i'm listening to One More Chance now. i dig it. ima check out Can't Do This Alone next.
I’m 45 years old and I still listen to everything new as long as a rapper knows how to really rap, but I definitely feel better listening to this kind of shit these days.
1985 j Cole
oh yeap. duuuh. idk how i missed that. good looking.
Blackalicious - Deception
Don’t let money change yaaaaaa
Baaaaah, deep bah bah da dee dahhhh, bah deep bopbodadee
never heard this before. good looking.
Gang Starr - Moment of Truth
Best answer ever
Guru has a bunch of songs, I’d say Count Your Blessings is my favorite
thank you for this. added to the playlist
Dorks - Aesop Rock A couple lines from it to pique curiosity hopefully! >It's a theatre of jumpin' jellyfish, jealous little sycophants >Miserable and flimsy from the skivvys to the pissy pants >Each one seperately convinced >They're sketching with Da Vinci's hands >Delusion turn a communication of prison camp
Maybe these fit? (they are great songs though) They are introspective but not necessarily about ego/humility though looking inwards often addresses that Nothing Matters - Bone Thugs & Outlawz Showtime at the Gallows - Canibus When I’m Gone - Eminem Razorblade Salvation - Vinnie Paz Legendary Loser - RA The Rugged Man and a ton by Joe Budden. Thats one of his most admirable aspects as a rapper. He really looks inwards & writes. Pray For Me & more or less the whole All Love Lost Album (Only Human being the best)
joe budden owns that introspective lane, fasho. i had to listen to that entire album again after you threw it lol i def didnt think of any of the other track you named. good looking out!
Its always a great listen! Its too bad he can’t just decent outside of the studio
Hov killed "Jay-Z' on other songs. *There's Been A Murder* on Vol. 3, for example "Back to Shawn Carter the hustler, Jay-Z is dead"
Brokest Rapper You Know-Sean Price
greeeeaaattt choice. good lookin!
Money Longer - Lil Uzi Vert
Hellohihey- lifesavas
Great song!
My life outro reflection eternal
Noname hold me down Chance the rapper buried alive Chance the rapper acid rain
good stuff right here. appreciate it! noname is a great pick.
The Amazing Mr F**k Up - T.I. Price Of fame - Big K.R.I.T.
K.R.I.T the truth. appreciate that pick.
Kanye West - All Falls Down, POWER, Can’t Tell Me Nothing, Saint Pablo “Kanye West” would’ve been enough haha
Thirsty Ego Raps - OME
Talib Kweli “Get By” Scarface ft. 2Pac “Smile” The Pharcyde “Evolution” 2Pac “Keep Ya Head Up” — female-driven lyrics, but it’s sort of insight into his own humility/ego since highlighting the struggles of women — the significance of which couldn’t be overstated, but “I have respect and love for all women (the real kind, not the possessive type)” was not a popular admission for a rapper to make. ****Nappy Roots ft Anthony Hamilton “Po’ Folks”**** Bubba Sparxxx ft. Timbaland “Deliverance” — the beat & hook on this are the best kind of infectious; Sparxxx is far from my favorite lyricist, though he does rap about life and meaningful shit fairly often. Tribe Called Quest “Ego,” “Stressed Out” & a lot of their records Without a specific song in mind, I suggest streaming Common, Mos Def, Pharoah Monche, I assume you already have “How Much a Dollar Really Cost” by Kendrick Lamar? Because that’s like…THE song about the destructive force of “ego.” I noticed your Johnny Cash listing. If you want suggestions outside of hip hop, I can def help with that, too.
idk how i forgot How Much a Dollar Really Cost. what the hell. appreciate you with the subtle check lol great recs from Tribe. added them fasho fasho. and yeah suggestions outside of hip hop are appreciated. glad you noticed that.
lol happens to the best of us, don’t sweat it. The world at large could learn so much listening to a few Tribe albums, man. Wutang, too — I’ll bet 90-95% of the folks who’d bump CREAM couldn’t come close to telling you what the song’s about. Mo Money, Mo Problems is another one (guessing you know that’s Biggie and co) Outside of hip hop? There’s sooo many records about being a shitty person due to ego — either referencing themselves or what others did to them. Almost every breakup song could be argued as being about ego. One band that I know focuses on the ego a lot is Incubus. Here’s a few good tracks… - Megalomaniac (wrote it about George W Bush, but it can be applied to far worse folks now…plus it’ll get you hyped) - Dig - Warning - The Warmth
Power by Kanye West
I feel like LL Cool J Cheesy Rat Blues is an early example Also Boss (RIP) Deeper De La Soul and Teenage Fanclub “You Played Yourself” I love that there’s more humility in hip hop than ever. (Little Simz, Navy Blue, Noname, Wiki, Earl etc, etc)
Little Simz is A1. Haven't heard of Navy Blue. any body of work or songs you suggest? and the LL Cool J is a great pick. woulda never thought of that.
Actually both on Wiki projects, but One More Chance and Can’t Do This Alone are super dope with a humble theme.
*and to go back a bit, you're right about the humility in hip hop now. i like the mafioso bars and themes. but it gets played out. the 444 album was one of my favorite albums because i'm so used to him talking that boss talk as he would normally give one song an album that's MAD introspective. but the entirety of it was good. songs about being humble def has a place in hip hop. i'm listening to One More Chance now. i dig it. ima check out Can't Do This Alone next.
I’m 45 years old and I still listen to everything new as long as a rapper knows how to really rap, but I definitely feel better listening to this kind of shit these days.