Lovely love song

A love song in Western rap

Former vocal coach specializing in Western musicRyo
Under the theme of “vocal skills that stand up on the world stage,” I have experience teaching as an online vocal coach specializing in Western music, and I usually listen to genres like nuevo flamenco, bolero, canzone, and R&B. In my teens, I questioned the idea that “foreign music equals English,” and started exploring songs from around the world. My commentary is characterized by a unique perspective shaped by listening to music of every genre, in every language, from every country. I mainly cover world music, so be sure to check it out!

Hip-hop, the most popular genre in contemporary music.

It’s a genre that has been gaining popularity in Japan as well, but there aren’t many rappers who perform love songs.

Strictly speaking, there are rappers who do love songs, but underground rappers tend not to.

Overseas, even rappers active in the underground usually release at least one love song.

Because of that, there’s quite a range when it comes to love songs in hip-hop.

This time, we’ve picked out some hip-hop love songs from Western music.

Love Songs in Western Rap (61–70)

In LoveLil Darius

Lil Darius – In Love (Official Video)

In LoveLil Darius

Lil Darius, an 18-year-old rapper from the United States, delicately portrays the joys and pains of love with melodic flow and heartfelt lyrics.

Released in February 2024, this work vividly captures the exhilaration and struggles of falling in love.

Drawing from his own experiences, it powerfully resonates with anyone who understands the complexities of relationships and with listeners seeking emotionally deep music.

Though it tackles sensitive themes, it’s a song that lingers in the listener’s heart—perfect company for nights spent wrestling with matters of love.

Raise the rankinglower

Sweet CheeksJ Hus

J Hus – Sweet Cheeks (Common Sense Album)

Sweet CheeksJ Hus

A unique track packed with British slang.

It was released in 2017 by London rapper-singer J Hus and is included on his debut album, Common Sense.

The album became a hit across several European countries and was certified Gold in the UK.

Raise the rankinglower

ReneeLost Boyz

Lost Boyz – Renee (Official Video) [Explicit]

ReneeLost Boyz

A track depicting a tragic ghetto love story.

Released in 1996 by the New York hip-hop group Lost Boyz, it reached No.

3 on the U.

S.

charts.

It samples Janet Jackson’s track “Funny How Time Flies (When You’re Having Fun).”

Raise the rankinglower

Break You OffThe Roots

The Roots – Break You Off (BET Version) ft. Musiq

Break You OffThe Roots

It’s a song with a vibe of trying to tempt someone, like, “I’m definitely better than that guy! I’ll treat you gently!” You can really tell from the shady tone of the music, too.

In the music video, it shows the sad end of a man who had his girlfriend taken by the guy who seems to be the protagonist.

Raise the rankinglower

In conclusion

In Japan, underground rappers rarely release love songs because they care about keeping up appearances.

Overseas, though, even rappers with a so-called “thug” image tend to have at least one love song.

It’s a genre that reveals a surprising side of these artists, so many of you may have made some new discoveries.

At Rag Music, we feature hip-hop in articles beyond this one, so be sure to check them out!