Best Rap Songs About Love — Top 12 List by rBeatz.com

Hip hop vs. rap: what’s in a name?

Before we list our favorite rap love songs, it’s important to define the difference between hip hop and rap. Hip hop is a music genre, but it’s also a broader cultural movement. There are traditionally four elements of hip hop: rapping or MCing, DJing or turntabling, graffiti writing, and break dancing. While rapping can be heard on almost every hip hop album, instrumental hip hop beats are also popular. To put things in simple terms, all rap music is hip hop, but not all hip hop is rap. 

To see who did it the best, follow us over to the list of the best selling hip hop albums to date. But to find those hot hits that focus on matters of the heart, keep reading. 

The following 12 rap love songs speak of the challenges and wonders of love:

“Best I Ever Had” by Drake

This famous rap song by Drake was released in 2009, on the artist’s So Far Gone album. “Best I Ever Had” got an amazing number of downloads and streams, and it also had great airplay on radio stations around the world. It reached #2 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart, largely due to the song’s popularity among female fans. This song is about a very special girl, with the lyrics rare at the time for lifting one woman above all others.

“Undying Love” by Nas

This much-loved track by Nas features great storytelling in front of a well-paced beat. Released back in 1999, “Undying Love” is the perfect song for a loved-up hip hop mixtape. Nas provides his signature vocal delivery, with lengthy lines and considered lyrics offering a distinct counterpoint to rap’s more basic themes. This song is about the questions and frustrations that arise when people get close and share their lives.

“21 Questions” by 50 Cent ft. Nate Dogg

This rap song by 50 Cent features American singer Nate Dogg. It was released in 2003 on Interscope Records, as the second single from 50 Cent’s debut album Get Rich or Die Tryin’. “21 Questions” was the artist’s second Hot 100 chart-topper after “In da Club” from the same album. This rap song provides perfect juxtaposition, with one of hip hop’s biggest thugs opening up and getting honest about matters of the heart.

“Bound 2” by Kanye West

This track by Kanye West featured on Yeezus, the artist’s sixth album from 2013. Along with West himself, this song features vocals from American soul singer Charlie Wilson. “Bound 2” features audio samples from “Bound” by Ponderosa Twins Plus One, musical samples from Wee’s “Aeroplane (Reprise),” and lyric samples from Brenda Lee’s “Sweet Nothin’s.” Musically, this soul-influenced rap song merged chipmunk vocals with Kanye’s signature creative production.

“Hey Mama” by Kanye West

Dedicated to the artist’s mom, this love song by Kanye West is a favorite among many fans. Kanye’s mother Donda West had always supported her son’s dreams, and this track was Kanye’s way to say “thank you.” Written as a ballad, this song is based around a sample of “Today Won’t Come Again” by Donal Leace. While Kanye’s folk-rock vocal holds center stage, this rap song also features inventive production, including hand claps and a vocoder.

“You’re All I Need” by Method Man

This track by Method Man came from his debut album Tical from 1994. It was an immediately classic, thanks to the heartfelt lyrics and tight rolling beat. The rapper presents his deep love for a particular woman, which was rare at a time when the genre was often misogynist. Method Man remade this song years later with American singer-songwriter Mary J. Blige, in the release “I’ll Be There for You/You’re All I Need to Get By.”

“True Love” by Kanye West and XXXTentacion

This song sees a novel partnership between American rappers Kanye West and XXXTentacion. It’s a posthumous release for the latter, released on the compilation album, Look at Me: The Album. “True Love” is a thoughtful track featuring synths and beats, with XXXTentacion speaking of lost love and West discussing his estranged wife and children. It’s more experimental than most rap love songs, and it’s even an oddity within Kanye’s own catalog.

“LOVE” by Kendrick Lamar ft. Zacari

This rap song by Kendrick Lamar features the vocal talents of Zacari. Normally stylized in capitals as “LOVE,” this track comes from Lamar’s fourth studio album Damn from 2017. As you would expect given its name, “LOVE” is an emotional ballad full of nostalgia and insight. Among other things, it speaks of forging relationships, feeling blessed, and making sacrifices. Musically, this song has R&B, cloud rap, and psychedelic elements fused through gliding synths and stuttering trap beats.

“The Light” by Common

This rap song by Common comes from 2000, which was a golden age for rap love songs. Framed as a letter, this track is a confession of love for a very special woman. There is a particular person behind this track — Common’s girlfriend at the time, Erykah Badu. “The Light” samples “Open Your Eyes” by Bobby Caldwell and “You’re Gettin’ a Little Too Smart” by The Detroit Emeralds. This track was released on the acclaimed album Like Water for Chocolate.

“Hold On, We’re Going Home” by Drake

This track by Drake features R&B duo Majid Jordan, and it comes from the album Nothing Was the Same. While much of Drake’s music rides current trends, this rap song features a more timeless writing style with an intimate and nostalgic melody. Behind the percussive elements and thumping ’80s bass, Drake and Majid deliver a gorgeous pop song highlighted by faint piano lines and pretty vocals.

“You Got Me” by The Roots

Created by American hip hop band The Roots in 1999, this fantastic track is about love and reassurance. Amidst tight production and a lively neo-soul chorus, a lover reassures his partner and asserts his faithfulness. The breakbeat section at the end is legendary, and smooth vocals from Erykah Badu and Eve cut through the mix like butter. “You Got Me” challenges the health of a relationship, rediscovering trust as the central pillar holding love together.

“Dilemma” by Nelly ft. Kelly Rowland

From his second studio album Nellyville, this rap song by Nelly offers a fresh take on relationships. Featuring Kelly Rowland, “Dilemma” is an emotional song with a mellow delivery and production style. Nelly raps about being infatuated with a woman who’s already in a committed relationship. He is joined by Rowland, who delivers beautiful high-pitched vocals with a nursery-rhyme feel. This track is softer than many rap love songs, but it still has a fantastic groove.

These 12 rap love songs represent some of the most heartfelt hip hop ever made. This list is far from exhaustive, however, with rappers often tackling the subject of love in single and album releases. To discover more great rap love songs, you can look deeper into the catalogs of these great hip hop talents.