It's no secret that the hip-hop community's relationship with fatherhood is a strained one. Sure, there are a couple of rappers out there who can proudly say that their dads were in their lives and held them down to the best of their abilities. But more times than not, pop bounced—leaving their kids angry, confused and hoping to do better when it came time for them to raise their seeds.
To celebrate Father's Day, Complex put together this list of the 20 Realest Rap Songs About Fathers. Some, like Jay-Z and Beanie Sigel's "Where Have you Been," tear down their deadbeat biologicals. Others, like Kanye West's "Champion," express nothing but love. But every song on here keeps it extra real—and makes it extra clear just how important fathers are in our lives, whether they're actually in them or not.
Written by Brad Wete (@BradWete)
Listen to Complex's Realest Rap Songs About Fathers playlists here: YouTube/Spotify/Rdio
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