Positive Hip-hop Songs“Express Yourself” by N.W.A. on Straight Outta Compton (1988)
“The Meaning of the Name” by Gang Star on Step in the Arena (1991)
“Me Myself and I” by De La Soul on 3 Feet High and Rising (1989)
“Not Enough” by Little Brother, Ft. Darien Brockington on The Minstrel Show
(2005)
“What They Do” by The Roots, Ft. Raphael Saadiq on Illadelph Halflife (1996)
“Friends” by Whodini on Escape (1984)
“Brown Skin Lady” by Black Star on Mos Def and Talib Kweli are Black Star (1998)
“Afro Puffs” by The Lady of Rage, Ft. Snoop Doggy Dogg on Above the Rim:
Soundtrack (1994)
“God Made Me Funke” by Kool Moe Dee on Kool Moe Dee Greatest Hits (1993)
“Young, Gifted, and Black” by Big Daddy Kane on It’s a Big Daddy Thing (1989)
“Peer Pressure” by Mobb Deep on Juvenile Hell (1993)
“You Know My Steez” by Gang Starr on Moment of Truth (1998)
“Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)” by Digable Planets on Reachin’ (A New Refutation
of Time and Space) (1993)
“Liberation” by Outkast, Ft. Cee-Lo, Erukah Badu, and Big Rube on Aquemini
(1998)
“Can’t Stop This” by The Roots on Game Theory (2006)
“Back in the Day (Remix)” by Ahmad on Ahmad (1994)
“Wear Clean Drawers” by The Coup on Party Music (2001)
“The Choice Is Yours” by Black Sheep on A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing (1991)
“Stressed Out” by A Tribe Called Quest Ft. Consequence and Faith Evans on Beats,
Rhymes and Life (1996)
“Smile” by Scarface Ft. 2Pac on The Untouchable (2007)
“Look Thru My Eyes” by DMX on It’s Dark and Hell is Hot (1998)
“Hypocrite” by Akrobatik on Balance (2003)
“It’s Like That” by Run-D.M.C. on Run-D.M.C. (1984)
“I’m Bad” by LL Cool J on Bigger and Deffer (1987)
“Respect the Architect” by Guru on Jazzmatazz, Vol. 2: The New Reality (1995)
“Don’t Let It Go to Your Head” by Brand Nubian on Foundation (1998)
“Treat ‘Em Right” by Chubb Rock on The One (1991)
“It Takes Two” by Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock on It Takes Two (1988)
“Karma” by Black Eyed Peas on Behind the Front (1998)
“Everything is Everything” by Lauryn Hill on The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998)
“Ghetto Bastard (Everything’s Gonna Be Alright)” by Naughty by Nature on
Naughty by Nature (1991)
“Jesus Walks” by Kanye West on The College Dropout (2004)
“Faithful” by Common Ft. Bilal and John Legend on Be (2005)
“The Truth” by Pharoahe Monch, Ft. Common and Talib Kweli on Internal Affairs
(1991)
“Things Done Changed” by The Notorious B.I.G. on Ready to Die (1994)
“Why” by Jadakiss on Kiss of Death (2004)
“Parents Just Don’t Understand” by DJ Jazy Jeff and the Frehs Prince on He’s the DJ,
I’m the Rapper (1988)
“Ladies First” by Queen Latifah Ft. Monie Love on All Hail the Queen (1989)
“Turn Off The Radio” by Ice Cube on Amerikkka’s Most Wanted (1990)
“The Message” by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five on The Message
(1982)
“Be a Father to Your Child” by ED O.G. and Da Bulldogs on Life of a Kid in the Ghetto
(1991)
“White Lines (Don’t Don’t Do It)” by Gradmaster and Meele Mel on Grandmaster
and Melle Mel (1983)
“Children’s Story” by Slick Rick on The Great Adventures of Slick Rick (1988)
“Stop the Violence” by Boogie Down Productions on By Any Means Necessary (1988)
“Brothers Gonna Work it Out” by Public Enemy on Fear of a Black Planet (1990)
“The Listening” by Little Brother on The Listening (2003)
“Don’t Believe the Hype” by Public Enemy on It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us
Back (1988)
“Fight the Power” by Public Enemy on Fear of a Black Planet (1990)
“Words of Wisdom” by 2Pac on 2Pacaypse Now (1991)
“Planet Rock” by Afrika Bambaataa and Soulsonic Force on Planet Rock (1986)
“Hip-Hop” by Dead Prez on Let’s Get Free (2000)
“All That I Got is You” by Ghostface Killah, Ft. Mary J. Blige and Popa Wu on
Ironman (1996)
“I Need Love” by LL Cool J on Bigger and Deffer (1987)
“Tainted” by Slum Village Ft. Dwele on Trinity (Past, Present, and Future) (2002)
“Passing Me By” by The Pharcyde on Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde (1992)
“Looking at the Front Door” by Main Source on Breaking Atoms (1991)
“Let’s Talk about Sex” by Salt-N-Pepa on Blacks’ Magic (1990)
“Just a Friend” by Biz Markie on The Biz Never Sleeps (1989)
“I Used to Love H.E.R.” by Common (Sense) on Resurrection (1994)
“Paper Thin” by MC Lyte on Lyte as a Rock (1988)
“Love is Blind” by Eve on Ruff Ryder’s First Lady (1999)
“I Ain’t Mad at Cha” by 2Pac, Ft. Danny Boy on All Eyez on Me (1996)
“They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)” by Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth on Mecca and
the Soul Brother (1992)
“My Philosophy” by Boogie Down Productions on By All Means Necessary (1988)
“Go Ahead in the Rain” by A Tribe Called Quest on People’s Instinctive Travels and
the Paths of Rhythm (1990)
“Git Up, Git Out” by Outkast, Ft. Goodie Mob on Southernplayalisticadillacmuzic
(1994)
“The Breaks” by Kurtis Blow on Kurtis Blow (1980)
“Regrets” by Jay-Z on Reasonable Doubt (1996)
“Street Struck” by Big L on Lifestylez Ov Da Poor and Dangerous (1995)
“Where I’m From” by Jay-Z on In My Lifetime, Vol 1. (1997)
“Love VS. Hate” by Brand Nubian on Foundation (1998)
“Umi Says” by Mos Def on Black on Both Sides (1999)
“Ghetto of the Mind” by Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth on Mecca and the Soul Brother
(1992)
“Juice (Know the Ledge)” by Eric B. & Rakim on Juice: Original Motion Picture
Soundtrack (1992)
“Mind Playing Tricks on Me” by Geto Boys on We Can’t Be Stopped (1991)
“Check Yo Self” by Ice Cube on The Predator (1992)
“Get By” by Talib Kweli on Quality (2002)
“Take Me” by Jean Grae on The Bootleg of the Bootleg EP (2003)
“Tearz” by Wu-Tang Clan on Enter the Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers (1993)
“We Will Survive” by NAS on I Am… (1999)
“You Talk Too Much” by Run-D.M.C. on King of Rock (1985)
“Please Listen to My Demo” by EPMD on Unfinished Business (1989)
“Spaceship” by Kanye West, Ft. Consequence and GLC on The College Dropout
(2004)
“Rhyme Pays” by Ice T on Rhyme Pays (1987)
“The Grind Date” by De La Soul on The Grind Date (2004)
“Ain’t No Half Stepping” by Big Daddy Kane on Long Live the Kane (1988)
“Tell Me Who Profits” by Souls of Mischief on 93 ‘Til Infinity (1993)
“Lose Yourself” by Eminem on 8 Mile: Music From and Inspired By the Motion
Picture. (2002)
“Ready or Not” by The Fugees on The Score (1996)
“Crossover” by EPMD on Business Never Personal (1992)
“Mo Money Mo Problems” by The Notorious B.I.G., Ft. Puff Daddy and Mase on
Life After Death (1997)
“Vapors” by Biz Markie on Goin’ Off (1988)
“Ether” by NAS on Stillmatic (2001)
“Proceed” by The Roots on Do You Want More?!!!??! (1995)
“The Whole World Is Lookin’ at Me” by Busta Rhymes on When Disaster Strikes
(1997)
“Move the Crowd” by Eric B. & Rakim on Paid in Full (1987)
“The Formula” by D.O.C. on No One Can Do It Better (1989)
“Paid in Full” by Eric B. & Rakim on Paid in Full (1987)
“Marathon” by Dilated Peoples on Neighborhood Watch (2004)
“The Symphony” by Marley Marl, Ft. Masta Ace,CraigG, Kool G Rap, Big Daddy
Kane on In Control, Vol 1.