10 Songs That Changed The Stereotypes About Rap Music Around The World

Rap music has evolved from an underground genre into a major force in popular culture worldwide. Some Rap songs have been pivotal in breaking down barriers, shaping mainstream tastes, and transforming the genre’s perception on a global scale. Here are 10 records that changed the perception of Rap music around the world.

10. Rapper’s Delight by The Sugarhill Gang (1979)

This 15-minute epic is credited with introducing rap music to a mainstream audience. It brought hip hop out of the Bronx and onto the national stage, peaking at #36 on the Billboard charts. Its widespread success and crossover appeal helped legitimize Rap as a genre with commercial viability.

9. The Message by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five (1982)

This influential hit brought social consciousness to Rap with its gritty depictions of inner-city life. It showed that this extravagant genre could be a vehicle for political and social commentary on issues like poverty, crime, and drug abuse. The Message helped change outdated perceptions of Rap as “mindless party music.”

8. Walk This Way by Run-DMC ft. Aerosmith (1986)

This groundbreaking mashup of Hip-hop and Rock bridged genres and introduced Rap to Rock audiences. It showed how Rap could fuse with other styles and gained major MTV airplay, bringing the music into mainstream youth culture. It symbolized the early stages of Rap, appealing to audiences beyond its roots.

7. Straight Outta Compton by N.W.A. (1988)

This controversial hit spotlighted Gangsta Rap and N.W.A.’s rebellious style. Though it drew criticism for its explicit lyrics, Straight Outta Compton became a defiant anthem of protest against police harassment and helped launch the Gangsta Rap movement. It showed Rap embracing a confrontational and antimainstream stance.

6. Fight the Power by Public Enemy (1989)

This high-energy anthem gave Rap a spirit of black empowerment and protest. It brought political fire and fury to Hip-hop, reflecting the activist tone of the late 1980s. Fight the Power showed how Rap could powerfully convey themes of resistance and racial injustice to a wide audience.

5. Lose Yourself by Eminem (2002)

This Oscar-winning single helped bring Rap into mainstream popular culture. Eminem’s urgent, personal lyrics and style gained him crossover success, dismantled racial barriers, and attracted listeners who normally rejected Rap. Lose Yourself proved that Rap music had the potential for widespread, multi-ethnic appeal.

4. Crazy in Love by Beyoncé featuring Jay-Z (2003)

This Pop/Rap fusion smash hit propelled Rap’s move into Pop dominance in the early 2000s. Jay-Z’s Hip-hop-flavored verses blended with Beyoncé’s R&B sound, showing how Rap and singing could successfully intertwine. The song brought the genre to pop audiences and paved the way for Rap/R&B and Rap/Pop collaborations.

3. Lose Control by Missy Elliott featuring Ciara and Fat Man Scoop (2005)

This kinetic single by innovative artist Missy Elliott brought a progressive and artful style to mainstream Rap. With its creative music video and layers of rhythmic patterns, “Lose Control” won critical acclaim and Grammy awards. It expanded views of Rap as an artistic musical genre, not just focused on aggressive or materialistic themes.

2. Umbrella by Rihanna featuring Jay-Z (2007)

This megahit Pop/Rap fusion showed how Rap had taken over global pop charts. Jay-Z lent Hip-hop credibility, while Rihanna brought a melodic hook, blending genres for massive crossover success. “Umbrella” demonstrated Rap’s dominion and versatility on an international scale.

1. Old Town Road by Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus (2019)

This genre-blending viral hit fused Rap and Country music, symbolizing Rap’s boundary-pushing evolution. By incorporating country and Western themes, Old Town Road brought Rap into traditionally white Pop and Country spaces. Its record-breaking success and social media-driven rise showed how Rap has been woven into the fabric of global Pop culture.

From its roots as an underground movement, Rap has grown into a major commercial and artistic powerhouse on the world stage. These pioneering Rap songs were pivotal in propelling Rap’s global ascent and changing perceptions of its place in the mainstream. They paved the way for Rap to become one of the most influential genres of popular music. Rap will undoubtedly continue to shape music and Pop culture worldwide for generations to come.

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