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Some, if not all, of rap’s biggest names — Drake, Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, Kanye West and plenty more — are fathers. For years, though, fatherhood in Hip Hop has more or less been treated as an afterthought briefly mentioned between verses or reduced to the red carpet. Over time, we’ve seen quite a few artists lean into it as a theme. Thankfully, that’s given us a growing number of rap songs that explore what it means to be a dad.
With that in mind, Rap-Up collected 10 songs that showcase fatherhood in all its complexity. Between deep cuts like Quando Rondo’s “Letter to My Daughter” and Aminé’s “Fetus” to more well-known tracks, such as West’s “Violent Crimes,” here’s a detailed look at some of our favorites.
1. She’s Mine Pt. 2 by J. Cole
J. Cole is typically tight-lipped about his personal life, which is why “She’s Mine Pt. 2” feels like one of the more personal songs from 4 Your Eyez Only, arguably his most emotionally affecting album to date. While “She’s Mine Pt. 1” seemingly captured his feelings for his wife, part two found him embracing fatherhood to the fullest extent. Plus, he’s probably one of the only rappers who could get away with critiquing the corporate greed behind Christmas and Black Friday on a track dedicated to his newborn daughter.
2. On Up by Big Sean
Better Me Than You might be one of Big Sean’s most reflective projects ever, with a more mature version of him coming through clearly on “On Up.” Dedicated to his son Noah Hasani, the Detroit rapper dishes heartfelt lines about seeing innocence in his boy’s eyes and imagining himself as a grandfather someday. Its music video is extra special, too — thanks to appearances from mommy Jhené Aiko and Big Sean’s own mother, Myra Anderson. Not to mention, the Jodeci “Get On Up” sample that runs through the track is something we happily have on repeat for days.
3. Violent Crimes by Kanye West
West’s “Violent Crimes” is essentially a cautionary tale about men failing to respect women until they become fathers themselves. “Father, forgive me, I’m scared of the karma / ‘Cause now I see women as somethin’ to nurture / Not somethin’ to conquer,” the Chicago lyricist admits in the track’s solitary verse. For such a somber, reflective track in his already expansive catalog, references to Nicki Minaj (“I hope she like Nicki, I make her a monster”) and that one scene from Bad Boys II (“I answered the door like Will Smith and Martin”) somehow make it one of his most oddly self-revealing.
Does it hit the same knowing Pardison Fontaine wrote most of it? Maybe not completely. However, “Violent Crimes” is easily among the best songs from ye.
4. Letter to My Daughter by Quando Rondo
“Letter to My Daughter” is a fitting way to close out QPac, serving as a kind of emotional reset after everything that came before. While much of the album finds Rondo working through layers of pain and his complicated relationship with drugs, the final track feels like a light breaking through the darkness. It’s a reminder that, above all, he’s a father — and one who clearly wants nothing more than to give his baby girl the world.
5. Like Father, Like Son by The Game
“My son’s ultrasound the closest I ever been to heaven / Lord forgive me for my sins, I know it’s last minute” might be the realest The Game has ever rapped, at least when it comes to fatherhood. On “Like Father, Like Son,” he’s overwhelmed by butterflies “like Mariah Carey” (a nod to her 1997 hit), vividly recalling the exact moment he found out he was having a boy. OG fans probably remember Harlem Taylor — named after the iconic New York neighborhood — also making a cameo on the cover of The Documentary (Deluxe), which houses this deeply personal cut featuring Busta Rhymes.
6. March 14 by Drake
No, “March 14” isn’t the birthday of Drake’s son, Adonis Graham, but it’s definitely a meaningful date. On the Scorpion track — his second reference to fatherhood on the album, after “Emotionless” — the Canadian hitmaker opens up about how he and Sophie Brussaux ended up separated, much like his own parents. “October baby for irony’s sake, of course / I got this 11 tatted for somebody, now it’s yours,” he reflects on the record, which quite ironically, is all about life’s full-circle moments.
7. Father Of 4 by Offset
“Father Of 4” is the title track of Offset’s debut solo album, though funnily enough, that name no longer captures the full picture for the Migos rapper. Big Rube poetically opens the record, which sees the younger Atlanta native digging deep into his relationships with his then-four children: Jordan, Kody, Kalea and Kulture Cephus. “I was seventeen years old when I had you / Tryna find my soul when I had you,” he said of his firstborn, Jordan.
Offset’s vulnerability shines through again as he addresses his eldest daughter: “Kalea, you my first, first daughter / I missed the first years of your life, I’m sorry.” He also movingly compares Kulture to his late grandmother. Of course, the family has grown quite a bit since, with Offset and Cardi B welcoming two more children together.
8. Fetus by Aminé
Let’s address the elephant in the room: “Fetus” is definitely one way to name a song. But before you judge, know it’s one of the most thoughtful — and slept-on — moments from Aminé’s Limbo. “It’s about, basically, my future child and wanting to bring them into a world that I feel is healthy and right, and when I’m ready,” he told Genius.
9. DadBod by Logic
All those fans begging for the return of the “old Logic” got met with the YSIV rapper hilariously flipping them off on “DadBod.” As he spat, “Goddamn, already had a hard life once / Am I supposed to recreate it every album for you cunts?” Ironically enough, it might be one of Logic’s most genuinely relatable songs ever, considering he’s just rapping about running to Target for his wife, buying new underwear and taking care of baby Little Bobby.
10. Shoot Up Your Block by DDG
If the internet is ready to slide for Halo, you better believe his dad is too. On “Shoot Up Your Block,” DDG lets listeners know exactly how far he’s willing to go to protect his family, particularly his son. “My son fit more than a grown man / And he got more fans, and all he do is show hands, okay,” the rapper and streamer spat over Cash Cobain’s production. Halo makes a cameo in the song’s accompanying visual, so bonus points for the father-son moment.
