10. J. Cole - School Daze
If this is the first time listening to this song you may get goosebumps from the relatable content in this song. This song by college educated rapper, J. Cole, is about his school days, talking about many relatable things that go on in a ghetto school in a witty way with nice flows. Many fun things discussed! Off his first mixtape, ‘The Come Up’.
9. D12 - Revelation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ex3lRR5sSOY
This is not a positive song about education by Eminem’s rap group D12. However, I’ll still include it as it’s overall a nice and enjoyable song where the rappers of D12, including Eminem, spit multi-syllable flows and lyrics about not liking school. Some humorous lyrics too. A lot is said in this song.
8. Akala - Get Educated
Akala has always stressed the importance of being educated, especially if you come from a dysfunctional background, as he has said in many interviews you can watch on YouTube. This song is not preachy and Akala comes hard. In this song, he speaks how it is rebellious to get educated as the establishment would rather have you acting ignorantly all the time. The lyrics will have you feeling motivated when you are feeling down when doing some work.
7. Nas - I Can
Nas giving a positive message to the youth – staying in school. With uplifting lyrics and a steller last verse, this song can motivate and inspire. Nas comes with amazing lyrics thoughtfully written.
6. Apathy - School
Apathy, here, takes on three characters. The first verse is about an arrogant person name Jeff. In the second verse, a party goer introduces us to someone called Jay who gets picked on by Jeff. The final verse is about Jay, who gets bullied but ends up doing something bad himself. Interesting storytelling off one of Apathy’s first mixtapes.
5. Fashawn ft. Aloe Blacc and Devoya Maya - Hey Young World
Off Fashawn’s underground classic album, ‘Boy Meets World’. Fashawn has inspiring lyrics over a smooth beat by Exile. ”I know it’s hard trying to make it on your own two, surviving at the same time going to school. And trying to pay tuition by washing dishes, it’s all a part of being self-sufficient.” The chorus/hook is obviously referencing ‘The World Is Yours’ song by Nas and also Slick Rick. Funny, now that Fashawn is signed to Nas’ record label ‘Mass Appeal’.
4. Eminem - Brain Damage
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hp0qv3NHrYE
Loosely based on a true story, Eminem raps in a superbly witty and fun way to describe school and particularly a specific incident where he references an actual kid’s name who tried to bully him at school (he ended up trying to sue Eminem in real life due to his name being mentioned, haha). Obviously some things said in this song only Eminem could say and get away with because he’s just that type of person. The technical aspects of this song are amazing from the rhyme schemes to the humor added in the verses.
Lyrics: http://genius.com/Eminem-brain-damage-lyrics
Check this great infographic on Bad Habits That Can Hurt Your Brain, by Postive Health Wellness
3. J. Cole - College Boy
It’s amazing how one of the biggest rappers in the world at the moment is a college/university educated rapper AND actually has many verses in many songs that promote being smart and staying in education. This is a full song with three straight verses about being in college/university. Inspiring words at the end aswell. Overall fun lyrics, relatable content and confidently said. ‘If this rap sh*t don’t work I’m going for my masters.” Well, it ended up working.
2. J. Cole - Home for the Holidays
You don’t have to be educated to appreciate this song as it has many universal real lifelines and conveys the feeling of coming home after being away for a long while. However, here specifically Cole is reminiscing coming home from College/University and in the third verse he talks about school days.
On his first mixtape, he has a similar song called ‘Homecoming’. This beat is interesting, fun and up-tempo produced by J. Cole himself. This song is off his third official mixtape called ”Friday Night Lights’.
Lyrics: http://genius.com/J-cole-home-for-the-holidays-lyrics
1. Slick Rick - Hey Young World
This song doesn’t have slick puns (excuse the pun), or super rhyme schemes or any fancy effects as it was released in 1988 when rap didn’t really get developed or complex, but it still conveys it’s positive ‘go to school and stay out of trouble message’ brilliantly without sounding preachy!
The soulful call-and-response type lyrics and the soulful beat compliment each-other and Slick Rick with his trademark voice, flow and playful wittiness talks directly to the youth in this song. Anyone can sing along to this song.
Honorable Mentions
- Kristoff Kane – Student Body
- Masta Killa ft. RZA – School
- Big Daddy Kane – Rap Summary (Lean on Me)
- Kanye West – School Spirit
- Ghostface Killah – Child’s Pla
- Cole – The Good Son
- Atmosphere – The Best Day
- Atmosphere – To all my Friends
- De La Soul – Jenifa Taught Me
- Focus – Back When
- De La Soul – Millie Pulled a Pistol on Santa
- Little Brother – Love Is
- Cage – Among the Sleep
- Royce da 5’9 – Back in the Days
- k-rino – I Miss
- Nas – Reason
- XV – T.A.L.K
- The Dogg Pound – School Yard
- Mobb Deep – Peer Pressure
- Big Krit – Children of the World
- Dead Prez – They Schools
- Charles Hamilton – Friendship Bracele
- J. Cole – Like a Star
- J. Cole – The Autograph
- J.Cole – Wet Dreamz
- Freddie Mummix – First Day of College
- Talib – Happy Home
- Murs – 1st Love
- Common – Book of Life
- Common – What a World
- Nas – Black Zombie
- Hopsin – Fly
- J. Cole – The Good Son
- XV ft. Kendrick Lamar – Textbook Stuff
- J. Cole – Land of the snakes
- Pro Era – School High
- Boogie Down Productions – You Must Learn
Add Jean Grae – September. That song is dead on about returning to school in September