13 Poet Rappers You Need In Your Life Right Now
Photo Credit: Michael Salisbury
Through music comes the power of storytelling, of giving space to those who seek universal liberties and demand a deeper understanding from those around them. Music is one of the most widely used devices in the toolbox of society, spanning across generations and cultures, with musical instruments that date back to 43,000 ago. Today, in the spirit of activism and social change, we’ve put together 13 artists skilled in rap and spoken word poetry. Some are more recognizable than others— such as Grammy nominated Fever 333 and three time winner Chance the Rapper— in addition to up-and-coming artists, like Noname, who flourished from an influential Chicago youth program known as YouMedia, which empowers teens to create music, literature, fashion, and art across 12 Chicago Public Library branches.
Known for their consistency and powerful images, these activist musicians pull from personal experiences to speak out against anti-blackness, with a clear message of embracing identity. “Changes” by Jovan Landry does this beautifully. The self-proclaimed “ ⅓ film maker, ⅓ photographer, and ⅓ emcee” strives to use her artistic abilities to shine light on stories of not only herself and others, but of the world at large. In “Changes,” Landry raps about the struggles and rewards of changing. She focuses on self-love in the verse, saying “Be the change you wanna see in the world, and nothing less. Know that self, is one of the best love of them all. So hug yourself, and know the process is the purpose.”
Landry frequently collaborates with Mykele Deville, a magnetic poet rapper from Chicago who has an upcoming record Maintain, due to release next Friday, including his two singles “Free Soul” and “Type Love,” among other tracks.
Ric Wilson is a tour-de-force as poet, hip-hop lyricist, and social activist. His recent EP, BANBA or Black Art Not Bad Art, in addition to various performances, such as Rolling Loud in 2018, have gained him rave reviews and critical acclaim. Wilson’s work as an activist with the group We Charge Genocide has led him to the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, where the group gave testimonials about Chicago P.D. torture against youth in Chicago. His 2018 single “No Hands” and “Sinner” are some of his most prolific pieces to date.
Saba’s track “Busy” highlights racial tensions present in day-to-day life and repeatedly being forced to question whether it’s safe or not, especially in the presence of police. The latter half details life’s fleetingness as he references his cousin John Walt’s murder, “Jesus got killed for our sins, Walter got killed for a coat.”
Check out our complete artist list below.