It seems as if the line between rapper and singer are starting to blur more than ever before. Even with rhythm and blues present in many rap classics, including the Isley Brothers influence on songs such as, Ice Cube’s “It was a Good Day” to Kendrick Lamar’s “I,” Biggie’s sampling of Mtume’s “Juicy Fruit” and Dr. Dre’s funk infused gangsta rap, there has always seemed to be a clear distinction between the hard-hitting rap persona and sensitive r&b crooner.

Even when rap’s content became more sentimental, through Tupac’s “Dear Mama”, “Keep Ya Head Up” or “Changes” and Jay Z’s “Song Cry,” the rappers maintained control over their emotions. Meanwhile, the background vocals provided by Dave Hollister and Jaguar Wright reminded us that “Ooh, child, things are gonna get easier” or to "Picture all the possibilities" because as Jay Z confesses “I can’t see ‘em comin’ down my eyes. So, I gotta make the song cry”.

Although rap and r&b pairings have proven to be successful, in the past few years, rappers have been testing their own vocal abilities, singing the hooks and choruses of their own songs and exposing their insecurities and vulnerability through their lyricism. Even more so, while rappers often taunt their opponents, brag about their “rags to riches” lifestyle and exuberant sex lives, this new era of sentimental rap seems to express discontent within their personal lives, a yearning for companionship (if only temporarily), a need to fix/better a woman’s lifestyle and the willingness to show that they are superior to other men.

Mary J. Blige & Method Man, "I'll Be There For You (You're All I Need to Get By)" 1995

Some of these ideas are prevalent in hardcore rap and hip hop. Yet, the attention to emotionality is even more present through the sentimental rap artist’s decision to express themselves through both singing, rapping and the continual use of pop art and pastel colors that evoke the emotions we often cannot verbally express.

The first time I realized this shift was in 2008, through the release of Kid Cudi’s A Kid Named Cudi, followed by Kanye West’s 808s and Heartbreak. Kid Cudi’s single, “Day ‘n Nite” exposes the rappers bought with loneliness and depression, as he tries to escape his disconsolate life by getting high. He raps:

Hold the phone, the lonely stoner, Mr. Solo Dolo.
He’s on the move, can’t seem to shake the shade.
Within his dreams he sees the life he made, made.
The pain is deep. A silent sleeper you won't here a peep, peep.
The girl he wants don’t seem to want him too.
It seems the feelings that she had are through, through.

Kid Cudi expresses his sorrow over not being able to shake his depression, further deepened by the realization that the girl he wants no longer reciprocates the same feelings; rendering him alone once again. Furthermore, in the visual for the song, Cudi seems unable to distinguish between what is reality and what is a dream. This is portrayed through Cudi's journey throughout his day, where he encounters ordinary people who turn into monsters right before his eyes.

Months later, Cudi’s former mentor, Kanye West released his fourth studio album 808s and Heartbreak, a year directly after the passing of his mother. Much of the album is solemn, as Kanye voices discontentment and disappointment due much to the women in his life. This is evident in “Heartless” where we see an animated Kanye sulking through the streets, continuously let down by the many women he meets along the way. While Kanye takes us on a walk, we hear him contemplate a relationship that has gone downhill, yet, Kanye and his lover can’t seem to leave each other alone. West sing-raps:

How could you be so,
Cold as the winter wind when it breeze, yo.
Just remember that you talkin’ to me though.
You need to watch the way you talkin’ to me, yo.

How could you be so Dr. Evil?
You bringing out a side of me that I don’t know…

You run and tell your friends that you’re leaving me.
They say that they don’t see what you see in me.
You wait a couple months and you gon’ see.
You'll never find nobody better than me.

Not only does Kanye expose the woman as being the fault of their failed relationship through her evil ways and judgmental friends, he reestablishes his rap persona by reminding her that she needs to remember who he is, especially because she will never be able to find anyone like him. Although it is clear that both Kanye and his lover are responsible for the demise of their relationship, Kanye makes it clear that it is not his fault, but instead the real issue is that his partner brings out the worse in him.

While Cudi and West depict a depressing side of soft rap, recent artists such as Vic Mensa, Tory Lanez, and Bryson Tiller seem to use their singing and rapping capabilities to seduce the women of their desires, while also badmouthing men that they view as inferior to them, especially if these men stand in the way of them getting the girl.

In the case of Vic Mensa, who is featured on Justine Skye’s single “I’m Yours,” the rapper uses his rap skills to get the girl’s attention, then sings to her in order to show that he will treat her well and follow her lead. He rap-sings:

You’re my medicaid, prolly make me levitate.
What’s up with head, Oh, not to get ahead of things.
Don’t be shy, just back it up on me.
Take your time, I like it when you slow me down.

Once he has her attention, he insists “don’t be shy” and “take your time” both in order to make her feel more comfortable and to get what he needs from her, which is the sexual pleasure that he mentioned in the first two lines.

Bryson Tiller and Tory Lanez follow similar aesthetics, using their rap and singing abilities to first catch the girl’s attention and then seduce her in order to show how great they are and how inept the other guy is. This is evident on "Say It" a song that samples 90s girl group, Brownstone's "If You Love Me". Tory Lanez uses the 90s hit to subvert gender roles, using his vocal abilities to entice the object of his affections, but making it clear that if they want to go any further, she will need to be more upfront about her intentions. Lanez sings:

You gon' have to do more than just (show it).
You gon' have to do less when you (do it).
Lil mama, you know I (show it).
Always want you to (prove it).

In this case, although Lanez is doing the courting, the girl must be the one to prove herself through her actions which will help him determine whether the she is worthy of keeping around. On another note, In Bryson Tiller's "Don't" the artist rap-sings:

Girl, he only f----d you over cause you let him.
F--k him, girl, I guess he didn’t know any better.
Girl, that man didn’t show any effort.
Do all I can just to show you you’re special.
Certain it’s your love that holds me together.
If you were mine you would not get the same.
If you were mine, you would top everything.

First, he is aggressive, rapping that the girl’s previous boyfriend wasn’t a good fit for her and that was partly her fault. But, he quickly explains that he would be a better match for her because with him it would be different.

Furthermore, this article wouldn’t be complete without mentioning Drake. The rapper/singer has made a name for himself, not only for his ability to ridicule Philly rapper Meek Mill, but his commitment to “save women” through his singing/rapping. Most recently, Drake dropped the meme worthy video for “Hotline Bling” a song dedicated to Drake’s frustration with an ex who has moved on, found sexual freedom, and happiness without him being in her life. To Drake’s dismay, he would rather that she stay at home and be a “good girl” like she was when they were together. In the bridge, Drake confesses:

These days all I do is:
Wonder if you’re bending over backwards for someone else.
Wonder if you’re rollin’ up a Backwoods for someone else.
Doing things I taught you, gettin’ nasty for someone else.
You don’t need no one else.
You don’t need nobody else.
Why you never alone?
Why you always touching road?
Used to always to stay at home, be a good girl.
You was in the zone.
You should just be yourself.
Right now, you’re someone else.

In this instance, Drake takes on a role that has been stereotypically feminized, waiting up wondering if his ex has moved on without him and conveying frustration over the thought that she has moved on, despite the many ways that he has influenced the women that she has become. Much can be said about Drake’s obsession with “good girls” and his use of policing a woman’s freedom and agency in this verse alone, which reestablishes raps ability to give men freedom to do what they want while women must watch from the sidelines or from the home. Yet, what I always found interesting about Drake, is his ability to hide his misogyny through his crooning abilities. It has always been easy for someone to point out problematic lyrics in rap and hip hop, but when it comes to r&b it becomes lost, under the facade of a pleasurable night and the possibility of a meaningful relationship. Yet, it is clear from “Hotline Bling” that what Drake is looking for in this instance is control over a relationship that he has lost a hold of, which is overshadowed by pastel colors, gif-worthy dance moves, and a melodic voice that seems much more safe and inviting than the aggressive one we associate with rap.

In many of these examples, sentimental rap is used to entice the object of the artist’s affections (largely female) and singing is used to make her feel comfortable, in order to gain sexual pleasure and dominance, especially if there is another man involved. Furthermore, it seems that women can either function as an antidote or kryptonite to the male artist, depending on how useful she can be to him. This is not to say that this is all sentimental rap is or can ever be. There is something ground breaking about men, especially men of color's decision to convey their feelings more in their art, although it still seems to be at the expense of exerting their masculinity over women and men they deem inferior. On the other hand, it also exposes the fact the men (specifically men of color) can also be subject to disparaging and destructive relationships which render them vulnerable and wary of new people who may enter into their lives. Hopefully, there will be more conversations around the ever-evolving music industry and the decisions that artists are making in order to express themselves and entice a new generation of listeners.