It is no surprise to many that the rap industry has a lot of content that is deemed unhealthy for the minds of the young. Whether they are talking about women, money, violence, or drugs, Rap has been vilified by people who haven’t delved deeper than what they see on the surface of this deep and ever-expanding genre. The purpose of this list is to try and change those opinions, or at the very least get people into the rap game with songs that appeal to a beginner. The links I provided with each song will take you to Genius.com, where they break down the lyrics for you as you listen to the song. To fully appreciate these songs, I highly recommend doing this because there will be some parts that you wont be able to understand otherwise. Rap can be very poetic and thought-provoking, and these 10 songs will show you just that.

"All That I Got is You" by Ghostface Killah (1996)

http://genius.com/Ghostface-killah-all-that-i-got-...

Ghostface Killah is part of the Wu Tang Clan, and is one of the few artists from the rap group that made it on his own. His flow and storytelling is some of the best in Wu Tang and combining that with Mary J. Blige singing the chorus, you get a great song. In this piece, Ghostface talks about growing up poor and the struggles his mom went through to raise him.

"Millie Pulled a Pistol on Santa" by De La Soul (1991)

http://genius.com/De-la-soul-millie-pulled-a-pisto...

The story of Millie is pretty dark, so don’t let the title or De La Soul’s voice fool you. His slow, old-school style flow combined with the depressing story of an abuse victim is very unique. On one hand, you have the narrator who knows what’s happening to Millie at home. Then there is the public’s view, or knowledge, of the situation. Great storytelling and good music production will have you thinking about Millie for some time.

"Thugz Mansion" by 2Pac/Nas Cover (2002)

http://genius.com/2pac-thugz-mansion-acoustic-vers...

2pac is one of the greatest rappers to ever live, being called the King of Rap/Hip Hop. I really like this song because it shows the soft side of the man that created the term “thug life” through his music. There are older versions of this song, but the reason I picked this one out for new hip hop audiences was because of the acoustic beat. It gives it a much sadder tone, especially because 2pac had been killed 6 years prior to Nas’ cover.

"Cocoa Butter Kisses" by Chance the Rapper (2013)

http://genius.com/Chance-the-rapper-cocoa-butter-k...

Chance the Rapper is known for the uplifting vibe his music creates for the audience. This song is all about reminiscing back to one’s youth and remembering the little things that made up your childhood. The guest verses by Vic Mensa and Twista are some of my favorite features in Chance’s music.

"Retrospect for Life" by Common (1997)

http://genius.com/Common-retrospect-for-life-lyric...

This song is an open letter from Common to his unborn son and at-the-time girlfriend. It’s a very emotional and well written piece on his regrets, and desires, of starting a family. On one hand, he feels as though he has taken away someone’s soul because he was reckless. Yet he also understands that one must be ready before being a parent.

"The Art of Peer Pressure" by Kendrick Lamar (2012)

http://genius.com/Kendrick-lamar-the-art-of-peer-p...

If you haven’t heard of Kendrick Lamar, this kid from Compton is being hailed as one of the greatest rap artists of our generation. His lyrics, along with his musical taste for funk and soul, make for some pretty deep and thought-provoking songs. In this song, Kendrick tells the story of the shenanigans he and his friends would get into whilst telling the audience that he wouldn’t act like that if he weren’t around “the homies.”

"A Better Tomorrow" by Wu Tang Clan (2014)

http://genius.com/Wu-tang-clan-a-better-tomorrow-2...

I love this song because of all the differing opinions on each verse and how the Wu Tang “flows” go together nicely to talk about the issues people face today. This is a pretty heavy song for the casual listener so the Genius annotations really come in handy.

"Gangsta Rap Made Me Do It" by Ice Cube (2008)

http://genius.com/Ice-cube-gangsta-rap-made-me-do-...

This is a song that many of you may relate to depending on your opinion about the rap game. Ice Cube uses the hardcore beat along with shocking statements to prove a point about the common misconceptions of Gangsta Rap. Even though he still boasts, like much of the rap game does, he also keeps it real by calling out the rest of the game and the news anchors that hate on it.

"Suicidal Thoughts" by Notorious B.I.G. (1994)

http://genius.com/The-notorious-big-suicidal-thoug...

Notorious B.I.G. is another king of rap/hip hop that was taken from this world at a young age. Even with overwhelming success and adoration, BIG suffered from severe depression and writes about reaching a tipping point in his life. Out of all the different renditions in rap, this song perfectly portrays the doubt and self-hate that goes through one’s mind on the brink of suicide.

"Good Day" by Nappy Roots (2008)

http://genius.com/Nappy-roots-good-day-lyrics

This hit single by Nappy Roots is one of my favourite feel-good rap songs. The chorus of children, the simple yet catchy beat, and the lyrical content makes you want to go out and spend the entire day outside. From having a good ringtone to having a BBQ on a hot day, Nappy Roots managed to make a somewhat simple idea for a song into a classic.

I hope you enjoyed this list and learned a little something from it. It is very important to come out of this understanding that Rap and Hip Hop, just like every other genre, has a mix of "good" and "bad" music. It's good to step back for a second to look at the genre as a whole, and notice the diversity instead of clumping it all together. I'll leave you with this TED Talk by rapper LeCrae on the subject of villians, heroes, and the future of rap to better understand how this stigma was built.