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wpmason t1_iuiei75 wrote

Will Smith was famously clean.

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ricardo9505 t1_iuifalh wrote

A lot. A lot of underground, progressive, and Christian hip hop. Don't sleep on their skills. Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Lauryn Hill, Digable Planets, De la Soul, Cross Movement rappers.

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No_Statistician8636 t1_iuifb3i wrote

"Will Smith don't gotta cus in his raps to sell records but I do, so **** him and **** you too"

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unomachine t1_iuifbf6 wrote

Most of Brother Ali’s stuff is pretty clean. Heavy, but generally clean

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pslav5 t1_iuigwjh wrote

Tribe called quest, arrested development, most rap from the 80s.

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Pandster t1_iuigx04 wrote

Pharcyde? Definition of Sound?

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KTNoDough t1_iuiidfr wrote

Early Eric B and Rakim ?

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subsonicmonkey t1_iuiik0r wrote

Replying to pslav5 (#388,742)

While I love Tribe Called Quest, and they are undeniably great, they do not rap without profanity or the N-word (is it a racial slur in the context that they use it in…?).

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subsonicmonkey t1_iuiixnv wrote

As another commenter noted, most of the clean rap that you’ll find will be in the 80s prior to the gangsta rap movement.

Young MC’s Stone Cold Rhyming album (containing “Bust A Move”) is really good and clean of profanity (contains a few mild sexual references).

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tdktdk420 t1_iuijlxn wrote

Connor Price has been my favorite lately

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ghtw3 t1_iuik1ar wrote

"Will Smith don't gotta cuss in his raps to sell records..." - Eminem

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n8edge t1_iuikc3y wrote

Pretty sure Blackalicious was clean...

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PianoMike74 t1_iuikfr6 wrote

Bone Thugs-N-Harmony

Still some explicit lyrics but ultimately pretty clean (and smart)

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TheBeatdigger t1_iuikrvf wrote

Almost anything before 1985. Sugarhill Gang, etc..

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chillflyguy33 t1_iuiktvm wrote

Pretty sure Chamillionaire was known for not cursing.

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kth004 t1_iuil969 wrote

Replying to subsonicmonkey (#389,263)

I think Can I Kick it? is probably one of their only clean tracks. It's famously the song that every middle school music teacher uses when they get to their hip hop units.

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patrickkingart t1_iuil9r5 wrote

Some of Chamillionaire's stuff, Ultimate Victory in particular, is clean

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TheMaladyLingers t1_iuilfda wrote

Always liked Digable Planets. And I never hear much talk about the UMCs, but they put out a couple of really solid albums in the 90s, esp "Fruits of Nature."

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Talking_Eyes98 t1_iuilj5f wrote

A Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory

Madvillainy - Madvillain

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Kingummumm t1_iuilm1z wrote

NF is pretty dope. No cussing.

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elbow10 t1_iuimk93 wrote

There were clean version of NWA and Ice Cube back in the day.

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iamHBY t1_iuimzmm wrote

Rakim was pretty clean.

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highr_primate t1_iuin5ua wrote

Living Legends Most of the rappers that rap in the group are clean solo artists

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siri14563 t1_iuinbql wrote

Macklemore and Chance (maybe?)

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undescript t1_iuinjkk wrote

Most of Shad’s discography is pretty clean, and it’s dope.

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rain0ne t1_iuinupn wrote

Ugly ducking. The meat shake album is something else. High concept about a fictional fast food restaurant that only serves blended meat drinks and is at war with the veggie hut across the street.

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easylisteningmuzak t1_iuinvug wrote

Frfr, it might be hard to believe but lil peep has song talking strictly about his feelings, emotions, people he hanged around. And Will Smith was famously clean in his music as well.

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compaqdeskpro t1_iuio7ar wrote

Busta Rhymes, Common, John Legend, Mary J. Blige - Decision

Dr. Dre, Mary J. Blige - The Message

Eminem - When I'm Gone

Eminem - 3 A.M. (I'm not kidding, so listen to it and check for yourself)

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zapatocaviar t1_iuiorb4 wrote

Loyle Carner is awesome. Give it a try. Thoughtful, intelligent lyrics. Occasional swearing but not the focus.

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Windy_Beard t1_iuip8s3 wrote

People Under the Stairs, really chill hip-hop/rap duo.

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Speedking2281 t1_iuipa9e wrote

Thanks for some of the recommendations (I'm not the OP, but thanks anyway). Rap music is pretty much non-existent for my 12.5 year old daughter, even though she says she likes it. She hears it at school, but that's it. I might put some of these on a playlist for her. We've told her the reasons why it's not something we want her to listen to. We're all what we 'consume', whether it's food or media or friends. And I'll listen to 20 mins of rap on the various Sirius stations sometimes, and there will rarely be 45 seconds before there's another reminder why I would want anyone's kid to be listening to it.

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NotASwearwolf t1_iuiq77l wrote

Gift of Gab is cerebral and dense if you dig that. So is Aesop Rock but I can't remember how profane he tends to be.

Common Market, Blue Scholars, and Shad are heartfelt but less dense than the other two.

Watsky grew up middle class if you relate to that experience.

Flobots have a "fight the broken system" kind of vibe, but they might not be considered true "rap" or hip-hop.

Wordburglar is hella Canadian.

Spose comes from a rural background if that speaks to you.

I don't think Jurrasic 5, Cunninlynguists, and Intuition and Equilibrium are profane, but I haven't gone through listened to either of their discographies in ages.

R.A.P. Ferreira *(*formerly milo) likes to talk about things he feels in some intricate and sometimes hard to understand lyrics.

You'll probably find something you like in that list.

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lacrosseman10 t1_iuirenk wrote

The D.O.C. Didn’t swear, subject matter in the other hand…..

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thorpie88 t1_iuirijj wrote

L fresh the Lion. Mostly speaks about spirituality and living as a Sikh in Australia

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PleiadesSeal t1_iuiszlh wrote

... I listen to Sage Francis, but I don't remember if he curses.

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Straight-Set-7195 t1_iuiu9do wrote

Try jesus is king and donda, all profanities or racial slurs are removed on official release.

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loltheinternetz t1_iuiuah1 wrote

Replying to Isakw0w (#390,325)

Yeah his lyrics are basically an outlet for his difficult upbringing and depression. One of his albums is literally called “therapy session”. Big respect to him, he’s also a Christian but it more comes out as just a genuine part of his life in his lyrics at times - it’s not like he makes “Christina rap” which is often cringey.

But yeah, his material is heavy so be aware of that.

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blnts4jc t1_iuj1iz9 wrote

Pete Rock & CL Smooth

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v1brate1h1gher t1_iuj24on wrote

I recommend “rockstar made” by Playboi carti!

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LeagueYank t1_iujbcvj wrote

Todd Rundgren “The Individualist”

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Disastrous_Use_7353 t1_iujo1il wrote

“Splash splash, I was taking a bath” 🛁

Does this qualify?

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BaabyTheOne t1_iujru1n wrote

I'm not sure at all, but haven't noticed any of these in most of Nujabes music

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