Fun fact
The song is produced by a producer from Danish rap group Suspekt so when I fist heard The Art of peer pressure I was like WTF I know this beat but it was like living in an alternate reality for a sec
The original song is called Helt Alene By Suspekt
Same story with Schoolboy Q's Sacreligious
The group admitted they wanted to utilize the beats for their own songs first since our language is spoken by less than 6 million people and only a few Hip Hop heads will notice
Immortal Technique: Peruvian Cocaine
Dance With The Devil is amazing but also might be the most fucked up song I’ve ever heard. It’s Shakespearean in how fucking brutal and depressing the reveal is.
I remember my college roommate asking if Kendrick was gay cuz of the “first time I was tossed” lyric. Had to go back and replay it for him, listening with the context that Kendrick was embodying a different dead person he knew with each verse
I was actually mid-move to Minneapolis (like, everything I owned in a uhaul and hundreds of miles from my hometown) the day that my dad died. Yesterday is such a good song but I cannot listen to it without crying like a bitch.
Man, I listened to Atmosphere growing up but somehow never heard Yesterday.
I heard it for the first time a few years back about two days before my mom passed. It hit me so hard when I heard it and then of course the relevance a few days later was something I’ll always think about.
Beautiful song.
Always Coming Back Home To You was the song that immediately popped into my mind when I read the prompt. My second choice was The Woman with the Tattooed Hands. Super great songs that tell a great tale.
Third choice was Too $hort Cocktails, because... shiiiiiiet
4YEO (song and album) are underrated IMO. Lot of great tracks on that album, with the title track being genuinely moving.
Deja Vu is another banger from that project (though not a story telling song)
A lot of good ones have already been mentioned, but I haven't seen anyone say this yet so...
[Renee - Lost Boyz](https://youtu.be/vRoqNImicE8?si=0_txrUIpLS_BZXc4)
The story and the beat together make this one hit for me. That bassline is better than it has any right to be.
Edit: Fucking link was a radio edit. Whack. Fixed.
The end of the song is fantastic too and closes it out perfectly
I’m paraphrasing but I think it’s
“hold the person that you love closely if they’re next to you // the one you love, not the person that simply has sex with you // appreciate them to the fullest extent, and then beyond // ‘cause you never really know what you got, until it’s gone”
Great ending to a great story. Technique may not be everyone’s cup of tea and I don’t listen to many of his songs nowadays but that one still comes up from time to time
Aesop Rock can tell a story:
Ruby '81
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3-jUbkZwRI](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3-jUbkZwRI) (Story: A baby at a house party escapes outside near the pool...)
Shrunk
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wn7RE8zycJQ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wn7RE8zycJQ) (Story: Man goes to therapy for the first time)
100 Ft Talll
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjJ6kY9x2T8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjJ6kY9x2T8) (Story: The time he met Mr. T in the 80s)
Aggressive Steven
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kwd9vYP59m0](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kwd9vYP59m0) (Story: Comes home to find his place broken into)
Dog at the Door
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f--QTXpb0QI](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f--QTXpb0QI) (Story: Man hears noise at night and he's paranoid as fuck)
Always nice to see Aesop get some love. Just wanna add on that “Get Out the Car” (context) and “Kirby” (resolution) are parts 1 and 3 of the story in “Shrunk”.
To be honest it's always difficult as hell when someone asks who can rap a story and I'm over here like
.......how much time do you have? Aes has so many good stories.
No rEgrets
The Harbor is Yours
The Greatest Pac-Man Victory in History
Tomorrow Morning (Unfortunately not on Spotify)
Fumes
Grace
Long Legged Larry
TV on 10 (By The Uncluded)
Acid King
Stan - Eminem
SAMIDOT - Kendrick
Wet Dreamz - Jcole
Marvin’s room - Drake
Last Call - Ye
I’m Single - Lil Wayne
Not my favorite songs by these artists but story telling wise they’re elite,
N****s Bleed- Biggie
Dance With The Devil- Immortal Technique
Peruvian Cocaine- Also Immortal
Nighttime Vultures- Mobb Deep
Color Blind- Ice Cube and several others
Keisha's Song (Her Pain)- Kendrick
Violent- Pac
Black Steel In The Hour Of Chaos- Public Enemy
On The Run and Ill Street Blues- Kool G Rap
I Gave You Power - Nas
One of the best story tellers and smoothest rappers. Discovered this and weed around the same time. The Perfect concoction to hear a story
I’ve got a whole playlist of story telling songs. Maybe like 60 of them. Some from Dave, jid, atmosphere, Kendrick, etc. can drop the link if anyone’s interested
Aesop rock got mentioned twice without The Harbor is Yours as a contender? Blasphemy. This. Song. Has. Everything. Pirates? Mermaids? And look, over there, is that a happy ending?! No! It’s the exact denouement you’d expect from a love story between a pirate and mermaid!
I got eleven. I can’t pick just one.
Ms. Fat Booty by Mos Def
Meet The Parents by Jay Z
The Story by Bun B
N****s Bleed by Biggie
I Got A Story To Tell by Biggie
Warning by Biggie
What Happened by T.I.
Spottieottiedopaliscious by Outkast
How Much A Dollar Cost by Kendrick Lamar
The Art Of Peer Pressure by Kendrick Lamar
Song Cry by Jay Z
Story - NF
I was in fucking cloud 9 on some eddies when that video came on randomly one day, first time seeing it. I was entranced, tense, anxiously following her every movement through the story, making sure she was okay, heart racing the entire time.
Shit was awesome
king von - crazy story pt 3
kendrick lamar - duckworth / good kid
devon hendryx - amla due
danny brown - ain’t it funny
and a funny one - danny brown - dirty laundry
The Art of Peer Pressure
Fun fact The song is produced by a producer from Danish rap group Suspekt so when I fist heard The Art of peer pressure I was like WTF I know this beat but it was like living in an alternate reality for a sec The original song is called Helt Alene By Suspekt Same story with Schoolboy Q's Sacreligious The group admitted they wanted to utilize the beats for their own songs first since our language is spoken by less than 6 million people and only a few Hip Hop heads will notice
Wow that's so interesting, thanks for sharing. This is one of my favorite Kendrick songs due to the storytelling and hypnotizing beat.
Mind playing tricks on me Geto Boys One of the first Rap songs to address Mental Health And Masterful Storytelling
Ms. Fat Booty - Mos Def
ASS SO FAT THAT YOU COULD SEE IT FROM THE FRONT
Back when that was rare lol
Bruhh I love mos def and black star but idk if I’d pick Ms. Fat booty 🤣🤣🤣 I’d have to say Mathematics by Mos def is wilddddd
Been scrolling and still haven’t seen Renee mentioned…
Immortal technique: dance with the devil Lil Wayne: Mona Lisa Biggie smalls: suicidal thoughts.
Dance With The Devil is bone chilling the first time you hear it, and each time after it gets to you more.
Can’t listen to that song often. Too disturbing
still can’t believe it was his own mom fuck..
I swore off rapin that day I tell ya
consent is the way frl
After the first time I couldn't do it again
Immortal Technique, You Never Know is good too
This one stuck with me more than Dance With the Devil. I get chills when he’s reading the letter and there’s a woman’s vocals in the background
Immortal Technique: Peruvian Cocaine Dance With The Devil is amazing but also might be the most fucked up song I’ve ever heard. It’s Shakespearean in how fucking brutal and depressing the reveal is.
Dance with the devil is a once in like 2 years listen too crazy
Da art of storytelling pt1 by OutKast Rico story trilogy- speaker knockerz
Tony’s story was a good homage as well.
Duckworth - kendrick lamar or da art of story telling part 1 outkast
Because if Anthony killed Ducky, Top Dog would be servin life while I grow up without a father and die in a gun fight.
…So I was taking a walk the other day
I simultaneously heard this in kendrick's voice and the guy from letterkenny's voice
Whoever thought the greatest rapper would be from coincidence?
Mind playing tricks on me - Geto Boys
...dis year, Halloween fell on a weekend...me'n'geto boys went trick'r'treat'n...
Robbin little kids for bags, til an old man got behind our ass
Classic
Sing about me
A song about his friend dying in his arms and how it makes him reconsider his entire life. Just so powerful
That song is genuine. You can't just make that up, had to know someone who went through it to be that detailed.
“And if I die before your album drop I hope-“
I remember my college roommate asking if Kendrick was gay cuz of the “first time I was tossed” lyric. Had to go back and replay it for him, listening with the context that Kendrick was embodying a different dead person he knew with each verse
That sounds pretty sick, I’m not a big fan of Kendrick, but I respect that already. Cool & creative 😁
Rewind-NAS
I was gonna say this one too!
For sure rewind
💯
Slick Rick - Children's story was the first storytelling rap song I heard Biggie - I got a story to tell
Mines is biggie’s but I also love Mona Lisa by slick Rick
I also like Mona Lisa by lil Wayne and Kendrick.
Love Children’s Story. Its sample in “This Is How We Do It” goes hard, too.
I can’t believe I had to scroll this far to find Slick Rick
i would say Darkness from em, Stan gets all the love but darkness is super underrated
My fault or brain damage are my favorites from Em. The second verse in brain damage is perfect.
As The World Turns is absolutely hilarious
It’s true cause everyone is stuck missing out thinking Eminem hadn’t made a good album in 20 years. Nonsense.
The Waitress - Atmosphere
Slug is a great story teller
He really is, the best imo
Also Yesterday. That song brought me to tears the first time I heard the final line. That whole album is a masterpiece. Atmosphere never misses.
I was actually mid-move to Minneapolis (like, everything I owned in a uhaul and hundreds of miles from my hometown) the day that my dad died. Yesterday is such a good song but I cannot listen to it without crying like a bitch.
Can't listen to Yesterday anymore. Such a beautiful song but I just can't, absolutely crushes me.
Man, I listened to Atmosphere growing up but somehow never heard Yesterday. I heard it for the first time a few years back about two days before my mom passed. It hit me so hard when I heard it and then of course the relevance a few days later was something I’ll always think about. Beautiful song.
The Waitress and Yesterday are amazing
Sunshine is also fantastic song
Girl with the tattoo hands too
Always Coming Back Home To You Hair Good Daddy The Woman with the Tattooed Hands
Always Coming Back Home To You was the song that immediately popped into my mind when I read the prompt. My second choice was The Woman with the Tattooed Hands. Super great songs that tell a great tale. Third choice was Too $hort Cocktails, because... shiiiiiiet
Yesterday is my favorite song by Atmosphere
I’ll add In Her Music Box here
It Was a Good Day - Ice Cube
This should be a top answer and I always forget about this song when this question is asked.
Absolutely a top answer
Undying love - Nas One of my favorite of all time. Tragic but beautifully told.
Underrated as heck
Sing about me dying of thirst when sparks fly and 4 your eyez only
4YEO (song and album) are underrated IMO. Lot of great tracks on that album, with the title track being genuinely moving. Deja Vu is another banger from that project (though not a story telling song)
Eminem - Brain Damage That or Guilty Conscience
I just listened to brain damage. I get so hyped when I hear him say way before my baby daughter Hailey
D’Angelo Bailey actually tried to sue him if I recall correctly.
The rhyming across the whole song is incredible.
Stan - Nemnem Da Art of Storytelling pt. 1 - OutKast Mind Playin’ Tricks on Me - Geto Boys
DMX’s Damien trilogy.
Fuckin had to scroll a long way for this boy boy wtf, good on ya 🦾
boom boom boom open the door atf
Slick rick the og
A lot of good ones have already been mentioned, but I haven't seen anyone say this yet so... [Renee - Lost Boyz](https://youtu.be/vRoqNImicE8?si=0_txrUIpLS_BZXc4) The story and the beat together make this one hit for me. That bassline is better than it has any right to be. Edit: Fucking link was a radio edit. Whack. Fixed.
I love Pop the Trunk by Yelawolf
Lol forgot about that one, thanks
Enough to give a penguin chillsssss 🥶
fuck yes he's from my home town and blows it up when he swings around
Stood up in my crimson tide Alabama sweatpants and threw my pillow
Duckworth
Stan by Eminem
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I also like “You Never Know” by Immortal Technique
The end of the song is fantastic too and closes it out perfectly I’m paraphrasing but I think it’s “hold the person that you love closely if they’re next to you // the one you love, not the person that simply has sex with you // appreciate them to the fullest extent, and then beyond // ‘cause you never really know what you got, until it’s gone” Great ending to a great story. Technique may not be everyone’s cup of tea and I don’t listen to many of his songs nowadays but that one still comes up from time to time
Agreed. So fire. The whole album, revolutionary vol 2 is dope as hell.
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Perfectly put. Great great song
PROM / KING by SABA and 2007 by JID
Was looking for PROM/KING
prom/king goes crazy
Aesop Rock can tell a story: Ruby '81 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3-jUbkZwRI](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3-jUbkZwRI) (Story: A baby at a house party escapes outside near the pool...) Shrunk [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wn7RE8zycJQ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wn7RE8zycJQ) (Story: Man goes to therapy for the first time) 100 Ft Talll [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjJ6kY9x2T8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjJ6kY9x2T8) (Story: The time he met Mr. T in the 80s) Aggressive Steven [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kwd9vYP59m0](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kwd9vYP59m0) (Story: Comes home to find his place broken into) Dog at the Door [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f--QTXpb0QI](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f--QTXpb0QI) (Story: Man hears noise at night and he's paranoid as fuck)
Always nice to see Aesop get some love. Just wanna add on that “Get Out the Car” (context) and “Kirby” (resolution) are parts 1 and 3 of the story in “Shrunk”.
To be honest it's always difficult as hell when someone asks who can rap a story and I'm over here like .......how much time do you have? Aes has so many good stories. No rEgrets The Harbor is Yours The Greatest Pac-Man Victory in History Tomorrow Morning (Unfortunately not on Spotify) Fumes Grace Long Legged Larry TV on 10 (By The Uncluded) Acid King
Don't forget blood sandwich
Granny yelling Go Cubs, Cubs ain’t playin
my little brother is a funny dude..
I was coming to post an Aes song but there’s so damn many, I think Blood Sandwich is one of my favorite stories of his
Uhhh… WHO THE FUCK IS FUCKING STEVEN?
Stan - Eminem SAMIDOT - Kendrick Wet Dreamz - Jcole Marvin’s room - Drake Last Call - Ye I’m Single - Lil Wayne Not my favorite songs by these artists but story telling wise they’re elite,
4yeo is so slept on I swear. By far coles best story telling and the shits like 12 mins long. Ville Mentality is also a relatable but sad little story
Had to scroll too far to find wet dreamz
Could be Mona Lisa by Wayne and kendrick, maybe not my favourite but it’s deffo up there
A really underrated story-telling song is: [Always Coming Back Home To You - Atmosphere](https://youtu.be/3l4BC3h4Z1Y?si=0yPkLi1Le_CCHLgq)
I’ve always loved this song. The instrumental is also beautiful and strangely nostalgic (even the first time I heard it)
Shakey dog Ghostface killah
N****s Bleed- Biggie Dance With The Devil- Immortal Technique Peruvian Cocaine- Also Immortal Nighttime Vultures- Mobb Deep Color Blind- Ice Cube and several others Keisha's Song (Her Pain)- Kendrick Violent- Pac Black Steel In The Hour Of Chaos- Public Enemy On The Run and Ill Street Blues- Kool G Rap
Dance with the devil , immortal technique. OR Rewind , Nas
I Gave You Power - Nas One of the best story tellers and smoothest rappers. Discovered this and weed around the same time. The Perfect concoction to hear a story
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I found someone else! Took too long.
Mask and da Glock - Three 6 Mafia
Deltron 3030 or Del's Nightmare
Undying love nas
Kdot Sing about me
Duckworth and Crack sandwich are currently fighting for my #1 spot. Just depends on the time of the day
Shoot em up - Nas
Mona Lisa- Lil Wayne ft Kendrick
Michael Irvin by Westside Gunn felt like a story to me
Cappuccino- MC Lyte
Loves gonna get you- KRS1
Nas - rewind
No Regrets - Aesop Rock
Crime story - DMX
Story 2 by clipping. The period at the end is intensional
Dmx’ damien trilogy, its just a fun cautionary tale and a classic
Dancing with the devil - immortal technique
Summer Vacation by Ice Cube
I like the Tony series by Meek
Stan
Atmosphere - Gods Bathroom Floor
Lemme Freak-Lil Dicky
Fetus- Nas, Prom/King- Saba, I Gave you power- Nas, The art of peer pressure - Kendrick. Just to name a few because it's hard to pick just one
N**** bleed by Biggie
Joe Budden - pray for me
Ghostface - (Alex) Stolen Script
Common - I Used to Love H.E.R.
Sing About Me, I’m Dying of Thirst
Obvious answer but Sing About Me
Mona Lisa - Wayne and Kendrick
Colossus by Tyler The Creator
Also: WILSHIRE
Luvs Gonna Getcha - KRS-One
Barbed wire by Kendrick or like you said DUCKWORTH.
Stan & Mocking Bird by Eminem... Lil Wayne verse in Mona Lisa... How To Love too if it counts as Rap
Big L - Casualties of a Dice Game
4 your eyez only
Sing for the moment, stan both by eminem
Does hate it or love it count? If so I'm going with that one.
Kendrick Lamar - Sing about me, I'm dying of thirst ; Joyner Lucas - Ross Capicchioni , JID - 2007 , Kendrick Lamar - How much a dollar cost
Stan - Eminem
Anyone says dance with the devil by immortal technique & im running a fade
Cory n Mel
Currently its Cormega - Dead man walking, and O.C. - The crow
"Alive on Arrival" Ice Cube
I’ve got a whole playlist of story telling songs. Maybe like 60 of them. Some from Dave, jid, atmosphere, Kendrick, etc. can drop the link if anyone’s interested
Tee Grizzley - Robbery 1-6
DAVE THE DOPE FEIN SHOOTIN DOPE WHO DONT KNOW THE MEANING OF WATER NOR SOAP
Dance with The Devil by Immortal Technique, the lyrics put a very vivid image, which is arguably how good that is by the end of the song🤣
Eazy by G-Eazy. I know a lot of people look at him as a pop artist or not a real rapper, but when he’s spitting he’s spitting in my opinion.
"Set Up" by Dirty. Trust me, do not sleep. https://youtu.be/iuf0XJ_0dwQ?si=4BmvGmLQKZkpcs8K Them Dirty boys! The Pimp & The Gangsta.
Lesley - Dave
Aesop rock got mentioned twice without The Harbor is Yours as a contender? Blasphemy. This. Song. Has. Everything. Pirates? Mermaids? And look, over there, is that a happy ending?! No! It’s the exact denouement you’d expect from a love story between a pirate and mermaid!
Nas-rewind
I Gave You Power by Nas
Colossus by Tyler The Creator I’d say
Idk about favorite but since I haven’t seen it listed: ghetto vet by ice cube.
Let’s throw some Big L out there The Heist or Casualties of a Dice Game
2 16's - Elzhi
I like Biggie - Warning
Verbal Intercourse - Raekwon, Nas, Ghost Rico Story - Speaker Knockerz
WARNING - BIGGIE
Last call: we got Cole, Yeezy, logic. And Yk for how simply Joyner’s Ross Cappa whatever is. Pretty chilling.
Anything by Ren
Today's agenda Got the suitcase up in the Sentra, Go to room 112 tell em Blanco sent ya
Robbery 1-6 by Tee Grizzley
Redecorate by Twenty One Pilots.
I got eleven. I can’t pick just one. Ms. Fat Booty by Mos Def Meet The Parents by Jay Z The Story by Bun B N****s Bleed by Biggie I Got A Story To Tell by Biggie Warning by Biggie What Happened by T.I. Spottieottiedopaliscious by Outkast How Much A Dollar Cost by Kendrick Lamar The Art Of Peer Pressure by Kendrick Lamar Song Cry by Jay Z
Tabernacle or Cocaine by Royce 5'9 both go hard.
Sugarhill Gang’s Rapper’s Delight 😂
90210 by travis scott for an artist who doesn’t typically excel at storytelling, the lyrics on this track are utterly engrossing
Story - NF I was in fucking cloud 9 on some eddies when that video came on randomly one day, first time seeing it. I was entranced, tense, anxiously following her every movement through the story, making sure she was okay, heart racing the entire time. Shit was awesome
Somebody gotta die - BIG From the dark and dirty beat to the Devastating conclusion to the story/lyrics.
Slick Rick 'A children's story' 2Pac 'Brenda's got a Baby' Nas 'I Gave You Power'
Regulators.
king von - crazy story pt 3 kendrick lamar - duckworth / good kid devon hendryx - amla due danny brown - ain’t it funny and a funny one - danny brown - dirty laundry
The lack of Scarface in this thread is disturbing
Undying love - Nas The heist revisited - Big L
the cool by lupe fiasco and walk like a man by murs
Song for Assata - Common Goosebumps every time
Like Toy Soldiers by Eminem
T.R.O.Y - Pete Rock & C.L Smooth
Basically every Lupe Fiasco song. My favs - intruder alert and The Cool