Working two jobs is not for the faint of heart. You’re sacrificing a lot just to make ends meet, or at the very least build savings rather than live exclusively on your checking account. Time to cook and work out diminishes significantly, let alone truly relax. Working more than one gig requires dedication and a concrete vision that won’t waver even at your most tired and frustrated.
The problem is, you can lose motivation very quickly. By the time you’re on that second shift and the slightest annoyance hits you, the inclination to up and leave is extremely tempting. You have to resist the temptation to say, ‘Screw this, I don’t need this,’ at all costs. Thankfully, music can be the ultimate motivator in times of struggle. Consequently, we picked out three songs for anyone working more than one job for extra inspiration or just to have something to relate to.
3 Rap Songs That Will Help You Get Through Long Days Working Two Jobs
‘Po’ Folks’ by Nappy Roots and Anthony Hamilton
Almost nobody works more than one job unless they’re poor. Whether too poor to pay the bills or too poor to build any savings in case of emergency. But in any event, you just don’t have the money you want to have in order to be truly comfortable.
The country rap anthem “Po’ Folks” by Nappy Roots and Anthony Hamilton would prove especially cathartic in moments like these. There, the Kentucky rap group grunts their way through rough upbringings, scraping for change. “I gotta do it for my sons, they tellin’ me, ‘Daddy be strong’/We gon’ make it through these hard times/Even though they go and they come,” Skinny DeVille raps.
Anthony Hamilton eventually croons on the hook, telling us that despite the lack of riches, they’re going to be okay regardless. It’s a heartwarming sentiment that reminds us not to overthink things. The hustle is enough; we don’t have to stress over everything to make it to the finish line.
‘You Can Get Rich’ by Larry June
Larry June’s music doesn’t naturally scream ‘two jobs and struggling.’ He raps about orange juice, smoothies, nice cars, and monitoring the stock market. It’s not exactly blue-collar music.
But the Bay Area rapper’s lax energy makes the motivation not nearly as overwhelming as it can be. While someone like Young Jeezy might motivate us with titanic-sized records about dominating the game, June is much more relaxed. He offers us the idea that “You Can Get Rich” without beating us over the head. Ultimately, his golden life is proof that, with enough hard work, you can reach a point of true contentment as he did.
‘Dollar and a Dream II’ by J. Cole
J. Cole’s early music was bred for people grinding out two jobs. A song like “Dollar and a Dream II” is for the backpack wearers catching the bus in order to make school or work, long before a car is even in the equation. Everything is ultimately in service to a larger ideal, that one day the dream will pay off and the second gig will just be a distant memory.
“They say I’m the future, but yet I’m givin’ n***as flashbacks/Of better days when you ain’t have to settle for whatever played/I represent the struggle, n***a, I say what they never say,” Cole raps.
(Photo by Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images)
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