Any real insomniac has tried every trick in the book to get some good sleep. You’ve tried every supplement, warm milk, and the right pillows and blankets. Sometimes, even melatonin doesn’t even register for people. Sometimes, those nerves are just far too intense to truly settle your mind and body.
But if anything will take your mind away from the noise and help you sleep, it’s going to be music. Although hip-hop has its fair share of trunk rattlers and head bangers, it can also offer real tranquility. So we picked four rap songs to ease your spirit and help you get a good night’s rest.
Four Soothing Rap Songs that Will Help You Relax and Sleep
“Paris, Tokyo” by Lupe Fiasco
A great love song can take away some of that rough anxiety. Instead of dwelling on your ailments and the evils of the world, your mind is transported to something beautiful and carefree. Of all the greatest love songs in hip-hop history, “Paris, Tokyo” by Lupe Fiasco has a strong case for the best. In all of his travels and his quest to make it in hip-hop, he carries the love of his life in his heart at all times. Mixed with his cozy singing, it’s guaranteed to mellow you out.
“Rush Hour” by Tony Shhnow
Plugg beats might as well be a cheat code to get some good sleep. Cashcache! especially thrived in this department, with hefty 808s bulldozing the most pillowy backdrops you could hear in hip-hop. “Rush Hour” might as well be an ambient song with atmospheric it plays out. Tony Shhnow raps on delicate chords and extremely minimal drums that might as well be rap’s answer to a yoga session.
“It’s Your World, Pt. 1 & 2” by Common
J Dilla’s entire catalog is rich with the kind of relaxing beats rap fans need in their lives. His rich drum production is always accompanied by something light and airy. Take “It’s Your World, Pt. 1 & 2”, where Dilla matches Common’s vision for Chicago with windy energy and soulful howls. With the rapper’s warm voice and a stirring outro, it’ll quell any anxiety you might have before bed.
“Bulls**t” by The Pharcyde
Similar to the Common classic, Dilla’s production is starry and relaxing in a way that’s perfect for sleeping. But where Common looks at the state of the world, Pharcyde essentially tells us to get out of our heads. “You need to get up off of that s**t, and stop fightin’ that feeling,” the LA group raps.
Photo by Erik S. Lesser/Getty Images
The post 4 Hip-Hop Songs That Are Perfect to Listen to if You Can’t Sleep appeared first on VICE.
