Conscious Rap is a politically-charged branch of hip-hop that aims to shed light on issues such as police brutality, gang violence and drug traffic in harsh urban environments.

This subgenre is characterised by its story telling and lyrics loaded with deep meaning. Stylistically it can take numerous forms, from boom-bap to jazz rap. It has been popular since hip-hop started, but it particularly gained in popularity in the 2000s.

Artists:

• Kendrick Lamar
• Vince Staples
• J Cole
• Immortal Technique
• Joey Bada$$