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A lot of the time, rappers are portrayed as hardcore individuals with no feelings or emotions at all. For the most part, this character narrative is pushed forward by the rappers themselves. Being a gangster is a very marketable image in hip-hop, and rappers will do whatever is needed to sell records. However, when you peel back these layers, one usually finds that many of the most popular rappers are normal, family-loving individuals at heart. Actually, many rappers tend to become real softies whenever the subject turns to their mothers. Because come on, who doesn't love their mother? (Perhaps only Eminem). In the following article, we profile 10 rappers who have been extremely vocal and public about the love they have for their dear mothers. Check out the article below ....
10. Waka Flocka Flame
The 28-yr-old rapper Wacka Flocka is one of the rowdiest and energetic rappers in the game, and he has a huge following all over the world as a result of his dramatic live performances. But did you know that his mother is also his manager and trusted career confidant? His mother is Debra Antney, and she is the CEO of So Icey/Mizay entertainment. She even used to manage huge stars like Nicki Minaj and Gucci Mane for important stretches in their careers. Wacka is the kind of eccentric and free willed artist who requires a special kind of character to keep him on track, so his mother must be a truly special and competent woman.
9. J. Cole
The 30-yr-old rapper J. Cole is signed to Jay-Z’s Roc Nation Management, and at the end of last year, he released an album that really cemented his arrival as a rap superstar. The album was a tribute to his humble beginnings in North Carolina, and it went gold (selling 500,000 copies) in 3 weeks. A big part of his formative years was the tight bond he shared with his mother. She worked hard for many years at the post office to support her son and pay for his upkeep and college fees. In his new single “Apparently,” he talks about his mother with heartfelt lyrics like: “I was up in NYC chasin’ panties / Had no idea what you was goin’ through/ How could you be so strong? And how could I be so selfish.” It’s great to see that no matter how big some rappers get, they never forget where they came from and the important people in their lives.
8. Diggy Simmons
The 19-yr-old rapper Diggy Simmons certainly comes from hip-hop royalty. His father is Joseph “Rev Run” Simmons who was one of the founding members of the iconic, pioneering hip-hop group, Run DMC. Diggy himself is enjoying a decent run in the hip-hop industry with mentorship from big names in music like Pharrell Williams and Russell Simmons. His mother Justine Simmons also plays a major role in his life. On the reality show, Run’s House, it was clear to see how good Diggy’s mother is at keeping the family intact and being the powerful matron for her husband and children.
7. Jim Jones
Sometimes, all you have to do when trying to trace the character traits of a certain rapper is to look at their upbringing and what their parents were like. Harlem rapper Jim Jones is known as one of the shrewdest hustlers and entrepreneurs in hip-hop. However, it turns out that his mother Nancy “Mama” Jones is where he got all his smarts and ambition from. Mama Jones is a business woman, a youth advocate, a mentor, a public figure and mother of seven kids including Jim Jones. She graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology, has started national clothing brands and has even been a major fixture on reality shows like Chrissy & Mr. Jones. Mama Jones and her son are definitely two peas in a pod.
6. Mac Miller
Pittsburgh rapper is only 23-yrs-old and he has already achieved immense success in his career. This year is going to be a major year for him in his career too. He signed a major deal with Warner Bros. records worth a millions and the sky is the limit for him. His free-spirited and artistic approach to music can be attributed to his mother Karen Meyers and the household he was raised in. His mum is a professional photographer and she always fostered the concepts of independence and creativity in her sons. In a recent interview with Complex magazine, she was asked if she listened to her son’s music and this is what she said, “So much of his music, I love. I’m his biggest fan. His first and biggest.”
5. Kanye West
Throughout the beginning years of Kanye West’s career, his mother Donda West was his biggest fan and supporter. She was a very established professional herself. Mrs. West was a proven academic and the former chairwoman of Chicago State University’s English Department. She tragically passed away on November 10, 2007 from complications following cosmetic surgery. Her loss was a serious blow to Kanye West’s career. When he first spoke up after her death, he stated that, “It was like losing an arm and a leg and trying to walk through that.” He has since named his creative agency DONDA after her, and started non-profit organizations in her name too.
4. Wiz Khalifa
When it comes to dedicated weed smokers in the rap industry, the valedictorian of that class will probably be Wiz Khalifa. With the huge amounts of marijuana he takes into his system, it’s hard to even imagine how he is able to even tour as much as he does. But when you dig a little deeper, you quickly find out that his “smoking” and work ethic comes from his childhood home. His mother’s name is Peachie Wimbush and she has admitted in interviews that she used to “wake and bake” with her son in the morning when Wiz was younger. For those who need a little more explanation, this means that both her and her child would wake up and have marijuana with breakfast before she went to work and Wiz Khalifa left for high school. Wow, that sounds like a really hippie lifestyle!
3. Jay-Z
The rapper Jay-Z is the hip-hop equivalent of Richard Branson and Frank Sinatra combined. He transformed his career from a common Brooklyn drug dealer to one of the most wealthy and influential moguls in the world. His mother Gloria Carter played a major role in his ascent to the top. He has talked about her on several of his albums, and she is even featured on his song “December 4th” from his hugely successful LP, The Black Album. Even last year, when Jay-Z and Beyonce were rumored to be on the rocks in their marriage, they made time to appear at an opening for a Newark restaurant called Diamondz N Da Ruff that his mother co-owns. The bond between this mother and son is very tight indeed.
2. Drake
Even though Drake is one of the most popular rappers in the hip-hop game, he still has a reputation for being soft and a tad corny. Perhaps some of the reasons for this reputation are that he loves to sing like an R&B crooner and before he was a rapper, he was an actor on the show DeGrassi: The Next Generation. Drake is also extremely close to his mom, Sandi Graham, and he can certainly be referred to as a mama’s boy. In a short heartfelt video he shared on his Instagram page late last year, Drake asked his mom why people think he cries a lot. She replied honestly by saying that her son is a truly sensitive soul and that’s probably why onlookers make that assumption. It’s a really poignant family moment – you should check it out.
1. Sean Combs
One of the richest rappers around, Diddy has had no problem when it comes to ceasing opportunities and cashing in when the time is right. Another aspect to Diddy is that like many people, his family is very important to him and most fans can witness this from his social media posts or simply by watching some of his candid interviews.
Back in 2008 Diddy was nominated for 3 Emmy's for his work as an actor and producer in the 2008 film A Raisin in the Sun. Combs proudly brought his mom as his date, when interviewed he proudly had this to say "I wanted to share this time with her ... and because of her, I'm here," this was said right before he kissed her on the cheek. Seems like he is vary happy about being a momma's boy.
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