We dare say that almost EVERY male rap artist is a father, or at least it seems that way. And while we don’t know what kind of dads they are at home, there are a few who stand out on record and by cultural impact.
As we celebrate and recognize fathers, AllHipHop.com gives a shout-out to some of our favorite Hip-Hop dads:
T.I.
Who doesn’t think T.I. is a ‘Father of the Year’ after watching him on “T.I. & Tiny: The Family Hustle:? Soon to return to the small screen in its second season, the first season centered around Tip’s attempts to reconnect with his children after his stint in prison. The charming children tested their parents at every turn and were shown to be pursuing their own entertainment careers. Son Domani is a fledgling rapper, while King and Major, Tip’s children with Tiny, are pursuing modeling and acting.
Rev. Run
One of the founding members of the groundbreaking Hip-Hop group, Run-DMC, Joseph “Rev. Run” Simmons returned to the mainstream during his intriguing reality show, “Run’s House”. For four years, the heartwarming show gave viewers a behind-the-scenes look into the lives of one of Hip-Hop’s First Families. Vanessa and Angela Simmons, Run’s eldest children, went on to success as the owners of Pastry and stars of “Daddy’s Girls.” Diggy Simmons followed his father’s footsteps to Hip-Hop success with his debut album, Unexpected Arrival.
Ludacris
Rapper, actor, and activist Chris “Ludacris” Bridges is a Hip-Hop dad we love because of how he has empowered his daughter, Karma, to start her own educational website for kids, KarmasWorld.com. Luda recently turned Universal Studios into Ludaversal Studios for Karma in celebration of Father’s Day.
Eminem
Fans feel like they know his daughter, Hailey Jade, through his music. With songs like, “My Dad’s Gone Crazy”, Eminem was never shy about talking about his daughter and his strained relationship with her mother, Kim. Despite the dysfunction between Marshall and his ex-wife twice over, Eminem is a father figure to Kim’s niece Alanna and her youngest daughter, Whitney.
Nas
With his new single, “Daughters”, Nas has allowed fans into his relationship with his teenage daughter, Destiny. The song and provocative video showcases the challenges of raising a teen and speaks to the mistakes that he may have made as a father. Also the father of a son, Knight, with singer, Kelis, Nas was hit with a $50,000 per month child support agreement, which has since been amended. His new album, Life is Good, will likely speak to the challenges that he has experienced with his children and their controversial mothers.
Lil Wayne
With five children by as many women, including Lauren London and Nivea, Lil Wayne made Hip-Hop dad history by having two different women pregnant at the same time. As we see from pictureson holidays and birthdays, Weezy has a good relationship with all of the mothers of his children. His eldest daughter, Reginae, is also a rapper who was a part of the OMG Girlz, and is now a solo artist.
Lonnie Lynn/Common
Common’s dad, Lonnie Lynn is a Hip-Hop dad we love because he always drops wisdom on the end of his son’s albums. A huge influence on his son and his relationship with his only child, Omoye, Lonnie Lynn is a Hip-Hop dad of a Hip-Hop dad, and we love that!
Jay-Z
Jigga has to be the Hip-Hop dad whose only child, Blue Ivy, will have the biggest shoes to fill. The six-month-old has already become the youngest “artist” to chart on Billboard – the song “Glory”, including her baby sounds, was recorded when she was less than a week old. If ever there was an heir to the proverbial Hip-Hop throne, Blue Ivy would be it, and we look forward to watching her grow up under her iconic Pop.
