Rap music gets a bad rap... ha, see what I did there? It might actually be a bad "rep" but that would ruin my joke. Anyway, most rap is thought of as noise. Rappers are seen as thugs that baldy influence young people. This is usually said by people who don't listen to rap. But because I listen to it, I know that not all rap is created equal. If you can get past all the rappers with stupid names who look like overgrown children, rap about women, drugs and the streets, and money they may or may not have... you will be able to find rappers whose lyrics are thought-provoking. Rappers who use their artistry to relay a message to their audiences instead of selling them trash lyrics over repetitious beats. Sometimes rappers remember they are poets and have lines that make the listener stop, look down at their phone or IPod and say, "Is this a rap song or a life lesson?" Okay maybe they won't do that but whatever they should...

So here are just a few (because there are so many) of the lines in rap songs that have stuck with me long after hearing them. Hopefully, they will inspire you as well.

For Every Dark Night, There's a Brighter Day - Tupac

Even the worst days have an end, hold on and breathe

"No more stress, Now I'm straight, Now I get it, Now I take, Time to think, Before I make mistakes." - T.I.

Learn from your bad choices.

"Not you're perfect, but you're not your mistakes." - Kanye West

But even though you've made bad choices, you are not a bad person. To error is to be human.

"To appreciate the sun, you gotta know what rain is". - J Cole

And know that the bad days will help you appreciate the good ones even more.

"Be Humble. Sit Down." - Kendrick Lamar

Like seriously, have several seats.

"Have a word for your brother, Have some time for one another, Really love one another, It's so hard to find." - Childish Gambino

While you're being humble and realizing the world does not revolve around you, take time out to appreciate your neighbor. I wish love was spread as fast as some other things...

"I believe that life is a prize, but to live doesn't mean you're alive." - Nicki Minaj

I'll get more into this a little later... consider this part 1 of this lesson.

"Seize the moment, try to freeze it and own it, squeeze it and hold it. Cause we consider these minutes golden." - Eminem

This is technically part 2, Every day you wake up, make it a powerful day. Decide to do something great, even if it's just something small. Cherish each moment you are granted and you won't regret them later.

"Ain't nothing better than Falling in Love." - Chance the Rapper

A romantic love is wonderful... but like my friend Corrieanne said... (and I'm paraphrasing/using my own words) fall in love with yourself. Fall in love with your career or the one you want. Fall in love with people in a platonic way. Fall in love with good times and laughter. Fall in love with being happy. Fall in love every day.

"The grass ain't always green on the other side, it's green where you water it." - Big Sean

This is probably the one I repeat to myself the most. This can go for a relationship but it can also be applied to life. Stop looking at what others have and be thankful/work on what you have. You'll find that if you grow what you already have, it can be just as beautiful and sometimes even more so, than what you were envious of.

"Everybody dies, but not everybody lives!" - Drake

Part 3... We all have a time to be born and a time to die. In between these two dates, you need to do everything in your power to make sure the life you were given is a good one. Some people just exist. They don't take chances. Nothing excites them. They go through the motions of life and dwell on the negative and they die not having experienced anything and with little to no good memories... Don't be like this. LIVE. Don't just exist... LIVE!

So yeah... next time a "rap hater" complaints about your rap music, let them read this article. First, they will be like...

But the next time you turn it on they'll be like...