Positive Rap

Sometimes you need to mute the everyday and step into a world of uplifting lyrics and spring-in-your-step beats. Kanye West name-checks God to the tune of an overzealous church choir on "Jesus Walks," Eminem unleashes a flurry of incensed syllables and hammering beats on "Lose Yourself," and a boisterous schoolyard clique tells Nas they know they're gonna be what they want to be (over a suitably scholarly sample of Beethoven's "Für Elise"). Maestro advocates consistency of purpose on "Stick to Your Vision," while K'naan holds out for the promise of a brighter future on "Wavin' Flag." Heavy D, the Game, Jay-Z . . . they're all spreading the goodness, in Next Steps.

It doesn't get much more classic or party-over-here perfect than the "Peaceful Journey" of Heavy D & The Boyz, or Boogie Down Productions insisting "You Must Learn" over the back of a boom-bap beat. On a whole other level of lyrical inspiration lunacy are the smoked-out "Positive Vibes" of Kottonmouth Kings and the chilled summer sound of Beanie Sigel, Jay-Z, and Scarface joining forces for "Some How Some Way." The Game, meanwhile, hooks up with Busta Rhymes over soulful strings to eulogize his son's ultrasound and explore the emotional intensity of imminent fatherhood on "Like Father, Like Son." The Beasties show us a road to enlightenment, in Deep Cuts.

The flip-that-frown-upside-down, sunshine-in-a-sample songs continue with a slew of selections that expand the mind as well as make you move. Run-DMC strap on their Adidas for some sneaker-scuffing old-school inspiration ("Wake Up," "Pause"), A Tribe Called Quest sends out concentric waves of positivity around "The Love," and the Beastie Boys take it all the way to Tibet on "Bodhisattva Vow." And Chuck D leads the SLAMjamz Artist Revue in a tribute to the ever-uplifting James Brown, with a cover of "Say It Loud (I'm Black and I'm Proud)."

Want an instantaneous pick-me-up that's actually legal? Our Positive Rap playlist covers the overtly poppy side of hip-hop, as well as a rogue's gallery of blacktop favourites from the genre's inception. Which means Coolio ("Fantastic Voyage") can coexist with Kanye (lauding the woman who gave him life on "Hey Mama") and the chin-up rhymes of Chubb Rock (translating the hope of Obama into French on "Obama Nous Croyons"), while modern wordsmiths like Common and Talib Kweli can share compilation space with bona-fide heroes like the Jungle Brothers and KRS-One. Smile you will — not to mention dance like you've just won the lottery.