American rapper, singer, and entrepreneur Kevin Gates had a rough childhood that pushed him towards music as an escape from the madness.
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His 2013 mixtape, The Luca Brasi Story, was released independently. But, it was so successful that he signed a record deal with Atlantic Records shortly after and has never looked back.
The best Kevin Gates songs of all time are a unique blend of rap styles, from gangsta rap and trap to something a bit more traditional.
Because of his rough and painful upbringing…
His lyrical content covers all manner of subjects and styles. From straight rhyming to something a bit more realistic and heartfelt. Here are some of Kevin Gates’ best songs so you can get a real feeling of what the Baton Rogue rapper is all about.
Top 44 Best Kevin Gates Songs of All Time
1
Really Really
“Really Really” is one of Kevin Gates’ most successful songs, with over 275 million YouTube views alone. It was the second single from his 2016 debut studio album, Islah, and showcases his masterful flows over a very hard and pulsating beat.
The way Kevin flows on this track merges a smooth delivery with raw vocals that make you sit up and take notice from the beginning.
At the time, his debut album was long-awaited…
So, when it did finally hit the street, it was more than worth the wait. The lyrics show that he’s all about that street life, which is hardly surprising.
This is one of the best Kevin Gates songs because it catapulted him into the rap scene, and he’s gone on from strength to strength ever since. His older fans loved this track, and at the same time, it exposed him to a bunch of new fans.
2
Big Gangsta
The title should give you a clear indication of the lyrical content. “Big Gangsta” smacks you around the face like a championship boxer.
It bangs hard, to say the least…
That is due to the perfect balance of Kev’s hardcore rhyme schemes and flow and the up-tempo instrumental that was produced by Felix Leone. These two elements combined to make this one of the most memorable Kevin Gates songs.
The track was initially released in 2019 from his Only the Generals Gon Understand album that hit it out of the park. The intense structure of this song and the powerful lyrical delivery make it a great example of his harder tracks.
Sure, the lyrics are all about being a gangster and living that street life. But anyone who knows anything about Gates will know how authentic he is in that regard. He’s no fake gangster, that’s for sure.
3
2 Phones
“2 Phones” is a pulsating track that hits the mark and showcases his lyrical dexterity and superb flows. It’s another joint that was released from his debut Islah album, and it bangs like a rusty old automobile that uses plutonium for fuel.
His flow on this track makes you want to get on your feet to shake your thing around. Even though, in essence, it’s a gangster rap track and not a party or club banger per se.
If you think that his first verse was fire…
The second verse is one of his best, in my option. The lyrics and flow are super-tight as Kevin bounces on this expertly-crafted beat. Those looking for examples of Kev’s rap skills should look no further because this track has it all.
It also achieved great commercial success. At the time of writing, it has almost 330 million views on YouTube, and that takes some serious beating.
4
Power
It’s been stated that five producers collaborated to make this track. Too many cooks usually destroy the broth, but not in this case. “Power” is a powerful track that merges a banging beat and vocal delivery with cool lyrics and a serious message.
It was released in 2020 as a single and is considered one of the most popular Kevin Gates songs ever, and I wouldn’t argue with that.
The lyrics are about his wife…
So, you know, he had to pull out all the stops to ensure it was a classic, and that’s just what it is. The chorus is so memorable and powerful and never fails to get you hooked from the get-go.
Even though it touches on his personal life and relationship with his wife, the track has a happy vibe, if not particularly an emotional one. That makes it much easier to listen to than some songs with heartfelt lyrics that get a bit too yucky.
5
Me Too
“Me Too” originally came out back in 2018 from his Luca Brasi 3 mixtape and was immediately loved by his fans. The upbeat vibe gets your head nodding from the start and has a party-style feel that sits well in a club or street environment alike.
Fresh, funky, and full-on are great ways to describe the feeling of this song. And it sounds as great today as it did when first released, which is a testament to his longevity.
It’s not going to bend your mind in an intellectual lyrical way…
But, that’s all good. However, it rocks like The Rolling Stones and is full of energy and pizazz. This is the type of track that elevated his Luca Brasi mixtape series and helped him get a record deal while also attaining lots of new fans.
This track was always a hit in my eyes. Even though it was an independent release, it has always been underrated, in my opinion.
6
I Don’t Get Tired (#IDGT) (feat. August Alsina)
This track has more bounce than 1000 power balls rebounding around a trampoline factory. “I Don’t Get Tired (#IDGT)” features August Alsina and is an absolute banger of the highest order. It’s one of his older tracks from his Luca Brasi 2 mixtape that originally came out back in 2014.
In some ways…
You can hear the difference in sound when compared to his newer joints. His sound has evolved, but even back then, you could tell it was something special.
The lyrical content touches on the mentality that’s needed to make it in the music game and on the streets. It’s about never getting tired and how you need to keep believing in yourself and never stop pushing forward. The inspirational nature of this joint makes it a great message to those looking to be successful in life. You need hard work, dedication, and confidence to keep going no matter what.
7
Broken Love (feat. MO3)
“Broken Love” has a more poppy feel than some of his harder tracks. In my opinion, this is one of the best Kevin Gates songs of all time because it offers something a bit different from his other tracks.
Sure, there’s a heavy lashing of auto-tune on the vocals of recently deceased MO3. But when this came out in 2021, that was still all the rage and still is. The track is from MO3’s posthumous album, Shottaz 4Eva, and because the rapper has passed away, it makes the track even more poignant.
The vibe is a cool mix of Rap/Trap styles with a bit of R&B and Pop music thrown into the mix for good flavor. This up-tempo track bounces along nicely and is ideally bumped out of a decent car stereo sound system while rolling around the hood.
8
Hard For
The acoustic intro of this song might be confusing for some of his long-term fans. But, when you give it a chance, it’s one of his most musical tracks. “Hard For” is a candid track about “getting hard” for a certain woman.
Most men can relate to that…
It was a pivotal tune from his debut album, Islah, in 2016. The track gave us another side of the rapper and what he could achieve going forward. There’s a reggae and an easy-listening vibe to this track that never fails to hook its listeners.
He doesn’t do much physical rapping on this song, but his vocals are very unique and effective. The chilled and musical vibes gave his fans something different to think about.
It’s tracks like these that made his Islah album such a riveting and unique listen. That’s why it became so successful in the first place.
9
Walls Talking
“Walls Talking” is a song about being caught up in your own mind and thoughts, and that’s not always a good thing. The track was released on the 2019 album I’m Him, which is regarded as one of his best.
When the walls are talking to you, it’s probably time to get some help about dealing with yourself, and that’s what this track is all about. The main topics focus on mental health and how to get through past problems that are still blighting you today.
Even though the subject matter might seem dark and depressing…
The beat is quite uplifting, and the lyrics are very inspirational. It takes a dark subject and puts a positive spin on it, and you can’t ask for more than that. Because the subject is so relatable, it’s become one of his most popular tracks that can help those in a similar position.
10
Time For That
This is a classic Kevin Gates song once again from the Islah album. It put the rapper on the map and cemented his place on the rap scene. “Time for That” is easily one of his smoother tracks and a stark comparison to some of his harder club bangers.
He skillfully raps his way through this track…
And we can see that he’s grown massively from his earlier mixtape years. The transitions in this song will leave you dazed and confused in the best possible way.
His flow patterns and rhyme schemes on this joint will make you sit up and take notice. If not, I’d have to question your love for rap music. This is one of his most enjoyable pieces of music.
It weaves and bobs in a magnanimous fashion for nearly four minutes. It keeps you engaged and riveted, and that’s all you can ask for. His tracks on this album will be what Gates is remembered for as he unforgettably burst onto the scene.
11Pride
12Pourin The Syrup
13Believe In Me
14Satellites
15John Gotti
164:30 AM
17Posed To Be In Love
18In God I Trust
19Luca Brasi Freestyle
20Imagine That
21Told Me
22Islah
23Arm & Hammer
24Find You Again
25Out The Mud
26La Familia
27Wish I Had It
28Excuse Me
29Kno One
30Roaming Around
31Don’t Know What To Call It
32Smile
33Reasonable Suspicion
34One Thing
35Sit Down
36Perfect Imperfection
37IDGAF
38Pourin’ The Syrup
39Jam (feat. Trey Songz, Ty Dolla $ign, and Jamie Foxx)
40Had To
41The Truth
42Paper Chasers
43Would You Mind
44Bet I’m On It (feat. 2 Chainz)
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Best Kevin Gates Songs of All Time – Final Thoughts
These are Kevin Gates’s best songs of all time, in my humble opinion, but I don’t have a monopoly on the truth. You might disagree with some of my choices, but all I tried to do was give you his best songs, especially for those just getting into his discography.
During an era of mumble rappers and Trap emcees, Kevin has found his own niche and sound. And that’s why he’s become so successful over the years.
He first started rapping back in 2007 as a kid. But, he has since grown from strength to strength through the 2010s to become the artist we know and love today.
In regards to the lyrical content…
He might not be Nas or Biggie Smalls, but his flows and beats are impressive. And not many other rappers at the moment can touch his skills. His tracks are much longer than the short-players we routinely hear from modern-day rappers, whose songs are sometimes only two minutes long.
Let’s appreciate what we have in Kevin Gates while he is still out here entertaining us and dropping great singles and albums. He rhymes his tail off and has the work ethic to become a legend in the rap game. So, let’s hope it all comes to fruition.
Until next time, happy listening.
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