Cursed chorus: The rapper with the most swear words in their music
Swear words aren’t uncommon when it comes to rap music, but there’s one rapper that clearly takes the crown above the rest. A new report has looked at artists with the most explicit words in their catalog, taking the information from a sample of rappers’ 100 most popular songs on the Genius website.
Among those with the most swear words in their discography are Megan Thee Stallion, 21 Savage, Tyler, The Creator, Future, Kendrick Lamar, Drake, Eminem, Logic and Kanye West. At the top of Startle‘s list, though, is buzzing Memphis rapper GloRilla. Despite only having an active career since 2019, her songs have by far the most curse words in them.
The data shows that GloRilla has 3785 swear words in her songs, averaging 37.9 per track and seven more per song than the aforementioned artists. Her track with the most explicit words is 2020’s ‘You Ain’t Shit’, packing a whopping 152 of them into just under four minutes.
She raps on the song, “Bitch, I hope you get ranned over by a truck (I hope you die, bitch)/ Yeah, I know I cheated too, but, n-gga, I don’t give no fuck (So? The fuck?)/ Them squirrel lookin’-ass bitches you be fuckin’ for a nut (Them butt-ass, ugly-ass hoes) Ayy, that’s the type of shit that make me wanna fuck a n-gga up (Come here, bitch).”
GloRilla had a religious upbringing with gospel artists like Kirk Franklin and Donnie McClurkin being played around the house. Still, her parents have always supported her career in rap music, regardless of the amount of swear words and having songs with titles like ‘Nut Quick’.
“My daddy know I be talking crazy. Him and my mama,” she told Complex. “They search me up on YouTube every day and find out everything I done did.” Second on the list is Megan Thee Stallion with 3,063 swear words in her top 100 songs, with an average of 30.6 per track. 21 Savage is third, with 3,001 total curse words and an average of 30 per song.
“Many musicians incorporate explicit content as a means of authentic self-expression, connecting with their audience, or addressing complex social and personal issues,” said Startle‘s music consultant, Magnus.
They continued, “However, the widespread nature of such language also raises concerns about accessibility and suitability for diverse listeners. By providing radio edits and clean versions of tracks, artists and record labels strike a balance between preserving creative integrity and ensuring that high-quality music remains suitable for all contexts.”
The use of many swear words is a big contrast to Will Smith’s stance, with the rapper/actor deciding against using them following advice from his grandmother. “I was 12 years old, and I started rapping,” he said. “So, I had my rap book, and I was writing my stuff, and I had all my little curse words in my rap book. And my grandmother found my rap book. And she just turned—she never said nothing.”
He continued, “Turned to the back page, and she said, ‘Dear Willard, truly intelligent people do not have to use words like this to express themselves. Please show the world that you’re as smart as we think you are. Love, Gigi.’ I read that, and I was like, ‘Fuck.’”