It seems in the rock world, unless they’re Robert Plant, the lead singer is also obliged to take the easy part and be the rhythm guitar player. In the hip-hop world, however, most MCs are free from everything except the mic in their hands – putting all focus on their words and their delivery – and that works pretty well.
But a lot of fans are often left wondering – which of their favourite rappers know instruments other than their lyrical ability – now we’re here to give you a run down of some of our favourite multi-talented MCs…
Anderson .Paak – Drums
If you missed Anderson .Paak’s Tiny Desk Concert back in 2016 then get off this site and onto YouTube – because it’s amazing. His drum skills are staggering – and he is also surrounded by an incredibly talented band:
Mac Miller – Piano, Drums, Guitar and Bass
Not only was Mac Miller a multi–instrumentalist, he was also self–taught. Reportedly, by the age of 6 he had picked up the piano, drums, guitar and bass all by himself. Dig into the vaults of YouTube and you can find a video of his Live Lounge performance where he plays guitar on a 2Pac cover – and right here you can see Mac playing the blues:
Jonny Dee – Guitar
With his Afro, white Stratocaster and flowery shirts – Jonny Dee looks far more like Hendrix and the hippy generation than he does a rapper – and yet listen to his tunes and you hear some impressive bars similar to those of Chance the Rapper or Anderson .Paak. Soon to release a new video we hope to see a lot more of his guitar playing talent – but for we will have to content ourselves with this preview:
Andre 3000 – Piano, Guitar, Jack of All Trades
According to GQ, the very first chords Andre 3000 played when he first picked up a guitar became the chords for Hey Ya! (So all this music stuff can’t really be so hard then, really?) I never totally dedicated myself to anything. I’ve always been a jack-of-no-trades, but just making it happen: You know, play guitar just enough to play on The Love Below. Play piano just enough to do “Ms. Jackson.” My first chords were “Hey Ya!”