12 Brotherly Songs That Exude Brotherhood

Reading Time: 12 min read

12 Brotherly Songs That Exude Brotherhood features music courtesy of Angie Stone, Aviici, Bankrol Hayden, Mad Tsai, and Ryan Beatty.

To quote 🏆 Grammy-winning neo-soul standout 🎙 Anthony Hamilton: “BROTHERS gon’ work it out”. Speaking of BROTHERS, 🎙 Jonas Brothers apparently settle arguments at 🎵 “Waffle House” – Fair enough! And of course, we don’t need musicians to remind of the beloved slogan, bros before hoes, though 🎙 Bankrol Hayden and 🎙 Luh Kel successfully remind us! 🎧 12 Brotherly Songs That Exude Brotherhood is all about your BROTHER… or BROTHERS… or the BROTHERHOOD… something like that. The key is that all 11 songs feature some form of the word brother, slang or otherwise! 🎧 12 Brotherly Songs That Exude Brotherhood features music courtesy of 🎙 Angie Stone, 🎙 Aviici, 🎙 Bankrol Hayden, 🎙 Mad Tsai, and 🎙 Ryan Beatty among others. So, even if your brother – be it your blood brother, bestie, or a brother from a different mother – isn’t physically next to you, remember him as you check out this brother-driven list!

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1. Trippie Redd & Lil Baby, “DARK BROTHERHOOD”

💿 MANSION MUSIK • 🏷 1400 Entertainment, Inc. / 10K Projects • 📅 2023

Need a rap banger? Look no further than 🎙 Trippie Redd, who always comes through with an aggressive, unapologetic approach. In 2023, he dropped his album, 💿 MANSION MUSIK. Among the 25 tracks (!) was 🎵 “DARK BROTHERHOOD” which finds him sharing the mic with 🏆 Grammy-nominated rapper, 🎙 Lil Baby. With fitting dark, malicious production courtesy of 🎛 Igor Mamet, Nadddot, Bosley, and Bacon and Popcorn, it is safe to say that the dynamic duo drop fire 🔥.

Trippie Redd gets things started with the chorus, which is hardnosed yet entertaining. Trippie mentions a mask and a chopper (standard for a rap joint), asserting, “Get the fuck up out my face if you ain’t talkin’ ‘bout cash / Big deal, I’m a titan and these niggas wanna clash.” Oh, snap 🫰! He doesn’t stop there with captivating rhymes, closing out the chorus, “Know how to keep it litty like a titty / This bitch high as hell, hit the whippet can until she get dizzy.” Day-um! Of course, Trippie goes on to drop the first verse, keeping the same energy, asserting in the closing line, “Catch an opp, walk ‘em down, then hit the damn Griddy.” Oh, and prior to that, he was “Off a Percocet.” As for Lil Baby, he matches Trippie’s sensibilities, stating, “These niggas with me always keep a mask, I can’t trust a soul, these niggas shiesty.” What more can you say? The bars speak for themselves!

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2. Mad Tsai, “Stacy’s Brother”

🎵 “Stacy’s Brother” • 🏷 Mad Tsai • 📅 2022

“I’ve been hanging out with Stacy / Everybody thinks we’re dating?” Oh, really? Hmm 🤔. You are truly mad if you have not embraced the gift that is 🎙 Mad Tsai. The young, bisexual pop artist knows how to make a bop – NO CAP. Furthermore, he’s pretty easy on the eyes 😍 – just an observation! Honestly, can you feel guilty complimenting his looks after seeing the hot 🥵 music video for 🎵 “Stacy’s Brother”? Not only do we see shirtless Mad Tsai but there are also other shirtless boys in the mix. That said, while the sexy, objectification piece is in play on this LGBTQ 🏳️‍🌈 bop, it’s the song’s drama and narrative that truly seal the deal.

So, the deal is, the rumors are that Mad Tsai is dating Stacy, who is incredibly beautiful and the popular girl. It makes sense in a straight world, right? Hot guy (Mad Tsai) scores hot girl (Stacy), etc. But, ultimately, Tsai is attracted to Stacy’s brother! “I lose my cool when he’s around / And I don’t know if this is just a crush / How do I find the words to tell her? / I’m in love with Stacy’s brother.” Oh, the scandal! Eventually, he’s not just in love with Stacy’s brother, he admits, “I hooked up with Stacy’s brother,” and at the end, admits, “The way I’ve behaved is a crime / Oh, Stacy, I got to tell ya / I’m in love with your big brother.” Woo! Oh, and for what it’s worth, in the music video, Stacy’s brother is pretty hot, so, can you blame Mad Tsai? Absolutely not 😂!

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3. JORDY, “Becky’s Brother”

💿 BOY • 🏷 300 Entertainment • 📅 2023

Sometimes, you just wish you could be as cool as your brother or sister. In the case of 🎵 “Becky’s Brother”, the seventh track from 💿 BOY, the sophomore album by pop singer/songwriter 🎙 JORDY, he looks up to his sister, who he believes excels where he falters. As is often the case with sibling relationships, he hasn’t always voiced his admiration. But, being the grown man, he is – BOY and all – he dedicates an entire song: “I’m more than okay with me just being / Becky’s brother / Growing up right next to you was / Such an honor.” Interestingly, we find out Becky is younger than him…

4. Angie Stone, “Brotha”

💿 Mahogany Soul • 🏷 J • 📅 2001

“He is my king, he is my one / Yes, he’s my father / Yes, he’s my son / I can talk to him ‘cause he understands / Everything I go through and everything I am.” So, 🎙 Angie Stone, who is this man? Well, the men the 🏆 Grammy-nominated artist sings about on her neo-soul aughts classic, 🎵 “Brotha” (💿 Mahogany Soul, 2001) are black men. With so much negative surrounding black men, Stone seeks to praise and uplift them. “And I just want the whole world to know about my / Black brotha, I love ya and I will never try to hurt ya.” In the second verse, over smooth production by 🎛 Raphael Saadiq, Angie goes on to say, “He’s misunderstood / Some say that he’s up to no good around the neighborhood / But fo’ your information / A lot of my brothers got education.” Again, Stone seeks to change negative perceptions and what are often known as implicit biases regarding black men. Even to those incarcerated, Stone sends her love. Controversial? Maybe it raises eyebrows, but the big takeaway is celebrating black men as opposed to playing on negative stereotypes, etc. “Brotha” ranks among the veteran singer’s best songs. It is her highest charting hit on the Billboard Hot 100 (no. 52) even surpassing her ‘ace in the hole’, 🎵 “No More Rain (In This Cloud)”.

Appears in 🔻:

Brother: 3 to 5 BOPS No. 34 (2023)

5. Aviici, “Hey Brother”

💿 True • 🏷 Aviici Music AB / PRMD / Universal Music AB • 📅 2013

“Hey, brother / There’s an endless road to rediscover.” Intriguing! “Hey, sister / Know the water’s sweet, but blood is thicker.” That lyric right there, it hits hard 😮! The 🎙 Aviici (Tim Bergling) gem, 🎵 “Hey Brother”, which features uncredited vocals by 🎙 Dan Tyminski, speaks to the importance of family. The chorus of this unique ‘dance’ record, sums it up perfectly: “Oh, if the sky comes falling down / For you, there’s nothing in this world I wouldn’t do.” Beyond the song itself, the music video provides a unique family narrative, associated with wartime America and, of course, the loss of a loved one.

Aviici was associated with dance, being a DJ and producer, but “Hey Brother” not only has dance cues but also country vibes – yeehaw cowboy 🤠! The countrified vocals and select musical cues are part of the charm and innovativeness of “Hey Brother.” “Hey Brother,” which appears as the third track on Aviici’s 2013 album, 💿 True, marks the second-biggest hit of his career behind 🎵 “Wake Me Up”. It peaked at no. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 in April 2014. RIP Tim.

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Aviici, “Hey Brother”: Dance Gemz 🕺 💎 🎶 No. 9 (2023)

6. Cymande, “Brothers on the Slide”

💿 Promised Heights • 🏷 Partisan • 🗓 1974

“Brothers on the slide / Working on the wrong side / What ya gonna do / You can’t win so you know you must lose / We know which way you goin’.” Uh-oh – sound sus ! What doesn’t sound the least bit sus is the 🎙 Cymande classic, 🎵 “Brothers on the Slide”. “Brothers on the Slide” appears as the third track on the British funk band’s 1974 album, 💿 Promised Heights. The groove is utterly electric – it totally SLAPS. The guitar riff is ripe, while the bass line is one of the best you’ll ever hear from the 1970s. Sure, there are far more renowned funk/soul records from the era, but “Brothers on the Slide” shouldn’t be neglected.

The vocals are terrific, too, expressing this narrative of bad, sketchy choices being made. Lyrically, “Brothers on the Slide” is simple. The type of bad stuff happening isn’t clear, but, it’s not good. Among the most memorable lyrics are “(Slowly sliding) We’re doing all that we can,” which is like the chorus or bridge, as well as the recurrent, “We know which way you goin’.” It should come as no surprise that 🎵 “Brothers on the Slide” has been sampled numerous times. Perhaps this is more of an obscure gem from the 1970s, but it’s a stellar one, nonetheless.

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7. Ryan Beatty, “Brother”

💿 Dreaming of David • 🏷 Boy in Jeans / Mad Love / Interscope • 📅 2020

“Why do you leave yourself, leave yourself, leave yourself alone? / Why don’t you ask for help when you’re needing someone?” On “Brother”, the ninth track from his 2020 album, 💿 Dreaming of David, 🎙 Ryan Beatty is trying to help a friend – a brother – who is in need. “Brother, you can lay your head /
You can lay your head on my shoulder,” he sings in the bridge. The person he addresses this song to and sings about appears to be on a self-destructive path. This occurs at the onset, where Beatty sings, “Speeding with no hesitation / Crushed up the pills that you had / Just like the matches you’re burning (You can call on me) / To see if it all falls down.” Beatty does all he can to make him believe in himself and stop the self-destruction. He asserts at the conclusion of the outro, “You are so quiet, I wonder if you cry yourself to sleep / There is a light within your eyes, if only you could see.”

8. Mac Demarco, “Brother”

💿 Salad Days • 🏷 • 📅 2014

“Shit.” 💩 WOO!!! Way to set the tone, 🎙 Mac Demarco! On 🎵 “Brother”, the third track from his 2014 album, 💿 Salad Days, the singer/songwriter and ‘Jizz Jazz’ proponent sings with subtlety – in an undertone – yet manages to pack a punch. “You’re no better off / Living your life / Than dreaming at night,” he sings memorably and prudently in the first verse, adding, “This much is true / But it’s still up to you / To take my advice.” Demarco provides more advice in the chorus, urging him, “To take it slowly, brother” and “Go home, go home.” Beyond the singing and songwriting, the production (Demarco) is colorful hearkening back to the past to some extent. The guitar 🎸, particularly during the “Go home” portion of the song, is superb.

9. Bankrol Hayden, “Brothers” (Ft. Luh Kel)

💿 Pain Is Temporary • 🏷 Atlantic • 📅 2020

“It’s love for my brothers, no love for these bitches / They say they gon’ change, but I ain’t gon’ listen.” As the saying goes, bros before hoes. 🎙 Bankrol Hayden doesn’t seem to trust bitches whatsoever on “Brothers” (💿 Pain Is Temporary, 2020), crying foul that “She fucked with my friend, she had to admit it / My mind has been trippin’, they burning these bridges.” I can see why Hayden is perturbed. In the first verse, he wants his big bro free – someone he clearly loves and can trust – which is on brand with love for my brothers as opposed to, well, the Bees 🐝 – buzzzzz! To be fair, in the second verse, her brother is a bitch too, per Hayden: “Your brother, he a bitch, and my brothers, we all that.”

Featured guest 🎙 Luh Kel brings more melody to the mix, and less – wait for it – bitching 😜. Well… he doesn’t refer to anybody as the b-word. Still, Luh Kel admits, “Girl, you gave me your love, now I’m fiending / Got my heart broke, but you pick up the pieces.” Read the lyrics or listen, and it feels as if Kel is praising her and even enamored. Still, that would totally contradict the song’s messaging, contrasting Hayden’s anti-bi-otch rant. The most accurate takeaway seems to be the fact Luh Kel is trapped by her toxicity, and of course, her body/sex. Regardless, in two minutes and change, Bankrol Hayden + Luh Kell make magic, support each other as brothers, and have their respective issues with women. After all, just to reiterate on this banger, “My mind has been trippin’, they burning these bridges.”

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Appears in 🔻:

Bankrol Hayden, “Brothers”: Rap BNGRZ 🔥 No. 16 (2023)

10. Gino Vannelli, “Brother To Brother”

💿 Brother To Brother • 🏷 A&M • 📅 1978

“Oh, mothers and fathers / Where will tomorrow’s children be? / Oh brother, my brother / Let us live our lives in peace.” The 1970s was one of music’s richest eras, PERIOD. So many musicians delivered stellar, truly timeless classics. Canadian rock singer/songwriter 🎙 Gino Vannelli carved out success in the late 70s and early 80s. His first of two top-10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 arrived from his 1978 platinum certified album, 💿 Brother To Brother. While the title track was not a charting single, the near seven-and-a-half minute 🎵 “Brother To Brother” kicks ass and takes names.

“Brother To Brother” benefits from its lavish, picturesque production, on brand with the 1970s sound across multiple music styles. Furthermore, the tempo is quick, only upping the energy. Speaking of energy, Vannelli delivers exuberant vocals as he pushes for unity: “Brother to brother / Now we must join our hearts and hands / Yeah, if we love one another / We hold the key to the promised land.” He’s not wrong, though unfortunately, despite his passionate call to action, nearly 50 years later we are still searching for that united brother and sisterhood 😏 😢. Regardless of whether people heed to the eloquent, thoughtfully penned lyrics of 🎵 “Brother To Brother”, there is no way you can knock the badass instrumental 🤘!

11. Marvin Gaye, “What’s Happening Brother”

💿 What’s Going On • 🏷 Motown • 📅 1971

“Brother, brother, brother / There’s far too many of you dying…” 💿 What’s Going On, released in 1971, is one of the greatest soul albums of all time. Furthermore, the gold certified masterpiece by soul icon 🎙 Marvin Gaye is one of the best albums of all time regardless of genre. The opening track, 🎵 “What’s Going On” – where the excerpted lyrics hail – is EPIC. That makes the second track, 🎵 “What’s Happening Brother”, have a truly hard act to follow 😬. The good news is “What’s Happening Brother” continues the impressive musicianship and socially conscious themes of the title track.

After one of the lushest instrumental intros you’ll ever hear, Gaye sings in the first verse, “War is hell, when will it end? / When will people start getting together again?” Unity – togetherness – is the modus operandi for Marvin Gaye, as well as a better world. “Can’t find no work, can’t find no job, my friend / Money is tighter than it’s ever been,” he asserts in the second verse, adding, “Say man, I just don’t understand what’s going on across this land? / Ah, what’s happening brother?” What is interesting about this song which criticizes war, the economy, and disunity is that these problems remain prevalent across the world in the 2020s. The theme of “What’s Happening Brother” alone makes it relevant more than 50 years later. Sure, the likes of 🎵 “What’s Going On”, 🎵 “Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)”, and 🎵 “Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)” are the bigger songs but 🎵 “What’s Happening Brother” deserves its fair share of love too.

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Marvin Gaye, “What’s Happening Brother”: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 No. 71 (2023)

12. Donny Hathaway, “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother”

💿 Donny Hathaway • 🏷 Atlantic • 📅 1971

British pop/rock band 🎙 The Hollies own the most successful version of 🎵 “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother”. In The Hollies’ hands, this spectacular ballad peaked in the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. Worldwide, it was a big hit. Amazingly, 🎙 Neil Diamond also earned success with the 🎼 ✍ Bob Russell / Bob Scott penned record, peaking at no. 20. While Neil ‘did the damn thing’ like The Hollies before him, a later rendition by 🎙 Donny Hathaway provides a stark contrast. Hathaway, a soul musician, naturally provides a soulful rendition, something far different from The Hollies or Neil Diamond.

In Hathaway’s hands, “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother” expands to nearly six minutes – nearly two minutes longer than The Hollies/Diamond. Hathaway slackens the pace, milking this emotional number for all its worth. That doesn’t mean that Donny over-sings – he doesn’t! Hathaway provides a balanced, classy, nuanced performance, providing more oomph and punch when it feels appropriate. Besides his prodigious vocals, Mr. Hathaway ‘changes up’ the arrangement. The lush strings accompanying The Hollies’ version don’t appear until the end. Instead, we get a more prominent piano part, taken directly from the church. Furthermore, joining the rhythm section are bells, which perfectly capture the ‘good Samaritan’ vibes of carrying one’s brother. In Hathaway’s hands, there’s no way you’re not enamored by the authenticity of his vocal performance – he really, really sells this fourth track from 1971’s 💿 Donny Hathaway.

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12 Brotherly Songs That Exude Brotherhood [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; 300 Entertainment, 1400 Entertainment, Inc. / 10K Projects, A&M, Atlantic, J, Mad Tsai, Motown, Partisan; Alena Darmel via Pexels]

12 Brotherly Songs That Exude Brotherhood | Playlist 🎧

Published by the musical hype on May 3, 2023May 3, 2023