I Need Love, Vol. 1: The New Slow Jam Classics

I don't know what it is, perhaps it's the time of year (we're a little more than two weeks out from VDay?) but lately my iPod has been getting increasingly soft. Granted I'm a girl, and it's only expected that I be fond of the softer side of hip-hop but this just ain't like me, so I didn't really know where to find what I was looking for.

I put out an APB OUT on Twitter the other day for the best hip-hop love songs and of course I got suggestions referencing all the go-to classics that people in my age group always fall back on: Common's "Come Close," Method Man/Mary's "You're All I Need," LL's "I Need Love." All suggestions (minus LL, because Jagged Edge somehow ruined this for me when they sampled it, yeah, I know how that sounds) were good, yet predictable. I mean, I'm all for the classics but my ears are always itching for something new. So I made my own personal additions to the classics play list for those tender hip-hop tracks... and here's my (new) best of:

Wale "Diary"

Arguably the most depressing love song in the history of depressing love song's but Wale's sentiment is heartfelt.

Nas "Getting Married"

Okay, this isn't exactly new but it's a personal favorite that I almost forgot about until a friend of mine mentioned it the other day. Sad the way that situation is turning out but despite the recent turn of events it's still a dope, and very sincere song.

Wiz Khalifa "When You Find"

I guess it's not all PWP with him after all, Swizzle Man's got a soft side... who knew?

Kendrick Lamar "She Needs Me"

Kendrick Lamar (along with Dom, see below) is an upcoming artist out of L.A. (and y'all know how I love putting y'all on to what the West is doing!). His new self-titled EP is making major waves and this is just one of the stand-out songs.

Dom Kennedy "Donna Karan"

This one's old but I'm still in love with it. It's a nostalgic song about schoolyard crushes and locker-to-locker dating. It seriously takes me back to the middle school days... curly tops, Nautica jackets, after school dances and all.

That's it for me (for now) what other songs do you thing could be added to the new classic love jam list? —Brooklyne Gipson