Powerful Tracks by Black Icons That Celebrate Parenthood

Across time and culture, music has evolved to serve as an empowering vernacular and dialect for diverse demographics — including parents.

Notable artists and entertainers within the Black diaspora like John Legend, Lauryn Hill, Beyoncé and Lenny Kravitz have composed songs in sole expression of parenthood that should be used as encouragement to moms and dads everywhere. To celebrate Black Music Month, here are ten of our favorites:

“To Zion” by Ms. Lauryn Hill, featuring Carlos Santana (1998)

Lauryn Hill’s “To Zion” is a sensational ode to her son Zion David Marley. With the addition of Carlos Santana’s strings, the track is a melodic gesture that illustrates Black maternal devotion on her acclaimed debut album “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.” The repeated refrain “the joy of my world is in Zion” remains one of Hill’s most heartfelt.

“Flowers for Zoë” by Lenny Kravitz (1993)

“Flowers for Zoë” is Lenny Kravitz’s audible love letter to his daughter Zoë. With delicate guitar and sweeping strings, the characters that formed this song’s foundation — flowers, angels, rainbows, gardens, oceans and other vibrant treasures that little children adore — add living color to a parent’s perspective.

“Glory” by Jay-Z (2013)

Released days after Blue Ivy Carter’s birth, “Glory” is Jay-Z’s introspective process of parenthood. It centers joy, new life, past loss in reference to a prior miscarriage and the awe of becoming a parent to his first child. To epitomize the legendary family Blue Ivy was born into, Jay-Z put it catchily: “You’re a child of destiny / You’re the child of my destiny / You’re my child with the child from Destiny’s Child / That’s a hell of a recipe.”

“I Got You” by Ciara (2015)

Ciara’s “I Got You” is a collective of promises to her son Future that celebrates the warm resilience of motherhood. Set against soft acoustics and accentuated by coos from baby Future himself, this song can be found on Ciara’s sixth studio album “Jackie,” which is named after her own mother.

“Right by You (For Luna)” by John Legend (2016)

A meditative ballad for his daughter, “Right by You (For Luna)” by John Legend expresses consistent curiosity over velvety piano and warm strings about her future, his role as her father and the world she will inherit. The song is fluent in Legend’s soulful style as it captures the evolving journey of fatherhood.

“Isn’t She Lovely” by Stevie Wonder (1976)

“Isn’t She Lovely” is not only one of Stevie Wonder’s most beloved songs ever, but it has become one of the most beloved songs ever. It celebrates the birth of his daughter Aisha.

Wonder reveals a rich tapestry of sounds over six and half minutes — steady drums, a buoyant harmonica, shimmering tambourine, an infectious chorus and even baby Aisha’s voice — to express the emotions of not only parenting, but doing it alongside someone special.

Nearly 50 years after its release, “Isn’t She Lovely” set the blueprint for generations of artists summing up the joy of a child’s existence in a song. Many have copied, though few have matched, its magic.

“Blended Family (What You Do for Love)” by Alicia Keys, featuring A$AP Rocky (2016)

Alicia Keys’ “Blended Family (What You Do For Love)” is a tender affirmation both to her stepson Kasseem and to love’s place within the complexity of modern family dynamics. It includes a rap feature from A$AP Rocky, speaking directly to listeners navigating life after divorce — parents, children and stepparents alike — offering cathartic clarity through confusing situations and growing pains.

“It Won’t Be Like This for Long” by Darius Rucker (2015)

An acoustic-driven country ballad reflecting on the fleeting nature of childhood, Darius Rucker’s “It Won’t Be Like This for Long” charmingly invites fellow parents to cherish every moment with their kids — even the messy ones — because time moves quickly. Rucker’s storytelling is warm and captures the quiet reward of fatherhood.

“Lovin’ You” by Minnie Riperton (1975)

Minnie Riperton’s 1970s classic “Lovin’ You” is a love song from a mother to a daughter made up of delicate falsettos, ambient birdsong and Riperton’s whispered “Maya,” created with Maya (Rudolph) in mind.

Listeners should honor this intimate lullaby as a legacy left for Riperton’s children, who would have to grow up without their mother.

“PROTECTOR” by Beyoncé, featuring Rumi Carter (2024)

“PROTECTOR” is a heartfelt declaration of maternal devotion from mother-of-three Beyoncé. The song blends her signature alto with vivid imagery to frame the strength of a mother’s role as both a nurturer and a guardian from start to end. It notably features Beyoncé’s daughter Rumi and concludes with an affirmation that transcends time and experience, rooted in the lifelong love and support mothers offer their children.