With America as racially divided as it has been in a long time, we need the powerful messages of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. now as much as we ever have. Although there likely won't be any new material turning up almost 50 years after his passing (unlike the posthumous releases of so many great musicians), Dr. King's main messages of unity and racial equality can still be heard all across today's cultural landscape. As much as some hip-hop historians like to discredit modern rappers' lyrics, there are plenty who are still preaching the same unifying messages in their work with or without directly referencing Dr. King himself.

For everyone celebrating MLK Day (even you guys in Biloxi who needed to be talked into it), here are the Top 8 rappers currently carrying on Dr. King's work in civil rights in a more modern form.

Kendrick Lamar

If there's a modern leader in rapping about social justice and change, it has to be Kendrick Lamar. Not only does the Compton legend address life on the streets of one of the toughest neighborhoods in America, but he also speaks to just about every race, class, and subculture struggling for rights today. While his tracks may not be openly political for the most part, there's little doubt that Kendrick seems to understand the plight not just of the African American, but of nearly every underrepresented or mistreated culture in America.