The Evolution of Hip-Hop has been something obvious severe! The picture up top is the exact transition to the industry we all love so much. Why has this happened? There is just so much that can be said, and I am going to say some of it.
What ever happened to the days where you could sit back listen to a good Hip Hop track and understand exactly what the artist is saying? It has been a long time. Hip Hop started long before we all know it and to see what has happened make wonder at days, is that what we have to look forward to? I mean this the route that our children's generation has decided to take an art that comes from battle raps to telling stories of what our neighborhoods were like. From Partying up in the club and enjoying ourselves to verbs being thrown in an unusual way. The way used to dress, some of do still dress as such, to the way we carry ourselves. There are so many thing that I cannot understand when it comes to the 2010's!
When I grew up, living in Mount Vernon, NY, my favorite track was B.D.P's South Bronx and Criminal Minded due to the fact it was my first true track. Then L.L. Cool J came about and made Queens be known in his own way (To tell the truth, I'm working on that body right now ;P No Homo). And good lord the D.J., the most underrated magician in Hip Hop. Why do I say magician? Well they are the ones that create the magic. Back the D.J.s were the ones that came up with the beats and then used 2 Turntables and a Mic to rock the party. A rapper was known as an M.C. (Master of Ceremony) who controlled the flow of the crowd. But it was the DJ that made it happen for the MC. Then of course who can forget the "WORLDS FAVORITE RAP GROUP"??? Who am I talking about? The Clan (Wu-Tang Clan). The way the approached us with stories of how it was in the hood and brought it to our front doors. C.N.N. (Capone-N-Norega) brought that straight street ghetto that made everyone feel that they could be a thug. Nas told his stories as well of Queensbridge and the projects. I will never touch the factors of Biggie and Pac due to the fact that they are historians in our game. They fall in with the likes of Sugarhill Gang, DJ Cool Herc (from Jamaica), and others within that time frame.
Then you have the Southern Movement... Master P, Hot Boyz, No Limit Soldiers, Trick Daddy and the Slip-N-Slide Family. These artist brought to us the world of booty shaking and the southern way of life. Where slinging drugs, committing murder, everyday street hustle, and fact that you have to enjoy the fruit that you grow with your everyday hustle. In the south, the love bass, they love big booty girls, and they enjoy that they know that tomorrow is promised to no one and to cease the day.
But 2010's Hip Hop does not really do it for me. I will admit I am a Drake fan to heart. Nothing will ever change that. I just about have every mixtape that he owns but at the same time I respect artists out there like J. Cole, Big Sean, Drake, Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne, Young Jeezy, T.I., Meek Mills, Wale, Rick Ross, Vado, and Fred the Godson to name a few. But the one artist I still never can understand until I listen to his track for about 10 times... YOUNG THUG!!! Why is it so hard to make yourself understood. Now, I understand that I come from a older generation when it comes to this Hip Hop shit but to that you must understand that I just want the best for you guys out there and for you to make it big the way previous artists have.
One of the biggest movements that I have seen in the 1990's was the Def Jam movement. This movement was so powerful because it gave artists the opportunity to create for themselves and have their own! What do I mean by their own... Roc-A-Fella, Murder Inc., Disturbing the Peace, DEF Squad, and Def Soul what do all of these have in common??? They are their own independent record labels. One of todays biggest artist has taken that into consideration and created Young Money through Cash Money Records. Lil Wayne has taken the art and moved like other have in the past. He has his own shoe (Supra), own clothing line (Truck Fit), and own label (Young Money). This is what I wish for our future Hip Hop Artists. To take what they have made and invest it into something that will come back at least 5 fold for yourself. Instead of living off of a Ferrari that you will only have for about 4 months because you missed the payment. Back to living with your mothers because you didn't pay the note on the house. These are things that I worry about with the Evolution of Hip-Hop.
I will have more to go on this....
