Hip-Hop in 2018: The New Golden Era
I was fortunate enough to have grown up in what is often referred to as the “golden era” of hip hop. This was during the mid 90’s and early 2000’s, when some of the greatest to ever do it were on top of the game. This includes legends such as Tupac, Biggie, Jay, Nas, DMX, De La Soul, Eminem, Scarface, UGK, and Dogg Pound just to name a few. Though rap has changed tremendously since those days, don’t get it confused, we are now living in a new golden era of Hip-Hop. Here’s why…
Diversity
In today’s world, if you are even remotely a hip-hop fan, there’s something for you.
If you’re like me and gravitate towards the more contemporary rap music, which includes some of the artists mentioned above who are still putting out music for a more mature audience, there’s plenty for you!
There was a time when rappers were considered too old to rap by critics. People often mention that rap is a “young man’s sport”. However as hip-hop continues to evolve, we are seeing for the first time rappers experience longevity and continue to rap well into their 40’s. This is wonderful for the genre because it has created new sounds. It has allowed for collaborations between some of hip-hop’s greatest ever with the best up and coming artists, which introduces each to a whole new fan base!
Or maybe you’re more of the skinny jeans type of guy, and you like more of the newer artists who are often referred to as the “lil’s and the youngs”. There is definitely plenty for you, too! This type of rap is more current and often heard on the radio. The younger generations are the ones who set trends and decide what is “in”, so what’s in their ear is always important to culture.
Thanks to the internet, it’s fairly easy to discover new music, so the underground rap scene is stronger than ever. Many rap fans enjoy listening to artists who have not quite made it mainstream, but have managed to create a cult following and there music often reflects that. This is the artist that makes their music for a certain audience regardless of what trends are happening. So if you take pride in being the first to be on an artist before they really pop, there’s more than enough hip-hop out here for you.
Female MC’s
Of course, when we talk diversity in hip-hop, we cannot leave out the women. There have been an influx of women in hip-hop as of late, whereas it has not always been typical for many female MC’s to be poppin’ at the same time.
There are plenty women who are on top of their game right now, and it’s so exciting because they all have different styles. There’s the newcomer, Carbi B, who has achieved extreme success this year. Or maybe you like Nicki Minaj, who has been on top of the game for the last decade. You have SZA, Teyana Taylor, Remy Ma, Young MA, Azelia Banks and the list goes on. If you’re into female MC’s there’s definitely plenty out here for you!
Catering To Everyone
Aside from the diversity in character, there is just as much diversity in the content of the music.
Whatever mood you’re in…if you want to pop bottles and get high with “bad bitches”, hip-hop got you. If you want to ride around by yourself and be in your feelings, hip-hop got you (Drake more specifically). If you need some theme music for your hustle, hip-hop got you. Deep in thought? Hip-hop got you. Just fell in love? Hip-hop has got your back!
While the 90’s were a wonderful time for rap music, long gone are the days where all rappers had to have a super hard persona with baggy clothes. Whether you’re from the hood making a living any way you know how, or the introverted nerd in class into anime, there is hip-hop music that will relate to you, and that is a beautiful thing!
The Internet
Many would argue that the internet has ruined hip-hop due to “soundcloud rappers” and the market being saturated. I would personally call these people haters.
Now that the internet has removed the gate keepers, there is no establishment that controls what gets to our ears. The music that anyone puts out is here for our consumption. While I do agree that there is a lot of bullshit rap music (which is still subjective), there is just as much quality rap that is not hard to find.
No longer do we have to wait for artists to announce the album release date, go on a press run, drop videos, and come out with one single at a time. We can wake up any given day knowing that our favorite hip-hop artist may drop a new song, or even a whole album! The immediacy of the internet has made that possible, and that is a blessing for us hip-hop heads.
Still Not Convinced?
Just in case you are still not convinced that we have arrived at yet another golden era in hip-hop, here is a list of hip-hop artists who released a project this year:
J. Cole, Cardi B., Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, Nas, Kanye, Nicki Minaj, Drake, Lil’ Wayne, Kid Cudi, Nipsy Hussle, Travis Scott, Jay-z and Beyoncé, Rae Sremmurd, Jay Rock, Bun B., T.I., Teyana Taylor, Logic, Rich The Kid, Styles P., Mac Miller
And that’s just to name a few. Let that sink in…
Let’s Talk About It
Comment your favorite hip-hop album of the year and why!