Thoughts on Contemporary Hip-Hop Music in 2023
In my perspective, the hip-hop culture as a whole has seen better days. Even so, it remains alive and continues to inspire people in various aspects such as dancing, graffiti, DJing, making beats, and rapping. The culture itself remains vibrant and influential, but I often find myself reflecting on its past glories. Rap music has become the most prominent, successful, and important part of hip-hop culture, which is fine by me. However, I am uncertain if what we term 'mainstream' rap music truly roots itself in the essence of the culture. For the most part, I doubt it.
When discussing the music, the mainstream is dead for me at least. True, things are always evolving, but that doesn’t automatically make me like changes. When artists like Travis Scott become the gold standard for hip-hop music, most of that stuff is simply not to my liking. I don’t enjoy the sound, the lyrical content, and I think the skills displayed are, at best, mediocre.
Travis Scott and His Influence on Hip-Hop
While it's not all bad, Travis Scott is still one of the brighter examples, and occasionally, I check his stuff and enjoy some of it. Recently, I listened to Utopia, and a few tracks made it into my playlist. Nonetheless, the hip-hop that I love has nothing to do with singers forcing auto-tune onto half of their tracks, rapping poorly, and being weak lyricists.
Drake and Mainstream Appeal
Drake stands out as a notable artist. He knows the numbers and excels at making hits and raps better than the typical auto-tune-trap rappers. I have no issue with him; however, his music never really appealed to me, with the exception of a few tracks.
Mainstream Success and Critics
Aside from these exceptions, when we consider mainstream success, artists like Kendrick Lamar and older icons like Eminem, Nas, and Jay-Z are still prominent. I both appreciate and admire Kendrick Lamar, who stands out with his exceptional work. Jay-Z's music is rare and meaningful, while Nas remains the king, with his incredible run with Hit-Boy.
Underground Rap and Year-End Projects
Most great rap music for me happens in the underground or semi-underground scenes. I find a ton of yearly projects that I truly enjoy. It’s simply too much to count. Some of my favorite albums this year include those by Black Thought, Navy Blue, Lloyd Banks, Oddisee, Ransom, Billy Woods, Griselda Trust, Gang Sleep Sinatra, Larry June, and the Mello Music Group. Again, not everything is perfect, but it certainly aligns more with what I expect from rap music than mainstream offerings, which often seem to focus on catchy hooks and auto-tune rather than substance and skill.
Conclusion
This has become quite a long discourse. I might come across as an 'old head,' and I am probably one. Nonetheless, the mainstream is, for me, essentially dead at least. I am not bitter and keep an open mind, but that doesn’t mean I have to like everything. We all have our own relationship with hip-hop and rap music, and not everything resonates with everyone. This is perfectly fine.