Hip-Hop has come a long way in its short life. Just four decades ago, DJ Kool Herc helped pioneer a new rebellious movement in The Bronx which would infectiously spread across America and eventually the world. Resting comfortably at a mere 40 years old, the genre is young by all standards, with some of its most respected legends at the same age if not older. Being one of the rarer genres of music where competition is inherent, conflict is inevitable and often welcomed. But what happens when the victims of hatred become the future of Hip-Hop itself, the young generation of fans and rappers alike? I had a conversation with Sermon to discuss the implications.
Akaash: What does it mean to have the younger fans and rappers be treated as inferior?
Sermon: It means we have a lot of older folks hating the direction of our genre. Lord Jamar, for instance, has never been on a website praising anybody in this generation. He’s given a platform to spew hate after hate. He’s criticized Kanye for wearing a kilt, made comments about Yelawolf and Macklemore, and God knows what else. What makes him a prime example of the hatred toward this generation is many echo his sentiments. This is why he has a platform and people watch him speak.
I personally believe this generation is thriving. I’m not going to like everything that comes out, but I can find value in both Kendrick Lamar and Young Thug. What’s kind of cool to look at is older artists who are being embraced. 2 Chainz is someone I look at, because he’s 38, and still fits in well with this era as opposed to Jay Z on ‘Tom Ford’. Even some of our biggest artists, who may or may not be musically great anymore, still get lots of attention. Jay, Eminem, and Diddy are all over 40 and still can sell out tours.
Akaash: Those types of rappers will always be relevant which makes songs like ‘Tom Ford’ and other feeble attempts to blend in with the new generation even more unnecessary. A lot of older Hip-Hop fans lived through the perceived “Golden Era” of Rap music, where rappers who are now heralded as legends and top 5 were in the primes of their careers, skill wise. But when fans refer to that time as the “Golden Era”, does it really mean rappers have only gotten worse since and the younger individuals are to blame?
I think that nostalgia has a large part to play with their judgement. The music is subconsciously being linked to a certain time in their life that they enjoyed and it sounds better as a result. Also, the growth of the internet and social media means that it’s easier for less lyrical, trendier content to seep through into the masses nowadays. A lot of these new artists are in their teens and get dismissed as holding the culture back when in reality they could be finding their footing. Perhaps Hip-Hop isn’t going to stay the same for another 40 years.
Sermon: Music has not gotten any worse in my opinion. I have a diverse taste, though. Some people who grew up on ’90s hip-hop are close-minded. They think Future is killing our genre. Even Drake, who actually puts in effort, is seen as a bad artist. That’s just unfortunate for those people. Hip-Hop needs to change, because it’s one of the most creative genres. When you have something so loose in creativity, it has to continue to evolve.
For those who hate what’s being projected on the radio and internet, they need to do some digging. There are all types of artists online. Whatever you’re looking for, it exists to some degree. Either that or listen to Illmatic on repeat until death does them part.
With that said, do you feel like there’s a balance with the type of sounds and artists that are getting through in this era?
Akaash: I feel the balance is there but as you said, it requires more extensive research to get a good dose of everything. I think that the real issue stems from the fact that the older generation looks down upon us. Vince Staples got a lot of hate for his comments about the ‘90s a few months back but what he was saying was a harsh truth. Today’s younger fans like you and I hardly remember that era, but that doesn’t make us less qualified as fans. Instead of telling us we’re disrespecting the legends, we have to be taught about the past. Rappers like J. Cole bridge the gap. Sneak the medicine into the food.
Sermon: Yeah, I wholeheartedly agree with bridging the gap. Whether it’s big or little, it can have a huge effect. I’m not sure how many people discovered Keith Sweat after Drake said he was the light skinned version of him, but the line got a lot of attention. It’s a line like that or a feature such as Ice Cube on The Game’s album that helps. If said guest kills it, fans who listen constantly are going to want to look up the artist. Look at André 3000. He’s got to be getting a lot of love just off guest features that hopefully translates into new fans listening to Outkast.
Akaash: André 3000 is a great example. Every now and then he pops up on a feature like T.I.’s ‘Sorry’ and Beyoncé’s ‘Party’ and kills it. Not so frequent that we get too much of him but often enough that he makes an impact with teenagers who aren’t familiar with anything but ‘Hey Ya!’, ‘Roses’ and ‘Ms. Jackson’. Like you said, the ideal result is that young fans do their research by going back and listening to the entire discography. At the end of the day, everybody benefits.
Sermon: I think the question remains: do you ever see Hip-Hop getting rid of the age barrier that plaques our legends? Where Rock artists are 70 years old and still touring arenas, will Hip-Hop have any of those artists in the next 2-3 decades?
Akaash: As long as rappers stay true to themselves and stop trying to fit in with whatever is going on at the time, absolutely. I don’t think the future is as bleak as the older age groups make out. Hip-Hop is in good hands, right?
Sermon: I believe so. My thing is that these Rock artists are still putting out quality work (I believe), so if Hip-Hop artists can do the same, why not? I envision someone like Tech N9ne touring well into his 60s. Eminem randomly popping up to headline 70,000 people festivals. Kendrick Lamar is another artist I believe will have that longevity if he wants it.
Another thing to look at is a lot of the vets don’t seem to want to be around forever. They’ll take a long break and that hurts them as the genre changes and leaves them behind. We’re unforgiving in that regard. Looking at R&B, Jagged Edge’s The Remedy was an amazing album that got virtually no attention. It was on par with anything out in 2013. It happens. Quality doesn’t always diminish, but popularity does. That’s when you find out who your core fans truly are.
Akaash: Essentially, do the groundwork in your prime and you can last. Have a big enough impact on the generation that comes after you and you will be relevant for decades beyond that period. Also allow things that come after you to be great and appreciate that people need time to grow. Let us evolve.
What do you think about the issue of age in Hip-Hop? Let us know below.
– by Akaash Sharma & Sermon