Is Hip-Hop Dying?

As a lover of Hip-Hop music, I consider myself a very lucky man to have lived through the genre’s “Second Golden Era”. I did not know it at the time, but the artists that introduced me to this music, such as Notorious B.I.G., Jay-Z, Nas, Outkast, and many more, would eventually go on to become Hip-Hop royalty. These artists put out classic albums and songs that have stood the test of time (Hip-Hop doesn’t seem to respect its past like other genres, such as Rock) and have influenced most of today’s current crop of rap artists. After discussing with my roommate about the current state of Hip-Hop, we came to a conclusion that saddened us both; Hip-Hop just isn’t what it used to be.

For the past years, we have been subjected to such atrocious hits such as “Shake That Laffy Taffy”, Been told to “Walk it Out”, and have had to hear some kid named Jibbs talk about how his “Chain Hang Low”. This year it’s been nothing but “A Bay Bay” and the newest song making me turn off the radio, “Crank Dat” by Soulja Boy. It looks to me as if the concept of making a Hip-Hop song has been lost. Back in the day (Even five years ago), much more thought went into making a song. Subject matter ranged from the street life, to the political, the struggle of living in the ghetto, even love songs! Today, rappers seem to focus on making catchy jingles that will earn them nothing more than fifteen minutes of fame and a plaque for selling the most ringtones to mainstream America.

There are a couple of names out there making music for the sake of music and some artists have a message in the music they make. However, these people are few and far between. I do support these people by going out to buy their music and attending their concerts. But until the music industry and rappers step their game up, I will only listen to the timeless classics and only pay attention to artists who don’t sell out and have more to offer than just a catchy hook or the latest dance.