Is 30 really the new 20?
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
, Posted by DJ Plan.B at 3/21/2007 11:12:00 AM
So, 30 is the new 20. At least that’s what Jay-Z says. But let’s investigate this a little. As our Hip Hop Elite remain in the spotlight as they age (Jay-Z, Nas, Busta, E40, UGK, Diddy, Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, Lil Kim, Missy, Snoop…), their relatively unchanging popularity may speak volumes about the evolution of hip-hop culture. Or is it that the real power brokers behind the scenes have always been older, and that the industry is not a youth-driven as we would like to believe? In this era of hip hop, we seem to be somewhat reluctant to embrace new blood so far.
As the founding fathers of hip hop in the 70s and 80s like Grandmaster Flash, Big Daddy Kane and MC Lyte gave way to the then-new blood of the 90s like Tupac, Jay-Z, Snoop and Missy Elliott the torch was passed smoothly as our pioneers gave way to the evolution of our culture. So why are the artists who gained fame in the nineties not doing the same for today’s new blood? Is it because there are no qualified young contenders? That’s debatable at best. As our elite grow older, so does the original hip hop fans of the 70s and 80s. Our culture is getting a little older, and dare I say a little wiser.
Maybe this can be counted as a contributing factor to the backlash against the Snap and Hyphy movements: no longer do we want to hear “kids stuff.” No more “grab yo booty” music. No more kids’ crushing on each other. No more young relationships. To a large part of the hip hop generation, we’re not kids anymore. We are more aware of our communities and their needs. We realize that our success and failure as a generation and for generations to come falls on our collective shoulders. We are starting to take responsibility for ourselves. We want something real that has a legacy. And we want our music and culture to reflect that.
Hip hop is now getting the opportunity to be reflective. Much like the transition from a child to adulthood, hip hop now has the opportunity to reflect upon her life, and evaluate what works and what doesn’t. Many of the “conscious” rappers have touted that hip hop does not embrace positive images. Maybe we are now beginning to understand that we want music that celebrates how we live and how we want to live. The young d-boy has now given way to the older, wiser, sophisticate. The success of Jay-Z’s latest release Kingdom Come is maybe a testament to this new era. We appreciate that, at 38, Jay is not just making songs about what he used to do. He is talking about what he is doing and speaking on the transition that brought him to where he is today.
Our younger rappers’ inability to usher in a new era may lie in the fact that they are not saying anything that hasn’t already been said. And because of this, while we may like and appreciate the new blood, they have yet to find a way to change the game the way artists like NWA, Biggie, Tupac, Wu-Tang and labels like Death Row, Bad Boy and RocAFella did. If history is any indication, we are probably right on the cusp of a major shift in hip hop. And this shift may be lead by our now-veteran artists into a more balanced perception of what hip hop means: not just the rags, but the riches too.
*****Stay tuned for PART 2 where we will compile a list of artists we think are ready to take hip-hop to the next level!*****
As the founding fathers of hip hop in the 70s and 80s like Grandmaster Flash, Big Daddy Kane and MC Lyte gave way to the then-new blood of the 90s like Tupac, Jay-Z, Snoop and Missy Elliott the torch was passed smoothly as our pioneers gave way to the evolution of our culture. So why are the artists who gained fame in the nineties not doing the same for today’s new blood? Is it because there are no qualified young contenders? That’s debatable at best. As our elite grow older, so does the original hip hop fans of the 70s and 80s. Our culture is getting a little older, and dare I say a little wiser.
Maybe this can be counted as a contributing factor to the backlash against the Snap and Hyphy movements: no longer do we want to hear “kids stuff.” No more “grab yo booty” music. No more kids’ crushing on each other. No more young relationships. To a large part of the hip hop generation, we’re not kids anymore. We are more aware of our communities and their needs. We realize that our success and failure as a generation and for generations to come falls on our collective shoulders. We are starting to take responsibility for ourselves. We want something real that has a legacy. And we want our music and culture to reflect that.
Hip hop is now getting the opportunity to be reflective. Much like the transition from a child to adulthood, hip hop now has the opportunity to reflect upon her life, and evaluate what works and what doesn’t. Many of the “conscious” rappers have touted that hip hop does not embrace positive images. Maybe we are now beginning to understand that we want music that celebrates how we live and how we want to live. The young d-boy has now given way to the older, wiser, sophisticate. The success of Jay-Z’s latest release Kingdom Come is maybe a testament to this new era. We appreciate that, at 38, Jay is not just making songs about what he used to do. He is talking about what he is doing and speaking on the transition that brought him to where he is today.
Our younger rappers’ inability to usher in a new era may lie in the fact that they are not saying anything that hasn’t already been said. And because of this, while we may like and appreciate the new blood, they have yet to find a way to change the game the way artists like NWA, Biggie, Tupac, Wu-Tang and labels like Death Row, Bad Boy and RocAFella did. If history is any indication, we are probably right on the cusp of a major shift in hip hop. And this shift may be lead by our now-veteran artists into a more balanced perception of what hip hop means: not just the rags, but the riches too.
*****Stay tuned for PART 2 where we will compile a list of artists we think are ready to take hip-hop to the next level!*****
