My Unpoplar Opinion

So let’s keep it a buck; “evolution” is defined as the gradual development of something, especially from a simple to a more complex form. Many people equate this to how hip-hop has “changed”. When something evolves, it either replaces what it came from, OR becomes a new entity with a new name. Let’s take this from a musical stance: when was the last time you heard someone emulating Dizzy Gillespie’s  singing of conducting style and move units today? See any of them in any music Awards? Any Chuck Berry influenced music new on your Spotify playlist? How about Little Richard? The Beatles? No? That sound is gone, and Rock N Roll evolved into what we have today, AND it splintered to create OTHER genres like grunge, metal, death metal, punk, even R&B.

Now let’s talk about hip-hop. Yes. It did find evolution from the 70s to 80s. Rhyme schemes got more intricate, the flow did get polished. Groups from the mid to late 80s and 90s STILL doing the same type of music they did then….and still moving units. Yes, the equipment is newer and more flexible, but the essence, the overall sound didn’t change other than technicalities in cadence. Our generation could STILL flip the beat of Top Billin and make it knock. Lady of Rage flipped Sucka MCs, and TODAY the song would still knock. Why? Because the essence is unchanged.

Well after this big “evolution” supposedly took place, in 2017, Jay-Z’s 4:44 got best album of the year. Personally, that was one of my favorites albums by him; now explain this “evolution of hip-hop”. Gang Starr’s album a couple years ago, hit #82 on Billboards 200 and 42 on US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard). Or maybe we can talk about J Cole’s success? Tech N9ne? Mount Westmore? Snow? Joyner Lucas? Em? Royce? Heard Nas’s new album? I’m sure you get the point.

So if projects like those STILL move, and still has a fan base, that means it is still successful; how can a sound that sounds COMPLETELY different, that DIDN’T follow the same criteria, be called the same thing? How is the original “extinct”? How is it “dead”?

They say (I won’t call it) is “for the kids”. That stuff they do, I would agree. A grown man trying to sound like a 20 year old with those patterns and singing is ridiculous. But see….THAT ISN’T hip-hop.

Hip-Hop is the bastard child of funk and disco. Then it took a dab of rock. Then it took some jazz. It takes its core methodology and lightly sprinkles other genres as a “topping” so to say. You hear it in the production of people like DJ Premier, of Hit-Boy, Pete Rock, Dr Dre, DJ Battlecat, RZA, Apollo Brown, 9th Wonder, No I.D., and a whole list of others. Their sound is COMPLETELY different from what is SUPPOSE to be this new “hip-hop”. So I ask…. How can it be “evolved” when what it supposedly evolved FROM is still here?

For the same reason every singer isn’t automatically put in the same genre (because the music is a different “feel”) is the same reason these styles aren’t the same. Stop calling it “hip-hop”; it’s “pop hop”. #WeAreNotTheSame