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Bedwetter is Lil Ugly Mane. Resonates with me, because “been there done that”…
Modern British take on 90’s vibes. Anything Blah records or High Focus is pretty cool imo.
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Oh for sure – there’s a ton of terrible trap music out there, and I don’t blame folks for not enjoying the genre as a whole. I just don’t wan’t you to miss out on some artists you might like
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Some of my favourites:
Run The Jewels
Kendrick Lamar
Little Simz
Slowthai
Noname
Flying Lotus
Teebs
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I love what you’ve said here. I too was a backpacker for ages and I tuned out the mainstream for way too long. The stuff that goes against the grain typically still appeals to me more than the stuff aimed at the masses but there’s gems to be found in both worlds. If you are truly into hip-hop, you are a student of the culture and all that it encompasses.
I have found a ton of great music in the mainstream since I took the backpack off, and I believe that my own music has grown because of my open mind. I love the bring back the 90’s movement though, I gotta say, Griselda, Roc Marciano, Ka, and Mach Hommy are all fantastic. I think Boldy James and clipping are the best things to happen to Hip-Hop in years. My favorite rappers of all time are Yasiin Bey and Blackthought. The last three slots in my top 5 belong to MF DOOM, Andre 3000, and Mach Hommy.
I don’t try to say what’s good or bad as much anymore when checking out new music. Obviously there are good artists and bad artists in every field, but when it comes to subgenres and movements within the culture of Hip-Hop, I don’t discredit any particular genre, even trap. I know there’s tons of really bad trap music out there, but that doesn’t mean there’s not some good trap too (there is). Same for drill, grime (UK), krunk, and whatever new sound is coming next.
My general philosophy is to keep an open mind and cherry pick the things you like from each sound or whatever. But, I’m making a rap record right now, so I’m trying not to listen to anything that would influence my direction too much so no new Hip-Hop for me ATM.
I have to agree with you though, as a former backpacker, that underground heady shit didn’t age as well as I expected it to. There are exceptions to that rule of course, and that seems to be a reoccurring theme with rules, nahmsayin?
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Oh yeah, love mach hommy. This beat is so good
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I don’t understand why lyricism is ever attached to a time period, I don’t know any other art form where writing prowess is deemed passe on any level… Mic skill has nothing to do with old school or new school or whatever school, it’s not old fashioned, it’s not over the hill to be a virtuoso MC anymore than it is to be a virtuoso pianist, guitarist, violinist, bassist, horn player, drummer, actor, poetry or any instrumentalist, artist, or craftsman… only in hiphop is this perversity even remotely approached… and I have no idea why there is a difference or discrepancy in even the slightest amount between hiphop and every other art form … weird AF
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So true capt. It’s kinda sad too. Why can’t there be really heady lyricism in trap (there is)? It’s so hard to draw the line between wanting to rap like Common (I’m sorry to Common, but I have never wanted to rap like him) or make money, and why can’t you do both (you can)?
And there has been dope lyricism in EVERY era of rap music.
Yet people still associate it with 90’s and early 2000’s underground, like there’s no lyricism in modern rap! What modern rap are you listening to homie? Mach Hommy and Boldy James ain’t spitting BARS?
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yeah, it’s unfortunate… other kinds of music groups/artist don’t have to accept non-sense in some kind of hiphop poll tax validation scheme… you walk into a room and can’t play guitar you get kicked the F out… it’s like the hiphop culture puts so much pressure on itself that it cannot even say No…
fuck that I say No all the time
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I don’t know. Not about lyricism necessarily (my personal favorites are all lyrical), but like, punk and grunge were both direct reactions against the guitar virtuosity of classic/prog and hair metal. Three chords and the truth and all that. I see a parallel between that and cloud/mumble rap now.
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I understand your sentiments but I don’t personally see a direct parallel, all the punk bands who play shitty brag and know they play shitty and so does everybody else… they didn’t try to get people to lump it in with all the other rock music, and they still gave props to the artist that have the chops…
there is something beautiful about making great music while only knowing 3 chords, imho it’s a different vibe… they weren’t celebrating their lack of skill, they were celebrating making great music in spite of their lack of skill
in every other music genre sub genres are celebrated allowed to live and breathe and there is a spot for all of them, but when it comes to hiphop it’s like people act like sorry there’s only one seat on the bus left and all of ya’ll are going to have to share that one seat, ain’t enough room for the acknowledgment of the differences… you’re all just that! … imho it’s disrespectful
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Just wanted to quote myself like a G.
*Drops microphone and exits stage left
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Exactly man!
But it’s kinda our responsibility to shift that dialogue to something more progressive for the next wave. There’s plenty of seats on the bus. As long as you study the culture and immerse yourself in it, I’ll scoot over to make sure you have a seat next to me. If it’s wack, you may have to walk, but if it’s dope, and you pay homage, there’s always a seat with your name on it.
I do kinda have a problem with folks jumping into hip hop without immersing themselves in the culture first. I just think it’s lazy and maybe you should study the culture and practice more before trying to get on the bus.
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imo I think we could go a little easy on paying homage, or rather show homage through the craft… some of the older heads don’t feel good unless their names getting shouted out etc… I don’t really agree with that, but damn just allow people to call someone who doesn’t know how to rap , someone who doesn’t know how to rap… how can the culture be so weak that it can’t handle that brrrr 
get that weird monolitheisism outta here (shit that’s not even a word)
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Yeah, not talking about paying homage as in, giving a shout out to all the old Gods, but more just, being a student of hip hop. If you’re gonna make hip hop music, you should probably do your homework. Know what’s been done, yahmeen? I don’t expect young rappers to have all of Kool G Rap’s old verses memorized or anything, but I do expect them to kinda know who he is.
But some of this modern rap stuff sounds terrible, like they wouldn’t know Kool G from Lil Wayne or Gucci Man or whatever, and you can tell when you hear thier music that they have no idea what came before them. That stuff may not have room on the bus IMO.
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I agree
and that goes for art in general, that’s what I wish for hiphop that it would be treated like art in general with the same level of expectancies for greatness…
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