What Has Happened To Hip-Hop?

Am I the only head around that’s noticed the strange and drastic drop-off in quality music being released in the hip-hop genre over the last few years? I’m sure I’m not. In fact, this very issue is the only one worth discussing when talking of contemporary hip-hop nowadays - and, to be clear from the start, I’m not talking about that pop puffy riding dirty shit they call hip-hop on the radio, Much Music, MTV, or even BET. I’m talking about quality independent hip-hop. Where has it gone? I remember when I discovered that hip-hop wasn’t only Tupac, Biggie, and DMX. It changed my life.

When I heard Blackalicious for the first time I was eighteen. I was an avid music listener who had previously written hip-hop off as something for thugs and the dumbass rich kids who wanted to be like them. I remember Blackalicious’ Nia as the album that instantly convinced me that I had been wrong, and that I had been neglecting an incredible resource for music listening: one that included fascinating rhythm, melody, and poetry like nothing I’d ever heard before. I soon found others: KRS-ONE, The Roots, Atmosphere, Aesop Rock, Mr. Lif, Dose-One, Cannibal Ox, Busdriver, Organized Konfusion, Anti-Pop Consortium and so on and so on. I became a hip-hop junkie for a good four years straight, maybe even five. And now? There are plenty of albums coming out - there’s no shortage of volume. And every so often an album comes out that I really like, but it’s usually by a rapper, or a rap group that’s been around for years.

When I say there’s a shortage of good contemporary hip-hop, I’m not talking about stuff like a new album from The Roots. The Roots have been around for more than a decade. What I’m talking about is new talent. A new star. A new innovation that inspires. A new sound, and perhaps even more importantly: a new use of words. It has literally been years since I’ve listened to an album by a new personality and was enthralled by it. It happened all the time a few years ago: Aesop Rock Labor Days, Cannibal Ox The Cold Vein, Themselves The No Music, Busdriver Temporary Forever, Edan Primitive Plus, and the list can go on for many more. Each of these artists mentioned above are still around releasing new stuff every so often, but where are the newbies? Where are the new artists with the power to impact like these artists mentioned above?

Perhaps, I’ve painted too dark a scenario. Perhaps I’m wrong and haven’t been listening to the right stuff. It’s possible. I don’t think Nas is right. Hip-hop isn’t dead. In my opinion, that’s a really stupid thing to say, but on the other hand, at the moment, I have no new music to offer up as my rebuttal to Nas’ inane statement - kinda sad.

Let me know what you think, and if there’s some shit you think I might not have heard that would change my tune, please for the love of god, tell me about it.