Benz and a Backpack

Nice backpack.

Hip-hop is a genre that can be compared to a giant collage. Every artist is set aside a space in which they can make their mark. But sometimes, someone gets their chance and paints something so uniquely different and satisfying that their piece of the collage overtakes the others. It affects the outward projection of the collage as a whole, changing the schematics of of how people interpret it. Six years ago, Kanye West not only got his shot, but created a space for others to follow in his footsteps. Most notably, Drake’s recent emergence is an urgent reminder of one person’s ability to take a deep breath and blow some fresh air into the hip-hop world.

I still remember the first time I was ever exposed to Kanye West’s music. With MTV humming in the background, I was getting ready to leave my house. Just as I was about to turn off the television, Kanye’s video for “Through The Wire” came on and I was stuck. The video had a bulletin board theme, and the camera panned in and out on different polaroid picture boxes filled with images and videos encapsulating Kanye’s life. While Kanye was known in the industry world for producing hits for the likes of Jay-Z, Cam’ron, and others, he was still unkown to the general public. While Kanye’s public perception has certainly changed, in his early days he came across as a humble guy who fought through the pain of a nasty car accident to release his first studio album. More important than his personal story, Kanye’s sound began breaking down barriers in a way that shifted the direction of hip-hop.

As his previous music history would hint, the most important thing Kanye brought to the table were his abilities as a producer. The entire “chipmunk-soul” sub-genre of hip-hop was started by Kanye and immediately emulated by others. In dropping his first album, Kanye started a trend that continues building today; hip hop does not always have to be about street life or partying in the club, it can have a soulful, smooth sound and still be considered part of the genre. In a time when rappers were wearing baggy jeans and oversized jerseys, Kanye showed up wearing a tight pink polo and Louis Vuitton shoes. But quickly, the guy who started out as a rap-misfit quickly turned into a pioneer.

While Kanye certainly had success with his first two albums, his influence reached further than that. Through his production, Kanye was able to put on other artists in his niche of soulful rap. Kanye’s production for Common’s 2005 release Be helped make the album develop respect both critically and in sales. He also did production for lyrical types such as Lupe Fiasco, Consequence, Ryhmefest, and Talib Kweli (Chicago anybody?). Kanye’s ability to produce for both mainstream pop acts and up and coming MC’s made him someone admired by both casual fans and underground hip-hop heads. He did it naturally and swiftly, utilizing his talent to simply make good music for whoever fit the track.

While Kanye West can certainly take credit for pointing hip-hop in a new direction, he has never been or will he ever be the only one to do so.  More recently, rapper/singer Drake has gone  from being an ex-actor on the teen hit Degrassi to one of the most influential musicians in hip-hop now. Like Mr. West, Drake is breaking barriers too. Although his content is more comparable to an R&B singer (a taboo for hip-hop heads), his uncanny flow and lyrical prowess have allowed him to rise above just being “your girlfriends favorite rapper.” Wale once described Drake as Lebron James, a pefectly constructed machine bound for greatness. Nobody can deny Drake’s skills, and sometimes it seems the only reason people don’t like him is his popularity.

Who will be the next person?  Who knows.  Old heads like Jay-Z, Snoop, and Dr. Dre are still turning out bangers and there is no telling when they will stop.  But 60 and 70 year old rappers?  I don’t know bout that…  The fact is after Drake someone else will have to emerge if hip-hop music wants to stay alive.  In a recent interview with Complex, Drake hinted at J. Cole being the next “it” man:

“When Cole’s sound is the new sound that everybody wants to hear, he’s gonna be like, “I wanna be as big as possible with this shit. I didn’t jeopardize anything to be in the position I’m in. You’re listening to the shit that I believe in, not some shit I did because I needed to get here. People just happen to embrace my shit. That’s very rare—but I also think the younger generation appreciates that brand of music, so I think it’s possible for one of these guys to emerge and do exactly what I’m doing. When J. Cole gets it super-right, I think he’s gonna have a place as a Nas-type character who really stands for hip-hop, but still makes ill records that everybody fucks with.”

I think hip-hop just found some 25+ years of insurance.

Tweet This Post