The 50 Biggest Hip-Hop Clichés

We've heard it all before.

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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Just think: it was once extremely cool to have a framed Scarface movie poster hanging in the condo you bought with your record label advance. But 150 episodes of MTV Cribs later, even Brian DePalma’s mother has to be embarrassed. It's such a cliché.

With hip-hop over 30 years old, there’s not a lot that even the casual fan hasn’t seen or heard. And whenever something or someone novel breaks through, imitation and overexposure aren't far behind. The good news: Hip-hop was born out of re-inventing pre-existing works of art.

The bad news: Those works of art are now online trailers for upcoming snippets of a song that might or might not end up on a rapper’s pushed-back EP. ItsTheReal’s Eric and Jeff Rosenthal wade through the genre’s tiredest tropes to find The 50 Biggest Hip-Hop Clichés.

Written by Eric Rosenthal and Jeff Rosenthal (@ItsTheReal)

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Rappers putting out a street single and then something for the ladies

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Rappers rapping about their "haters"

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Rappers saying, "Turn up my headphones"

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Rappers saying "At the end of the day"

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Rappers loving Scarface

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Rappers saying they're going to retire

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Rappers making songs called "I'm Back"

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Rappers saying they're going to take your girl

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Rappers bringing "surprise" guests out on tour

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Rappers saying that subliminal disses aren't about anyone in particular

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Rappers focusing on acting, cause that's where the real money's at

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Rappers saying they're about to drop a classic

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Rappers saying they're starting a movement

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Examples: DJ Khaled, Rick Ross, Dphillgood's "XY" movement 

You might be a rapper if... you convince yourself and everyone you come into contact with that you and your team are "reinventing the game," "steady grinding," and most-generic of all, "bringing a movement." Do you.  I guess. But you know what else is a movement? What comes out of your bowels.

Rappers blaming the label for everything

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Rappers acting like "rock stars"

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Rappers wearing sunglasses everywhere they go

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Rappers saying younger rappers are ruining hip-hop

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Rappers bragging about sharing their groupies

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Rappers signing to "the hot label"

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Rappers getting arrested for publicity

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Rappers' albums being pushed back

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Rappers changing their "hardcore" name to something more family-friendly

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Rappers saying they don't write any lyrics down

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Rappers biting other rappers

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Rappers getting weird face tattoos

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Singers rapping

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Rappers walking boxers into the ring

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Rappers writing for Detox

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Rappers throwing listening parties where the new album becomes background music

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Rappers having 15 managers

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Rappers putting together their teams, with a white rapper, a female rapper, an old friend, a weed carrier, but no accountant

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Rappers not freestyling

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Rappers learning to play the guitar

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Rappers bringing New York back

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Rappers starting record labels

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Rappers making oral sex puns

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Rappers beefing with other rappers

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Rappers rinsing whatever Euro luxury brand has a buzz until not even Russian oligarch's girlfriends want it anymore

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Rappers saying they used to be drug dealers when they really weren't

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Rappers saying they're going to save hip-hop

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Rappers in club scenes in music videos

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Rappers "not" caring about being on an Internet list

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Rappers making reality shows

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Rappers starting clothing lines

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Rappers being generic by saying they're not going to be generic

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Rappers overusing the phrase of the day

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Rappers who say that rapping is their side hustle, when they don't have a main hustle

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Rappers releasing trailers for an upcoming snippet of a song that might be on their pushed-back EP

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Rappers claiming that their latest album is their "best work ever"

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Rappers saying they're not a rapper

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