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This train of thought gained momentum when I posted this shit. I started off thinking about new types of sounds and how genres were clashing and I ended up blabbering on in language that may only make sense in my own shriveled up brain. I was going to wait and edit it and read it over and make sure it was coherent but fuck it, it’s just a blog. Pigeons and Planes, yeah?
…There’s a new, undefined category of hip-hop that still needs a name (take it to the comment section if you’ve got suggestions, let’s name that shit!) It’s the type of hip-hop that is more likely to be found in dorm rooms than street corners. In the world of hip-hop, street credibility has always been a factor that determines popularity. These days, rappers like Ash Roth, Chiddy Bang, and even Kanye West have made it cool to paint a different picture and still fit in.
More and more, you see this happening. You see outcasts popping up here and there, and suddenly these outcasts are cool. Suddenly instead of outcasts trying to act like the established cool kids, the cool kids are trying to be more like the former outcasts. Rappers like Kid Cudi and B.o.B. come in using melody in the flows, talking about personal issues, fucking around with indie rock kids… Not saying they started all that, but you see a lot more of it these days.
Sampling indie rock is becoming the norm (although rappers need to step up and get some new shit instead of latching on to year-old hits (please no more “2 Weeks” remixes)). It could be a sample clearance thing (these indie bands are probably happy to have big namers paying money to use their old songs), but it’s deeper than that.
We’re living in a strange time – a time when an artist like Jay-Z, a veteran rapper who gained popularity while relaying his story of struggle, hustling, and street survival is now mingling with organic deoderant-wearing hipsters at Grizzly Bear concerts, and these same filthy hipsters are looking for some new way to be different by latching onto raw, simplistic-but-real rappers like Gucci Mane as part of a wave that has become known as “ironic fans”. It’s the last way that they can stand out from their hipster friends who all listen to Grizzly Bear, and it’s a clear sign that shit is coming full circle.
I’m not sure what this means, and where things are going, but the idea of everything getting all fucked up triggers a smile on my face. You hear a lot of buzzkillers talking about music becoming less interesting, things becoming stagnant, and genres being “dead”. I don’t know what the fuck they are listening to, what their problem with life is, or why their goal is to kill dreams and drown hope. What we are witnessing is the quiet before a potential storm. Right under the surface all kinds of crazy shit is bubbling. Privileged white kids from suburbia are obsessed with the most ignorant hood shit you can imagine. Rappers that grew up on nothing but street shit are getting into the music elitist indie rock world, and these two gigantic storm clouds of sounds, styles, and cultures are about to collide. If we let it happen, it will be epic.
Alright, that’s my rant. It happens sometimes when I get excited. If I had to have a main point, or something to say after “in conclusion” it would be this: Right now is a crazy time for music. Keep an open mind. You’re going to see a lot of extremely weird, pretentious stuff. You’re also going to see a lot of extremely ignorant, raw stuff. Both sides have flaws, but both could learn from the other. Every now and then, you’re going to see these worlds mix. It might not work some of the time. This atmosphere will create some confused listeners, some extremists, and a lot of hateful words from people who don’t like change. Don’t be one of those people. Just go with it. If we’re lucky, we can witness some really interesting things that only this decade can create. Things worth being remembered for.
