“I hear it all the time — ‘Yo, he should let the young guys, the new generation of guys come in.’ But you don’t become the front-runner in music because someone lets you. You have to claim your shoes”- Jay-Z
I’ve been meaning to speak on this for a minute. As someone who came up during the ’80s and ’90s, I can’t say I understand this recent mentality that some newer rappers seem to have. It seems that some of them harbor a lil’ animosity towards older artists that are still in the game, and feel like they should step away from the game in order to “let” the new dudes get theirs.
Now… I know it’s not the old days anymore, but that is the most half-assed shit I’ve ever heard of.
This is equivalent to bein’ a kid, playin’ a video game with your older relatives, and throwin’ your controller down because they won’t LET you win. Can’t speak for anyone else, but if I were a new artist, that’s not even a win I’d WANT. What kinda bragging rights is that, to only be succeeding in the game because someone else’s absence allowed it? For these new dudes to have so much “swag” and stunt so hard, I’d at least think they’d wanna claim their own damn spot. How much swag can they really have, when they wanna win by default?
Take for instance, someone like DJ Webstar. If you don’t know who that is, you’re not alone. But anyway, when “Death Of Autotune” dropped, he went into this long weekend of Twitter rage. He tweeted about how a song like that was “takin’ food off his plate”, because he (like many other trend-hopping newbies) utilizes Autotune for his terrible records. Here’s where a so-called artist should question his own talent: you’re sittin’ around HOPIN’ this shit doesn’t play out, because then you’ll have to find another gimmick to ride… and this is somehow ANOTHER person’s fault?
When great artists made their way into the game, it didn’t happen because the people before them just left and let it happen. They did their thing regardless of anyone else’s presence. If you look at a Nas or an Outkast, their relevance didn’t hang on whether or not KRS or De La Soul were still making music. It hung on whether or not their own shit was up to par. They didn’t have to do anything but come to the table with music that was fresher and better than what the old schoolers were dropping. They surely didn’t get it by whining “why won’t they let the new niggas eat?”
Regardless of how some may feel about today’s top stars, such as Kanye, Wayne, or T.I. (or even new artists like Drake)- I don’t see ANY of them cryin’ either. They found a niche, made music that connected with listeners, and made people interested in them as artists. A lot of these ones complaining are the same ones faithfully making microwave music. They make songs that are hot for a month and never get played again after that month… but they don’t get why their shit can’t get over. Artists with real fanbases are still doin’ fine, whether on a mainstream or underground-ish level. It’s them ol’ fly-by-night muh’fukkas having all the trouble.
I’ve been saying that the rap game needs new blood, and it’s been hanging off of the old guard for too long. We’re heading into a new decade and people who were out in the earlier half of this one are still on top. Imagine if back in ‘99, hip-hop had never moved past Public Enemy and Naughty By Nature *shudder*. At the same time, I can’t sit here and say someone like Busta should quit so some random-ass nigga like OJ Da Juiceman can get his shit off. So, the only thing left (as always) is for new artists to come in with new stuff that moves it past where it’s been sitting for the last few years.
I say all that to say this: fukk wantin’ older rappers to step DOWN… how ’bout the new ones step UP?
Posted by Danj! 
