Hip Hop and It’s Relationship To Art
A Synonymous Relationship
Take it back to the Golden Era, most recently celebrated with Hip Hop 50th, when you hear anyone tell the stories of the emcee combining with the DJ rocking the party, the story always includes graffiti street artists as much as it does crews and park jams. Initially considered just as taboo as getting caught tagging a building or subway car. And honestly not even considered to last as long as spray paint would on its subject. It continues to grow like art continues to evolve; the Modern Era of Hip Hop has the Marvel Hip Hop Variant covers. Which, wow, was something I never would have imagined I needed to see until it happened, and it was epic. Look up the comics and the albums they complement; how spot on they are yet still so comic-like it doesn’t seem forced.
But what is to come of current music? Yo! To turn into this point where we say the music isn’t like it was… something I thought I would never say. This current era definitely needs to be separated from anything ever. During/Post Covid we made it to the point of self-publishing the emergence of Drill music (if hip hop started in NY, then Chicago started drill) but the beats no longer catch the rhymes. You could say the poetry of what started Rap no longer is a part, songs are comprised of verbal gun shots, naming what block you are on and who you hate. The talent you had to have to make it to a record deal can be surpassed by views or spins, (all which can be a good BOT software let’s be honest) In the Art world contracts and funding are “grant agreements”.
Recently a banana duct taped to a wall sold for $6.2 million. Sexyy Red is a night of karaoke at best in a performance and Ice Spice’s flow you would expect to hear from someone aged 4-8 years old, these two of many male and female rappers out there are charting on Billboard charts and winning awards. What is it going to be when we look back? The banana I believe was eaten. The rappers don’t seem to be going away, Red has a totally inappropriately named lip gloss line and Spice is in Fortnite. Anyone else asking why? And how? Get out your Elmer’s Glue or don’t have any performance talent and make a name for yourself while you can I guess. Just wake me when we take art back in general.
—Levonte.
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