Today people are listening to rappers like Lil' Wayne, Soulja Boy, and Flo Rida. I'm not saying that these rappers are constantly putting out horrible tracks (you can find some Lil' Wayne in my music library), but raps about money, cars, women, drugs, and things they can't afford/don't have are simply getting old. And I can't forget about all the one hit wonder rap artists out there like Young Jibbs and Playaz Circle who should've never made it to the radio.
It seems to me that rap fans stopped listening to lyrics and only care about the beat and melody. To me and other real rap fans it's sad because the current rappers who are getting all the limelight are simply catering to the ears of the majority. And what you get with that is lyrics with identical meaning, a different title, and a different artist.
Why aren't more people listening to Mos Def, Elzhi, Talib Kweli, Jake One, Madlib, Murs, Buff1, Large Pro, Method Man, Red Man, or A.R.E.? Just because they don't have a major clothing line, record deal, TV show, or didn't appear on MTV cribs doesn't make them any less of a musician. These and several other underground rappers are the only reason why I haven't stopped listening to rap music. They are funny, intelligent, and clever lyricists like Biggie Smalls was. And to anyone who thinks Lil' Wayne is the best freestyler ever you really need to check out Mos Def. No doubt Lil' Wayne has funny at times, but rappers like Mos Def and A.R.E. constantly bring every aspect of good rap music to the table with every verse.
The radio isn't the only way to hear new music if you want hard, intelligent, and funny lyrics search up the rappers I have stated above. The truth is nothing happened to rap. Sure there are much more weak rappers than there were in the 90's, but there surely isn't a drought. The music is there, you just have to find it.
Big ups to Albrecht and Bowker for jammin' to the underground.
