When it comes to Hip-Hop there is always a great debate about who’s officially carrying the crown as the best. One of the main arguments that have raised many blood pressures over the last 20 years, is the debate of who’s the real legend in Hip-Hop, Tupac or Biggie.
Many people argue the fact that the two were unable to compete due to their untimely deaths, but many people overlook the fact that the two did collaborate on multiple tracks including DJ Eddie F and The Untouchable‘s project for the song “Let’s Ge It On,” “Running from the Police,” and the 1994 freestyle “Where Brooklyn At.” The epic tracks featured the two going in a lyrical battle of wits while taking turns on the mic during a time that many have dubbed as the “Golden Era” of Hip-Hop.
It’s that stamp on the era that leads me to the point of this Op-Ed, which is this: It’s time that we stop determining one’s Hip-Hop intellect or qualifications on whether or not they were fans of the two MCs.
Serving more as a Hip-Hop chin check similar to that in any hood like, “What set you from” or “Where your grandma stay?” The question, almost tombstone for Hip-Hop, is, in essence, the questioner’s way of saying that there hasn’t been any greater accomplishments or MCs to touch the mic since 1997, which we all know isn’t true. Please don’t misconstrue what I am saying, while Biggie and Tupac were legendary MCs, the two were not the first nor the last to bless the mic in a seemingly God-like nature nor the last ones to carry such a great influence.
A 30 something Hip-Hop head asking Lil Yachty to freestyle over a 1990s beat or expecting Rich Homie Quan to remember the words to a song that came out when he was more than likely a toddler is a little asinine.
It’s proving more and more that we are becoming the generation that we once accused of lacking understanding. The ones who criticized our heroes saying that “Rap wasn’t real music” and that it would “fade out like Disco,” only this time we are the ones telling kids they can’t have fun or make up their own slang. We treat Hip-Hop as if we will forever be the gatekeepers when Hip-Hop was designed to be an ever growing enigma; a genre with no rules and no barriers. A genre created on party and bullshit, that then changed into edutainment and tales from the hood; Hip-Hop can’t be crafted into a set of do’s and don’ts anymore. We have to learn to allow the new generation to carry the torch and influence their own generation and give them the credit for it.
As I watched Joe Budden interview Lil Yachty, I saw the disconnect between the two generations. Joe came across as the angry old head with valuable knowledge that was low key accusing Lil Yachty of killing Hip-Hop. Although the anger comes from the love, many forget that this isn’t the first time “happy rappers” came under fire from lyrical MCs, see Ice Cube taking shots at MC Hammer with “True to the Game.” I understood Joe’s desire to get the seriousness across to his young counterpart, but the desire and the delivery did not mesh well, which resulted in Joe looking angry at Lil Yachty’s success.
So how do we fix it? The next time you see a “mumble” rapper before you criticize them, think of how you felt when you heard “Whoomp There It Is” and seen chicks butterflying at a party. I know what you are thinking, but we didn’t bite other rapper’s styles though you’re right it was a cardinal sin in the game back then; but let’s not act like groups didn’t have similar styles showing the obvious influence of one another and that the 69 Boyz didn’t turn around and drop “Whoot There It Is” after Tag Team. My point being, let’s stop being so quick to measure up the current generation against that of the 90s and let them be free because after all, it is their music based off of our influence.
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