Source: Ken Hively / Getty
Hip Hop is one of the few genres that doesn’t let it’s artists thrive past a certain age. Aside from the legends who can continue to drop critically acclaimed albums and remain relevant in this world of fast food music (consume now, discard when the next big thing drops) most artists aren’t blessed with the longevity of a music career like Jay Z, Pusha T or E-40. Older rappers have found success with different ventures whether it be the podcast game (Joe Budden, N.O.R.E, Snoop Dogg), acting careers (Will Smith, Queen Latifah, LL Cool J) or just becoming a multifaceted boss (Diddy, Ice Cube, Kanye West).
https://www.instagram.com/p/BsZLHAmBRAI
If a rapper wants to stay in an industry that’s constantly evolving thanks to streaming platforms, social media, the decline of record labels and traditional gatekeepers, they have to be flexible and adapt to the changes. Dr. Dre has helped create classic music with the biggest rappers in the industry and he’s continuing to work his magic on the new generation. On December 9th, YBN Cordae shared a post on Instagram letting his fans know that he’s putting in some studio time with Dr. Dre, nicely bridging the rap game between generations.
Younger generations might be unaware of the Compton artist’s contribution on classic records like N.W.A’s Straight Outta Compton, Eminem’s The Slim Shady LP or more recently Anderson Paak’s Oxnard but that IG tag could lead to so many people visiting records that are the foundation of what Hip Hop is today. Plus the old heads can check out the YBN collective, the new era of “Lil” rappers and everything else they’re missing on SoundCloud and Spotify. Music discovery for all, if only we could bring record stores back…
Article By: Marcel “The Messenger” Jeremiah
