The beginning of the new century has seen many drastic changes to contemporary hip-hop. The globalization of rap music as well as the advent of new subcategories like drill and trap have newer rappers and audiences prioritizing beats and production. Old-school listeners may feel alienated and left behind as they often prefer for rappers to focus on clever lines and personality-fueled delivery. Luckily, some new-school male rappers stay true to these traditional hip-hop values. Check out this list of some of the best contemporary examples.
1. “Young Boy Genius”
The lyrics to this track slap savagely. “She told me that she wasn’t feelin’ my music/I f*cked her/She told me, ‘It’s nobody harder!'” New school artists who still prioritize lyrics and delivery give the future of hip-hop hope.
2. “Let ‘Em Know Out In Public”
DaBaby gives cruisin’ a fresh take. “Pull off with a bad broad!” It’s a good thing too, because few things are as enduringly cool as riding around in a nice car with a love interest.
3. “Serious A** Attitude”
Though the music video quickly became controversial, this song actually features a retro beat and Eazy-E sample. Diss tracks are nothing new, and gangster-rap was perhaps the perfect subgenre to experiment with in the post-modern age. Men continue to find it extremely challenging to find healthy ways to express their emotions. Many can relate to the sampled hook, “he was once a thug from around the way. My life was never easy!”
4. “Same Clique”
This song showcases how hard the trap generation can go. It goes almost as hard as the original by Three 6 Mafia, “Hit A Muthafcka”. Of course, it is difficult to beat beyond-iconic lyrics like, “I bet you won’t/Hit a muthafcka/Hit a muthaf*cka!”
5. “A Vivrant Thing”
Some of the best names in contemporary rap come together in this jam inspired by Q-Tip’s “Vivrant Thing”. According to genius.com, “vivrant” is was either created entirely by Q-Tip by joining the words “vibrant” and “vivacious”, or it is a spelling-variant of the French word “vivant”, which means “alive”. Either way, this fun and sensual jam is all about love for the ladies. “Stick it out/Poke it out/Yeah, yeah/She got a little butt/So what?”
How do you think of the old school rappers‘ songs sampled by new school rappers? What song is currently in your playlist?
I like that beat in “Poke it out”…. Written by a gal with a little but…. LOL