"Yuh, ooh, brr, brr Gucci gang, ooh". These words are from the lyrical genius otherwise known as Lil Pump. "Rappers" like him are not rappers at all. Instead, they are a breed of deadbeats that are glorifying opioid usage and attempting to make Xanax pill popping "trendy".
Everyone's music taste is different, and I'm not saying they shouldn't make music. But if I had the option of listening to a Lil Pump song and ripping out my own eardrums, I'd choose the eardrums.
Hip-hop started as an urban underground movement in the Bronx. Once it hit mainstream, hip-hop solidified its place as a true music genre. Soon after that, the subculture of rap emerged and these artists created music as a way to showcase their reality.
Many rappers tell a "rags to riches" type story, or just express what it's like to be a black man in America. Whether or not you are a fan of hip-hop, there are some very inspirational artists in this genre. And these artists have left a lasting legacy in the music industry, but amongst their communities as well.
Some of the artists I believe that is the very best include: Notorious B.I.G., Jay-Z, Kanye West, Tupac, Kendrick Lamar, just to name a few. Their songs are written in such a poetic way. One of my favorite verses comes from Kendrick Lamar's song, "Poetic Justice".
He says, "If I told you that a flower bloomed in a dark room would you trust it?"
These words could be interpreted in so many ways, but some believe it is an indirect reference to Tupac's poem called, "A Rose That Grew from Concrete." This book was a collection of poems written by the late rapper comparing his life and where he grew up to a crack in the concrete. No one expected him to do anything with his life, but he was a rose that bloomed from nothing.
As artists like Jay-Z get older, they use their music and lyrics to continue representing their realities and lives. He addresses issues that relate to many people. Jay-Z's newest album 4:44 talks about the trouble with his marriage, family values, and racism in America.
"I apologize for all the stillborns. Cause I wasn't present, your body wouldn't accept it. I apologize to all the women whom I toyed with your emotions because I was emotionless. I apologize ’cause at your best you are love. And because I fall short of what I say I'm all about. Your eyes leave with the soul that your body once housed. And you stare blankly into space. Thinkin' of all the time you wasted in on all this basic s***. So I apologize."
Rap music isn't just for young people and parties; rap is an art form that should be respected and appreciated.
