most NY rappers were poppin in the 2000s..
But people in the north east weren't just listening to NY hip hop, not where I'm from or the people I grew up around.
Dude we weren't. I'm the same age as Asap Mob whos 2 main members make southern influenced hip hop. And straight up.. I was listening to just as much southern hip hop as I was NY hip hop around 15-16.
Hip hop is not exempt from the same shyt that happened with rock and electronic music.
in Boston in the 80s you had bands playing a sound that distinct to them. Then you got bands from the Midwest liking that sound and doing it. And now in the 2010s bands from ALL over are playing that style of punk. In Europe there was post punk and you had new wave now bands from the U.S and all over playing the same kinda sound. You can't put barriers on that shyt. You can't put barriers on what people are like and influenced by. shyt goes in cycles, too.
A distinct sound might or come back and then be hot, then another sound comes back. In the 00s metally sounding hardcore was all over. Now, there's a lot of bands playing 80s sounding boston influenced punk and noise rock with some European influence ..post punk/new wave influence.. It happens.
That's music dude. That's art. Hip hop is not exempt from influencing others in others part of the country and world. Once you put your music out there and people are listening to it, it's expected to happen and it does.
If someone from Cali listens to mostly 90s NY hip hop, who's to say they are wrong for making NY sounding hip hop and dressing like a NYer? the first time I heard the Pharcyde I thought they were from NY.