They actually accomplish what that they set out to do artistically, transcend their influences of OGs who did similar shyt before them, and execute on a very high level.
Basically they're the best versions of whoever they wanted to be, and that's what makes them great rappers in their own right.
Hear me out.
Lil B is not trying to be Nas, or Redman or KRS-One. Judging him as such is disingenuous. He wants to be the new Too Short, E-40 with a mix of Kool Keith, Cormega and Soulja Boy. A joker, a clown. His whole perspective is to troll, insert some satire, reference his rough past life and express random philosophy. But ultimately make you laugh and feel him.
And he's already one of the funniest of all time. You can't mention all time funny rappers and not think of Lil B. That's a huge accomplishment. No one from the new generation is really doing anything that legitimately puts them in the all-time bracket of something.
ASAP Rocky... it's not really clear who Rocky wants to be yet. Aside from being the most fashionable, eclectic and visually pleasing rapper of all time. I'm not making this shyt up. He says these kind of things on the regular. It's kinda hollow, but whatever.
Has he accomplished it? Yes. Rocky is the most stylish rapper since Kanye. Live.Love.ASAP is the most stylish shyt I've heard from anyone in a decade. I don't think anyone can argue against Live.Love.ASAP not being incredibly eclectic in its influences, which it pulls from multiple obscure regions and coasts. Add that to the street fashion that Rocky brought in... It was crazy. Rocky has already joined the list of fashionable rappers of all time like Camron, Snoop, Slick Rick, and Pharell.
Who the fukk are Drake, Kendrick and J Cole trying to be? And are they in the all-time conversation for whatever it is they're trying to be? Kendrick is trying to be an intellectual rapper in the tradition of intellectual rappers before him. That's what the media sells to me. When I hear these cats, particularly with Kendrick, I hear an immensely-watered down version of popular, acclaimed stuff before him. He wants to be a deep observer like Nas? He's nowhere close. And saying that Kendrick is close to Nas in that department is offensive to anyone who's actually paid attention to this hip hop shyt. He wants to be Andre 3000 and blur genres? He doesn't have the voice for it nor the stellar production (Kendrick doesn't have anything on the level of Organized Noize). Is Kendrick even as deep as Lupe? Blu? Ka?
So what is Kendrick fantastic at?
I can go down the list with Drake and Cole but this is already a long post. To me, these guys are fantastic at nothing but having the right image at the right time. Yet the amount of hyperbole surrounding these guys is unlike anything I've ever seen in hip hop, particularly Kendrick.
And this is what makes me dislike these guys even more than I should. It's not because I don't wanna hear deeper, more artistic material. Of course I do. But I feel like I'm being sold the generic boy-band version and being told that it's filet mignon. And continually beating it over my head: "THIS IS FILET MIGNON. GREATEST ALBUMS OF THE 21st CENTURY"
And I'm thinking: "I know what filet mignon tastes like. This aint it."
Feel free to disagree. Call me retarded. A hater. A loser. Whatever. I'm genuinely interested in useful discussion. Kendrick fans are supposed to be super intelligent, so I'm hoping to hear something intelligent from them. Maybe you'll say something I haven't considered that'll make appreciate the grand trio even more.
Basically they're the best versions of whoever they wanted to be, and that's what makes them great rappers in their own right.
Hear me out.
Lil B is not trying to be Nas, or Redman or KRS-One. Judging him as such is disingenuous. He wants to be the new Too Short, E-40 with a mix of Kool Keith, Cormega and Soulja Boy. A joker, a clown. His whole perspective is to troll, insert some satire, reference his rough past life and express random philosophy. But ultimately make you laugh and feel him.
And he's already one of the funniest of all time. You can't mention all time funny rappers and not think of Lil B. That's a huge accomplishment. No one from the new generation is really doing anything that legitimately puts them in the all-time bracket of something.
ASAP Rocky... it's not really clear who Rocky wants to be yet. Aside from being the most fashionable, eclectic and visually pleasing rapper of all time. I'm not making this shyt up. He says these kind of things on the regular. It's kinda hollow, but whatever.
Has he accomplished it? Yes. Rocky is the most stylish rapper since Kanye. Live.Love.ASAP is the most stylish shyt I've heard from anyone in a decade. I don't think anyone can argue against Live.Love.ASAP not being incredibly eclectic in its influences, which it pulls from multiple obscure regions and coasts. Add that to the street fashion that Rocky brought in... It was crazy. Rocky has already joined the list of fashionable rappers of all time like Camron, Snoop, Slick Rick, and Pharell.
Who the fukk are Drake, Kendrick and J Cole trying to be? And are they in the all-time conversation for whatever it is they're trying to be? Kendrick is trying to be an intellectual rapper in the tradition of intellectual rappers before him. That's what the media sells to me. When I hear these cats, particularly with Kendrick, I hear an immensely-watered down version of popular, acclaimed stuff before him. He wants to be a deep observer like Nas? He's nowhere close. And saying that Kendrick is close to Nas in that department is offensive to anyone who's actually paid attention to this hip hop shyt. He wants to be Andre 3000 and blur genres? He doesn't have the voice for it nor the stellar production (Kendrick doesn't have anything on the level of Organized Noize). Is Kendrick even as deep as Lupe? Blu? Ka?
So what is Kendrick fantastic at?
I can go down the list with Drake and Cole but this is already a long post. To me, these guys are fantastic at nothing but having the right image at the right time. Yet the amount of hyperbole surrounding these guys is unlike anything I've ever seen in hip hop, particularly Kendrick.
And this is what makes me dislike these guys even more than I should. It's not because I don't wanna hear deeper, more artistic material. Of course I do. But I feel like I'm being sold the generic boy-band version and being told that it's filet mignon. And continually beating it over my head: "THIS IS FILET MIGNON. GREATEST ALBUMS OF THE 21st CENTURY"
And I'm thinking: "I know what filet mignon tastes like. This aint it."
Feel free to disagree. Call me retarded. A hater. A loser. Whatever. I'm genuinely interested in useful discussion. Kendrick fans are supposed to be super intelligent, so I'm hoping to hear something intelligent from them. Maybe you'll say something I haven't considered that'll make appreciate the grand trio even more.
That shyt don't make any sense. And that shyt you said about Rocky...
