Yep. The vets and underground feels like it's in a strong place. Rappers have now cracked the code on how to make music as older artists and it is bearing a lot of fruit.
But hip hop just isn't creating new stars like it was. I think a lot of that is due to bad label management and cuts to A&R divisions. On a major label level, there just isn't enough care or thought (or budget) being put into developing new artists or recording albums. Too many data dump style releases that are just being treated as mindless content for the algorhythm. The general consumer might not have great taste but they're not stupid. They know when music is half-assed. That's why artists like Lil Baby lost their momentum.
I feel like rage was supposed to be the next mainstream wave. That post-Carti generation never really levelled up though or figured a way at taking that sound and making crossover hits with it. Yeat and Ken Carson are probably the most successful but that sound still isn't palatable enough to listeners besides brain rotted TikTok addicted teenagers. But I think the most likely next mega rap star is someone who cracks the code of rage.
We’re also really in denial of how things are. Music in 2025 is not important outside of a handful of artists. We may not ever see another Kendrick or Cole or Drake yet it felt like the culture could churn out 4 of em a year til those artists faded away.
We’re accustomed to certain things. The Clipse rollout was refreshing because that’s what we’re used to. No surprise drops. Actual singles. Interviews, all that. But it’s not the norm anymore. Older rap fans are like baseball fans who wonder why batting averages suck now or why basketball players don’t take pride in their mid range game. Even if you might be right, you’re in the minority.
And then there’s too many influencers who straight up don’t like important elements of the music
Rage music to me ain’t even a subgenre. It’s just punk music with 808’s. At least punk artists had something important in what they were raging about. None of these acts are raging for any other reason than the vibe that comes with it. Those fans mosh for the sake of moshing, whereas before it was a place to let out pent up aggression.
RELAX!
