Why Did 80s Legends Fall Off So Fast?

[EducatedBrothaFromTheBank]

felt like the Rakim's, BDP's, Slick Rick, Kool G Rap etc had a run from like 88 to 92, then baam, out of nowhere, they were treated like this era's 50 Cent, Nelly's, Ja Rule's in terms of relevancy...

you can point to the emergence of Biggie, Wu Tang, Nas etc. .. but did their style just fade fast? or somethin else

 

[Amestafuu (Emeritus)]

Loss of direction in music coupled with being out of touch and having to deal with the best class of rookies ever.

Same thing would happen more often if new rappers were more talented than those they follow after but that's not the case...

 

[Truth200]

having to deal with the best class of rookies ever.

Same thing would happen more often if new rappers were more talented than those they follow after but that's not the case...

Exactly...

 

[OG Talk]

The genre was so young, that brand new styles and concepts were being created at a break neck speed..

I remember one summer Das Efx was like then 10 months later n1ggas was like because something more fresh had come out..There was almost a yearly evolution of trends, styles, slang and fashion....

Mainstream rap hasn't really evolved much at all since the summer of '97.. This is why people like Jay-Z can rap about the same exact things he was saying 17 years ago and not many people will call him on it or say he fell off...

 

[boskey]

LL doesn't get nearly enough credit. The mid-80s to late-90s was like a thousand years. On some Highlander shyt...

 

[MiC]

Rap was far less established as a major mainstream music genre in the 80s than the 90s

 

[Vandelay]

LL doesn't get nearly enough credit. The mid-80s to late-90s was like a thousand years. On some Highlander shyt...

Came in here to LL was the only one who learned to evolve.

I was young but...Rakim had the flow a lot of new cats borrowed from, but his production was still stuck in the 80s. I remember he came out with "it's been a long time", which was tight but sounded dated to me.

 

[SpacelySprockets]

50 Cent?

 

[A Tribe Called Quest ™]

50 Cent?

No one respects 50 anymore .....

 

[SpacelySprockets]

No one respects 50 anymore .....

Lol ok

 

[W.I.Z.E.]

felt like the Rakim's, BDP's, Slick Rick, Kool G Rap etc had a run from like 88 to 92, then baam, out of nowhere, they were treated like this era's 50 Cent, Nelly's, Ja Rule's in terms of relevancy...

you can point to the emergence of Biggie, Wu Tang, Nas etc. .. but did their style just fade fast? or somethin else

You kinda of answered your own question. Along with the point being made of a strong class of talent this happens in ever era of music.

Golden Era (86-92): Rick, Kane lost some of their steam but LL and KRS remained relevant through at least the mid-90's if not longer
Silver Era (Regional Expansion) (93-98): The Pharcyde, Bone Thugz, Mobb Deep, The Fugees, lost their steam but Jay, Nas, Kast, Snoop remained relevant and still arguably are today
Bling Era (99 - '04): DMX, Juvenile, Mase, Missy (c'mon yall she was HOT at this time), but Wayne, T.I., Kanye, Eminem and 50

Hip Hop is dead Era ('05 - '10): Beanie, Game aren't really relevant anymore. Honestly, there's only one artist from this time that I think is still relevant

Looks like this last era really is a piece of shyt when it comes to overall contribution to the hip hop lexicon.

 

[A Tribe Called Quest ™]

Lol ok

Musically breh , It's like hearing a KRS song in 95 your like ..... Like there is still some 00's guys I care for like Ye , Em and TIP but if I hear some new 50 I'm like ...It's funny people were bumping 50 heavily in the Fall of 07' and then by the summer of 08 everyone was with that nikka

 

[Change]

Because you couldn't front like you're relevant like you can these days on twitter and all that. Rappers are like cockroaches these days. You can't kill them. You can isolate yourself and pretend you're hot but your numbers are dead and you can't get the label to return your calls.

 

[Foxmulder]

The genre was so young, that brand new styles and concepts were being created at a break neck speed..

I remember one summer Das Efx was like then 10 months later n1ggas was like because something more fresh had come out..There was almost a yearly evolution of trends, styles, slang and fashion....

Mainstream rap hasn't really evolved much at all since the summer of '97.. This is why people like Jay-Z can rap about the same exact things he was saying 17 years ago and not many people will call him on it or say he fell off...

This.Whats crazy back in 94 I used to think Kane and Rakim was old.They were 25-26 years old.I give myself the .

 

[MiC]

Lol ok

You've spent the past 6 years trying to convince people online that 50 is a respected rapper. Give it up already. 2008-2014 no one has cared yet you still push so hard