For music lovers, you’re a product of the era you were born in. No one chooses to be a Dead Head, Stoner, Hair Band Lover. You just are. When I was a kid, rap music had just started to hit the airwaves. Similar to when rock and roll came on the scene, it was music for the youth. (hunches shoulders) Up-teen years later, what can I say? I still have an affinity for the cadences, the wittiness and imagery in the lyrics. Most people don’t even understand the lyrical content and references made by the artists they attack. A good rapper’s music is filled with metaphors that fly over most people’s heads that aren’t familiar with the culture. Notice I said good. With yin there’s always yang so with good music comes bad. However, that’s another day and time.
Part of what made (and still makes) good rap music good was the competitive nature of the industry. It’s not enough to have a catchy hook. The competition is in who’s the wittiest, has the most extensive vocabulary. Rap beef was born out of reaching that status of best lyricist. Over time, it’s gotten personal. It’s no secret that when pride, egos and testosterone get together it can create disaster. And it has in the deaths of great lyricists Tupac and Biggie Small but it was never born out of the evil it’s become. Recently, rap beef has started to show it’s head again. This time I think it’s going to be a good thing.
Fast forward to today, Big Sean’s “Control” featuring Kendrick Lamar was leaked revealing a braggadocios side of the emcee. In it, the California bred emcee stole the spotlight calling out successful rappers he was aiming to lyrically murder including Drake, J. Cole, Wale, Meek Mill, A$AP Rocky and even Big Sean.
Quite a few responses were made by the next day, but Meek has turned out one of the better (listen below). Plus it helps that he was one of the mentioned emcees. No one wants to hear from someone with no dog in the fight.
There are a group of people who think all beef is bad. However I tend to believe that this competition among comradeship – for now – is what hip-hop needs. In the era of Trinidad James and Future, it’s time for artists to sharpen their skills.
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