By: Alfonso Abreu
Hip-Hop is not dead, and is far from ever dying. It is easy to look at Billboard’s last week report of there not being any Hip-Hop songs in the top 40 since 1990, and be wary of the genre’s future.
Discourse surrounding the genre immediately shifted to blaming the lack of emerging superstars, the sheer amount of music churned out daily, and the premature claim that Hip-Hop is dead. Each point isn’t wrong and can be its own conversation, but there is another perspective to walk away with: Hip-Hop is now far removed from the archaic standards of the mainstream world.
Take a look at the charts right now, and you’ll find “hits” that will probably never grace their way onto your regular rotation or infiltrate your surroundings, unless you personally go out looking for them. Classics from previous eras occupy slots next to the very few songs that represent today’s sound. One can assume this is the modern state of the genre, just glancing at the top 100 songs. The definition of what’s a hit is blurred now, as anything can be a hit nowadays.
The charts and airplay no longer dictate what is or isn’t a hit; now more than ever, it is determined by the listener. This isn’t a groundbreaking realization, of course, the musical landscape has been heading down this road since the introduction of the internet and streaming. The vast internet sphere mixed with regional influences in Hip-Hop leads to an array of sub-genres and scenes that will probably never see any play on airwaves, despite how infectious and energetic some of the pickings are; the mainstream world just doesn’t know what to make of it.
One of the biggest sub-genres, “Rage” music is a scene attributed to the younger generations, yet the sounds of video game-inspired synths being drowned out by blaring 808s that punch through headphones seems to only exist on the internet. Popular artists behind this sound include the Opium disciple Ken Carson and the emerging OsamaSon, who are always trending on TikTok and have sold out shows filled with sweaty kids ready to beat each other up, yet receive little to no radio traction. This begs the question: how can a sound so popular barely find any airtime or have little commercial success?
The answer is simple, it just isn’t accessible to the regular audience.
The modern mainstream Hip-Hop landscape still aims to reflect its 2010s peak, with the sounds and artists of the past serving as a decaying pillar trying to hold it all up. There’s a beauty to having Ken Carson’s ear-ripping “Xposed” share the same space as Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s heartwarming duet “Luther” that is exclusive to Hip-Hop. There is a disconnect between the mainstream and underground scenes that is bigger than ever now.
You can see how it sometimes comes together with the rising underground UK scene, which is a boiling pot of multiple sounds and scenes intertwined with American culture. This year saw the sudden emergence of Fakemink, a British rapper, who has obtained stamps of approval from many popular acts like Drake, Frank Ocean, and Playboi Carti. His biggest songs, like the whimsical “Music and Me” and the hazy electronic-meets-jerk-rap track “Easter Pink,” helped bring more eyes to a regional scene limited to the jagged threats of British rapper Skepta and the monotone yet flashy flexing of London rapper Central Cee.
Look at the Detroit scene that is now seen as a major rap city, but still feels underground with a sound so regional, it’s hard to see that it exists outside the city. You have countless acts who pushed into the mainstream, like the out-of-pocket Rio Da Yung OG and the slurred punchlines of Veeze, who each have multiple crossovers with mainstream stars like Lil Yachty and Lil Baby, respectively. Rio was at the forefront of highlighting the music from his city, Flint, yet he receives all his acclaim locally or online. It’s this reserved fame that makes a line like “We went gold and they ain’t play us on the radio” off his fresh out of jail release “Rio Free” come off as more of a jab at an out-of-touch radio station than a flex.
Once again, this isn’t new to Hip-Hop, as the mainstream and underground worlds have always felt separated due to countless niche scenes and a reluctant mainstream audience. A lot of sounds that will have sections of the internet in chokehold or serve to soundtrack a city that is specific to them, capture the best of modern Hip-Hop, despite not receiving any commercial attention.