How did rap/hip hop get to the point that it is now?

[verbaltelekinesis]

Let me breakdown what I'm saying...

From the early days of rap, I'm talking Afrika Bambaataa, Sugarhill Gang etc. There was a definite skill in rapping. And as rap progressed it seemed that the level of skill progressed with it. KRS One, Big Daddy Kane, Kool Moe Dee, LL Cool J, Rakim took rap to a level above and beyond the originators from a skill perspective. Then in the "Golden Era" it seems like it was dope MC after dope MC in hip hop. The progression continued with Jay, BIG, Nas, Face, AZ, Wu Tang, Big Pun, Big L etc(so many more I could name, but you get the point). And these are all rappers that were popular, they weren't underground names.

What happened to the progression in terms of skill? Save a couple of names, rap today is just words that rhyme and sometimes they don't even do that.

Am I completely wrong here? Has Wayne progressed past Jay? Has Ross progressed past BIG? I'm really not trying to pick on any rappers in particular, I seriously just don't see any progression in terms of skill.


BTW, I thought Drake was on his way to being there but he has slacked WAY off from the form he had as mixtape Drake.

And feel free to name some rappers you think have made that jump in terms of progression.

 

[Mike Statik]

fans co signing fakkitry.... close thread... cant blame the rappers, just the retarded listeners c/s kanye, wayne, ross, drake, lil b and every other sympin/wack rapper

 

[AnotherRoute]

Honestly I think its just comes down on being able to flood the market.

 

[NatiboyB]

The South

 

[King Theo]

rap is slowly becoming the WWF. the fans arent picking who is going to be hot. its kind of forced on us like champions are forced on us now

the golden era of rap and up to about 2004 is equivelent to the attitude era of wrestling. it was all around great pretty much everything you could ask for the rosters were deep.

now we are seeing people who are okay rappers/wrestlers/entertainers. and you still ahve some greats still around and a few new guys who can keep up but they still dont have that it factor but the roster is far far far away from what it was before.

 

[Bean]

not this again

 

[Double J]

It all started with Puffy and the shiny suits.

 

[King Theo]

fans co signing fakkitry.... close thread... cant blame the rappers, just the retarded listeners c/s kanye, wayne, ross, drake, lil b and every other sympin/wack rapper

forget the fakkitry breh. it seems liek eveeryone on that list is trying to get by on something other than kanye and drake. they have that it factor i was talking about regardless of how they are acting.

they rest are just about some gimmick instead of about the music

 

[tremonthustler1]

people were unable to advance in skill without becoming boring in the process. See backpack rappers

 

[Saysumthinfunnymike]

Em has multis but then the question is can ya relate to what he's sayin

 

[Dog Based Gremlin]

rap is slowly becoming the WWF. the fans arent picking who is going to be hot. its kind of forced on us like champions are forced on us now

the golden era of rap and up to about 2004 is equivelent to the attitude era of wrestling. it was all around great pretty much everything you could ask for the rosters were deep.

now we are seeing people who are okay rappers/wrestlers/entertainers. and you still ahve some greats still around and a few new guys who can keep up but they still dont have that it factor but the roster is far far far away from what it was before.

 

[King Theo]

am i right or wrong

 

[YouMadd?]

Honestly.. Rap isn't the type of genre where the "skills" can really progress THAT much farther then they have... I feel like we've already seen the most complex that it will ever be able to get, atleast lyricswise

 

[Black_Tux.]

The South

this is the answer

 

[The War Report]

When variety didn't get the shine it use to get. Can you honestly see a rap group like ATCQ actually succeed today? It's not even about skill but the quality.