For the first time in 5-7 years I’m starting to notice a refreshing change in the rap game. I still think its too early to tell if the change is legit or not just because I’m afraid the major labels still will fight for too much creative control.
With that said. Due to outlets like Youtube, Myspace, XM and Facebook; Indie MC’s are able to reach a market that is savoring for something different than the usual Soulja Boi, Lil Wayne, Wiz Khalifa, and Drake style of Pop Rap.
These past 2-3 years we saw Tech N9ne go from one of the biggest(if not thee biggest) Underground MC’s to a Mainstream MC. His latest joint “Am I a Pyscho cracked 106 and South’s(on BET) Top 10 list. I think this is a sign that the market in general is starting to change. Another group of MC’s that is starting to see mainstream success is Slaughterhouse. Slaugherhouse is a “supergroup” comprised of Joell Ortiz, Royce da 5’9, Crooked I, and Joe Budden. I think what’s important about Slaughterhouse isn’t that they signed with Shady/Interscope, its that Eminem has given them the creative control to say whatever they want. I have to say that’s another sign that the market is changing.
So why the change, might one ask?
I must say the change is mostly because the market simply is tired of the same old same and wants something new. What some of us need to realize that the market gets tired of the same old same over a given amount of time. Look at how “Glam Rock” disappeared between 1989 and 1991. There was still a few Glam Metal bands out there even through 1993. But bands like Nivana changed the market and “Grundge Rock” took over.
So is Tech N9ne the Nirvana of 2012(musically speaking) or is just another MC that made it big after years of grinding in the Indie scene. I tend to think its the former rather than the latter.
The bigger question is, who else on the Indie scene is ripe and ready to take the game by the horn and run with it? I must say that cats like Joell Ortiz(of Slaughterhouse, Hopsin, Tyler the Creator, Cory Gunz, SwizZz, and Atmosphere would be the MC’s that could the others that lead this change in the game.
Another issue I want to touch on is Eminem. I see way too people saying that his old music is better and that Eminem should go back to his old style. What people need to remember is that Em is 39, and it makes little to 0 sense to talk about drugs and killing his wife and mother at this point in his life. Eminem is truly showing growth and maturity as an artist. His content may not be the same, but lyrically he’s far better now than when he was 28(when he busted onto the scene). His wordplay, and rhyme schemes today are far superior than it was in 1999. Em flashed his Slim Shady persona a lot in his Bad Meets Evil CD with Royce da 5’9, so that proves to me that he still that comical rap left in him. So I say, stop your complaining and enjoy the music.
I’ll leave you all with this track… Enjoy
joeweasel 