Is Rap at an All Time Low?

[Ounceman]

honestly hip hop now is how it has been since the shiny suit era began in 97, the underground is releasing dope shit and the mainstream is releasing commercial fluff

 

[andre_1024]

naw i don't agree, there's a lot of dope shit still out there..just gotta search harder for it these days..

 

[Billy_Poncho]

The fact that literally ANYONE can be a rapper nowadays hurts the craft.

 

[5th Letter]

The artist that are hot today are the dudes who you used to walk by when they tried to hand you they demo. The internet has allowed them to take their hustle digital. The days of just being talented are dead. Now it's either work hard or be nothing. And that's how it should be. I don't care how dope you are lyrically, if you can't put a little work ethic with that then you don't deserve to be heard

Hip hop now more than ever comes down to who you know or if your sound fits the format. It ain't as black and white like you making it out to be.

 

[FlyFreeCt]

As soon as this nigga gets his shot shit will turn around..

 

[CirocObama]

Making it in the rap game has NEVER been about talent first of all, it has ALWAYS been about who you know. Only difference is that back then what sold was records that displayed talent, therefor labels invested in it.

That's why these rappers hook up with the local street cats because of their connects and because if they stay close to them they might make noise in their own neighborhood, which means eventually someone in the industry might pick up on it.

These labels are just investors loaning you money that they want a return on. Simple as that. They'll sign ANYONE as long as they believe they can make a return on their investment. So if they see you having a large following in your neighborhood for example before the deal they figure that you'll be marketable enough to reach a wider audience once they spend marketing dollars in you.

 

[Trockm]

Rap isn't, Hip-Hop is............

 

[bkkbully]

music as a whole is being devalued everyday. free downloading, signing wack artists for a quick buck, programs that literally anybody and buy and become a 'musician' without learning the fundamentals. sad state of affairs