By Jamil Weeks

By now, I am sure you have heard the phrase “hip hop is dead”. Nearly 20 years ago, rap legend, Nas, shook up the rap industry with such a bold proclamation. However, fast forward to today, and not only is hip hop very much alive but we may be on the verge of entering into a new renaissance of sorts within the genre. Never has the landscape of hip hop music offered such a diversity of styles. From the most trendy pop-influenced rap to the nerdiest backpack rap, and everything in between. Each rap sub genre provides a plethora of music for fans to choose from no matter one’s personal taste. Admittedly, I cannot take credit for the topic of this blog, as the following commentary was inspired by the good folks at The Rap Roundtable Podcast, who have emerged in the forefront of streaming podcasters who have their fingers planted firmly on the pulse of current hip hop. As I was scrolling through my Twitter feed, I came upon a tweet from them that made me reflect on this past year in hip hop.

Drake vs. Kendrick

In hip hop, it has been awhile since fans have been treated to a captivating battle amongst the heavyweights. Every generation has their marquee matchups. The 80s had the Bridge Wars. The 90s has Biggie vs. 2pac. The 2000s had Jay vs. Nas. This year, we were treated to two of the biggest superstars, Drake and Kendrick Lamar, engaged in a no holds barred grudge match. Regardless of who you sided with as a fan, the battle was great for hip hop. Mainstream outlets that normally do not cover hip hop related topics were forced to acknowledge the battle between the two rap titans as social media was set ablaze from the back and forth discussions between the two fan bases. The coverage was much needed as hip hop was beginning to falter in sales. The feud injected an essential dose of energy back into the genre. The epic clash was a battle for the soul of hip hop; sales and hits versus art and authenticity. Drake versus Kendrick inspired some of the most venomous diss records fans have heard in awhile, from Drake’s “Family Matters” to Kendrick’s “Meet the Grahams”. Kendrick scored one of the biggest crossover hit records of the year with the Drake diss, “Not Like Us”. The battle was so big that it united the West Coast behind Kendrick, best illustrated by Kendrick’s sold out Pop Out show at the Staples Center (which included bloods, crips, and pirus sharing the same stage). In the aftermath of the legendary matchup, Kendrick made history by becoming the first rapper to headline the Super Bowl Halftime Show. The game is anxiously awaiting the release the next albums from both artists. With the beef still sizzling, the expectation is that the battle will inspire some of their greatest music in the near future.

The Year of TDE

Kendrick may not be officially on Top Dawg Entertainment anymore, but he is still part of that family tree. Accompanying Kendrick's victorious run was TDE releasing new music for fans after a long drought. In the first quarter, Schoolboy Q released his highly anticipated sixth album, Blue Lips. The album was met with critical acclaim, showcasing Q’s growth as an artist. Q has been an innovator amongst his peers in creating music that marries today’s contemporary sound with artistic experimentation. Giving fans enough time to digest Blue Lips, TDE then released the third mixtape, Alligator Bites Never Heal, from the label’s rising star, Doechii. Like Blue Lips, the project was met with high praise for its conceptual originality. The mixtape highlights Doechii’s dual threat talents as a rapper and singer. The future prospect is a hybrid of Doja Cat, Lauryn Hill, and Missy Elliott based on the music she has released thus far. Building upon her prior music, Alligator Bites Never Heals has heightened the anticipation for an official TDE debut studio album. Closing out the year strong, TDE’s premier lyricist, Ab-Soul has released his tribute to late friend and collaborator, Doe Burger. The album, entitled Soul Burger, is a concept album where Ab-Soul takes on a new persona as a new rapper that is a mix of himself and Doe Burger. These three releases highlight TDE’s out-of-the-box inventive approach to making music. Punch and company hit us with a three piece that is sure to inspire more artistic expression from rap artists in the future when making music.

Westside is the Best Side

With TDE leading the way, one of the greatest developments in rap music this year is a return of the West Coast to a regional sound. Some of the most groundbreaking music in hip hop was made when each region of the country had their own signature brand of music. What is different in 2024 is today’s West Coast artists are infusing more of a variety of sonics in their music that are pushing hip hop as a whole forward. Hit Boy formed the first father/son duo in hip hop, kicking off this year with Paisley Dreams, a collab album with the Game, and Black and Whites, a collab album with Big Hit and The Alchemist. Hit Boy has emerged as one of the most versatile producers in recent years, putting the West on his back with collab albums with BlueBucksClan (Biggest Out the West) and LARussell (Rent Due). The Dogg Pound put out one of the summer’s best albums with WAWG on the resurfaced Death Row label. One of rap’s most underrated artists, Blu, released a pair of notable albums with Evidence and Exile behind the boards, proving that the West has become fertile ground for some of the nicest emcees today. Other albums from Dom Kennedy (Class of ‘95), Vince Staples (Dark Times), and Tyler the Creator (Chromakopia) are examples of West Coast artists who test the waters creatively with different sounds using their experiences of growing up in California as inspiration. In a year that saw the Los Angeles Dodgers win the World Series, West Coast artists have also declared victory by delivering some of the year’s most thoughtful and imaginative music that may possibly shift the direction of future rap albums.

First Ladies of Hip-Hop

Doechii was not the only lady making noise in hip hop in 2024. Mainstream rap has been taken over by artists like Coi Leray, Ice Spice, Sexy Redd, Megan Thee Stallion, Latto, and others. The commercial success of Glorious by Glorilla, one of today’s most beloved rap stars, is a testament that rap is no longer just a man’s world. Glorious proves that even newer mainstream artists are flirting with their creative side more, resulting in a more diverse output rather than an album full of typical trap tunes. Artists like 7xvethegenius and Che Noir also dropped stellar albums this year that would make the most hardcore rap fan respect their pen. Albums like Che’s self-produced The Lotus Child and 7xve’s Death of Deuce accentuate the evolution of the female rapper as both artists and lyricists. One album in particular that has garnered recognition as an album of the year candidate is Rapsody’s Please Don’t Cry. The album is a reflective and personal portrait of Rapsody. Serving as a healing therapy session, Rap gets in her introspective bag while tackling a wide variety of topics relevant to her life and women in general. Rapsody speaks for the growing number of female rappers who demand respect for their skill set and to be taken more seriously through their music. The desire to be looked upon as more than a sexual object and put alongside the all time greats is making these artists elevate their craft while challenging their male counterparts to step up their game. Even rap veteran, MC Lyte, had to pop out and reintroduce herself to today’s rap fans with her new album, 1 of 1. The ladies are leading the way in this modern day rap renaissance that is sure to transform the landscape of hip hop in the 2020s.

Veterans Are Back Outside

Speaking of veterans, there must be something in the air in 2024 that has made some of the biggest legends get back in the studio to show these young bucks they still got it. Maybe the fact that hip hop celebrated its 50th birthday in 2023 lit a fire under these veteran wordsmiths. 2024 has proven that an increasingly aging fan base has created a lane for older artists to make new music. Utilizing the one-rapper-one-producer format, these veterans have discovered the fountain of youth in the booth. In 2024, old heads have bern eating good with albums from Masta Ace and Marco Polo (Richmond Hill), Common and Pete Rock (The Auditorium Vol. 1), LL Cool J and Q-Tip (The F.O.R.C.E.), and Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre (Missionary) later this year. These albums have exceeded many fans and critics’ expectations, as the music spotlights the growth and maturity of these artists. The Auditorium, which was recently nominated by The Grammy’s for Best Rap Album, is considered by many to be the year’s best album. Rather putting out music with a vintage sound or creating a more contemporary piece, these “old heads” are demonstrating that talent can is not age-specific, as these albums are some of the year’s most celebrated albums.

The Over Underground

The catalyst for what could lead to rap’s next golden era is rap’s unsung heroes. Underground architects like Griselda, Trust Gang, Roc Marci, and the late, Ka (R.I.P.), have been putting in work for over a decade. While they may not boast chart-topping mainstream hits, their bodies of work kept the creative juices flowing in a genre where the music being pushed was becoming increasingly stale. With recent Grammy nominations, notable snubs include Roc Marci’s Marciology, Mach-Hommy’s #RICHAXXHAITIAN, and Ka’s The Thief Next to Jesus. Griselda has enjoyed a strong Fall season, with Westside Gunn releasing the EP, 11, and LP, Still Praying. Benny the Butcher restored faith in his fans, bouncing back from his lackluster Def Jam debut with Summertime Butch and his collab album sequel, Stabbed and Shot 2, with 38 Spesh. In a genre where trendy gimmicks take priority over talent and album quality, underground rappers carried on the tradition of lyrical dexterity year in and year out to limited fanfare and exposure. Their hard work and commitment to excellence has not gone unnoticed. With popular artists like J. Cole and Drake incorporating sounds and styles from lesser known artists, the underground sound has begun to permeate into bigger platforms. Lyricism is slowly creeping back to the center stage in rap music, thanks to critically acclaimed albums from artists like 38 Spesh, Lloyd Banks, IAMGAWD, and Ransom. Artists like these keep lyricism at the forefront of hip hop discussions. As a result, the heavy competition amongst fellow underground rappers is breeding elite penmanship and increased proficiency in artistry. With expanded subject matter, deeper introspection, and improved song-making capabilities, the underground has been able to maintain the integrity of the music while simultaneously raising the bar for rap artists in general.

The year, we have seen Eminem return back to his Slim Shady alter ego, a reunion of The Hot Boys, and an explosion in the amount of weekly releases of new material from rappers. The year is not over yet. With a little more than six weeks left in 2024, we still have the Snoop and Dre album on the horizon. Recently while on tour in Europe, Nas updated fans that new music with DJ Premier is on the way. There is also much speculation that Kung Fu Kenny might close out the year with by dropping his eagerly awaited new album. Will J. Cole also surprise us with The Fall-Off? One thing is for sure is that 2024 is one of the best years in hip hop in maybe the past 15 years. With the amount of quality material that has come out this year, the diversity in styles, and the big, indelible moments that captured our hearts and minds, all signs point to the dawning of a new renaissance in hip hop in the coming years. Where artistry and lyricism will be pushed to new heights and rap fans will be spoiled with new music that defines this decade, much like Death Row and Bad Boy in the 90s. A special shout-out to The Rap Roundtable Podcast for recognizing this potential revival in the craft. A highly recommended podcast for those who truly love hip hop culture. To follow and subscribe to them, select the following links below.

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