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The More Things Change, The More They Stay The Same (Only Different) · by Thaddeus Clark
Brandon Soderberg, one of my favorite writers, makes an excellent argument that we are in the midst of a new era of hip hop.
The “Post Lyrical” Era, where rappers are paradoxically no longer “rapping”.
It makes me wonder: what if “lyricism” is just a code-word for rappers not from the 5 Boroughs?
Brandon himself says that beside denoting a certain era of artistry (using only East Coast rappers as examples), “lyricism” doesn’t…really…mean…anything (and yet you and I both know it means everything).
I know Brandon isn’t being malicious. He’s merely extending a concept that critics and listeners have been using for a long time now.
As vague as “lyricism” and now “post-lyricism” are as ideas they both share one thing in common: the East Coast’s #1 export: regional bias.
NEWS FLASH: New York is the birthplace of hip-hop.
THIS JUST IN: New York is also responsible for spawning regionalism.
New York centric fans tend to self mythologize their “golden era,” while also complaining about the current divisive and regional nature of hip-hop.
And they want Saigon (or somebody) to “bring New York back!”
While some of my East Coast folks were focusing on activities that “kept things [perpetually] real,” the rest of America was doing all kinds of interesting and “post-lyrical” shit.
The difference between now and then is that Lil Wayne and Kanye West are bringing their music to New York instead of waiting for you to come to them.
Sometimes I feel that growing up on strictly NY hip-hop actually handicaps your ability to appreciate the music.
The fans of everywhere-else grew up on NY hip-hop, just like some of you.
But we also had our own swing.
While one time zone was promoting an inner-circle exclusivity, the rest of the country was engaging with this music in an all-inclusive manner.
With these competing methods a rift was inevitable.
Now ask yourself…over time which philosophy will push the art form forward?
And who’s going to be more willing to adapt, adopt, and celebrate the new dudes?
What appears to some as new is merely part of a long progression and the result of what happens when you grow up with diverse influences.
And this progression was happening with or without your attention.
It’s extremely hard to put things in perspective if you’re map doesn’t extend beyond the Hudson River.
This is a classic example of someone doing “you” better than “you,” but you don’t think it’s better than you because it’s not…you.
But truly this isn’t a post about lyricism, Lil Wayne, or Mr. West, it’s really about how we misattribute what makes something “classic.”
Brandon uses the Illmatic/Nas Formula as a compare and contrast of the “classics” of then vs. the “classics” of now.
This type of thought-exercise is something we all do.
We think a “classic” is “classic” because of external factors that are no longer present.
We’ll cite the era, the superior nature of the fans of then vs. the cave-people who support hip-hop now, and lastly the production style.
We then hold onto those frames of analysis and compare everything after using the same literal lens.
You can sell me insurance, just quit trying to sell me Lil Wayne
The “Nas Formula” isn’t about delivering rhymes with words in close proximity (because people are still doing that ).
Nor is the Nas Formula about relying on break-beat, sampled, 4/4 production.
The Nasir Jones Formula TM is actually about making an album with exceptionally narrative and visual language while using some of the best producers in the game.
So many of the classic hip hop albums since have been doing this as well.
Nas was one of the first to combine the focused narrative with pick-of-the-litter beats.
Great song writing + stellar production is what makes great-audio-art regardless of genre or era.
If you’re not holding onto a static sense of what makes “classic” hip-hop, then you might see that the visual/narrative album is alive and well?
It’s just that the visuals and the narratives are changing.
The topics seem to be shrinking as the stage gets bigger:
From city, neighborhood, block, and now home (or if you prefer, mansion Son!).
From moving the party, to rap-battle skills, to gun-battle skills, to cash-spending skills, and now a combination of all-of-the-above.
And the perspective went from this, them, we, and finally I.
Time will sort out which new “classics” become old classics.
But the fact of the matter is: the more things change, the more they stay the same (only different).
Yeah, those posts by Brandon are nails. Good post. I’m glad you’re humble enough to acknowledge that you might be looking through the NY-biased lens that kinda pervades hip-hop. It took me a long while but eventually I started “getting”/accepting music outside of the NY State of Mind too. Like I never thought I would like Mannie Fresh until this year. Kinda crazy, for me anyway.
— quan Oct 2, 05:16 AM
“soul brothers, james brown to pete rock, timbos, fifty four eleven reebok”
— J-Mass Oct 2, 11:33 AM
That was a motherfucking excellent read, especially since I started out skeptical…I dig it, thank you.
— Justin Boland Oct 2, 02:23 PM
Those posts by Brandon are some of the most rambling, nonsensical musings I’ve read on rap music recently.
— R.H.S. Oct 2, 03:06 PM
How do you say fuck you in L.A.?
-Trust me.
— Jay B Oct 2, 08:33 PM
So did the other two get taken care of Winston Smith style?
— the dough Oct 2, 08:45 PM
those posts wont be bothering nobody no more.
— Rafi Oct 2, 09:57 PM
Pardon my ignorance, why did you take them down?
— dronkmunk Oct 2, 10:43 PM
One was wack, the other was wacker.
— the dough Oct 3, 04:19 AM
r.h.s ain’t gettin no pussy and no real writing gigs
— anonymous Oct 3, 07:18 PM
^Faggot
— R.H.S. Oct 3, 08:08 PM
I assumed that this topic, over the last few weeks, was being beaten over the head, and no new ideas were being presented – Thanks for proving me wrong. I couldnt quite put my finger around a certain unfairness in the argument but you articulated it very well. that regional bias that NY fans treat as the be-all-and-end-all objective truth can be seen as being quite arbitrary when you set back a bit. I dunno ..Its like if hip hop had been born in the south and all the Dungeon Family fans hated on Premier’s music, and judged it as being boring when compared to their musical legacy. I’d find that sorta judgement just as arbitrary. On a sidenote, Thaddeus, can i catch you writing anywhere else my man? The other pieces you wrote for Oh Word were totally dope too.
— Jay (d)eff Kay Oct 4, 02:18 PM
No lyricism is definitely not a code-word for rappers in the 5 boroughs. Far from it, as far as examples outside of the tri-state area . . . check for the Hiero crew, Freestyle Fellowship, Aceyalone is still rocking, Likwits crew, and a number of cats from L.A.
And a strong argument can be made for the lyricism of Cee-Lo, Dre, Big Boi, Ray-Cash, Chamillionaire . .. the list is strong and long outside the 5 boroughs.
— VEe Oct 4, 02:57 PM
Hmmm..
Nas
Biggie
Big L
Rakim
NY..
Gift of Gab
Common Sense
Blu
Elzhi
Not NY
— Max Oct 4, 04:55 PM
Justin – right on
Jay Deff Kay – thanks. more to ocme (soon-ish)...
— Thaddeus Clark Oct 5, 05:27 PM
You seem to have bought in to the bullshit caricature of east coast rap fans as not only insular, but hostile to non-NY rap.
It used to be that rappers couldn’t become national stars without going through an NY-based critical filter (like all pop culture). And what do you think NY fans were doing when Ice T, Geto Boys, NWA, Snoop, Kast came out? Shutting out these artists and only listening to BDP?
This position is just ignorant and lazy.
I’m not from NY or the east coast. I grew up on a steady diet of regional rap from all over. That’s how I came to appreciate lyrics and great albums. The millions of rap fans like me don’t fit into your silly binary scheme.
People have argued (with a straight face) that Stillmatic, Arular, and The Carters 1-58 are classics. That right there should tell you all you need to know: standards are lower, albums are shittier, and lyrics are stupider and more childish across the board. That has nothing to do with region.
— eauhellzgnaw Oct 6, 12:56 PM
^eauhellzgnaw, that’s just about it. You’re spot on.
I think many of these arguments concerning what informs the tastes and aesthetics of NY rap is more or less created from the imaginations of the journalists.
NWA was thought of as crazy lyrical back in the day with the efiL4ZaggiN CD.
Brandon’s write up is very interesting btw, he’s on part III.
— Vee Oct 7, 02:39 PM
Maybe I’m really thick, but did you just kinda-sorta compare Illmatic to King and The Black Album? Who even listens to King anymore? That album had no cohesion, it’s just forgettable banger after forgettable banger. And The Black Album has Justify My Thug on it. Now, that said, you are on to something when you say the “Nas formula” is about narrative. And those albums don’t have any, or if they do they’re of the “once upon a time, I got into my foreign car and got some head, the end” variety. Uh, maybe come to think of it there’s some sort of extremely vague narrative on 99 Problems, but he bit the first four lines from an obscure UGK song so it doesn’t count. Now, a post on why narrative/“tell em what you be seein outside your window”* rap has largely gone out the door would be interesting.
* Group Home, ‘Superstar,’ of course.
— Tray Oct 8, 05:43 AM
There are rappers outside of NY? WTF? Guess I need new lenses! Lmao
— QueenB Oct 9, 10:27 PM
“The topics seem to be shrinking as the stage gets bigger”
great quote
— sankofa Oct 11, 09:23 AM
“Common Sense
Blu
Elzhi”
AYO!!!!
— noz Nov 16, 01:00 AM