Rant: Rap Is Dead

Penelope Spheeris’ brilliant rockumentary The Decline Of Western Civilization II arguably struck the final nail in the hair metal cross. For an elongated period in the 1980s, glam metal was huge. It was both the popular and underground musical landscape. Sure, hip hop was slowly sauntering onto the radar, but everything started and stopped with Poison, Ratt, Twisted Sister, and countless other over the top caricatures. The 1988 documentary shined a vicious and intense light onto the over-the-top debauchery and rampant drug abuse of the fading phenomenon. It was a moment of clarity, a flash of light that forced onlookers to gaze past their preconceived notions and onto a washed out and depleted genre. The good times were gone and the girls girls girls weren’t coming back.

Music is a cyclical mistress. Certain genres vault onto the musical apex, but invariably, as money and fame increase, popularity decreases. It’s an inversely proportional relationship, and it repeats itself over and over again. It happened to MoTown. It happened to Punk. The fate even befell Grunge. And it’s about to happen to rap music. I have absolutely no idea what the catalyst for this Hip-Hop Hindenburg will be, but if you look closely, the zeppelin is already engulfed in flames.

True musicians borrow concepts from earlier pioneers and add their own unique spin to create a fascinating new genre of music. Bo Diddley, Chuck Berry, The Beatles, and even U2 all stole a little bit from previous generations, but their one unique flair was what propelled them to stardom. Let’s take Nirvana as an example. Sure, they were inspired by The Melvins, but their output deviated from the exact style and shape of their idols. This created an interesting hybrid that music fans flocked to. The entire genre flourished for about five years, but it’s death was precipitated not by the demise of Cobain and Staley, but rather by new bands attempting to duplicate an exact model for their success. Lightning never strikes twice.

The same thing that destroyed Grunge is currently enveloping rap music. Rather than focusing efforts on making legitimate, new contributions to the freestyle game, up and comers are attempting to emulate their idols. The whole landscape has become a bad imitation of itself. Sample a classic song, say ho a few times, bring in seven or eight equally lame artists to cameo, then repeat. It’s complete garbage.

Rap music grew out of a desire for social change. Chuck D and Public Enemy sang about the rampant inequalities in the social justice system. They had a message. They had a voice. And they were unique. Sadly, ninety-eight percent of current rappers (possible exception Kanye West) are currently doing nothing but basking in the genre’s success. Nothing new is emerging. It’s just a sad parody of itself.

Step back. Look at rap for what it is. Celebrate what it was. And prepare for the funeral.


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