Look. I don't wanna get grouped into the category of old bitter people who don't like change. I mean, I don't like change, but I don't wanna seem like I can't respect when things aren't the same as the good ole days. I'm gonna give it a chance.
I'm writing this on the eve of Cardi B's "Bodak Yellow" reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100. I'm glad she made it. I rock with her grooming her skills, continuing to grind for stardom, and now here she is. Her acceptance speech was just adorable in a ratchet way, with her straight admitting she didn't know the goal she was really achieving, but she knew she could and it had to be done. Who can't respect that?
Here's her speech.
But to me, this success comes with a grain of salt. It wasn't because the song was just that good or she's just this amazingly talented artist. It blew up and made it because A) she had a team of people pushing her music and B) a fanbase who saw the objective and made it happen. That makes her a monster in the business world, but let's not pretend the song was just deep, amazing, or even empowering.
And I don't want this to be considered a dragging piece. I love ignorance where ignorance flourishes. I love "Bank Account" by 21 Savage like I wrote it myself (see the end), but counting 1-8 in the hook should not be considered musical genius. And while the lyrics "I'mma boss, you a worker bish, I make money moves" maybe uplifting in one way, it's extremely condescending in others. People are also falling to pieces because people compare her to Nicki Minaj. Do you really think Cardi B doesn't have parallels? There's nothing wrong with that!!! It is what is is!!! Who's original today? I'll wait...
Every time I look up, there's another guy who looks like he's been inside of the pill bottle longer than he's been out of it (Lil Pump. The name speaks volumes). All the lyrics are slurred to the extent you can't understand it (Desiigner), the lyrics are all about people not understanding you (Uzi AND Lil Yachty) and the bitches (Kodak) and weird unexplainable references (Young Thugga). TBH, any of those are interchangeable. I saw the meme that best summarizes it: We grew up to music made by drug dealers; now they're growing up to the music made by drug users. Every beat is slow, the bars are slower, and the flow is so repetitive that you might as well be listening to a 3rd grader try to read a paragraph.
The thing is, you get those hits that pop out of the artists like this. "Bad and Boujee" is one of those songs that was meant to blow up, just like Bodak Yellow and just like Panda. But it's not meant to build a career off of it. I mean the first line in Offset's verse is "Offset, WHOO WHOO WHOO WHOO WHOO". Make sure you don't confuse this with Playboi Carti's "Magnolia" intro "WHOO WHOO WHOO WHOO WHOO WHOO WHOO WHOO".
Something else I noticed; the next line has shit to do with the previous. I just read this article about what made Bad & Boujee so catchy. The first line, "Raindrop/Drop Top". I mean that's what sucked me in. But the next line is "Smokin on cookie in a hotbox". But the top is dropped soooo.....
Better example: Boogie Wit Da Hoodie has the lines "I'm gon make her panties wet when she see how we all flex/I'm gon win a grammy move my family out the projects". Then later, he mentions his wrist looking like a hundred thousand.... you coulda bought the house by now couldn't you? (Drowning) I just feel like there's more to being a rapper than making the lyrics rhyme. You have this opportunity to use language in unique ways and you choose to say the same 4 words 12 times in a row.
Khalid tricked the whole world. He dropped this beautiful stalker ballad "Location". Then followed up with "Young Dumb & Broke". It's like the most pothead shit to me. They are sharing messages, but they're the messages you shouldn't be sharing all the fuckin time. Drowning your commitment and street issues in pill use and expendable women. Some of them can't even rap on beat. I think that's actually some other genre of rap, but it sounds horrible to the ear when you sound like the beat is leaving you. I digress.
Maybe once you make it and you are surrounded by the drugs, groupies, and money, it really changes you. (SHOCKER). I just miss the substance sometimes and it's 95% of what you hear. I respect these folks for the music they make, but I don't want it to be confused with people who truly study MUSIC and not just the industry.
In short, it's a feat to make it to the charts and you are definitely doing great in terms of fans and views. It doesn't mean the song is good. It makes me realize the consumers are simple and too much complexity will turn you off. That's the only explanation for a muthafucka saying gucci gang 8 times in a row as a hit. But then again we had Versace shit that brought us the Migos in the first place.
As many artists as I know, I didn't see people sharing those posts as much as they shared about Cardi B. Share your own people that way and you'll see how the game can change. AGAIN, I WANT TO REITERATE I AM NOT HATING ON THESE ARTISTS, THEIR GRIND, OR THEIR FUTURE ENDEAVORS. I'm just saying, I'm not impressed with most of em yet. I'm further annoyed that so many attribute the greatness to them being some profound musicians and shit. Many of them just did it cuz they felt like they could. With no true effort, they can. Then we get this really basic structured music and we keep getting more because we keep listening to it. Our friends are out here studying the craft and spending countless hours perfecting it. Let's not forget, it takes more than a beat to make you an artist or an emcee. And it takes more than a beat to make you a producer. Sorry.
I also know there is a market for everything. Give me any of this shit in the club and I'm lit. That's really how I dance, ask around. But in my spare time, I listen to Kendrick, Cole, Wale, Lupe, Ludacris, 2 Chainz (and before you say anything about Titty, he's clever. I just caught the line in "It's A Vibe" when he said "gas in a ziplock, now that's loud n clear"), T.I., Logic, Eminem, and shit like that. I also have included my list of "My Shit That I'm Guilty Of Liking".... I ain't hating and I ain't shamed.
Bank Account-21 Savage Bitch You Guessed It-OG Maco Push It-OT Genesis I Spy-Kyle ft Lil Yachty Black Beatles-Rae Sremmurd (This one for real though) This Could Be Us-Rae Sremmurd