This may offend some producers on my timeline, however this isn't my intention. As a rapper, I'm forced to admit that hip hop still seems to be in the dark ages, musically. As rock, metal, and even pop have embraced electronica's sonic advances, be it the incorporation of avant garde time signatures, rapid drill 'n bass percussion-lines, and audiophilic "3D" quality production, mainstream hip hop still seems to rely solely on a 70-100bpm 4/4 time signature, 3-4 minute instrumental track.
There are exceptions, such as Antipop Consortium, Saul Williams, Kool Keith, and the Wu Tang Clan, but all in all, the best the Top 40 within the genre can come up with is a Skrillex collaboration (A$ap Rocky's latest album comes to mind) - Skrillex being the most accessable of the EBM subgenre of 'dubstep.' It seems one of the only mainstream artists willing to radically advance hip hop is Kanye West, who has sampled from IDM pioneer Aphex Twin, progressive-rock titans King Crimson,and even signed Warp artist Hudson Mohawke to his G.O.O.D. Music label as producer.
All in all, I don't think hip hop is BAD, some may argue they've succeeded in keeping their roots pure. But as one who listens to a vast array of music, there just seems to be little to no progression whatsoever in the medium. Not only is it cold product commercially, but it's somewhat outdated. Again this is coming from a hip hop artist who enjoys working within the typical (need I say cliche) parameters of rap music. I just feel, as of late, as though I'm not advancing ART working within said parameters.
Written by Justin "Cocky" Schiz
Originally published @CockyDaHomoMC
