Modern hip-pop is stupid

It’s been said enough, so I’ll keep it short. I just want to say it too, though.

Modern hip-pop is stupid. As in dumb. Unintelligent. There are exceptions, sure, but generally speaking, the modern hip-pop artist is a stupid creature. Simple, as in Forrest Gump.

This is for two reasons.

First, the criticism that never gets old: they go on about the same thing over, and over, and over again. “I got it, and you don’t.”

Not a very tough observation to make in the first place, repeating it shows no flexibility, which is the very definition of wit. Sure, I can’t deny the tremendous levels of talent in modern hip-pop – I suppose finding millions of ways to say the same thing over, and over, and over again involves some level of a niche talent. But talent is not the same as creativity. Creativity is new and useful. Modern hip-pop is neither. It is repetitive and stagnant.

The second reason modern hip-pop artists are stupid? They completely disregard the reality of success. They’re kids with dynamite, and they don’t take responsibility for the amount of influence they have.

I’ll repeat: there’s a lot of talent out there. But here’s what they don’t get, a very simple fact: when you have talent, people listen. And, like it or not, when millions of people listen to what you say, and base their actions on it, you have a very unique, serious responsibility to uphold. It’s a responsibility that involves looking long and hard at yourself and deciding how you think the world should be, and then expressing those values and ideas. With talent. Because people, for good or bad, are going to follow what you say. That’s creative – what artists do.

Apparently, guys, all you can think about, and all you can care about, is that you have it, and I don’t. Well, okay. You’re right.

But you’re stupid.