9 votes

How SoundCloud rap took over everything

2 comments

  1. somewaffles
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    This is such an exciting time in music, and it sucks to see people so up in arms about the music itself. Do I think 6ix9ine makes good music? Fuck no. But the fact that people are getting big from...

    This is such an exciting time in music, and it sucks to see people so up in arms about the music itself. Do I think 6ix9ine makes good music? Fuck no. But the fact that people are getting big from online presence alone is pretty cool, even while record labels are clearly already at the forefront looking to corporatize it. You don't have to like it but I wish people would appreciate that we are watching music history unfold. I'm kinda jealous for these kids to be part of a movement like this. It's not everyday you see a relatively niche sub-genre completely take over the mainstream seemingly overnight, growing up in the 2000's, I don't think we really had anything like this. As far as I know, the last time something at this scale happened was the late 80's / early 90's with alternative/grunge taking over the mainstream all the sudden.

    They do make a compelling argument: After all, hip-hop is not behaving exactly like disco or EDM did. It's not an isolated phenomenon the way other genres in the past have been. It's digesting every other genre and subculture and spitting it out in a new, blustering format. In some ways, it's simply become too big to fail.

    I thought these were weird comparisons where the only real comparison that fits is rock music. Rock did the exact same thing in it's prime, engulfing almost every conceivable genre while holding the top of the charts for decades. Obviously hip-hop, and even soundcloud rappers, have been around for a while now but I think we are just now seeing it hit its stride.

    4 votes
  2. [2]
    Comment deleted by author
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    1. Whom
      (edited )
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      "Post-" doesn't have to mean that the original thing is dead, just that the new one is moving past and building from it. Even with looking at music, punk and post-punk coexisted, one doesn't spell...

      "Post-" doesn't have to mean that the original thing is dead, just that the new one is moving past and building from it. Even with looking at music, punk and post-punk coexisted, one doesn't spell the end of the other. Still, I think it's a comparison only made to drop a more recognizable name.

      Having actually read the article now, it does feel like the relative importance of artists to the scene is a bit off balance and the author a bit too distant. I'm not particularly attached to this wave, but I do feel like this was just a step away from mocking them most of the time, which imo shows a lack of foresight. It's like you want to be remembered for making fun of The Ramones for barely being able to play their instruments while introducing them to a different audience...history won't remember you well.

      I think they're forgetting how long this stuff has been building and how much impact they've already had. This isn't a flash in the pan we're all embarrassed by like ringtone rap. If anything, there's going to be a whole lot of mixed feelings looking back. If you want to see where the conversation is on these artists years in the future, just look at the conflicting ways we approach the Sex Pistols.

      1 vote