JUST THINK: Rap and hip-hop now?

By: Aryan Javan

When it comes to modern day rap and hip-hop music it boils down to two things. Puns and trap type beats. Every song has clever puns mixed with a certain lingo or drawal. By trap type beats, I mean beats with heavy bass, snares and organ-like noises. Granted artists that are nation wide known can stray away from such beats (Kanye, Drake, Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, Jay-Z, etc.), yet there is still some type of influence for both characteristics that I mentioned. People love the heavy bass and people love the puns. Keep in mind I am from Atlanta, so I do hear a lot of music with these similarities. We all know that Atlanta has become somewhat of a hub for rap music across the nation.

Personally, I think puns were really made famous by Lil Wayne. Of course puns existed before he even rapped, but he really utilized them and made that the basis of his rap flow. From similes, metaphors, hyperboles, Wayne uses all those literature terms to create his puns. He has whole mixtape devoted to pun-based lyrics.

"Real G's move in silence like lasagna." [6 foot 7 foot]

That line took me years to get what it actually meant (the "G" is silent in lasagna and G's refer to cool people and they move silently in their affairs.)

"I turn around and bend her over like a low blow." [Wasted (Remix)]

When you get hit with a low blow in the stomach you bend over. He is letting us know about how he and the women get it on in the bedroom.

"I can make ya b**** root for me like a grew her." [IANAHB]

He will make my lady cheer for him or as he says "root" for him like a root grows from the ground, clever, clever.

We could go on for days. He of course has zillions of more in every song he has ever made. Once he got really big, after Carter III, we started to see the landscape change across the hip-hop scene. Rappers utilizing puns as their entire flow. 2 Chainz and Ludacris rappers who almost entirely use catchy puns in their lyrics. If you listen to rap now-a-days whether it is a one-hit wonder, established artist or whatever, puns are overkilled on most every track.

Now mix the puns with the dirty south type heavy bass trap beats and that is a perfect way to describe the instrumentals used today. For some reason the Atlanta sound (trap/dirty south) has captured the ear of America and has stayed here. Back in the early 2000's, we had the crunk rap scene (Lil Jon, Eastside Boyz, Ying Yang Twins) and the introduction of trap (T.I., Young Jeezy, Gucci Mane). Especially with the younger generations this sound was extremely popular. I kinda equate the "crunk scene" with what I call now the "turn-up" age in rap. Everything is about drug use, partying, women, and "turning up." Granted that is what most rap was anyway but now those are really the sole subjects. I think this has also made the existence of potentially one-hit-wonder-type artists turn commercially famous (i.e. Migos, Rich Homie Quan, Future, Young Thug). Like I said this article is mostly based on what I hear in Atlanta, but Atlanta has become a top spot for the rap and hip-hop industry and now has a huge range of influence. So it is safe to say most other regions are affected by the dirty south movement in music.

The trap movement, I believe, was created by three of Atlanta's most well-known artists: T.I., Young Jeezy and Gucci Mane. T.I. and Young Jeezy went on to be commercially famous nation wide and very well-known. Gucci Mane is my focus out of these three. Due to so many run-in's with the law, Gucci has never really been able to breakthrough commercially in the industry. He is known by fans of rap, but can be hated because of hs subject matter, southern drawl and how he raps. He claims that being independent is the best thing for him and his style of music. He actually does not care to be in the commercial rap game and prefers to make a name for himself independently, through 1017 BrickSquad and So Icey Entertainment. He's had hits go nationwide but Gucci's main sphere of influence is in his hometown Atlanta. He is some what of a legend here, stemming back from his involvement in a murder (Jeezy sent a hit on Gucci, allegedly). His influence on the ATL rap scene can not be understated. Future, 2 Chainz, Young Scooter, OJ da Juiceman, Rocko, Young Thug, Waka Flocka Flame, Frenchie, Whoo da Kid, Migos, Rich Homie Quan, Peewee Longway, Young Dolph, French Montana, are all people Gucci has discovered or helped along the way in their careers. All the producers, Zaytoven, 808 Mafia (TM 88, Southside, Metro Boomin), Honorable C-note, Dun Deal, London on the Track, and Mike Will Made It, to name a few. To have all of these people work with him or under his tutelage does say something. He is a legend.

Lil Wayne gave us the puns and Gucci gave us the sound. Both rappers can easily take credit for the landscape of modern-day rap or hip-hop. Whether you like it or not their influence has been imprinted on rap, and for now it looks like it is here to stay.

Both are currently in legal binds right now. With Gucci it is the same story, jail time. He is scheduled to be released from prison early 2016 or late 2015. Lil Wayne was more breaking and shocking news. Wayne is currently in legal issues with longtime mentor and Cash Money CEO, Birdman, over the release of Tha Carter V. That album is slated to drop sometime later this year.

Let us know what you think about modern-day rap. Who do you think the main contributors are? Is modern-day rap good or bad? Let us know #IfYaSleepinYaAIntMaking$$$