Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Kendrick Lamar and 2 Chainz -- Is Hip-Hop Becoming Balanced?



MTV has just released their 10 hottest MC's list of 2012.  Drum roll please....... 

Coming in at #1, is none other than the self proclaimed king, Kendrick Lamar (which I believe is well deserved). Coming in at #2, right under the reigning king, is 2 Chainz.   What I find interesting about the two winners (and you probably do too) are the extreme differences between the music that they each create.

Kendrick Lamar is more of a throw back MC coming from the lineage of Nas, Andre 3000, Ice Cube and Pharoah Monch. Kendrick is more of an introspective artist who places emphasis on witty word play, metaphors and intricate delivery. 2 Chainz is an artist whose lyrics are simple, focusing on the club and radio scene.   

Many Hip Hop purist have called for more of a balance between introspective "real hip-hop" and commercial, "radio friendly" hip-hop. Could this be a shift in the current hip-hop stratosphere? Will the success of Kendrick Lamar and his album Good Kid, Mad City open the floodgates and allow hip-hop artists to shift the pendulum away from the more mainstream dominated industry? 

What do you think? Leave your comments below!!!!




See the full list here!  Check out the discussions below!



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