By Jake Nevarez

The rap/ hip-hop genre hates consistency. Now, I know what you are thinking, “what the f*** does this guy know about rap/ hip-hop”. The answer to that question in most cases? Absolutely nothing. I understand that my take is bold but let me explain. I have always enjoyed listening and critically thinking about many genres of music whether it’s analyzing lyrics, production, the message; you name it. I enjoy music on a deeper level than most people and rap/ hip-hop has always been my favorite. 

With that said, I do believe that rap & hip-hop struggle with the idea of an artist that holds a consistent position at “the top”. Let’s take Lil Wayne for example. Lil Wayne was THE biggest artist in rap for over a decade. Every album from 1999-2011 that Lil Wayne released was a hit album or, at the very least, had one or two widely popular tracks. There’s a high chance you knew someone that had “A Milli” auto-playing on their MySpace profile for you to enjoy. All jokes aside, you get the point. Lil Wayne was a polarizing figure in rap which, as we all know, comes with it’s fair share of criticism. Lil Wayne’s status as an artist developed two separate opinions. He was either a legend or a detriment to rap depending on who you asked. 

Near the 6-8 year mark of his career, he went from the hottest rapper to a rapper that “wasn’t what he used to be”. Granted, he was consistently among the top of the music charts throughout his career, but the vibe from alternative media and my own peers shifted. Lil Wayne doesn’t hold his position in the music the way he used to but think about how he is perceived today. As an influence in rap & hip-hop culture, Lil Wayne is undeniable but less than ten years ago, a decent majority of people were less than excited to hear anything from Lil Wayne. If you were not around or didn't pay attention, Drake is also a prime example of a modern age Lil Wayne. 

The release of  “Best I Ever Had” made huge waves at the time of its release and that spring-boarded Drake to cementing his name as one of the most influential artists. Once again, here we are now with a polarizing figure generating two very different opinions. If an artist achieves the level of superstar that Lil Wayne and Drake have, opinions begin to take a different form at some point and it has a significant trickle down effect. Over time it becomes the status quo to criticize the consistent artists. 

In a time where knowing underground artists holds more value, it is no surprise that criticism of artists currently at the top goes widely unquestioned. An artist that achieves a similar position in the industry will eventually surpass their allotted time as a beloved artist. In my humble observation of the last decade and a half, an artist that reaches the pinnacle of music has only a few years to hold that position before there is a desire for a new face. 

Scrutiny increases exponentially for each year an artist produces music that has mass appeal. It is only until they are no longer at the top that they can be appreciated for what they were as an artist and an influence. It begs the question: how will rap and hip-hop remember prominent figures like Drake & Lil Wayne in the future? Only time will tell.

Jake is a culture writer for La Tonique.