As of early 2018, hip-hop/R&B has become the biggest genre nationwide, surpassing rock as the most popular genre in the country. While hip-hop artists have been on the up and up in the last decade, it is impressive to see this in an area of music where many artists talk about their come up and their struggles. It is almost like they have collectively “made it.” Artists who have more of a pop sound, such as Drake and The Weeknd, have sold thousands of albums, and more rap-oriented artists like Kendrick Lamar are continuing to rise in popularity. Obviously, traditional pop artists and singer-songwriters, such as Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift, are still relevant, but they are becoming less prominent. Junior Zach Zarling says the success is “rightfully so. Hip-hop is a lot more musically fluid, and it can be more things.” Senior Daniel Burukhin says, “That’s just the new age. People are moving to hip-hop as the new wave.” This is true, because when rock and roll was the new fad, many traditionalists were strongly opposed to it, just as some rock fans are opposed to hip-hop. That is not to say that people cannot enjoy both, of course.

There is some controversy surrounding the huge success of modern rappers. Older fans of hip-hop claim that the new school is nowhere near as good lyrically and musically as past artists. Sophomore Lauryn Henderson says, “I like them both, but it really depends on what kind of mood I’m in.” There is certainly a correlation between one’s mood and the type of music one wants to listen to, or one’s overall enjoyment of said music. Personally, I would have to agree with her. However, senior Andy Salvador says, “I prefer the old school.” He does enjoy all hip hop though, saying “hip hop is a very inspiring and uplifting genre of music.” This is definitely true of artists who preach a positive message in their music, which does not apply to everyone, but a good amount.

While hip-hop’s origins are deeply rooted in African American culture, there exists an argument that non-black artists such as Post Malone and Bruno Mars are appropriating the culture. Sophomore Kyle Lee says, “In the end, it’s still music, and people enjoy them. Artists can express themselves.” Junior Leandros Watson says, “They should be able to do whatever they want. Music is art.” I agree with that, but it is also important to be respectful of the artists that paved the way for the genre. Zarling says, “You have to respect the culture and not make it a joke. Do it because you like it, not just for money.” This seems like the best course of action for an artist who is not of African American descent looking to make hip-hop music. There is also currently a trend of young, obnoxious “rappers” making waves on the internet. Zarling says, “Artists like Lil Pump and Bad Bhabie are absolute trash, but they’ve got clout (popularity).” This trend is definitely frustrating for fans of good music, but it’s just that: a trend. We can hope that by the next few months, it’ll be unlikely that annoying characters like the aforementioned artists will be popular.

Popular music will always evolve and adapt to fit the trends of what people like. That being said, one could hypothesize that, as hip-hop grows in popularity, the sound of pop music may change. Watson says, “I think pop will go downhill, and alternative music, along with rap, will go up.” This is an interesting take, because alternative music seems to have taken a backseat in terms of popularity lately. Senior Emma Smith says, “It would be ignorant to say it won’t evolve. It’s not 2007 anymore.” As far as artists branching out into different genres than they are known for, Smith says “You should do what you’re passionate about, but it can be kinda cringe.” This was apparent when rapper/singer Kid Cudi made an entire grunge rock album in 2015. It was a complete commercial failure and a disappointment to fans. On the other hand, Childish Gambino, another popular rapper, released a funk/soul record in 2016, which was met with critical acclaim. So if you decide to switch genres, it is probably best if you make an effort to do it in a way that’s less abrasive and more approachable for listeners. It has also become more common for hip-hop artists to collaborate with pop artists, so maybe that is a little telling of what could be to come in the next few years.

It is certainly apparent that hip-hop is both incredibly influential and popular, especially in a time where people are more accepting of new things than they may have been, say, twenty or thirty years ago. You do not have to enjoy or be a fan of hip-hop, but it is rather silly not to show some respect for both the old and new artists that worked so hard to bring the genre to the forefront. Hopefully it will continue to grow and evolve in the coming years, and not become stagnant and boring.