Will Southern Hip Hop Ever Fall Off?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 8 ก.พ. 2025
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In this week’s Breakdown we explore the stereotype that rappers from the south are less lyrical than their counterparts from other regions and question whether the south’s reigning influence will ever waver. Award-winning journalist and author of Dirty South: Outkast, Lil Wayne, Soulja Boy & The Southern Rappers Who Reinvented, Ben Westhoff provides his perspective on the topic, along with lyrical luminary Phonte Coleman. Phonte revisits the polarizing reception of Little Brother’s critically acclaimed sophomore release, The Minstrel Show-which debuted in 2005 amidst southern rap’s rising Billboard dominance. He also shares his thoughts on whether the south will ever fall off. Thank you to Matt Daniels and the good folks at Poly-Graph, as well.
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Produced, Written & Hosted by: Justin Hunte (@TheCompanyMan)
Produced, Shot & Edited By: James Kreisberg (@Ex_James)
Notes:
Ready Red delivered the lyrics quoted from We Can't Be Stopped. Not Willie D. My apologies.
GZA “The Lost Art Of Lyricism.” :medium.com/cue...
Matt Daniels Poly-Graph: poly-graph.co/v...
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Big KRIT doesn't get the respect that he deserves for being a lyricist in the South. People got used to banging beats and simple lyrics.
Him and Isaiah Rashad
Ghost You can make songs that have banging beats and still have intricate bars and lyrics that mean something. Just look at King Kendrick.
AfroGum Nick Grant too.
TheJrr The Underachievers been showing us that on their mixtape.
KRIT is sooo slept on
The East Coast is basically one city; New York. The West Coast is essentially one city; L.A. The South covers an entire region which includes almost 10 states and at least 5 major cities including Miami, Atlanta, Memphis, New Orleans and Houston. Just by sheer numbers the South drives the direction of Hip Hop.
That's a major part of it. Plus the dialect, accents are consistent. The rest of the country sounds nothing like philly, nyc, boston, etc.
Diallo Williams- I get what you're saying, and I almost get that impression too. But I feel like when scaled for population, the rate at which southern rappers come out of a city that isn't Atlanta is close enough to that of West Coast rappers and LA/East Coast rappers and NYC. Atlanta is a hub for sure, I aint got data to back that up though.
Jason Ledesma the A is thee hub. if ur doing music for real it hits atl in some form
Chicago?
***** How many rap stars have come from Boston? Guru is the last one that I can think of and he claimed Brooklyn. Yeah Philly represents every now and then. And every so often someone will come out of Jersey. But the East Coast is primarily NYC.
I feel like people from my city (NYC) either ride a wave or talk about an old wave instead of creating a new wave
And pop smoke was changing that by creating a new wave. But he went too soon instead RIP
A$AP Rocky was doing a good job in the early 2010's, but he started making other things and I guess people didn't rock with it.
@@SuperGabetendo777 people starting biting his style and he kinda faded out after that and started doing different shit
I'm from Florida and bruh u said dat right NEW YORK TRASH
@@darrellwardsworth7001 The fuck are you on? We started Hip Hop.
Im from the South... Atlanta... sad to see that we dont have that lyricism... Its kind of a snowball effect... you see that non-lyrical rap sells... you hear it on the radio all the time, and so you grow up thinking thats what hiphop is all about... so if you want to rap, you just continue that trend.
For me, I was always a more a lyrical person.. I wanted to be a rapper to an extent.. or at least I felt like I could be a great lyricist... but my flow and accent.. my style does not sound like im from the south (nor from the north)... I dont sound like these people... so I figured I was just not a good rapper...
I wish I would have continued writing... now if I want to pick that back up it may take a while... but even so, if we want to hear more lyricism from the south we have to actually encourage it instead of talking smack and acting like there are no lyrical people here.
All that being said, one has to admit the talent and genius in being able to even craft such viral and catchy beats and flows.... thats not exactly easy... if it was, then you wouldnt be sitting there complaining about it. I consider much of trap rap we see in the South as a 'Ghetto Symphony' ... its an art.
*Next time you listen to a trap/southern song, really dissect it... listen to how many instrument (sounds) are in there... listen to how the vocals (the 'rap') acts like another instrument, and how the cadence of the flow actually is very much like a melody in classic orchestral music. Listen to how the bass interacts with the snare as it commands the horns and whatnot... even how the ad-libs add that extra depth and texture and element of unpredictability into the song.*
I dont like listening to much trap rap... but GOTdamn.... gotta admit the art.... no matter if you understand or like it.
Erudite You know man, you can do both the lyricism, and the 'Getto symphony' you're talking about.. art is an open field
yes I like that trap rap a lot and that dirty south music, my favorite artist is young thug he's from Atlanta and he uses his voice as an instrument, but I also like lyrics as well
Yall do have that lyricism. B.O.B,Cyhi tha prince....and more. The problem is atlanta hip hop is overshadowed by the booty club music. That's essentially what the industry is pushing.
+ave383 what are talking about
+BIG MOUTH WHAT THE FUCK Are you a boy or girl
The Minstrel Show is a certified CLASSIC! Must listen. Mid 00's had many classic albums
South will never fall off. They will always have the club bangers and each generation has their superstar emcess
Southern garbage. RAKIM
@@rakim6466 look up zro and look up krino and come back to this commet
The South was really running rap during the 2000's. It was what we mostly heard on radio, what we mostly seen on BET, it was their artists who was dominating award shows and people from every region wanting to emulate them. Most of my favorite rappers of all time are from the South. 3 stacks was right on the money.
True.
@@fusionn4316 shiddd try 96 to now 2022
Facts. Look at Loveboxxx & country grammar.
@@fusionn4316 Bro nobody outside of 50 & Eminem were selling if they weren't from the South. Using 2 guys isn't disproving the overall point.
@@DontDrinkthatstuffFacts! Even 50 Cent signed a Southern Rapper
The South has always been my favorite region, because there's so much diversity
SpottieOttie What kind of diversity?
Everyone appears to be on the same Lean, soda and jolly rancher thus the same abc 123 ryhme pattern.
Ignorant comment. OutKast were rapping about aliens, personal issues, political and social problems, etc. and neither of the two are ABC rappers. Three 6 were doing horrorcore before anybody knew it was a genre. 8Ball & MGK and UGK rapped about coming out of their surroundings in addition to the lean lifestyle. T.I., Gucci, and Jeezy were THE premier trappers. Ross and Curren$y mastered mafioso and lifestyle rap. Luda and Nelly held it down for party rap. Little Brother, CunninLynguists, Killer Mike, etc were busy making underground classics. Future will go down as one of the greats whether people like it or not. That's just the surface, I could go on and on. The diversity in sound is unparalleled by any other region.
SpottieOttie You don't deserve the debate bruh.
You just fucked up when you named Future.
I respect Future but lets get one thing str8.
He will never go down as the best of anything other than what HE does and that is harmonizing thus singing in a nut shell.
The man is not a traditional emcee.
SpottieOttie Horrorcore
I take you never heard of Getto boys?
They are the originators of horror
1988.
Where were three six then homie?
Future has his own style and like you said, he isn't traditional but he is talented and unique. He'll go down as a great. Flabby niggas won't like to admit it but it's true. Future can rap and rap well behind all that autotune. And you're only proving my point. Three 6 didn't originate horrocore. I said they were doing it before it was popular. Thanks for bringing up Geto Boys tho since Scarface is a GOAT and I forgot to mention him in my first post. Oh, and Wayne ofc.
Hip Hop DX is one of the only hip hop media outlets that still puts out Good stuff that is actually for the culture. Thank you so much. I think a lot of hip hop news media puts out garbage and distractions. I will always be a fan of this channel.
Thank you, curtis!
Curtis Roach th-cam.com/video/A03f8nwSyRk/w-d-xo.html my new single don’t for get to subscribe
the south will never fall off. New Orleans baby . the birthplace of Jazz. if it wasn't for jazz it wouldn't be rap today. that's a fact
that's a stretch but okay
It's not a stretch at all. Jazz was pretty much Hip Hop before Hip Hop existed. I mean both have African roots, both were made in retaliation of those who had struggled and even when you listen to scatting in Jazz music it's literally just rapping without words.. People think only posh or pretentious people listen to Jazz but back in the day it was the 'cool' or 'hip' genre similar to how Hip Hop is now. That's your history lesson for the day :)
Kaizer-Man I get what you saying but Jazz not the first form of music so that's like saying if not for whatever came before Jazz there would be no Jazz every music had some form of inspiration from music before true maybe but no need to be said because we a never know
Ronnie Alston so what came before jazz. you can't even name what came before jazz
Ronnie Alston for as music in America for black people. jazz for the first
Honestly, idc about where tf a rapper is from, I just like good music. I listen to Kendrick, Kanye and young thug and I live in Atlanta.
Nigga u gay
Mac God nigga U gay
I am with you on this...
The south is here to stay 🍾🙌🏽👐🏾
No.
Who better 😂
The South been fell off stop trying to hold on
Little Brother's The Minstrel Show is one of my favorite albums. It was great getting his input on this video
The South didn't kill hip-hop, the whole country trying to sound like the South did. And I'll put Andre 3000, Bun B, Big Boi, Killer Mike, Scarface, Pusha T, J Cole, TI, Jay Electronica, and Phonte against anybody from NY or anywhere else
High Guise agreed
you count Pusha T as South ? and that's a Good Line Up but I Like NY chances against that actually I can create atleast 5 -6 different Line Ups of different rappers from the East coast to go against that
Virginia was the capital of the Confederacy and has way more southern ties than northern ones
Ludacris?
Most people don't do they homework! Its so easy to diss the south as a whole but they aint listen people like 8BALL & MJG! Them dudes spit some of the most thought provoking shit EVER! Eightball's Lost album has got more gut wrenching, make a grown man cry type shit than most artists WHOLE CAREERS!! SERIOUSLY!! LETS GET REAL PEOPLE!!
What about UGK, Geto Boys/Scarface, Big Mike, and of course the WHOLE DUNGEON FAMILY!! What they know about Cell Therapy? What they know about Player's Ball '93? What they know about Big Mike Havin Thangs?
Forreal I'm from NY, but all that talking down on the south as if they never had artists with TRUE SUBSTANCE is BULLSHIT!!
Especially Atlanta!! The A-town went from an underrepresented city with REAL TALENT in the 90s, to an oversaturated capital of fuckery and nonsense!!! but you know what else is funny?
When you look at the southern hits of the last decade (Shoulder Lean, Laffy Taffy, Lean Wit Rock Wit It, etc) them songs sound like GOLDEN AGE CLASSICS compared to the shit today! And folks called them songs garbage over 10 years ago!!
Sad that nobody ever mentions K-Rino when southern hip hop is mentioned. Dude dropped 7 albums at once back in November and has released over 30 albums since the 90's.
He is easily a top 5 living lyricist.
on god
K-Rhino is actually thought provoking and large portion of the south don't promote philosophical thinking
"back in the day all they ever did was doubt us
now the south is in the house and there's nothing they can do about us" Bun B
Y'all remember when Lil Jon would always drop club fight music with the Eastside Boyz and Youngbloodz in early 2000s? I miss those days
Fuck lil Jon
@@Keepcalmandbangscrew right that's the reason this BBC's hit is fuck up now
They spoke down on crunk music
Shouts to K-Rino for being so incredibly lyrical, insightful and productive that hip-hop dx can't ever mention him! It's incredible to see quite possibly the greatest emcee to ever live just go overlooked by hip-hop media, ESPECIALLY in the topic. Just so sad.
Shoutout the SPC
THE SOUTH WILL ALWAYS RISE
the breakdown's the greatest thing that's happened in hip hop in a minute.... well done DX
Now this is a substantive video/article here. This is real reporting. Good lookin', HHDX.
Thank you, Michael.
Lil Baby had the biggest selling album of 2020...the ATL ain't no joke.
@ProjectPeople You're an outsider, your opinion counts for NOTHING go fix up your country.
@ProjectPeople *" I don't give a damn if my opinion don't count to you weirdos.."* Well why did you post it d umbass???
@ProjectPeople I'm not from Atlanta, I just give credit where it's due. And it's you New York immigrants like Bambattaa that's on that gay s hit.
@ProjectPeople Another d umb immigrant comment. Have you fixed your country yet???
@@awesomeasever8370
Homie don’t listen to clowns smh u speaking nun but fax and that’s why they jelly
Such a great breakdown. I think another reason why the South is able to maintain their domination is because of the local support that Southern artists receive from local fans.
That's a huge point. Ben mentioned something similar in a quote that I didn't use. He talked about how the south is unified in its underdog mentality. Phonte touched on that point at the end of the piece in the closing quote as well. That's a tone and temperature that resonates throughout southern culture. Civil War, Zora Neale Hurston Their Eyes Were Watching God,- this was gonna get way deeper. Perhaps I'll expand on it in a future piece. Thanks Midets Into Crunk. Awesome moniker by the way.
Kyoshi th-cam.com/video/A03f8nwSyRk/w-d-xo.html my new single don’t for get to subscribe
they are more united in the south but very competitive in New York which s the reason why they have the greatest rappers
I love these videos. Thank you for your critical thinking and provoking questions that move conversations about Hip-Hop forward.
2 x Breakdowns in a week? Love you fam.
Salute!!
Big Bleach th-cam.com/video/A03f8nwSyRk/w-d-xo.html my new single don’t for get to subscribe
I think good lyricism is about finding an equilibrium between content and aesthetic, content being the topic/subject matter and aesthetic being how the content is stylised (literary techniques) and delivered (flow, cadence).
Lord Infamous the best when it comes to that when it comes to finding that equilibrium imo.
THANK U! NYC ninjas love to hear themselves talk and have elevated their concepts of "hip hop" to something mysterious, elememtal, and ethereal due to their massive egos and tribalism.
Southern rap is informed by ALL OTHER Black music (which is all American music). It needs to be FELT and it does not have to be over everyone's head.
In my school about 95% of the kids don't like or know Nas, MF Doom, Rakim, OutKast, Big Pun, Tupac, Biggie, Wu Tang Clan, and etc. It really gets me mad because most of the kids in my school disrespect these legends
Dat Crusader Lol nah I'm good
Why would they, though? I'm 27 and when I was in high school a lot of kids didn't know them then. The people who actually care about hip-hop will study and learn the culture, but must people just like to follow the trend. Not a lot of studying is necessary for that.
Everyone that knows what's up knows them you know so fuck the rest
Aaron J.S. Pixelbeard I understand that people are not gonna study the history of hip hop because they are either lazy or just don't have time to but I don't like when people disrespect hip hop legends like the rappers I names
BxRedHornet 193 I'm a senior at a charter school, and I can literally count all the people who listen to the legends, if I would chop 4 fingers off.
There are tons of lyrical artists and in the world we live in with pretty much all of human information in our pockets there is no excuse to not be able to find it. I appreciate lyrics and thought-provoking bars and on the other hand I like a lot of the popular stuff that's not necessarily lyrical. I think the ability to connect with such a vast amount of people is just as admirable a skill as being able to weave intricate, articulate sentences that rhyme.
Aaron J.S. Pixelbeard th-cam.com/video/A03f8nwSyRk/w-d-xo.html my new single don’t for get to subscribe
Another great episode. But y'all gotta put some respek on Petey Pablos name
Lmao!
So uncalled for lmao
First dude I knew repping NC
Freak-A-Leek was dope tho!
Still Writing in my Diary 2nd entry was fucking great
Not gonna lie this is such a though out video. Most hip hop news channels either wouldn't cover these discussions our would delusional ideas about them. But I feel like you've covered this subject amazingly. Props to HipHopDX
I'm from New York man all I appreciate is lyrics and word play. But I don't knock the Southern catchy shit. Majority of my playlists are either Canadians or East Coast rappers thou. I'm only 21 but I was raised on lyricism.
Great analysis. Really enjoyed the breakdown of the music. Much props.
Thank you!
You forgot Three 6 Mafia when they won their Oscar for Hustle and Flow big win for the South
yup, 3, 6 didn't get mentioned at all. or 8Ball & MJG
But they wanna talk about Soulja boy irrelevant ass
Danny Brown is probably the best representation of that last Phonte quote. Dude has had a life to reflect on. But, he can still rock the party and give some slick wordplay.
Godfrey Francesco Facts !
Yep. I think that's the template for the modern day emcee now thanks to the South. Someone who can rock a party but also be lyrical too. Of course everyone wanted to do both before but now the bar has been raised so that being lyrical isn't enough for rappers and they need an impeccable flow like Logic or Kendrick or someone
When the "jiggy" era bought in the club esthetic, the south naturally took over because their music was designed for that environment.
Good point
@@rahsillyyoo thx!!
if we talking southern rap being creative the old mystic stylez 36 mafia was some real creative shit from production,lyrics and flow the should mos def get some recognition
(Going off no research) "The South" always seems like a bigger region than east coast or west coast rap and therefor it has a higher density of black artists who rap and fans to appeal to. When you hear west coast you think california. When you hear east coast you think new york and when you hear the south you think...Texas, New Orleans, Georgia...
Big Krit underground G.O.A.T(king)
Definitely a major part of it. Plus, the south is a larger swath of people who use the same accent, slang, dialect and have similar lifestyles, etc. Great point, Bryan.
i think bout cleveland if i hear westcoast
firstname lastname Cleveland is the mid west bro not the west coast at all
Krit is from MISSISSIPPI
Im not american. Isn't florida south too?
No. The south has owned rap music for well over a decade, and that's not even counting Outkast's earlier years, No Limit and the rest of them. The demographics show that Blacks have been migrating back to the south for a variety of reasons (lack of jobs and high cost of living in the west/north east, more economic opportunities/job growth in the south, gentrification based on racism/classism, familial and cultural ties in the south, etc. So, yes, the south will continue to play a big role in rap music going forward, not less.
We need a video on the Screwed Up Click and Houston’s impact on hip hop/rap!! So many people don’t know about the solo stuff a lot of those artists did like Al-D, K-Rino, ESG, or even the bigger names like Big Moe, Point Blank, Fat Pat, and Big H.A.W.K. I feel like the only people from the south to really get recognition we’re Lil Troy for “wanna be a baller,” Mike Jones for “Still Tippin” and “flossin,” or Z-Ro for “Mo City Don”
Good shit Justin I rocks with the Matlock theory, 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 breakdown
YO!!! Thank you for mentioning that. That Phonte quote is crazy, right! I never thought of it that way.
It’s 2023 and the South still dominates.
R.I.P SCREW beginning of The Dirty South. Greetings from Houston Texas SOUTHSIDE
If Bun hadn't dispelled this stereotype, if Scarface hadn't dispelled this stereotype, if Kast hadn't dispelled this stereotype, if Luda hadn't dispelled this stereotype, if Tip hadn't dispelled this stereotype, if the Clipse hadn't dispelleld this stereotype, if Cham hadn't dispelled this stereotype, if KRIT hadn't dispelled this stereotype, then, yeah, sure. Maybe I could believe the south would fall off.
I'm a lyrics first guy too, a writer by nature. It's ignorant to typecast the South, in the same way Nas saying Hip Hop is Dead (2006) was stupid. Nas is one of my all time favourites, but when NY rappers weren't really snappin off, the South just kept on keepin on. The same year he put that album out, T.I released King. Go compare those two albums right now, which is better, which says more, which is more fun? Single vs SIngle, "Hip Hop is Dead" vs "What You Know." It's an easy choice. Whereas HHiD masquerades as depth, but doesn't actually say a goddamned thing (I defer to The Rap Critic here), What You Know is a straightforward brag track that actually says more about the state of hip hop (and is more lyrical, and rhymes more), in a few bars than the entire concept of the HHiD album.
You don't have to agree with me in that case, but that was roughly the time NY relinquished governance, and they've never gotten it back.Snap Yo Fingaz was hot 2006 too. Do you hear a lot of beats these days that are drastically more complex than that? No. To ignore that is hip-hop elitism. The same people insulting the content are the ones jacking the beats. Just because you're listening to stupid rappers doesn't mean an entire third of the game is stupid. Atlanta alone can crush this argument, and that's before you even go see Cole in NC.
Even to say that it's the simplicity of Southern rappers that allows them to appeal isn't really fair. Obviously you don't want to have the *smallest* vocabulary, but when's the last time the world was checking for Aesop Rock or GZA? In the writing game, the ability to convey depth without getting thick and bogged down in definitions or obscurity isn't stupid, it's the definition of being *profound.*
I grew up a White Canadian kid, and most of my favourite rappers were Southern. That's where I found a relatable message. We don't judge Jay-Z by "Jigga What," so don't judge T.I by "24s," because the album that it's from is loaded with depth (I stand by Trap Muzik *hard*). When Juvie made Reality Check, I didn't literally think I needed to start selling drugs to recover from Katrina, but I did kick my ass into high gear and got the hell out of my mom's house. Even crack rappers like the Clipse had must-rewind bars on tracks like "Virginia" and "I'm Not You."
Almost all conventions of rap music, especially the ones that are currently popular (and you can fairly debate whether that's a good thing) are derived from southern music. Mannie Fresh, Andre 3000, and David Banner are three of the dopest producers of all time, and the hallmarks of bounce, crunk and trap are stamped into the radio rap game.
If people stop liking music that jacks you up and lyrics you can vibe with in any mood, sure, maybe the South will fall off.
I'm loving this!!! EVERYTHING Phonte has spoke on was SPOT ON!!! It will truly take some time to produce a master genius or geniuses of rap!!! We are not even a century into what the future holds for rap. We are still learning what it is and how it truly effects us as an art form.
The South has ALWAYS dominated music.. period.. it was only a matter of time before it happened in hip hop
Great point.
Prince Zaqat I knew it was coming. In the mid 80s the people down south had already started listening to mostly it's own music from the local and regional DJs/rappers.
Prince Zaqat th-cam.com/video/A03f8nwSyRk/w-d-xo.html my new single don’t for get to subscribe
True
it's not always about the complex words but how the words are put together and explain the story. just as well, slang can be more complex than a complex word. the thing with slang is its different language from different regions, affiliations and so forth leaving a deeper message in the message.
In order for New York Rap to come into the spotlight, we need more acts and musical Groups. That gotta blow up at the Same time.
That's what happened in California when Odd Future/Kendrick/Schoolboy Q/Dom Kennedy/Frank Ocean, even Flying Lotus in his peak dropped music in a 2-3 Year Range. Now they have a Mark in the Game ... Not as mainstream as the south, but they're well respected. (GTA5 Helped also LOL)
This Generation's Southern Rap music is influenced by Sex and Partying and that what sells these days.
New York has Joey Badass, Young MA and Dave East, but they didn't come in the Game at the same time. RIP Captital Steez because I felt he could of been NY's J. Cole/Kendrick (in a way).
You were forgetting ASAP Mob and most importantly ASAP Rocky.
Masta Ace shows that simplicity can still be crafted in a way that is just pure awesome.
*A Ranking of the 4 Major Regions in Hip-hop From the Strongest Region to the Weakest:*
-*#1 the South* : No region does it better, the most creative of the 4 major regions. No region is more diverse in terms of sounds and styles than the South, no region has created more Hip-hop subgenres than the South and no region has had a longer reign than the South.
-*#2 the East Coast* : This region has always found a way to stay relevant, even at times when they aren't the top region.
-*#3 the West Coast* : The West has a noticeable lack of technically proficient rappers compared to the other regions which is a knock against that region from the perspective of stylistic diversity. They also tend to go through periodic droughts where they only have one or two rappers.
-*#4 the Midwest* : The weakest of the major regions, the only region that has never had a reign. There's never been an era when the charts were dominated by Midwest artist or by a Midwest sound. The Midwest is also the only region that has never developed any identifiable sounds that represent their region which is a major blow from a production standpoint(The South has Crunk, Trap etc.; the East Coast has Break Beat, Boom-bap etc.; the West Coast has G Funk, Gangster etc.).
That's because the Lower half of the Midwest people think it's the South for Example.
St.louis Sound and Speak Southern.
Also Hip hop is going to go where ever there's a ton of Black People you look at the Map Alot of Black's from Chicago and Detroit Majority of there Blacks left because of Violence.
And New York,D.C and Philly because of Gentrification and it Being to Expensive.
The West Coast Blacks there never where Alot of them to begin with.
The South have a Ton of Blacks. I think Blacks Dominate the South in Sheer Numbers compared to other Races of People.
@@youngreckless1608 This is dead on. I'm from GA and I remember the first time I ever went north of the mason Dixon line and it was a culture shock seeing no black people unless it was in a major city. It literally blew my mind and felt like I was in some crazy episode of the Twilight zone.
Buck Nasti on god I thought it was weird asf seeing no black people first time I went up north
@@wardog_5539 It's a whole nother world up there ain't it
@@youngreckless1608 over half of the black population in America lives in the south.
I get chills everytime I hear Andre at the 95 Source Awards big up to him
hell nah. the south has always made the best music whether hip hop, rick, soul, etc. I hope modern hip hop gets better but the south has given us some real lyrical dudes
True
Haven't watched this video yet but i'm glad you made it. I'm an emcee which grew up in south carolina listening to west coast and east coast hip hop mostly and a sprinkle of outkast and scarface here and there. No one wanted to pay attention to southern emcee. The difference is that southern emcee have the one thing many others lack. They understand it must sound good sonically. From the worse to the best they're going to have a dope beat and a nice rhythm and they work from there. It's really common sense.
Since they took over hip hop they haven't looked back. It's so crazy to know that designer is from brooklyn and I can't differentiate him from future. Every other city sounds southern to me and I can't tell the difference unless it's the west coast or old school NY.
Everyone's from the internet now. You're right, instruments, melodies make a huge difference!
Just realized that J cole, Childish Gambino, Andre 3000 my favorite artistes of all time. Are included as as southern artists. Yea it's official south is the G.O.A.T of hip hop
Before you shot on me I know Andre was the others I just realized lmfao
i gotta say this one was really interesting keep em coming justin
New York / up north is so arrogant they can’t see how bad they’re music really is
Another dope episode, I was just a little surprised not to hear Luda's name for great southern rappers
"THE SOUTH GOT SUMN TO SAY"
nah. im from the west coast and the southern sound has always been interesting. atlanta is a staple, florida and texas got a couple stars on the rise. i appreciate the innovation
I feel like I'm being educated.
I hope you enjoyed it.
That last part about everything being slow and time to think I will agree with that...100%😁😁😁
I get tired of people comparing the south to the East coast because when you think of east coast rap, you're pretty much just talking about ny, nj, and pa. When you talk about the south, it's a waaaaaay bigger portion of the country. It's a stupid argument.
DColon614 Not really when you're talking about southern rap youre mainly talking about Texas,Louisiana,Georgia, and Florida
Samuel Gipson Texas, Georgia, South Carolina, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Louisiana. And then there's North Carolina and Virginia, they aren't technically "southern" but still consider themselves country so they have a similar sound.
preach
North Carolina aren't South, they're their own small region on their own. Sorta like how Chicago are
+DColon614 Chicago completely copied the south. even how they act and dress
Rick Ross, Trick Daddy, Outkast, Ceelo, Ludacris, Ti, Killer Mike, Cyhi da prince, Stat Quo, Phonte, JCole, Rhapsody, Lil Malik Scarface, Eightball & MJG, Big Mike, chamillionaire, Lil Wayne, Mac, Majic, Juvenile, Young Buck, Starlito, Don Trip, Yo Gotti, UGK, Mad Skills, Clipse Rain 910 and I'm sure i'm missing some.. Plus you have guys who aren't national yet like Erick Lottary, Elevator Jay, VVG704, Mason Parker, KG The Artist, Halo, Stadium P etc etc
I was born in Newark, raised in the South Carolina and fell in love with hip hop visiting Brooklyn NY every summer as a kid!! Lyrics always mattered where I was from and visited. I loved getting in ciphers and spitting something that made people go crazy!!! After Jay Z and Master P every hustler thought he could rap. That's when the game started to really change.. This is Pre Souljah aka Yung Draco (LOL) and Laffy Taffy area!! I'm not saying people didn't make party music but it was respected as that so there was still balance. Master P was the gift and the curse to the game.. In one part P taught all independents how to really get money!! In the other hand P changed the consumption of music,,,, (No Limit was putting out albums seems like every week and all the albums where going at least gold) A lot of artist mimic that strategy today but not with the team P had! You have solo artist putting out 3 and 4 projects a year.. I don't care who you are all that music can not be good.
When the South gets its hand on something they run it to the ground
Rember the dope game..
No region do it like the south. I love the westcoast
Great video dude. These breakdowns are always the greatest man. Keep grinding.
thank you!
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Only person I wanna mention is Lil Boosie, who's one of the realest rappers ever to do it and of course is from the South. He can be lyrical but he tells stories and paints a picture of the street life like not a lot of other people can.
This show inspired me to do a presentation on Hip-hop artists as world leaders for my Public Speech class
You have to mention the lupe fiasco dumb it down effect which has a big part in it all. Conspiracy ? Maybe. Also moving to the south in the mist of this and fighting with kids in south Carolina to understand a kanye or understand a jay-z. What i realize is kids just wanted to rep something that was them. Great video again.
I'm from south carolina too. Lupe was one of the few to cut through the noise without going light on the lyrics. But even with that, he called his approach "simple complexity." It's like on "He Say She Say" where he tells two different stories from two different perspectives but only changes the pronouns. the rest of the words are exactly the same. It's deep but tangible. Thanks Sole!
HipHopDX the kids I grew up with was more master p and cash money than the outkast and scarface listeners. So when the lafy tafy crank dat wave came along they ran with that. Which is kinda why I stayed in the south for so long. Those were feel good times. I think its a generational thing. But also think the radio has a big part.
Im 23 so when this whole wave happen I was between the ages of 13-18. My friends rejected nyc because they felt left out. They loved wayne but didnt want to accept a banks or gunit but loved buck so I knew a bias was there. I would love to go deeper.
Happy to hear my fellow Long Island Emcee Aesop Rock mentioned. Dude is crazy
G'DAY! From all the way Down Under Australia! Fantastic episode and great insight into the development of Southern Hip-Hop Culture. In my opinion Justin you have identified a key component that defines’s Southern Hip-Hop, refering to Ben Westhoff analysis of lyrics “code word for I’m not good”. In my opinion, as much as it is about lyrics, half of it is also non-verbal language, nuances, body language. In some ways, this other half of communication adopts a Quantum Physics approach where there’s a knowing, but you don’t necessarily use words to make a point, it’s a knowing that exists without representing. I believe this is what makes southern hip-hop masterful. I’ll go as far to say Southern Hip Hop is indestructible lyrically and quantum-ley (
Southern hip hop is the most creative and innovative hip hop
Nah full of mumble rappers there’s some good ones but majority of them mumble
@@lambertbrown1739 bruh thats a damm lie, old heads just mad the south took over 😂😂
@@styl1ssttt nah if I mumble and use autotune I can be a millionaire tmw and I rather be a old head than a young head y’all dying before them gen z fucks y’all killing each other y’all killing y’all selfs and especially overdose just look at juice wrld dumb ass and yes people died back then but it’s more consistent nowadays
@@lambertbrown1739 so do it
@@yeezusyhrist nah I rather be poor and sleeping on a street than being famous off of nun 🤡
I guess I prioritize style & concept over everything else in hip hop. Great video to get me thinking bout this
The south won't fall off but it will lose its charm if mumble rap continues to grow.
And we need to be very clear here, The south has a lot of lyrical steam. Lil Wayne, Rick Ross, Killer Mike, etc. Don't let the southern drawl and the slang take away from the accomplishments.
Good stuff man 💯. I remember saying to my homies in 2005 after hearing trap or die... this is the future, this sound, this style... and they took it and ran off Hahah. Ofcourse hiphop is changed, better or worse... i dunno. But the sound of hiphop, the beats i cant front i love it. So southern influenced🔥
New York fucked up when they made Andre 3000 mad ..
💯 That next album kicked down the door 🎤🎶🔥🔥🔥
The South is probably my favorite region (basically tied with the West tho) because it spans so much. You got Houston, Memphis, Atlanta, and New Orleans, and these are all cities with a deep history and distinct sounds that you can get immersed in for a long ass time. The early Houston with the South Park Coalition and the Screwed Up Click was dope as fuck. Sure, the rapping wasn't super technical, but the vibe was otherworldly. It was psychedelic almost. Same with Memphis. There's so many lost Memphis cassettes floating around on the internet, and they have such a distinct, dark sound. Early Three Six, Tommy Wright, Kingpin Skinny Pimp, NOD, etc. Probably the biggest influence on trap music, with the triplet flows and the drums and the bells and all that shit. New Orleans gave us Curren$y, Wayne, Masta P, etc. Atlanta gave us what seems like every popular rapper now. (Not to mention fucking Outkast). The South is fucking enormous and spans so many vibes, moods, styles, lyrical styles, etc. Here's a list of some of my favorite southern artists:
Outkast
Lil Ugly Mane
UGK
Three Six Mafia
Curren$y
Travi$ Scott
Nickelus F
Pusha T
Pharrell
DJ Screw
Point Blank
20-2 Life
E.S.G.
K-Rino
Denzel Curry
Gucci Mane
Lil Yachty
Cardo Got Wings
Future
Geto Boys
Devin the Dude
Isiah Rashad
And there's still so much more I want to listen to and explore. Give the South a chance, and you'll be endlessly rewarded.
I really want it to be more like the late and early 00. A mixture of all coasts.
2020... And here we are. ... Still
The South gave birth to fantastic artists, and also gave birth to terrible things...
just like every region and every fucking genre of music.
Also, people are sleeping on Big Krit, his The Return of 4eva is a modern day classic.
People sleeping on Aesop too
I love the analysis Mr. Hunte! The south has without a doubt reigned supreme post 'golden era'. The last portion with Phonte-- big fan of the Minstrel Show, was living in NC at the time when it dropped and the reception really wasn't all that, even on home turf-- to me, summarized why Cole took off with such genuine fan fare. He merged the sound and flow of northern and southern hip hop by embracing the grassroots of both geographic regions. This is a special characteristic as, I would say, only Kendrick and Drake have attained the same broad appeal through culture fusion. Love the direction of your breakdown vids Company Man! Sending love from the ATL!
Thats dope. Thanks Benjamin. I lived in NC and SC too. Dope comment, btw.
T.I is one the top and best from ATL and the South
It makes me happy to see they chose to put phonte on the photo thumbnail
Let the South do it's thing. Although, I hate these mumble rappers popping up everywhere who are the ones truly poisoning hip hop, I do appreciate some novelty records. I appreciated tracks like chain hang low, pop lock drop etc. I love the Migo's, Rick Ross and T.I. at one point was my favorite artist, he could do no wrong.
It's just that myself as well as a lot of others miss that gritty uniquely East Coast boom bap style. That Mobb Deep, Nas, Busta, CNN, MOP, Redman, DJ Premier sound. Even Dipset, although they were less lyrical they too kept it New York. You don't have to be so technical with bars that nobody can understand without a dictionary but New York had it's own flavor, it was grimey. Again that is why I say let the South do it's thing, the South is supposed to sound like the South, the East is supposed to sound like the East. When everything is about coloring your hair purple, trying to make one radio hit and instead of actually representing where you're from and having more substance to your music it fucks up the game.
Anyway, I rate the South will never fall off as hip hop is now pop music. It is for everyone now. Back in the day hip hop had it's unique listeners just like heavy metal or jazz. It was a genre outside of the norm. A subculture. Not to bring up race, but even regular white people didn't fuck with hip hop. Now with the immense popularity of the music and everyone trying to make it as a rapper, casual people being fans of the music it's bound to be dumbed down and oversaturated to accommodate. The casual listener and club goer doesnt want to listen to bars - they want a beat, a catchy hook (that is even better if it is accompanied by a unique dance). That is what the south brings - get up off your seat music. The East dabbles too much in the realities of the streets and machismo. People don't want to listen to stories about shootings and I'm more alpha than you, especially women, who are now probably the biggest consumers of mainstream hip hop.
Supreme Clientele hip hop is open to everyone
Rex Stevenson thats the problem. It never used to be like that, there were checks and balances back in the 90's as to whether you were true or posing. Whether you lived it or you were faking. Rappers actually boasted about their mic skills, how long they spent on their craft. Rappers would reject other rappers who were faking, fans would reject those who weren't dedicated to the culture. Just like punk rockers would call out those who were faking punk. Back then it meant something to be hip hop. See something is open to everyone and it becomes transient the level of quality goes down. Whether it's schools, universities, countries, homes or hip hop.
To the hipdip the hip you don't stop, Das Efx with the real hip hop.
Supreme Clientele hate people with your kind of mentality
Rex Stevenson I ain't lying though. It's not about race, gender or anything else arbitrary. It's simply about who's true and who's not. Like I said, the shit is pop music now. It has been watered down to accommodate. Thats the reality. Its about singles now more so than a body of work. Pick up an album you can listen to from front to back without skipping. An album with skits which actually takes the listener to the place which the rapper is talking about. When Mobb Deep raps about Queens even if you have never been there, you can picture Queens. That is art. We would have never got Illmatic if hip hop was for everyone. When hip hop is for everyone you get albums you can listen to for one week, one month then you're on to the next one. You get albums where you only listen to 4 tracks out of 13+. You don't get albums you can listen to 20 years later and not feel out of date..
Supreme Clientele haven't you listen to chance the rapper
Hey man, just wanted to say I love your videos, you give such an awesome perspective on things and really seem like you've done your research. I only got into hip hop about 5 years ago because all I'd heard from '01-'09 (when I was in high school and college) was the "bounce-focused" and lyrically braindead southern-influenced stuff you talk about here; needless to say I'm glad lyricism has since made a comeback!
Lyricism is one of many facets of hip hop. Not every sub-genre is gonna focus on the same facet. If they all did hip hop (and the strip club) would be a lot more boring. But the great thing about technology is that it has left what comes out of your speakers up to you. The radio plays what's hot in the clubs, but that doesn't mean your aux cord always has to.
Strip clubs would be a lot more boring! hahahaha 1000% agree.
I beg to differ, it’s not really a facets but it’s required element. In my opinion, if you say you don’t want to rap, then you’re not a rapper. Thats just like saying I’m a basketball player, but I don’t have to dribble. You just can’t do that.
Bun B and Scarface are 2 of the dopest lyricists in hip hop from the golden age of hip hop! From the South.
Im from the South and for us it was a simple question. Does it "bump in da whip" with my subwoofers? The End.
Southern Rappers like Scarface, Devin The Dude, Lil Flip, TI, Ludacris, Chamillionaire, Lil Wayne, Juvenile, Slim Thug, Mystical, BG, And Trina are dope yeah
Great episode.
I do miss that back in the day Texas hip hop
"They're all superstars...except for petey pablo" HAAA!!! I laughed way too loud at that
The reason why the south dominated hip hop because its soo many diverse sounds a new orleans rapper doesnt sound like a miami rapper or a houston rapper doesnt sound like an atlanta rapper but a majority of black people in america live in the south soo many southern cities are boiling with talent that got overlooked in the 80s up until the mid 90s
And you still have places like Alabama, Arkansas, Carolinas, Mississippi, Kentucky etc that’s filled with talent and anticipating their chance. They’re hungry like Compton rappers were once upon a time. I think we will be hearing a lot more from Southern artist in the future.
Willie D sums it up best "Anybody Can Make It If They Have Heart" 😁👌💯
The south fell off when they started the ringtone and mumble rapper eras
thedondon911911 fell off? the south dominates the radio and the club.
that's the era that lowered the standards of hip hop
they are but its not better music then before its just the standard now Is lower this era of ATL cant touch the ATL of the late 90s early 2000s
Hey man, wanted to show some love and appreciation for your approach, and the topics you are touching on. Very cool, I love how the information is presented, and you are pretty damn likable and charismatic. Much love and support, keep it up !
Thank you Isaac! We appreciate the support.
The real question is.... When will the Midwest rise and have their turn??
It came and went with Nelly, Chingy and St.Lunatics..
Eminem and bone thugs is from the mid west
I think the internet will completely break down all geographical borders in hip-hop. The internet and technology makes everything so accessible so it’s so easy for everyone to duplicate each other’s styles to the point where there will be no more “southern” or “east coast” sound. NY, LA, and ATL will continue to be the central locations for labels but all the talent will be from various areas of the U.S. Hell...Drake is Canadian and one minute he sounds like he’s from ATL, the next minute he’s rappin like he’s in a NY cypher, and the next he’s a Jamaican dancehall artist! Musical style will no longer be bound by region.
like my favorite group. Outkast said South got something to say
I'm from the South and back in the day during '87 to late 90's (my period of the Golden Era) in the South we damn near listened to everything and that was when radio used to jam. In Georgia on the radio's you got a mix of Miami booty bass, rappers from up north in N.Y., Philly, and Jersey, and then California was bumpin' with jams from the west coast. Scarface and the Geto Boys, UGK, and 2 Live Crew were really considered the first southern hip-hop groups that I could remember. It wasn't until around '93 when Outkast, Goodie Mob, and the rest of the Dungeon family came out that the south was being looked at as far as dope MC's and lyricism and that was strange considering the Geto Boys and UGK were lyricists and were out years before Outkast. I think one of the problems was in our accents and dialects where other rappers from different coast didn't take us seriously because of the way we spoke considering that's still bullshit cause the messages still got out through the music as far as lyricism and intelligence. Most people from the south during the Golden Era can have conversations and chop it up with anybody from N.Y, Philly, or Cali about rappers from the Golden Era whether it was Stetsasonic, Slick Rick, Big Daddy Kane, Tribe, Father M.C., Redhead Kingpin, Steady B and Cool C, MC Lite, L.L., Audio Two, N.W.A, Too Short, Above the Law, Kam, MC Eight, Rodney O and Joe Cooley but most people from those areas during that time didn't even know people from the south listened and bumped the same shit they did. As far as saturation with wack shit now in this day and age the problem is now the young artist all sound the same from everywhere. There is no distinction or difference from N.Y., Chicago, or Cali artist who can't rap that sound like a young artist from Atlanta. So a Kodak Black, Lil' Uzi Vert, Blacc Youngsta, or a Chief Keef from Chicago or Bobby Shmurda from N.Y. sounds like a Souljah Boy, Young Thug or Migos from Atlanta. At the same time N.Y. used to be considered the Mecca of real hip-hop music but in all honesty I feel like Detroit is laying that foundation down now in this day and age with "real and authentic hip-hop" coming from that region. What used to be a dominance in Cali and N.Y. is now the D (Detroit) or Chicago with hip-hop artist like Rashid Hadee, Thaione Davis, The Primeridian, etc. or Phonte, 9th Wonder on production, and Rapper Big Pooh from North Carolina, Big Kritt from Mississippi. Cali with Ab-Soul, Kenderick Lamar, Blu, New York with Joey Bada$$, Von Pea, and Cavalier, Curren$y in New Orleans, Atlanta with T.I. and my man Devin (check out Yeah Hoe by that dude). All these different regions have dope MC's and producers who don't get any shine because the radios won't allow good music to be played. People won't take the south serious as far as lyricism in hip-hop until the radio and video show them otherwise.
Lyricism is about vocabulary, metaphors, similes, double and triple entendres & pronunciation. Some or all can be applied to different degrees. My particular issue with the current landscape of hip hop is not all types of lyricism are showcased equally. You can see the difference in a lot of kids these days from 5 - 10 years ago. They sound stupider and stupider every year. Music is influential and these days there is too much ignorance being shown front and center at the expense of substance. I grew up in the mid '90s. That time was rife with simple, loud, rah-rah rap as well. But anyone who criticized rap because of tracks like Throw Your Gunz or Slam I could counter and defend rap with anything from Nas' Illmatic. The main thing back then all types of rap were given the chance to be heard. Nowadays it seems people are content with beats that sound half finished and rhymes that sound like a 10 year old made them up.
Think that's a product of the music or something greater?
HipHopDX It's never just one thing. Education has been lacking for years and the vast resources of knowledge the internet can provide is not being taken advantage of. Musically however, I believe it started when rappers felt obligated to release an album every year. Before the average wait between projects was 3-4 years. Quantity has taken precedence over quality. Major telecommunication companies taking the individuality from radio stations of different markets and replacing them formatted programming. That and payola in turn limits who and what was played. Major record labels then only backed rappers who sound more or less like who's "popular". Once the dumbing down was accomplished any half-wit who can't do the math from selling drugs now wants to become a trapper. Because it's so easy to be heard now through the web.
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People want to hear music, melody, and beats that are pleasing and dont want to study a song just to enjoy it. The earliest rap in NY was also simple and direct.