That’s quite a bold statement isn’t it? Some people would say all hip-hop sucks but as someone who’s been a fan of hip hop and a DJ who spun mostly hip hop this is hard to say.
The fact is over the past 3 or 4 years there have been very few memorable rap songs with staying power. There are more 1 hit wonders than ever in the hip hop world. While songs from nearly 10 years ago like Big Pimpin by Jay-Z and Party Up by DMX still get the crowd moving, rap songs that came out last year are now old news and the crowd stares at you like you’re some kind of idiot for playing it.
There have always been 1 hit wonders with a short shelf life for DJs but from where I sit lately the “expirary” on tracks is a lot faster than it’s ever been. None of the new songs seem to be a hit with the teens and 20-somethings for more than 6 months.
I also blame the big drop in BPM, no longer are the good hip hop songs in the 95-100+ BPM range, they’re in the 80 BPM range, you cannot really dance to that, that’s grinding music. Studies have shown the less beats per minute the more likely people, particularly males, will be aggressive. For Bar and Club jocks this is a cause for concern as music sets the mood for the entire club. Now the manager is breathing down their neck because people are going crazy but the new stuff is what’s requested.
There are no NRG (Energy) hip hop songs in recent memory, songs like Party up which people could really fast almost break dance too. Why is this? Part of it is I believe a lot of newer rap isn’t coming off the coasts, it’s coming from the south. It’s a slower lifestyle down there, perhaps it’s just a carry over. It so popular down there that it blow up in the big cities too.
Another aspect of it is the internet. No longer are teens only exposed to what the radio plays. There are thousands of internet radio stations, you can preview tracks on iTunes before you buy. Ring Tones allow songs to be played right on their phone and they hear that ring tone umpteen times a day. Hear a song enough and eventually you will like something about.