Once upon a time in a universe far, far away, HipHopDX used to host blogs. Through Meka, Brillyance, Aliya Ewing and others, readers got unfiltered opinions on the most current topics in and beyond Hip Hop. After a few years, a couple redesigns and the collective vision of three different Editors-In-Chief, blogs are back. Well, sort of. Since our blog section went the way of two-way pagers and physical mixtapes, Twitter, Instagram and Ustream have further accelerated the pace of current events in Hip Hop. Rappers beef with each other 140 characters at a time, entire mixtapes (and their associated artwork) can be released via Instagram, and sometimes these events require a rapid reaction.
As such, we’re reserving this space for a weekly reaction to Hip Hop’s current events. Or whatever else we deem worthy. And the “we” in question is myself, Andre Grant and Ural Garrett. Collectively we serve as HipHopDX’s Features Staff. Aside from tackling stray topics, we may invite artists and other personalities in Hip Hop to join the conversation. Without further delay, here’s this week’s “Stray Shots.
People Who “Hate” Anything “Mainstream”
Ural: We all know the type; anyone signed to a major label or has a hint of commercial success is a sell out. The same Hip Hop listener who to this day believes Kidz In The Hall’s The In Crowd is a better album than Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter III. It’s the same person who tries to discredit Kendrick Lamar post-Section 80. While some artists evolve into popular society’s center of attention, many day-one fans burn with resentment. In their world, enjoyment of mainstream or independent Hip Hop is mutually exclusive. Real Hip Hop fans enjoy Madvillainy and The College Dropout. Trust us, liking “Trap” and “Boom Bap” is totally fine. It’s all Hip Hop.
Andre: You can find them trolling around Internet hubs like Twitter and Facebook with false-snobbery as their main weapon. You’ll add them thinking everything is cool, they’re just kind of a zealot, and then they sneak into your DM’s with vile at the first whiff of rap betrayal. They’ve got an answer for everything. It just so happens that it’s often the same one over and over again. It’s “mainstream.” Other people like it so it must be bad. Such and such was cool before they went and started making music for the “masses.” They search and search for where Kanye went wrong, and they’ll never forgive Nas for making It Was Written. The day they heard about you is the day you begun to rap, and the day they hear you on the radio they lament your loss of credibility. Of course, it’s the credibility they themselves assigned you.
The “Hip Hop Is Dead” Malcontent
Ural: Time is relative and everyone can’t be born in between 1970 – 1985. Therefore, good Hip Hop didn’t end after the Golden Era and still lives today. Those who believe that there hasn’t been a good album since Illmatic or The Blueprint could be a reason why it’s difficult for the culture to mature creatively. If said person held similar feelings toward Nas’ Hip Hop Is Dead album in 2006 while ignoring T.I’s King, Jedi Mind Tricks’ Servants in Heaven, Kings in Hell, J DIlla’s Donuts, Clipse’s Hell Hath No Fury and Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor, they are apart of the problem. Regardless, the culture will continue to move past dated notions.
Andre: The “Hip Hop Is Dead” native laments the changing of any guard whatsoever. They are Hip Hop’s conservatives; the wing of folks who hold on to what they think is some kind of radical belief in “authenticity.” They just won’t accept you for who you are. How dare you want to rap and not spit hard-ass rhymes when you’re really a gem? And how dare you cater your music to some demographic other than them: to women, to suburban kids, to those who like “Friends,” to whomever.
The Conspiracy Theorist
Ural: The Illuminati, Gay Mafia, The Government, Satan and Jews run Hip Hop according to these Hip Hop fans. We all know the type. They spend countless hours watching conspiracy videos on YouTube proving Tupac is still alive and that Jay Z and Beyonce sacrifice a virgin goat every third Wednesday of the month. This is the result of too much Byron Crawford and Alex Jones. Young Thug’s popularity can’t be due to hot singles and eccentricity. Nope, there’s a secret group attempting to emasculate all men within the culture. Facts and common sense never matter.
Andre: Steve Jobs was a conspiracy theorist too, once. And then he realized things are much less complicated than they seem. It wasn’t that there were only shadowy string pullers dumbing down the population with useless drivel, it’s that those shadowy string pullers were giving people what they wanted. Because guess what, folks? These things are driven by sales, ratings and popularity. That’s right! You, me, us, we are part of the problem. So whether it’s any of those forces named above, they all have one thing in common: it looks like they know what we want. So which is worse?
Fair Weather Hip Hop Fans
Ural: Maybe Hip Hop naturally leads to someone being the best due to hyper-competition. Makes sense why sticking with whoever has the largest radio hit, platinum single or most popularity is something wishy-washy fans are easily impressed with. They’re fans of Drake but wouldn’t know any of his work before Thank Me Later or claim to be huge Eminem fans but couldn’t recite a lyric outside of “The Real Slim Shady.” In fact, at times, one could say they’re technically not even Hip Hop fans. To them, Hip Hop is more of a popularity contest than anything about artistic merit.
Andre: The casual listener is the b-side of the Hip Hop rap-fan-sphere. Everything is Kanye or Drake and anything else is considered not worth listening to. Was it on the radio? Because if it isn’t does it really matter? They also don’t know much of anything and use their ignorance as a shield from more passionate fans. You’re so serious, they’ll scream, as they clog up valuable dancing space at Coachella or Bonnaroo, Governors Ball and your favorite concert venue. And while every performance sucks until they hear that one song they know, they’ll wile out like they found out Starbucks were giving out free Grande hazelnut macchiatos when they finally hear something they can sing the words to.
The “Stan”
Ural: Undying loyalty to the very end. Ever met a Technician or Juggalo and entered conversations of Tech N9ne or Insane Clown Posse being the best rap acts to ever grace this earth? Yup, it’s part honest love and part pure delusion. Regardless, disagreeing to the smallest amount can lead to injury or death. For these fans, even an artist’s worst album is better than 99 percent of everything out there. Try talking to a Jay Z fan about how horrible Kingdom Come was or Eminem’s atrocity in Relapse. It’s a waste of time. Being blinded by fandom in their eye is misinterpreted as raw dedication.
Andre: Then there’s the straight up zealot. They don’t care about anyone and anything except this particular artist or his or her crew. And they don’t care that they don’t care. This results in a huge spiral of super-fandom that must be seen to truly be believed. They know everything about Eminem, Jay Z, Tech N9ne, DJ Quik or anyone else that they love beyond all reason, and if one breathe is uttered that is anti their worldview they turn suddenly violent. Their artists are well fed, though, and they make sure that their concerts are sold out no matter where they are. Romantics in the extreme, they believe that a particular artist’s music speaks specifically to them and others like them, and they find solace in the fact that this artist has made them less alone. If you see one, run the other way as quickly as you can and if you see a bunch (on social media or in real life) just fall to your knees and begin to pray.
Andre Grant is an NYC native turned L.A. transplant that has contributed to a few different properties on the web and is now the Features Editor for HipHopDX. He’s also trying to live it to the limit and love it a lot. Follow him on Twitter @drejones.
Ural Garrett is an Los Angeles-based journalist and HipHopDX’s Senior Features Writer. When not covering music, video games, films and the community at large, he’s in the kitchen baking like Anita. Follow him on Twitter @Uralg.
I’ll admit that I’m a big Eminem fan, but a Stan I am not. I listen objectively to everything he puts out. Recovery and Encore, while they both had their share of great tracks, were underwhelming to me. But, I really think that Relapse is one of his best albums. After not dropping an album for five years, I think people expected something completely different and didn’t get what they expected. I also think the accents killed it for some. I was one of those people who didn’t like it at first. But, now I see it as a great album. In my opinion, Relapse was his last album that had the Slim Shady persona all over it. It was the Eminem everyone begs and pleads for nowadays. I just don’t agree at all that it was an “Atrocity.” Were there a few tracks that I didn’t like? Sure. Was it a masterpiece? Not at all. But, I see it as a very solid album now. If you haven’t revisited it since forming the opinion that it was bad, I’d reccomend listening to it again.
trust that, lol
2Pac is alive and is the greatest rapper of all time
I don’t like soft mainstream shit but can appreciate a decent mc if he doin it right my top 5 have all at sum point in they careers done the mainstream thing or tried it. These solja boi yung thug skirt skinny jeans n dress fools if you cant rhyme or make sense that is where im like fuck that shit. I love southern, west coast, mid-west music but im mainly east coast cause they have the best overall rhymers and classic / great albums IMO……
I agree with this thing for the most part, and the stans are pretty awful but I feel exactly this way about Eminem and in my opinion I think everything he’s ever put out is brilliant, but that doesn’t make me an intolerant unreasonable asshole lol. People like that give Em fans a bad name. I’d appreciate yall not telling people to “run away” from me when I’m a decent dude who isn’t like that haha
comments won’t post because of the reaction? article is on point, but I can debate the “hipHop is dead” portion because this era is rap, not HipHop. you live HipHop and listen to rap music, not because you listen to rap music then you are apart of the HipHop culture. Because I like Italian shoes and veal with penne & wine sauce does that mean I’m a part of Italian culture? no.
Streeeetch
Most technicians dont talk up tech that much O.o. Thats more of a icp thing. or a nerdy white kid thing.
I’m a HUGE technician, but I have friends who are die-hard hip hop fans, and aren’t Keri Tech, and that’s cool. Not everyone is gonna dig him, and while most of his albums ate fantastic, even he has a few that at the very least are worth just one listen. I for one was disappointed in All 6’s and 7’s as a follow up to KOD, and I didn’t enjoy strangeulation at all.
*into
lol, agree with some, but relapse was not an “atrocity”, some of his best songs come from that album, such as de javu, beautiful, underground, stay wide awake and 3am
First off I hated recovery & MMLP2 (Aka recovery 2). But sayin RELAPSE was an atrocity IMMEDIATELY discredits this entire article. That is by far the best Em album since Eminem Show. HHDX knows nothing about lyricism
Saying “best since Eminem Show” discredits your entire comment. Relapse was recognized as trash by the artist who made it so….
RELAPSE an atrocity? That album was fire fuck this article
Technicians are pretty bad because they not only go full Stan on Tech’s stuff, but they also claim that all of Strange Music is the greatest shit ever. Don’t get me wrong, I like a lot of their stuff and for the most part, they can rhyme. It’s just that Strange Music fans are huge delusional Stans when it comes to the quality of the music.
For example, Rittz. Good rapper, maybe even great. Boring ass albums for the most part because he says the same thing and sounds the same on most songs. And this is coming from a guy who really likes Rittz
Ces Cru. Some good songs, but albums are a chore to listen through. Stevie Stone sucks ass. Brotha Lynch Hung is still criminally underrated, though.
relapse was an abomination of rap
actually, technically speaking, relapse had a bunch of excellent rap on it. its problem was it wasn’t musically enjoyable to listen to.
imo, one of the reasons why hip-hop music sucks donkey dick now has a lot to do with the way the music is being created nowadays. Cheap, throwaway sounding beats made quickly over the computer/internet by a so called producer and then so called rapper emails his/her wack ass verse(s). Nowadays, it’s just all about making a quick buck. There is no QUALITY and REAL EFFORT put into it. That’s a recipe for low quality, crappy music and that’s why 99.9% of it being released is garbage now and that’s why a lot of headz ain’t havin’ it. And don’t get me started on the gay ass clothing these clowns are wearing. Times have definitely changed but not necessarily all for the better. Truth hurts.
LMAO…true indeed
One size fits small
Stan til i Die !!
Im sorry but Andre,you are fucking dumb as shit. I dont know why I bother to even read your part.
That Ural is on this piece.. LOL
Ural is the writer on an article about the 5 types of shit hip hop fans.. Ural should have his own category
Stupid ass article all together, focus on listening to albums & reviewing them better than writing dumb ass articles reaching for hits.
First both writers are clearly writing this article because hiphop isn’t doing very well right now. They make claims that Drake or Wayne or whoever is the next Jay-Z and fall way off the mark. You and your site has become the troll. The corporate structure that hurts hiphop. The fakest element since Drake. Without real hiphop, everything else is pop. So go ahead and pretend your all about real hiphop. I could care less what you guys say. History is made by the people who inspire us. No one you plug on heavy rotation inspires. So by all means do you brother, we all got to eat. Get that pay check.
little bit of truth in this list, definitely, but pretty funny the ‘critics’ that review music for this site can gripe about types of fans that are holding back hiphop’s creativity. look in the mirror, both of you. how about blatant ageism as no. 6? god forbid you give props to any veteran artist that drops a great new project (bedsides nas) – it seems like there is a ceiling 0f 3.5 if an mc that’s been at it more than a decade has the audacity to release new product. just like any other field, some are washed up bit some put out great new material only to end up receiving a condescending review on this site.
Amen, brother Brooklyn. These punks are running around being cheerleaders for Drake and Gucci Mane. Hip hoppers have to be quiet and not say anything about the chicken-fried takeover in the media, for pop-rap. There’s a place for pop rap, but if you’re for pop-rap, don’t act like you’re about HARDCORE HIP HOP. This author might be better suited to doing stories on love and hip hop. Sucka
who the hell are you and why should I care about your website? Sounds to me like you’re putting down the B-boys that make this culture go. If you want to kiss-up to Wayne and Eminem or whoever that’s your business. But don’t stereotype me and my people.
Shut dafuck up!
Honestly should have put “Juggalos” as their own category on this list! I’m glad you assimilated that they are to Insane Clown Posse and Tech N9ne what Stans are to Eminem. But they have their own culture with jargon and dress codes that make them a whole ‘nother animal & all the more more petulant. Can’t get a word in edge wise in an non-threatening conversation critiquing their music. Even mentioning that you don’t like ICP or Tech N9ne or trying to offer constructive criticism about their music and you threaten get berated by an onslaught of epithets & death threats.
I’d call encore more of a failure than relapse.. bit harsh with using atrocity I think. But what do I know I’m just a stan.. and don’t know real music like the 4/5 star Barter 6.
fuck you and your eyebrows hhdx
judge much?
50 cent,lil b,wayne,drake,jayz
This is a pretty good article. Thank you 4 this. I am a hip hop kind of guy and I like when people make talks about it.
The Comment section in here is the real truth!! LOL!! whoever wrote this article must be real sour reading through these right now. hahah!! You’re article is complete bullshit!! And just for posting that annoying gif of Drake stupid face, I’ll never be back to hiphopdx
real. that Drake gif… smh
A fan of rap music will love a album like Relapse. That album was ahead of it’s time, and when I go back and listen to it now, it blow me away. Eminem really delivered a “classic” type of album with that CD. But of course, people just like to have opinions based on what they have heard instead of just have you own opinion, and they hate on that album. Such a shame.
How about the avg fan that makes a big deal about how many people and white ppl call Em one of the greatest ever, so they go down posts always crying lol
No person without white skin has called em out for his talent have they? Disable your internet connection.
I think the overall worst kind of hip hop fans are hiphopdx journalists.
Fact: Greatest rap albums where made in 86/88 and 94/95!!!
You gonna say: 50 cent, game, drake, wayne, 2chainz, big sean, kanye west, tyga, asap rocky, jeezy etc. are great rappers??? Really??? No they HORRIBLE! These rappers would never had a deal in the 80’s or 90’s.
Like they said in the article. Just because shitty rappers exist now and days, it does not mean that good ones don’t exist at all. Your narrow-minded approach to modern day hip hop restricts you from exploring great artists that could possibly blow your mind and change your view on the progression of the genre you love.
Congrats, you have become one of the stereotypes mentioned above.
we had a lot of fun listening to relapse back in the day.
Ural is a fucking dipshit… His opinion isnt valid for shit.
I second this.
Relapse was actually not that bad of an album, I rate it up there next to or close to SSLP and I’m not a maaaaassssive Em fan either. Albums like Encore, Recovery and MMLP2 were pretty awful though
relax bruh relapse was sick
relapse and re-up were trash, eminem was rusty and disconnected. even as there are quite a few topics here for discussion em’s stanboys can only speak on em’s music, probably only came here because they saw the picture on the home page. you were duped and did EXACTLY what they wanted you to do to prove that THEY are right! roflmao good job dx dude guys
Relax coulda went from a 7 to a solid 9 if he didnt make those stupid ass accents SMH
you both should’ve added “rap bloggers who write shit about what type of rap fans are valid or not”
Ahahahahhahshaha……flawless victory
I usually dont fuck with the DX point of view but I agree with all of these. I think the best way to appreciate hip-hop is to accept it as is. Every era including the one we’re currently in had and has something to contribute. There are classic albums in every era imo. A balanced hip-hop fan should like way more rappers than he doesn’t like because he is open to difference styles and different variations of the culture from different regions and so on. Its not a sin to have Nas, 3 stacks, Jeezy, and Drake in one playlist. Tried to think of a random combination of rappers there lol.
Why would rap bloggers determine which typa rap heads are valid or not, setting stupid standards like being ” openminded and progressive ” rap fan is worth a trophy? To each his own. Wack is Wack. Dope is dope. Y’all cant spoonfeed garbage down my throat just because times have changed. And i sit there and swallow like listening to young thug and jeru tha damaja is a cool thang.
1-Relapse Wasn’t That Bad, Recovery Got Some Dope Tracks , MMLP2 Is Dope
2-Hip Hop Will Still Breathe Cuz of Kendrick Lamar & Tech N9ne and his label mates , Slaughterhouse , yelawolf , D12 will back again , Twista and more
Hip Hop Is still alive but needs to clean some trash like wayne,young thug,drake,nicki,asap rocky and more
Kanye is a Motherfuckin’ Dope Producer but is a bad rapper
The hell you talkin fool,
I’ve stopped visiting HHDX cuz it’s run by bunch of bitches who ain’t know shit about hiphop. Barter 6 got 4/5?? nigga fuk outta here you bitch made niggas, uncle tom ass niggas
Word! I feel the same exact way.
This article on ON POINT. If you’re mad at it, you’re one of the people they describe and it makes you mad. Tell ’em why you mad, son. Tell ’em!
Hip hop has to be allowed to evolve into all of it’s forms and future forms.
BLESS!
haha hhdx losers writing click-bait for other hhdx lUSERS without any real substance…just like ALL HIP HOP THESE DAYS< ITS DEAD, EMINEM IS THE BEST YO, too BAD HE IS IN ILLUMINATI and MAINSTREAM NOW. HHDX losing any cred they had with these weak articles
Great article. People are too fickle and it gets on my nerves sometimes. I used to be on that conspiracy and boom-bap type stuff. But there is no point even having conversations with people to haven’t even moved onto trap or even today’s stuff. People just get old and their viewpoint ends up being tuned out anyways. There is a lot of great music out right now. I am not going to conform to only 25-year-old-style music. Having said that, we need to be observant of the past. This goes for all music.
This whole article is a conspiracy Theory. Yeah lets talk about GOAT sacrifices and Satan while ignorning real world FACTS. A whole bunch of losers working at DX.
Ural, do you really think Yung Thug is famouse bc of his HOT SINGLES? NOBODY EVEN UNDERSTANDS HIM! He doesnt speak English so wtf is so HOT about that? This is all artificial.