Stray Shots: The 2015 Year In Review

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 me, 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.”

Peak Blackness

Andre: To Pimp A Butterfly might have been the blackest major Hip Hop album since Public Enemy’s Fear Of A Black Planet, or just the blackest since D’Angelo’s Black Messiah. It was its own little musical planet sprinting  around real-life tragedies like the shooting and killing of unarmed brown people all over the country. The names are too long to list here, but they live in our collective unconscious filling us with an unnameable dread at the sight of law enforcement. Ta-nehisi Coates explained it better than I ever could, that the meaning of oppression is not being able to protect the sovereignty of one’s own body from society. This reverberated backward through the astronomical success of Straight Outta Compton, and shows like Blackish, and Shonda Rhimes carrying the entirety of ABC’s weeknight ratings on her back. Then there’s black Twitter’s #BlackLivesMatter and Tumblr’s #Blackout.

K. Dot’s album wasn’t the only execution of blackness this year. Lupe’s Tetsuo & Youth was a meditation on ideas poured through a prism of blackness and even Future’s “March Madness” included images of two parts lean and one part protest. Talib Kweli fought for conscious rap and then dropped the magnificent Indie 500 with 9th Wonder as Meek Mill shone a light on the irrationality of the probation system. Even Drake, in going full supernova off two diss tracks and a string of loosies represented blackness in his own way, carefully shading Madonna out of her Coachella kiss and reminding us of less fraught times with “Hotline Bling.” In all, blackness has taken a front seat in our minds eye, with even political candidates talking police brutality for, I think, the first time in a long time all while creative blackness does better than ever.  

Ural: For the first time in a while, Hip Hop almost reached an epic variety in displaying various levels of blackness. Of course, this comes as racial tensions boiled over as the nation’s first African-American president races toward his last year in office. Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp A Butterfly became the ultimate musical reflection of that notion if one has read enough think pieces written on the album from numerous publications. Straight Outta Compton’s success literally played like a historic mirror reflecting the present. Even 2 Chainz used a debate with Nancy Grace to fight against unfair marijuana laws that skew the high prison population toward black males. Past the notion of pleasing the mainly white buying demographic for crossover appeal, playing it safe was always the excuse for leaving strong topics of blackness alone. Now, even Missy Elliot’s “WTF (Where They From)” has the most effective subliminal Trayvon Martin reference ever heard.  

Legends In The Making

Ural: Kendrick Lamar, Drake and even Future transitioned into legendary acts this year for separate very real reasons. To Pimp A Butterfly became K.Dot’s third classic in a row. If his career were to end today, his catalogue will probably compete years from now. Drake elevated from chart-topping punching bag to score top 100 Billboard singles making him the biggest hitmaker of this rap generation. Let’s not forget “Back To Back.” Since Future’s unholy trilogy of Monster, 56 Nights and Beast Mode before DS2, the standard of quality album content roll-out is as serious as ever. There’s a rise of rappers who aren’t just going the mixtape/album roll-out route. Future Hendrix serves as evolution past Lil Wayne’s post-2007 – 2009 mixtape output.

Andre: Of course those three did their thing this year, but I’d argue that folks like Nicki Minaj ascended to legendary status as well. Then there was the incredible year Mello Music Group had, almost becoming a resurrection of Rawkus. This year also became the year that Lil Wayne proved he still had it, kind of, which is exactly how I’d like to remember him unless Tha Carter 5 is incredible. But the looming sunset of Cash Money also gave rise to crews like Pro Era and labels like Cinematic Music Group and Mello Music Group, as Joey Bada$$ passed the torch to Kirk Knight for an incredible debut in Late Knight Special. This was also the year that Thundercat became the album whisperer. Anything that man is involved in becomes incredible, including his own breakthrough EP The Beyond / Where The Giants Roam.

The Thug vs. The Chill Guy

Andre: Meek’s L at the hands of a “singin’ nigga” wasn’t just a black eye for himself, but for gangsta rap itself. This generation has chosen, and the pop-core leaning Internet fanbase has given Drake the nod over fast-rapping reality rap, or even aspirational mafioso rap. For the rest of the decade, the two Hip Hop genre’s who have dominated the last two decades will be taking a backseat to catchy rhythms laced over melancholy electro-chords. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it is a thing and it’s happening, whether people like it or not.

Ural: There wasn’t a better representation of this than Drake Vs. Meek Mill. October’s Very Own represented the ladies man who never had to rely on gangster rap tropes for success. Well, he is from Toronto and was a former child actor. Then there’s Mill who spent his time battling folks in the hoods of Philly and represented a take on East Coast thuggery. And yes, we all know how that ended. There are some emcees that straddle the line sometimes, but it’s all about setting moods for chill moments or turn-ups.

Internet Beef & Comic Relief

Ural: Social media became a blessing and curse for a slew of emcees and personalities this year. “Twitter fingers” aside, various tiffs from Vince Staples and Noreaga’s short standoff to Game vs. Stitches. Then there was Young Thug various videos of him brandishing weapons for all challengers. Finally, Azealia Banks continued to be the antagonistic figure she’s been known for. Thankfully, DJ Khaled essentially helped bolster Snapchat’s user rate and Plies made #SweetPwussySatday and weekly Instagram holiday.

Andre: All Internet beef this year either erupted into memes or descended into madness. Neither one became good beef records except for one exception: “Back To Back.” That closed the door on the Meek beef, well, for now, but it’s also the only diss track worth talking about this year. All the other stuff was just pure comedy. Like Young Thug’s various Instagram videos or 50 Cent’s poking fun at Rick Ross or whomever. Then there was the madness of Stitches, whose life has spiralled downward after the Game’s manager lobbed a fade into the side of his head. And the madness of Young Thug, whose associate, seemingly tried to scare or assassinate Lil Wayne this year, depending on who you ask. 

Vets Making A Comeback

Andre: Who says you can’t come back? Future, 50 Cent, N.W.A., Scarface, and Dr. Dre all had great musical year’s this year. Masta Ace had a big year without an album, as he’s been celebrated this year, it seems, more than ever. Ka’s project was another incredible turn for the firefighter by day, emcee by night Brownsville native. And let’s not forget, arguably, the improbable comeback of the year in Janet Jackson, who somehow got lost in an Illuminati vortex of nipple-gate, pariah-ism and ignorance. Congratulations to her, maybe, most of all.

Ural: There’s a real reason why Dr. Dre was voted as 2015’s biggest comeback. His first album in nearly 15 years, Compton: A Soundtrack By Dr. Dre, not only was a phenomenal album but served to compliment the blockbuster N.W.A. biopic Straight Outta Compton. And, the Aftermath head wasn’t the only one to have similar success. Scarface’s Deeply Rooted could be considered one of the year’s best releases. For better or worse, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis getting Melly Mell, Kool Moe Dee and Grandmaster Caz even had a minor comeback through “Downtown.” The age old excuse of Hip Hop being a young man’s sport was thoroughly dismissed on all levels.

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 a 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.