Black Thought has thrown a curveball to mumble rap detractors. In a new interview about his epic 10-minute freestyle on Hot 97, The Roots frontman took credit for inventing mumble rap.
The elite MC was asked about his “Can’t explain what these lame kids are talkin’ ’bout” line from the freestyle, which led to his thoughts on mumble rap. Thought told Rolling Stone that he invented the phenomenon, citing the hook of The Roots’ “Don’t Say Nuthin” and the “New Years At Jay Dee’s” freestyle as examples.
“Lots of people are saying that I shut down mumble rap in one 10-minute setting,” he explained. “But that wasn’t my intention, because mumble rap – if we go back – that’s something I invented. I invented rapping without actually using the words … [W]ith songs like ‘Don’t Say Nuthin,’ freestyles like ‘New Years At Jay Dee’s,’ I essentially invented mumble rap, where you go for many bars without saying any words. And when I did it, it came from a place of being inspired by scatting.”
When asked if today’s mumble rappers are doing the same thing, Thought was quick to note a difference. In his mind, it’s evolved from the style he employed.
“It’s definitely different,” he said. “I hate to keep using the term evolution, but I feel like it has evolved. The same way that all other pop culture has evolved into what we now know it, so has the music. Art, politics, everything must change, and everything has changed. But there’s a way to embrace change and still appreciate and incorporate elements of the foundation from which it came.”
Check out DX’s mumble rap-related Breakdowns below.
Never thought of it like that…<-see what i did there?
*crickets*
You tryna be funny again, Toby? Who da fuck done let yo ass out the cotton fields anyways.
This dude is trippin*….i bought the tipping point when It came out*immediately remember him saying back then to paraphrase that he mumbled the hook as a temporal placement then he was to go back and fill in the words*after completion of the verses*he decided to leave the chorus as is*cuz it sounded right or something to tht effect*
Black Thought did not invent mumble rap.
There have been word games in Hip Hop since way back…Double Dutch Bus and Planet Rock had mumbling on them in the early 80’s.
double dutch bus, was definitely something worth noting
I fuckin hated “Don’t Say Nuthin”. I hated the whole album. Fuck Scott Storch too for that shitty ass beat. Matter of fact i always hated The Roots with their nerdy rap. Fuck that gay ass song with that weirdo Erykah Badoodoo that chorus so fuckin annoyin i wanted to slit my wrists. Fuck that whole shitty album that had that track. Fuck em all. Fuck em all to hell.
Never really liked the Roots either, always thought questlove was one of those undercover cats that won’t come out, black thought is talented tho
No fan here either, but man, so much hate… u alright bro?
Someone’s a bit dramatic
bunch of haters. how can one hate on the roots? they CREATE actual music… Dont Say Nuthin is ONE song lol Thought is better than 99% of rappers. When you come from Philly, you dont need the most hardcare joints because it becomes the therapy that you seek out.
“Slit your wrists” yea sorry whiteboys aren’t allowed to comment on Hip-Hop.
Thatz not mumble rap at all mumble rap is when u use the same word multiple times and when you run the verse 2 -3 times back 2 back or when you use ablides sounds in the back ground
I knew this would eventually pop up lol especially after making noise again with his freestyle
Oh so now he trippin’ huh?…..Wasn’t he just the god of rap about two weeks ago? Lol
Not doubting you did a mumble rap but Lil Wayne started it his drug fueled mumble rap session took the world by storm only because the powers that be wanted to push it this crap belong to Wayne Carter who career is on its way out and like most artist he has been ripped off and birdman is going broke and cant pay him
Fuk that kinda rap tho
the credit goes to lord infamous and koopsta knicca
Future still sucks & his music is trash. His impact as an individual (himself) won’t be that big of deal, unlike his cousins. Not everyone should have been in the light they were given. Organized Konfusion & Dungeon Family dope, Future well he’ll always be the “past” for me because I pass on his music always and he expired already and is going to be the past for me.