Q-Tip has admitted that he is not on board with 9th Wonder‘s recent calls for the establishment of a new subgenre of Hip Hop.
9th Wonder, seemingly inspired by listening to Common and Pete Rock‘s collaborative album, called for another genre of Hip Hop to be created, similar to how the Grammys have various categories for R&B.
He said on X (formerly Twitter): “This Common and Pete Rock album begs the conversation I’ve been having with folks for at least 20 years now. Adult Contemporary Hip-Hop needs its own category. Word to DO IT ALL from Lords of The Underground….we’ve been said this homie!!!”
9th Wonder later compared his idea for a new genre to the establishment of neo-soul in the 90s: “Tell that to the moment in music history when they created the term ‘Neo-Soul’. It not only separated it from other R&B styles, but it damn came with a starter kit.”
This Common and Pete Rock album begs the conversation I’ve been having with folks for at least 20 years now.
Adult Contemporary Hip-Hop needs its own category.
Word to DO IT ALL from Lords of The Underground….we’ve been said this homie!!!
— 9th Wonder (@9thwonder) July 12, 2024
Tell that to the moment in music history when they created the term “Neo-Soul”.
It not only separated it from other R&B styles, but it damn came with a starter kit. https://t.co/70b1q2LnXi— 9th Wonder (@9thwonder) July 13, 2024
https://twitter.com/QtipTheAbstract/status/1819031026749853785
https://twitter.com/QtipTheAbstract/status/1819044422127919563
https://twitter.com/QtipTheAbstract/status/1819044673094340807
Q-Tip did not necessarily agree with the need for more subgenres: “Adding ‘ADULT CONTEMPORARY’ category 2 hip hop programming is divisive. It would be nice to have everything in one pot BUT.. if there is a need to do so.. call it TRADITIONAL hip hop as ‘ADULT’ will make AGEIST prejudge.”
The A Tribe Called Quest founder then agreed with a fan that the move could create more division between generations of Hip Hop fans.
Later replying to a fan who said “To me it’s just hip hop. I never considered a recent nas release that, nor do I consider the new common ‘adult contemporary’,” Tip added: “Totally agree… but alot of folks inside are pounding the table for it.”
9th Wonder previously spoke about being inspired by the Common and Pete Rock album in other ways as he suggested that he and the group Smif-N-Wessun should team up for a project.
In addition to his plans of collaborating with his contemporaries, the former Little Brother producer also has his finger on the pulse when it comes to the current generation of artists.
Following Latto‘s jaw-dropping performance of “Sunday Service” at the 2024 BET Awards two weeks ago, he took to social media and praised her prowess as an MC while contemplating how far she can go with it.
The new subcategory for hip hop should be called gay cuz most these rappers be gay AF
It’s a good idea, however adult contemporary hiphop is pretty long for a subgenre name. Traditional hiphop wouldn’t be great as nobody wanna sound like early 80s rappers meanwhile they are traditional as f@ck. I think simply ‘adult hiphop’ would be good. It shows the target audience and that’s the aim of this naming. I don’t want people think I listen to the same music as prescholars and 2bit idiots.
nobody want to be involved with rap music any more 😂
Except for true fans, of course
I agree with him. This happens with every genre as it ages. Divisive? YEAH, it needs to be divided. Hiphop has lost all credibility since it’s been lumped in with trap, and drill, and electro-pop garbage. I don’t I or about ya’ll but it got to a point where I was embarrassed to say I rap or listen to hip-hop because when you say that now they’re picturing Lil Yachty and Migos, and I don’t wanna be identified with that. Just Rock split off into southern rock, arena rock, glam rock, soft rock, hard rock….it’s necessary once a genre has evolved (or devolved) over a period of 40-50 years. It’s not even the sane culture. If you go to a KRS one concert, it’s gonna be totally from a Migos concert. Everything about it. It is NOT the same culture. That’s like saying The Eagles and GWAR are the same thing. Peace.
This^
But Eminem is pop and his stans will fight to the death to convince everyone that he a rap God. He’s wack. Look at his content bunch of white teen rebellion angst music lol he only popular because white kids buy his music and the industry is controlled by the white establishment
Fully agree with this, especially the part about being embarrassed to say you are into rap music, particularly as you get older.
How bout we just start calling trash, trash, and stop promoting it? Problem solved.
This would have been the job of music journalists. But as long as they get paid for writing promo articles instead of real reviews or they are not involved in hiphop at all and they think Eminem is a rapgod or haven’t listened to classics from the 80s and 90s this will not happen. And because most music journalists have no morals or experience with the culture, they will promote anything and slowly ruin the genre.
It’s been devisive for years now. Radios don’t play Rome streets, ransom, rj Payne, spesh 38. Griselda, roc Marciano etc…every song those guys drop talking about mumble bullshit already shows their standpoint.
Call it ‘Afrocentric Pussy’
Proper genre for all things hiphop should be 💩
Leave it
Commercial rap has been called commercial rap for years now just leave it at that and hip hop music has been called that for years as well. It’s already been divided. Even the Grammys be calling best rap album not best hip hop album of the year.
Call it Hip Hop and give Drill and Trap their own categories.