5 Hip-Hop Artists Who Were Way Ahead of Their Time
· Vice
Across hip-hop’s rich history, it’s fascinating to watch an artist’s influence bleed into the modern landscape. Utilizing flows, lifting and extending aesthetics, or merely following in their career footsteps, the lineage can build for decades. Moreover, sometimes, the general public might not fully get it until the smoke is already cleared. Then, someone will take the baton and carry it further than their predecessors.
But we here at Noisey are inclined to give rappers their flowers. We’ve selected five artists within hip-hop that were ahead of their time and have strong descendants carrying their style forward.
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4 Rappers Who Were Way Ahead of Their Time When They First Came Out
Lil B
Lil B essentially mastered the internet before it defined how we almost exclusively play our music. He released preposterous amounts of music, albums and tapes filled with dozens of hilarious, off-the-cuff records. One mixtape even totaled 855 songs! Additionally, the way he played into the Based God persona and rapped about his debauchery made him an early template for memes within hip-hop.
But songs like “I’m God” and “Birth of Rap” also show a rapper who could punch in with the best rappers in the world. “A lot of dudes I grew up with didn’t see twenty/Everytime I have a birthday, I’m thinking ‘God love me’,” Lil B spits on “Birth Of Rap”. No matter the style, rappers have clearly learned a thing or two from his style and his savvy with the internet.
Curren$y
Curren$y proved that you never needed a major label in order to thrive. For years, he was trying to break into the music business and become a star on No Limit and Cash Money, respectively. However, once it became clear that he wasn’t a huge investment, Spitta decided to do it himself.
By the late 2000s and early 2010s, he was taking advantage of the blog era and releasing tons of strong mixtapes. Collab tapes with Wiz Khalifa and Alchemist turned him quickly into an underground darling. By the time labels like Warner wanted him, he stressed that nothing would go down without his own imprint, Jet Life Recordings.
Ever since, all Curren$y does is ride his classic cars and smoke weed. It’s a dream scenario for any artist to maintain such a blissful life while also having enough control over his own career. Any striving independent rapper has looked at Spitta’s blueprint for inspiration.
Young Thug
When Young Thug first came out, a lot of people were extremely caught off guard by him. His strange, high-pitched yelps and elastic flows weren’t like anyone else you would hear in hip-hop. By all accounts, he was an alien to the rest of the game.
However, his music eventually became undeniable, and he carved out a huge lane within Atlanta and hip-hop as a whole. The lineage speaks for itself, with everyone from Gunna and Lil Baby to Lil Uzi Vert and Playboi Carti alike. He’s a maverick within hip-hop, and he’s introduced a lot of color into the genre and culture accordingly.
Slick Rick
On one hand, Slick Rick revolutionized storytelling within hip-hop. However, what really made him stand out back then was that he was technically the first big British rapper. By 11 years old, he and his family had immigrated to the U.S. in the Bronx. For a long time, hip-hop was largely an American export. But with rap becoming a worldwide form of expression, Slick Rick quietly becomes an innovator in his own right.
2 Live Crew
Raunchiness is so commonplace in hip-hop nowadays that people hardly even bat an eye anymore. However, when 2 Live Crew first came out with their horny anthems, the world was aghast. There were sincere conversations about whether or not the kids should be listening to hip-hop as a whole, not just the Miami-based group. But if they came out today, they’d probably be working Sexyy Red and Cardi B for a new generation of party jams.
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