His carefully crafted bars have made J.I.D a standout among his Rap peers, but he doesn’t believe lyricism holds the same weight as it once did. Debates regarding lyricism run rampant through Hip Hop as artists argue about it being respected in the culture. We’ve seen people take digs at “Mumble Rap” while others dismiss “conscious rappers” who pen witty rhymes. J.I.D shared his thoughts while chatting with the Throwing Fits podcast, and according to him, Hip Hop isn’t concerned with lyricists. His most recent album, The Forever Story, was praised for poetic stylings that not every artist can master.
The group was discussing wordplay when the Rap star chimed in. “I got a weird theory about how music is right now. In the blog era with those superstars like Drake. They came up in the blog era, and they came up in a time [when] you ain’t see anybody rapping like that. They weren’t like, it wasn’t too much—it was a first-time thing. Now, it’s so much of fast food and microwave. Everything is really quick. So, it’s not really like, rap.” He isn’t alone; Hip Hop fans often take to social media to complain about the quick-moving cycle of music. Veteran artists also recognize the industry has shifted and have voiced concerns.
J.I.D & His “Weird Theory”
“People don’t really care about it as much,” J.I.D continued. “Even as it’s grown in popularity. It’s moving super fast and I don’t think people really care about—I think it’s more about being viral or being the first to get…I don’t know. I got a weird theory about it, though.” On the other side of things, artists now have to combat the reputation of only being seen as TikTok or social media stars. Before working with them, the industry hunts for entertainers with an established social media presence. However, internet visibility can also hinder a budding star. Not everyone can transition from social media personality, and the method of grabbing talent from online spaces has been widely criticized.
It will be interesting to see how Hip Hop evolves in the future. We’re celebrating 50 years of the genre in 2023, and generations of rappers are joining to discuss the culture’s ebbs and flows. Check out more from J.I.D’s conversation on the Throwing Fits podcast above.