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Forum nameThe Lesson
Topic subjectAre J.Cole and Kendrick the only decent rappers from the 2010s?
Topic URLhttp://board.okayplayer.com/okp.php?az=show_topic&forum=5&topic_id=3032864
3032864, Are J.Cole and Kendrick the only decent rappers from the 2010s?
Posted by javi222, Wed Jun-09-21 10:15 PM
I kind of stepped away from listening to new hip hop when the 2010s started, which I view as the Lil Wayne rap era ( and probably still going today)…

As a fan of the hip hop collectives that were big in the 2000s, (Def Jux, Rhymesayers, Hiero, Quannum, Stonesthrow etc..) I have not heard any MCs or groups that bring out the same type of creativity or quality…

Are there any rappers that came out in the 2010s that are similar to the collectives mentioned above?

The only artists that I keep seeing mentioned are J Cole and Kendrick, which I honestly dont like either..
3032868, RE: Are we talking mainstream rappers?
Posted by rmcphedr, Thu Jun-10-21 05:36 AM
If so, then yes. And only Kendrick is at that level of creativity.

In terms of the underground, there are tonnes of people.
3032870, Short answer is yes.
Posted by stone_phalanges, Thu Jun-10-21 08:03 AM
I thought you meant mainstream at first but judging from the artists you mentioned, you must not.

Big Krit is the most obvious to me.

Odd future has some dope artists

Asap mob has rocky and a few dope projects scattered across the other members.

Your Old Droog has some very interesting stuff and is unquestionably, a skilled rapper.

Saba is super dope.

The rest of TDE is dope, but I guess you might not like them too much if you don't like Kendrick.

Can't really count oddisee as a 10's rapper, but you should check out his diamond district project with 2 other DC area rappers.

Chance the rapper.

Open mike eagle(I didn't know about him till the 10's)

Get back about those and we can see where we are from there.
3033029, RE: Short answer is yes.
Posted by Mgmt, Fri Jun-18-21 09:17 PM
I vote Droog also
3033193, I love off future and I’m from the west coast
Posted by ShawndmeSlanted, Sun Jun-27-21 05:13 PM
But I think buoy the Pro Era/Flatbush zombies collective even more

I’d add them to this list
3032871, Also...
Posted by stone_phalanges, Thu Jun-10-21 08:12 AM
I think there could be a little time period fluidity going on for you because the Carter 3 came out in 2008. I don't think the 10's could be called the lil Wayne era. The drake era would be closer. Thank Me Later(the start of his reign imo) dropped in 2010.
3032874, We're just old.
Posted by Brew, Thu Jun-10-21 10:01 AM
There's actually a ton of creativity in the genre the last 10 years. You're/we're just not feeling it because we're old.

Odd Future
Chance
Future
TDE as a collective
Joey Bada$$
Mac Miller
Drake (I know, I know)
L'Orange & associated artists
Blu & Exile (they were pre-2010, I guess, but put in a good chunk of their work in the 10s)

Etc.
3032881, you've liked plenty of stuff in the 10s
Posted by Stadiq, Thu Jun-10-21 12:01 PM

based on your posting at least.

I think some folks aren't rap fans as much as they are history buffs.

Like, they love a very specific era/moment in time, but never branch out at all.

If rap has existed for 40 years...and you only like 6-7 years of it...then are you really a rap fan?


This entire thread was weird to me.


You want to find newer artists you like? You could browse the forum, check social media, youtube, let spotify make recommendations, etc.

How does a dude go from being a fan of shit like Def Jux to "oh, so rap is just Cole?"

3032884, That was kinda my point.
Posted by Brew, Thu Jun-10-21 12:45 PM
Pretty sure I listed a bunch of the stuff that I've liked in my list above haha. Not sure what else you're referring to, but I'm sure you're right.

But I included myself in "we're" because even the stuff I've liked from artists who just came out in the 2010s, I don't have the same reverence for it as I did the stuff from the 90s/00s that defined my tastes.

Which of course is just the way of the world. As we get older, our tastes are mostly set, but the music keeps evolving because of the injection of creative young folks. So even if there's a lot of it that I really like, there's also a lot of it that just doesn't resonate with me at all. But, to the OP's question (however insincere), that doesn't mean it's not good or creative. It just means that we're too old to "get it."


>based on your posting at least.
>
>I think some folks aren't rap fans as much as they are history
>buffs.
>
>Like, they love a very specific era/moment in time, but never
>branch out at all.
>
>If rap has existed for 40 years...and you only like 6-7 years
>of it...then are you really a rap fan?
>
>
>This entire thread was weird to me.
>
>
>You want to find newer artists you like? You could browse the
>forum, check social media, youtube, let spotify make
>recommendations, etc.
>
>How does a dude go from being a fan of shit like Def Jux to
>"oh, so rap is just Cole?"
>
>
3032876, I'd add Tobe Nwigwe and D Smoke.
Posted by soulfunk, Thu Jun-10-21 10:34 AM
3033194, RE: I'd add Tobe Nwigwe and D Smoke.
Posted by ShawndmeSlanted, Sun Jun-27-21 05:14 PM
+1

D is interesting cause he is older
3032877, Hell No
Posted by allStah, Thu Jun-10-21 11:00 AM
Earl sweatshirt
Action Bronson
Roc Marciano
Conway


Roc owned the underground in the last decade in my
opinion.
3032879, ^
Posted by Brew, Thu Jun-10-21 11:53 AM
>Earl sweatshirt
>Action Bronson
>Roc Marciano
>Conway
3032880, this doesn't seem like a sincere question...no offense
Posted by Stadiq, Thu Jun-10-21 11:57 AM

I mean, what if someone had asked you in the 00's if Jay and Nas were the only decent rappers cuz they stopped paying attention in 00?

Would you had taken that as sincere, or like that person was being passive about something?


When you add in how much information/music is readily available on the internet these days....the idea that you have to come here to be convinced that hip hop can still be for you gets the sideeye.

Like, if you really wanted to find artists you find "decent" in 2021 you would.

In other words, if all you know in this era is Cole and Kendrick then thats on you...just like it would have been on someone chalking rap up to Jay and Nas in the 00's.

Hell, just browse the first few pages of this very forum.

3032891, You are over analyzing..
Posted by javi222, Thu Jun-10-21 02:41 PM
I have been trying to get into the newer rappers but they really have not impressed me…

So i mentioned some of the other artists to see if there are any suggestions…

3032892, your tone in the OP is pretty dismissive
Posted by bearfield, Thu Jun-10-21 03:18 PM
even if you are sincere in your request. if you really wanted to find out about new music you would research it yourself as opposed to asking about it on a board with pretty conservative tastes. there are entire playlists on spotify and youtube dedicated to modern "lyrical" hip hop that has roots in traditional 90s rapping. even searching something as basic as "modern lyrical rappers" on google is pretty productive

3032893, Why son confrontational bro?
Posted by stone_phalanges, Thu Jun-10-21 04:32 PM
Lol. Maybe he just respects your musical opinion. I guess that's how I took it at least.
3032894, RE: your tone in the OP is pretty dismissive
Posted by javi222, Thu Jun-10-21 04:53 PM
Well its like I said, I already tried to get into these new rappers and was not impressed. So I am asking to see if there is anyone that I have missed or should revisit. Some of the names being mentioned I have already listened to briefly, so now I am interested in revisiting.

I never thought of the lesson as conservative. The lesson is probably responsible for me listening to artists like El-P and Aesop Rock



3032895, "conservative" as in "disinterested in change"
Posted by bearfield, Thu Jun-10-21 05:12 PM
aesop and el-p were new and exciting in 2001 but that was 20 years ago they haven't changed that much, just became more accessible to new listeners. new and exciting in 2021 is weird stuff like tony shhnow and xanman

to not be totally unproductive in here i will say that a lot of millennial rappers were very influenced by 90s stuff. this includes benny, conway, earl, j cole, kendrick and almost all of TDE, joey badass and pro era, a$ap mob, odd future, flatbush zombies, underachievers, earthgang, j.id. etc. there isn't much that is directly influenced by indie/underground groups like quannum and hiero because they didn't reach as many folks as bigger artists did. you'll find the odd artist that was really into blackalicious like a.f.r.o. but they're kind of rare
3032883, Big KRIT
Posted by DJR, Thu Jun-10-21 12:44 PM
Skyzoo
Torae
Rapsody
Benny the Butcher
Conway the Machine

Some of them were rapping in the 00’s, and some at least started to make their name back then(Skyzoo for sure), but they’ve all mostly popped in the 2010s.

There’s plenty of good music out. I just got onto Topaz Jones this year, and his album is great.

I got put onto Grip on here, he’s pretty dope.

Lute is one of my favorites.(managed by Big Pooh). I’m patiently waiting on his new album to drop, but his West 1996 Pt. 2 album from 2017 is really good.
3032889, Thank you all for the feedback
Posted by javi222, Thu Jun-10-21 02:35 PM
I saw Oddisee and Blu mentioned, those were probably the last rappers that I liked, but I was not thinking of them as new artist in 2010s…

What i meant about Lil Wayne is that almost every rapper coming out was influenced by him… i know that’s probably not accurate, just my impression


Some of the others mentioned I have heard before but will take a 2nd listen such as Roc Marciano, Earl sweatshirt, open mike eagle etc. I forgot about Freddie Gibbs, but I can only take so much of his music, I mostly just listen to him when he works with Madlib…

But as a someone said, i guess i got older and the latest hip hop doesn’t appeal to me as much.
3032945, funny, those are my two least favorite from the 2010s
Posted by guru0509, Sun Jun-13-21 10:41 AM



>I kind of stepped away from listening to new hip hop when the
>2010s started, which I view as the Lil Wayne rap era ( and
>probably still going today)…
>
>As a fan of the hip hop collectives that were big in the
>2000s, (Def Jux, Rhymesayers, Hiero, Quannum, Stonesthrow
>etc..) I have not heard any MCs or groups that bring out the
>same type of creativity or quality…
>
>Are there any rappers that came out in the 2010s that are
>similar to the collectives mentioned above?
>
>The only artists that I keep seeing mentioned are J Cole and
>Kendrick, which I honestly dont like either..
3033036, 2010-2015 were fire years
Posted by Hellyeah, Sun Jun-20-21 04:22 AM
everything went to shit creativity wise in the last 5/6 years
3033040, Freddie Gibbs.....
Posted by blueeclipse, Sun Jun-20-21 09:06 PM
He's been the best all around for the decade that is making real shit. He still sounds hungry after all these years too which has been a problem for some of these other dudes.
3033046, No
Posted by mista k5, Mon Jun-21-21 10:17 AM
There are many more decent ones and some straight up great ones too.

In no order, many already mentioned. Not an exhaustive list either.

Joey Bada$$
Kota the Friend
Denzel Curry
Mac Miller
Tyler the Creator
Freddie Gibbs
Rapsody
Danny Brown
Curren$y
Skyzoo (most of his work was in 2010s)
Your Old Droog

Can't put these as strictly 2010s rappers but they really delivered in the 2010s too.
Run the Jewels
Black Milk
Royce Da 5'9

3033196, I live Joey but man I always wonder what woulda been with steez
Posted by ShawndmeSlanted, Sun Jun-27-21 05:16 PM
I loved that kid the moment I heard him.
3033056, Mick Jenkins. Saba. Kemba. Gibbs
Posted by nativesun07, Mon Jun-21-21 11:45 PM
3033063, a few...
Posted by My_SP1200_Broken_Again, Tue Jun-22-21 10:46 AM
Skyzoo
Che'Noir
Freddie Gibbs
Conway
Your Old Droog
Crimeapple
Jah-Monte
Rasheed Chappell
Emskee (The Good People)
Benny
RJ Payne



3033068, RE: Are J.Cole and Kendrick the only decent rappers from the 2010s?
Posted by jimaveli, Tue Jun-22-21 02:42 PM
>I kind of stepped away from listening to new hip hop when the
>2010s started, which I view as the Lil Wayne rap era ( and
>probably still going today)…
>
>As a fan of the hip hop collectives that were big in the
>2000s, (Def Jux, Rhymesayers, Hiero, Quannum, Stonesthrow
>etc..) I have not heard any MCs or groups that bring out the
>same type of creativity or quality…
>
>Are there any rappers that came out in the 2010s that are
>similar to the collectives mentioned above?
>
>The only artists that I keep seeing mentioned are J Cole and
>Kendrick, which I honestly dont like either..

Kendrick is mfing good by almost any standard, Cole is better than the detractors say, and Drake is solid enough when he goes ahead and raps...but some other time for that.

At some point, hiphop gets harder to like if you didn't hear it in landscape and/or context when it dropped. IE: When Roc Marciano dropped his key albums like 10 years ago, it was a rebel yell. That alone propelled those works to a certain status and helped them 'sound better' than maybe they do now. And then, for some reason, some of the same people don't love as much of his stuff from the last 5 years. I view it as treason against an amazingly fun and good rapper, but hey...landscapes and context. Some folks are more worried about how a song would sound on the way to wherever in a car with mixed company. I'm begging folks to take it back to the headphones at the track or in your mamas car on the way to pick up your boys to go to the mall or whatever your late teen/early 20s had you doing when hiphop was on in the background.

Then it happened again when Westside Gunn and the rest of Griselda showed up rapping over impressively unglossy beats, threatening everyone, and making absurd gun noises. And even now, folks are starting to act like they're above it when Conway and Benny are somehow still improving.

Also, add me to the list of folks who really warmed up to Freddie Gibbs. Madlib and Gibbs are a very important hiphop power couple. I'm of the opinion that they did a great deal of good for one another and that's a cool thing to see depending on your perspective.

Last thing for now as I continue to fail to name a bunch of artists, this era of listening to music requires something of the listener: you cannot give a fuck if something is a part of a movement. Or if it is popular or not. More than anything, you need enough self-awareness to understand what you like and why you like it. Then, you have to do just enough digging around to find more stuff like it, try some random stuff every now and then just to hear it, and then go from there. Otherwise, you're gonna miss out on the exact stuff that you might be looking for. I have homeboys who want stuff to fall in their lap/they want the radio to tell them what to listen to but that's not how it works anymore unless you love Migos and sing-rapping.

Luckily for me, there's a slew of folks sneaking around trying to make the type of stuff I like, so I'm constantly playing catchup.