Hear Me Out. I think there are a lot of artist who are so great, so unique that they are one of a kind and no one tries to, or are able to ,do what they do. So in a sense, they are Not influential?

And I know it sounds like a diss to say that Andre 3000, MF Doom, Wu-Tang Clan are not influential, but I mean that as a compliment because yeah they had huge impacts on the genre and have solidified their place among the greats, but they were so creative, so unique, its really impossible to follow in their footsteps?

Like I draw a straight line from Kanye to Drake. Or Kane to Jay-Z.

But it's harder to do De La Soul to, say, the Roots? De La opened up lanes for non-traditional groups like the Roots, but its hard to see a direct influence.

Feel what I am trying to say? Are there other artist who fit into this mold?


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"Everyone has a plan until you punch them in the face. Then they don't have a plan anymore." (c) Mike Tyson

"what's a leader if he isn't reluctant"

... the artists you reference (3k, DOOM, Wu Tang) have all been hugely influential to other artists who then followed their own paths.

Odd Future credits both DOOM and Wu for their weirdness and their posse approach to the beginnings of their careers.

Future and a trillion others reference 3k as major influences on their own styles and careers.

So yea - while artists like those mentioned above can't ever ever ever be replicated, it'd be wrong to say that they weren't "influential" in that they inspired the artists referenced above and a bunch of others to forge their own path while following the *strategies* of those icons, if that makes sense.

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"Fuck aliens." © WarriorPoet415

would Del fall under this? im thinking plenty of backpack rappers took from his style even if they don't sound like him or are direct comparisons.

I am sure there are many artists who were inspired to be weird by Doom, Wu Tang and 3k, but weird only works if you do it your own way and make your own style.

Like I think Common became weird TOO MUCH like 3k's type of weirdness and it was a bad look.

Like I see Lil' Wayne and I see so many acts who just took his style and ran with it like SPOTEMGOTTEM and all the mumbly rappers. I was listening to a Jay-Z verse on Bitch DOn't Kill my Vibe and you can hear Kanye's influence (also on early Donald Glover).

But I have a hard time seeing 3k's direct influence on Future (though I don't know him like that), but I don't doubt it when future says it and I certainly think 3k INSPIRED Future and a ton of other rappers.

I am just thinking out loud, don't know if I have a fully formed thought here.





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"Everyone has a plan until you punch them in the face. Then they don't have a plan anymore." (c) Mike Tyson

"what's a leader if he isn't reluctant"

Cuz influence can take many shapes and forms. Like you said, Future isn't much like 3k at all in a lot of ways but he's made clear that his approach to his art and his style was significantly "influenced" by Andre. But he definitely didn't directly mimic or try to replicate what he did.

I think we're more or less saying the exact same thing but neither of us can find the right words/right way to say it haha.

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"Fuck aliens." © WarriorPoet415

I turn on the radio and there are like 50 chicks doing Cardi B impressions. She's highly influential despite not being a "great" rapper IMHOP. Queen Latifah, on the other hand, didn't really spawn a ton of Latifah like rappers and I consider her a great.


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"Everyone has a plan until you punch them in the face. Then they don't have a plan anymore." (c) Mike Tyson

"what's a leader if he isn't reluctant"

I think maybe a good way to put it is that the artists to whom you refer are *so* singular, so unique, that they can't possibly spawn copycats, but they influence other unique/weird artists to fully embrace that weirdness and forge their own paths that way.

Using your examples below, Cardi (much as I like her general persona, for the record) is someone who's somewhat easy to mimic, or at least attempt to mimic. While Latifah is so singular that artists don't bother to try and *be* like her cuz they can't, but rather they are/were influenced/inspired by her to forge their own paths and embrace their own uniqueness like she did.


>I turn on the radio and there are like 50 chicks doing Cardi
>B impressions. She's highly influential despite not being a
>"great" rapper IMHOP. Queen Latifah, on the other hand,
>didn't really spawn a ton of Latifah like rappers and I
>consider her a great.

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"Fuck aliens." © WarriorPoet415

some of those listed earlier aren't as easy to replicate from asound/style perspective. those influences may show themselves in the approach of artists that came after, but not in an audible manner.

another thing to consider is how marketable styles are during different eras. cardi and her copiers are hitting a the right time. the timing could help determine styles newer artists go for.

Y'all buy those labels, I was born supreme

>I think maybe a good way to put it is that the artists to
>whom you refer are *so* singular, so unique, that they can't
>possibly spawn copycats, but they influence other unique/weird
>artists to fully embrace that weirdness and forge their own
>paths that way.

https://digife.com

By the definition stated in the previous posts, they are obviously "influential" but I don't see a lot of modern artists molding off of them or trying to be them.

Groups across all of popular music are fading in popularity. Plus, to match the band's impact, that band would have to equal The Roots' versatility and virtuosity. A tall task.

The Roots have two of the most talented and well-regarded musical minds in the genre's history. It's not likely a band has that kind of fortune.

<--- Me when my head hits the pillow

>The Roots have two of the most talented and well-regarded
>musical minds in the genre's history.

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"Fuck aliens." © WarriorPoet415

In a world where B.O.B, Raury, Kendrick, and Earthgang exist?

--

"You can't beat white people. You can only knock them out."

B.O.B. and Earthgang I give you. I don't see Kendrick and I never heard of Raury.


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"Everyone has a plan until you punch them in the face. Then they don't have a plan anymore." (c) Mike Tyson

"what's a leader if he isn't reluctant"

You don't see Kendrick?

Like Kendrick is often times Eminem meets Andre vocally.

Double 0
DJ/Producer/Artist
Producer in Kidz In The Hall
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twitter: @godouble0
IG: @godouble0
www.thinklikearapper.com

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3cGWBfNaM8KNPO86tCXRVl?si=cd8ec9f6dfa64c93

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http://vintagesoulmusic.tumblr.com
http://vintagehiphopmusic.tumblr.com
http://onetwann.tumblr.com

It's also rare to find a conscious lyricist who lives to rock the crowd.

From party jams, to conscious to gangsta stuff. Hard to categorize (and hard to mimic).

Never heard a rapper and was like, he reminds me of a young KRS-1.


**********
"Everyone has a plan until you punch them in the face. Then they don't have a plan anymore." (c) Mike Tyson

"what's a leader if he isn't reluctant"

thing but just weren't in a position to keep the band together long enough to get much traction.

>Hear Me Out. I think there are a lot of artist who are so
>great, so unique that they are one of a kind and no one tries
>to, or are able to ,do what they do. So in a sense, they are
>Not influential?
>
>And I know it sounds like a diss to say that Andre 3000, MF
>Doom, Wu-Tang Clan are not influential, but I mean that as a
>compliment because yeah they had huge impacts on the genre and
>have solidified their place among the greats, but they were so
>creative, so unique, its really impossible to follow in their
>footsteps?
>
>Like I draw a straight line from Kanye to Drake. Or Kane to
>Jay-Z.
>
>But it's harder to do De La Soul to, say, the Roots? De La
>opened up lanes for non-traditional groups like the Roots, but
>its hard to see a direct influence.
>
>Feel what I am trying to say? Are there other artist who fit
>into this mold?

You are exactly right actually because all those artists, especially Outkast and WuTang were not exactly as immediately influential as I thought they would be in terms of mainstream rap. They had influence on the underground definitely and then 10 to 20 years later; however, there wasn't a load of top 40 rappers flowing and creating worlds like Outkast directly after the success of Stankonia/Speakerboxx/the LoveBelow. In fact, there was a very steep drop off in terms of creativity when they stopped making albums imo. Same with Wu-Tang.. It was like they were so good, that the rest of the big name rappers just went in the opposite direction with the focus on materialism and success. Not that Wu didn't glorify gangsterisms and riches, but they did it in a different way. It took years before folks like Roc Marciano and Griselda started to bring that style of rap back.