Posted June 26, 2012 by anto 13 comments

Top 9 Tuesdays: The New Wave of 90s Babies Rap

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Joey Bada$$ & 90s babies crew at Big K.R.I.T. listening session
Joey Bada$$ and Crew.

Something strange is definitely circulating in the crowd when your Trillwave starts to taste like Golden Era. But when we recently sat down with SpaceGhostPurrp (interview coming soon), young dude characterized his crew, their musical upbringing and their approach with these words: “We all about that 90s sh*t.” With newly emerging rappers born in the early part of the Jesus Jones/Nine Inch Nails decade making these kinds of declarations (and far as that goes, Nickelodeon bringing back their old hit-series’ under the “90s Are All That” umbrella, and The Guardian telling us the grunge look is back) it feels like pop culture has just about hit its next turning point. Retromania – as music scholar Simon Reynolds calls it – seems to be moving on to its next stage, leaving the 80s behind, embracing the 90s. Below, we’ve assembled 9 young rap artists who are currently spearheading a revolution (de-volution? re-revolution?) in the sound of hip-hop, taking it back to the days of boom bap, G-funk and screw, respectively, and molding their 90s-baby influences into a new wave of creative output.

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chappy

Emulating the 90′s doesn’t necessarily mean that it can be compared to the Golden Era.
- GreenMan
  
  Why? Compared in what way? Because it can definitely be “compared” to it in terms of the similar sounds, it’s “emulating” it after all. I think what you’re trying to say is that it can’t top the shit that came out in the 90s, and no one is making that claim.
Blvd

Listen to this song and read The Vulture by Gill Scott-Heron and tell me this ain’t the sound track
SuthrnFried

Most of them are on that lame ass ASAP tip. No substance or lyrical ability to speak of. Bada$$’s clique, and Wiki seem like they have a chance to be good MCs.
All this taking it back to the 80′s &90′s talk needs to stop. Sure hip hop is in a bad state, but you can’t rectify that by going backwards.

And will these cats please stop using screwed hooks on every song.
You Can’t Be Serious

I agree with SuthrnFried, going back is actually making things worse because you see that this isn’t original-the 90′s era was original because there was nothing to go back to-they innovated because they wanted to leave that Kurtis Blow uncle/auntie jeri curl, spike glove rap behind. Black culture is scared of the future because we don’t know where we’ll fit it. 90′s rap didn’t give a f*ck about fitting into society so it left a unique stamp. Literally and physically, we have to leave this ghetto subject matter & the ghetto itself behind.SERIOUSLY-If we want to go back, let’s look at old photos or pull out old 90′s rap cds(or tapes,lolo), but for god’s sake, LET’s GET FREE!
http://soundcloud.com/aquanaut-st AquanautST

time is an illusion check it

http://soundcloud.com/aquanaut-st
Randal

I type CO-SIGN with You Can’t Be Serious. Being inspired and influenced from past decades is one thing, but trying to duplicate is another. I see a drive in my generation today, we just need a vision to define ourselves the same way our predecessors did theirs. I always say that in order to be innovative, we need to be in a creative enviroment ALL AROUND (Arts, entertainments, science, technology). I say, because we live in the digital age, we’ve became (in certain ways)… shallow, EXTREMELY shallow. Everything at a our fingertips, but the lack of knowledge to innovate.
GreenMan

All y’all are hating so hard lol stop making it more complicated than it is. How do you even calculate/define the difference of “duplicating” a style compared to just plain being influenced by a certain era? Just chill and enjoy the music nigga…this is way better than radio rap skills. And for real they’re not “going backwards” or whatever you’re saying just because they’re trying to be more like the 90s. 90s music is the bomb…I’d listen to that shit any day, you wouldn’t?Hatin ass niggas… Good Post!
http://www.akellolight.com Akello Light

Moshadee is really good
Aly

The beat on the joey bada$$ track is this: from a 1998 album from uk artist Lewis Parker. I love both tracks! Video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQ41iZ2GF8I&feature=youtube_gdata_player
WxStarr

You all mad. You love the 90′s (as any hiphop fan does) but you hate when you hear something similar?
Quoting greenman:
“I’d listen to that shit any day, you wouldn’t?Hatin ass niggas… ”

bomb post
pees
http://www.reverbnation.com/khaleo Khaleo

I was born in 89, and I think that a regress to the 90s is what it is. They were full of beautiful masterpieces. 20 Years down the line, it’s nice to revisit some parts of that, but there has to be (and will be) a fresh twist to it.

Now that I left my legit 2 cents on the matter, please take another moment and vote for my song “Stop, Drop, Roll” at http://coast2coastmixtapes.com/audiodetail.aspx?audioid=179302

With your help, I could have the opportunity to perform at this event in Atlanta next MONDAY! Thx!! @khaleo