2018: Another Golden Year In Hip Hop

1520 Sedgwick Ave Bronx, New York has been etched into musical history as the birthplace of the culture of hip-hop. From the early house parties, hosted by the genre’s founding father DJ Kool Herc back in 1973, where the DJ laid the groundwork for the tone, attitude, and influence that we associate with the world’s most popular musical medium, 45 years later Hip-Hop has now rendered another Golden Year of music.

Removed from the days of digging through crates, turntable battles, and early rap cyphers, hip-hop has transformed the movement of culture and has established itself as the most influential performance category. Throwing it back to the the mid 90’s where artists like 2Pac, Jay – Z, The Notorious B.I.G, The Fugees, Nas and more dropped projects that pushed many to deem the ‘94 and ‘96 years as the first Golden Ages of hip-hop, the new breed of major artists including Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, Drake, Cardi B, Travis Scott, as well as industry veterans like Lil Wayne, Eminem, T.I. and many more have contributed to this new 2018 era.

This year we have witnessed over 100 hip-hop projects drop that have all made major noise whether it be on a mainstream platform or underground come-up. 2018 has not only emerged as a new Golden Year for hip-hop with non-stop musical releases, but it has also left its mark on the year with controversial rap beefs, notable collabs, statements on mental health, politics, drug addiction, social justice issues and much more.

At the top of 2018, the R&B/Hip-Hop genre officially surpassed Rock music as the most consumed category of music. According to Neilsen Music, eight of the ten most listened to artists of the 2017 calendar year came from the R&B/Hip-hop genre, which was led by Scorpion rapper, Drake, having sold nearly 4.8 album equivalent units, with Compton King Kendrick Lamar following up with 3.7 million units sold. There is no doubt that the rap culture has penetrated through social divides and age demographics that crosses over many generations. With the assistance and ready availability of social media at everyone’s fingertips these days, many hip-hop acts have direct interaction with their core fans and greater audiences that are reached through their viral musical moments, surprise cross-genre collaborations, limited tour dates, must-have design merch items, and underground street artists gaining sign-offs from major artists alike.

This new Golden Year of hip-hop has not only delivered new complete projects from leading artists but it also bared witness to the vets linking up with much of the new generation’s rappers who are steadily making a name for themselves in their own right. Further leading to more blurred lines of defining the hip-hop sound and culture, 2018 saw the likes of Kanye West pairing up with Lil Pump, Snoop Dogg hopped on Russ’ ‘Zoo’ album and was featured on controversial teenage rapper Bhad Bhabie’s “Gucci Flip Flops” remix, Young Money chief Lil Wayne saluted the late XXXTentacion on his Carter V “Don’t Cry” record, Juicy J recruited Travis Scott for the infectious “Neighbor” track and the list continues to move the genre forward.

So why was 2018 such a monumental year for every major artist and new commer? The plethora of music releases continues to demonstrate a shift in artist influence and relevance. Yes, we can all agree that we are currently living in a climate that continues to attempt to divide but it is obvious that hip-hop music is a constant impact for us all. Many artists are not only reflecting the state of the culture within in their music but they are also beginning to restructure the standards of traditional hip-hop projects.

Controversial and outspoken rapper Kanye West not only made headlines this year for his stark political differences but the Chicago emcee issued a new wave of marketing and production with his G.O.O.D. Music crew June 2018 takeover. Spearheading production on a total of five albums for Nas, Pusha T, Teyana Taylor, a collab effort with Kid Cudi, and a solo project, West delivered a new theme of seven-featured tracks for each project. The success of each album could be due to the shortened length of each lp or the social conversation surrounding the risque rapper, but the marketing roll out featured elaborate and exclusive listening experiences where fans and media outlets divulged in secret locations across the U.S., including Los Angeles, New York, and Wyoming, to be a part of a fresh take on releasing music.

2018 also witnessed hip-hop in a more creative space than ever with the impact of full concept albums. Dreamville captain J. Cole dropped his fifth studio album KOD, which not only heightened the topic of addiction awareness, bringing the critical issue to the forefront of his lyrical content, the matter is the basis for his entire album. Even the KOD title takes on multiple meanings including Kids On Drugs, King Overdosed, and Kill Our Demons. Down to the project’s artwork, which depicts children under the influence of various substances, as Cole is pictured as a King shielding the kids under his robe.

Texas native Travis Scott paid tribute to his childhood upbringing with the release of his third studio album ASTROWORLD which is a nod to the now defunct Houston Six Flags Astroworld theme park. The album’s amusement park theme has footprints in La Flame’s merch and sound as the rapper has described much of the album as psychedelic trap music.

Other rappers who utilized this concept album feature include TDE’s Jay Rock’s reintroduction with the release of his Redemption concept album, Nipsey Hussle ran a long course with his finally released debut studio album Victory Lap, and the late Mac Miller delivered the now Grammy-nominated Swimming which shares consistent themes of self-love, healing, and psychological growth.

This new era has also ushered in a moment in hip hop that we haven’t seen in quite some time with the rise of prominent female rappers. It’s no secret that Cardi B had a breakout year with the release of her debut studio album, and Nicki Minaj broke major Billboard records as well, but the influx of female rappers in 2018 will definitely predict a strong 2019 for even more female voices in the genre. Rappers like Cupakke, City Girls, Rico Nasty, have all had an outstanding and successful year and will be a bigger part of the hip hop conversation next year.

Hip hop will continue to lead the culture in the coming 2019 year but 2018 will go down as a turning point for the genre of rap and the influence that hip hop has on music and lifestyle. What were some of your most played 2018 hip hop albums?