The Cascading Effects of Rap Regionalism’s Growing Absence
By Luke Modugno
We as rap listeners are comfortable compartmentalizing music based on regional differences. From the infamous East vs West Coast beef of the late ’90s and the recent rise of the South, to the growth of international sounds in hip-hop, territorialism in hip hop has been around since the conception of the genre. But these autonomous circles of rap are slowly growing closer. From the rise of social media to the invention of the smartphone, the rapid pace at which technology has evolved has made the world an undeniably smaller place. The music world, of course, has followed suit. No proverbial stone has been left unturned, as the way we consume music has changed with streaming services. Artist-fan relationships have never been tighter through avenues such as Twitter, as well as a complete transformation of production processes. Even one of hip-hops defining and fundamental characteristics is fighting a losing battle to the internet: regionalism. “It’s a switch they can turn on and off,” said author Murray Forman, author of The ’Hood Comes First: Race, Space, and Place in Rap and Hip-Hop. “The Internet has facilitated a sense of placelessness.” Is the song West Coast, East Coast, Southern, or does it even matter anymore?
Instead of your local record shop getting regionally relevant albums weeks ahead of other cities, it can be accessed worldwide via streaming platforms or countless other sites like YouTube, DatPiff, SoundCloud, and AudioMack. The elimination of the slow migration of physical records has undermined many of the unique characteristics of each region, as full discographies can be analyzed and consumed elsewhere at the touch of a button. Isolation, due to a lack of a comprehensive communication system like the internet, allowed these individual sectors of rap to flourish.
Of course, the West Coast and East Coast had their own distinctive and legendary hip-hop scenes. But other areas cultivated their own exclusive and independent movements. Memphis developed a darker, more aggressive brand of hip-hop than the rest of the south with groups like Three 6 Mafia. New Orleans was dominated by “bounce” music, a type of hip-hop focused on energy and call-and-response style parties (Drake’s hit “Nice For What” incorporates elements of bounce).
But the internet has changed rappers' views on the idea of regionalism, as instead of defending their turf's sound, they borrow elements from their technological neighbors.
Not all of this is bad news, whatsoever. In fact, the growing utilization of technology in hip-hop has allowed for a sort of rap renaissance of both the sound and philosophy of regionalism. The genre is more collaborative than ever, allowing for a compelling blend of styles and sounds. Take, for example, the two most recognizable labels in contemporary rap music: Top Dawg Entertainment and Dreamville. Both J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar, head honchos of their labels rosters, are heavily rooted in their respective regions both sonically and topically. But the rest of their labels hardly follow suit. Dreamville artist JID represents a fascinating fusion of Atlanta trap and the old-school soul aesthetics of the south. Isaiah Rashad of TDE is a through-and-through southern trip-hop guru. And LA based artist Cozz hardly fits Dreamville’s line-up of Southern/East Coast artists.
Lamar is surely in favor of the post-regionalism of hip-hop, “It’s not about the coasts, it’s not about what side we’re on. It’s about being as great as Biggie, as ’Pac,” he said in an interview with Power 106. “People trying to make it a rivalry—that’s old school, homie. We’re black men out here trying to uplift the culture.”
Lamar's sentiments on regionalism reflect a growing trend. Transcending the conformity of space has become something applauded in contemporary hip-hop, rather than something scrutinized. Tyler, The Creator, Kanye West, and Earl Sweatshirt, some of the most celebrated minds of rap today, hardly follow their region's designated soundscape. On the other hand, some of the unique idiosyncrasies of the separate territories of hip-hop have survived the transition from old-school to new-school. Joey Bada$$ and the Griselda crew have upheld the East Coast’s boom-bap brilliance. Traces of the smooth, G-funk inspired golden age of the West-Coast can be found in artists like Nipsey Hussle, Jay Rock, and Lamar himself. While the South has undergone the most considerable transformation of the three with the immensity of trap music, the sounds of Isaiah Rashad, Smino and Big K.R.I.T. harken back to the days when Outkast, Lil Wayne and T.I. captivated the rap world. Artists like Denzel Curry and Travis Scott put their respective cities on the map. Rap is left in an odd place, one situated quite precisely in the midst of an overhaul between an old-school and new-school mentality toward regionalism.
But none of this is to say collaborative efforts between the sonic qualities of regions was nonexistent during the golden age of stubborn territorialism. Outkast’s second and third records, ATLiens and Aquemini had almost every sonic quality of the then budding G-funk revolution that enthralled much of the West Coast hip-hop scene. New York legend Nas was unafraid of mingling with the influencers of the West, as he was the first rapper from the Big Apple to appear on a Dr. Dre beat on the classic cut “Nas Is Coming.” It’s widely known that A Tribe Called Quest’s legendary project The Low End Theory was heavily inspired by the masterclass of production present on N.W.A’s debut album Straight Outta Compton. While collaborative efforts between these distinct regions were entirely more taboo during the 90’s, the result were landmarks, classics and imaginative pieces of music. Today, we’re still enthralled by regional teamwork. Whether it’s when the distinct styles of a Drake and Future produce a legendary record like What a Time to Be Alive, or Migos, Run The Jewels or Kanye West adopting Memphis’ patented triplet flows, we’ll always have an affinity and appreciation for hip-hops regional roots. It differentiates our experiences from one another, but allows listeners a window into another life. A life that happened elsewhere and at an entirely different time, when sound had geography.
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