With all the ailments that continue to plague our society, a great distraction and/or productive outlet to vent frustrations is... music! (and reading.. for me.) Obviously, our musical taste are going to differ depending on whats most relatable to our own individual experiences. For me, Jazz was always played on the radio in the kitchen growing up, all day, everyday, during waking hours.. could have something to do with my mellow, laid back demeanor. However, I never realized just how impactful this "new" genre of hip-hop was when it hooked me for life after listening to The Notorious BIG's first LP Ready to Die -More on that for another day.
I was struck with nostalgia earlier this week when I came across an article from Complex Magazine about - not the greatest rappers of all time- but the greatest rapper alive, for their particular years of dominance since its inception in 1979 - present. Regardless if you agree or disagree, I found the article extremely interesting, informative, and even educational. If you read between the lines, it gives you an idea about the evolution of the art, what made it go in the direction it went and its impact on the culture at large. (Lets be honest, hip-hop is intertwined in literally everything, its impact cannot be understated.)
I'd be lying if I didn't state a major part of me currently residing in Brooklyn, or just New York in general, had nothing to do with these artists' impact on me growing up. (Nothing against other regions of the country, I definitely can make an argument for the South, West and Mid-West respectfully). But much like sports and entertainment, music helps shapes one's outlook on life and helps to mold foundational blocks for ourselves and future generations to build on and hopefully reach what Maslow's hierarchy of needs describes as self actualization.
If you would like to read the article, you can check it out here
Cheers,
Buttawear.